David Bowie at The Cricketers?

[South-Punk Admin]

It's often been mentioned in local mythology that David Bowie played at The Cricketers (The Club Riga section as it currently stands) in the early 1970's, and I wondered if anybody here was actually present at the gig and can verify that it actually took place? Also was Mick Ronson on guitar?

[thedimlocator]

One of my friends saw him in Basildon, early '70's, at The Arts Lab which I think was in The Towngate when it was the temporary building, don't know who was in the band but it certainly made an impression.
Apparently there may be more to Riga than meets the eye, I'm told the Thai Boxing Club doesn't sit above the Riga part and the false ceiling was put in after a fire, there may be some kind of balcony above that.

[german1]

My friend who knows more about Bowie than Bowie himself doesn't believe the Cricketers' gig happened. The Basildon gig definitely did though and was indeed in the old Towngate Theatre. Although it looked it, This wasn't intended to be a temporary building. It was part of a complex that included the (equally temporary looking) library and council offices. They stood just south of the current theatre, where now stands a retail park.

Apparently, there are some recordings from the Towngate gig in existance.

[South-Punk Admin]

It would seem that in actual fact both gigs took place - Feb 28th 1970 for the Basildon one and July 17th for the first Southend one. Bowie apparently played again in Southend on August 1st 1970, in Eastwoodbury Lane at a charity gig.

There is confirmation of these dates at:
www.bowiewonderworld.com/tours/tour70.htm

Also, I spoke to Nick Paul (Machines) about this, and he said he was at The Cricketers one and that "Mick and the rest of the classic line up were there (but it was before they were called the Spiders). It was shortly before ‘The Man Who Sold The World’ came out so that formed the majority of the material."

The band at this time were called The Hype. Also, Nick was saying that his partner Mary had played a quick game of football with Bowie at the famous Eastwoodbury Lane gig. Apparently Bowie was hanging about waiting to play and got into an impromptu football game with the Edgar Broughton band and Mary and her brother Johnny. As Nick said "I think the outcome was that the Broughton brothers were better with their feet whilst Bowie had the better songs!"

Be great to see some photos of these gigs - they may be out there somewhere!

[cwmaxwell]

I was at the gig at the " Fickle Pickle" club at the Cricketers on 17th July 1970.  I was part of the "Colored Rain", the light show.  I remember Bowie playing acoustic guitar on his own.  There couldn't have been more than about 20 people there!!   I've attached a flyer.  I don't remember 'Harry the Butcher' but it was a long time ago!

[South-Punk Admin]

Thanks for the excellent flyer - I have heard of the 'Fickle Pickle Club' and it seems to have staged some legendary gigs, especially the David Bowie one. I wonder if there are any photographs of the evening?

[katy]

Nov 13, 2014 13:22:55 GMT cwmaxwell said:

I was at the gig at the " Fickle Pickle" club at the Cricketers on 17th July 1970.  I was part of the "Colored Rain", the light show.  I remember Bowie playing acoustic guitar on his own.  There couldn't have been more than about 20 people there!!   I've attached a flyer.  I don't remember 'Harry the Butcher' but it was a long time ago!

Hiya, I'm trying to find out who made the poster for the David Bowie gig at the Cricketers in 1970. My manager was at the gig too (so it did definitely happen!) and we might want to use the picture for a project we're working on. Anyone have any leads? cwmaxwell, do you have the original flyer?