RETINALCIRCUS

Latest Update: December 26, 2009

Copyright © 2004-2010 Ross Hannan and Corry Arnold. All Rights Reserved.

 

This page provides details of the various Retinal Circus shows and events that took place in Vancouver and Edmonton. 

Date   Location:   Artists   Lights   Poster Artist   Reference   Notes
February 26, 1965   Embassy Ballroom 1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Caribbean Students' Carnival   Unknown   Not Applicable   None   Embassy Ballroom
October 28, 1966   Embassy Ballroom 1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   The Fabulous Accents (featuring Derek Cave), The Sould Sisters   Unknown   Not Applicable   None   Embassy Ballroom
October 29, 1966   Embassy Ballroom 1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   The Fabulous Accents (featuring Derek Cave), The Sould Sisters   Unknown   Not Applicable   None   Embassy Ballroom
November 4, 1966   Embassy Ballroom 1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Terry and the Viscounts (featuring the dynamic Bud Currie)   Unknown   Not Applicable   None   Embassy Ballroom
November 5, 1966   Embassy Ballroom 1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Terry and the Viscounts (featuring the dynamic Bud Currie)   Unknown   Not Applicable   None   Embassy Ballroom
November 25, 1966   Embassy Ballroom 1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Terry and the Viscounts (featuring the dynamic Bud Currie)   Unknown   Not Applicable   None   Embassy Ballroom
November 26, 1966   Embassy Ballroom 1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Terry and the Viscounts (featuring the dynamic Bud Currie)   Unknown   Not Applicable   None   Embassy Ballroom
Summer 1967   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Unknown.                 It is known that a number of $1 dances were held at the Retinal Circus during the summer of 1967.  It is not known when the first of these shows was held and it is not known who played at them.  The UBC Campus newspaper, The Ubysses, was not published during the summer break and no other advertising has been found.  Aside from the Bob Masse poster for the Peanut Butter Conspiracy show on September 15, I have never seen any posters or handbills for these events.  It would not be unreasonable to assume that there would have been some street or shop window advertising using handbills (possibly hand made), although none have ever surfaced.  The earliest reference I know of to the Retinal Circus is from Georgia Straight #4 - August 11, 1967.
September 15, 1967   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Peanut Butter Conspiracy, United Empire Loyalists       Bob Masse   RC 19670915  
September 22, 1967   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Unknown.  What is known is that the audience had to wait until 10:00 pm for the music to start.           RC 19670922  
September 23, 1967   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Unknown           RC 19670922  
September 29, 1967   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   My Indole Ring, City Blues           RC 19670929   No posters, handbills or postcards are known to exist.  There was press advertising in The Ubysses, the University of British Columbia newspaper, and it would not be unreasonable to assume that there would have been some informal street or shop window advertising using handbills, although none have ever surfaced.
September 30, 1967   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   United Empire Loyalists, Strange Brew           RC 19670929  
October 6, 1967   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   United Empire Loyalists, Seeds of Time           RC 19671006  
October 7, 1967   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   My Indole Ring, French Hand Laundry, Seeds of Time           RC 19671006  
October 13, 1967   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Seeds of Time, The Coastmen           RC 19671013  
October 14, 1967   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   French Hand Laundry, The Coastmen           RC 19671013  
October 20 & 21, 1967   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Country Joe McDonald, Painted Ship, Papa Bear's Medicine Show       Eric Fisher [Magic Theatre Ltd]   RC 19671020   Advertised only with a poster and by two near identical large advertisements in The Ubysses.
October 27 & 28, 1967   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   PH Phactor, Painted Ship, Seeds of Time       Eric Fisher [Magic Theatre Ltd]   RC 19671027   Advertised only with a poster and by two near identical large advertisements in The Ubysses [Homecoming Pep Meet].
October 31, 1967   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   United Empire Loyalists, Painted Ship, Papa Bear's Medicine Show           RC 19671031   Advertised only in The Ubysses [Hallowe'en Dance].
November 3 & 4, 1967   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   United Empire Loyalists, Papa Bear's Medicine Show           RC 196711103   Advertised only in The Ubysses.
November 10 & 11, 1967   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   My Indole Ring, Mike Campbell, The Glass House Band           RC 19671103   Advertised only in The Ubysses.
November 17 & 18, 1967   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Blues Interchange, Papa Bear's Medicine Show       Eric Fisher [Magic Theatre Ltd]   RC 19671117   Advertised only with a poster.
November 24 & 25, 1967   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Mother Tuckers Yellow Duck, The Seeds of Time           RC 19671124   Advertised only in The Ubysses.
December 1, 1967   Eagle Auditorium   Uncle Henry's, My Indole Ring   USU Light Show       RC 19671201   Advertised only with a poster and a conflicting advertisement in The Ubysses.  The poster shows Fat Jack playing both nights whereas the press advertising show "Uncle Henry's" replacing them on the first night.  Given the timing of the press advertising, I am inclined to believe the poster to be incorrect.
December 2, 1967   Eagle Auditorium   Fat Jack, My Indole Ring   USU Light Show       RC 19671201  
December 8 & 9, 1967   Eagle Auditorium   Country Joe McDonald, United Empire Loyalists, Papa Bear's Medicine Show, Iban Dover   Howdance       RC 19671208   Advertised with a pair of posters, one being the negative image of the other.  There is also a short entry in the Lost and Found section of the Classified Ads section of The Ubysses:  "Country Joe has been found!  The Retinal Circus has Joe ….".
December 15 & 16, 1967   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   NAZZ-ARE Blues Band, Flowered Wig           RC 19671215   Although these shows were advertised in the December schedule published in The Ubysses, I have never seen a poster for these shows.  It is likely that either a poster exists and I have simply never seen it, or that the shows never took place.
December 22 & 23, 1967   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Mother Earth, My Indole Ring, United Empire Loyalists   Addled Chromish   Eric Fisher [Magic Theatre Ltd]   RC-PC-01   Advertised with both a poster and a postcard.
December 26 to 30, 1967   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   December 26, 1967: Wildflower, United Empire Loyalists; December 27, 1967: Collectors, Tomorrow’s Eyes; December 28, 1967: Collectors, Papa Bear's Medicine Show; December 29, 1967: Youngbloods, Papa Bear's Medicine Show; December 30, 1967: Youngbloods; My Indole Ring   [Probably] Addled Chromish   Eric Fisher [Magic Theatre Ltd]   RG-PC-02   Advertised with both a poster and a postcard [Art of Rock Plate 3.181].  The image is nearly identical to RC-PC-03 for a show at Kinsmen Fieldhouse, Edmonton, Alberta.
December 28, 1967   Kinsmen Fieldhouse, Edmonton, Alberta   Youngbloods, Wildflower, Pretty Broos, Graeme & The Wafers   Illuminata Lights by Burford, Baldwin and Douglas   Eric Fisher [Magic Theatre Ltd]   RG-PC-03   Advertised by a postcard only.
December 31, 1967   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Youngbloods, Collectors, Papa Bear's Medicine Show; United Empire Loyalists; My Indole Ring, Flowered Wig, Painted Ship   N/A   N/A   RC 19671231   This show, almost certainly, never took place and was superseded by the December 26 to 30 shows.  The only advertising for this date was in a December schedule published in The Ubysses.
January 12 and January 13, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Blue Cheer   [Advertised as] Addled Chromish   Not Applicable   None   Cancelled - only appears on a handbill that states: And if we are still in business - coming in January.
January 15, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   United Empire Loyalists, Cumulo Nymbus, Mother Tuckers Yellow Duck   Unknown   Not Applicable   None   Benefit: Vancouver's free school for high-school-age
students is holding a benefit dance — proceeds
to Knowplace — at Retinal Circus, 1024 Davie.
Monday night. Minimum donation is 50 cents.
January 19 and January 20, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Big Brother and The Holding Company   [Advertised as] Addled Chromish   Not Applicable   None   Cancelled - only appears on a handbill that states: And if we are still in business - coming in January.
March 1 & 2, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   3's A Crowd, Seeds Of Time   Addled Chromish   Steve Seymour   RG-PC-04   Advertised by a postcard and a very nice Steve Seymour black and white drawing in The Ubysses.
March 8 & 9, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Papa Bear's Medicine Show, Yellow Brick Road, My Indole Ring   Addled Chromish   Steve Seymour   RC-PC-05   Advertised by a postcard and a black and white drawing in The Ubysses.
March 15 & 16, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Fat Jack, Mother Tuckers Yellow Duck, Hydro Electric Streetcar   Addled Chromish   Steve Seymour   RC-PC-06   Advertised by a postcard and a great Steve Seymour black and white drawing in The Ubysses.
March 22 & 23, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Country Weather Band, Mock Duck   Addled Chromish   Steve Seymour   RC-PC-07   Advertised by a postcard only.
March 28, 29 & 30, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Siegel Schwall Blues Band, United Empire Loyalists, My Indole Ring, Seeds Of Time   Addled Chromish   Steve Seymour   RC-PC-08   Advertised by a postcard only.
April 4, 5 & 6, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Notes From The Underground, United Empire Loyalists, Paisley Rain, Hydro Electric Streetcar   Addled Chromish   Steve Seymour   RC-PC-09   Advertised by a postcard only.
April 11, 12 & 13, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Charlatans, My Indole Ring, Pacific Nation, Mock Duck   Addled Chromish   Steve Seymour   RC-PC-10   Advertised by a postcard only.
April 18, 19 & 20, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Papa Bears Medicine Show, Black Snake Blues Band, Seeds Of Time, Mother Tucker's Yellow Duck   Ecto Plasmic Assault   Steve Seymour   RC-PC-11   Advertised by a postcard only.
April 25, 26 & 27, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Wanda and Bruce, Mother Tuckers Yellow Duck, Hydro Electric Streetcar, Mock Duck, United Empire Loyalists   Ecto Plasmic Assault   Steve Seymour   RC-PC-12   Advertised by a postcard only [Blues Festival].
May 2, 3 & 4, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Mad River; Mother Tucker’s Yellow Duck, Seeds Of Time, Paisley Rain   Addled Chromish   Steve Seymour   RC-PC-13   Advertised by a postcard only.
May 9, 10 & 11, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   The Collectors, Mock Duck, My Indole Ring, Black Snake Blues Band   Addled Chromish   Steve Seymour   RC-PC-14   Advertised by a postcard only.
May 16 - 19, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   The Collectors, Grass Harp, Hydro Electric Streetcar, Pacific Nation, Papa Bear's Medicine Show, Yellow Brique Road   Ecto Plasmic Assault   Steve Seymour   RC-PC-15   Advertised by a postcard only.
May 23, 24 & 25, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   The Family Tree, Tomorrow's Eyes, Seeds Of Time, Mock Duck   Ecto Plasmic Assault   Steve Seymour   RC-PC-16   Advertised by a postcard only.
May 30, 31 & June 1, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Bo Diddley, My Indole Ring, Black Snake Blues Band, United Empire Loyalists   Addled Chromish   Steve Seymour   RC-PC-17    Advertised by a postcard only.  Note that this show was cancelled.
May 30, 31 & June 1, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   John Handy, My Indole Ring, Black Snake Blues Band, United Empire Loyalists   Addled Chromish   Steve Seymour   RC-PC-18   Advertised by a black and white postcard only.
June 6, 7 & 8, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Allmen Joy, Black and White Power, Seeds Of Time, Pacific Nation   Addled Chromish   Steve Seymour   RC-PC-19   Advertised by a postcard only.
June 13, 14 & 15, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Junior Wells, The Paupers   Ecto Plasmic Assault   Steve Seymour   RC-PC-20   Advertised by a postcard only.
June 20, 21 & 22, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Easy Chair, Fast Freight Country Show, United Empire Loyalists, Mock Duck, Paisley Rain   Ecto Plasmic Assault   Steve Seymour   RC-PC-21   Advertised by a postcard only.
June 27, 28, 29 & 30, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Velvet Underground, Seeds Of Time, Black Snake Blues Band, My Indole Ring, Papa Bear's Medicine Show, Don Thompson Trio   Addled Chromish   Steve Seymour   RC-PC-22   Advertised by a large handbill only.
July 6, 9 & 12, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Hydro Electric Streetcar, Floon, Yellow Brique Road, Winters Green, My Indole Ring, Genesis   Addled Chromish   Steve Seymour   RC-PC-23   Advertised by a postcard only.
July 17 & 19, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Black & White Power, Mock Duck, United Empire Loyalists, Black Snake Blues Band   Ecto Plasmic Assault   Steve Seymour   RC-PC-24   Advertised by a postcard only.
July 25, 26 & 27, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Papa Bear's Medicine Show, Winters Green   Ecto Plasmic Assault   Steve Seymour   RC-PC-25   Advertised by a postcard only.
July 29 – August 3, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   John Handy, The Good Sheperds   Addled Chromish   Steve Seymour   RC-PC-26    Advertised by a very rare triangular postcard only [EXPOP 68].
August 6 to 10, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Muddy Waters Blues Band, My Indole Ring   Ecto Plasmic Assault   Steve Seymour   RC-PC-27   Advertised by a round postcard only.
August 13 to 17, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Tom Northcott, Mother Tuckers Yellow Duck   Addled Chromish   Steve Seymour   RC-PC-28   Advertised by a postcard only [EXPOP 68].
August 20 to 24, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Corky Siegel Blues Band, Black Snake Blues Band   Unknown   Steve Seymour   RC-PC-29 [EXPOP 68]   Advertised by a postcard only.
August 27 to September 1, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Allmen Joy, “Surprise”   Unknown   Steve Seymour   RC-PC-30 [EXPOP 68]   Advertised by a postcard only.
September 6, 7 & 8, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Frumious Bandersnatch   Unknown   Unknown   RC-PC-31   Advertised by a postcard only.
September 27, 28 & 29   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   The Collectors, Graeme Wafer   Unknown   Steve Seymour   RC-PC-32   Advertised by a postcard only.
October 4, 5 & 6, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Mother Tuckers Yellow Duck, Mock Duck   Unknown   Steve Seymour   RC-PC-33   Advertised by a postcard and a small advert in The Ubysses.
October 31 to November 3, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Velvet Underground, Black Snake Blues Band   Ecto Plasmic Assault   Frank Lewis   RC-PC-34   Advertised by a handbill and a black and white version of the same design in The Ubysses.  Both carry the fateful "Goodbye" at the bottom.  This is the last Retinal Circus show I know of advertaised by a handbill or poster.
November 8 to November 10, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Crome Syrcus, Seeds of Time   Unknown   Not Applicable   None   Advertised in the Ubyssey.
November 22 to November 24, 1968   Retinal Circus  1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Rock and Flick   Unknown   Not Applicable   None   The Ubysses carries and advertisement for "Rock and Flick" at the Retinal Circus. It is not clear if any events took place.
By all accounts: The Christmas holidays saw the closing of Vancouver's hip concert hall, The Retinal Circus, whose ringed eyelids fluttered shut after a financial disaster New Year's Eve. 
March 1, 1969   Grooveyard, 1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Spectres, Epics, Fat Soul   Unknown   Not Applicable   None   Opening of The Grooveyard at 1024 Davie. The Grooveyard was already a successful club that had been open from 1965 at 759 Carnarvon Street in New Westminster. On March 1, 1969 it opened a second venue at 1024 Davie in Vancouver. 
March 8, 1969   Grooveyard, 1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Bobby Bland   Unknown   Not Applicable   None   Grooveyard
March 14, 1969   Grooveyard, 1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Soul Unlimited   Unknown   Not Applicable   None   Grooveyard
March 15, 1969   Grooveyard, 1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Mandala, Blues Crusade   Unknown   Not Applicable   None   Grooveyard
March 28, 1969   Grooveyard, 1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Bobby Mayfield and the Spectres   Unknown   Not Applicable   None   Grooveyard
March 29, 1969   Grooveyard, 1024 Davie at Burrard, Vancouver   Fat Soul   Unknown   Not Applicable   None   Grooveyard