Iconic drummer Keith Moon was missing – but he made up for it during a bizarre night out a few years later
There are no known photos or videos of The Who’s December 1965 performance in Plymouth – but the flyer for the show does survive(Image: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images and (inset) zimtrim/concertarchives.org)
60 years ago today, Mod’s ace faces rolled into Plymouth as the hottest ticket in town.
The Who’s first gig in the city took place on this day in 1965 – and it went down in history as one of the greatest Plymouth had ever seen (you can see our ultimate list of the Top 50 here).
They arrived from Bristol on a chilly Thursday night, having played the Corn Exchange the previous evening, six weeks after the release of their classic My Generation single.
The line up that night included singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend and bassist John Entwistle. Keith Moon was ill so Vivian Prince, recently fired by The Pretty Things, sat in for him on drums for this and a handful of other gigs on the tour.
The show itself was the Plymouth College of Technology Student Union’s Christmas Ball, with a bill that included Cornwall band The Smokey Joes and Plymouth folk singer Mike Jeffrey.
The poster for The Who’s first performance in Plymouth(Image: zimtrim/concertarchives.org)
No known photos or records of the setlist remain but it’s likely the band performed tunes including I Can’t Explain, My Generation, The Kids Are Alright, A Legal Matter, The Ox, La-La-La-Lies, Out in the Street and The Good’s Gone.
With a late finish and a day off before they were due to play in Southampton on the Saturday, The Who probably stayed overnight in the city after the gig.
They returned to the ABC two years later for another storming show – and guitar genius Pete Townshend would be back in the city in 2009 to hear some of the same songs (My Generation, So Sad About Us) performed at the Theatre Royal in his rock opera Quadrophenia.
Pete Townshend (right) with Phil Daniels on the launch night of Quadrophenia at the Theatre Royal Plymouth in 2009(Image: Guy Channing/PlymouthLive)
But perhaps the most memorable Who-related story from Plymouth comes from 1969, when the late Keith Moon was on holiday in the area.
The Bonzo Dog Band were performing at the legendary Van Dike club that July when Moon surprised the crowd outside by turning up in a Bentley limousine with his minder.
According to Jonathan Hill’s excellent book about the club, Moon helped some lads – who had previously been banned by the owners – gain entry and appeared as a guest drummer (alongside Family vocalist Roger Chapman who also made an appearance that night) before at least attempting to embark on an evening of chaos in town.
After the show, Moon is said to have wandered around the venue asking with a wink if anyone had any “stuff”. Locals recommended he try some Devon cider instead.
So Moon and his by now growing entourage ended up in the back of the limo on their way to The Masonic Inn in Stoke. There, Moon strolled up to the bar and declared “I will have five pints of scrumpy, my man”.
The Who (l to r: Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, Keith Moon and John Entwistle) pictured in 1965(Image: Mirrorpix)
Unfortunately, rock star status or not, he was out of luck. It was after hours and despite Moon throwing two £5 notes on the counter in persistence, the landlord flat out refused to serve him.
Moon apparently turned and walked out into the night with some girls – and the evening, for everyone else at least, ended there.
He was next spotted the following morning driving down Royal Parade, hanging out of the car and blaring music at full volume.