Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Amazing story of the promoter who brought The Beatles to Dundee
WHEN The Beatles rolled into Dundee in 1963 and 1964, local lad Andi Lothian was on hand to help promote the gig. However, it was actually Elgin promoter Albert Bonici who negotiated with the band’s management back in
1962 to have a clause in their contract meaning he had first call on any Scottish tour dates. Beatles enthusiast Mark Aldridge said: “This is an amazing story of an entrepreneur of Italian descent, which I feel needs telling.
“Albert Bonici signed
The Beatles for their first tour of Scotland and two central belt ones.
“The first tour was due to begin in Keith on January 2 1963 but due to bad weather it actually started at Bonici’s club The 2 Red Shoes in Elgin the next day.
“He employed Gordon Hardie to deal with the date at the Beach Ballroom in Aberdeen and Andi Lothian to look after the Bridge of Allan date. “Bonici was the premier promotor for Scottish dates and was approached by Jack Fallon who operated Cana Variety Agency in London to take the band.
“Bonici had negotiated a clause in the contract signed in late 1962 for first rights on any subsequent Scottish tour and so promoted their 1963 and 1964 tours. “Lothian, who was 20 at the time, assisted with the central belt dates and was present when Bonici negotiated the deals in Liverpool with Brian Epstein.
“I’m a Beatles fan who just happens to live in Elgin but I have one tenuous link, as my cousin Alastair Gordon played keyboard in The Alex Sutherland Band who supported The Beatles in January 1963. “I’m also part of the committee for the Bonici celebration concert, which was due to take place in July but has been postponed until next year.”
David Dills, who is also organising the celebration extravaganza and writes about the musical era on his website Scotbeat, said: “I’ve written on the subject of The Beatles in Scotland and uncovered notes between Albert Bonici and Jack Fallon who featured many of the top ’60s music acts in the UK.
“With Jack’s assistance, Albert was successful in keeping bands on tour in the north of Scotland over several years and featured bands such as The Rolling Stones and The Who when they were at the start of their careers.”
While Lothian is no doubt a big part of The Beatles in Dundee, it turns out we have Bonici to thank too.