MEMORY LANE EVENTS
Terry Brown presents....
Memory Lane London 2026
Memory Lane is pleased to announce the next annual get together Memory Lane London 2026 which will be held as usual at the Phoenix Arts Club, Charing Cross Road, London on Saturday 17th October 2026 from noon until 4:30pm. (Doors open 11:45.)
The Phoenix Arts Club is an “intimate” night-club style venue in the basement of the Phoenix Theatre. The event is particularly aimed at our subscribers as a thank you, as without you there would be no Memory Lane. As importantly, the event is a key fund raiser, as every penny of the ticket money goes to support the magazine.
As well as the delightful cabaret chanteuse and Talking Pictures TV star Kate Garner, we are delighted to welcome back The Piccadilly Dance Orchestra, with vocalist/ compere, Karla Beare who will be presenting Piccadilly Picks, a selection of the band’s most requested songs and arrangements from the golden years, as featured on their recent CD issues. Your ticket also includes free entry to the popular Memory Lane raffle with top value mystery prizes.
This is a great opportunity to spend an afternoon in convivial company of folk who share your love of the Great British Dance Bands. A complimentary buffet lunch will be available on arrival, with free tea and coffee for the day and as usual a free bar. Tickets are available now, but are strictly limited in number. Our recent events sold out rapidly, so order your tickets early to avoid disappointment. Please provide an e-mail address or telephone number in case of any last-minute changes.
Tickets can be bought by Memory Lane subscribers ONLY for up FOUR tickets per subscriber, and are at the special subscriber’s price of only £40.00 per ticket. Those who are not current subscribers will need to take out a subscription to Memory Lane to order tickets.
Tickets are available here:
Kate Garner
The Piccadilly Dance Orchestra
I offer a Talk entitled "Music Maestro Please" about the British dance bands of the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s.
I am a specialist on the history of the British dance band, having studied the subject over many years. I am the author of two books on the great Al Bowlly, and long-time editor of the acclaimed magazine "Memory Lane". Additionally, I have presented over 100 radio shows on the subject and contributed to programs on Radio 2 and 4 plus Jazz FM. I have also been involved with several television shows and worked with Roy Hudd and Len Goodman.
My presentation "Music Maestro Please" focuses on British dance band era from the post WW1 years. The talk will explore the origins of dance music in the early 1920s and follow its development through the heyday of the dance bands including some details about the most important and successful bands of the age.
The 1940s saw the decline of the genre. I will examine the causes of that decline.
A crucial aspect to be looked at is the technology that made the bands successful. The development of the microphone, the transition from acoustic to electronic recording and the birth of radio all demonstrating why all this was important to the bands. The genre could not have developed as it did without it..
I will discuss the emergence of crooners and include a section devoted to Al Bowlly, the dance bands singer who, since his death, has eclipsed the bands of which he was a part.
The talk which includes some humour can be followed by a question and answer session.
The Talk can be tailored to your requirements and can last up to 2 hours. Optional music and Power Point Presentation to accompany the Talk are available if required.