The Con club

[steve50brown]

First went there in 1965-I was 15yrs old.Remember going up the flight of stairs and the bar on the right,crammed to the door with guys.Went up another flight and the ballroom was on the right and as I walked in there was these gorgeous girls dancing in groups in the middle of the dance floor with their bags at their feet.Mini skirts maxi skirts, coloured tops,cropped hair long hair beehive hair....wow.The guys were circling around the girls like pack animals.Took me 4/5 weeks to pluck up courage to chat someone up,and even then had to wait till she went to the coffee bar which was behind the stage to do it.Remember one year the Mindbenders played there(could have been xmas time)The place was heaving.Also remember a local group called Gideon's way who were pretty good. It was a great stomping ground for the accy youth......also remember going to the arcade for a quick snog before she caught her last bus home.
Does anyone else have fond memories of the con club......

[cashman]

Many Many fond nights of the Con, 4 Pennys, Wayne Fontana @ Mindbenders,Rev Black @ Rocking Vicars were me favourite, used to keep reasonably sober when they were on, they were that good.Was always Monday Nights,

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by cashman

Many Many fond nights of the Con, 4 Pennys, Wayne Fontana @ Mindbenders,Rev Black @ Rocking Vicars were me favourite, used to keep reasonably sober when they were on, they were that good.Was always Monday Nights,

Bernard Presents, every Monday, those were the days cashy, my favorite dance in those days was the Quaker, twice round the dance floor then outside for your oats

[Ian F Smith]

Hi Steve
Good that you remember Gideons Way, I played keyboard and Guitar with the band and we had some great times up at the "Con". The fact that they had some great headline bands on Saturdays was brilliant for Accrington, it was a superb venue and sadly no longer. I remember the stairs well and carrying my Vox amp all the way up as well as some of Jims drum kit, happy days. My Dad was a lifelong member and kept the bar going downstairs as well when he got over from Clayton.

Ian Smith

[sm_counsell]

Originally Posted by Ian F Smith

Hi Steve
Good that you remember Gideons Way, I played keyboard and Guitar with the band and we had some great times up at the "Con". The fact that they had some great headline bands on Saturdays was brilliant for Accrington, it was a superb venue and sadly no longer. I remember the stairs well and carrying my Vox amp all the way up as well as some of Jims drum kit, happy days. My Dad was a lifelong member and kept the bar going downstairs as well when he got over from Clayton.

Ian Smith

I can remember the Con back in 1965,( above all dancing with Jimmy Lightbown!!) but I can't remember Gideons Way.
Perhaps they were later, were they local lads?

[Wynonie Harris]

Yep, have some great memories of the Con from back in the day. As for the groups, the one that sticks in my mind is one that nobody else seems to remember - this Manchester-based band were regular Monday night favourites from'66/'67.

[steve50brown]

Hi Ian good to hear from you.If I remember rightly Gideons way were a cross between the Small Faces and the Who....you did some good cover versions.Also saw you at Rhyddings st club in Ossie (I promise I wasn't a stalker), alot smaller than the con club but again a good meeting place for the local kids......Happy Days

[Ian F Smith]

Steve
Talking of Rhyddings, Jim Payne and I both attended Accy Tech and the band played outdoors in Rhyddings Park at some point as well. Trevor Gardner and David Robinson both came from Clayton as I did. Jim was from Accrington. And, yes we did some Small Faces stuff at the time.

Ian

[Wynonie Harris]

Another abiding memory of the Con club...being of a nervous disposition, I always found it a bit disturbing when mass punch-ups would suddenly erupt on the dancefloor for no apparent reason. There'd be a flurry of fists, the bouncers would wade in and then someone would come along and mop up the blood and relative calm would be restored...until the next time. There were certainly some lads up there who you'd take great care to avoid...most of whom, for some reason, were Cashy's mates!

[susie123]

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris

Another abiding memory of the Con club...being of a nervous disposition, I always found it a bit disturbing when mass punch-ups would suddenly erupt on the dancefloor for no apparent reason. There'd be a flurry of fists, the bouncers would wade in and then someone would come along and mop up the blood and relative calm would be restored...until the next time. There were certainly some lads up there who you'd take great care to avoid...most of whom, for some reason, were Cashy's mates!

Yep must say Wyn I remember the punch ups too - also at the Arcs and on occasions at the Mecca - used to go to Blackburn but usually Burnley.

Still the music made up for it... Four Pennies, and the Merseybeats once.

Probably stopped going about 1964 when I left school and went away to college.

[maxthecollie]

The four pennies. Wasn't Lionel Morton their vocalist an ex Blackburn Cathedral Choirboy?

[Bob Dobson]

Eleven postings so far and nobody has mentioned the back door onto Paradise St - a quick dash to the Junction and a few 'nips' - strong ale. I didn't play snooker but my mates thought the tables in the club were superb.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by Bob Dobson

Eleven postings so far and nobody has mentioned the back door onto Paradise St - a quick dash to the Junction and a few 'nips' - strong ale. I didn't play snooker but my mates thought the tables in the club were superb.

Never used the back door Bob, was well inebriated when i landed up the con.

[maxthecollie]

The Junction has been long gone now along with the chippy

[wadey]

jaysay you might like this site Manchesterbeat - the group and music scene of Manchester in the 60s