theboyfromxtown
02-19-2016, 06:40 PM
This is a Facebook posting from a concert goer who went to the Stockton ABC on April 2nd 1965. There were 2 shows scheduled for 6:15pm and 8:30pm
i went to the Tamla Motown revue in Stockton which launched TM records in the UK in April 1965. They did 2 concerts on the same night and we had front row , middle seats both houses as my pal's uncle was manager of the Globe. The place was half empty, as were most of the dates on the tour as Tamla was still an almost underground music culture...just hadn't really taken off. HOWEVER, the concert itself was sensational..the Supremes, Martha & the Vandellas, Smokey & the Miracles. plus Little Stevie Wonder and the Earl Van Dyke Band as House Band for the night. Music was sensational [[ both houses ) and for the FINALE...the whole ensemble took to the stage to perform a couple of Tamla favourites together - ending with MICKEY's MONKEY.... great show........ THEN...to cap it all...after the show we wandered to the stage door...and there was nobody stood outside. As you left the stage door, there was an AMERICAN GREYHOUND BUS stood around the corner in the back car park. The statutory BIG BLACK BUS DRIVER was stood outside...and we went to have a chat with him. Well, 3 very gob-smacked TAMLA fans hit it off with him and he was a lovely guy....very chatty..and so we asked if there would be a problem with asking the stars for autographs on our programmes when they came out...and he said...No Problems...just let me get their stuff all stored away and I'll sort it our for you. Well, sort it he did...BIG STYLE. As the various artistes came out and handed their stuff to him, he stored it away in the side locker and they got on the bus. Don't panic he said...I'll sort it for you !!... Well everyone except the SUPREMES came out and they're all on the bus...and he came down the steps...and said..... The Guys are happy to sign your programmes for you now ...step inside my bus..... WOW OH WOW.... onto the bus and the whole lot welcomed us like we were long lost buddies, chatting away about US, Stockton and what we thought of their music. I got all the signatures [[ EXCEPT Little Stevie ) - well I was a bit embarrassed about asking him [[ doh !! ) So a fantastic 10 minutes......and we left the bus after the experience of our short lifetimes.. we were only 19 back then. BUZZING...absolutely BUZZING..... We walked to the back exit of the car park round the corner from the bus...there's a huge American gas guzzler and 2 very attractive young ladies stood with the driver....straight across...quick hello's and a chat and all the books signed from Mary Wilson and Flo Ballard...... and followed by a quick kiss on the cheek for us all......MISS ROSS was on her way they said....so they sat in the car as Miss Ross crossed the car park ...and we intercepted her and asked very politely for her to sign our programmes, congratulated her on the show...and so she duly signed...then she too, popped another kiss on our cheeks and waved Goodbye to us AND THANKED US for coming ...and disappeared into the night........... what amazed us all, was that they were so different to the English singers and stars of the day....if you tried to get an autograph after the show you had little chance as the majority of shows the acts just whizzed out of the stage door and galloped of without stopping......these Tamla people actually THANKED US...for going to THEIR SHOW. Amazing show and people...no wonder we fell in love with the MOTOWN SOUND. Well, to be fair, we had been listening and buying stuff FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS on the other labels that Berry Gordy released their songs on that were available in the UK...plus, I had a USA "pen-friend" who sent me stuff on the various US labels not available here. Still got all that stuff packed away in the loft ...one of these days I'm gonna have a party and invite all my oldies mates and have a 60's CLASSICS night..... I've still got my old twin speaker record player which works very well from back then....
I hope you enjoyed that little story...I certainly did
i went to the Tamla Motown revue in Stockton which launched TM records in the UK in April 1965. They did 2 concerts on the same night and we had front row , middle seats both houses as my pal's uncle was manager of the Globe. The place was half empty, as were most of the dates on the tour as Tamla was still an almost underground music culture...just hadn't really taken off. HOWEVER, the concert itself was sensational..the Supremes, Martha & the Vandellas, Smokey & the Miracles. plus Little Stevie Wonder and the Earl Van Dyke Band as House Band for the night. Music was sensational [[ both houses ) and for the FINALE...the whole ensemble took to the stage to perform a couple of Tamla favourites together - ending with MICKEY's MONKEY.... great show........ THEN...to cap it all...after the show we wandered to the stage door...and there was nobody stood outside. As you left the stage door, there was an AMERICAN GREYHOUND BUS stood around the corner in the back car park. The statutory BIG BLACK BUS DRIVER was stood outside...and we went to have a chat with him. Well, 3 very gob-smacked TAMLA fans hit it off with him and he was a lovely guy....very chatty..and so we asked if there would be a problem with asking the stars for autographs on our programmes when they came out...and he said...No Problems...just let me get their stuff all stored away and I'll sort it our for you. Well, sort it he did...BIG STYLE. As the various artistes came out and handed their stuff to him, he stored it away in the side locker and they got on the bus. Don't panic he said...I'll sort it for you !!... Well everyone except the SUPREMES came out and they're all on the bus...and he came down the steps...and said..... The Guys are happy to sign your programmes for you now ...step inside my bus..... WOW OH WOW.... onto the bus and the whole lot welcomed us like we were long lost buddies, chatting away about US, Stockton and what we thought of their music. I got all the signatures [[ EXCEPT Little Stevie ) - well I was a bit embarrassed about asking him [[ doh !! ) So a fantastic 10 minutes......and we left the bus after the experience of our short lifetimes.. we were only 19 back then. BUZZING...absolutely BUZZING..... We walked to the back exit of the car park round the corner from the bus...there's a huge American gas guzzler and 2 very attractive young ladies stood with the driver....straight across...quick hello's and a chat and all the books signed from Mary Wilson and Flo Ballard...... and followed by a quick kiss on the cheek for us all......MISS ROSS was on her way they said....so they sat in the car as Miss Ross crossed the car park ...and we intercepted her and asked very politely for her to sign our programmes, congratulated her on the show...and so she duly signed...then she too, popped another kiss on our cheeks and waved Goodbye to us AND THANKED US for coming ...and disappeared into the night........... what amazed us all, was that they were so different to the English singers and stars of the day....if you tried to get an autograph after the show you had little chance as the majority of shows the acts just whizzed out of the stage door and galloped of without stopping......these Tamla people actually THANKED US...for going to THEIR SHOW. Amazing show and people...no wonder we fell in love with the MOTOWN SOUND. Well, to be fair, we had been listening and buying stuff FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS on the other labels that Berry Gordy released their songs on that were available in the UK...plus, I had a USA "pen-friend" who sent me stuff on the various US labels not available here. Still got all that stuff packed away in the loft ...one of these days I'm gonna have a party and invite all my oldies mates and have a 60's CLASSICS night..... I've still got my old twin speaker record player which works very well from back then....
I hope you enjoyed that little story...I certainly did