(c’65-’71) The Guildford Arts Lab organized many events for poetry, music and the arts in general.
Graham Clarke writes in the intro to ‘Five Whole Years’ that the first Arts Lab event of poetry and folk music, took place 26 October ’65 in a cellar behind The Plaza Ballroom, Guildford. In ’65/’66, Wounded John Scott Cree played a number of times in the cellar behind The Plaza, which was the original premises of what went on to become Guildford Arts Lab’s The Whole. Cree recalls going to Stratford on Avon to play that Summer and two young ladies approaching and asking if they had seen me at The Whole the previous week.
‘The Whole’ monica adopted by the Arts Lab crew for the events at The Plaza is all thanks to an article in The Surrey Advertiser titled ‘Poetry from a Hole in the Ground’ in early ’66, with an added ‘W’. By April ’66 they had vacated The Plaza and moved into Orphanage Hall, Guildford, then Boxers, the coffee shop under Tunsgate Arch. But the Arts Lab also organized events across Guildford.
The “classic” Fairport Convention line-up of Denny, Thompson, Hutchings, Matthews, Nicol and Lamble played an Arts Lab benefit concert at the Civic Hall, Guildford in November ’68, with Bradford, their German Shepherd, on stage with them. Compered by John Peel, Fairport Convention were supported by Third Ear Band, Roy Harper, Bridget St John, Barclay James Harvest, Ron Geesin, and Tim Hollier. London based Helix appeared at The Stoke Hotel, Guildford on 22 December ’68, as part of a The Whole poetry and music event called “100 Watts of Ancient Sky” organized by the Arts Lab; that also featured performance by Clive Young, Al MacKenzie, Graham Clarke, Bob Thomas, and Nick Gray.
Many may recall the student sit-in at Guildford Art School, but not everybody knows that there was a parade from The Stoke Hotel, Guildford to the school following the Arts Lab organized appearance of Kasbahn and Radha Krishna Chanters at the venue on 23 May ’69. At the invite of the Art Lab, The Stoke hosted a performance of electronic music the following week by members of Bristol’s Arts Lab the next week; which according to the review in The Surrey Ad sent the audience to the bar.
The first edition of The Art Labs newspaper, titled ‘Whole News’ was published on 12 October ’69. The Arts Lab found another semi-permanent home in the Youth Centre Annex, Guildford (aka Bellerby Theatre, Guildford) on Leapale Lane, where events were often billed as at the Wowie! Zowie! Fun Palace. On 22 November ’69, Heron headlined the opening night of Arts Lab’s events at the annex with Clive Young and Graham Clarke in support. The next week, electric folk band Trees performed, and the organisers were approached and turned down Hawkwind Zoo. The last live act of ’69 was Dave Ambrose, supported by local group Jumble on 20 December.
Bridget St. John opened ’70 with a show on 17 January at the annex. By early ’70, Guildford Arts Lab’s house band was Poppa Ben Hook, with a first Arts Lab gig at the Youth Centre Annex, Guildford on 21 February ’70, supported by Bernie Roy. The Arts Lab continued with films and poetry readings in addition the live bands and was heavily involved in the Surrey Free Festival on 27/28 June ’70 at the University of Surrey, Guildford. Briget St. John returned to the annex on 5 September ’70, followed by Formerly Fat Harry (with ex-Country Joe’s Bruce Barthol), Poppa Ben Hook, and Frendz, on 19 September. The next month, on 23 October, Tir Na Nog took to the stage at the Youth Centre with Poppa Ben Hook and Band of Hope and Glory in support. The Arts Lab booked the University of Surrey’s University Hall, Stag Hill for a concert of five bands, on 7 November ’70, at which house band Poppa Ben Hook were in support again along with Marble Orchard, Exhibit ‘A’ and The Paranoids, for headliners Jelly Bread. The Lab closed out ’70 with another gig at the Youth Centre Gym headlined by Wishbone Ash on 19 December, with support by Band of Hope and Glory, and Chrysanthemum.
1971 would prove to be the last year for Guildford’s Arts Lab. On 5 February ’71 they lost money on a concert at the Civic Hall, Guildford with Clark-Hutchinson, Lindisfarne and local band Cage. English blues singer and guitarist Jo-Ann Kelly, along with John Ellis, appeared at the Youth Centre on 9 April ’71. A week later, on 16 April, John Martyn stood in the same spot to perform with friends, that included Al Stewart. After helping Pink Floyd finish ‘Atom Heart Mother’, Ron Geesin returned, gracing the Youth Centre on 23 April ’71, the last live music performance organized by Arts Lab.
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