Reporter DANIEL BINNS speaks to a band about their memories of Walthamstow's thriving live music scene in the swinging sixties - as they prepare for a reunion concert 50 years after forming.

“WALTHAMSTOW back then was just fantastic. Every night you could go and see live music, everywhere they'd be people playing”, recalls Michael Kain, 65, guitarist with the band Beaucrees.


“I think what made it was the venues. You had the Granada [former EMD cinema], the Assembly Hall, Leyton Baths just over the border and lots of smaller clubs too.


“It meant you got the really big acts like The Beatles coming here, but all the young bands had a chance to play too.”


Beaucrees was just one of those eager young acts hoping to make it big.

The teenagers formed in 1962 and were soon performing across London.


But as the group's lead singer David Francis, now 65, recalls, every neighbourhood was buzzing with the sound of music.


"In my street alone, Carr Road, there were kids from at least five different bands, including Denis Payton, who was the saxophone player in the Dave Clarke Five”, he said.


The Assembly Hall and Granada were among the more popular venues – with new acts given warm-up and matinee slots, sometimes during film intervals, but pubs such as the Bell were also packed out.
 

And the thirst for live music helped attract some of the biggest names around.
 

Mr Kain, who now lives in Bishop Stortford, said one of his favourites was seeing the Rolling Stones at Leyton Baths at the Bakers Arms in the early 1960s.
 

“Because it was a full size swimming pool they would lay a temporary wooden floor over the top, which would bounce up and down as the kids performed their moves.


“I've seen the Stones since then but there you could get so, so close to them. They performed all the songs from their first album and I remember being amazed how good they were – and how loud. It was incredible.”


Beaucrees soon turned semi-pro and began touring the country, performing over 2,000 shows.


They supported the likes of the Hollies and Lulu but never quite achieved a breakthrough hit and eventually disbanded in the late 70s.
 

The group's reunion show takes place in Braintree, Essex, in November.
It has already sold out, but there's still hope for those without tickets - the group hasn't ruled out a 51st anniversary show.