Sponsored by
When cream of pop world came to town
THE recent decision to stop promoting dances at Boston Gliderdrome has left many music fans disappointed.
But the venue’s management could not continue presenting shows at a loss – and the one thing that will not be ended is the memories of days gone by.
I have often spoken to Pat Malkinson about our early days at the Glider and we both agreed we were born at the right time, the late 1930s and early ’40s.
The Gliderdrome in the ’50s and ’60s was where we forged lasting friendships and, perhaps most of all, we were around for the ‘golden days’ when all (or at least, most) of the top names of the time were appearing at Boston.
Many youngsters of that time probably have the same feelings and, like us, were sad when dances first ended in 1973; were pleased when they restarted, albeit on a much reduced scale, in the ’90s; and then sad again at this latest development.
Those early days saw us all growing up and getting married – just look at The Standard’s golden and diamond wedding reports and see where couples met – but I don’t think any of us really appreciated what we had in the town.
When I was doing research for my book (Goin’ to the Dance, now out of print) I spoke to many Bostonians of my age who could remember those times – and almost without exception at some stage there was a comment that ‘we thought it would never end’.
I was in the fortunate position of working at the Starlight Room right from the time it opened in November 1964, starting as assistant to Pat in the control room before graduating to changing records in the room and then presenting them from the stage.
And I’ll never live down, with some people, being known as Dave the Rave.
I met the majority of the big names of ‘pop’ at that time and it’s certainly something I shall never forget – the same as never forgetting working part-time on the bingo nights at weekends.
It seemed a natural progression at that time; working at the Starlight led on to the bingo, but the sessions of over 40 years ago bore no resemblance to those of today.
There were no computers or new technology about then, nor many calculators. Everything had to be added up in pounds, shillings and pence and prizes worked out on paper, sometimes with money having to be split two or three ways – or more – from a float which was made up every night.
For some months I paid out the money on a Sunday night, from the stage of the ‘old’ Glider, and woe betide if I didn’t get the figures quite right (according to the winners!).
And in those days there were no health and safety laws. When you come to think how many people attended the dances, and the bingo sessions, we have to count ourselves lucky there were no real problems.
Crowds of more than a couple of thousand were the norm for Saturday night dances – even more on the nights when the really big stars were appearing.
Bingo nights were not quite so bad, but both Pat and I have memories of having to clear the bingo chairs from entrances on a Sunday night, especially at Christmas.
That was the time when it was nothing strange to see players sitting on cabbage crates in the foyer, merrily playing their cards with no problems or complaints, hoping to win a cockerel or goose for their Christmas dinner.
These days, the bingo numbers are called out electronically; in the early days a ‘blower’ was used and if the caller forgot to lower the table the ball was on, when he restarted the machine for another game the balls would fly all over the place.
They were happy times, which from a dance point of view came to an end with a spate of vandalism during the early 1970s.
On many Saturday nights at that time it seemed to be a competition to see how many seats could be slashed to ribbons, or how many light bulbs could be broken, and despite warnings that the dances would end if this wasn’t stopped, there was no response – and dances ceased abruptly in March 1973 after several hundred pounds was spent on repairs, only for further damage to be caused the following Saturday night.
There were complaints at the time from fans who had not been involved, but the management stood firm and bingo gradually took over completely at the venue.
That is, until the decision was made to start occasional dances 23 years later in 1996.
And for the last 10 years there have been visits from some of the stars who appeared there in the old days, together with tribute bands and new groups who still make a living from singing and performing songs of that era.
So what went wrong this time? Why the decision to stop the dances again?
To be continued next week ...
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Boston, Lincolnshire
Thursday 23 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 2 C to 12 C
Wind Speed: 23 mph
Wind direction: West
