The Whole Story of The Famous Kinema Ballroom in Dunfermline (now in its 78th Year!)
 

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In Memory of Stuart Adamson

 

  1980s

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The (Kinema) Ballroom would be changed forever when its doors were closed on Saturday 20th September 1980. Work soon commenced to transform the building into a state of the art discotheque and Night Magic opened its doors on Friday 24th October.  Rumour has it that tickets for the opening night changed hands outside the venue for £20! (A considerable sum in 1980).

New Year's Day Thursday January 1st 1981 was kicked off with an appearance by the famous Top Of The Pops Dance Troupe Pan's People.

£50,000 worth of modernisation was undertaken during the two-week closure between Sunday 17th July 1983 and Saturday 30th July 1983.

Tuesday 30th October 1984 H2O cancelled due to lack of public support.

Refurbishment closed Night Magic's doors between Friday 28th July 1986 and the following Friday 1st August 1986.

Night Magic's doors would be closed for the last time on Sunday 31st January 1988. Hollywood Boulevard which opened on Friday 10th June 1988 and was hailed as "Scotland’s Premier Night Scene".

The first two of six special events took place on Saturday & Sunday 4th (Big Fun & Jayne) & 5th (London Boys & Jermaine Stewart) of November 1989 when the TV show 'The Hitman & Her' (presented by Pete Waterman & Michaela Strachan) was recorded in Hollywood Boulevard.  They must have enjoyed themselves, as they came back to do it all again on Saturday & Sunday 27th (Lonnie Gordon & Sybil) & 28th (Guru Josh & Santos) of December 1989 and again on Saturday & Sunday 4th (Tongue 'n' Cheek & Liaz) & 5th (Big Fun & Jay Mondi) of August 1990! Tam Jamieson & Derek Miller were the DJs on these occasions.

 

Highlights included:

Amazulu
Bananarama
The Beat
Big Country
Elvis Costello and the Attractions
Hazell Dean
Doll By Doll
Girlschool
The Go-Go's
David Grant
Herman's Hermits
Thelma Houston
Tippa Irie
Iron Maiden
London Boys
The Love Affair
The Merseybeats
Nazareth
Odyssey
Paper Lace
Jimmy Ruffin
The Tommy Sampson Orchestra
Slaughter and The Dogs
Sonja
Edwin Starr
Jermaine Stewart
Strawberry Switchblade
The Supremes
Viola Wills

 

1980 - 1989

DateDayHeadline ActSupport ActRemarks
11/01/1980FridayNatural High

18/01/1980FridaySidekicks

25/01/1980FridayRosetta Stone*
* postponed
01/02/1980FridayRosetta Stone

05/02/1980TuesdayPaddy Neary
Dunfermline & District Accordion & Fiddle Club
08/02/1980FridayFront Page News

15/02/1980FridayThe Jets

22/02/1980FridayThe Office Boy

29/02/1980FridayThe Hobbits

01/03/1980SaturdayThe Beat
Tickets £2
04/03/1980TuesdayWalloch Mor Ceilidh Band
Dunfermline & District Accordion & Fiddle Club
07/03/1980FridayRokotto
UK Disco-Funk
14/03/1980FridayYankee

15/03/1980SaturdayTraxInsect Bites / Everest The Hard WayTrax were formerly Straits
17/03/1980MondayTrax Trax were formerly Straits
21/03/1980FridayMakossa

23/03/1980SundayElvis Costello and the AttractionsClive Langer & The Boxes'Get Happy' tour - Tickets £3
28/03/1980FridayThe Jets

30/03/1980SundaySlaughter and The DogsAbrasive Wheels
Tickets £2

An earlier booking was cancelled on 10/09/1977 due to Slaughter's reputation for chucking flour about on stage ... and another booking was cancelled on 25/05/1978 because Slaughter had split!

01/04/1980TuesdayBobby Crowe & His Broadcasting Band

06/04/1980SundayRosetta Stone
Tickets £1.50
11/04/1980FridayThe James Boys

18/04/1980FridayHarry Wragg

25/04/1980FridayThe Jets

01/05/1980ThursdayCadizNite Owl
04/05/1980SundayMadnessClive Langer & The Boxes / The Go-Go's
06/05/1980TuesdayWillie Simpson & His Broadcast Band
Dunfermline & District Accordion & Fiddle Club
08/05/1980ThursdayMafia

09/05/1980FridayStreet Party

17/05/1980SaturdayIron MaidenPraying MantisTickets £2.50
23/05/1980FridayRosetta Stone

24/05/1980SaturdayDoll By DollCadizTickets £2
30/05/1980FridayThe Jets

13/06/1980FridayMahanna
6-Piece Disco-Soul Band
27/06/1980FridayDick Smith Rock 'n' Roll Band

Early July 1980UnknownAbnormal LoadPhyne Thanquz
Deuce
 
06/07/1980SundayGirlschoolBiocar
11/07/1980FridayThe Jets

24/07/1980ThursdaySidiki

31/07/1980ThursdayPhyne Thanquz

 
07/08/1980ThursdayThose French Girls
The last band to play the venue with it's original moniker ... 'The Kinema Ballroom'!
29/01/1982FridayThe Original Caribbean Steel Band
The first band to play the venue with it's new moniker ...  'Night Magic'!
13/03/1983SundayStudio 54

14/08/1984TuesdayNazarethGlasgowTickets £3
18/09/1984TuesdayMakossa

09/10/1984TuesdayNazarethThe Sapolas
Tickets £3.50
30/10/1984TuesdayH2O*
* Gig cancelled due to lack of public support
02/05/1985Thursday7 West

10/10/1985ThursdayStrawberry Switchblade

16/10/1985WednesdayDave PopeThe Saltmine Band
03/11/1985SundaySyndicate

23/11/1985SaturdayCanuteDavid Emmanuel
30/11/1985SaturdayWell Red

18/12/1985WednesdayEdwin StarrOdyssey
08/02/1986SaturdayTracey Carmen

21/03/1986FridayFlesh
 
29/03/1986SaturdayDavid Grant

12/04/1986SaturdayTippa Irie

16/04/1986WednesdayJimmy Shand Junior

26/04/1986SaturdaySteve CarltonSandra Cross
03/05/1986SaturdayBananarama

17/05/1986SaturdayCognacEvonne
31/05/1986SaturdaySimone

07/06/1986SaturdayAmazulu

14/06/1986SaturdayPeter King

21/06/1986Saturday400 Blows

05/07/1986SaturdayEllie Warren

19/07/1986SaturdayKelly Marie

20/07/1986SundayTrance DanceLow Profile
09/08/1986SaturdayZhice
5-Piece Soul Band
16/08/1986SaturdayAustin Howard

17/08/1986SundayTrance Dance

29/08/1986FridayDeon Estus
Bass guitarist with Wham!
19/09/1986FridayLoose Ends

01/10/1986WednesdayMiddle Age Spread

05/10/1986SundayThe Sapolas

24/10/1986FridayWayne Foote
Ex vocalist with 'Slave' from USA
12/12/1986FridayVeneice
Three girl vocalists
21/12/1986SundaySlurpy Gloop
Experimental electronica
30/01/1987FridayPure Glass

06/02/1987FridayPure Glass

20/03/1987FridayCarol Jiani

25/03/1987WednesdayMiddle Age Spread

03/04/1987FridayH2O  
24/04/1987FridayDamian

23/05/1987SaturdayJamie Dean

17/06/1987WednesdayTalkin' To Walls

01/07/1987WednesdayTalkin' To Walls

15/07/1987WednesdayThe Tommy Sampson OrchestraRhona Hughes16 Piece Big-Band
25/07/1987SaturdayTuxedo
Three-boy soul group
06/08/1987ThursdayAlto CirrusNo ExcuseTickets £1
13/08/1987ThursdayTrident
NWOBHM band from Glasgow
19/08/1987WednesdayThe Tommy Sampson OrchestraRhona Hughes16 Piece Big-Band
10/09/1987ThursdayGrey By The Gun

14/09/1987MondayThe Tommy Sampson OrchestraRhona Hughes
02/10/1987FridayTalkin' To Walls

14/10/1987WednesdayThe Tommy Sampson OrchestraRhona Hughes
18/12/1987FridayBig CountryThe GiftFirst home gig since 1982. Almost 1000 £7 tickets sell-out this gig.
22/01/1988Friday7th Avenue
7th Avenue would become 'Big Fun'
25/01/1988Monday7th AvenueJayne7th Avenue would become 'Big Fun'
10/06/1988FridayEdwin StarrShirley LewisBallroom re-opens as Hollywood Boulevard.
01/07/1988FridayHazell Dean

26/08/1988FridayTaffy

02/11/1988WednesdayDave Berry & The Cruisers

04/11/1988FridayJimmy Ruffin

09/11/1988WednesdayThe Merseybeats

11/11/1988FridayGlen Goldsmith

16/11/1988WednesdayThe Love Affair

18/11/1988FridayViola Wills

23/11/1988WednesdayPaper Lace

30/11/1988WednesdayHerman's Hermits

24/01/1989TuesdayMan To Man

27/01/1989FridayThelma Houston

03/03/1989FridayBig Fun
Formerly 7th Avenue
16/06/1989FridayLondon Boys

28/06/1989WednesdayDamian

30/06/1989FridayBig FunSonia 
26/08/1989SaturdayLove Decree

29/09/1989FridayHazell Dean

04/11/1989SaturdayBig FunJayneRecorded for the hit television show 'The Hit Man & Her' presented by Pete Waterman & Michaela Strachan (Tickets £7)
05/11/1989SundayLondon BoysJermaine StewartRecorded for the hit television show 'The Hit Man & Her' presented by Pete Waterman & Michaela Strachan (Tickets £4)
27/11/1989MondayFormer Ladies of The Supremes

02/12/1989SaturdayDamian


Over Two Million Verifiable Hits since launch in Sept 2006 = Average rate of more than Twenty Thousand Hits/Month

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