THE WHO ATTRACTED A RECORD CROWD

THE best attendance yet at the new "big beat sessions" - 1,056 - packed into Malvern Winter Gardens last week for the visit of the Who. Hundreds made the eight mile trip from Worcester.

Well known groups at such small admission prices are good value; therefore it does seem at last as if Malvern teenagers have found something that they are willing to support. These dances are more popular than those previously held at the Winter Gardens when lesser known groups were on the bill for a greater admission price.

The people who support beat are youngsters, a section of the community that does not have money to throw away.

How are the promoters able to put on such well-known groups so cheaply? The London firm running these shows have these groups under contract so they are cheaper for them than outside promoters. Also sometimes a group will do two shows in one evening - not necessarily for a great financial benefit for themselves.

That is why the promoters have been able to show faith in the prospective E.S.D. that the Winter Gardens offers and look three more top line groups for future sessions.

Next Tuesday the Zombies appear followed on December 7

by the Hollies, who need no introduction to Malvern fans. A week later the "Hang on Sloopy" group, America's McCoys, top the bill.

In fact whether Malvern continues to have the chance of seeing top line groups rests with the teenagers alone. The big support so far has been increasing steadily and the appearance of the Hollies should mark the first capacity audience.

The Winter Gardens management has been asked tentatively to reserve all the Tuesdays up to the end of March 1966.

It's nice to know that somebody at least looks on Malvern as a little goldmine!

Going back to the Who, although a great success, they certainly made sure that everybody heard them. A senior member of the Winter Gardens staff remarked "You can hear them halfway up Church-street."

Star of the outfit was the drummer, who kept up a non-stop solo from start to finish. Some of the audience who had seen them before said that this was one of their poorer performances, but if they play so loud at every performance it must be difficult to distinguish good from bad.

The group were the forerunners of the "pop art" image, but rhythm guitarist Pete Townshend untutched that the phase of "pop art" and "mod gear" was rapidly culminating. The group have recently been to Paris and the tour that the tasteful "man about Town" lines of the day capital might be the next trend over here.

So, "with it" girl, trouser wearers, and Doy parkas and combat jacket sporters, if you want to keep up with the fashions, how about taking a quick trip across the Channel . . . (and the sooner the better).