HARLOW TOWN PARK GIGS

In the early seventies Harlow began to put on free rock concerts. These would usually involve a top pop or rock band and used local bands where possible as support acts.
Artists that played at The Bandstand included Hawkwind, Pink Fairies, Camel, Caravan, Thin Lizzy, Man, Atomic Rooster, Stan Webbs Chickenshack, 10cc, Arthur Brown, Judas Priest, Budgie, Fairport Convention (pictured bottom right), The Damned, Mungo Jerry, The Bay City Rollers and many more.
The main instigator of the free concerts was councilor Chris Crackett, the events appear to have run from 1973 to 75 with the last show featuring Man in August 75.

Concerts are still occasionally put on at the Bandstand.

 
Braving the rain. Local musician Martin Elliot supporting Camel or Caravan
Fairport Convention live at Harlow Bandstand

 

CONCERTS HELD AT HARLOW BANDSTAND
DATES
HACKENSACK / ATOMIC ROOSTER
MAY 1973
CHICKENSHACK / BRINSLEY SCHWARTZ / PINK FAIRIES
JUNE 1973
ARTHUR BROWNS KINGDOM COME
JUNE 1973
MUNGO JERRY / BUDGIE / JUDAS PRIEST
AUGUST 1973
HAWKWIND / GRAVE NEW WORLD
SEPTEMBER 1973
CLANCY
JUNE 1974
FAIRPORT CONVENTION / BYZANTIUM
JUNE 1974
SASSAFRAS
JULY 1974
HAWKWIND / MAGIC MICHEAL / MICHAEL MOORCOCK / LIQUID LEN
AUGUST 1974
THIN LIZZY
JULY 1975
MAN / RAB NOAKES / A BAND CALLED O / JOHN ST FIELD
AUGUST 1975
BAY CITY ROLLERS
DATE UNKNOWN
THE RUBETTES
DATE UNKNOWN
HEATWAVE DATE UNKNOWN
MUD DATE UNKNOWN

If you have any more information about the concerts held at The Bandstand please contact us.

There are some reviews and accounts of some of these concerts at the fantastic festival archives site at www.ukrockfestivals.com/harlow-free-festival.html
Thin Lizzy Man Arthur Brown Lemmy and Dave and.. Hawkwinds Stacia Camel Bay City Rollers

 

30th June 1973 PINK FAIRIES LIVE AT HARLOW TOWN PARK SUPPORTING ARTHUR BROWN
The Pink Fairies gig was especially memorable, as after a few bars of the second number, Russel Hunter, the drummer collapsed and lay motionless on the stage. Duncan Sanderson, the guitarist walked over and kicked his inert form a couple of times, then returned to the microphone and announced: "Sorry, 'is motor's bust!", and with that they left the stage, leaving the roadies to clear up the mess...

Arthur Brown's set there was also quite fun. No-one at the front would sit down, so no-one at the back could see. Arthur was exhorting people to sit down, in his own inimitable way, and got quite excited. He jumped off the stage, microphone clasped firmly in hand, and took half the PA with him!

SPECIAL THANX TO TONY MOTTRAM AND CLIFF BURNHAM FOR PINK FAIRIES INFO

OTHER KNOWN GIGS THAT HAPPENED IN HARLOW

 

Barclay James Harvet poster for Harlow College. Tickets available from StarTime Records A contract for The Sweet to play Harlow Birdcage in 1968.

 

BAND VENUE DATE
PINK FLOYD TEENAGERS SUNDAY CLUB, THE BIRDCAGE 10.12.1967
THE SWEET THE BIRDCAGE 17.10.1968
GENESIS THE BIRDCAGE 7.10.1970
URIAH HEEP/ATOMIC ROOSTER HARLOW AQUARIUS 23.12.1970
SMOKE STEP THE BIRDCAGE MAY 1971
HOME THE BIRDCAGE AUGUST 1971
ARTHUR BROWNS KINGDOM COME/JACKALL THE BIRDCAGE 16.9.1971
BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST/SUPRIMAS HARLOW COLLEGE 13.11.1971
THE STAWBS/JONATHON KELLY HARLOW PLAYHOUSE 2.2.1972
STATUS QUO/PAUL BRETT HARLOW PLAYHOUSE 5.2.1972
DAVID BOWIE HARLOW PLAYHOUSE 20.4.1972
STAN WEBBS CHICKEN SHACK/LISTEN HARLOW PLAYHOUSE APRIL 1972
THUNDERCLAP NEWMAN HARLOW PLAYHOUSE MAY 1972
STACKRIDGE LATTON BUSH SCHOOL SEPTEMBER 1972
ARTHUR BROWNS KINGDOM COME/LISTEN HARLOW COLLEGE NOVEMBER 1972
SKIN ALLEY/HEIRONYMOUS BOSCH HARLOW COLLEGE FEBRUARY 1973
AL STEWART/GRIFTON TRIGG HARLOW PLAYHOUSE NOVEMBER 1973
STRIFE/HUDSON FORD HARLOW TOWN CINEMA FEBRUARY 1974
PETER HAMILL BURNT MILL SCHOOL 1.3.1974
FAMILY/JUICY LUCY/COLOSSEUM/TOTAL RECALL HARLOW COLLEGE 4.3.1974
STRIFE/AVERAGE WHITE BAND BURNT MILL SCHOOL NOVEMBER 1974
DECAMERON/PRELUDE HARLOW PLAYHOUSE JANUARY 1975
LINDISFARNE/YELLOW BIRD HARLOW COLLEGE FEBRUARY 1975
THE PRETENDERS HARLOW COLLEGE JANUARY 1979
MISTY IN ROOTS HARLOW COLLEGE DATE UNKNOWN
THE ENID BENNYS NIGHTCLUB DATE UNKNOWN
Let us know about any other gigs and we'll add them..........we think Slade and UFO played college and China Crisis and Boomtown Rats played Harlow Odeon as part of 80's Rock Contest Finals......

 
Pink Floyd Stackridge Barclay James Harvest Uriah Heep Status Quo Misty In Roots The Pretenders