Checkmates, Trailers, Golden Venus, Palace

Monday, June 1, 2009

It was Saturday night on the 12th of December, 1964 and obviously about 2 weeks before Christmas. Nightclubs were full and so were the spirits of youths in Singapore. The above advertisement (image) from the Straits Times Press, Singapore, shows the Golden Venus at Orchard Road and the Grand Palace theatre at East Coast Road doing brisk business.

And on Sunday, bands were in full swing with Robert Song and the Checkmates and The Trailers fronted by Vernon having the rockingest time ever.

Although admission was free, patrons paid for their drinks. Usually they bought one drink for the whole afternoon, well sometimes two. But nobody bothered because each couple was trying to show the rest on the floor that the cha-cha-cha, twist, shake and rock would rule the T-Dances that day. After all it was the Dave Clark Five & The Animals Twist & Shake Special.

(Image from: Straits Times Press, Singapore/National Library Board, Singapore.)

The above idea was initiated by Dennis Tan.

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Amber Mansion Celestial Room Silver Strings

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

The images are of Amber Mansions, at the entrance of Orchard Road, where guitar groups played in the 60s during Tea Dances at The Celestial Room, on the floor above.

The Silver Strings was the guest band for many months and we had a taste of what tea dances were like when we performed there. It was a baptism of fire because it was the first time when the band had a regular weekend stint.

The person in charge of Celestial Room was Mr Quek Sin Bock, a rather robust business man, frank and full of good cheer. The Silver Strings with Andy, performed at the venue in the early 60s, way before other bands did.

The building has since been replaced by Dhoby Gaut MRT.

(Images: From The National Heritage Board Archives.)

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The Dukes- Remembering - Tea Dances In 60s

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Discussing Prince's Hotel Garni in the mid-60s is incomplete without mentioning the band that established it as one of the best places for tea dance.

At 200 Orchard Road the large Singapore crowd crammed the dance floor at Prince's Restaurant each Sunday. From 3.30 to 6.45 pm., paying ten dollars for entrance, they shimmied and twisted with The Dukes and singers Bobby Lambert & Winston Walters.

I spoke to Zainal Abidin, band leader and bass guitarist of the Dukes. He is now a retired army captain and business man extraordinaire. He promised to meet me after New Year to explain why he gave away a few thousand copies of his CD above.

Image: CD Cover of Dukes' songs produced by Zainal Abidin and Joseph Pereira.

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The British Invasion On Sunday Afternoons...

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Recognise this place?
What building has replaced it now?
Beside the tea dances at the cinemas (25th Dec blog), tell us your weekend experience at this famous Singapore hotel. Clue: The Dukes.
More about them soon.
(In response to my earlier blog Mr Dennis Tan has been kind enough to send this photo.)

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Palace Cinema Katong - Lido Cinema Orchard

Thursday, December 25, 2008

The former Lido Cinema at Orchard Road was one of the venues where tea-dances were held and the nitespot cum restaurant upstairs was called Rosee D'or.

There would be a main band like The Silver Strings in attendance and a Guest Band. It had a dance floor where the 60s youths soaked their shirts & pants out!

The Palace Cinema at East Coast Road was another hangout. The Trailers was the regular band here and lead singer Benny Koh fronted them.

Tea dances, usually held from 3.30 pm to 7 pm weekends, cost $3.50 each for entrance and a drink.

And Larry Lai, Rediffusion DJ extraodinaire, met his wife at the Rosee D'or in the Lido Cinema building.

Images: National Heritage Board/Shaw Brothers Organisation.

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