Did the Four Tops have an added date to their tour in 1972 and appear at the Birmingham Odeon - I was still at school or had just left and I drove there with my brother Chris and a couple of mates to see them - arrived late for the full show - full Motown orchestra and I think Thelma Houston but somewhere in my mind was Mable John. Could of imagined that - but what is not in doubt is that seated in the balcony as the Tops arrived on stage - two from each side, swaying from left to right until meeting in the middle all going the same way - to ' I can't help myself ' - absolutely awesome / at the top of their game. Finished up in a city centre night club drinking the worst pint of M&B Brew XI in history - remember that more than the Tops playlist. Anybody out there remember - the Odeon was packed / full house so someone was there. I cannot find any record of this venue /  gig on this tour but it did happen.

Also anybody remember the Blues & Soul promoted early 70's short tour by Al Green, Rufus Thomas, Tami Lynn & Philip Mitchell - A couple of London dates and one in Manchester - drove through the snow on my own from Leicester to catch this gig in Manchester - poorly attended probably less than 1/2 full, then had to drive home on my lonesome through a blizzard. Tired  of being alone and too much funky chicken for my liking and no sign of Free for all but plenty of Running away from you.

16 hours ago, Vadnochka said:

Also anybody remember the Blues & Soul promoted early 70's short tour by Al Green, Rufus Thomas, Tami Lynn & Philip Mitchell - A couple of London dates and one in Manchester - drove through the snow on my own from Leicester to catch this gig in Manchester - poorly attended probably less than 1/2 full, then had to drive home on my lonesome through a blizzard. Tired  of being alone and too much funky chicken for my liking and no sign of Free for all but plenty of Running away from you.

I was at the Manchester one, it was in the CIS building, I don't remember it being half full but you could well be right. Al Green didn't appear as he was ill, I'm pretty sure that was why Phillip Mitchell was flown in as a last minute replacement. I do remember being blown away by his energetic performance. Not sure if Rufus was wearing a pink hot pants suit that night or whether that was another gig on the Blues Legends Tour at the Holdsworth Hall also in Manchester around the same time period. I still have half my ticket for the CIS show with Al Green crossed out and Phillip Mitchell written in, think I did that myself.

     I did see Phillip Mitchell a couple of years later supporting Wilson Picket in a club in Liverpool which was also poorly attended, if memory serves me right there were maybe only 100 people there which surprised us for a man like Wilson. On that night Phillip Mitchell had had an accident and could barely walk ,his set was totally different to the CIS  one if memory serves me right, more ballads. I did get a poster signed by both Phillip and Wilson which used to be on the wall leading down in the cellar in our house, to my eternal dismay when we moved house I forgot about the posters ,returning two days later to be told "oh we binned them".  

I've just checked on a site I found, it doesn't list a gig in Birmingham that's not to say there wasn't one, it does list one at the Top Rank Reading where Thelma Houston does appear as support