THE QUINTESSENCE CHRONOLOGY
(Many thanks to Colin Harper and David Bird)
1969
April Quintessence formed early undated gigs include at least two at Camden Arts Lab, also monthly gigs during 1969 at All Saints Church Hall
June/July Quintessence sign to Island Records
22 June London,
Roundhouse + The Gun, White Trash
(billed as
Shiva
and the Quintessence)
13 July London, Roundhouse + Third Ear Band, Gypsy
21 July London, Speakeasy
27 July London, Roundhouse + Blossom Toes, Steamhammer
August/Sept probably recording for In Blissful Company at Basing Street Studios, London
24 Aug London, Roundhouse + Eclection, Marsupilami, Stray
01 September Hampstead Country Club
06 September London, Roundhouse + Mott the Hoople
08 September Aylesbury, Friars
12 September Barnet, Resurrection
20 September London, Hyde Park Free Concert + Soft Machine, Deviants, Al Stewart, Edgar Broughton Band, Eclection
Video filmed by Jack Moore/London Arts Lab
21 September
London,
Roundhouse + Mighty Baby, White Trash, Marty Feldman
24 September Birmingham, Mothers
04 October Reading University + Pink Floyd
24 October London, Royal College of Art
November
In Blissful Company
(Island) released
09 November London, St
Pancras Town Hall + Barney Bubbles Light Show
(Benefit for Gandalfs Garden magazine)
16 November Southall, Farx Blues Club
21 November Sunderland, Locarno + Free
28 November Guildford, Civic Hall + Deep Purple, Bridget St John
29 November London, University College + Grail, Octopus
05 December London,
Hammersmith Town Hall + Radha Krishna Temple
14 December Epping, Wake Arms
15 December Aylesbury, Friars
17 December London, Porcester Hall + Listen
19 December London, Temple Club
20 December Blackburn, King Georges Hall + Family, Grisby Dyke
21 December London, Roundhouse + Mott The Hoople, Village
1970
January
'Notting
Hill Gate/Move
Into The Light
(Island) released
16 January Sunderland, Locarno
17 January London, Potters
Bar Farx + Audience, Andwellas
Dream
23 January Walthamstow, Chez Club
23/24 January London, Temple Club (all-nighter) + Titus Groan, Dry Ice
31 January High Wycombe, Town Hall + Edgar Broughton Band, Bridget St John
02 February Dunstable, Civic Hall
05 February Cardiff, Sophia Gardens Pavilion + Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, Ron Geesin
06 February Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall
07 February London, Imperial College + Jan Dukes De Gray, Grail
08 February London, Lyceum + Ten Years After, Principal Edwards Magic Theatre
20 February Plymouth,
Van Dykes
27 February Sunderland, Locarno
28 February London School of Economics + Mott The Hoople
03 March London, St Pancras Town Hall
Recorded for Island; filmed by Solus Productions for BBC2/cinema (partially released by HUX Records 2009)
07 March London,
University College + Grail 
09 March London,
Roundhouse + Gypsy, Black Sabbath
(opening of
Atomic Sunrise Festival) 
20 March London, Temple Club
21 March Romford, Rush Green College
23 March Cleethorpes, Winter Gardens + Liverpool Scene
25 March Liverpool, Top Rank + Terry Reid, Elastic Band
13 April London, Royal Albert Hall + Creedence Clearwater Revival
14 April London, Royal Albert Hall + Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR set filmed by BBC)
17 April Hampstead, Country Club possibly filmed by Dutch/German TV
21
April Manchester, Free Trade Hall + Colosseum
22
April Roundhouse + Juicy Lucy, Johnny Winter
26 April Switzerland,
Montreux Galas Rose dOr
filmed for Swiss TV (TSR)
07 May London, Ealing Town Hall
? May Norwich, Chapel
15 May Bailrigg, Lancaster University + The Who
23 May
Bath, Twerton Park Festival
+ Fleetwood Mac, Juicy Lucy, Wishbone Ash, Soft Machine, and others
24
May
Newcastle-Under-Lyme, Hollywood Festival
+ Traffic, Black Sabbath, Free, Colosseum, Jose Feliciano, Grateful Dead, Mungo Jerry and others
filmed by Solus Productions for unfinished BBC documentary
30 May BBC2, Disco 2 broadcast of tracks filmed at St Pancras Town Hall
June
Quintessence
(Island) released (UK#22, 4 weeks on the chart)
05 June
Dudley
Zoo, Castle Rock Festival 
+ Faces, T Rex, Edgar Broughton Band, Sam Apple Pie (WWF benefit)
12 June Newcastle, Mayfair + Edgar Broughton Band
19 June
London,
Queen Elizabeth Hall 
28 June
Holland,
Kralingen Festival, Rotterdam
+ Pink Floyd, Soft Machine, Caravan, Fotheringay, T Rex, Santana, Jefferson Airplane, Canned Heat
Giants included in European edit of Stamping Ground festival film
June/July Quintessence surely played other gigs in Switzerland, Germany and France (Rouen RocknRoll Circus + Caravan)
Also, probably two German TV appearances during this period.
10 July
Germany, Aachen
Pop Festival 
+Traffic, Deep Pueple, Free, If, principal Edwards, Magic Theatre, Golden Earring, and others
12 July Germany, Euro Pop Festival, Munich Olympia + many others (possibly)
15 July London, Aeolian Hall - Recording of BBC Radio 1 session for Alan Blacks Sounds Of The Seventies
18 July Guildford Civic Hall + Jody Grind - video-filmed by John Hopkins/TVX
24 July London, Lyceum 
24-26 July Worthing, Phun City Festival? (Quintessence advertised but apparently didnt play)
09 August London, Lyceum + Sam Apple Pie, Cochise, Quiver
14 August
Plymouth, Van Dykes
16 August Krumlin, Yorkshire Folk, Blues & Jazz Festival
(Quintessence advertised to play/in attendance but their day was rained off)
21 August Newcastle, Mayfair + Mott the Hoople
21 August BBC Radio 1, Sounds Of The Seventies session broadcast
22 August London, Wormwood Scrubs Common Free Concert + Hawkwind
29 August St Albans, Civic Hall
04 September Leytonstone, Red Lion
18 September BBC Radio 1, Sounds Of The Seventies session (repeat broadcast)
19 September Pilton, Worthy Farm + T Rex, Marsupilami, Steamhammer, Amazing Blondel (the low-key first of the Glastonbury Festivals)
Quintessence appear in regional BBC TV news report; possibly also in Harlech TV news report
20 September London, Lyceum + Clark-Hutchinson, Roger Ruskin-Spear
21 September Romford, Kings Head
24 September London, Paris Cinema Concert recording for BBC Radio 1, John Peels Sunday Concert
September London, Island Studios recording begun for Dive Deep
04 October BBC Radio 1, John Peels Sunday Concert broadcast
10 October Liverpool, Stadium + Cat Stevens, Amazing Blondel, Medicine Head
16 October Egham, Royal Holloway College 
17
October London, London School of Economics 
23 October Birmingham, Mothers
07 November Dagenham, Village Roundhouse
08 November Cleethorpes, Progressive Garden
13 November Plymouth,
Van Dykes
20 November Hull, City Hall
21 November Twickenham, Eel Pie Island
27 November Leytonstone, Red Lion
28 November London, University College + Cochise
29 November Newcastle,
City Hall
04 December Welwyn Garden City, Community centre
05 December Canterbury, Kent University
06 December Croydon, Fairfield Hall + Mighty Baby
11 December Liverpool University + Dando Shaft
15 December Swansea University
18 December Eastbourne, Winter Gardens
20 December Plymouth, Guild Hall
31 December London?, venue unknown (Melody Maker reference)
1971
01 January Newcastle, Mayfair
03 January Birmingham, Mothers (this legendary venues final show)
16 January
Kingston-Upon-Thames, Polytechnic + Uriah Heep 
30 January London,
Imperial College
01 February Romford, Kings Head
13 February Brighton, Dome
14 February Leicester, De Montford Hall
20 February Malvern,
Winter Gardens + Mighty Baby
25 February London, Aeolian Hall BBC Radio 1 session recording for Alan Blacks Sounds Of The Seventies
26 February Lancaster
University + The Kinks, Shakin
Stevens & the Sunsets
(Kinks fail to show Quintessence play, and are paid, twice!)
27 February Liverpool, Philharmonic
28 February London, Lyceum
March
Dive Deep
(Island) released (UK #43, 1 week on the chart)
04 March Bradford, St Georges Hall + Edgar Broughton Band, Formerly Fat Harry
05 March Leeds, Town Hall
06 March
Sheffield, City Hall
07 March Hemel Hempstead, Pavillion + Renaissance
12 March Swansea University
13 March Manchester, Free Trade Hall
14 March Newcastle, City Hall (or possibly on 28 March)
19 March Bristol, Colston Hall
19 March BBC Radio 1, Alan Blacks Sounds Of The Seventies session broadcast
20 March Birmingham, Town Hall
26 March Croydon, Fairfield Hall
27 March Dagenham, Village Roundhouse
04 April
London, Lyceum
07 April BBC2 TV, Disco 2 broadcast (recording date unknown)
16 April BBC Radio 1, Alan Blacks Sounds Of The Seventies session (repeat)
28 April
London, Roundhouse 
02 May Luton, Recreation Centre
08 May Watford, Technical College + Man, Renia
28 May Edinburgh, Empire
29 May Boston, Starlight Rooms
30 May London, Queen Elizabeth Hall 
Festival of Progressive Music - 2 concerts, both recorded by Island Records (released by HUX Records in 2009)
06 June Croydon, Greyhound
12 June Eastbourne, Winter Gardens
13 June Reading, Abbey Ruins
20-23 June
Pilton, Worthy Farm (2nd
Glastonbury Festival) 
+ Terry Reid, Fairport Convention, Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come, Traffic, Gong, and others
Freedom filmed for Glastonbury Fayre festival film
24 June London filming God Rock religious special at LWT TV studios
(Quintessence mime to 'Jesus, Buddha, Moses, Gauranga and Dive Deep) - see Youtube videos
End of June Early July Tour of Germany
10 July Barnet, Queen Elizabeth School
11 July London, Mermaid Theatre
11 July LWT, God Rock broadcast
23 July Birmingham, Town Hall
24
July Aylesbury, Friars
30 July Matlock, Baths + Caravan
01 August Plymouth, Guildhall
08 August London, Lyceum
13 August Southport, Floral Hall
14 August Bridlington, Royal Spa
15 August Redcar Jazz Club, Coatham Hotel
16 August Wolverhampton, Civic Hall
29 August
Clacton-on-Sea, Weeley Festival
+ T Rex, Faces, King Crimson, Status Quo, Rory Gallagher, Lindisfarne, etc
July-Sept Independent filming of Quintessence taking place for abandoned documentary
15 September Twickenham, Winning Post
16 September Wolverhampton, Civic Hall
18 September
Kennington,
Oval Cricket Ground 
+ The Who, Faces, Atomic Rooster, MottThe Hoople, Lindisfarne, Grease Band (Bangladesh benefit)
01 October Uxbridge, Brunel University + Help Yourself
16 October Dagenham, Village Roundhouse + Beggars Opera
22 October Newcastle, Mayfair + East Of Eden
November
Sweet
Jesus/You
Never Stay the Same
(Neon) released
14 November Brighton, University (Bangladesh benefit)
20 November London,
University College (Save
Our Student Union
benefit)
26 November Portsmouth, Polytechnic + Hookfoot
27 November Colchester, University + Roxy Music
04 December Kingston, Polytechnic + Good Habit
11 December Exeter, Exeter College recorded for RCA Records
12 December Granada, Freedom Roadshow broadcast
18 December High Wycombe, Town Hall + Hackensack
20 December London,
Royal Albert Hall 
1972
January Shiva on home visit in Australia
02 February London, Maida Vale Studios BBC Radio 1 session recording for Pete Drummonds Sounds Of The Seventies
04 February Reading, White Knights Park
10 February BBC Radio 1 Pete Drummonds Sounds Of The Seventies broadcast
12 February Edinburgh, Empire
13 February Glasgow, Kelvin Hall
03 March Newcastle, Mayfair
18 March Watford, Technical College
19 March
Plymouth, Guild
Hall
24 March
London, Lyceum +
Stud, John St Field 
25 March Wellingborough, Rock Club
March/April Other English cathedrals played???
01 April Barry, Memorial Hall
02 April Redcar, Coatham Hotel
07 April Norwich, Cathedral filmed for BBC2 TV
08 April Dagenham, Village Roundhouse
14 April Preston, Public Hall
April/May 18 date tour of Ireland, Norway, Holland, Switzerland, Germany in this period???
May
Self
(RCA) released (UK
#50, 1 week on the chart)
May BBC2 TV broadcast Norwich Cathedral concert
04 May Oxford, St Clares Hall
05 May Slough, Community centre
12 May
Zurich, Volkshaus (privately
recorded by Rudra) 
13 May Colchester, University
18 May High Wycombe, Parish Church (Shelter benefit)
19 May
London,
Thames Polytechnic 
03 June Waltham
Forest, Technical College
10 June Cambridge, Corn Exchange
June Shiva & Dave sacked soon forming Kala
July No gigs 4-piece Quintessence rehearsing new act/writing new album
04 August Barry, Memorial Hall
05 August Liverpool, Stadium
06 August Hartlepool, Borough Hall
08 August Bournemouth, Chelsea Village + Amazing Blondel
12 August Dagenham, Village Roundhouse + Trapeze
13 August
Reading, 11th National Blues, Folk & Rock Festival
+ Ten Years After, Wizzard, Status Quo, Matching Mole, Stray and others. Did Quintessence play?
21 August Dunstable, Civic Hall
28 August Plymouth, Guild Hall
31 August Widnes, Queen's Hall
01 September Glasgow Town Hall
15 September Reading Town Hall
22 September Margate, Dreamland
28 September Manchester, Hardrock + ELO
30 September Aylesbury, Friars
04 October London, Bumpers + Lol Coxhill, Bridget Str. John and others
13 October Brighton, Sussex University
08 November London, Polytechnic
December
Indweller
(RCA) released 
08 December Rochdale, Champness Hall
09 December Liverpool, Stadium
10 December Manchester, Mr. Smith's
14 December Stoke, Heavy Steam Machine
15 December Blackburn, King George's Hall
16 December
London, Friend's House, Euston Rd. 
18 December Oxford, Town Hall
22 December Birmingham, Town Hall
1973
24 January Cheltenham, Pavillon
25 January Bristol, Victoria Rooms
26 January Colchester, Polytechnic
27 January Manchester, Institute of Science
09 February Derby, Tech College
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