Band members: Mike Francis Rossi (vocals,guitars), Richard Parfitt (vocals, rhythm guitar), Alan Lancaster (vocals, bass), John Coghlan (drums), Roy Lynes (keyboards).
At this stage of their career (end of 1967) the band was still the backing band for Madeline Bell# (signed until February 1968) and supported Gene Pitney* and Scott Walker** later on their UK tours in the spring of 1968 or the Small Faces*** in early 1969 for their German / Austrian tour.
Setlist: mostly cover versions and songs from their debut album.
Pictures Of Matchstick Men, Ice In The Sun, Lucille, Paradise flat, Love me two times, Lucille, Lucy In The Sky with Diamonds, Gloria, LSD, Hold On, You keep me hanging on, Gimme some lovin', Bloodhound, Black Veils of Melancholy, When My Mind Is Not live, Hush, ...
Tour notes: According to some articles published in NME, the group were set to play several gigs in some VERY far off places during 1969 like Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, USA, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. A' Pye British Invasion' tour of the USA in March 1969 got cancelled right at the last minute.
1967
13/12/ UK, Eltham - The Welcome Inn (support for Episode Six)
1968
14/01/ UK, Coventry - Butt's College# (backing band for Madeline Bell)
24/01/ UK, Manchester - New Century Hall#
27/01/ UK, Amersham - Legion Hall
12/02/ UK, Manchester - Playhouse Theatre#
14/02/ UK, London - Empire Rooms# (Music Echo's Valentine's Dance Festival)
16/02/ UK, Coventry - Butt's College
17/02/ UK, Sheffield - City College
18/02/ UK, London - Golder's Green Hippodrome (support Simon Dupree & the Big Sound)
19/02/ UK, Chesham - Co-op Hall
20/02/ UK, Ruislip - Townhall
23/02/ UK, Glasgow - University Students Union
24/02/ UK, Dundee - University Students Union
25/02/ UK, Dunfermline - Kinema Ballroom (with The Falkens and The Shadettes)
25/02/ UK, New Cumnock - Community Centre (late night show support The In-Set)
26/02/ UK, East Kilbride - Olympia Ballroom (support Societie)
27/02/ UK, Portsmouth - Locarno Ballroom
28/02/ UK, Norwich - Industrial Club
03/03/ UK, Nottingham - Rowing Club
04/03/ UK, London - Greenwich Town Hall
06/03/ UK, Sunderland - The Bay Hotel
07/03/ UK, Eastbourne - Winter Gardens (support Renaissance Fayre)
08/03/ UK, Nottingham - Baths Hall
09/03/ UK, Twickenham - St. Mary's College (support Candy Bus)
10/03/ UK, Stoke - Golden Torch
11/03/ UK, Purley - Orchid Ballroom
12/03/ UK, Bournemouth - Ritz
14/03/ UK, Newcastle - Club A GoGo
15/03/ UK, Morecambe - Central Pier (support Atlantics)
16/03/ UK, Abergavenny - Town Hall Ballroom (support Midnight City Soul Band)
18/03/ UK, Bath - The Pavilion
21/03/ UK, Yeovil - Liberal Hall
22/03/ UK, Torquay - 400 Club
23/03/ UK, Dunstable - California Ballroom
24/03/ UK, Birmingham - Yardley Bull's Head (support The Elastic Band)
27/03/ UK, Workington - Banklands Youth Club
28/03/ UK, Worthing - Pier Pavilion
05/04/ UK, Lewisham - Odeon Theatre*
06/04/ UK, Hanley - Gaumont Theatre*
07/04/ UK, Coventry - Coventry Theatre*
09/04/ UK, Glasgow - Odeon Theatre*
10/04/ UK, Manchester - Odeon Theatre*
11/04/ UK, Wolverhampton - Gaumont Theatre*
12/04/ UK, Leeds - Odeon Theatre*
13/04/ UK, Blackpool - ABC Theatre*
14/04/ UK, Blackpool - ABC Theatre*
15/04/ UK, Derby - Gaumont Theatre*
17/04/ UK, Cardiff - Capitol Theatre*
18/04/ UK, Bristol - Colston Hall*
19/04/ UK, London - East Ham Granada Theatre*
20/04/ UK, Bournemouth - Winter Gardens*
21/04/ UK, Leicester - de Montfort Hall*
23/04/ UK, Gloucester - ABC Theatre*
24/04/ UK, Plymouth - Guildhall*
25/04/ UK, Birmingham - Odeon Theatre* (2 shows)
26/04/ UK, Sutton, Granada Theatre*
27/04/ UK, London Finsbury Park* - Astoria (2 shows with Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames)
28/04/ UK, Liverpool - Empire Theatre*
30/04/ UK, Bedford - Granada Theatre*
01/05/ UK, Peterborough - ABC Theatre*
02/05/ UK, Stockton On Tees - ABC Theatre*
03/05/ UK, Sheffield - City Hall*
04/05/ UK, Newcastle - City Hall*
05/05/ UK, London - Hammersmith Odeon*
07/05/ UK, Walthamstow - Granada Theatre*
09/05/ UK, Farnborough - Town Hall
10/05/ UK, Cambridge - Station Street Barn
11/05/ UK, Nantwich - Civic Hall (support Six Across)
11/05/ UK, Chester - Clockwork Orange (late night show with The Wind Of Soul)
12/05/ UK, London - Wembley Arena (New Musical Express Poll Winners Show)
16/05/ UK, Hull - Skyline Ballroom
17/05/ UK, London - Tottenham Royal Ballroom
18/05/ UK, Margate - Dreamland Ballroom (support The Atlantic Rollers)
19/05/ UK, London - Piccadilly Hatchetts Playground
23/05/ UK, Streatham - Locarno
25/05/ UK, Narberth - Queen's Hall (support The Free Expression)
26/05/ UK, Tamworth - Sports & Social Club (support The Crawdads)
01/06/ UK, Bristol - Locarno
05/06/ UK, Wolverhampton - Lafayette Club
06/06/ UK, Bristol - Locarno
07/06/ UK, Derby - Locarno
08/06/ UK, Walsall - Town Hall (support Strange Days)
09/06/ UK, Oxford - Botley Elms Court
11/06/ BELGIUM, Knokke - Casino de Knokke (with The Moody Blues)
21/06/ UK, Durham - University (support for The Who + Nashville Teens)
23/06/ UK, Nelson - Imperial Ballroom (support Soundcasters)
27/06/ UK, Liverpool - Cavern Club (support Billy Butler, The Night Life)
29/06/ UK, Coventry - Matrix Hall
03/07/ UK, Minehead - Regal Ballroom (with Howard Stephen Shape)
05/07/ UK, York - Railway Institute (with Fairport Convention, Alexis Korner)
07/07/ SWITZERLAND, Neuchátel - Salle de la Paix (with The Rattle Snakes)
08/07/ SWITZERLAND, Langendorf
12/07/ UK, Bournemouth - Pavilion Theater and Ballroom (support Rubber Soul and The Promise)
13/07/ UK, Maidstone/Kent - Royal Star Hotel (with Poor Boys Soul Band/Mood Reaction)
14/07/ UK, Redcar - Coatham Hotel Windsor Ballroom
28/07/ UK, Worcester - Wharf Hotel
16/08/ UK, Ramsgate - Esplande Supreme Ballroom
17/08/ UK, Carmarthen - St. Peter's Civic Hall (support The 7th Dimension See Saw Band & The Bond)
23/08/ HOLLAND, Bilthoven - Wijkgebouw Tuindorp (support The Murphy Jets)
24/08/ HOLLAND, Weesp - P.O.C. (Radio Veronica Drive In Show)
25/08/ HOLLAND, Hengelo - Het Beetshuis (2pm show)
25/08/ HOLLAND, Hazerswoude - Youthclub Zwaantje (8pm show)
30/08/ BELGIUM, Laeken - Heizelpaleis (Pop Festival)
31/08/ BELGIUM, Kasterlee - Kastival'68 Festival (with Pink Floyd..)
03/09/ UK, Manchester - Playhouse Theatre
08/09/ BELGIUM, Chatalet - Parc Communal (support to Pink Floyd)
20/09/ UK, Braintree - Corn Exchange (support The Mooche)
23/09/ UK, London - Playhouse Theatre
28/09/ UK, Sutton Coalfield - Belfry Hotel
30/09/ UK, Barnsley - Civic Hall
02/10/ UK, Margate - Dreamland Ballroom (support The Bubble Gum)
03/10/ UK, Bradford - University Union (with Chicken Shack)
04/10/ UK, Stockport - Tabernacle Club
05/10/ UK, Nantwich - Civic Hall (early show with The Puzzles + The Informers)
05/10/ UK, Chester - Clockwork Orange (with The Techniques)
09/10/ UK, Leicester - Top Rank Suite (support The John Lees Show)
10/10/ UK, Newcastle - City Hall** (late show)
11/10/ UK, Birmingham - Odeon** (early show)
11/10/ UK, Bournemouth Pavillion (with The Rubber Soul + The Promise)
12/10/ UK, Redruth - Flamingo Club (support Blood and Sand)
16/10/ UK, Hanley - Top Rank
17/10/ UK, Dundee - University
18/10/ UK, Scarborough - Scene 2 Club
19/10/ UK, Birmingham - Old Hill Plaza
23/10/ UK, Herne Bay - Chez Laurie Club
24/10/ UK, Herne Bay - Chez Laurie Club (2nd night)
25/10/ UK, Dunstable - Californian Ballroom
26/10/ UK, Manchester - New Century Hall (support Angel Pavement)
29/10/ UK, London - Paris Theatre (BBC Session)
01/11/ UK, Norwich - Industrial Club (support The Transparent Rainbow)
02/11/ UK, Margate - Dreamland Ballroom
04/11/ UK, Rugby - Town Hall (support the Cataracts)
06/11/ UK, St. Albans - City Hall (support the Cortinas and Nerve)
07/11/ UK, Bristol - Locarno Ballroom
08/11/ UK, Corby - Festival Hall
09/11/ UK, Leyton - Town Baths (support World Of Oz)
10/11/ UK, Woodbridge - Bentwaters USAF Base RAF Club
17/11/ UK, Birmingham - The Castaways Club (with Six Across)
22/11/ UK, Pontypool - ICI Fibres Club
23/11/ UK, Rotherham - Rawmarsh Baths Hall (support The Blues Circus)
29/11/ UK, Aberdeen - Beach Ballroom
30/11/ UK, Devizes - Corn Exchange (support Heaven)
05/12/ UK, Boscombe - Royal Ballroom (support to Pink Floyd)
06/12/ UK, London - International Hall
07/12/ UK, Ryde - Royal York Hotel 69 Club (support The Cherokees)
11/12/ UK, Devizes - Town Hall
12/12/ UK, Leamington Spa - Regal Theatre (with Vanity Fair, The Eclection, Jigsaw, The Breakthru)
13/12/ UK, Pontypridd - Municipal Hall (support The Stereos)
14/12/ UK, Weston Super Mare - Winter Gardens
16/12/ UK, Sunderland - Annabella's Club
17/12/ UK, Sunderland - Annabella's Club
20/12/ UK, Boston - Gilderdrome Starlight Ballroom (support The Lost)
21/12/ UK, Boston - Gilderdrome Starlight Ballroom (support Ricky Tee)
27/12/ UK, Scarborough - Scene 2 Club
28/12/ UK, Scarborough - Scene 2 Club
31/12/ UK, Norwich - Gala Ballroom
1969
01/01/ UK, Doncaster - Top Rank Suite (support The Gods)
07/01/ UK, Richmond - The Castle
08/01/ UK, Hemel Hempstead - Pavilion
09/01/ UK, Portsmouth - Student's Union St. Paul's College (support Dear Rachel)
11/01/ GERMANY, München - Kongreßsaal Deutsches Museum***
12/01/ AUSTRIA, Wien - Konzerthaus*** | 30'min. AUD Quality: 3
14/01/ GERMANY, Hamburg - Musikhalle***
16/01/ GERMANY, Hannover - Niedersachsenhalle***
17/01/ GERMANY, Berlin - Deutschlandhalle***
24/01/ UK, London - Lyceum (Midnight Rave with Joe Cocker, Love Sculpture, Gun)
30/01/ UK, Manchester - New Century Hall (BBC Live Session)
01/02/ UK, St. Leonards - Cobweb Club
04/02/ UK, Wolverhampton - Civic Hall
05/02/ UK, Birmingham - Erdington Charles Russel Hall
07/02/ UK, Ross-on Wye - Top Spot Ballroom
08/02/ UK, Norwich - Gala Ballroom
20/02/ UK, London - Royal Albert Hall (festival with The Move, Spencer Davis Group and more)
22/02/ UK, Waddington - RAF Raven Club (with Justyn Martyr + Morning Glory)
27/02/ UK, Newcastle Under Lyme - Crystal Ballroom (support The Countdowns)
28/02/ UK, Bristol - Yate Entertainment Centre (support The Dene Team)
01/03/ UK, Linconshire - R.A.F Swinderby
04/03/ UK, Halesowen - Old Picture Place (support Passion Forest)
08/03/ UK, Plymouth - College of Technology (with The Tremeloes)
10/03/ UK, London - Streatham (Meet & Greet / No gig) "Silver blades ice rink"
15/03/ UK, Shrewsbury - Music Hall (support Fluff)
22/03/ UK, Prestatyn - Royal Lido (support 20th Century Vox)
05/04/ UK, Banbury - Winter Gardens
12/04/ UK, Yardley - Swan Hotel (support The Idle Race)
13/04/ UK, London - Wembley Empire Pool (Daily Express Record Star show)
19/04/ UK, Bangor - University PJ Hall
26/04/ UK, Ryde - Royal York Hotel 69 Club (support The Cherokees)
02/05/ UK, Bristol - University Anson Rooms (with Force West + The Scaffold)
03/05/ UK, Kettering - The Tin Hat (early showtime)
03/05/ UK, Harwich - Town Hall
05/05/ UK, Bishop Stortford - Rhodes Centre
09/05/ UK, Abigdon - Rush Common House (support Fire)
10/05/ UK, Nottingham - Football Ground (with Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd)
16/05/ UK, Hereford - Wormelow Park Hall Ballroom (support Modelle Union)
17/05/ UK, Bury - Territorial Army Drill Hall (support Pink Engine)
24/05/ UK, Redruth - Flamingo Ballroom (with The Herd, The Spooky Tooth, Billy Fury)
25/05/ UK, Bournemouth - Pavilion Ballroom (support Green Steam)
29/05/ UK, Redruth - Flamingo Club (support The Cousin-Jacks)
31/05/ UK, Margate - Dreamland Ballroom (support Bumbly Hum)
09/06/ UK, Ferndale - Workmen's Hall (support Strawberry Dust)
12/06/ UK, Helston - Culdrose Seahawk Club
13/06/ UK, Exeter - Tiffany's (support Inside Outside)
14/06/ UK, Reading/Woodley - Bulmerish College
15/06/ UK, Bristol - Broadmead Top Rank Suite (support Tony Lester Sound)
18/06/ UK, Swindon Wiltshire – McIlroy’s Ballroom (support for The Equals with Nite People)
20/06/ UK, Bishops Stortford - Technical College
21/06/ UK, Maidstone - College Of Art
24/06/ UK, Oxford - Merton College
28/06/ UK, Swindon - John Street Car Park (with The Equals, Nite People)
01/07/ UK, Ferndale - Workmen's Hall (support Strawberry Dust)
05/07/ UK, Wishaw - Belfry Hotel
12/07/ UK, London - Carnaby Street (RTL Festival with Tremeloes, Love Affair...)
12/07/ UK, Nottingham - Racecourse (12 Hour charity Concert with Yes, Nice..)
13/07/ UK, London - Whitehall Theatre (showtime: 11.00h RTL Non Stop Concert)
13/07/ UK, London - Wembley Stadium (with Love Affair, Yes...)
17/07/ UK, Whitley Bay - Rex Hotel
28/07/ UK, Ringwood - Regal Cinema (support Fascinations)
01/08/ UK, Farnborough - Assembly Hall
15/08/ UK, Stafford - Top of the World Ballroom (support Gerry Savage)
22/08/ UK, Hereford
30/08/ UK, Haverfordwest - Masonic Ballroom
05/09/ UK, Plymouth - Top Rank Suite
13/09/ UK, Margate - Dreamland Ballroom
22/09/ UK, Cardiff - College of Education
25/09/ UK, Taunton - Camelot Club
26/09/ UK, Taunton - Camelot Club
*FACTS FROM THE ROAD:
13.12.1967 - According to both Francis & Rick the bands first gig as The Status Quo was supporting the Episode Six at the welcome inn Eltham, Wednesday 13 December 1967. (confirmed with a copy of an Episode Six newsletter confirming all of their December dates.)
02.03.1968 - None other than Status Quo had been booked to play on the 2nd March at Truro Moresk Hall, UK. Contacted by David Penprase (who was cofounder of RATT with PJ) he says that Status Quo didn't actually turn up for the gig having got stuck in snow in Devon.Was it the real story? There's also an Advert for a gig on March 2nd at Wicklow New Arcadia, Ireland which appeared in the Wicklow People.
25.05.1968 - Between their stand at Streatham Locarno on Friday night and apparance at Narberth’s Queen Hall on Saturday evening the band lost their van and 4500 pounds worth of equipment. It happened in the early hours of Saturday in Gipsy Hill, London. For the gig in Narberth they used hired equipment which they were unable to try out until 5 o’clock but played with great skill.
01.06.1968 - NME announced that the band will start a four-day visit to Poland, followed by two concerts in Czechoslovakia and a week's cabaret in Bulgaria.
03.10.1968 - During the 1960s Bradford University’s Students’ Union played host to a cornucopia of bands, including plenty of rock, folk, blues and jazz groups. The student's magazine "Javelin" wrote: "Another supergroup in the making did not impress “Bryan” at the 1968 Freshers’ Ball: Status Quo have “so little talent and even less personality. They were not worth the £175 that Ents paid for them”.
21.12.1968 - Melody Maker announced that the band will start a six-day visit to Poland, Czechoslavakia, Hungary (two days each) in March 1969.
11.01.1969 - According to a Large original first printing concert flyer advertising The Small Faces’ January 1969 German/Austrian tour with their support band Status Quo. Shows in Munich (11th), Vienna (12th), Hamburg (14th), Hannover (15th), and Berlin (17th). With Steve Marriott officially quitting the band in late 1968, the Small Faces split up shortly after their Berlin gig. Marriott went on to form Humble Pie with Peter Frampton, while Ronnie Lane, Kenney Jones and Ian McLagan joined Rod Stewart and Ron Wood and became Faces.
02.02.1969 - Status Quo performed "Pictures Of Matchstick Men, Ice In The Sun and Make me Stay a bit Longer" at the televised Yugoslav Pop Festival'69 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. It was a full playback performance.
25.05.1969 - At the Bournemouth gig Quo's Roadie got an electric shock that evening and had to be taken to hospital. The "Roadie" was unfortunatly none other than Francis's father!