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Friday, 2 July 2010

GENE VINCENT & EDDIE COCHRAN - DUNDEE 1960


This is the oldest item of music memorabilia I have posted on Retro Dundee so far.
A ticket stub for the Gene Vincent - Eddie Cochran gig at the Caird Hall on 20th February 1960.
This was the first time these 2 legends of rock 'n' roll had toured the UK, and in Eddie's case it was also to be his last. A couple of months later in April, he died in a car crash in England.
The photo of Gene Vincent on stage at the Caird Hall looks at first as if it was taken by the drummer, but it was in fact captured by George Arthur Roney, as was the other picture of Gene backstage.
The audience in the top shot look excited, but well behaved at this point, however, there was a genuine, good old rock 'n' roll riot took place during the gig! The crowd also invaded the stage, and as a result, rock 'n' roll itself was banned from the Caird Hall for a couple of years!!
The stub was for the 2nd show that day which started at 8.45. The 1st show was a 6.15 start.
Tickets were purchased from Larg's in Whitehall Street with prices starting at 2/6 (12p). The one above is 3/6 (17p) and those who could afford the front area had to splash out 7/6, a whopping 37p!!
Backing band was Marty Wilde's Wildcats (Kim's father). UK singer, Vince Eager was also on.

Photos by George Arthur Roney.
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6 comments:

  1. Anonymous2 July 2010 at 06:01

    Barry, did your dad not get up on stage and do some jiving at this gig?

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  2. Anonymous2 July 2010 at 10:14

    Yes he did indeed it nearly caused my mother being banned from seeing him after a picture apparently appeared in the courier next day.

    Barry

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  3. Anonymous5 July 2010 at 18:46

    That's me in the front row with Mary Knoll who i was going with at the time. I rremember Dave Sharp up on stage trying to sing during the "riot". What a night!!

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  4. Anonymous7 July 2010 at 00:47

    What did the riot actually consist of? Was it a full on bar-room brawl, or just push me, shove you kind of thing?

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  5. Anonymous2 December 2011 at 16:05

    My grandfather went down to take photos. He met Eddie Cochran who obliged with an autograph to my Auntie.
    Eddie RIP

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  6. Anonymous14 January 2021 at 16:45

    I was there on that night. Our seats were in the Centre area and cost 6/6d. I still have the tickets. Great night and it will live with me forever. Gene toured on his own the following year but was not allowed to perform in Dundee. I saw him in Arbroath, Forfar and Perth. Got his autograph twice. Fan ever since.

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