ARTISTS S – Z

Sacha Distel – Embassy Theatre – 1972 ?

• support included Olivia Newton John and Stephane Grappelli

Sam and Bill – Boston Gliderdrome – 15th July 1967

• American soul duo

Sandie Shaw – Boston Gliderdrome – 27th November 1965

Sasparella – A1 Club, Wittering – 25th February 1970

Sassafras – Oundle School, Great Hall – 23rd March 1974

• rock band from South Wales – toured with Fleetwood Mac and Peter Frampton – also apperaed on BBC’s Old Grey Whistle Test

Satellites – Corn Exchange – 14th May 1960

• Weekly rock ‘n’ roll contest also featuring The Intruders

Saw Doctors – Cresset, Bretton – 7th October 1992

Saxon – Wirrina Stadium – 22nd December 1980

Saxon – Wirrina Stadium – 9th June 1980

Saxon – Cresset, Bretton – 16th March 1990

Scaffold – ABC Theatre – 23rd May 1968

• supporting The Hollies

Screamin’ Jay Hawkins – Boston Gliderdrome – 23rd April 1966

Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages – Corn Exchange – 20th January 1962

• line-up billed as Freddie Fingers Lee – The Flea (pianist/vocals), Scratch & Scrape Bailey (guitar), Slasher Carlo Little (drums), Hopping Ken Rupert Pain (bass)

Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages – Corn Exchange – 2nd June 1962

• included a debut performance from guitarist Ritchie Blackmore of subsequent Deep Purple and Rainbow fame
• supported by Liverpool beat band “The Escorts”

Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages – Ramsey Gaiety – 22nd September 1962

Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages – Palais, Wentworth Street – 24th October 1964

Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages – Boston Gliderdrome – 24th September 1966

Screaming Lord Sutch & The New Savages – Boston Gliderdrome – 12th August 1972

Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages – Peterborough Technical College – 14th February 1975

The Searchers – Palais, Wentworth Street – 23rd January 1965

The Searchers – Boston Gliderdrome – 13th February 1965

The Searchers – Palais, Wentworth Street – 8th January 1966

The Searchers – Boston Gliderdrome – 26th March 1966

The Searchers – Old Wildlife Park, Thorney – 12th July 1980

The Seekers – ABC Embassy Theatre – 28th May 1966

The Selecter – The Fleet, Fletton – 2004

The Selecter – The Park, Park Road (“Club With No Name”) – 2005

Sensational Alex Harvey Band – Technical College – 1972

• appeared without Alex Harvey

The Settlers – Key Theatre – 2nd March 1980

Sex Pistols – City Centre – 24th December 1977

• no show but the Sex Pistols were spotted near to the old Hereward Arcade “enjoying a burger” on their trip from Newport to play The Links Pavilion in Cromer on Christmas Eve – their penultimate UK gig before heading over to the USA where they split up !
• “We spotted them grabbing a burger at a place town side of Hereward Centre …… they gave us free tickets for the Cromer gig !”

The Shadows – Embassy Theatre – 23rd October 1960

• supporting Emile Ford

The Shadows – Embassy Theatre – 4th June 1961

The Shadows – Embassy Theatre – 29th April 1962

• supported by Jackie Trent

Shakatak – Willow Festival, Embankment – 10th July 1999

Sham ’69 – East of England Showground (“Shed Mag Festival”) – 17th July 2010

Shane Fenton & The Fentones – Corn Exchange – 21st January 1961

• Shane re-branded himself as Alvin stardust in the early 1970s

Shane Fenton & The Fentones – Corn Exchange – 5th August 1961

Shane Fenton & The Fentones – Corn Exchange – 11th May 1963

Shane Fenton & The Fentones – Corn Exchange – 10th August 1963

Shane Fenton & The Fentones – Ramsey Gaiety – 4th April 1964

Shane Fenton with Iris – Peterborough Cabaret Club, Queen Street – 26th November 1966 (week long residency)

• “Iris” was his wife Iris Caldwell – sister of Rory Storm

The Shop Assistants – Tropicana, Bishops Road – 1987 ?

Shopping For Girls – Glasshouse Sessions, Key Theatre – 3rd April 1983

• a video of the fans arriving for this show can be viewed HERE

Showaddywaddy – ABC Theatre – 9th April 1977

Showaddywaddy – ABC Theatre – 24th October 1977

Showaddywaddy – ABC Theatre – 30th June 1978

Showaddywaddy – ABC Theatre – 14th September 1980

Showaddywaddy – Cresset, Bretton – 21st May 1982

Showaddywaddy – Granada Bingo – 22nd February 1989

Showaddywaddy – East of England Showground (“TruckFest”) – 30th April 1989

Showaddywaddy have returned a number of times since, primarily at The Cresset, Bretton

Sigue Sigue Sputnik – The Park, Park Road (“Club With No Name”) – 18th May 2001

• watch the entire gig HERE

Simon Dupree & The Big Sound – Ramsey Gaiety – 9th September 1967

Simon Dupree & The Big Sound – Boston Gliderdrome – 23rd March 1968

Simon Dupree & The Big Sound – Baston Playing Field (Marquee) – 24th May 1969

• supported by The Mud who were to go on to be a major 1970s chart band as simply “Mud”

Siouxsie & The Banshees – Wirrina Stadium – 28th August 1981 (CANCELLED)

• gig was cancelled due to Siouxsie having “voice problems” – rearranged for 1st October

Siouxsie & The Banshees – Wirrina Stadium – 1st October 1981

• set list was Israel, Halloween, Spellbound, Christine, Arabian Knights, Sin in My Heart, Fireworks, Night Shift, But Not Them, Voodoo Dolly, Head Cut, Red Over White, Happy House, Eve White/Eve Black, Hong Kong Garden, Helter Skelter

Sisters Of Mercy – Technical College – 23rd April 1983

• supported by Demons Of Youth (aka: The Destructors) and Xpozez
• watch the entire gig HERE
• set list was Burn, Heartland, Valentine, Jolene, Adrenochrome, Floorshow, Body Electric, Gimme Shelter, Sister Ray

Skatalites – Ramsey Gaiety – 11th November 1967

Skatalites – Cloud 9, Grand Hotel – 27th September 1969

• The Skatalites were the first band to play the Cloud 9 club. Returned to Cloud Nine on 10th January 1970.

Skatalites – Cloud 9, Grand Hotel – 10th January 1970

Skid Row – Cloud Nine, Grand Hotel – 23rd August 1970

• featured Gary “Thin Lizzy” Moore on guitar !

Skid Row – The Park, Park Road – 20th November 2007

The Skids – Wirrina Stadium – 18th September 1978

• support to The Stranglers

Slade – Boston Gliderdrome – 20th November 1971

Slade – Wirrina Stadium – 19th January 1981

• supported by Export
• set list was Dizzy Mamma, When I’m Dancin’ I Ain’t Fightin’, Take Me Bak ‘Ome, Everyday, Lemme Love Into Ya, Somethin’ Else, Pistol Packin’ Mama, Keep a Rollin’, We’ll Bring the House Down, Gudbuy T’Jane, Get Down and Get With It, Mama Weer All Crazee Now, Born to Be Wild

• watch “Lemme Love Into Ya” on stage at The Wirrina HERE

Slim Whitman – Embassy Theatre – 1954

Slim Whitman – ABC Theatre – 12th February 1976

The Slits – Marcus Garvey Club – 21st July 1977

The Slits – Wirrina Stadium – 30th November 1978

• supporting The Clash

The Small Faces – Boston Gliderdrome – 9th October 1965

• set ended after four songs when the band’s drummer was struck on the head by an ashtray thrown from the balcony which put him in hospital !

The Small Faces – ABC Embassy Theatre – 19th December 1965

• supporting The Walker Brothers

The Small Faces – Palais, Wentworth Street – 14th May 1966

The Small Faces – Boston Gliderdrome – 27th August 1966

The Small Faces – Embassy Theatre – 22nd October 1966

• appeared with The Hollies, Nashville Teens and Paul Jones

The Small Faces – Boston Gliderdrome – 28th January 1967

Smokie – ABC Theatre – 20th October 1978

Snow Patrol – Met Lounge – 10th August 2003

Solomon Burke – Boston Gliderdrome – 6th August 1966

The Sorrows – Palais, Wentworth Street – 6th November 1965

Sounds Incorporated – Boston Gliderdrome – 22nd July 1961

Sounds Incorporated – Boston Gliderdrome – 15th December 1962

Sounds Incorporated – Ramsey Gaiety – 26th October 1963

Sounds Incorporated – Embassy Theatre – 13th December 1964

• supporting Gerry & The Pacemakers

Sounds Incorporated – Ramsey Gaiety – 28th May 1966

Soup Dragons – Cresset, Bretton – August 1990

The Spellbinders – Boston Gliderdrome – 31st December 1966

• American soul group

Spencer Davis Group – Boston Gliderdrome – 11th February 1967

Spencer Davis – Ramsey Gaiety – 21st September 1968

Spider – Focus Youth Club, Chestnut Avenue – Late 1970s

The Spinners – Technical College – 18th March 1970

The Spinners – ABC Theatre – 10th October 1975

The Spinners – Cresset, Bretton – 7th May 1981

The Spriguns – Technical College – 5th May 1979

• progressive folk rock group

The Springfields – Embassy Theatre – 18th February 1962

• supporting Bobby Vee

Square One – The Cresset, Bretton – 26th January 1980

Squeeze – Wirrina Stadium – 23rd October 1987

Squire – Focus Youth Club, Dogsthorpe – 26th April 1980

• supported by The Hornets

Stadium Dogs – Technical College – 6th May 1978

• supported by The Dole

Starjets – Wirrina Stadium – 1st June 1979

• supporting Stiff Little Fingers

The Status Quo – ABC Theatre – 1st May 1968

• supporting Gene Pitney with Amen Corner and Simon Dupree
• this was the band’s first ever tour as a standalone band, having only played as a backing band previously
• the band only performed three or four songs

The Status Quo – Boston Gliderdrome – 21st December 1968

Status Quo – Boston Gliderdrome – 29th August 1970

Status Quo – Mallard Park Hotel – 4th December 1989

• set list was Caroline, Roll over lay down, Little Lady, In my Chair, Little Dreamer, Perfect Remedy, Mystery Medley, Hold You Back, Rain, The Power of Rock, Dirty Water, Whatever you Want, In the Army Now, Rockin’all over the World, Don’t waste my Time, Roadhouse Blues, Burning Bridges, Bye Bye Johnny.

Status Quo – Mallard Park Hotel – 13th December 1990

• set list was Down Down, Roll over lay down, Little Lady, Mystery Medley, Hold You Back, Don’t Drive My Car, Dirty Water, Whatever you Want, 4500 Times (full version), In the Army Now, Rockin’all over the World, Don’t waste my Time, Roadhouse Blues Medley, Burning Bridges, Anniversary Waltz/Bye Bye Johnny.

Status Quo – Mallard Park Hotel – 28th November 1991

Status Quo – Mallard Park Hotel – 9th January 1992

• supported by Dumpy’s Rusty Nuts

Steam Packet – Palais, Wentworth Street – 25th June 1966

• band line up included Rod Stewart, Long John Baldry, Brian Auger and Julie Driscoll

Steamhammer – Cloud Nine, Town Hall – 11th January 1970

Steeleye Span – Boston Gliderdrome – 1st April 1972

Steeleye Span – ABC Theatre – 1st December 1974

Steeleye Span – ABC Theatre – 5th March 1978

• set list was The Boar’s Head Carol, Galtee Farmer, Awake Awake, Saucy Sailor, The Black Freighter, The Victory, Sweep Chimney Sweep, Montrose, Lumps of Plum Pudding, Treadmill Song, The Atholl Highlanders, Walter Bulwer’s Polka, Cam Ye O’er Frae France, The Maid and the Palmer, Seventeen Come Sunday. Encores (3): (Unknown), Rave On!, False Knight on the Road (including Monks March)

Steeleye Span – Cresset, Bretton – 25th May 1986

Steeleye Span – Cresset, Bretton – 29th April 2006

• a detailed review of this performance can be viewed HERE

Steeleye Span – Cresset, Bretton – 23rd April 2008

Steeleye Span – Cresset, Bretton – 21st November 2011

Stefan Grossman – Halcyon, Atherstone Avenue – 1973 ?

Stephen “Tin Tin” Duffy – Outside Miss Pears, Cathedral Square – 18th June 1990

Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel – Broadway Theatre – 7th December 2005

Steve Marriott (ex Small Faces) – Key Theatre

• week long Key Music Festival

Stevie Wonder – Boston Gliderdrome – 21st October 1967

Stiff Little Fingers – Wirrina Stadium – 1st June 1979

• supported by The Starjets

Stiff Little Fingers – Wirrina Stadium – 24th April 1981

Stiff Little Fingers – Cresset, Bretton – 1st March 2008

Stiff Little Fingers – Cresset, Bretton – 1st April 2009

• watch video from the show HERE

Stiff Little Fingers – Cresset, Bretton – 24th March 2014

• watch the last seven minutes of the show HERE

Stone The Crows – Boston Gliderdrome – 17th March 1973

• featuring Maggie Bell

Stranglers – Technical College – 1976

• gig was booked but subsequently cancelled after intervention by “enraged college principal”

Stranglers – Wirrina Stadium – 18th September 1978

• supported by The Skids and Billy Bragg with Riff Raff
• “my first gig was The Stranglers, The Skids and Riff Raff (featuring a very young Billy Bragg) at Peterborough Wirrina in 1978. I was 13, and went on my own, although my mum made my dad drop me off and pick me up after, because she was nervous about ‘all those punk rockers’. It was brilliant, all the punks were gobbing, so I launched a big greenie at The Skids and hit Richard Jobson, right on the chest. As soon as The Stranglers came on, they all stopped spitting though, as the band were reknowned as being right hard bastards !”

Stranglers – Wirrina Stadium – 25th March 1987

Stranglers – Broadway Theatre

The Strawbs – Spinning Wheel Club (Bull & Dolphin), Bridge Street – 1st May 1970

• featured a very early performance from Rick Wakeman on keyboards
• only 40-50 turned up causing the organiser to stop putting on further live shows

The Strawbs – Boston Gliderdrome – 7th November 1970

The Strawbs – Boston Gliderdrome – 9th January 1971

The Strawbs – Boston Gliderdrome – 10th April 1971

The Strawbs – Boston Gliderdrome – 7th October 1972

Stray – Town Hall – 2nd October 1970

String Driven Thing – Oundle School, Great Hall – 24th March 1974

Studio Rockers – Wirrina Stadium – 1983?

Suburban Studs – Focus Youth Club, Dogsthorpe – 14th January 1978

• supported by the Buster James Band and The Dole

Suburban Studs – Technical College – 1978

The Subways – Cresset, Bretton – 26th May 2008

• watch “Girls & Boys” from the Cresset show HERE

Sugar Pie DeSanto – Boston Gliderdrome – 31st July 1965

Supercharge – Focus Youth Club, Dogsthorpe – 27th July 1979

• supported by The Stilts and Riff Raff

Supertramp – Boston Gliderdrome – 21st August 1971

Susan Maughan – Corn Exchange – 1st February 1964

Sutherland Brothers Band – Halcyon, Atherstone Avenue (Cloud Nine) – 1st February 1972

• teamed up with fellow Scottish band Quiver to have chart success in 1976 with “Arms of Mary”

Sutherland Brothers & Quiver – Oundle School, Great Hall – Mid 1970s

Suzi Quatro – Wirrina Stadium – 25th January 1974

• Suzi was the first “major” artist to play the Wirrina
• support band was Moonstone

Suzi Quatro – ABC Theatre – 28th October 1978

Suzi Quatro – L’Aristos, Newark Road – December 1991

Sweet – Boston Gliderdrome – 7th August 1971

Sweet – Drill Hall, London Road – 19th May 1973

• now the TA centre

Sweet – Cresset, Bretton – 21st February 2004

• just Andy Scott from the original line-up

Sweet Sensation – LaScala Nightclub – 20th December 1980

Sweet Sensation – Saxon Inn, Thorpe Road – 4th June 1982

Swinging Blue Jeans – Corn Exchange – 6th July 1963

Swinging Blue Jeans – Ramsey Gaiety – 9th January 1965

Swinging Blue Jeans – A1 Club, Wittering – 27th March 1965

Swinging Blue Jeans – Old Wildlife Park, Thorney – 11th July 1981

• appeared with The Tremeloes

Swinging Blue Jeans – LaScala Nightclub – 24th October 1981

T Rex – Boston Gliderdrome – 3rd July 1971

T Rex – Boston Gliderdrome – 15th January 1972

• a one-off warm up gig for their forthcoming European Tour
• the crowd at the show was estimated at 5,000 !
• setlist was Cadillac, Jeepster, Thunderwing, Baby Strange, Spaceball Ricochet, Girl, Cosmic Dancer, Hot Love

Take That – East of England Showground (“TruckFest”) – 2nd May 1993

• only played a short set
• video HERE

Tear Gas – Great Hall, Oundle School – 5th December 1971

• Eddie Campbell (keyboards), Zal Cleminson (guitar), Chris Glen (bass, vocals), Gilson Lavis (drums) and Andi Mulvey (vocals)
• Scottish progressive rock band who later teamed up with Alex Harvey to become the Sensational Alex Harvey Band
• supported by Khan who were a progressive rock band and part of the Canterbury Scene formed by Steve Hillage who played guitar at the gig

Ted Nugent – see Amboy Dukes

Teenage Fanclub – Shamrock Club – c.1990

Temperance Seven – Embassy Theatre – 17th June 1962

Temperance Seven – A1 Club, Wittering – 29th May 1965

Temptations – Boston Gliderdrome – 2nd September 1967

Temptations – Ramsey Gaiety – 25th November 1967

Terry Dene – Corn Exchange – 8th October 1960

Terry Dene – Boston Gliderdrome – 9th December 1960

Terry Dene – Corn Exchange – 23rd March 1963

Them – Ramsey Gaiety – 12th June 1965

Them – Boston Gliderdrome – 26th June 1965

Them – Palais, Wentworth Street – 11th June 1966

• featuring Van Morrison on vocals

Then Jerico – Outside of Miss Pears, Cumbergate (“Lazy Sunday Afternoon”) – 2nd August 1987

• with The Pleasure Heads, John Otway, Johnny Says Yeah and Boysdream
• “Brilliant day – people sat outside on a beautiful day listening to the bands. Fans came from far and wide, got talking to Then Jericho fans from York. Proved very popular and all for free from what I can remember !”

Then Jerico – Wirrina Stadium – 30th October 1987

• supported by Hard Rain

Thin Lizzy – Baston Playing Field (Marquee) – 10th April 1971

• supporting The Flirtations who were an all-girl “R&B/Soul” act originally from the USA who were to become a highly regarded act on the UK Northern Soul scene
• the band had only recently moved their base to London so a very early show

Thin Lizzy – Halcyon, Westwood – 25th August 1971

• played during Cloud Nine’s brief tenancy at the pub on Atherstone Avenue
• original three piece band of Phil Lynott, Eric Bell and Brian Downey. Run as part of Steve Allen’s Cloud Nine club
• “I remember seeing Thin Lizzy at The Halcyon. When I lived in London during the 1970’s Phil Lynott became a good friend of my flatmates and I. He remembered the gig too!”
• “Phil Lynott could remember playing at The Halcyon when I knew him in London during the 70’s. He said their van was on it’s last legs and they had nursed it all the way to Pboro. As they approached the railway bridge, the driver was almost standing up on the accelerator in an attempt to get them over the bridge ….. then forgot to take his foot off quick enough when they reached the brow of the hill, so the van shot down at about 70mph with the band desperately trying to hold down amps, drums, guitars etc.”

Thin Lizzy – Drill Hall, London Road – 3rd June 1972

• the band drove straight up to Liverpool after this gig and eventually played their set at 4am the following morning !

Thin Lizzy – Boston Gliderdrome – 17th February 1973

Thin Lizzy – Oundle School, Great Hall – February 1973

• band were booked but pulled out when “Whisky In The Jar” became a chart success in the same month

Thin Lizzy – Wirrina Stadium – 14th June 1974

• the show was cancelled with local support band, Butch, taking on the show on their own

Throbbing Gristle – Oundle School – 16th March 1980

• set list was The Old Man Smiled, Subhuman, Heathen Earth, Something Came Over Me, Don’t Do What You’re Told Do What You Think, Walls of Sound
• “Chris Carter, the late Peter “Sleazy” Christopherson, Genesis P. Orridge and Cosey Fanni Tutti were booked by 17-year-old pupil Nigel Jacklin, who had previously corresponded with P. Orridge. As head of the boarding school’s “Roc Soc”, Jacklin was entitled to choose one band a year to play a concert there and apparently hoodwinked teachers by telling them that TG’s music was akin to that of minimalist composer John Cage !”

Tina Turner (see “Ike & Tina Turner”)

Tom Jones & The Playboys – Embassy Theatre – 13th December 1964

• very early appearance supporting Gerry & The Pacemakers and The Kinks

Tom Jones & The Squires – Palais, Wentworth Street – 3rd April 1965

Tom Jones – Boston Gliderdrome – 17th April 1965

Tom Jones & The Squires – Boston Gliderdrome – 16th October 1965

Tommy Roe – Embassy Theatre – 29th September 1963

• See Billy J Kramer show details above

Tommy Steele – Embassy Theatre – February 1957

Tony Holland & The Pack-a-Beats – Corn Exchange – 25th March 1961

• Manchester band ?
• supported by Linda Lane

Tony Kaye & The Dauphines – Corn Exchange – 3rd February 1962

Tony Orlando – Boston Gliderdrome – 23rd May 1964

Tony Rivers & The Castaways – Boston Gliderdrome – 28th May 1966

Tony Rivers & The Castaways – Boston Gliderdrome – 24th September 1966

Tony Rivers & The Castaways – Boston Gliderdrome – 6th April 1968

Toploader – Met Lounge – 20th September 2009

The Tornados – Corn Exchange – 26th May 1962

• supporting Tony Victor
• billed as “Billy Fury’s backing band”

The Tornados – Boston Gliderdrome – 27th October 1962

The Tornados – Boston Gliderdrome – 24th December 1962

The Tornados – Ramsey Gaiety – 28th March 1964

The Tornados – Ramsey Gaiety – 4th December 1965

Toxic Reasons – The Sanitarium, POSH Club – 24th June 1988

Traffic – Boston Gliderdrome – 25th November 1967

Trapeze – Cloud Nine, Town Hall – 17th January 1971

• featured singer/bassist Glenn Hughes who left the band in 1973 to replace Roger Glover in Deep Purple

Trapeze – Halcyon, Atherstone Avenue (Cloud Nine) – 23rd November 1971

Trapeze – Halcyon, Atherstone Avenue (Cloud Nine) – 18th January 1972

Trapeze – Peterborough Technical College – 17th February 1973

• featured singer/bassist Glenn Hughes who left the band in 1973 to replace Roger Glover in Deep Purple
• supported by Pini

Tredegar – Key Theatre

• offshoot of Budgie

Tremeloes – Boston Gliderdrome – 6th January 1968

Tremeloes – Boston Gliderdrome – 17th January 1970

Tremeloes – Boston Gliderdrome – 13th June 1970

Tremeloes – Old Wildlife Park, Thorney – 11th July 1981

• appeared with The Swinging Blue Jeans

The Troggs – Boston Gliderdrome – 30th July 1966

The Troggs – Ramsey Gaiety – 20th August 1966

Tubeway Army – Bull & Dolphin, Bridge Street – 1978 ?

Twinkle (Lynn Annette Ripley) – Ramsey Gaiety – 20th February 1965

Twinkle (Lynn Annette Ripley) – Palais, Wentworth Street – 20th March 1965

Twinkle (Lynn Annette Ripley) – Boston Gliderdrome – 24th April 1965

Tygers of Pan Tang – Wirrina Stadium – 9th June 1980

• supporting Saxon

The Tymes – Wirrina Stadium – 30th April 1975

UB40 – Embankment – 2nd September 2007

• set list was Food For Thought, WYFF, One In Ten, Kingston Town, Cherry Oh Baby, Rat In The Kitchen, Homely Girl, Red Red Wine, Bring Me Your Cup, Higher Ground, Keep On Moving, Sing Our Own Song, Wear You To The Ball, Johhny Too Bad, Here I am, Can’t Help Falling. Encore: Please Don’t Make Me Cry, You Could Meet Somebody, Maybe Tomoorrow, The Way You Do
• watch a brief snippet of the show HERE

UB40 – Planet Ice, Bretton – 17th September 2013 (Cancelled)

• cancelled due to an over-run on production of their latest album !

UFO – Halcyon, Atherstone Avenue – 11th January 1972

• an early gig when the band were seen as more of a prog rock band than the heavy metal band that they were soon to become
• line-up was Phil Mogg (vocals), Larry Wallis (guitar), Pete Way (bass), Andy Parker (drums)
• guitarist Larry Wallis only played briefly with the band before moving on to help establish many bands including Motorhead and even had a cult Stiff Records solo success with “Police Car” in the late 1970s

UFO – Boston Gliderdrome – 19th August 1972

UFO – Drill hall, London Road – 25th November 1972

UK Subs – St Barnabas Church Hall, Taverners Road – 2nd November 1978

• with local bands The Destructors and The Dole

UK Subs – Wirrina Stadium – 28th September 1979

• supported by The Blanks from Market Deeping + The Urge
• The band have returned to Peterborough several times for post-2000 gigs, playing the likes of The Park, Club Revolution (18th July 2010) and the Embankment.

Ultravox – Peterborough Technical College – 1977/8 ?

• original band with John Foxx on vocals
• this gig has yet to be substantiated and is very unlikely to have happened !

The Undertakers – Boston Gliderdrome – 15th February 1964

• early Merseybeat band

The Undertakers – Boston Gliderdrome – 11th April 1964

Unit Four Plus Two – Palais, Wentworth Street – 19th April 1965

• supported by The Hedgehoppers

Unit Four Plus Two – Ramsey Gaiety – 8th May 1965

Unit Four Plus Two – Ramsey Gaiety – 14th May 1966

Uriah Heep – Cresset, Bretton – 25th November 1989

Uriah Heap – Cresset, Bretton – 8th March 1991

Van De Graaf Generator – Cloud Nine, Town Hall – 8th February 1970

Van De Graaf Generator – Oundle School, Great Hall – 11th June 1972

Van Morrison (see “Them”)

Vanilla Ice – Mallard Park Hotel –

Vanity Fair – Boston Gliderdrome – 23rd May 1970

Vera Lynn – Embassy Theatre – 1939

Vera Lynn – Embassy Theatre – 9th April 1951

• twice nightly (6:15pm & 8:25pm) residence (one week ?)

The Vernons Girls – Boston Gliderdrome – 8th December 1962

Verve – Shamrock Club – 29th February 1992

• I saw The Verve at the Shamrock in Peterborough before they became huge and only played stadium gigs. It was one of the first gigs I ever went to. Richard Ashcroft was a thrilling performer – he writhed around on the sticky bar floor doing a convincing Jim Morrison impression. It was brilliant, it enthused me I went home and told my parents dinner guest all about it !”

The Vigilantes – Corn Exchange – 4th July 1959

• Merseyside band who played support to top bands including The Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Hollies and more

Vince Hill – Corn Exchange – 18th May 1963

Vince Taylor – Corn Exchange – 3rd August 1959

Vince Taylor & His Playboys – Corn Exchange – 7th November 1959

• supported by Danny Storm

Vinegar Joe – Peterborough Technical College – 1970s

• with Robert Palmer and Elkie Brooks

The Walker Brothers – Boston Gliderdrome – 5th June 1965

The Walker Brothers – Boston Gliderdrome – 21st August 1965

The Walker Brothers – Boston Gliderdrome – 6th November 1965

The Walker Brothers – ABC Embassy Theatre – 19th December 1965

Wang Chung – Tropicana, Bishops Road – 1987 ?

Wayne County – Key Theatre

• week long Key Music Festival

Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders – Ramsey Gaiety – 22nd February 1964

Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders – Ramsey Gaiety – 17th October 1964

Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders – Palais, Wentworth Street – 18th September 1965

Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders – Boston Gliderdrome – 25th September 1965

Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders – ABC Embassy Theatre – 13th November 1965

• supporting Herman’s Hermits

We Are Scientists – Cresset, Bretton – 21st August 2008

• watch “Altered Beast” from the Cresset show HERE

The Wedding Present – Cresset, Bretton – 30th November 1990

Wee Willie Harris – Corn Exchange – 21st June 1958

• English rock and roll singer best known for his energetic stage shows and TV performances from the 1950s, when he was known as “Britain’s wild man of rock ‘n’ roll”

Wee Willie Harris – Corn Exchange – 30th August 1958

• with Tony Crombie & His Rockets and The Most Brothers

Wee Willie Harris – Corn Exchange – 19th September 1959

• supported by The Bachelors

Wee Willie Harris – Boston Gliderdrome – 18th November 1961

Wet Wet Wet – Mallard Park Hotel – 8th March 1992

Wet Wet Wet – Mallard Park Hotel – 29th June 1992

Wheatus – The Park, Park Road (“Club With No Name”) – 26th March 2003

Wheatus – Met Lounge – 1st June 2007

The Who – Ramsey Gaiety – 3rd July 1965

• supported by Beats Limited

The Who – Palais (“Palais De Danse”), Wentworth Street – 21st August 1965

• Terry Reid – “Anyway, the Palais was a skating rink. I went to see the Who there, a week after they changed their name from the High Numbers. I remember that the steel rails round the rink were the only thing that saved everybody from being hit by Keith’s drums when he kicked them all in the audience! That was the first time anybody had seen someone do that. It was like minnows coming out of a pike’s mouth when he kicked those drums, with everyone diving for cover.” [Note: The “High Numbers” actually changed to “The Who” in November 1964]
• set list included Heat Wave, Daddy Rolling Stone, Jump Back, Motoring, Daddy Rolling Stone, Green Onions, Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere
• supported by The Nemkons and Beats Limited
• a second date at the Palais on 8th October 1966 is listed on some Who websites but this gig never happened.

The Who – Boston Gliderdrome – 26th February 1966

The Who – Ramsey Gaiety – 21st December 1968

Wild Horses – Wirrina Stadium – 2nd November 1979

Wild Turkey – Great Hall, Oundle School – 3rd October 1971

• formed by and featuring ex-Jethro Tull bass player Glenn Cornick
• Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson was an Oundle School pupil at the time and cited this as the first gig he ever attended

Winger – Cresset, Bretton – 7th June 1991

Wishbone Ash – Peterborough Technical College – 1970s

Wizzard – Boston Gliderdrome – 3rd March 1973

Wizzard – ABC Theatre – Early 1974

Womack & Womack – Tropicana, Bishops Road

Wrathchild – The Park, Park Road – 1982 ?

• UK glam metal band

XTC – Wirrina Stadium – 14th September 1979

• supported by The Yachts
• Set list was Beatown, Real By Reel, The Rhythm, Roads Girdle The Globe, Science Friction, Life Begins At The Hop, Helicopter, Battery Brides, Making Plans For Nigel, Scissor Man, Instant Tunes, Outside World, Life Is Good In The Greenhouse, Crowded Room, Radios In Motion, Are You Receiving Me?, Set Myself On Fire. Encore: Meccanik Dancing, This Is Pop, Dance Band, Statue Of Liberty.

The Yardbirds – Palais, Wentworth Street – 12th December 1964

• line-up was Eric Clapton (Lead Guitar), Keith Relf (Vocals/Harmonica), Chris Dreja (Rhythm Guitar), Paul Samwell-Smith (Bass), Jim McCarty (Drums)
• supported by The Hedgehoppers

The Yardbirds – Ramsey Gaiety – 13th June 1964

The Yardbirds – Palais, Wentworth Street – 5th June 1965

• line-up was Keith Relf (vocals/harp), Jeff Beck (lead guitar), Chris Dreja (rhythm guitar), Paul Samwell-Smith (bass guitar), Jim McCarty (drums)

The Yardbirds – Boston Gliderdrome – 19th June 1965

The Yardbirds – Embassy Theatre – 13th November 1965

• the headliners were meant to be Herman’s Hermits, Wayne Fontana, The Fortunes and Billy Fury but when Fury had to drop out of the Peterborough show, The Yardbirds stepped in

Yes – Baston Playing Field (Marquee) – 29th August 1970

• “The show was in a marquee in a field in the village with a bar at one end. I think there was some wood flooring in front of the stage and the rest of the, small, marquee was on grass.
  I’d never heard of Yes – neither I think had most of the paying punters. There were very few people there and most were at the bar end. Around 20-30 of us were at the feet of the group. I was knocked sideways by the band and their incredible musicianship and professionalism.
  I didn’t know they were playing The Yes Album and I was astounded at the power of Steve’s guitar, Bill’s drums, Tony’s organ, Jon’s vocals and particularly Chris’s bass which cut right through me. The playing resounded around my head for weeks afterwards! I’d never heard anything so amazing before.
  I spent the next 12 months telling anyone who would listen that they would be one of the biggest bands in the world……….. a high watermark of this, then, 19 year old’s life !!!”
• All the Baston gigs were organised by the local Baston Community Association, of whom few if any are still with us ….. sadly ! They were Percy Rous (deceased), Keith Thompson (deceased), Louis Wakefield (deceased), A Thorpe (deceased) and Dixie Howlett.

Yes – Boston Gliderdrome – 28th November 1970

Yes – Boston Gliderdrome – 29th January 1972

Zodiac Mindwarp & The Love Reaction – Wirrina Stadium – 23rd April 1987

• set list was High Priest of Love, High Heel Heaven, Bad Girl City, Skull Spark Joker, Hymn of the Speed Kings, Spasm Gang, Kid’s Stuff, Planet Girl, Driving on Holy Gasoline, Untamed Stare, Let’s Break the Law, Prime Mover, Psycho-Active
• read the Melody Maker review of this performance HERE
  

Zodiac Mindwarp & The Love Reaction – Tropicana, Bishops Road

The Zombies – Boston Gliderdrome – 6th February 1965

The Zombies – Palais, Wentworth Street – 27th February 1965

Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band – Boston Gliderdrome – 10th April 1965

Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band – Boston Gliderdrome – 14th August 1965

Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band – Ramsey Gaiety – 30th July 1966

Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band – Boston Gliderdrome – 10th September 1966

Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band – Ramsey Gaiety – 21st January 1967

Zucchero – Cresset, Bretton – 28th November 2008

Zzebra – Technical College – Mid 1970s

• Jazz Rock Fusion band formed from ex IF and Osibisa members