Various Rock And Pop Artists
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VA… Read more The following ten lots are associated with The California Ballroom, Whipsnade Road, Dunstable, Bedfordshire. 'The Cali' as it was fondly called by its regulars, was a highly popular venue for live bands from 1960-1979 - and is believed to have been the largest venue for entertainment in the South East of England. The vendor's grandfather, Edwin Green, built The Cali in 1960 and it was run by the Green family until 1971. The mantle was then taken on by Edwin Green's son-in-law John Ilka and grandson Mick Ilka, who ran the Ballroom until 1977. Mick Ilka's enthusiasm for soul and funk led to a number of significant Motown, Stax, American and British R&B bookings, and The Cali was also referred to as 'Soul City' in the first half of the seventies. The majority of contracts and photographs in the following lots will be featured in Diane Ilka's forthcoming publication on the history of this venue, The Cali Album, to be published in November, 2005
Various Rock And Pop Artists

Details
Various Rock And Pop Artists
A collection of material relating to the California Ballroom, Dunstable, including:
- 55 performance contracts for various artists, various dates 17th January 1964 - 29th March 1975, each of the printed agreement forms completed with mimeographed typescript details, the majority signed by the booking agent or artist's management, some signed by artists themselves and a number accompanied by corresponding black and white stage shots, subjects include: Bill Haley & The Comets; Dusty Springfield; Manfredd Mann; Lulu & The Luvvers (2); Tom Jones; Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames (3); The Small Faces; Status Quo (2); The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band (2, both signed by Viv Stanshall); The Move; Jethro Tull; Julie Driscoll & the Brian Auger Trinity signed by Giorgio Gomelsky; Pans People (2, both signed by all 5 members); 10cc (signed by manager Lisberg); Amen Corner and Fairweather (3, two signed by Andy Fairweather Low); Long John Baldry (2, one signed by Baldry); The Moody Blues (3, one signed by Mike Pinder); Suzi Quatro (2); The Nice; Steve Harley and Bob Monkhouse (signed by Monkhouse); a performance contract for Billy Fury to play at The California Ballroom on 9th April, 1966 at a salary of £350 (three hundred & fifty pounds), signed at the foot in blue ballpoint pen Billy Fury, in common mount with a signed black and white stage shot of Fury on that occasion [signature faded]; and a signed Decca Records publicity postcard [signature faded] and 10 contact prints of Fury on stage that night, overall measurements -- 23x22¼in. (58.5x56.5cm.);
- 21 signed publicity photographs, publicity and stage shots, various subjects include: Dusty Springfield, Lulu (2), Joe Brown, The Dave Clark Five and Eden Kane, largest -- 8x9½in. (20.3x24.2cm.);
- 45 black and white stage and publicity shots taken of the artists at the California Ballroom during this period, majority -- 6½x4in. (16.5x12cm.); and approx. 250 contact prints on 46 sheets, subjects include: The Kinks, The Hollies, Tom Jones, Bill Haley, The Animals, The Walker Brothers, P.J.Proby, Freddie & The Dreamers, Zoot Money, Wayne Fontana; and Dusty Springfield (a lot)
Literature
ILKA, Diane The Cali Album, Dunstable: The Book Castle, 2005
www.california-ballroom.info
https://cali-r.com/history.html
Special notice
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium, which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

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