Bought a copy of this item at the Discogs site several years ago. It is a promo cd, based on music that appeared in some of George’s Handmade films. It is estimated that there are less than 100 copies of this promo in existence!
The colourful nostalgia of a 1960s festival, complete with music yesteryear, performances and vibrant spirit at Cromer Pier stayed resolutely upbeat despite a sudden downpour. A comprehensive account of a memorable weekend.
This weekend, Cromer Pier on the Norfolk coast was a musical epicentre of cultural revolution. This fabulous 1960s festival is a smash hit! As the sun dipped beneath the North Sea, a golden glow rippled across the water, and the sounds of the 1960s filled the air in a flashback of an era known for its exquisite melodies.
Crowds pack Cromer Pier for the 1960s festival. Photo by Andreas Yiasimi.
1960s Trip Down Memory Lane Success
The 1960s Festival at Cromer Pier was a marvellous day. Not even a sudden downpour could put a dampener on the event; the rain only provided a backdrop of drama. Union flags waved in the strong North Sea wind. The entire event was a plethora of memorabilia. Beatlemania was pulled out of the 1960s exhibition box, and its artefacts gave way to a whole ’60s mish-mash; a plethora of fab, ’60s stuff we all knew and loved. Trendy Mod scooters and motorbikes, hand-in-hand with 60s stalls selling vivid and colourful memories.
An array of Mopeds on Cromer Promenade. Photo by Andreas Yiasimi.
The festival-goers, many of whom had come from far and wide and effort, wore costumes and hairstyles from the ’60s, making the promenade and pier look like a scene from the 1960s. Visitors and locals let themselves live in the past. A real party atmosphere! It had a hit parade of the sixties. A decade full of cultural and musical innovation.
Musical Beats Of The 60s Sparkle
The Pier’s musical line-up proved the big draw to the festival, the selection lovingly organised by the Pier festival team. And so it began with The Revolvers: The Sounds of the Sixties taking to the stage from 8 pm on Friday; the weekend was underway.
Saturday saw The Counterfeit Stones on the stage, bringing the audience back in time with the timeless rock ‘n’ roll of the 60s and 70s and, on Sunday, the excitement ended with The Dusty Show. This show is full of songs performed in the beautiful tones of the legend Dusty Springfield.
Group photograph of The Twinning Association on Cromer Pier with visitors from Crest and Nidda. Photo by Andreas Yiasimi.
There was also a cosmopolitan feel to the event, with people from the twinned towns of Cromer – Nidda in Germany, and Crest in France – guests at the festival, escorted by the Mayor of Cromer, Pat West. They attended The Revolvers: The Sounds of the Sixties show as part of a fun-filled three days organised by The Cromer Twinning Association. “These visits between our twinning towns are so important” added Mr West, “It ensures continued cultural exchange and friendships across the water. The show was fantastic and it was a foot-stomping experience for our visitors and locals alike”
Mayor, Pat West, Ruth Azais, Nhan Nguyen and Claude Lamarre visiting Cromer and the 1960s event from Crest France. Photos by Andreas Yiasimi.
Top Performers Shine Brightly On The Pier
One of the brilliant performances on the day was by the quintessential vintage rock ‘n’ roll event band, Peachy Beat! Known for their 1950s and ‘60s authentic repertoire, Peachy Beat exude the original sounds of rock ’n’ roll, performing classic hits from Elvis, Little Richard, The Everly Brothers and the Motown greats! The band’s live performance was high energy with a large outdoor crowd swaying and singing along and it created a magically ambient performance.
The band Peachy Beat took the festival by storm with an outstanding outdoor performance. Photo by Andreas Yiasimi.
One of the band members (On Saxophone and vocals) is the super-talented, Chloe Edwards-Wood, who most recently was seen on stage in the 2023 Cromer Pier Christmas Show! The entire band were a phenomenal set. The four musicians were dynamic and worked brilliantly together!
Peachy Beat highlights during their fabulous set. Photos by Andreas Yiasimi.
It’s always good to see, Sean Garrett – General Manager of the Pier Theatre, and he was an unexpected bonus on the day. He came along in his bright yellow 1960s patterned shirt, and I managed to flush him out for a picture! To make the pictorial complete!
Sean Garrett General Manager of the Pier Theatre sporting a 60s style patterned orange shirt. Photo by Andreas Yiasimi.
Phil Broughton, Technical Production Manager, complimented the team on their efforts – ‘Teamwork to make the dream work, the team worked hard to deliver a product with an attention to detail. A huge credit must go to Bethany Graham and Naomi Bushell from the sales marketing team for looking fabulous and creating a smooth-running operation together with the rest of the girls who provided their expertise and hospitality. The entire staff structure is a formidable force!
Phil Broughton Technical Production Manager on Cromer Pier amid union flags. Photo by Andreas Yiasimi.
Bethany Graham, from the sales marketing team, shared her excitement: “We were thrilled with the outpour of support that our Vintage 60s Festival received this year. Once the rain cleared, we were delighted by the floods of visitors coming to support performers Peachy Beat, DJ Roy Kelly and Marlene’s School of Dance. We are already looking ahead to 2025 and our brand-new Paws on the Pier Dog festival that will take place in March. More information coming soon.”
Naomi Bushell added, “The festival was well attended and we are delighted with the turnout. The weather was not on our side from the start, but this didn’t seem to put too much of a dampener on the free and easy 60s vibe. The arrival of over 100 scooters from the North Norfolk Scooter Club was a sight to be seen, and the classic cars and vintage stalls that lined the prom kept visitors interested all day. The pavilion bar rolled some prices back and the £1 a pint proved to be very popular! This event seems to grow each year, and we are already planning a bigger and better vintage festival for 2025.”
Bethany Graham and Naomi Bushell with the Cromer Pier dream team! Photo By Andreas Yiasimi.
Marlene’s School of Dance did brilliantly at the Vintage 60’s Festival in such tough weather conditions, this was quite an achievement. Natalie Day from Marlene’s School of Dance said: ‘It rained and poured all morning today at the Vintage 60’s Festival at Cromer Pier. After a delay, we nearly had to cancel and then the sun came out, it stopped raining, the band set up, Channel 5 managed to get some filming in and the girls were able to dance to Dancing in the Street with the beat of Peachy Beat. It was a brilliant festival highlight!’
Marlene’s School of Dance in good spirits even in the rain. Ready for another spectacular performance! Photo by Andreas Yiasimi.
Behind the Scenes Of A Fantastic Weekend
Susan Calman on Cromer Pier at the 1960s event. Photo by Alan Raymond Palmer. Selfie by Lynn Padmore.
The smooth running of the festival reflected the coordination and hard work of the Pier Management and North Norfolk District Council, added to by the energy of those involved. Also making a difference was the presence of IWC Media, whose involvement demonstrated the professionalism of the festival filming for Channel 5, ‘Susan Calman’s Summer By The Sea’ What a great bunch of people! It was a joy to capture them in action for our article!
IWC Media work their magic filming, Susan Calman’s Summer By The Sea for channel 5. Photos by Andreas Yiasimi
The chair of the National Charity, which represents seaside piers and coastal communities around the entire United Kingdom, attended the festival and celebrated the event while also highlighting the importance of the pier to the town. ‘Piers are an important part of our national heritage through out the country and I am very pleased to see this 60s event so well attended,’ he said.
Tim Wardley chairman of The National Piers Society enjoying a day on Cromer Pier. Photo by Andreas Yiasimi.
Brilliant Talk About The Beatles
An extraordinary experience took place in the community hall in Cromer. A fascinating presentation by the renowned radio broadcasterNigel Pearce, known for programmes on Swindon 105.5 FM, Future Radio 107.8 FM in Norwich, and Norfolk’s Poppyland Community Radio FM. The subject was ‘The Beatles’ Label Apple Records’.
T-shirt worn by Nigel Pearce at the 1960s festival in Cromer. Photo by Andreas Yiasimi.
‘It’s great to see you here,’ Nigel greeted those in attendance, ‘we are looking at what went on inside number three, Savile Row London W.1, behind that famous white door. Inside the pages of my published bookInside No. 3.
The 60s scene was set by a screening of the classic Cliff Richard movie Summer Holiday, first released in 1962. The film brought back many memories for the assembled enthusiasts, who were taken on a nostalgic journey.
A very young Cliff Richard and the Parthenon in Greece photos are in the public domain.
The showcase exhibits in the hall were part of Nigel’s collection of Beatles memorabilia. There was a replica of John Lennon’s Epiphone guitar, among dozens of other pieces. ‘The ivory one is a licenced replica of Lennon’s Epiphone, which he used on later Beatle albums at Apple and EMI,’ Nigel explained, motioning toward the showpiece.
Picture highlights from Nigel Pearce fabulous collection and talk at Cromer Community Centre
Nigel also informed me about the latest developments. ‘There will be a second volume called Deeper Inside No3 which will be a further revealing of records, documents and items from those famous now lost studios at No.3. I’m delighted the Cromer 1960s spectacle has continued to grow and gain a National interest starting from the original event I founded in 2016. For more information about the Nigel’s publication, please read the book review here: Inside No. Three – Apple Records Collection by Nigel Pearce
Great Future Ahead For 1960s Festival
The festival was a re-enactment of the decade that brought people together in a celebration of a culturally booming time, which still resonates today. As the Mayor of Cromer Pat West said: “It was a great day for a truly fantastic event to celebrate our Decade the 1960’s for our lovely town. This does not happen without a coordinated effort by some wonderful people. The rain did not dampen people’s enthusiasm for visiting and I am so pleased the sun came out in the end!”
Norfolk Fudge, Picnic Patch, North Norfolk District Council Marshals and Mopeds. Pictures by Andreas Yiasimi
The festival is an important reminder of the lasting appeal of 1960s culture, and the significance of local community events in recording contemporary history. Moreover, the legacy of the 1960s on Cromer Pier is very much alive – and the festival’s overwhelming local popularity hints that there will be many more such events and celebrations in years to come as the spirit of the swinging ’60s continues to endure.
Final Thoughts On A Fun Weekend
In this sense, the 1960s festival at Cromer Pier was indeed about nostalgia; but in another sense, it was about the power of music to unify people, and is still so very important and relevant today. It gave Cromer another event to pull the local community together. As the sixties music played into the dusk on the pier, it created memories that fellow festival-goers will keep with them forever.
The festival in 2025 will be even bigger with some fantastic star names to be announced!
Get Nigel’s Excellent Book – Inside Number Three
Inside Number Three – The Illustrated History of Apple Records
Inside No3 takes you through that famous door, deep into the minds of all who worked there at Apple Records. This is done also in a very different way. This is not a kiss-and-tell diary, it is through fan adulation and understanding via a personal collection of artifacts and memorabilia that author Nigel Pearce has built up over the last 50 years.
He Made him an offer he couldn’t refuse….but he did! Not much detail is known about the business offers John Lennon received during his five-year hiatus from issuing new recordings. However, the internet at several sources (with the links provided below) have disclosed at least one. The Godfather’s director, Francis Ford Coppola wrote to John to discuss the possibility of John writing some music for one of his films while he was making the film Apocalypse Now.
One can only imagine what it would have been like to have a project that included the involvement of both Marlon Brando and John Lennon. Alas, it was never to be. Hope you enjoy the correspondence that has appeared below at several internet sources which are noted at the bottom of the page. The links have been provided below for further information on the subject
Letter from Francis Coppola to John Lennon
Typed reply from JL followed by the handwritten note:
“Dear Frank,
Having given a lot more thought to this idea, I realise that due to my work schedule I really don’t have the time for such a big new project.
I love the book but it would take too much energy etc.
Best wishes to you, it was nice meeting you
Love, John Lennon”
Letter from John Lennon to Francis Coppola
Here are the Internet sources this post was created from:
Some excellent sources on the Internet with information about this story
Nineteen Sixty Eight was a year in which the Beatles and singer-songwriter Donovan found quite a lot in common. Last year I acquired this signed Donovan photo of the Beatles in India with the Maharishi. Donovan made a few contributions to a couple of Beatles songs that they wrote in India and he taught John Lennon a unique way to approach his guitar playing. Donovan labels this the clawhammer style of playing that he taught to John.
This style, evident in both the songs “Julia” and “Dear Prudence” on the Beatles “White Album proved to be another way the Beatles were extraordinary in being able to assimilate what they were being taught by other musicians and to incorporate those abilities into their own musical canon. Donovan also contributed lyrics to the 1968 Beatles composition “Yellow Submarine.” George Harrison wrote an extra verse for Donovan’s song “Hurdy Gurdy Man.” Donovan decided not to use it, but many years later he issued a recording of the song with the extra Harrison verse.
It has been mentioned that Paul McCartney makes a contribution to the smash hit “Atlantis” by Donovan. There is also an underground recording of Paul jamming with Donovan at Abbey Road doing a number called “Heather.”
Donovan also wrote 3 songs on Postcard, the Mary Hopkin LP, which Paul McCartney produced.
Donovan had strong links to the folk tradition and there is an existing video of Donovan in a hotel room with Bob Dylan. It was obvious that folk music was soon to take root in the Beatles musical lexicon.
In closing, here is a version of Donovan performing the hit song “Atlantis.” Thank you Donovan for your many contributions to music and the Beatles catalog…
The Beatles Italian Tour book is unusual for me. I do not collect many foreign language books about the Beatles but I make an exception with photography books. I was scouring my bookshelves for books about the Beatles that may not be well known in the United States or even outside of Italy and I found this one. It is a softcover 125-page book that deals with the Beatles’ concert tour of Italian cities in 1965.
The book features photos taken of the Beatles in Milan, Genoa, and Rome! Photo books from around the world to me serve as a constant reaffirmation of their universal worldwide appeal. My knowledge of Italian is somewhat limited despite my lineage, but the language of photographs is universal and if you get a chance to acquire this book for your collections, in my opinion, you will enjoy it very much! I was able to acquire my copy on eBay. You may want to try a book search service to purchase a copy of the book if the interest is there! Arrivederci!
Book Published in 2005 by DeFerrari
Editor-Fabrizio DeFerrari-Sabrina Burlando Graphics: Barbara Collasanto
The Beatles Italian Tour
Back Cover of the book:
A couple photos of a group of Italian Beatles fans:
As stated on numerous occasions I love limited edition versions of Beatles-related books. This particular limited edition was issued in a 100 copy edition which I requested the last numbered copy of and was fortunate to receive copy #100. If you want to understand the psychology behind that, send me a message and I will explain….LOL! In any case if you find the limited edition to be too expensive, you can purchase the trade edition or the softcover. I will provide the link.
Nigel has one of the most extensive Apple Records collections in the world and he has many one-off pieces of memorabilia that are the envy of many Beatlemaniacs. Nigel has plans to issue five more books to display items in his extensive Apple collection. Would love to see larger photos displayed of the pictures of the memorabilia in the books and a larger-sized format book so that one can better and more fully appreciate the rarity of this magnificent stuff. Nigel is a UK radio DJ and has been extensively involved in preserving the legacy of the dynamic duo that George Harrison signed many years ago to Dark Horse Records–“Splinter.”
Some of the rare Apple material that is shown by Nigel thus far has only appeared in the bootleg or underground format.
Here is a brief synopsis of Nigel’s proposed 6 book series: Please note that this series and the book titles that have not yet been issued are subject to change:
This was the preliminary book list sent to me by Nigel and it is subject to change
Book 1 inside no 3 apple 1968 – 1974.
Book 2 Genesis to no3 1957 – 1963
Book 3 onwards to no 3 1964 – 1967
Book 4 outside no 3 1970- 1976
Book 4 further from no 3 1976 – 2020/2
Book 5 Away from no 3 1970-1980
Book 6 further away from no3 1970 – 2020
All of the items displayed are from my own collection established through the years. Many of these have never been seen or have just simply been forgotten through the passage of time. Letters, promo stickers, photographs, marketing records, CDs and much, much more. “NIGEL PEARCE”
The box designed to contain the limited edition of the book:
The interior of the box:
The signed verification of the numbered copy:
The back cover of the book:
The Table of Contents:
Of all of the rare or obscure Apple recordings you may have heard or read about, which is the one you would like to have in your personal collection?
Inside Number Three – The Illustrated History of Apple Records
Inside No3 takes you through that famous door, deep into the minds of all who worked there at Apple Records. This is done also in a very different way. This is not a kiss-and-tell diary, it is through fan adulation and understanding via a personal collection of artifacts and memorabilia that author Nigel Pearce has built up over the last 50 years.
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