About

Welcome to the Club a'Gogo website where you will find about the club's history,  the thriving Mod scene in 60s Newcastle and how it helped launch The Animals onto an unsuspecting world. ​It has always been a passion of mine to promote the musical heritage of 1960s Newcastle and since the  website was launched in 2019 a huge amount of work has been done to ensure this important part of Newcastle’s music history is duly remembered.

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But first a little history …

The Club a’ Gogo was hugely important in the 60s and many iconic bands and stars first made their name at the club.  The Club a’ Gogo was located in the now demolished Handyside Buildings. Legendary bands played there such as The Animals (who wrote a song about the club!), The Who, Rolling Stones, Cream, Spencer Davis Group and Jimi Hendrix to name but a few. American blues acts such as Sonny Boy Williamson, John Lee Hooker and Memphis Slim also performed there, bypassing Liverpool’s Cavern club to appear at the Club a’Gogo.  Such was the intimacy of the club fans were able to meet their idols close up, drink and to chat with them.  The club was hot, sweaty and packed to the rafters. Prior to the Club a’Gogo Mike Jeffery, who founded the club with Ray Grehan owned the Downbeat Club, a jazz and blues club loved by the Beats and Mods of the North East. My book 'Club a’Gogo & The Mod Scene of 1960s Newcastle' covers this scene and is out now.

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On discovering the history of the Club a’Gogo had been largely forgotten I produced a detailed proposal for Newcastle Council lobbying for a heritage plaque at the site of the club. This proposal was submitted during Covid and the joy at discovering the application was successful was one of my proudest moments. The Club a’Gogo heritage plaque was unveiled on the 8th September 2022 by myself and my ex-husband Paul Donnelly (who runs the Club a’Gogo events).

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Enjoy the website and for further enquiries please email infoclubagogo@gmail.com.​