I've been going through microfiches of the West Briton again, concentrating on the first half of 1969.
Smile are known to have come down here several times but to my knowledge there is no definitive record of the gigs. For example the excellent official biography 'As it Began' simply says 'Many of Smiles early gigs were played in Cornwall, Rogers home territory, where he was quite well known from his Reaction days'.
Record Collector ran an article in 1996 that shows some of the dates but not all of them. I think I've found the remaining ones....or at least I ve found some that have not been documented elsewhere as far as I know, and I've looked at the paper in sufficient detail to satisfy myself that there are no others...
So the first one (above) is confirmation that there was a gig at The Flamingo though they are billed as 'The Smile'. The date of the paper is Thursday March 20th, and the gig was on 22nd, 1969.
The advert above is another weekender at PJs. Smile are already known to have played there twice in March and once in April 1969. This is a double booking for the 28th and 29th of June 1969 which doesnt appear elsewhere on the web to my knowledge.
The other booking at PJs that is not listed elsewhere is the one in April 1970 that is more interesting historically because there is a chance that they had already broken up at the time...Ive already posted it once but here it is again
It seems pretty clear that Smile's first gig was as support to Pink Floyd in October 1968, so adapting Martin's list from QueenConcerts.com this should be a more accurate list of all the Smile gigs (though I cant vouch for the London gigs):
26.10.1968 Smile Imperial College London UK
31.01.1969 Smile Imperial College London UK
27.02.1969 Smile Royal Albert Hall London UK
28.02.1969 Smile Athletic Club Richmond UK
15.03.1969 Smile Imperial College London UK
22.03.1969 Smile Flamingo's, Redruth UK
28.03.1969 Smile PJ's Club Truro UK
29.03.1969 Smile PJ's Club Truro UK
18.04.1969 Smile PJ's Club Truro UK
19.04.1969 Smile Revolution Club London UK
31.05.1969 Smile Whisky A Go Go London UK
28.06.1969 Smile PJ's Club Truro UK
29.06.1969 Smile PJ's Club Truro UK
19.07.1969 Smile PJ's Club Truro UK
??.08.1969 Smile Fowey Carnival UK
13.09.1969 Smile PJ's Club Truro UK
14.09.1969 Smile PJ's Club Truro UK
18.10.1969 Smile College Union Watford UK
01.11.1969 Smile Imperial College London UK
06.12.1969 Smile Imperial College London UK
13.12.1969 Smile The Marquee Club London UK
31.01.1970 Smile Imperial College London UK
17.04.1970 Smile PJs Club Truro UK
18.04.1970 Smile PJs Club Truro UK
24.04.1970 Smile Eel Pie Island Twickenham UK
09.05.1970 Smile Imperial College London UK
UPDATE: 11/6/10 Laura Jackson's biography includes interviews with Tim Staffell who also remembers gigs at Fowey Carnival and St Ives as well as the Flamingo. The gig in Fowey may fit with them staying with the Bawdens in St Austell. The Carnival, together with Fowey Regatta have always taken place in August so Ive added that to the list.
Heres a picture of Fowey town band during the 1968 carnival...
The same book includes excerpts from an interview with Mike Grose who was manager of PJs just before he joined Queen 'One night they turned up for their gig and Tim had left so I stepped in and played. A few weeks later Roger phoned and asked me to join the band'
This gig must have been the PJs double bill in April 1970. But who sang that night?
UPDATE 17/6/10: Having now spoken to Mike Grose he was adamant that Freddie did not sing with Smile after Tim left - certainly not at PJs anyway.
UPDATE 22/6/10 Pete not Mike did all the listings and advertising for the club...
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