1961

Complete

Confirmed events are indicated by a ♫
Events are only confirmed if printed evidence is available, i.e.. Magazine, Advert, Ticket, Poster etc. or if verified by two independent sources. Internet sourced dates are not classed as evidence due to errors being copied from site to site.
All acts are listed exactly as they appeared in the advert.
It will be noted that in the early years, some of the more famous bands had differing names and may have been lower on the bill. This usually means that they were, as yet, relatively unknown.
Additional information and corrections to this list are more than welcomed.

All the gigs and events at the California Ballroom during 1961
Date		Valid	Event	Comments
Jan	6	♫	Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group The Apex Group	3/6
	7	♫	Geoff Stoke's Orchestra Jess Hunter and the Avalons	6/6
	13	♫	Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group The Apex Group	3/6
	14	♫	Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group The Apex Group John Chapman at the Organ	6/6
	20	♫	No dance	6/6
	21	♫	Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group Ray Miller Orchestra.	5/6
	27	♫	Ray Ellington Quartet Russ Sainty and The Rhett Stoller Group.	6/6
	28	♫	Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group.	3/6
Feb	3	♫	Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group The Sinners.	7/6
	4	♫	Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group Geoff Stoke's Orchestra	3/6
	9	♫	Geoff Stoke's Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group.	6/6
	10	♫	Rob Storme and the Whispers Ricky Dean and the 4'D's	4/6
	11	♫	Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group Ray Miller Orchestra.	6/6
	17	♫	Ricky Valance The Gunners Terry Hammond and the Fiesta Four	4/6
	18	♫	Geoff Stoke's Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group.	6/6
	24	♫	Johnny Kid and the Pirates Also the first appearance of the "All Stars".	4/6
	25	♫	Tommy Thompson's Orchestra Russ Sainty Rhett Stoller and the Strangers.	6/6
Mar	3	♫	The Allisons Mike Berry and the Outlaws The Chequers.	4/6
	4	♫	Russ Sainty Rhett Stoller and The Strangers Geoff Stoke's Orchestra	6/6
	10	♫	Lance Fortune Nero and the Gladiators Barry Edwards and the Semitones	4/6
	11	♫	Ray Miller Orchestra Earl Sheridan and the House Shakers
	15	♫	First Anniversary Ball
	17	♫	St Patrick's Night Ball London Irish Girl Pipers Band Rinty Monaghan and the Shamrock Ceilidh Band Tommy Thompson's Orchestra	10/-
	18	♫	Geoff Stokes Orchestra Russ Sainty Rhett Stoller The Strangers	6/6
	24	♫	Don Lang and his Frantic Five Barron Anthony and the Barron Knights Dickie Demon	4/6
	25	♫	Ray Miller Orchestra Russ Sainty Rhett Stoller The Strangers	6/6
	27	♫	Easter Monday Dance	4/6
	31	♫	Rock-A-Cha-Cha Night	3/6
April	1	♫	Saturday Night Date	6/6
	7	♫	Rock-A-Cha-Cha Night	3/6
	8	♫	Saturday Night Date	6/6
	13	♫	Rock-A-Cha-Cha Night	3/6
	14	»	Saturday Night Date	6/6
	21	♫	Jimmy Justine and the Leroys Mike Berry and the Golden Outlaws	3/6
	22	♫	Commanders Orchestra Pearce Rodgers The Overlanders	6/6
	28	♫	Red Hot Volcanic Rock Dance Billy Forbes (TV & Recoding Star) The Gunners Rock Group Neil Christian and the Crusaders	3/6
	29	♫	Freddie Maydwell Orchestra return of Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
May	5	♫	Brook Bros. Pearce Rodgers The Overlanders The Semitones	3/6
	6	♫	Geoff Stokes Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
	12	♫	Terry Young and the All Stars The Flintstones	3/6
	13	♫	Tommy Thompson Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
	19	♫	Gary Mills Rob Storme and the Whispers The Chequers	3/6
	20	♫	Ray Miller Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
	26	♫	Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group Bobby Deacon The Statesmen	3/6
	27	♫	The Debonairs Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
Jun	2	♫	Vince Taylor and the Playboys Johnny Vance The Dreamers	3/6
	3	♫	Tommy Claridge Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
	9	♫	Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group Tel Thorn and the Dwellers	3/6
	10	♫	Ray Miller Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
	16	♫	"Screamin" Lord Sutch and the Savages The Dreamers	3/6
	17	♫	Tommy Thompson Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
	23	♫	Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group The All Stars	3/6
	24	♫	Tommy Thompson Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
Jul	1		There is no advert in the Luton News . The films for the Gazette are almost unreadable So we've peered and squinted, turned it upside down and we think it says: Knerjrer Frewmbb Jdfndbfn Lyndon and the Txxxxxxxxx plus the Hhhhhhh Hhhhhhh anyone remember them? With a lot more peering and some research we now think this was Jackie Lynton and the Teenbeats.	Probably 3/6
	2	♫	Ray Miller Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	Probably 6/6
	7	♫	Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group Lee Lynch and the Heartbreakers	3/6
	8	♫	Freddie Maydwell Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
	14	♫	Sounds Incorporated Tel Thorn and the Dwellers	3/6
	15	♫	Colin Brooks Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
	21	♫	Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group Ray Brett Combo	3/6
	22	♫	Ray Miller Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
	28	♫	The Barron Knights The Allstars	3/6
	29	♫	Commanders Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
Aug	4	♫	Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group The Kingpins	3/6
	5	♫	Geoff Stokes Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
	7	♫	Commanders Orchestra The King Pins	3/6
	11	♫	The Barron Knights The Crystals	3/6
	12	♫	Ray Miller Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
	17	♫	Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group Terry Judge and the Waders	3/6
	18	♫	Commanders Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
	25	♫	The Barron Knights The Crystals	3/6
	26	♫	Tommy Claridge Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
Sep	1	♫	Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group The Sinners	3/6
	2	♫	Ray Miller Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
	8	♫	The Barron Knights The Crystals	3/6
	9	♫	Geoff Stokes Orchestra Keith Kelly and the Cruisers	6/6
	15	♫	Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group Eddie and the Sabres	3/6
	16	♫	Tommy Thompson Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
	22	♫	Dave Clark Five The Satellites	3/6
	23	♫	Commanders Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
	29	♫	Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group Johnny Angelo and the Jesters	3/6
	30	♫	Geoff Stokes Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
Oct	6	♫	The Flintstones Dean Jarrett and the Vikings	3/6
	7	♫	Tommy Claridge Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
	13	♫	Duffy Power and the Midnights The Kingpins	3/6
	14	♫	Colin Brooks Orchestra Drew Harvey and the Jokers	6/6
	20	♫	The Gunners Tel Thorn and the Dwellers	3/6
	21	♫	Ray Miller Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
	27	♫	Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group Johnnie and the Combo	3/6
	28	♫	Commanders Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
Nov	3	♫	Dicky Pride The Flintstones The Apex Group	3/6
	4	♫	Geoff Stokes Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
	10	♫	Davy Jones Alan Ross The Kingpins Eddy and the Sabres	3/6
	11	♫	Tommy Thompson Orchestra Dave Clark Five	6/6
	17	♫	Grant Tracey and the Sunsets Ricky Temple and the Lonely Ones	3/6
	18	♫	Ray Miller Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
	24	♫	Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group The Kingpins	3/6
	25	♫	Tommy Claridge Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
Dec	1	♫	The Barron Knights Lea Atkins and the High Five	3/6
	2	♫	Tommy Thompson Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
	8	♫	Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group The Jesters	3/6
	9	♫	Ray Miller Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
	15	♫	Jackie Lynton Bob Xavier and the Jury Dean Brent and the original Strollers	3/6
	16	♫	Geoff Stokes Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
	22	♫	English Electric Apprentices Open Invitation Dance Geoff Stokes Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
	23	♫	Geoff Stokes Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
	26	♫	Farrow Girls Johnny Maxim The Regency Twins Arthur Hill Tommy Thompson Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
	29	♫	Robb Storm and the Whispers	3/6
	30	♫	Ray Miller Orchestra Russ Sainty and the Rhett Stoller Group	6/6
	31	♫	Great Floor Shows AND Orchestra, Organist, Pianist and Dancing Groups	8/6 Open 8pm-2am