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I did have a review of the Bunny's Place gig, from the local rag, but can't find it now. Something tells me I posted it here when the forum was the old MSN one, way back in 2000 or whatever. Has anyone got the 20 golden tour dates? Again, I am sure these were posted here once upon a time...

Mo 02.05.1977 Bristol (Colston Hall) – 19.30
Tu 03.05.1977 Southampton (Gaumont Theatre) – 19.30
We 04.05.1977 Cardiff (Capitol Theatre) – 19.30
Th 05.05.1977 Blackpool (Opera House) – 18.30 & 21.00
Fr 06.05.1977 Edingburgh (Playhouse Theatre) – 19.30
Sa 07.05.1977 Glasgow (Apollo Theatre) – 18.30 & 21.00
Su 08.05.1977 Preston (The Guildhall) – 19.30
Mo 09.05.1977 Manchester (Apollo Theatre) – 19.30
Tu 10.05.1977 Newcastle (City Hall) – 19.30
Th 12.05.1977 London (Royal Albert Hall) – 19.30
Fr 13.05.1977 Bournemouth (Winter Gardens) – 20.00
Sa 14.05.1977 Birmingham (Odeon Theatre) – 18.30 & 21.00
Su 15.05.1977 Liverpool (Empire Theatre) – 19.30
Mo 16.05.1977 Sheffield (City Hall) – 19.30
Tu 17.05.1977 Coventry (Coventry Theatre) – 19.30
Th 19.05.1977 Cleethorpes (Bunny’s Place) – 23.00
Fr 20.05.1977 Cleethorpes (Bunny’s Place) – 23.00
Sa 21.05.1977 Leicester (De Montfort Hall) – 19.30
Su 22.05.1977 Croydon (Fairfield Halls) – 17.45 & 20.00
Mo 23.05.1977 Stoke-on-Trent (Jollees Club) – 23.30
Tu 24.05.1977 Stoke-on-Trent (Jollees Club) – 23.30

WOW!

Thanks a lot! Interesting to note the differing times and the fact that they were also, in some cases, doing two shows a day. I wonder if they varied the set at all?

These days it just seems to be arena shows for most bands. 1977 does indeed seem like a looooooooooooooooooooooong time ago!!!!

Saw them at Jollees in Stoke that year - they just did one hour spot no red Fenders as I recall Hank black Bruce white For most of that tour I think they had a support act.

Ta. No the red Strats didn't make their reappearance until the 80s.

I love the way they ended the tour at a night club, so maybe finished at about 12.30 - 12.45 a.m.? I can well imagine them hitting the bar in no uncertain terms. Did Francis fall asleep at the piano? Not that I can honestly quite believe that he ever really did! Yeah, that would have been a tour I would love to have seen. Oh well...

Interesting to see that the first date was at the Colston Hall, Bristol - which was also the venue for the first concert the Shads ever played without Cliff, way back in 1960!

(A fact of which Hank would remind us every time they appeared there after that.)

Live albums can be a bit hit or miss, but I still think that it's a shame that EMI didn't record at least one of the 20 Golden Dates and put it out as a double live album at Christmas 1977.

My feelings are that following on from the huge success of the 20GG album and tour, and marketed as the 20 Golden Greats LIVE, I think it could have been top 10 easily. Live at the Paris Olympia didn't do too well, but, with the exception of the Eurovision Song Contest, the Shads hadn't been very visible for about six or seven years by then.

Too late now, but I think it was an opportunity missed. They had a great line-up, great sound, the set-list was mostly the big hits and they were fresh and firing on all cylinders after so long away. Paris Olympia was a brilliant live album, but I think a live album from the 20 Golden Dates tour would have been more representative of the band's legacy and their distinctive sound.

drakula63 wrote:Live albums can be a bit hit or miss, but I still think that it's a shame that EMI didn't record at least one of the 20 Golden Dates and put it out as a double live album at Christmas 1977.

The concert from May the 17th, 1977 at the Coventry Theatre has been recorded from the desk, although I don't know if EMI has recorded it.

iefje wrote:

drakula63 wrote:Live albums can be a bit hit or miss, but I still think that it's a shame that EMI didn't record at least one of the 20 Golden Dates and put it out as a double live album at Christmas 1977.

The concert from May the 17th, 1977 at the Coventry Theatre has been recorded from the desk, although I don't know if EMI has recorded it.

Strange you should mention that!

Yeah, no, I don't think this recording had anything to do with EMI. But who knows...?

I've just been looking at the set-list for the 20 Golden Dates tour and I've come up with a suggested running order for '20 Golden Greats LIVE!' The best Shadows live album that never was! Just my opinion of course...


THE SHADOWS - 20 GOLDEN GREATS LIVE! Double album. December 1977.


1) Man of Mystery
2) Kon-Tiki
3) Atlantis
4) Shadoogie
5) Guitar Tango

6) Shindig
7) Apache
8) Foot Tapper
9) The Rise and Fall of Flingel Bunt
10) Dance On

11) Nivram
12) Walk Don't Run
13) Don't Make My Baby Blue
14) Theme For Young Lovers
15) The Frightened City

16) Peace Pipe
17) The Savage
18) Let Me Be The One
19) Wonderful Land
20) F.B.I.

Now, I don't know about you, but I would have tripped over myself to get to the record shop to buy that album! I reckon it would have been top 10 easily. Maybe top 5 or number 1. Released in December 1977 it would have been a must have Christmas pressie.

Oh well...