Ballerina Flyer Day
August 16, 2008
Maybe it’s me being here but the rain has stayed away and is giving Nairn its first dry Highland Games in three years. It’s a quick visit to get flyers passed out in various places in town and what I’d like to call “posters” for the blog but they’re nothing more than A4 sheets that I’m hoping will get input from anyone that sees them.
It’s also a great opportunity for you to stop me in the street and tell me some of your stories or give me advice on how to get a better blog experience up. Okay, I know the answer to that one – TIME! I really will get round to adding some of the gig adverts, pop columns from The Northern Scot and pictures of the North East bands that played here.
Seriously, if you want to, just stop and say hello. You probably can’t miss me. One of the women in landbrokes (honest, I wasn’t betting but asking about their old shop) said she thought John Lennon had walked in. If that isn’t enough of a give away I’ll also be carrying a silver carrier bag full of flyers. Of course, I may not be carrying it if I get rid of them all but I digress.
Failing that, you’ll find me in the library for some time before they shut staring at the microfiche reader and getting the dates for 1967 that are missing from yesterday’s listing. Please don’t call me John, my name’s Roy!
Talking of the pop columns, there’s one fantastic piece around the time that Cream played the Ballerina. Eric Clapton had given an interview to one of the music papers in which he decried the fans in Scotland. On reading it, or more likely hearing of it, Albert Bonici, the promoter defiantly stated that he’d make sure Clapton never played here again! Little did he realize the status Eric would achieve.
Okay, that’s it for now. I’ll see you in town or you can catch up with the missing dates later.
Ballerina Ballroom, Nairn 
April 9, 2011 at 10:30 pm
Hi, My name is Brian McDonald and I was lead singer with the T Set. I remember the Cream gig at the Ballerina in Nairn. We were not scheduled to play support on the original date but as you said the gig was cancelled and then re scheduled. We were luck enough to be given the job of support band.If I remember correctly they were promoting their single Strange Brew which was sitting about no.2 at the time. Something sticks in my mind that it may have been a mid week gig, but this might not be the case.Cream never spoke a word to us but just breezed past us on their way to the stage.I remember Clapton was dressed all in black with a flowing black cloak.Another memorable night at the Ballerina, one of many I have there. It would be great if anyone else can remember anything else about the night. Thanks Brian McDonald.