Rock at The Riverside The True Story

[Karl]

It all started by not having any venues for Southport Bands to play at (now after 25 years it has a familiar sound?). I was with Rock On and Colin Degrave in Dice at the time and we knew Mike Scott so he and I set to sorting the problem. The Riverside was a venue we had personal knowledge about and seemed like a good venue. Ralph Halstead agreed to let us have the main room for nothing on a quiet Thursday night – a one off – no further plans. It turned out a little different! More soon.

[Karl]

The first gig was to be on Thursday 30th November 1978 in just the front room of the Riverside. As this was the first we did not know if we even cover costs let alone have any money left over to pay the bands. But Mike and I wanted loads of bands! The bands started to confirm – Dice of course; Alan Phillips from Marital Aids said they would support the event; Brian Gee committed The West Coast Flyers and Shy Talk and Panache jumped on board (not certain how they came to us). Marital Aids had played at Liverpool’s premier Punk Venue, Eric’s and apparently The Flyers were a recording band. Steve Blower did the ticket and poster design, Colin Degrave organised sheets of 8 by 4 marine ply to make two additional stages and a contact of mine from Leyland (?), Northwest Lighting, agreed to put up a rig. Tickets were 50p from Publicity and Attractions and Flame Amplifications on Eastbank Street (any one remember the red speaker cabs?) to include a return trip on one of two double-decker buses. Now there’s a story! We borrowed two red buses and two red bus drivers that between them could transport 140 Rock fans from the Monument to the Riverside. The drivers’ deal was that we would supply them ale and let them in for nothing. They were the only ones who did get in for nought! On the night we even had our own door staff organised by Scotch Ian who was my window cleaner at K Shoes where I was working at the time.
A week or so before the gig ticket sales were good enough to persuade Ralph Halstead to open the second room and I think we put Darrell Jay Road Show with his monster PA and a guest band.
More soon.

[a.l.guzzler]

Good old Scotch Ian ( I'm relying on you for the "Scotch" title there Karl!) I remember asking him if he'd "had to take the toilet door in the Gents completely off it's hinges?" He replied in the affirmative... so who was I to question further..? Halfway through the gig Karl remembered that Dice had some Dry Ice for the smoke machine - essential for they're spot so I had to race back to Southport to get it, thus missing seeing Shy Talk and Panache! Sorry! Back to you Karl...

[Karl]

Ah, yes the dry ice. We had to go to Liverpool to get the stuff. It's so cold it'll take skin of hands in 10 seconds flat - but a great effect non the less.

Anything else I skip over please feel free to jump in.

Meanwhile back at the ranch.

Thursday afternoon we set the place up – forced the usual hangers oners to pay their 50p too (what do you mean you’re the manager – cough up) and then waited for the punters. “If you set it up they will come” and they did. The bus drivers had some refreshments compliments of Shoestring and I understand that the journeys home were more interesting. We managed to pay the bands £40 each (I think) and still had a bit left over for the next promotion and a bag of chips.
The next event on February 15th 1979 saw us Dice boys back as top of bill (got to be some perks?) being joined in the front room by Mantis, Stratos and the A & K Sounds Disco (the A being Arthur Pheby, my bother-in-law, that’s important information for later). Darrell occupied the rear room in his own right this time with a band called Stilleto. (I think Stilleto featured Howard Morris on drums playing with a Python round his neck!) Tickets this time were only on sale from Record Supermarket in Eastbank Street as the Publicity and attractions had realised that we were nothing to do with Southport Corporation and Flame (was the guy called Vic?) I think had gone bust. We fly posted mostly in the early hours our posters on every surface we could get away with.
Once again we made a profit so we could pay the bands and Darrell and put a bit in the kitty for next time.
About this time I started writing, in Arthur’s name, to the Letters Page of The Southport Visitor complaining about just about anything. Mike would answer and I would moan on and on. Free advertising!
Also, around the third event I was being approached by Bronze Agency to place their bands. We (well, I) turned down the Cure as their demo was crap and they were using Woolworths’ Top Twenty guitars. Also gave a miss to someone called Sade – they wanted far too much (£200) and I had never heard of the fellow. On a positive note I had met Tony Prince, Radio Caroline DJ, whilst I was on holiday. He was doing some work for Paul McCartney’s new band Wings. He gave me Paul’s address and so I wrote to him asking if he fancied a local gig. All I could pay was £40 but I’d buy him and the boys a drink and guarantee that no one would know he was playing until he got on stage.
More to come.

[Rock-On]

Karl,... Vic Grace was his name, played a cherry red 335, in a 3 pce Liverpool band ( named "Verity" "Trinity" or something like that?) along with a bass player called Gordy Littlewood who used a Gibson S.G.bass (rare, then as I recall) and a Crazy drummer( aren't they all!) who had a real obsession with Marsha Hunt. I saw them a few times up at the "Starlight Room"

[Karl]

What response did we get from the great P Mc absolute deafening silence! Still, to win the lottery you have to first buy a ticket.

By this time we were being contacted by loads of bands several from Liverpool.

Rock School and Export were booked to appear. Export was in Radio City’s Battle of the Bands and their previously agreed price went up immediately they won the competition. But what a band? I remember all the other band’s drummers watching Lou’s bass drum technique trying to work out how he was doing what he was doing – ‘cause what he was doing couldn’t be done!

We had a mini crisis about this time on the staging front. We built a stage over the seats at the far end of the main room on about 6 8 by 4 sheets supported by iron girders. The panels separated and all I saw was the band’s drummer (I think it was Quad) disappearing down the back – Colin running underneath and lifting the whole construction (strong guy) whilst a couple of us bolted it back together. Quad of course just carried on playing.

As a side we had the idea of putting panels on top of these “A” frame sheets so Colin very carefully measured the distances and that night we cut all the marine ply sheets and these heavy weight guiders. All the assembled sheets were numbered so that they could be positioned on the corresponding seats. That took two nights of four of us working until gone midnight. We brought the stages sections in and, horror – they did not fit. Colin was so angry he kicked one of the “A” frame seats that promptly moved. They weren’t fixed to the floor – no need to cut anything – could have left them in whole sheets.

We were in the grove now. Open the doors and a few folks came in and we were in panic mode until the buses arrived full of paying putters.

Next, the story of The Out and how it all came to an end in near madness.

[Karl]

The Out were support Sad Café on tour and had a free date. They performed in the front room as top of the bill and turned in a creditable performance. The main thing I remember was their PA system – 6 Bose 802’s on each side. They got Ian and I into see Sad Café when they were on at Southport Theatre and at the end of the show Ian was talking to the guitarist and asked him how he got his sound. The guy stopped the Roadies knocking down and switched all the gear on and gave Ian a demo. Nice people!

By now we had built up some “spare” cash for future events and THE tour presented it’s self. I think at this time we were having relationship problems with The Riverside Management and so when we were contacted by Bronze to see if we would take on this 3-band tour date we first approached the Floral Hall then our bank manger at Barclays. Floral Hall was no problem – the date was free and we could have it (at a price) provided we complied with all council regulations.

The bank manager was a different proposition. Mike Scott and I went to see him and presented our ideas and asked him for, I think, £1,000 overdraft to fund the show. He listened carefully then said (like Deep Thought in Hitchhikers’ Guide to The Galaxy) I’ll have to think about that. His thought process included checking up with his teenage daughter if she knew the bands. Apparently she did know them so in due course (days) he agreed to the advance provided his daughter got a ticket. We went back to Bronze to agree the date but it had been taken. Bugger! So, as we had booked the Hall we substituted Supercharge supported by Dennis Delight and Darrell Jay Road Show instead of MADNESS, SLECTOR and THE SPECIALS. Although a very good night (anyone attend and care to share memories?) we spent all our money and only a clever bit of accounting allowed us to escape with the shirts still on our backs. What a night it should have / would have been?

The bands that performed at Rock at the Riverside:
(If I’ve missed any, sorry, but do post)

Marital Aids
Dice
Shy Talk
Panache
West Coast Flyers
Mantis
Stratos
Stilleto
Quad
The Out
Rock School
Accelerators
Pass
Split Legs
Dennis Delight
Fancy Dancer (no show)
Fire Exit
Body
Zanathus
Dick Smith Band
Mistress
Thin End of The Wedge
Glass Torpedos (no show)

Darrell Jay Road Show
A&K Sounds
Top Twenty Disco

[Chas King]

[QUOTE=Karl] The bank manager was a different proposition. Mike Scott and I went to see him and presented our ideas and asked him for, I think, £1,000 overdraft to fund the show.
* * * * * *
them so in due course (days) he agreed to the advance provided his daughter got a ticket.

This is serious corruption ! does the FSA know about this ?

[seivad]

Karl,... Vic Grace was his name, played a cherry red 335, in a 3 pce Liverpool band ( named "Verity" "Trinity" or something like that?)

I remember Vic with his band The Secrets. He died from liver cancer a few years ago.

[a.l.guzzler]

I remember Vic with his band The Secrets. He died from liver cancer a few years ago.

Oh! I'm Sorry to hear that. Vic Grace R.I.P.

[a.l.guzzler]

[QUOTE=Chas King]

The bank manager was a different proposition. Mike Scott and I went to see him and presented our ideas and asked him for, I think, £1,000 overdraft to fund the show.
* * * * * *
them so in due course (days) he agreed to the advance provided his daughter got a ticket.

This is serious corruption ! does the FSA know about this ?

I've a good mind to report him even now! His "dithering" cost us the greatest gig! The date for The Floral Hall was (I think) 27th Oct 1979 and we missed booking The Specials, Madness, Selector and The Modettes by 45 minutes!!! When the time came for our Supercharge gig, only The Modettes were not in the Top Forty!... Still... "Mustn't grumble eh?" It was all a fantastic experience and all I can say is that it's a shame that the old complaints still abound that there's nowhere to play given that there's so many more venues than 25 years ago.

[Chas King]

Great story and a great shame ! Just think if you owned your own venue you would have control over what and who played there.

[a.l.guzzler]

Great story and a great shame ! Just think if you owned your own venue you would have control over what and who played there.

I would still do it today, given the chance.

[Karl]

Chas

Good to meet you and everyone on Friday. Great night - crap venue.

Who are the FSA? Keep well away from such shady creatures - that's what I say.

Mike

Do it again - no. It was good then it wouldn't be good now. Just like last Friday was good then but would be different (not as good) if repeated.

Anyone

Rock On still exists on nervous energy. In bed late but up at the crack of dawn – opening bottles with his bare teeth. He also drives at the speed of light. Claims that he can do Worthing to Southport in three and half hours, a claim I, for one, do not dispute.

[Chas King]

Karl~It was good to meet one half of the entreprenerial Shoestring team. As for the Financial Services Agency, I hope you or I never need them and better still that they don't need us