by Jeff Douglas

It's one of my wife's favourite sayings, usually levied against me in the wake of some missed opportunity. She uses it to infer that I have, in her opinion, used poor judgement.

Could the same be said of the good folk of Dingwall, Scotland?

Way back in 1963, local folk looking for a wee spot of entertainment on a Friday night found themselves with a choice to make. Would they go to the Pavilion Ballroom in nearby Strathpeffer to hear the famed Melotones? Or would they venture down to the Dingwall Townhall to listen to an unheard of group from south of the border?

The choice was obvious. Twelve hundred people packed the Pavilion. Nineteen went to hear the oddly dressed lads in the VW van from Liverpool.

Whoops.

Any other unforgettable and/or improbable gigs - missed or made - out there in the collective memory bank?

They were HUGE in Scotland! The Melotones: Jimmy (piano) and Willie (bass) Wilson were the core of the local band that bested The Beatles.