THE WHO AT BOWES LYON HOUSE - 17TH JUNE 1965

Bowes Lyon House had opened as a Youth and Community Centre in 1965 offering a range of activities. The main hall was big enough for live music and many unknown and well known acts played here over the next three decades.

The Who were on the cusp of stardom when they appeared here on 17 June 1965. Their first single "I Can't Explain" had entered the charts in April 1965 and their reputation was growing, As a "mod" town Stevenage was an obvious place to play.

Ian Hughes: "Groups only played a twenty minute slot in those days not a whole show. When The Who came to Bowes Lyon House they came straight from playing their new record on TV and then played live. Its strange looking back we almost took for granted going to these things. Little did we know how amazing it would be to look back on."

Mick Hopkins : "The thing I remember most was the gradually building atmosphere. As the main hall filled up everyone was trying to get a decent place and there was a lot of pushing and shoving, all good natured, although I'm sure if the health and safety people had come round they would have shut the place down for overcrowding.

We were all shouting for them to come on and the noise was incredible, and all the time the PA was announcing that unless we calmed down they wouldn't come on. This was repeated several times and eventually they appeared. As you probably know, Pete Townshend in particular got a high from an appreciative audience, and this one was particularly appreciative. It's difficult to say why the audience were more wound up at this appearance as many of us had seen them before at places such as Watford Trade Hall and Hitchin Town Hall (when they were still the High Numbers). Having seen them a few times previously, the only difference I can recall from their other gigs was that they were much more responsive  to the crowd, and this I put down to the atmosphere which had been created. Anyway, it must have been a good one for them because as you know, they played the Locarno a few times and gave us a dedication on Quadrophenia. We saw them several times after that, but eventually they calmed down (apart from Moonie), or maybe it was them, and us, getting older. However, they are still the most exciting act I've ever seen, and I've seen a few!"

Note: The Who would never return to Bowes Lyon House but played Stevenage Locarno (Mecca) six times between July 1965 and May 1967.