What PA did Cliff (and Shadows) use in old days?

[Bojan]

These are basically two questions:

1. At live concerts, in the earliest period, let's say '59-'63, did the Shadows mike their amps and drums, and if so, what kind of PA system did they all go through?

2. What kind of PA did Cliff use for vocals, and more specifically, what kind of echo did he use for vocals?

Thanks,
Bojan

[JimN]

These are basically two questions:

1. At live concerts, in the earliest period, let's say '59-'63, did the Shadows mike their amps and drums, and if so, what kind of PA system did they all go through?

No, they did not.

2. What kind of PA did Cliff use for vocals, and more specifically, what kind of echo did he use for vocals?
Thanks,
Bojan

The PA would be whatever was provided at the venue and it would only be used for vocals - and sometimes for piano. This was normal. I have no reason to believe that Cliff ever used any effects on the house PA through the 1950s and 1960s. This was something which only came about when PA systems started to get so "modern" during the 1970s. He was certainly using effects for live on-stage work by 1976.

JN

[Bojan]

Thanks Jim. Its odd that Cliff and/or the Shadows didn't have their own PA system. After all, they were around by that time. I remember in Belgrade throughout the 1960s groups used Echolette, Dynachord, Davoli, Binson, and other PA systems for vocals and for instruments. Our group used Dynachord and later we bought a Vox PA with the Grenadier boxes . . .

But what about later, let's say when the Shads sang numbers like Don't Make My Baby Blue, Mary Anne, etc. . . . what did they use?

[JimN]

Thanks Jim. Its odd that Cliff and/or the Shadows didn't have their own PA system. After all, they were around by that time. I remember in Belgrade throughout the 1960s groups used Echolette, Dynachord, Davoli, Binson, and other PA systems for vocals and for instruments. Our group used Dynachord and later we bought a Vox PA with the Grenadier boxes . . .
But what about later, let's say when the Shads sang numbers like Don't Make My Baby Blue, Mary Anne, etc. . . . what did they use?

For DMMBB, which they did perform live on tour in 1965, they would have used the theatre house PA. I'm not sure The Shadow ever played Mary Anne live (unless it was on television).

JN

[Bojan]

Wow, not what I expected !!

Thanks Jim

[StuartD]

During the late 60's, when they were doing a lot of cabaret work, they just used the PA that was in the club. The played Batley Variety Club in April 1970 and the club ordered a new PA System. They were the first to use it but I have a sneaky feeling they were only testing the it for the following week's head liner: Cliff Richard!!

Regards

Stuart

[strongbow]

When Cliff and the Shadows went on tour in the UK in early 1962, the NME had a story to the effect that Cliff was going to try out a new "echo microphone" that had just been introduced from America.

The Shadows performed Mary Anne live on Sunday Night at the London Palladium in early 1965.

[neil2726]

I saw Cliff and the Shads in 1965 at one of the cinemas in Hanley, Stoke on Trent. No amps had mics and the PA was Selmer column speakers which looked like 4 x 8" or 4 x 10" in each column - no PA amp was visable and certainly no sound engineeer at the back of the theatre.

[dave robinson]

i remember in the early seventies seeing Marvin & Farrar in cabaret at Bailey's Club in Sheffield and they were carrying several Orange Eliminator Bins, loaded with 15'' & horns. I can't remember what the mixing/power side of the rig was, but it sounded damn good with their acoustic guitars and great vocals.

Before that whenever I sawCliff & the Shadows, it was always the house PA system for vocals and no miking up.

[abstamaria]

Would there be any advantage to playing in a venue for 250 people or so without micing the amps? That's an appealing idea to me, but I realize the acoustic guitar would go through the PA and usually the bass guitar too, so that leaves only the lead amp.

Andy