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The Who at the Valley - Crowd photos

Henry Irving
Henry Irving Posts: 85,479
in General Charlton
Found in a box of old stuff in the Museum as we scan more and more stuff.

No named photographer and it's not Tom Morris.


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Comments

  • Henry Irving
    Henry Irving Posts: 85,479
    Homage to the cover of Who's Next


  • Henry Irving
    Henry Irving Posts: 85,479
    looking along the back of the open end towards the East terrace
  • Henry Irving
    Henry Irving Posts: 85,479
    from the back of the open end
  • Henry Irving
    Henry Irving Posts: 85,479
    The stage/main stand from the back of the open end
  • stonemuse
    stonemuse Posts: 34,226
    Great pics, nice to see some new ones after all this time. 
  • DaveMehmet
    DaveMehmet Posts: 21,749
    Brilliant. Wouldn’t like to guess the amount of gear floating around in the crowd.
  • SoundAsa£
    SoundAsa£ Posts: 22,569
    Great stuff.
    If any photos show a person on stage standing in front of the stage left speaker stack......... it’s yours truly!
  • bobmunro
    bobmunro Posts: 21,088
    The bloke on the extreme right having a leak - I'm not saying for certain but it could be me.
  • Henry Irving
    Henry Irving Posts: 85,479
    bobmunro said:
    The bloke on the extreme right having a leak - I'm not saying for certain but it could be me.
    Boasting again Bob :smile:
  • eaststandmike
    eaststandmike Posts: 14,956
    bobmunro said:
    The bloke on the extreme right having a leak - I'm not saying for certain but it could be me.
    Looks like you having a good look at the blokes todger stood next to you. Got something you want to share Bob  ;)

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  • bobmunro
    bobmunro Posts: 21,088
    eaststandmike said:
    bobmunro said:
    The bloke on the extreme right having a leak - I'm not saying for certain but it could be me.
    Looks like you having a good look at the blokes todger stood next to you. Got something you want to share Bob  ;)

    It must be me then!
  • MrOneLung
    MrOneLung Posts: 27,092
    Is the bloke on the right saying 'will give you 3/1 you cant piss over the top of the wall'

    If so, that's Bob.
  • southwoodaddick1949
    southwoodaddick1949 Posts: 6
    Nothing to do with the photo's, but my lasting memory of that day was being on a 177 bus going towards Woolwich, upstairs on the bus a bloke got off at the Watermans arms, he had 2 carrier bags full of cans of lager & said "do you want them?" as he couldn't be arsed to carry them to The Valley, gratefully received !
  • TellyTubby
    TellyTubby Posts: 3,577
    1974 rather than 1976? I don't recall rain in 76.
  • Airman Brown
    Airman Brown Posts: 15,792
    TellyTubby said:
    1974 rather than 1976? I don't recall rain in 76.
    Might be able to date it from the construction works on the sold-off land behind the terrace?

    Rare picture showing the original builders’ yard too.
  • Badger
    Badger Posts: 4,842
    TellyTubby said:
    1974 rather than 1976? I don't recall rain in 76.

    It did rain at the '76 concert, The Who came on to a very wet stage
  • Bangkokaddick
    Bangkokaddick Posts: 4,323
    TellyTubby said:
    1974 rather than 1976? I don't recall rain in 76.
    The 1974 gig was on a gloriously sunny day. I got sunburnt.

    Found myself in the previous Bad Company crowd picture as I vaguely remembered where I was sitting. No chance in these but great pics and thanks for posting, Henry
  • TellyTubby
    TellyTubby Posts: 3,577
    Thanks @Badger and @Bangkokaddick 1976 it was then. I was going to say that if it was 1974 that I can't explain why there was elbow room as it was a who sell out. 

    I was too young to go in 1974 really, I recall thinking that I'm a boy so i decided to substitute a trip to the valley at 5.15 to view pictures of Lilly whilst playing my squeezebox.


  • _MrDick
    _MrDick Posts: 13,147
    SoundAsa£ said:
    Great stuff.
    If any photos show a person on stage standing in front of the stage left speaker stack......... it’s yours truly!
    The gig in 1974 was one of the best days of my life. I was 14. My dad worked for London Electricity and he was given the opportunity to work behind the scenes for the day just in case something went wrong with the power supply.

    He was, what was known as an electrical  joiner and In those days, when there was a loss of power, it was his responsibility to get a gang out to get it fixed and quite often he'd take me with him on a job. Obviously, didn't get involved and all I'd do was sit in his bright orange mini van.

    So,he was on standby for the day. When he asked if I wanted to go to the Valley and be backstage for the day, I jumpt at the chance. 

    If I'm being truthful, I didn't really appreciate how big some of the acts were. Obviously, I knew about the Who but had never heard of the like of Montrose and didn't realise Bad Company was the reincarnation of Free

    So to cut to the chase, I was restricted as to where I could go and spent most of the 12 hours I was there milling around at the back of the stand. But I did mange to watch things from the wings and my programme was signed by, in no particular order. 

    Roger Daltrey
    Pete Townsend
    Keith Moon
    Lou Reed
    Maggie Bell
    Sammy Hagar
    Ronnie Montrose
    Paul Rodgers
    Simon Kirke

    There might have been a few other artists but my memory escapes me. I never expected an experience like this so didn't take a camera.  If only they  had smart phones in those days! 

    To be clear, I didn't approach these superstars. It was a really friendly stagehand who did it for me. That programme would be worth a fortune in today's market but unfortunately it got thrown away, along with 1000's of Charlton programmes when my mum moved after my dad died in 1992. 

    I was back there in 1976 but this time as a paying customer. I was on the East Terrace and can confirm it pissed down

    i will take this memory with me to my grave. 


  • Addickted
    Addickted Posts: 19,456
    I remember in 76 as my first time with the weed. Thought I was dying.

    By the time it started to get dark, I could roll a joint with one hand.

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  • seth plum
    seth plum Posts: 53,448
    For the second gig it was so wet and miserable that the Who knew they had to play the gig of gigs to redeem the day.
    They did.
    They opened with 'Can't Explain' in powerful, electrifying blistering fashion and within a bar the entire sodden crowd was on it's feet and roaring.
    The set they played was absolutely intense and straight to the heart.
    I wouldn't know, but I suspect we saw the Who in one of their best ever performances that rainy evening at the Valley.
  • SX_Addick
    SX_Addick Posts: 668
    Enjoyed the line up (and weather) for the ‘74 gig more than ‘76. Lindisfarne got the Geordies on their feet and created a good atmosphere. This was before the cans and bottles started flying. Maggie Bell and Bad Company were also good. Thought The Who were better in ‘76 than ‘74.

    Great pics btw. 
  • Solidgone
    Solidgone Posts: 10,264
    edited March 2019
    76 rained.  I also recall the Sensational Alex Harvey Band. 
  • Solidgone
    Solidgone Posts: 10,264
    A badge from the 76 gig. 

  • Addick in SW16
    Addick in SW16 Posts: 1,421
    edited March 2019
    TellyTubby said:
    Thanks @Badger and @Bangkokaddick 1976 it was then. I was going to say that if it was 1974 that I can't explain why there was elbow room as it was a who sell out. 

    I was too young to go in 1974 really, I recall thinking that I'm a boy so i decided to substitute a trip to the valley at 5.15 to view pictures of Lilly whilst playing my squeezebox.


    I saw what you did there!
  • Baldybonce
    Baldybonce Posts: 9,707
    Addick in SW16 said:
    TellyTubby said:
    Thanks @Badger and @Bangkokaddick 1976 it was then. I was going to say that if it was 1974 that I can't explain why there was elbow room as it was a who sell out. 

    I was too young to go in 1974 really, I recall thinking that I'm a boy so i decided to substitute a trip to the valley at 5.15 to view pictures of Lilly whilst playing my squeezebox.


    I saw what you did there!
    I think you've missed the rest.
  • Jaybinho
    Jaybinho Posts: 105
    Before my time but my mum gave this to me years ago


  • Henry Irving
    Henry Irving Posts: 85,479
    Jaybinho said:
    Before my time but my mum gave this to me years ago


    Lovely, we have a programme and ticket in the museum from 1976 but not the a badge (hint hint @Solidgone

    We have a nice signed poster from both concerts too.
  • _MrDick
    _MrDick Posts: 13,147
    Jaybinho said:
    Before my time but my mum gave this to me years ago


    For you youngsters, in 1976, £4 was a lot of money. My weekly pay from a student job in Sainsbury’s was £7.54. Today, £4 just about covers a large cappuccino in Costa
  • blackpool72
    blackpool72 Posts: 23,888
    Solidgone said:
    76 rained.  I also recall the Sensational Alex Harvey Band. 
    Best warm up act ever.
    Alex Harvey had a rain soaked crowd buzzing so that when the who took to the stage the valley was perfectly set up for them.

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