Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Pink Floyd in Wood Green 1968/69
This poster/flyer is from one of two concerts that Pink Floyd played at the legendary mid-century Wood Green music venue, the Fishmongers Arms.
Floyd's first appearance was the one advertised in this poster. They also played at the same venue as a late replacement on January 10th 1969 after Jimi Hendrix pulled out. By June that year Pink Floyd were themselves headlining the Royal Albert Hall.
The set list seems to have been lost, but various spots on the web suggest a list that sounds very much like a live version of Side 1 one of my favourite teen albums, Ummagumma.
It included:
- "Astronomy Domine"
- "Careful With That Axe Eugene"
- "Interstellar Overdrive"
- "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun"
- "A Saucerful of Secrets"
The third track wasn't on the album.
Their early music was quite distinct from their better known later work.
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Comment by Hugh D on June 21, 2024 at 7:37
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Amazing. Surprised to see The Downliners' Sect still struggling on in '68.
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Did you go this gig btw? It still blows my mind how many amazing bands played just up the road!
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Comment by Hugh on June 21, 2024 at 10:12
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If your question is addressed to me, Hugh, no, I wasn't. I was far too young and living in Surrey!
For those music lovers who were living in Harringay and environs in the Sixties, though, it would have been a golden era. Notwithstanding the venues and bands I'm missing out, to give you just a taste of what was on offer locally, you could have walked to see bands such as:
- Led Zepplin, Fleetwood Mac and Fairport Convention at the Hornsey Wood Tavern on Seven Sisters Road
- Rolling Stones, Animals and Cream at the Manor House Tavern
- The Beatles, Beach Boys and Moody Blues at the Rainbow Theatre (Finsbury Park Astoria)
- A rich choice at Ally Pally in both the 60s and 70s
- At the Fishmonger's Arms, along with Floyd, you could have caught Joe Cocker, Rod Stewart, The Kinks and Jethro Tull.
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Comment by Christine Yates on June 21, 2024 at 14:39
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I remember them rehearsing at The Fishmongers and peeping through the door…we had to go to st Thomas Moore school for lunch and passed the pub every day. There were about five of us desperately trying to stay to hear them but had to be back to St Angela’s in Earlham Grove before the wrath of the almighty smote us for listening to such devilish music. As if we cared…..
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I went to see the Beach Boys on 8 December 1968 at the Finsbury Park Astoria with a few girls from school and friends from Crouch End. Tickets cost 8/3d…that’s 41p. I’ve loved the beach boys forever.
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Thanks for sharing Christine.
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I lived in that area during 60's and as you say Hugh.....there were amazing opportunities to see all the top groups/bands more or less on your doorstep without needing to jump on a bus.....in local pub rooms such as mentioned The Fishmongers and Manor House and others.. We used to love The Downliners and Pretty Things advertised there on a double bill. From memory Fishmongers Blues nights were Wed or Thurs, Manor House Blues nights were Friday. I'm near certain I saw Cream and Fleetwood in their infancies also play at Fishmongers. And further afield Cooks Ferry Inn Thurs Blues nights. The old black American blues men also appeared in these local venues. Loads of top names. Saw Beatles '63 and Stones '64 at Astoria. Great stuff.
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I'm insanely jelapus. As someone who grew up in the 80s obsessed with 60s music, this was the stuff of dreams. It seems like another world these days, given how few grassroots music venues remain. Did you ever get to see The Action back then John?
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Gene Pitney, Amen Corner, Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Titch, Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders in 1968, all supporting Gene Pitney at the Finsbury Park Astoria in ‘68.
Mum wouldn’t take me to see The Beatles there in ‘64, she wasn’t going to spend 4 shillings each to have to listen to screaming…what a missed opportunity.
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You've left out The Dave Clark Five. Dave Clark lived in Philip Lane above a shop (just like Rod Stewart in Archway) and they played the Tottenham Royal in the 60s.
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