Did Fleetwood  Mac play Wolverhampton Civic Hall? This pic shows Dave Finely and Pamela Evans in the 1970s and a picture of the American/UK supergroup from this period.

Bosses at Wolverhampton Civic are appealing for music lovers to cast their minds back to find out if blues rock legends Fleetwood Mac played the venue more than forty years ago.

The appeal has been sparked by former Wulfrunian Dave Finely who emigrated to Australia in the 1980s and recently got in touch with the Civic Hall.

Dave, aged 63, emailed the Civic asking for help to see if historic records proved his memory right.

He said; “I am currently writing recollections from my life and I have a memory of going to the Civic Hall or Wulfrun to see the band in or around 1970. It was the first date with my then girlfriend Bernadette Evans.

“I lived in Fordhouses and was an apprentice at Dowty Boulton Paul Aircraft Ltd. I was 17-years old and studying at Wulfrun College. Bernadette was 14 and she lived in Finchfield.

“I am sure I got hold of tickets for the Fleetwood Mac gig and asked her to go with me, so I can say that it was the Civic that brought us together.

‘I had long been a fan of Fleetwood Mac and so was stunned when we entered the hall. I recall that there was no backing band and that only the front two rows of seats were occupied.

“I had cheap tickets at the back but we walked to the third row which only had one person sitting in it. The lineup of the band was odd. I understood it to be the first, or a trial, without Pete Green but both girls.

“The music was also little like the old Fleetwood Mac and more like the later more modern romantic Fleetwood Mac.

“I can’t recall whether it had been whispered at the time that this was a test run for the new line-up, or whether I just came to that conclusion on my own. Therefore this may not be the case.

Did Fleetwood Mac Play Wolverhampton Civic Hall?

“I find it really odd however that the Fleetwood Mac site, which lists all of their tours, line-ups and concerts since the start, does not mention this concert, or any concerts at the Civic/Wulfrun at any time, hence my appeal to the Civic and their records.”

Mark Blackstock, head of Visitor Economy at Wolverhampton Council, said: “We were intrigued when Dave emailed us about Fleetwood Mac playing the Civic or the Wulfrun Halls in either 1969/1970.

“Both venues have hosted all the great names in the music business for more than 70 years so I wouldn’t be surprised if they had played on one of those stages, however our records don’t go that far back – so we are appealing on Dave’s behalf to find anyone else who was there and if they have any memorabilia from the gig.”

Like hundreds of people before and after, Dave and Dette’s first date at the much-loved venue blossomed into romance and later marriage.

Dave, now a grandfather of seven, said: “Dette and I married and lived in Newbridge until emigrating to Australia in 1982. After 25 years married we divorced and I later married someone else. However, we are all good friends. I see both Dette and my second (also divorced) wife daily and we all get on well together.

“I have four children and seven grandchildren now and looking back many fond memories of going to see bands play at the Civic and Wulfun halls. I can remember chatting with Marc Bolan of Tyrannosaurus Rex (before the abbreviation to T Rex) in the bar during a break. Also, being an apprentice and then many years as an engineer, at Dowty Boulton Paul Aircraft in Pendeford, I remember the annual Christmas parties that we had for many years in the two halls combined.”

He added: “I have almost completed a history of my life’s recollections in 500,000 words. I am trying to tie down a few critical dates and this is the big one that I am having trouble with. It should be extremely easy. Our date was at a very particular concert with a well-known band in the top Wolverhampton venue at the time!”

Anyone with information can email Wolverhampton Civic Hall, or go to www.wolvescivic.co.uk and click on the contact us form to get in touch.