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Rock and Rhythm Contest, 1967

 
 
 

Date:

16th January 1967

 
     
 

Judges:

Joy Home (Flamingo Ballroom)
John Adams (Winter Gardens)
Dusty Dunstan (Blue Lagoon)

 
     
 

Winners:                                         

1st - Vigilantes
2nd - Other Five
3rd - Climates
4th - Modesty Blues
5th - Fallen Empire
6th - The Hoboes
                         

 
     
 

Performers & songs:         

Episode Five (Camborne)
Circuit Four (Redruth)
The Seed (Portscatho)
The Other Five (Newquay)
The Fallen Empire (Redruth)
The Modesty Blues (Hayle)
The Hoboes (Plymouth)
Circuit Five (Penzance)
The Vigilantes (Newquay)
Little Johnnie and The Giants (Redruth)
The Cosmonauts (St Austell) - Midnight Hour & When A Man Loves A Woman
The Climates (Falmouth)

Phoenix (?)

 
     
 

This year the winners were offered the chance to enter a recording contract with "4 Star Sound Productions". Last years winners The Reaction made a guest appearance during the interval.


Here's how the West Briton reported the event the following week;

Cheers and screams at the rock and rhythm championship
Losers were the 'beat' heroes

Cheers and screams greeted the winning group in the Cornish rock and rhythm championship at Truro on Monday. Last year's winners, The Reaction, making a guest appearance, were also extremely well received.

But the greatest reception of all went to a group not places in the final reckoning. The Cosmonauts of St Austell were greeted with whistles, cheers and foot stamping. After their performance the applause was redoubled.

Why the enthusiasm? Lead Guitarist Linda Cross is only 12 years old. Her sister Colleen, who played electric organ, is 11. Twelve year old Christopher Gray was the drummer and Keith Yelland (15) and Leslie Gill (16) made up the rest of the group. Their first rate performance earned them an honorary mention by the judges.

Crowding into the City Hall, Truro, were 600 teenagers. They heard 12 groups from all over Cornwall and one from Plymouth.

The winning group were the Vigilantes of Newquay. Unlike most of the other contestants they looked as though they really enjoyed singing. In so doing they presented a polished performance. Comprising Geoff Treverton, Dave May, Alan Martin and Pete Coombe, the vigilantes have been together for three years. "But", said lead guitarist Dave, "We're thinking of calling ourselves the Vigils - It's shorter".

In second place was another Newquay group, the Other Five - Tony Pearce, Pat Rabey, Jon Kessell and Terry Hocking. The Climates from Penryn were third. Other placings were: 4, The Modesty Blues (Hayle); 5, The Fallen Empire (Redruth); 6, The Hoboes (Plymouth).

For the winners there as a silver trophy and the opportunity of a contract with a recording company. The first three groups will be auditioned by the BBC.

Several of the groups who were unsuccessful drowned their vocalists with the instruments. For most of the time only a dull moan could be heard from the microphone.

Just before the curtain went up The Phoenix, a groups of Truro School boys, part of their electrical equipment blew up in a blinding flash, issuing volumes of acrid smoke. But no damage appeared to have been done and the boys played in an aura of smoke.

The contest was organised by Truro Round Table. The Judges were Joy Home (Flamingo Ballroom, Camborne), John Adams (Winter Gardens, Penzance) and Dusty Dunstan (Blue Lagoon, Newquay). Mr Peter Boggia was compere.

Episode 5 at the contest

Cosmonauts at the 1967 event

 
     
     
Do you have any stories about this event? If so please get in touch!
 
 
     

 

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