all cuttings Andre Palfrey-martin collection, pier crowd photo Coz ‘Swoz’ Booth from Alex Chapman West Marina To Hastings Pier.
ticket for sale… https://www.tracks.co.uk/product/rs613-rolling-stones-1964-hastings-pier-ballroom-concert-ticket-stub-uk/
Dateline – August Bank Holiday 1st August 1964, and here we are all poised for another great weekend in The Happy Ballroom – headline act this weekend The Rolling Stones, making their 3rd visit to Hastings, and this was going to be a good night, as they had just had 2 weeks in the no 1 spot on the UK Charts with “It’s All Over Now “ – a number penned by Bobby & Shirley Womack and had been originally released in the US by the Valentinos. The Stones had raved about this song when they first heard this on the Murray the K Show earlier that year. For those who like FACTS – it was The Beatles, with “ A Hard Day’s Night” that had pushed The Stones off the No 1 spot the previous week. Because of the popularity the prices had risen to 10/- admission. The supporting bands were The Worrying Kind and The Sabres – both of which were well know to the patrons of the Happy Ballroom. So nothing very different than a normal Saturday night in The Happy Ballroom – but as we all know things were about to change. Because of the very recent chart success of The Stones, more than normal crowds began to arrive at the Pier, also being a Bank Holiday extra visitors, looking for a long weekend added to the interest. Because of the numbers of fans it was agreed that to get the band onto the Ballroom, different tactics should be used, and in this instance the famous disused ambulance delivery would be used. I have attached with this amongst the photos, a copy from the after-action report from the Police giving more details of this activity. Well as we all now know, this was going to be the start of a very different weekend for Hastings, and one that would be branded – Second Battle of Hastings. The night before – 31st July – Ready Steady Go would include – –The Kinks – “You Really Got Me.”
–Manfred Mann – “Do Wah Diddy Diddy.”–The Four Pennies – ” Found Out The Hard Way.”
–Kenny Lynch – “What Am I To You” (or “My Own Two Feet”). -Simon Scott – “Move It Baby.”
–Peter Lee Stirling –The Shevelles -The Leroys
This had set the musical scene for the Bank Holiday. Along the seafront at the very recently opened The Witch Doctor, was planning a weekend that would have included Saturday night – from Coventry “ The Avengers “ and Sunday “ John Lees Ground Hoggs”. Andre Martin
Clifford Rose……I’d like to have seen the Alex Harvey Soul Band. Same Alex Harvey before the rock band.
Andre Martin… The crowd photo, just prior to the Rolling Stones Appearing in the Happy Ballroom, this was part of the build up to the second Battle of Hastings as the press and TV branded the Bank Holiday Weekend.
Sue Verrall… The Sabres supporting wow !!!
Trevor Walker… Thanks for that Alan, I now know the year and I was 18 years old then !!
Andre Martin… Who would have thought it 52 years ago !!!!!!(1st Aug 2016)Perhaps i will visit tonight on the TIMEMachine Carnival FM 87.9 plus the internet from 8.00pm
Pat Smith… 10 shillings to see the stones! Bargain!!
Mick O’Dowd… 50p to the young things!
Diane Neve… Couldn’t get into that one the queue stretched right down Bottle Alley so went to Bingo instead and people were still queuing when we came out.
Mike Thompson… I was there and what a night. I’ll never forget it but could not remember the year. I still have my ticket which does not have the year on it and thanks to this i now know that too. Thanks.
Colin Fox… My first band in the early 60s was The Falcons. The Rolling Stones must have played on the pier at least twice then.
Lloyd Johnson… They did in 64…I also went to The Rattles and The Rattles were crap!… I went to both Stones gigs in the early 60s…
Helena Kingshott… Me to
Penny Beale… I too have my ticket which my father confiscated so I couldn’t go.
Lady Eve Herbert-Sadler… That was such a great night I remember at the end of the dance Mick Jagger was by the stage and there was a long queue of girls waiting to kiss him it was like a conveyer system it was so organised!!! I didn’t queue as I already had a boyfriend and our coach was waiting to takes us back to Eastbourne! Oh how I loved the 60’s we had so much fun!
John Wilde… Who were The Worrying Kind?
Bernardine Kennedy… Love the idea of “twisting night” on a Thursday!
Around 1978, a film production company rang Hastings Magistrates Court office and asked if they could use the court for a film they were making. Our boss agreed and several production assistants arrived to check the place out. They were dismayed to find a big concrete block of a court and told us it was not suitable
We asked what the subject of the film was and were told that they were making a film of the Who’s “Quadrophenia” and needed an old-fashioned courtroom for a scene after the riots.
The boss was sympathetic (he’d actually clerked the special court that dealt with everyone arrested from the fighting) and sent them along to Lewes Magistrates Court. It was that court that was used for the courtroom scenes in the film
I was there and what a night. I’ll never forget it but could not remember the year. I still have my ticket which does not have the year on it and thanks to this i now know that too. Thanks.
I too have my ticket which my father confiscated so I couldn’t go.
That was such a great night I remember at the end of the dance Mick Jagger was by the stage and there was a long queue of girls waiting to kiss him it was like a conveyer system it was so organised!!! I didn’t queue as I already had a boyfriend and our coach was waiting to takes us back to Eastbourne! Oh how I loved the 60’s we had so much fun!