Although a complete account of all the musicians who played here is not possible, I have complied the most comprehensive list yet to be published. Chronologically, it moves from big bands, jazz, rock, British blues, and Pop, as the popular styles change. Kilburn State (Dick Weindling, July 2015) Because of the large seating capacity of 4,004, the Gaumont State in Kilburn High Road was used as a venue for many shows by touring American and British musicians. The Gaumont State Cinema was opened on 20 Dec 1937 with a sell-out show, which was also broadcast on the BBC radio. 1937, Dec 20 opening of Gaumont State Cinema Singer Gracie Fields, Larry Adler harmonica, Henry Hall and his Orchestra, Alfred van Dam and his State Orchestra, and others Here is a Gaumont Newsreel tour of the building and people arriving at the opening night, with a typical jokey 1937 voiceover 1938, July 23 The Hyams brothers (Phil, Syd and Mick), who ran the State, organised a midnight performance to raise money fo
This is a famous, and in many ways unique, case from 1949. The Background Stanley Setty was born as Salman Seti or Salik in Baghdad in 1903. The family moved to Manchester in 1908 where his father was a cloth merchant. Stanley worked in the business until 1920 when his father abandoned his wife and children and went to live in Italy. To earn a living, Stanley set up a shipping business with his brother David and when that failed, worked on his own account as a cloth dealer. Unfortunately, he lost a great deal of money gambling and was declared bankrupt in 1927. To avoid his creditors, Stanley left the country in December 1927 to stay with his father in Milan. He returned in April 1928 and at his bankruptcy hearing it was said Stanley bought cloth on credit, selling it cut price on the same day, and not paying the suppliers. That August he pleaded guilty to multiple offences under the Bankruptcy and Debtors Acts. When the judge sentenced him to 18 months in prison, Setty’s mother had t