Coventry Hippodrome / Theatre

"Wetbicycleclappersoup" posted this a cracking picture of the old Coventry Theatre

As an addendum to my recent posting about Sammy Newsome, the man who built the Hippodrome, does anybody know who the building contractors were that actually constructed it? I am tempted to think it may have been John Gray but accurate info would be most welcome. Incidentally, one of my abiding memories of the 'Cov Theatre' as we referred to it, was being in the circle for a Slade concert (late 70s) and feeling it bouncing up an down; we always say about six inches though I suspect it was actually only about one, but still a little unnerving at the time!!

I can relate to this. If you were lucky you'd either be in the Stalls or the Dress Circle. If you were not so lucky you might find yourself in the Upper Circle - and if you were at the back of the ticket queue you'd end up on the very back row of the upper circle (or up in "The Gods" as we called it) - which was me! I saw The Kinks from this position in the 60's - I say "saw", more like heard the noise as the seat was so far away I could hardly see the stage! And yes, the place positively bounced.

Ah the Kinks; quite by chance my favourite band! I am originally from Muswell Hill as were they. It is thought that Coventry was the first place they played the music-history-changing 'You Really Got Me' in public for the first time, though perhaps not at the one you saw.

Two highlights of the Hippodrome. Tommy Steele in the 1950s at the height of his fame and the Temperance Seven in the 1960s. Our crowd filled the complete length of the front row of the Grand Circle.

I remember seeing Steel Eye Span there and Maddy Prior was amazing. When they did "All around my hat" she started singing it on stage, danced off and up the aisles, around the circle and back on to the stage. She was still singing when she got back on stage and wasn't even out out of breath. Cracking night and I enjoyed it immensely.

I've just uploaded some scans of adverts from 1963 to my gallery. One of which is for The Coventry Theatre

November (I think) 1963, The Beatles appeared at Coventry Theatre. I had a ticket, but hundreds didn't and there were traffic jams all along the A45. The concert started about an hour late and none of it could be heard for girls screaming.

My dad told me that in the event of Hales Street being blocked by fans, the fire engines were to be called out on a bogus emergency so as to clear the road!

I seem to remember that the fire engines were brought out to block the road by Lady Herbert Garden so the band's car could get down to the stage door. It was complete chaos.

Wasn't Helen Shapiro top of the bill ?

She certainly was...

That was an earlier appearance. They made another in November by which time they were far more popular and topped the bill.

That's correct. The day after Helen Shapiro's tour finished, they started their own as headline act. Then returned to the city on Sunday 17th November 1963, exactly a year to the day after they first appeared here at the Matrix Hall.

That's right. The Beatles played the Matrix Hall on 17 November 1962, then returned for this show in February 1963. What a line-up! Helen Shapiro presumably topped the bill on the basis of two UK No.1s. Danny Williams had had one, and the Beatles didn't have a No.1 until From Me To You a few weeks later. The subsequent appearance at the Coventry Theatre was a year to the day after the Matrix, 17th November 1963. They never played Coventry again. www.beatlesbible.com