Carpenters European Dates

Hi everyone,
I’m just trying to verify the authenticity of an item and I was wondering if anyone has a list of the Carpenters’ cancelled November 1975 European Tour dates. They were also scheduled to go to Japan but had to cancel due to Karen’s illness. I have yet to find a forum, website, or even a vintage flyer with all of the dates on them!
 
Included in our upcoming book Carpenters: The Musical Legacy, is an exhaustive list of all concert dates from 1970—1981. Whereas we did not include the 1975 European and Japanese cancellations, we do have them and may post at some point here on the forum following the book's release.

Stay tuned...
 
Included in our upcoming book Carpenters: The Musical Legacy, is an exhaustive list of all concert dates from 1970—1981. Whereas we did not include the 1975 European and Japanese cancellations, we do have them and may post at some point here on the forum following the book's release.

Stay tuned...
Thank you! Hope to see those, as I’m really trying to find any info on the cancelled Stockport, England (Davenport Theatre) show in November. I believe it was the 14th. Absolutely can not wait for the book. I got it preordered already!
 
Thank you! Hope to see those, as I’m really trying to find any info on the cancelled Stockport, England (Davenport Theatre) show in November. I believe it was the 14th. Absolutely can not wait for the book. I got it preordered already!

So grateful to hear, thank you!

What specifically are you asking regarding the Stockport, England date you mention? Is it just a confirmation of the date itself, or is it something else?
 
Hi everyone,
I’m just trying to verify the authenticity of an item and I was wondering if anyone has a list of the Carpenters’ cancelled November 1975 European Tour dates. They were also scheduled to go to Japan but had to cancel due to Karen’s illness. I have yet to find a forum, website, or even a vintage flyer with all of the dates on them!
I don't have access to my stack of Carpenters Fan Club Newsletters right now, but I vaguely seem to remember that there was a tentative tour schedule for Europe 1975 in one of them (I could be wrong though).

In old British newspapers I couldn't find a date for Stockport, but in publication "The Stage" from July 10, 1975 I did find this:

THE CARPENTERS' tour, which does not start until November, looks like being the most successful visit of all time from an American act. Already six dates, at Stockport, Edinburgh, Southport and Bournemouth, are completely sold out, and extra dates have been added at Brighton Dome on November 11 and South- port New Theatre on November 12. There will be two performances each night of the tour, which also visits Liverpool, Manchester Belle Vue, Wakefield Theatre Club. Glasgow Apollo, Leicester, Bristol, Birmingham and both the Royal Albert and Royal Festival Halls in London. The Carpenters' new album for A M. "Horizon" is No. 1 in the charts.


Another article mentioned 38 concerts in the UK plus dates in Holland and Germany. After checking out Dutch newspapers it looked like there would have been 4 or 5 dates here. Adding a few more shows in Germany that would have made around 50 concerts. I'm glad they didn't go on this tour with Karen's condition the way it was after the US tour that year.

Rather upsetting to read in papers from later that year what Richard had to say (not the fact that he said it, but just the fact that it happened)
Here's (partly) what the Daily Mirror wrote in its October 25 issue, after already mentioning Richard's being upset by rumors of cancer:

Richard, 28, spoke about his sister's illness when he apologised for calling off their British tour and appearance in the Royal Variety Performance next month.
He flew more than 5,000 miles from Los Angeles to London for just a few hours to "apologise to the British public".
He said that Karen, who normally weighed over eight stone, was now down to 6 stone 2lb.
Richard added: "Although the work was mostly to blame, she decided she was too heavy and deliberately tried to lose weight.
"She said it was in the mode and chic not to have hips.
"She was getting so exhausted that in the end, after each show, she would go to bed without eating."
The shock news has disappointed 150,000 fans who bought every ticket for the 38-concert tour. They will get their money back.



I'm glad Karen took the rest of the year off to slow down
 
Included in our upcoming book Carpenters: The Musical Legacy, is an exhaustive list of all concert dates from 1970—1981. Whereas we did not include the 1975 European and Japanese cancellations, we do have them and may post at some point here on the forum following the book's release.

Stay tuned...
Very excited about this, Chris, I just pre-ordered my copy too! :) Not only am I looking forward to more stories and photos, but I've also been wondering for some time whether or not another European date ever happened. In Dutch newspapers from early 1974 three dates were announced: the Grand Gala Du Disque live TV performance on Friday Feb. 15, then 2 shows in Amsterdam the following day, but then there was also supposed to be a concert in The Hague (Den Haag) on Sunday, Feb. 17. However, I haven't been able to find a review in any online papers, which of course could also mean that there was either no review or just no digitized version of a newspaper with a review in it. I'll let your book surprise me :D
 
Very excited about this, Chris, I just pre-ordered my copy too! :) Not only am I looking forward to more stories and photos, but I've also been wondering for some time whether or not another European date ever happened. In Dutch newspapers from early 1974 three dates were announced: the Grand Gala Du Disque live TV performance on Friday Feb. 15, then 2 shows in Amsterdam the following day, but then there was also supposed to be a concert in The Hague (Den Haag) on Sunday, Feb. 17. However, I haven't been able to find a review in any online papers, which of course could also mean that there was either no review or just no digitized version of a newspaper with a review in it. I'll let your book surprise me :D
I believe you're going to find it to be an enjoyable read. :)
 
I don't have access to my stack of Carpenters Fan Club Newsletters right now, but I vaguely seem to remember that there was a tentative tour schedule for Europe 1975 in one of them (I could be wrong though).

In old British newspapers I couldn't find a date for Stockport, but in publication "The Stage" from July 10, 1975 I did find this:

THE CARPENTERS' tour, which does not start until November, looks like being the most successful visit of all time from an American act. Already six dates, at Stockport, Edinburgh, Southport and Bournemouth, are completely sold out, and extra dates have been added at Brighton Dome on November 11 and South- port New Theatre on November 12. There will be two performances each night of the tour, which also visits Liverpool, Manchester Belle Vue, Wakefield Theatre Club. Glasgow Apollo, Leicester, Bristol, Birmingham and both the Royal Albert and Royal Festival Halls in London. The Carpenters' new album for A M. "Horizon" is No. 1 in the charts.


Another article mentioned 38 concerts in the UK plus dates in Holland and Germany. After checking out Dutch newspapers it looked like there would have been 4 or 5 dates here. Adding a few more shows in Germany that would have made around 50 concerts. I'm glad they didn't go on this tour with Karen's condition the way it was after the US tour that year.

Rather upsetting to read in papers from later that year what Richard had to say (not the fact that he said it, but just the fact that it happened)
Here's (partly) what the Daily Mirror wrote in its October 25 issue, after already mentioning Richard's being upset by rumors of cancer:

Richard, 28, spoke about his sister's illness when he apologised for calling off their British tour and appearance in the Royal Variety Performance next month.
He flew more than 5,000 miles from Los Angeles to London for just a few hours to "apologise to the British public".
He said that Karen, who normally weighed over eight stone, was now down to 6 stone 2lb.
Richard added: "Although the work was mostly to blame, she decided she was too heavy and deliberately tried to lose weight.
"She said it was in the mode and chic not to have hips.
"She was getting so exhausted that in the end, after each show, she would go to bed without eating."
The shock news has disappointed 150,000 fans who bought every ticket for the 38-concert tour. They will get their money back.



I'm glad Karen took the rest of the year off to slow down
Wow thank you so much! I appreciate the work you put in to finding this! This helped me a lot.
 
So grateful to hear, thank you!

What specifically are you asking regarding the Stockport, England date you mention? Is it just a confirmation of the date itself, or is it something else?
Yes, a confirmation that it was a real show that happened in November, and the date it was on!
 
Thank you! Hope to see those, as I’m really trying to find any info on the cancelled Stockport, England (Davenport Theatre) show in November. I believe it was the 14th. Absolutely can not wait for the book. I got it preordered already!
Nothing in the itinerary for Stockport in '75. As far as November 14 (and 15), they were scheduled to play the Palace in Manchester.
 
Last edited:
Nothing in the itinerary for Stockport in '75. As far as November 14 (and 15), they were scheduled to play the Palace in Manchester.
Interesting! Thanks for your response. I heard from another person in this forum that the date was mentioned in a newspaper article. Maybe it was an earlier cancelled date for another reason.
 
This might help, although the itinerary is from May of 1975. The Southport New Theatre concert was shifted from Nov 20 to Nov 22, and the Liverpool Empire Theatre performance was moved from Nov 22 to Nov 13, according to the Oct 17 and Oct 23 issues of the Liverpool Echo newspaper.

Per Chris' post above, it looks like the Nov 14 Stockport show was nixed in favor of the Birmingham concert and both the Nov 14 and 15 Birmingham concerts took place at the Manchester Palace Theatre rather than the Belle Vue Zoological Gardens, as listed in the Record Mirror blurb.

Record Mirror Magazine (May 3, 1975)
 
Back
Top Bottom