The Who 1964 performances

The Who 1964 Performances
Tour by The Who
Start date 2 January 1964
End date 31 December 1964
Legs 1
Shows 188 (approximately)
The Who concert chronology
The Who
1962–1963 performances
(1962–63)		 The Who 1964 performances
(1964)		 The Who Tour 1965
(1965)

The Who performed extensively in 1964, supporting their first-ever single "Zoot Suit/I'm the Face" and their late-1964 single "I Can't Explain". The band were still known as The Detours when the year began before changing their name to The Who in February; another name change to The High Numbers in the middle of the year hoped to capitalise on the mod movement popular with British youth in the early to mid-1960s, but the group reverted to The Who after only a few months. 1964 was also the year drummer Keith Moon joined the band.

History

The band performed strictly in England throughout 1964, mostly in small clubs and hotels as they gained popularity. Original drummer Doug Sandom, who had been with the group since 1962, was persuaded to leave the band for a variety of reasons, opening the door for then 17-year-old Keith Moon to join the band, his first show occurring on 2 May. The group's first record, "Zoot Suit/I'm the Face", was released in July while the band was known as The High Numbers, but the single performed poorly and the name change was ultimately only temporary. As for the band's live shows, more and more R&B and Tamla Motown material worked its way into their sets, although their first Pete Townshend-penned single, "I Can't Explain", would begin a movement towards more original material in 1965. Meanwhile, a twist of fate saw Townshend accidentally break the neck off his Rickenbacker guitar during a show at the Railway Hotel in London, leading him to destroy the rest of the instrument in a fit of anger. Soon the band developed a reputation for instrument destruction (which Moon would extend to his drum kit) that would characterise the next several years of their existence.

The Railway Hotel has been demolished and replaced with 3 blocks of flats: Townshend House, Moon House and Daltry House. They could spell Roger's name correctly and John Entwistle missed out. For a while there was a small plaque which recognised it was the site of The Who's performances there. It appears to have been stolen.

As no audience recordings from 1964 have surfaced to date, only a promotional film gives much indication of the band’s act (see below).

Live Releases

Band members

Typical set lists

For most of the year the band's act consisted of cover material, which included songs like The Kinks' "You Really Got Me", Booker T. and the M.G.'s "Green Onions", and Bo Diddley's "Here 'Tis", which the group had recorded during the same sessions that produced the "Zoot Suit/I'm the Face" single. The promotional film and resulting audio bootlegs from the Railway Hotel or the Scene Club captured the following:

  1. "I Gotta Dance to Keep From Crying" (Holland-Dozier-Holland)
  2. "You Really Got Me" (Ray Davies)
  3. "Young Man Blues" (Mose Allison)
  4. "Green Onions" (Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Lewis Steinberg, Al Jackson, Jr.)
  5. "Long Tall Shorty" (Herb Abramson, Don Covay)
  6. "Pretty Thing" (Willie Dixon)
  7. "Smokestack Lightning" (Chester Burnett)
  8. "Here 'Tis" (Bo Diddley)
  9. "Ooh Poo Pah Doo" (Wilson Pickett)

The group (then known as The High Numbers) also played Bo Diddley's "Bring It to Jerome" as well as "I Gotta Dance to Keep From Crying" during their 20 August television debut on the BBC's The Beat Room. In addition, it's safe to assume they performed "I Can't Explain" late in the year and possibly the following numbers they recorded for an EMI Records test session in October:

  1. "Walking the Dog" (Rufus Thomas)
  2. "Memphis, Tennessee" (Chuck Berry)
  3. "I'm a Man" (Bo Diddley)

Performance dates

Date City Country Venue
2 January 1964 Greenford England Oldfield Hotel
3 January 1964 Forest Hill Glenlyn Ballroom
11 January 1964 Greenford Oldfield Hotel
12 January 1964 Acton White Hart Hotel
14 January 1964 Greenford Oldfield Hotel
16 January 1964
18 January 1964
19 January 1964 Acton White Hart Hotel
21 January 1964 Greenford Oldfield Hotel
23 January 1964
24 January 1964 Forest Hill Glenlyn Ballroom
25 January 1964 Greenford Oldfield Hotel
26 January 1964 Putney St. Mary's Hall
30 January 1964 Greenford Oldfield Hotel
31 January 1964 Forest Hill Glenlyn Ballroom
2 February 1964 Putney St. Mary's Hall
6 February 1964 Greenford Oldfield Hotel
7 February 1964 London Goldhawk Social Club
9 February 1964 Putney St. Mary's Hall
13 February 1964 Greenford Oldfield Hotel
14 February 1964 Forest Hill Glenlyn Ballroom
20 February 1964 Greenford Oldfield Hotel
22 February 1964
23 February 1964 Putney St. Mary's Hall
27 February 1964 Greenford Oldfield Hotel
28 February 1964 London Goldhawk Social Club
29 February 1964 Brentford Evershed Sports Pavilion
1 March 1964 Putney St. Mary's Hall
5 March 1964 Greenford Oldfield Hotel
6 March 1964 London Goldhawk Social Club
7 March 1964 Ealing Mead Hall
Shepherd's Bush Old Oak Common Institute (wedding reception)
8 March 1964 Putney St. Mary's Hall
15 March 1964 Acton White Hart Hotel
16 March 1964 Forest Hill Glenlyn Ballroom
17 March 1964 Greenford Oldfield Hotel
19 March 1964
23 March 1964 Forest Hill Glenlyn Ballroom
26 March 1964 Greenford Oldfield Hotel
27 March 1964 London Goldhawk Social Club
29 March 1964 Brighton Florida Rooms
2 April 1964 Greenford Oldfield Hotel
3 April 1964 Forest Hill Glenlyn Ballroom
4 April 1964 Dunstable California Ballroom
5 April 1964 Acton White Hart Hotel
6 April 1964 Forest Hill Glenlyn Ballroom
10 April 1964
11 April 1964 London Goldhawk Social Club
12 April 1964 Acton White Hart Hotel
13 April 1964 London 100 Club
16 April 1964 Greenford Oldfield Hotel
17 April 1964 London Goldhawk Social Club
18 April 1964 Brighton Florida Rooms
20 April 1964 Forest Hill Glenlyn Ballroom
23 April 1964 Greenford Oldfield Hotel
24 April 1964 Forest Hill Glenlyn Ballroom
26 April 1964 Acton White Hart Hotel
27 April 1964 London 100 Club
30 April 1964 Greenford Oldfield Hotel
2 May 1964 North Circular Unknown Pub
4 May 1964 Forest Hill Glenlyn Ballroom
7 May 1964 Greenford Oldfield Hotel
8 May 1964 London Goldhawk Social Club
10 May 1964 Brighton Florida Rooms
11 May 1964 Forest Hill Glenlyn Ballroom
14 May 1964 Greenford Oldfield Hotel
15 May 1964 Forest Hill Glenlyn Ballroom
16 May 1964 Brighton Florida Rooms
17 May 1964
18 May 1964 Forest Hill Glenlyn Ballroom
21 May 1964 Greenford Oldfield Hotel
24 May 1964 Luton Majestic Ballroom
25 May 1964 Forest Hill Glenlyn Ballroom
28 May 1964 Greenford Oldfield Hotel
29 May 1964 Derby Corporation Hotel
31 May 1964 Acton White Hart Hotel
1 June 1964 Forest Hill Glenlyn Ballroom
4 June 1964 Southall White Hart Hotel
7 June 1964 Brighton Florida Rooms
8 June 1964 Forest Hill Glenlyn Ballroom
11 June 1964 Southall White Hart Hotel
15 June 1964 Forest Hill Glenlyn Ballroom
18 June 1964 Southall White Hart Hotel
19 June 1964 Leicester Granby Halls (unconfirmed)
20 June 1964 Bath Regency Ballroom (1964 Jazz Festival)
22 June 1964 Forest Hill Glenlyn Ballroom
25 June 1964 Southall White Hart Hotel
26 June 1964 London Golders Green Refectory
28 June 1964 Brighton Florida Rooms
29 June 1964 Forest Hill Glenlyn Ballroom
30 June 1964 Wealdstone Railway Hotel
7 July 1964
11 July 1964 Watford Trade Union Hall
12 July 1964 Brighton Florida Rooms
14 July 1964 Wealdstone Railway Hotel
18 July 1964 Watford Trade Union Hall
19 July 1964 Brighton Florida Rooms
21 July 1964 Wealdstone Railway Hotel
22 July 1964 Soho Scene Club
25 July 1964 Watford Trade Union Hall
26 July 1964 Acton White Hart Hotel
28 July 1964 Wealdstone Railway Hotel
29 July 1964 Soho Scene Club
31 July 1964 London Goldhawk Social Club
1 August 1964 Watford Trade Union Hall
2 August 1964 Brighton Florida Rooms
4 August 1964 Wealdstone Railway Hotel
5 August 1964 Soho Scene Club
6 August 1964 Southall White Hart Hotel
8 August 1964 Whetstone All Saints Hall
9 August 1964 Brighton Hippodrome Theatre (2 shows)
11 August 1964 Wealdstone Railway Hotel
12 August 1964 The Mine, Carpenders Park Station. South Oxhey.
Soho Scene Club
15 August 1964 London Riverboat Shuffle
16 August 1964 Blackpool Blackpool Opera House (2 shows)
18 August 1964 Wealdstone Railway Hotel
19 August 1964 Soho Scene Club
20 August 1964 Luton Majestic Ballroom
22 August 1964 Watford Trade Union Hall
23 August 1964 Brighton Hippodrome Theatre (2 shows)
25 August 1964 Wealdstone Railway Hotel
26 August 1964 Soho Scene Club
30 August 1964 Blackpool Queen's Theatre (2 shows)
2 September 1964 The Mine, Carpenders Park Station. South Oxhey.
Soho Scene Club
4 September 1964 Glasgow Scotland Kelvin Hall (2 shows)
6 September 1964 Blackpool England Queen's Theatre (2 shows)
8 September 1964 Wealdstone Railway Hotel
15 September 1964
19 September 1964 Watford Trade Union Hall
22 September 1964 Wealdstone Railway Hotel
23 September 1964 Greenwich Town Hall
29 September 1964 Wealdstone Railway Hotel
30 September 1964 Greenwich Town Hall
2 October 1964 Romford Shandon Hall Dance Club
5 October 1964 Rochester, Kent Corn Exchange
6 October 1964 Wealdstone Railway Hotel
7 October 1964 The Mine, Carpenders Park Station. South Oxhey.
10 October 1964 Reading Olympia Ballroom
11 October 1964 Cheshunt Wolsey Hall
13 October 1964 Watford Trade Union Hall
14 October 1964 Greenwich Town Hall
19 October 1964 Rochester Corn Exchange
20 October 1964 Wealdstone Railway Hotel
21 October 1964 Greenwich Town Hall
24 October 1964 Reading Olympia Ballroom
27 October 1964
28 October 1964 Greenwich Town Hall
30 October 1964 Windsor Ricky-Tick
2 November 1964 Wealdstone Railway Hotel
4 November 1964 The Mine, Carpenders Park Station. South Oxhey.
7 November 1964 Watford Trade Union Hall
9 November 1964 Rochester Corn Exchange
14 November 1964 Reading Olympia Ballroom
18 November 1964 Cheshunt Wolsey Hall
21 November 1964 London Ealing Club
22 November 1964 Goldhawk Social Club (unconfirmed)
24 November 1964 Marquee Club (2 shows)
25 November 1964 Brighton Florida Rooms
27 November 1964 Neasden Railway Arms (unconfirmed)
28 November 1964 Chelmsford Corn Exchange
29 November 1964 Watford Trade Union Hall
1 December 1964 London Marquee Club
2 December 1964 Brighton Florida Rooms
8 December 1964 London Marquee Club
9 December 1964 Brighton Florida Rooms
12 December 1964 London Harrow Technical College
14 December 1964 Leytonstone Red Lion
15 December 1964 London Marquee Club
16 December 1964 Brighton Florida Rooms
18 December 1964 Southampton Waterfront Club, Cliff Hotel
19 December 1964 Elephant and Castle London College of Printing
21 December 1964 Leytonstone Red Lion
22 December 1964 London Marquee Club
23 December 1964 Brighton Florida Rooms
26 December 1964 Basingstoke Galaxy Club, Town Hall
27 December 1964 London Ealing Club
28 December 1964 Leytonstone Red Lion
29 December 1964 London Marquee Club
31 December 1964 Pinner

See also

References

External links