Concert Details

Show Notes:

The Bluesbreakers opened for Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich.

The Carousel Club, located at 1A Camp Road in Farnborough, Hampshire, was a short-lived but notable mid-1960s music venue. It opened on 17 December 1965 after local entrepreneur Robert Fox secured planning permission to establish a youth-oriented club above the J. G. Ward car showroom. During 1966, the club became part of the UK’s growing R&B and mod circuit, hosting artists including The Small Faces, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (with Eric), The Kinks, and Otis Redding. With a capacity of around 500, it developed a reputation as a lively—and often overcrowded—venue, reflecting the intensity of the period’s live music scene.

The club closed temporarily in late 1966 and reopened in June 1967 as the “Big C Club,” briefly operating with the involvement of Radio Caroline. However, ongoing safety concerns—particularly inadequate access and fire exits—led to the loss of its music licence in March 1968, bringing its existence to an abrupt end.

Interestingly, when the venue reopened in 1967 as the Big C Club, Laurie O’Leary became involved in booking acts and later in the club’s management as it entered its final phase. He was part of a wider network of promoters and managers on the UK circuit, with links to venues such as the Ricky-Tick clubs and other provincial stops on the touring R&B circuit. His brother, Alphie O’Leary, would go on to work with Eric in later years in a road and production capacity, creating a small but notable link between the club and Eric’s extended professional circle.