Motown& Soul nights with Sid Hudson
Friday Oct 3rd United Services Club, Dunstable
start 8pm  Tickets £8
 
Saturday November 8th Barton Village Hall, Barton-Le-Clay
Tickets  £7.50  start 8pm

Friday December 12th   "Christmas Special" United services
Club, Dunstable  start 8pm  tickets £8.50
 
Tickets for the above events will be available from September 1st
from Clowns - 01582 699402, the United Services Club - 01582 475607 and online at www.cali-r.com

Special one off performance to celebrate his new forthcoming book, "King of the Cali"

Russ Sainty Plus Levante

There will also be star names from the 60s pop scene attending this night.
United Services Club, High St South Dunstable
Friday November 14th - start 7.30pm
Tickets £8.50 available from September 1st. book online or
Clowns 01582 699402, or Club itself.

Together with The Book Castle, Russ will be launching his book on this very special night. Russ has invited a few of his many friends from his long career to attend the evening. Here is a sneak preview of what the book contains.

The legendary ‘Cali’ venue on Dunstable Downs, Bedfordshire was a magnet for almost every top rock and pop act of the sixties – Tom Jones, The Hollies, The Bee Gees, The Walker Brothers, The Rolling Stones, The Searchers, Craig Douglas, Brian Poole and The Tremeloes, The Barron Knights, P.J. Proby, The Dave Clark Five, The Tornados, Lulu, The Eagles, The Byrds, Billy Fury, Dusty Springfield, The Who, Stevie Wonder...the list goes on and on.

But one performer above all was synonymous with The Cali. He was booked by Edwin Green for no less than an incredible 336 sessions up to the mid-sixties, including the magical opening night of March 12th 1960. Now that star, Russ Sainty, takes us behind the scenes to share some of his ‘Cali Happenings’. For instance, why Mick Jagger and Mel Miller almost came to blows, and why The Spotnicks came off stage with very red faces!

Away from The Cali, we hear of his prolific BBC Radio and Television appearances, and numerous attempts to achieve that elusive hit single.

He explains what happened to his backing group, The Nu-Notes, after they split, and where his own career has taken him from then up to the present day, latterly performing cabaret at venues in the South of England. Recently in 2006, along with legends like Cliff Richard, The Shadows, Wee Willie Harris and others, he was honoured by ‘The 2i’s Coffee Bar’ in London as one of British Rock ‘n Roll’s ‘Founding Fathers’.

During over 50 years in show business he has met and performed with so many other stars, and shares memorable encounters with Arthur Askey, Alma Cogan, Vera Lynn, Frank Ifield, Bobby Vee, Olivia Newton John, Bert Weedon, Matt Monroe, Eden Kane and Tommy Steele.

Russ’s story is a roller-coaster ride of triumph and disappointment, but he tells it all with truth and integrity. Life has always been fun and never predictable for the ‘King of The Cali’.

Why Cali-r is not allowed in Grove Theatre Dunstable

On May 29th 2007 the Cali-r attended a meeting with the Council and Leisure Connection
(theatre operators), unaware a decision had already been made to eliminate Cali-r from the Grove Theatre on the grounds that it is unsuitable.

When challenging this not one legitimate operational reason was given. Comments were made at this meeting which led the Cali-r to believe it was dealing with a prejudiced view.

Conflicting statements have been given to local press and radio by the Council and Leisure Connection (theatre operators) as to why the Cali-r is not allowed at the Grove Theatre Dunstable.

Most of the time when the media have contacted the Council and Leisure Connection with questions, there was no reply. e-mails have been sent to the Grove Theatre by dissatisfied customers but they too have not been replied to. Petitions have also been started by people who think this decision is unjust.

We now have four different petitions amounting to more than 1700 signatures and the number is still rising. Please add yours to our online petition now by clicking here.

Also, click here to see a letter from Cali-r supporter John Bigwood which sums everything up.

Thank you very much.

The Cali-R Team