Saturday, February 11, 2017

SHINDIG Tour 1965

In 1965 the success of the Shindig television show on ABC television network prompted Selmur Productions to book a national package tour to include many of the show's regulars including host Jimmy O'Neill.  The tour would also book national rock acts to supplant the show regulars.  The first non-show regular announced was Linda Gail Lewis, the sister of Jerry Lee Lewis performing as Linda Gale.  Shortly after that announcement, NEMS Enterprises revealed that Gerry and the Pacemakers would also join a portion of the summer tour.  Los Angeles Rams lineman Rosie Greier, trying to start a signing career was also signed to join the tour.  The Australian band the Newbeats headlined two portions of the tour bracketing Gerry and the Pacemakers.

The Shindig name was rather popular and many additional promoters tried to cash in on the name.  Promoter Irving Weinhause put a another package tour on the road early in the year.  Shindig '65 played two shows in California headlined by Gary Lewis & Playboys and then headed out nationally with Paul Peterson as the headliner.  Their debut show in Phoenix came to the attention of Selmur Productions, who took out newspaper ads and bought time on local radio stations to inform fans that the Shindig '65 show was not affiliated with the Shindig TV show.  Consequently the show bombed and Weinhause filed a lawsuit and Selmur Productions counter-sued.  In terms of financial success, Selmur was definitely the winners as their tour drew the crowds.


Ad taken out by Selmur in Billboard magazine.


Below is a nearly complete listing - it has a few holes so please comment if you saw a show that's not on the list.


First leg headlined by The Newbeats with support acts Rosie Grier, Dixie Cups, The Hondells, Linda Gail along with show regulars John Andrea, Sue Thompson, Jim Doval & Gauchos

March 26, 1965  Fieldhouse, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA

April 1, 1965  Memorial Coliseum, Portland, OR














April 6, 1965  Civic Auditorium, Idaho Falls, ID



April 7, 1965  The Terrace Ballroom, Salt Lake City, UT

                                                      




April 8, 1965  Auditorium Arena, Denver, CO

April 9, 1965  Memorial Hall, Salida, KS



April 11, 1965  Roberts Memorial Stadium, Evansville, IN



April 13, 1965  Veteran's Memorial Auditorium, Des Moines, IA

April 15, 1965  Auditorium, Milwaukee, WI

April 17, 1965  McCormick Place, Chicago, IL

April 18, 1965  Fair & Exposition Center, Fairgrounds, Louisville, KY



April 21, 1965  Music Hall, Houston, TX

April 22, 1965  Municipal Auditorium, Austin, TX



April 23, 1965  Memorial Auditorium, Dallas, TX



April 24, 1965  Civic Center Arena, Tulsa, OK



April 27, 1965  Memorial Hall, Kansas City, KS (two shows)




The second leg is headlined by Gerry and the Pacemakers with support acts Shirley Ellis, Dixie Cups, Rosie Grier, Willy Nelson, Joey Paige, Linda Gale along with show regulars Jim Doval & Gauchos.  Linda Gale's contract was for 4 weeks but the response to her was good enough that she was extended to the entire tour.

April 29, 1965  Coliseum, Ft. Wayne, IN

April 30, 1965  Gardens, Cincinnati, OH

May 1, 1965  Veteran's Memorial Auditorium, Columbus, OH

May 2, 1965  Cobo Arena, Detroit, MI



May 3 ,1965  Civic Center, Lansing, MI















May 4, 1965  Stambaugh Auditorium, Youngstown, OH

May 5, 1965  Sports Arena, Toledo, OH




May 6, 1965  Grand Rapids, MI

May 7, 1965  Civic Center, Charleston, WVA (two shows)



May 8, 1965  Syria Mosque, Pittsburgh, PA

May 10, 1965  Bushnell Auditorium, New Haven, CT

May 12, 1965  Four Seasons Arena, Walpole, MA



May 13, 1965  Coliseum, Washington DC
















May 14-16, 1965  Academy of Music, New York City, NY  (five shows total)



May 18, 1965  War Memorial Auditorium, Rochester, NY



May 20, 1965  Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, RI






















May 21, 1965  Hotel Philadelphia Ballroom, Philadelphia, PA




May 23, 1965  Civic Center, Baltimore, MD

May 23, 1965  The Dome, Virginia Beach, VA

May 26, 1965  Raleigh County Armory, Beckley, WVA




Third leg of the SHINDIG tour has a variety of talent.  The Newbeats fill in as headliners for the last three shows originally planned for Gerry and the Pacemakers then Bobby Sherman takes over as the headliner for the western swing of the tour with support acts Dixie Cups, Linda Gale, Willy Nelson, Rosie Grier and show regulars Ronnie Dove, the Shindogs, Jim Doval & Gauchos

May 27, 1965  Memorial Auditorium, Greenville, SC















May 28, 1965  Municipal Auditorium, Nashville, TN



May 29, 1965  War Memorial Auditorium, Greensboro, NC



May 30, 1965  Civic Auditorium, Kingsport, TN (two shows)





















June 3, 1965  Municipal Auditorium, San Antonio, TX





June 5, 1965  Municipal Auditorium, Lubbock, TX



June 6, 1965  Liberty Hall, El Paso, TX (two shows)

                                 


June 8, 1965  Stadium, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ























June 9, 1965  Fairgrounds, Phoenix, AZ



June 11, 1965  Auditorium, Long Beach, CA (two shows)



June 12, 1965  Civic Auditorium, Bakersfield, CA



June 13, 1965  Memorial Auditorium, Fresno, CA



5 comments:

  1. I attended the Shindig summer tour show, and the date of my experience is not shown here. Interestingly, you show 2 swings through Texas, and I don't see my Shindig date on either leg. I saw it at the Will Rogers Auditorium in Ft. Worth, Texas. I don't have a stub, so I don't know the date. By looking at the artists on some of these handbills, I would have to say that the show I saw would have been on the 2nd leg in June. I almost know the ones I didn't see, than who I did. That's why I think it was the 2nd leg because the lineup was so forgettable. I was disappointed they didn't have The Righteous Brothers. They did have Donna Loren, The Shindogs, Jim Dovel and the Gouchos, Rosie Grier....and I can't remember who else. Not sure if The Blossoms were on that tour or not. If not, it might have been The Dixie Cups. It was my 2nd rock & roll concert, the 1st having been the Rolling Stones, and the Will Rogers Colosseum. Ironically, I went to both of them by myself. I was a sophomore in high school. I hung out by the stage door, and got my program signed by Delaney Bramlett of the Shindogs. Of course he was nobody to be recognized in those days. But he played a big part in rock history later with Delaney & Bonnie & Friends, who included Eric Clapton, George Harrison and a host of great studio musicians such as Carl Radle & Jim Gordon, whom Clapton stole to form Derek & the Dominoes.

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    1. I was at that show. Bobby Sherman was there. I remember he had an old fashion haircut. I think I remember Mike Clifford being there but he’s not listed anywhere so I could be wrong. I also got a Delaney Bramlett autograph.

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  2. Now that I look at it, it would almost surely have been June 4th, an open date between San Antonio and Lubbock.

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  3. Can you read the signature of the illustrator of the program cover?

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  4. If you've never heard Roosevelt (Rosey) Grier sing, you're missing out!

    https://youtu.be/obUXkbcY_bM

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