Page from Blues & Rhythm Mag (266) of T Bone Walker @ the FTH in 1962
Images courtesy Brian Smith - Bran has snapped virtually all US blues, R&B and Rock & Roll artists who
played in Manchester during the past 50 years.

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I first heard Simon and Garfunkel on Radio Luxemburg.

Later I was walking past the Free Trade Hall when I saw a guy pasting up a Simon and Garfunkel poster.
I asked if they were selling tickets and he told me that they had just gone on sale. We got front row centreOn the night the stage was bare except for a bar stool and a couple of mikes. (Some amps on the bachground). A guy in a dinner suit walked on stage and said, "Ladies and Gentlemen - Simon and Garfunkel.

Paul Simon walked onstage and sat on the barstool.

Then Art Garfunkel walked on stage and stood behind him.

No band - just Paul Simon's guitar - those were the days!

Tony Roberts

Many memories of the FTH in the 60s: School speech days (Ducie), Tony Bennett (1966) The Halle orchestra (being told off by John Barbirolli for chatting during a school trip). 

Dave Jackson

Saw Howling Wolf amazing, also on the bill were Chris Barber and Otillie Patterson, and the great Long John Baldry, wonderfull night !!!

Judith Sandiford
10/3/10

Over the years saw lots of bands there: Ten Years After, Yes, Move, Taste (Rory Gallagher), Jethro Tull, Fairports, John Lee Hooker, most visiting blues artists, folkies like Tom Paxton, MJQ, guitarist Paco Pena - so many.

Used to go to a pub neat the art gallery for a few pints of Boddies till doors opened at the FTH.

It is now the Raddison Edwardian hotel. I stayed there recently and I could swear I could still hear the ear splitting last chords from Alvin Lee in the corridor at night!

Tony Burke
8/10/10

Great memories of the FTH. Saw some great and not so great bands there. Tull, King Crimson, Curved Air, Black Sabbath etc etc.

At one gig the headliner was Hawkwind, who were supported by a new group called Supertramp, who were brilliant.

This was unfortunate for Hawkwind because they were dross on the night and got booed off the stage!! All good fun (:-)

Brian Nuttall
2/12/10

I remember going to a midnight concert in the very late 60s, with Jethro Tull and Procul Harem as the main artists. Many years later, I was working for a construction company as a joiner, and the contract was to improve the fire regulations. We had the run of the place so I visited the dressing rooms and noticed various artists autographs on the walls, I also went on to the stage and gave an impromptu song, so now I can say "I have sung on the stage at the Free Trade Hall"

We had to create a new fire exit,with a large vestibule, on the right hand side, looking towards the stage, and I remember collecting a few days newspapers, wrapping them in some plastic, and creating my own time capsule, by depositing it in the wall cavity.  I dont know if the exit is still there after the change into a hotel, because I havnt been to Manchester for a few years.

Dave Moore
7/2/11

Some great nights there Zappa, Softs, Floyd with Atom Heart mother, Byrds,  Stones in 71, Incredible String Band with half the audience on stage in 68 but for me personally Ravi Shankar when he ordered no smoking and we gave him two fingers and went for a curry...plus Matching Mole supporting Mayall had a problem with equipment and couldn't play, I was the only person who asked for their money back..."but they are only the support act"... 

Alan Houghton
14/4/11

Bob Dylan - I was there at the 'Judas' concert - a-mazing - I was on a secretarial course at South Trafford College and bought the ticket from a fellow student - 7/6d ticket but paid 10/0d for it - worth every penny!

Fran Morris
21/1/12