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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.
Memories
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. Dave actually came up and assisted me, as I was flat our. Something I have always remembered and is a sign of what a nice guy he is"
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
"I wonder if anyone remembers the night the power went off in the New Elizabethan Hall? It was a Top Ten Club night and Herman's Hermits were playing. Just a couple of numbers into the set the power went off. Later we heard it was because of a fire on the Scenic Railway. After we got used to the emergency lighting, the group started improvising with the drums being the only instruments still audible. They clearly wanted to stay on and enjoy themselves. It turned out to be a sing-a-long night with the fans joining in. One tune I remember was the intro to the TV show "Five a Clock Club" It was well over an hour before staff realised the power wasn't going to come back on and started to send us home early.
It was probably the first time I didn't have to gamble on getting the last 53 back to Cheetham Hill!
Bernard Judge
There was one time I was so excited I couldn't wait for the weekend to begin. P.J. Proby was on at BV Top Ten Club. The place was packed out, if you can recall.
Unfortunately it wasn't to be. I can't remember what the exact time was but the announcement came nonetheless: there had been a smash on the motorway and some members of the band were injured and killed. PJ was ok because he wasn't in the car crash.
The place was so silent you could here a pin drop. At such short notice they had got a band to stand in. I can remember thinking it's not going to come close whoever they are because everybody was disappointed to say the least. When they announced that Wynne Fontana & the Mindbenders would stand in I thought it's going to go down like...yeah, you've won the jackpot on the pools, but your wife's forgot to post the coupon. I couldn't have been more wrong. It turned out to be one of the best nights I have ever spent there.
Terry Kelly
I used to go with my best friend Kay Stringer every week - weeknights we spent at the Oasis or the Twisted Wheel. I saw so many big names at Belle Vue, Ike and Tina Turner and the Supremes and of course the Rolling Stones - I passed out and got carried to the back after waiting in line for most of the day to get in!! Manchester was certainly the best place to be in the '60s and the Top Ten Club was the highlight of our week.
Lynda Doukanaris
Jimmy Saville was the DJ and had either his Rolls, E-Type Jag or bubble car parked outside. On stage would always be a framed black and white press photo, placed on a small coffee table, of him shaking hands with Elvis. Later on in the evening the revolving stage would reveal a top group: The Hollies, Wayne Fontana, Searchers etc.
Dave Jackson
Dave Eager on stage at the Top Ten Club
Can anyone remember seeing the 'Springfields' at the Top Ten Club?
Dusty Springfield was obviously heading for stardom and totally outshone her two brothers!!! I'd love to remember the date because its one night I remember among many others spent at places like the Oasis, Twisted Wheel, Jungfrou, Plaza just too many to count. I also remember 'Diddy' Dave Hamilton a DJ at the Silver Blades ice rink in Cheetham Hill. The bands we saw live in the 60's was unbelievable and I don't think we fully appreciated it at the time!! I often tell my children & grandchildren about my teens and I'm sure they think I'm exaggerating!!
By the way, my brother Rod Ward played rhythm guitar with the 'Bo Kelly Legend' band which enjoyed moderate success in Germany. My husband Dave played drums for a while but left the group when they went professional as he didn't want to give up his engineering apprenticeship!
I have so many happy memories of those days and sad ones too. The loss of Kenny Williams who took over from Dave as drummer was a terrible blow, he had married a German girl and died in a tragic accident leaving 2 small children. Also the lead guitarist Gordon Lickfold who was one of the most talented musicians I ever heard also passed away before his time.
Its been good reminiscing and I appreciate all the efforts that have gone into creating this absorbing website!!!
Christine Robertson
20/3/10
Not only was the Top Ten Club brilliant on Sunday nights (me and my school mate Pauline never missed it) but what about the selection of dancing available in the Elizabethan Hall on Saturday nights?
I recall you could walk through the various ballrooms and choose from the 1960s pop stuff through to ballroom dancing. It was magical!
Going back to the Top Ten Club - we saw many famous bands on that revolving stage including Long John Baldry and Rod Stewart whn he played in his band.
Such great memories..we were so lucky to have been there for the brilliant 60s !!
Pat Young
29/3/10
Just found this page and what memories it has brought back for me.
I remember my friend (whose name was Margaret Holden at the time) - don't know what has happened to her since, she was crazy about Dave Eager and used to go and see him in the other club in Droylsden. She had her photo taken on the dance floor and her mum use to sell papers near the old Gorton Library that was in 1965 and I wish I could go back there again..
Happy Days.
Jenny
19/6/10
Does anyone remember The Mistries group?
They were resedent at the club for a short time in 1964. The Rolling Stones borrowed their gear when theres did not arive , there was a big right up in the papers.
Ged McMahon
27/6/10
I was only talking about the club the other day with my wife, I did a search & here I am! All the great groups of the time, one that sticks in my mind is Heinz with "Just Like Eddie" & the master himself Jimmy Saville,oh happy days.
Alec Eouzan
18/7/10
Yeah certainly had great sunday nights at the Top Ten club with friends Linda and Pat , 61 now and they are still my friends. Remember going back stage and chatting to The Small Faces , thought we was the bees knees ha ha !
Linda Hoines
23/8/10
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