The Casino Ballroom
During the late 1950’s & early 1960’s the Casino Ballroom came alive to the sounds of Rock and Roll. With Mods, Rockers and Individuals with Italian style suits, tab shirts and extended point winkle picker shoes, the Rockers drape coats, drainpipe trousers and “brothel creeper shoes” and girls with their full skirts held out with layers of net. The girls would give the boys a thrill with a glimpse of stocking top and suspender.
- The Casino Ballroom Hampton
- The Star Casino Ballroom
- Casino Ballroom Seating Chart
- The Last Waltz Tour Casino Ballroom
- The Casino Ballroom Tucson
Casino Ballroom Summer 1959, from left to right Colin Carter, Dave (Gilly) Rodman, Les Woods, Tony Arthurs and Chas Hall
The Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom is a seasonal live music and comedy venue located on the boardwalk of Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, United States. The venue is open from April to November, and within those eight months schedules upwards of 70 shows. In 2010, Pollstar ranked the Casino Ballroom #23 in the Top 100 Worldwide Club Venues. Hampton Beach Casino - 169 Ocean Blvd. Hampton, NH 03842 - 603-926-4541.
On Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons the place would be full of jivers and twisters. Fridays & Sundays were records, with Saturdays being the most popular, having local bands -The Red Diamonds with Chas Hall(piano), Tony Arthurs (vocal), Colin Carter (rhythm guitar), David (Gilly) Rodman (lead guitar) and Les Woods on drums. The Whirlwinds with Fred Ford on keyboard, Bert Pulham & Peter Gosling guitars, Dave Scates on drums and Ron the singer. They later became the Force Five with– Bert Pulham, Dave Scates, Peter Gosling, Dave Osborne and Ron the singer. There were other visiting bands and on one occasion I even remember Gene Vincent making a guest appearance.
One of my favourite numbers – Drumbeat – was a drum solo played by Les, drummer with the Red Diamonds.
The Casino Ballroom Hampton
The dances were run by Keith Randal and keeping order in case a fight broke out were, Wallace Faber and for some time my friend big Geoff Lawrence. Trouble was always on the cards if a certain person turned up!
Our crowd consisted of Alan Whitley, rubber legs Benny Rushforth and his dancing partner Janet Watts, Johnny Ellis, Mick Brown, Mick Dowden, Peggy Longhurst, Aileen Ouchterlonie, myself Rod Bishop and others whose names escape me….can you help?
The Casino drew people from far and wide with between 200-300 on Saturday nights. The ballroom had a sprung floor and when dancing was in full swing, if you stood underneath in the slot machine area and looked up you could see the ceiling going up and down.
The Star Casino Ballroom
For many years the Casino Ballroom was also a great place to be on New Years Eve at the Police Ball and in later times the New Years Eve dances run by Nellie Geak & co.
Casino Ballroom Seating Chart
Unfortunately, with the opening of Kings Club and The Lacarno in Basildon , with resident band The Dave Clarke Five, the crowds drifted away, resulting in Rock and Roll events at The Casino coming to an end.
The Last Waltz Tour Casino Ballroom
Comments about this page
The Casino Ballroom Tucson
I believe our band, ‘The Red Diamonds’ were the first rock ‘n’ roll group on the Island. Our main base and favourite venue was the Casino, with its sprung dance floor and a balcony with estuary views. The bar only served soft drinks, so drunkeness was rarely a problem.
I was introduced to my wife, Jacky Doubleday by our rythm guitar player Colin. We gigged mainly in South East Essex and London. I was called up for National Service (one of the last) in 1960, but the band carried on for some months after. I remember guests like fim actor, Harry Fowler. Adam Faiths cousin paid us a visit several times and would do a vocal spot with the band.
As for me . . . well I still play boogie-woogie piano.
I rember the times there, there was a few of us Dickie Taylor, Trev Britnel, Dave Smith, Dave Elphick good times
Message to Chas Hall. Chas, I’m researching a book about bands from Canvey and Southend. I’d love to mention the Red Diamonds (actually I already have, but I need more info). Would it be OK to contact you about it? Thanks
Hi My Dad is Tony Arthurs pictured above. I was wondering if anyone has any other photos of the band? I would love to show him and Colin Carter ( still good friends to this day)
thanks
To Chas Hall, pianist with the ‘Red Diamonds’. It was great to see tonight; still rockin’ and rolling on the piano! Tim
Hi – Tim. It was great to meet up again. Well, I’m rockin in Spain right now. I can still get away with; ‘Great Balls of Fire’ and ‘A Whole Lot of Shakin’. Back to the UK soon.
Chas Hall
My husband is Keith Randell and I have just Googled the ballroom. He ran the dance hall for 7 years. Now lives in New zealand but has wonderful memories of his time running the ballroom which of course he has passed on to me and his family.
Hi Chas
Tony Arthurs would like to get in touch if you don’t mind, can you email me annaawhitehouse@hotmail.com
thanks
My dad, George Hayes was one of many doormen at the Casino Ballroom during its lifetime.
I have a set of pictures of the Whirlwinds, taken by my father around January 1964. He was a professional photographer at that time and I presume he was commissioned to take them. One of them can be viewed at https://garagehangover.com/the-whirlwinds-canvey-island/.
If anybody is in contact with any of them still, maybe they would like to see them or even remember the session? Feel free to let me know