Southend on-sea, 1963, was the place to be, judging by all the musical super stars who flocked to perform in town in this year,

Within the first six months of the year alone, The Beatles, Shirley Bassey, Matt Monro Frankie Vaughan, Cliff Richard, Ella Fitzgerald and John Leyton were all wowing Southend audiences with performances at the Odeon Theatre.

Halstead Gazette:

Frankie in town - a newspaper advert for Frankie Vaughan's performance in 1963

Halstead Gazette:

Star - Shirley Bassey

Halstead Gazette:

There were screams, there were tears of joy and there was some unfortunate wincing when poor Shirley Bassey's throat got the better of her.

Back then it was normal for local newspaper reporters to be invited back stage into the star's dressing room after the show for a chat.

A very young Cliff Richard certainly had time for reporters after his Odeon performance - which saw him backed by the Shadows.

A journalist for the Southend Standard newspaper described the scene: "He came.. they screamed. He sang,., they screamed. He twisted.... and still they screamed."

"The auditorium at the Odeon erupted as he walked from the wings into the spotlight.

"But this was a different Cliff from the one we knew of old. He proved the sexy movements, the wiggles, and the guitar playing groaner - the older generation's idea of a pop idol to be a misguided conception."

Halstead Gazette:

Star quality - A 22-year-old (Sir) Cliff Richard 

Afterwards in his dressing room Cliff told reporters " They were a great audience tonight. Perfect for a one night stand."

He added how he was miffed that he and his musical colleagues hadn't been able to get out and explore much of Southend:

"We've been here four or five times but we never get a chance to see much of the town during out flying visits," he said.

Cliff also recalled the time he came to Southend on a coach trip as a boy

"We had the usual things," he smiled.

"You know cockles, winkles and candy floss. Oh yes, I remember going into the Kursaal and being fascinated by the Wall of Death."

When Frankie Vaughan came to town a few weeks later he won over audiences with his "magnetic charm".

"His famous theme tune, 'Give me the Moonlight' brought its usual quota of screams but it was undoubtedly his final number 'Loop de Loop which was the hit of the show," described the Standard write-up.

More screams filled the theatre when heart-throb John Leyton bashed out his hit 'Cupboard Love' during his Odeon appearance shortly afterwards.

The pop favourite and soon- to- be- star of The Great Escape which would be released in cinemas in June 1963, was said to have 'left thousands of people in the audience 'suffering from a sore throat or migraine' due to the noise made by adoring fans.

Poor Shirley Bassey, didn't have such a good time of it when she took to the stage of the Odeon.

"Only moments after she stepped onto the stage audiences sensed something was wrong, " reporters wrote.

"Top notes were fine but the low notes just would not come. In several of the numbers which helped make her famous Shirley's voice cracked and some of the audience winced."

The Welsh songstress had to leave the stage three times during her performance in order to gargle, but. each time she returned she was welcomed by riotous applause by the audience. Ever the professional, she finished the gig in style..

Afterwards the Welsh songstress told reporters how her voice had been affected by only just flying in from Australia.

"I hate working like that. It's not fair to the public or the singer of course," she said.

Luckily her guest act, a young Matt Monro had filled the void and the audience went wild for his "version of Portrait of My Love"

Much has been written about the Beatles playing the Southend Odeon in 1963. It's hard to believe but The Fab Four weren't even the headliners of the show, but were there to support Roy Orbison.

Of course, they became the main attraction. The headline in the Standard was "take these lads from Liverpool and show really packs a punch."