1964 Magdalen College Commemoration Ball

[philmophlegm]

I had the opportunity to go to two Magdalen balls when I was at Oxford and passed up on both as _not my sort of thing_. The headline acts were Showaddywaddy and then The Kinks though, so Magdalen does get pretty good acts. (Well, ok, Showaddywaddy is of questionable quality, but I happen to think 'Moon of Love' is a good song.)

Still the early 90s line-up didn't quite match up to the 1964 ball...

Headlining then were Merseybeat band Freddie and the Dreamers, coming off three Top 10 singles.

Also playing:
John Lee Hooker. Yes: John. Lee. Hooker.
Shee-it.

And:
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. This was just before Eric Clapton joined the band, but the bass player in 1964 was John McVie (the 'Mac' in 'Fleetwood Mac', and the gentleman on the left of my userpic.

Oh, and an up and coming blues band called The Rolling Stones.


The Stones had been booked before they were famous for just £100. Then they got famous. Nevertheless, they broke off a US tour, flew back to the UK (at a cost to themselves of £1,500) and honoured their commitment to be well down the bill at a student ball in Oxford.

That is so cool.

Comments

[widgetfox.livejournal.com]

I have two claims to fame from my Oxford days, and one is that I managed to go to all three of the big Commems without paying for a single one. The middle one was Magdalen 1991, which I presume is one of the ones you turned down.

[philmophlegm.livejournal.com]

Yeah - 1991 would have been after my first year. That was the Showaddywaddy one wasn't it?

[widgetfox.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid I can't remember, sorry. Strikes a vague chord but wouldn't swear to it. I pretty much stopped counting after the 'entire bottle of champagne per guest on entry'.

1964

[(Anonymous)]

I only remember the Stones and the effect their appearance had on the Ball. Youngs girls climbing in over the walls, running everywhere, chased by the police (security?), tripping over the guy ropes. We went to the Stones tent and they tuned up for ages before they finally played (we assumed they were somewhat pissed off because they had to come back from the US for £100!). It was in a crowded tent with everyone standing not dancing - not what we wanted - but I've never forgotten it.