1976
Jan 1 (Thu) New Year Dance
Return of the Rainbow Band
Balloons Streamers Hats galore 80p
Jan 2 (Fri) Dinehart Pop Group 80p
Jan 3 Entertainment at The Toddy Bowl with Peter Johnstone Folk
Jan 9 Stampede 70p
9.30 – 1.30
Special announcements. No admittance to persons under 16 years of age
Patrons please note – Suitable dress has to be adhered to strictly. No jeans admitted
Jan 16 The Hot Toddy (Formerly Pat’R Four) 80p
Jan 23 Stax Pop Group
Jan 30 First appearance of The In-Hand Pop Group
Feb 6 The Correction Wynd Pop Group
Feb 13 Freebird
Feb 20 Stampede
Feb 27 Dream Machine First appearance of one of the top pop groups
Mar 5 Hot Toddy
Mar 12 Greensbar Pop Group
Mar 19 Pyke Pop Group with vocalist
Mar 26 From Deeside Sutherland Pop Group
Apr 2 Prior Pop Group
Apr 9 Burleskue Pop Group
Apr 16 J J Flash Pop Group supported by well known Country and Western New Country Sound
Apr 23 The versatile group Rainbow supported by the Atmosphere Group
Niall G̣rdan, born in Dingwall and originally domiciled in Muir of Ord, was one of the members of "Atmosphere"
who played as a support band on a number of occasions in 1976. The band at the time consisted of
Niall G̣rdan (lead guitar), Joe Thain (2nd and lead guitar), Peter Dunbar (drums) and his brother Alsie (bass).
The band didn't really have a singer although Willy Dennison from Muir of
Ord did feature on vocals for a while.
The band used to do Deep Purple covers, an instrumental composed by Niall
(called, strangely enough, "Atmosphere")
and all sorts of other bits and bobs. Niall joined the band in 1976 and he distinctly recalls Joe Thain generously
giving him a shot of his fuzz box at his first rehearsal with them.
Niall remembers Peter Dunbar's dad taking them up to the Pavilion once and as they were going up Kinnahaird Brae,
a Marshall 4x12 speaker cabinet fell out of the back of the car and went somersaulting down the brae.
Peter's dad was the driver and got a large cymbal in the back of his neck on one occasion for his pains.
One night at the Pavilion the band was setting up and Peter was trying out his drums when someone came out of a
door and asked him could he not turn them down. Peter's answer was: "I don't have a volume control in the floor,
you know!"
In those days Niall had a Columbus Les Paul copy, and before he got the famous 4x12 speaker cabinet, (with the band's
help) he had a tiny amplifier. However, there was a time when the guitar player in one of the headline bands (he can't
remember who) saw that, like him, he had a fine taste in guitars, and let him plug his humble copy into the full-size Marshall
stack! He says it was great. He adds that he does not know of any photos of the band still in existence.
Can
anyone out there help?
He remembers Rainbow playing there, a great band who performed covers of
difficult material like the progressive music of
Yes and Genesis - their vocalist was none other than Craig Anderson of BBC fame. This band, with a small line-up change,
later became Pallas, a band which gained nationwide fame in progressive rock circles. They first appeared at the Strath
on 12th April 1974.
Niall still plays - he and his wife are a ceilidh-band duo called
Biorachan Beag (Little Squirrel), and they play in Skye and
the Western Isles. You can contact them on
www.biorachan-beag.co.uk
Apr 30 Rainbow supported by the Atmosphere Group
We apologise for the non-appearance of Rainbow last weekend
May 7 Harpool Pop Group supported by Atmosphere
May 14 Hot Toddy supported by atmosphere
May 21 Dream Machine Pop Group
May 28 The Blue Anvil Pop Group
Jun 4 Side Wynder Pop Group
Jun 11 Tommy Trousdale and the Sidewinders Ayrshire’s Top Group
Jun 18 Faithful Pop Group
Bus leaves Ullapool Pier at 10 p.m. return after dance Beauly 9 Tain 8.30
Invergordon 9.30
Highland Hotel advert
Supper Dances every Saturday and Sunday
Relax in pleasant surroundings and enjoy an evening with the fabulous Melotones
Also available from Monday 21 June a Full range of business lunches. Served in our cocktail bar from 12 – 2 p.m.
Jun 25 Harpool Pop Group
Jul 2 Rez Band
Jul 9 Prior Pop Group
Jul 16 Sidewinder Pop Group ( no buses from Ullapool)
Jul 23 The Profile Pop Group
Special notice. Collar and Tie must be worn. No jeans. No admittance after 10.30 p.m.
No pass outs whatsoever. The management reserve the right to refuse admission for any reason. No admittance to anybody under 18 years of age.
Jul 30 Greensbar
Aug 6 Breakout
Aug 7 Grand Games Dance 9 – 11.45
Music by Tain Scottish Broadcasting Band
Aug 13 The Blue Anvil
Aug 20 Hot Toddy
Aug 27 Stand and Deliver Country and Western Group
Sep 3 Sidewinder
Sep 10 Spread Eagle
Sep 17 Blue Anvil
Sep 24 Pryor
Oct 1 The Fabulous Memphis Showband
Oct 8 Off The Cuff
Oct 15 Marlin’s Dream
Oct 22 Hot Toddy
Oct 29 Side Wynder
Nov 5 Rain
Nov 12 The Blue Anvil
Nov 19 The Galaxy Superband Sterling?
Nov 26 Hot Toddy
Highland Hotel advert Basket Supper Dances in the Macrae Lounge and Bar
Melotones £1 27 Nov 11 Dec 27 Dec 3 Jan
Dec 3 Blue Anvil
Dec 10 Great Band attraction all the way from Leeds Baron Woolf Group 90p
Dec 17 The Galaxy Superband
Dec 24 Hot Toddy supported by Bedrock
Hats – streamers - balloons