Forum Topic

Starlite Ballroom, Allendale Road

I'd like to hear from anyone who attended gigs at the former Starlite Ballroom which became the Starlite Snooker Club. Could anyone tell me when bands began playing there? The information I have suggests this was during the 1960's, possibly 1966 to 1969. To my knowledge the following bands or individuals played there: David Bowie, Eric Burdon and the Animals, Cream, Jack Bruce, Yardbirds, Jeff Beck, The Move, Honeybus, Marmalade, Pink Floyd, Small Faces, Troggs, The Who, The Gods, Chris Farlowe.positivegreenford @ hotmail.co.uk

Albertina McNeill ● 5183d12 Comments

"Another place was the club down the alley opposite Ealing Broadway Station - can't remember the name but big names there too."The Ealing Jazz (&Blues) Club.

Tony Wood ● 5179d

Mo Fosters book now updated and re-named British Rock guitar - £16.49 from Amazon.I'll ask around about the Starlight ballroom, (had heard of it, buit didn't know where it was until recently) know a couple of people who may have compered shows there in the 60's. Another venue, Odeon Greenford - now Tesco - the Stones played there, sadly I was too young to see them.

Chris Edwards ● 5179d

Linda has been emailing some of her old school chums about the Starlite. Friend went there every Saturday night and got Keith Moon's drum stick! Also saw Gino Washington. Will let you know if anyone remembers anything else.Another place was the club down the alley opposite Ealing Broadway Station - can't remember the name but big names there too.

Peter Wright ● 5179d

Here's a website that may be of interest,it's by Nick Simper (ex Deep Purple Mk1).Goto http://www.nicksimper.com/  And click (Nicks Story),it captures the period when Ealing had probably hundreds of bands doing gigs all over the place.  I guess the reason Ealing became a musical Mecca is largely down to Jim Marshalls shops in Hanwell Broadway.

Tony Wood ● 5179d

If you're interested in early sixties stuff,then a good place to start would be a visit to your local library and ask if they can get a book called "17 Watts?" by a local muso  Mo Foster...excellent!http://www.mofoster.com/author_intro.php

Tony Wood ● 5179d

If only I had the time......West London has a wonderful rock heritage, I didn't even mention the Red Lion in Brentford (saw Blackfoot Sue there, now a McDonalds), The John Bull in Chiswick (Paul Young's Streetband, Wishbone Ash and The Jags - now The gunnersbury, still with live music but not the same) The Dog Bollocks (the SU bar at Ealing Tech - Curved Air, Vinegar Joe with Elkie Brooks and Robert Palmer) and the wonderful Greyhound on Fulham Palace Road (Joe Cockers Grease band and  Ginger Bakers Airforce, all now sadly gone.

Nigel Brooks ● 5179d

Possible this site has info on Odeon http://www.cinema-theatre.org.uk/home.htmThere is a rich rock music history in West London, which is sadly not well recorded. Do I feel a website coming on?

Chris Edwards ● 5179d

Keith joined after the Detours days IIRC.There is an active 'Odeon society' and I will try to find their details. I used them to get images of the Odeon Northfields. If I can find the details, I'll post it here.

Nigel Brooks ● 5179d

I would love to see the Starlite avoid the same fate as the Oldfield Tavern. That's where the Who played as the Detours for the first time, first gig with Keith Moon I think. It also hosted Screaming Lord Sutch, Hawkwind and others. There's a cinema and theatre society that might have an image of the original 1935 Odeon but I'm going to try the local archive first. I can't understand why this site hasn't been identified as a potential tourist attraction/community centre. It's so easy to access from central London via Sudbury Town station.

Albertina McNeill ● 5180d

So many venues have long gone.I'm a bit of a Who fan and, although too young to have seen them play there they played (as the Detours). The Park Hotel Hanwell (now flats). The Oldfield Taven Grenford (now flats)- for which they were paid £12 0s 0d!!!  The Fox and Goose Alperton (now an hotel), and the ballroom at The Feathers, Ealing Broadway (now the vacant TownHouse). Where can you go for live music of this quality now?I can't find any image of The Starlite but I am still looking.

Nigel Brooks ● 5180d

Thanks for getting back to me. It's astonishing that so many of those groundbreaking British bands played there. My partner's grandmother may have been to dances there in the 1950's, I'm trying to find out more about the phase between its time as a cinema and the snooker club, so please spread the word about it and ask anyone who might have been there to contact me. Can your wife remember what it looked at inside at the time? Was it already very battered?

Albertina McNeill ● 5180d

My wife remembers going there which would be about 1967 - 1969 she saw most of the bands you mentioned plus one of her favourites Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames. Amazingly travelling from Ealing to Greenford/Sudbury border seemed quite an adventure in those days!

Peter Wright ● 5180d