Reaction gigs in the Cornish Guardian

The Reaction had a manager/booking agent in Bodmin who would have been well placed to find them gigs in East and North Cornwall so I have put my anorak back on and started going through adverts in The Cornish Guardian (which has a different circulation to the main Truro-based paper, The West Briton) expecting to find quite a few concerts not already listed in the other papers...so here goes...

1965 only two:
July 17th Werrington Park near Launceston 'Something for everyone at the North Cornwall Conservatives Beat and Barbeque'
December 24th St Brannocks Hotel, Newquay (picture above) 'Big Beat Dance 8 to 11.55'



1966
January 21st St Brannock's Hotel, Newquay 'Big Beat Dance Every Friday'
February 25th St Brannocks Hotel, Newquay 'Big Beat Dance Every Friday'
July 29th St Breward 'Camelford Area Conservatives Beat Barbeque Michael Hasseltine MP for Tavistock will speak at 8.30PM' (This is actually Michael Heseltine!)
August 21st Blue Lagoon Newquay Sunday Swinging Club Steve Brett and the Mavericks supported by The Reaction'
September 17th Blue Lagoon Newquay 'THE CREATION supported by THE RE-ACTION'
October 15th Blue Lagoon Newquay 'The Athony James Scene TV and recording stars supported by THE REACTION'
November 5th Wadebridge Town Hall 'Rock, Jive, Twist to the REACTIONS (1st time in Wadebridge)'
November 12th Blue Lagoon Newquay 'Britains top surfing sound THE FENMEN supported by THE RE-ACTION
December 31st Blue Lagoon Newquay 'Screaming Lord Ceasar Sutch supported by THE REACTION and THE OTHER FIVE'




1967
Jan 20th Harlyn Bay Club 'move in on the '67 scene Dancing to the Reaction'
Feb 11th Dobwalls Memorial Hall 'Big Big Beat' band did not get to gig because of road accident
Feb 25th: Wadebridge Town Hall 'Wadebridge Camels RFC Dance to the Reaction'
April 1st: Public Rooms, Bodmin 'Bodmin Town FC Dancing to the Reaction'
April 15th Liskeard Public Hall 'Five Star Big Beat The Reactions they're great'
May 13th Dobwalls Memorial Hall 'Big Big Beat' rebooked after first gig cancelled?
June 3rd: Public Rooms, Bodmin 'Bodmin Town FC Dancing to the Reaction'
July 14th Port Isaac Social Hall 'Big Beat Dance to the REACTION'
August 11th St Merryn Village Hall 'Warning! If you don't want to be with the crowd avoid the crowds going to'
September 1st St Merryn Village Hall 'Stop! For a good dance this FRIDAY'
September 2nd Public Rooms, Bodmin 'Bodmin Town FC Dancing to the Reaction'
September 22nd St Merryn Village Hall 'Stop! For a good dance this FRIDAY'
November 18th Ladock Hall 'Probus 'Y.F.C. Romp Round to the R-E-A-C-T-I-O-N-S'

 
1968
1st January Bodmin Public Rooms 'Bodmin Town FC Dancing to The Reaction'
23rd March Bodmin Public Rooms 'Bodmin District League presents Dancing to the Reaction Group'
8th June Bodmin Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry 'Come and Dance to 'The Reactions' supported by The Ginhouse...No Jeans or Leatherjackets'
6th July Mevagissey Feast Week 'Beat Dance to the Fantastic Reaction - watch for handouts'
31st July: Mevagissey Recreation Ground 'The Reaction, light show, records London Folk Group'
6th September: St Merryn Village Hall 'THE FANTASTIC REACTION' Free Buses. SLIM will be in attendance'
14th September: Bodmin Public Rooms 'Bodmin Town Football Club Dance to the 'Fantastic''

nb some of the ads have R.O.A.R. on them meaning right of admission reserved....

The September gigs are significant because one of them could be the last ever gig by The Reaction...Its certainly the case that during that Summer they are frequently listed as The Fantastic Reaction and so it seems likely that the gig on the 14th intentionally leaves out their name: and assumes their audience knows that its them.