Top names were booked on a regular basis and I can remember seeing Stevie Wonder, the Drifters and Liverpool-act The Chants (later to become Vocal Perfection and then The Real Thing) in a three week period.

Other favourites included Root and Jenny Jackson - a Leeds based Ike and Tina Turner style act and Milton James and the Emerald World, who I believe were from Manchester.

I can still picture Milton pacing the large stage and talking about his good friend Otis Redding. Hey, Mr James, it worked for me - I believed you.

I can also recall seeing Ten Years After (who became huge in the UK and US) at the club on a ten pound gig.

"Bands which appeared at Top Ten Club included: Herman's Hermits The McCoys Jimi Hendrix Rolling Stones The Hollies Plastic Penny (Nigel became drummer with Elton John) Ike and Tina Turner and all the other sixties bands...The Searchers, Tremeloes etc.....

I was there of course when Stevie Wonder appeared. The one great thing was after the show we found out that apparently he liked to "warm-down" and six of us including Jimmy Savile and Sam Mason the General Manager stayed behind whilst Stevie played and sang just for us few...for a further hour!"
Dave Eager

"I was also there that night but in a more modest role - I ran the coke bar upstairs."
Paul Mlynarz - webmaster Manchesterbeat

My friend Kath and I started a team of dancers (go go girls) as asked to by Sam Mason (Manager of BV Top Ten Club).

There were six of us and we were named the six belles!! We saw lots of top name bands, local bands and soon to be legends.

Jimmy Savile, Dave Eager and Dave Booth were the three djs, there was always a top name band, a middling one and a local one. there was also a female dj Jenny. Harvey was the manager, under Sam Mason who was a lovely man. When Sam retired, Dave took over - all I know about him was he was a drummer.

On the site you mention Dixies Dont's and The Chuckles. Paul who was lead singer with them was a close friend of ours and still in touch. Dave Eager, Paul, Kath and myself were often taken to the Empire Grill by Jimmy Saville for an after gig meal. My dad was amazed when the Rolls Royce came to collect us! Then Dave would come in his bubble car-ah those days.

There are lots more memories, such as taking Arthur Brown on the scenic railway after bandcall one sunday afternoon then back home for sunday roast! My poor parents never knew who was coming through the door next.

Kath and I also danced for the Moss Brothers circuit ie: the Princess Club, the Georgian and the Domino. We used to put a coat over our costumes and catch the 53 bus from the Domino to the Princess. 

Lorraine

Belle Vue was also home to many function rooms (The Cumberland, etc) and also hosted a Saturday night "disco" in a bar behind the New Elizabthan.

DJ's for a time were Jennifer and John (as per ad above) and local bands were featured each week