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As we enter the final 2 months of the current Hairspray the Musical UK Tour, we’re taking a look at our final set of venues to discover what was happening in the 1960’s.

 

 

 

Cardiff

• Singing sensation Shirley Bassey is originally from Cardiff, she reached number 1 in the UK in 1961 with her hit ‘Reach for the Stars’.
  
  

  Shirley Bassey ©Rob Mierenet under This License

• In 1964 Cardiff-born boxing legend Joe Erksine fought his last fight in Wembley.
• 1960’s rock band Amen Corner formed in Cardiff in the mid 60’s, they were the first Welsh group to have a number one hit with “(If Paradise Is) Half as Nice”

Norwich

• The University of East Anglia (UEA) opened in Norwich in 1963.
• Multi- platinum selling record producer Stephen Osborne grew up in Norwich in the 1960’s.
• In 1968, The Bolshoi Ballet appeared at the Theatre Royal, Norwich.

 

Milton Keynes

• Milton Keynes was founded as a “new town” in 1967 as an over-spill city for several London boroughs.

Llandudno

• In 1969, The Great Orme Cabin Lift opened in Llandudno, which travelled at a speed of 6mph on a steel cable, over 3km long. It is the longest single-stage cable car in Britain.

Plymouth

• On November 13^th, 1963, The Beatles made an appearance at the ABC Cinema in Plymouth, making it the 10^th date on their Autumn Tour. They returned to this location the following year for a second performance.

• Actor Charles Dance, famous for his role as Tywin Lannister in HBO’s Game of Thrones grew up in Plymouth.

Canterbury

• In the 1960s, Canterbury had its own music scene known as the ‘Canterbury Sound’ or the ‘Canterbury Scene’. This sound was created by a number of jazz, progressive rock and avant-garde musicians. It included bands such as ‘Wilde Flowers’ and ‘Soft Machine.’
• The 1960s saw the biggest expansion in the city’s history, with the new addition of the University of Kent at Canterbury and Christ Church College.
• In 1962, Canterbury-born actor Jack Gwillim starred in the Oscar-winning film ‘Lawrence of Arabia’.

Bromley

• The Bromley Court Hotel was a popular spot for 60s bands, including The Animals, Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames.

Stoke

• A Huge number of well-known names were born in Stoke, including presenter Anthea Turner (1960), actor Neil Morrissey (1962), musician Robbie Williams (1974) and actor Adrian Rawlins (1958).

Southend

• 1963 saw a number of faces pass through Southend, stopping to perform at it’s Odeons along the way. Stars such as The Beatles, Cliff Richard, The Rolling stones, The Kinks and Dusty Springfield all performed at the city’s Odeon venues.

Check out all our remaining Venues