Advert
Tabernacle Club
1967

“This is a later fantasy poster produced by a Stockport resident and shared on social media a couple of years ago. It is not an original advert from 1967. An original advert wouldn't advertise upcoming shows over a six month period.

Also, there is primary evidence, in the form of the Riot Squad's contemporary booking diary, that Bowie did not accompany the band to either the Stockport or the Liverpool shows that April.”

“David with The Riot Squad did indeed play The Tabernacle Club, on the 9th April 1967. It is documented via a number of highly credible sources.
David was never an actual member of the Riot Squad, he did however 'join' them onstage, the reason being by this time David had signed with Deram (Decca) records and was recording ('The Laughing Gnome' single and his debut album 'David Bowie' which were released shortly thereafter. As to the poster, this one displayed here www.manchesterbeat.com/venues/venues-... with a comment from someone who actually attended the Riot Squad gig of 9th April 1967”

“That poster was created by John Barratt of Seven Miles Out. He sells them online. It is not original to the period.

Bowie’s short tenure with The Riot Squad was casual and unofficial. He didn’t play every show with them during that period. The assumption that he did is just that: an assumption based on wobbly logic. There is no primary evidence to support it. Secondary sources are not evidence, no matter how credible they may seem. Information gets repeated on the Internet without being fact-checked.

A good friend of mine, and one of the world’s leading Bowie collectors, knows The Riot Squad’s drummer, Derek “Del” Roll. Del kept the band’s booking diary and he made detailed notes of which band members played which shows, so they could divvy up the money fairly.

Bowie is not listed against the Stockport or Liverpool shows in April 1967. That is primary, contemporary, written evidence.”