Witch Doctor
The Marine Court Restaurant (known at the time as the Grenadier Restaurant) underwent something of a metamorphosis in 1962. Plans were submitted to convert the first floor into a casino and the second floor to a nightclub[1] with the dancefloor being known as The Dolphin Ballroom.
Re-branding as Witch Doctor
Billed as "Crazy Crazy Crazy McKiernan Entertainments (London) proudly announces the South Coast's New 7 Nights a Week Monster, The Witch Doctor, The Dolphin, Marine Court", the Nashville Teens and Buddy Britton and The Regents were listed as the first acts to perform in the renamed club on the 17th of July, 1964 under the club's management by Paddy MacKiernan.
Tony Powell, who was the assistant manager at the opening of the club was interviewed on Youtube in 2013 regarding how he obtained this role and some reminiscences about the club, the video is linked below:-
Gigs
17 July 1964 The Nashville Teens
18 July 1964 The Nashville Teens
07 August 1964 Steve Marriott & The Moments
12 August 1964 The Animals
30 August 1964 Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated
09 September 1964 Steve Marriott & The Moments
18 October 1964 Georgie Fame & the Blue Flames
15 November 1964 The Herd
22 November 1964 Long John Baldry
02 December 1964 Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages
24 December 1964 Steve Marriott & The Moments
30 January 1965 The Manish Boys
19 February 1965 The Tremeloes
27 March 1965 Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich
25 April 1965 The Mike Cotton Sound
30 April 1965 Them
08 May 1965 The Equals
21 May 1965 The Equals
23 May 1965 The Herd
11th June 1965 Dave Berry and The Cruisers, although only the backing band turned up[2]
9th July 1965 The Plain & Fancy[2]
16 July 1965 The Moody Blues
04 August 1965 The Who
21 August 1965 The Equals
07 October 1965 The Yardbirds
14th Feb 1966 The Birds [2]
19th Feb 1966 The Anteeks [2]
26h Feb 1966 Tony Rivers & The Castaways[2]
5th March 1966 The Mirage[2]
11th March 1966 Ray Anton & The Peppermint Men[2]
12th March 1966 Dean Ford & The Gaylords plus The Way[2]
18th March 1966 A Band Of Angels, The Defiants, The Victors[2]
25th March 1966 Trendsetters Ltd[2]
2nd April 1966 The Herd[2]
9th April 1966 The Mark Four[2]
14th May 1966 The Mark Four[2]
21st May 1966 The Cops ‘N Robbers[2]
27th May 1966 X Four[2]
28th May 1966 The Lonely Ones and The Washington DC’s[2]
29th May 1966 The In Crowd and The Lonely Ones[2]
4th June 1966 The Herd and The Clockwork Oranges[2]
25 June 1966 The Riot Squad
The club continued under the Witch Doctor name until its closure on the 7th of October 1967 with Si's Reaction and the Coconut Mushroom being the entertainment on this night[3].
The Cobweb Ballroom
The club was closed until the 23rd of February 1968 when it re-opened, billing "At last the 1958 Rock N Roll show with Freddie Fingers Lee and the Mojos, regular performances continued up until the Christmas Eve event in 1970 when The Rudies performed. A fire at Marine Court on the 30th of December that year resulted in damage to the danceclub's floor and ceilings and the venue was no more - the booked performance of Styvar Manor for New Year's Eve having to be cancelled[3].
Gigs
23 February 1968 Freddie “Fingers” Lee
23 February 1968 The Mojos
30 March 1968 Tangerine Peel
25 January 1969 Simon Dupree & the Big Sound
01 February 1969 Status Quo
15 February 1969 Cupid’s Inspiration
01 March 1969 Cindy Starr
21 June 1969 Episode Six
10 January 1970 Katch 22
24 January 1970 The Playground
23 May 1970 Herbie Goins & The Nightimers
Images
- Images
Witch Doctor Floor Plan
Witch Doctor interior
1965 Flyer for the Witch Doctor
