1960’s Shows
Covering the “Polka Tulk” & “Earth” eras of the band, and even earlier stuff!

Dates and research compiled by Joe Siegler & Robert Dwyer.
If you’d like to use any of this text for non-commercial purposes, please obtain permission first.
Commercial utilization of this work in whole or in part is prohibited!

If you have an update to one of the dates below, please help keep the list accurate by telling us!


Touring Band

  • Ozzy Osbourne – Vocals
  • Tony Iommi – Guitar
  • Jim Phillips – Guitar
  • Geezer Butler – Bass
  • Bill Ward – Drums
  • Alan Clark – Saxophone
 
Date Location Venue Notes
8/18/1968 Whitehaven “Caravan Park” Speculative/approximate date only. Actual date unknown.
8/24/1968 Carlisle County Ballroom Creeque 2nd and final Polka Tulk show was billed as “68 Dancing For Teens And Twenties”.
8/27/1968 Workington Banklands Youth Club Speculative/approximate date only. Actual date unknown. Mentioned in book ‘How Black Was Our Sabbath’.
8/31/1968 POLKA TULK loses 2 members (Phillips and Clark are dismissed) After only 3 shows, the band decide to continue as just a 4-piece before changing their name to EARTH.
9/1/1968 POLKA TULK becomes EARTH
9/16/1968 Birmingham Henry’s Blues House Gordon Smith (HL) Earliest confirmed show by Earth
10/12/1968 Birmingham The Ringway Club (No opening act listed)
11/12/1968 Birmingham Henry’s Blueshouse – Crown Hotel Alexis Korner (HL)
11/26/1968 Birmingham Henry’s Blues House – Crown Hotel Red House Blues Band
12/3/1968 Birmingham Henry’s Blueshouse Curtis Jones [HL]
12/11/1968 Wembley JETHRO TULL (with Tony Iommi) – ‘Rock And Roll Circus’ – Intertel Studios Rolling Stones, The Who, Eric Clapton, Mitch Mitchell, John Lennon & Yoko Ono, Taj Mahal & Marianne Faithfull Tony Iommi leaves Jethro Tull and informs Geezer that he’s ready to rejoin Earth.
12/13/1968 Tony Iommi comes back to EARTH Tony briefly ventured away from the band for a brief collaboration with Jethro Tull.
12/21/1968 Carlisle County Ballroom Smokey Blue (Neil Marshall’s band) 1st show after Tony’s return from Jethro Tull. Show was billed as “68 Dancing For Teens And Twenties”.
12/22/1968 Birmingham Mothers Club At Erdington – High Street Ten Years After (HL), John Peel
1/3/1969 London The Marquee Jon Hiseman’s Colosseum (HL) Earth was “permanently banned” by manager John Gee because he was outraged with Earth and Ozzy’s choice of jewelry (a kitchen tap). All was forgiven when the band returned a month later.
1/7/1969 Birmingham Henry’s Blueshouse (No supporting act listed)
1/11/1969 London Regent Street Polytechnic John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (HL) Earth played two 45-minute sets and were paid £30 for their work.
1/16/1969 Birmingham Opposite Lock Locomotive, Bakerloo Blues Line Start of short U.K. tour titled BIG BEAR FFOLLY tour featuring Jim Simpson’s management roster.
2/6/1969 London The Marquee Locomotive, Bakerloo Blues Band, Roy Everett, Tea & Symphony
2/12/1969 Stoke-on-Trent College of Building & Commerce – Students Union, Concourse Building Locomotive, Bakerloo Blues Line, Tea & Symphony, Roy Everrett & The Blues Hounds
2/17/1969 København (Copenhagen) Revolution Root Jackson, Jenny And The Hightimers
2/18/1969 København (Copenhagen) Revolution Root Jackson, Jenny And The Hightimers
2/19/1969 København (Copenhagen) Revolution Root Jackson, Jenny And The Hightimers
2/20/1969 Stockholm Domino Peps, Blues Quality
2/21/1969 Smedjebacken Shaker Club – Folkets Hus (No opening act listed)
2/22/1969 Uppsala Hornet (Stockholms Nation)
2/23/1969 Gothenburg The Globe (No support act listed)
2/28/1969 London The Marquee Bakerloo Blues Band [cancelled]
3/3/1969 Nottingham Nottingham Boat Club (No supporting act listed) Billed as the “Tuesday Barrelhouse” and also a free show.
3/11/1969 London The Marquee Bakerloo Blues Band, Locomotive, Roy Everett
3/12/1969 Stafford S.C.O.T. Beaconside Bakerloo (HL), The Locomotive, Tea & Symphony, Roy Everett & Blues Hounds Big Bear Ffolly show.
3/14/1969 Carlisle County Ballroom (No support act listed)
3/21/1969 Lichfield The Pokey Hole – Frog Lane (No support act listed) Billed as “Christmas Party”.
3/25/1969 Birmingham Henry’s Blues House (No opening act listed) Advert states “Back from Scandinavian Tour”.
3/28/1969 Wigton Wigton Market Hall (No support act listed) Last gig before departing on European tour.
4/15/1969 Hamburg The Star Club Actual dates unknown. Played six 45-minute sets at a night during the spring of 1969.
4/21/1969 Walsall Caves Club
4/28/1969 London The Speakeasy Club
4/29/1969 Workington Banklands Youth Club
5/11/1969 Brownhills Pennycliffe Blues Club (No support act listed)
5/13/1969 Birmingham Henry’s Blueshouse (No support act listed)
5/23/1969 Lichfield The Pokey Hole – Frog Lane Rod “Bottleneck” Dawes (HL) Inaugural gig for new Pokey Hole Club at The Robin Hood Public House. Opener: Rod Dawes
6/5/1969 Workington Westfield Welfare Centre
6/7/1969 Low Hesket Village Hall R.S.P.C.A. Charity Beat Dance
6/10/1969 Birmingham Henry’s Blues House (No support act listed)
7/5/1969 Carlisle County Ballroom Tambourine
7/8/1969 Workington Banklands Youth Club
7/11/1969 Lichfield The Pokey Hole – Frog Lane Medicine Head
7/12/1969 Carlisle Carlisle Grammar School
7/22/1969 Birmingham Henry’s Blueshouse (No support act listed) Advert states “Back from the Star Club, Hamburg”.
7/25/1969 Wigton Wigton Market Hall Weight
8/1/1969 Lichfield The Pokey Hole – Frog Lane (No support act listed) Earth debuted their new song “Black Sabbath at this show.
8/9/1969 EARTH decides to become Black Sabbath
8/10/1969 Hamburg The Star Club Dates for Star Club shows based upon account given in HOW BLACK WAS OUR SABBATH book.
8/11/1969 Hamburg The Star Club
8/12/1969 Hamburg The Star Club
8/13/1969 Hamburg The Star Club
8/14/1969 Hamburg The Star Club
8/15/1969 Hamburg The Star Club
8/16/1969 Hamburg The Star Club Junior’s Eyes, Tremors
8/23/1969 Kirkcaldy Y.M.C.A.