Featuring: Sixties Gold, The Searchers, The Merseybeats, The Fortunes, Steve Ellis, Vanity Fare, PJ Proby
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Sixties Gold Final Tour: Sixties Gold, The Searchers, The Merseybeats, The Fortunes, Steve Ellis, Vanity Fare, PJ Proby
Following last years’ successful tour, Sixties Gold returns with an even stronger line-up of artists that, between them, scored over 50 UK Top 30 hits.
With a career spanning 6 decades, The Searchers now embark upon what will be their Farewell 60s tour. It all began in Liverpool, where they were tipped to be as big as The Beatles, The Searchers spent 128 weeks in the charts, with sales of more than 50 million, including 3 massive UK No.1 hits.
The Merseybeats. Another success story from the Liverpool, Merseybeat boom years. Great memorable hit records including; Sorrow, I Think of You, and Wishin’ and Hopin’.
Following on in the wake of Merseybeat, The Fortunes added another dimension to the sound of the classic pop song. With hits including; You’ve Got Your Troubles and Here It Comes Again, The Fortunes remain one of the UK’s premier harmony groups.
This will be ponytailed P.J. Proby’s final tour. His controversial trouser splitting shocked the nation and in 1964 was the Melody Maker teen idol award winner. His hit records spent 91 weeks in the charts.
Steve Ellis, the original lead vocalist and founder of Love Affair who had five Top 20 singles, including their No. 1 Everlasting Love.
Finally, Vanity Fare, scored with three top 20 hits in the late sixties, including their catchy Hitchin’ A Ride.
Re-live the magic of the 1960s with Six of the biggest chart acts of the decade.
This event takes place at Sage Gateshead, which has achieved Gold Status for disabled access from Attitude Is Everything.
Sixties Gold
A show featuring all the hits of the '60s from the original stars of the '60s!
The famous singles to the timeless albums tracks, this show will create the ultimate feel-good factor as audiences are transported back to the Swinging Sixties.
Sixties Gold tour dates
The Searchers
Following the success of The Beatles and capitalising on the Mersey Sound came The Searchers. In 1963 they quickly established their own distinctive sound and dedicated following, with a 12 string lead guitar and harmonies which anticipated the sound of The Byrds. 'Sweets For My Sweet', 'Sugar & Spice' and 'Needles & Pins' were their three number one hits, their total world sales exceed over 30 million. The Searchers have continued to play their music throughout the world and are as popular as ever with audiences of all ages.
The Searchers tour dates
The Merseybeats
Pop band from the 60s, originally managed by Brian Epstein. The current line-up is Tony Crane (founding member) on lead vocals and lead guitar, Billy Kinsley (founding member) on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Bob Packham (joined 1974) on backing vocals and bass guitar, Dave Goldberg on keyboards and lead guitar and Lou Rosenthal (joined 2000) on drums. Their hits include 'Don't Turn Round', 'Wishin & Hopin', 'Sorrow', 'I Think Of You'.
The Merseybeats tour dates
The Fortunes
The Fortunes are one of the UK's premier harmony groups. A string of hit records including You've Got Your Troubles, Here It Comes Again and Freedom Come Freedom Go, have stood the test of time and still top the play-lists on any radio station. Ask any '60s group who they most admire for their vocal talents and The Fortunes would come out on top. Their last CD sold over 100,000 copies and 'It's The Real Thing' Coca Cola advert is, of course, sung by The Fortunes.
The Fortunes tour dates
Steve Ellis
"Maybe if we live long enough, we grow into what we always wanted to be. Just maybe, if we stick at what we love, it'll come around and come good. Steve Ellis has earnt the right to sing the Blues if he wants. And sing it he does!" - Paul Weller
On 6 February 1968, one of the UK's most endearing number ones - Everlasting Love - hit the top of the charts. The group behind it were called Love Affair fronted by singer Steve Ellis who was acknowledged as having one of the best soul-rock voices in the business. With their sharp Mod looks and a host of national TV appearances behind them, Love Affair found themselves enjoying the kind of exposure and adulation that was being afforded to the likes of the Beatles and Rolling Stones.
Their version of Everlasting Love remains a stone-cold classic, one which not only reached number one in the UK, but went Top 10 in 7 other countries and has amassed over 10 million sales to date. It's enduring charm has seen it copied by everyone from U2 to the Cast from Casualty, as well as appearing in numerous films and adverts globally. However, the only member of Love Affair to appear on the actual record is Steve Ellis and it's this fact that provides the backdrop to a 50-year tale of triumph, tragedy and resurrection.
2018 marks a very important anniversary for Steve Ellis. in the same year that Everlasting Love celebrates its 50th birthday, Steve releases a new album "Boom Bang Twang!" on 20 April, 2018. Fittingly enough it reunites Steve with the label where he enjoyed great success with Love Affair (CBS/Sony) and is an expertly crafted mix of new songs and some heartfelt covers with guests and long-time friends Paul Weller, COW, Manfred Mann's Mike D'Abo, Kev Wallbank (The Dream Foundry), Andy Crofts and Ben Gardelier (The Moons). "Boom Bang Twang!" is the work of a man who believes in not resting on his laurels.
"Boom Bang Twang!" shifts effortlessly through soul, rock, rhythm & blues, reggae and pop with all the quality one would hope for from an artist who's been there, seen it, done it, and still has the t-shirt.
The Steve Ellis story begins In1966 when as a 15-year-old, Steve got his first professional gig singing in a group called the Soul Survivors. After the band's first release on Decca, they moved on to the CBS label and became one of the most successful British pop acts of the late 1960s under their new name "Love Affair". After scoring a string of chart busting singles in 1968 including Everlasting Love, Rainbow Valley, Bringing Back The Good Times, One Road and A Day Without Love, in autumn 1969, Steve Ellis walked out of Love Affair to re-think his musical direction. CBS retained him as a solo artist and his future appeared decidedly rosy. Steve seemed to have the world at his feet, but it didn't work out that way.
Some excellent solo singles and a killer soundtrack (Loot) failed to ignite, then came stints with 2 new bands - firstly under the name of Ellis - followed by one album with rock super group Widowmaker - before another solo album was shelved due to contractual issues. This was followed by tragedy when, having given up on the music industry to work as a Docker in order to get "match fit" and to re-think his next musical step, Steve suffered a most horrific accident or as he calls it "an altercation with some two-tonne forklift blades". An incredibly brave, 8-year fight to regain his mobility ensued and led him back to music in the early 90s.
For the best part of the next 10 years, he toured as Steve Ellis' Love Affair and once again found himself being cited as a Mod hero to a new generation of fans whilst retaining the support and respect of his own musical peers. One such occasion was the 2001 Steve Marriott Memorial Concert (held at the Astoria), a much-revered show which saw Steve perform alongside Noel Gallagher, Paul Weller, Peter Frampton and Small Faces' Ian McLagan and Kenney Jones. In 2004, It was somewhat fitting to see Steve joining Pete Townshend, Ronnie Wood and Slim Chance for the unforgettable Ronnie Lane tribute show at the Royal Albert Hall.
The past few years has seen Steve release two acclaimed solo albums "Best Of Days" & "Ten Commitments", as well as touring regularly and generally applying himself at what he does best - singing and performing from the heart with that tremendous (and most definitely intact) voice of his. Now back with the label where it all happened originally and with a fine new album to unveil, Steve Ellis has come full circle.
He has recently teamed up with Blues Hall of Fame British Legend Norman Beaker and his band both in recording and live performances. They've already recorded the Beaker-penned "Time and Tide", destined to be a soul-blues classic.
Steve Ellis tour dates
Vanity Fare
Vanity Fare play the hits 'Hitchin’ A Ride', 'I Live For The Sun' and 'Early In The Morning'.
Vanity Fare tour dates
PJ Proby
Big-voiced pop legend who had a string of hits during the 1960s. Born James Smith, Proby worked under the stage name Jett Powers before making it big-time as PJ Proby with a rock arrangement of the 1939 Dick Haymes ballad 'Hold Me'. Other chart successes included 'Somewhere' and 'Maria' from 'West Side Story', Lennon & McCartney's 'That Means A Lot' and the Billy Eckstine hit 'I Apologise'. Proby had earlier worked as a session singer for the likes of BB King, Little Richard, Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley, whom he was to play in the musical 'Elvis' in the West End in 1977. Although never far from controversy, P J Proby remains a much-loved and popular entertainer.
PJ Proby tour dates
Venue Facts
Sage Gateshead
St Mary's Square
Gateshead Quays
Gateshead
NE8 2JR
54.967680,
-1.601917
Disabled Access: Gold Status
Website: sagegateshead.com
Enquiries: 0191 443 4666
Bookings: 0191 443 4661
Disabled Bookings: 0191 443 4661
Seating Plan: View the Seating Plan
Metro
→ Manors 6 min walk
Train
→ Manors 6 min walk
