This is one of a series of posts expanding on my 50 States in 50 Dates blog by documenting the global touring adventures of George Thorogood and the Delaware Destroyers and the earlier years of their career.
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Dingwalls.
Date: June 13 & 14, 1978.
On June 13, 1978, the Destroyers played an early evening performance for members of the press, an hour-long soundcheck at 9pm, and a full concert at 11pm.
Venue: Dingwalls. 11 Camden Lock Pl. London, England. NW1 8AL.
Find it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/gEcS5bbzUuqGLhCt6
Venue Exterior:
1978:
2021:
Venue Interior:
1980:
Above: The Stray Cats perform to a packed house at Dingwalls in 1980. Source: Steve Pyke. Hulton Archive. Getty Images.
Opening Act: Unknown. Please get in touch if you have any information.
Poster / Flyer / Handbill:
Press & Promotion:
Source: Music Week. May 20, 1978. Pg. 33.
Source: Record Mirror. May 27, 1978. Pg. 4.
Source: Unknown, 1978.
Source: Unknown, 1978.
Source: Daily Mirror. June 8, 1978. Pg. 25.
Above: Promotional brochure with the lineup of acts performing during Dingwalls’ 5th anniversary celebration in June 1978.
Ticket Price: £2.
Ticket Stub: I have yet to see a ticket stub for this concert. If you have a scan or a photo to share, please send me a note.
Attendance: Dingwalls had standing room capacity for 500 people. These shows were sold out. Music reviewers and the press were also invited to attend.
Set List:
- Introductory remarks – John Peel, legendary British radio DJ. (See the “Concert Reaction” section below for more details about his speech.)
- Kind Hearted Woman (George Solo).
- Ride On Josephine.
- One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer.
- Sweet Little Rock and Roller.
- Reelin’ and Rockin’.
- Madison Blues.
- The Sky is Crying.
- I’m a Rocker.
- No Particular Place to Go.
Source: Rock Hebdo. June 28, 1978. Pg. 2; The Guardian. June 15, 1978. Pg. 10; New Musical Express. June 1978; Observer. Sept. 3, 1978. Pg. 33.
Was the Concert Recorded? Unknown. Please get in touch if you have any information.
Concert Photos:
Source: Observer. Sept. 3, 1978.
Source: Observer. Sept. 3, 1978. Pp. 32-33.
Source: New Musical Express. June 1978.
Source: Rock Hebdo. June 28, 1978.
Source: Unknown.
Concert Reaction:
In his 2008 autobiography, John Peel recounted the story of getting very drunk and introducing the Destroyers’ first performance at Dingwalls:
“[We] lingered perhaps a moment or two too long at the wine-tasting, and several hours later the noble Peel head was still aswim with rich fumes when its owner/operator was refused admission to Dingwalls, Chalk Farm’s fashionable dance venue. I was there to introduce a performance by George Thorogood and his Destroyers. Once I had gained entrance, I’m sorry to say I behaved poorly, consuming yet more wine and making an incoherent speech from the platform, a speech which included my by-now-traditional attacks on The Old Grey Whistle Test and Capital Radio. I can’t tell you exactly what I said, but whatever it was it grievously offended some Capital Radio fancier who was present — so much so that I suspected for a while that he was going to biff me one…
But what of the man Thorogood and his band? Well, he had your Uncle John coming as close to dancing as he ever gets, and the perspiration was fair cascading down my body by the end of the set. Good, rowdy, vulgar stuff.”
Source: John Peel. The Olivetti Chronicles. 2008. Pp. 343-344.
Robin Denselow of the Guardian shared these words about the Destroyers’ performance, including a very special guest in the Dingwalls audience:
“Down at Dingwalls, by Camden Lock, they were starting a two-week celebration of the fact that the place has been running for five years. A host of favourite bands will be turning up to pay their respects, and the opener was George Thorogood, a youthful American R and B exponent. He played ideal bar room music – traditional blues from Robert Johnson through to rocking blues from Chuck Berry. He may have missed a few notes and sounded rough at the edges, but his enthusiasm was faultless. He may have played little new or unexpected, but by returning to one of the basic roots of American popular music, and ignoring all current fads, he provided a refreshing sense of continuity.
Almost unnoticed in the audience watching him, hidden behind dark glasses and leather jacket and accompanied by a very large bodyguard, was the small figure of Mr. Bob Dylan. He didn’t say anything, but he shook in time to the music, so I trust he was enjoying himself.”
Source: The Guardian. June 15, 1978. Pg. 10.
Source: Record Mirror. June 24, 1978. Pg. 30.
Other Notes:
Musicians Bob Dylan, Bootsy Collins and Nick Lowe attended the Destroyers’ June 13, 1978 show at Dingwalls.
Above. 1978 promotional poster and print ad from Sonet Records for the UK release of Madison Blues as a single.
Fate of the Venue: At the time of this writing, a pub operates in the T.E. Dingwall Building.
BBC Radio.
Date: June 16, 1978.
Venue: Unknown. Jeff Simon’s journal of Destroyers’ gigs indicates the band was at BBC Radio in London on this date. I have no further information about the specific location of the session or what was recorded.
Press & Promotion:
Source: Wilmington Morning News. May 14, 1978. Pg. D2.
Set List: Unknown. Please get in touch if you have any details.
Barbarellas.
Date: June 17, 1978.
Venue: Barbarellas. 41 Cumberland St. Birmingham, England.
Find it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/8DPfPY7WWRqGan3PA
Venue Exterior:
1978:
2017:
Venue Interior:
1970s:
Above: The band Scotch Mist on stage at Barbarellas. Source: Keith Jones Music.
Opening Act: Unknown. Please get in touch if you have any information.
Poster / Flyer / Handbill: Please see the Dingwalls section at the top of this post for the poster to this concert.
Press & Promotion:
Source: Birmingham Evening Mail. June 6, 1978. Pg. 11.
Ticket Price: Unknown.
Ticket Stub: I have yet to see a ticket stub for this concert. If you have a scan or a photo to share, please send me a note.
Attendance: Unknown. Barbarellas held approximately 300 people.
Set List: Unknown. Please get in touch if you have any details.
Was the Concert Recorded? Unknown. Please get in touch if you have any information.
Concert Photos: I have yet to come across any photos from this concert. Please get in touch if you know of any.
Concert Reaction: I am still looking for a print review of this show. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Other Notes: None.
Fate of the Venue: Barbarellas closed in 1979.
50 States in 50 Dates 