The Usher hall in Lothian road was officially opened in 1914, built at a total cost of £134,000. Funded by a donation from philanthropist Andrew Usher, the hall has consistently enjoyed many musical guests throughout the decades.

The Usher Hall during refurbishment on 25th April 2009. ©S.S. 2009.

The Usher Hall doors open day 25th September 2010. ©S.S. 2010. Please use arrows to move through the pictures.

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• 1964  19th September The Rolling Stones (2 shows)

• 1965  20th January Chuck Berry, Graham Bond Organization, The Moody Blues, Winston G, The Five Dimensions, & Long John Baldry & The Hoochie Coochie Men (2 shows)

• 1965  16th June The Rolling Stones
• 1968  17th May Johnny Cash, June Carter, Statler Brothers, & James Royal
• 1969  26th September Jethro Tull, guests Savoy Brown & Terry Reid

• 1969  23rd October Humble Pie, support bands Love Sculpture, David Bowie, & SamsonStone The Crows

• 1969  17th December Ten Years After, support bands Blodwyn Pig, Stone The Crows
• 1970 17th February Led Zeppelin, support band Barclay James Harvest(rescheduled from the 7th February due to Jimmy Page being involved in a car crash and sustaining minor facial injuries).  Barclay James Harvest, were snowed in at their village on the Yorkshire Moors (Saddleworth), and were unable to get their vehicles out.  They ended up coming by rail to Waverley Station, and their gear had to be shifted from there to the Usher Hall.  They used the famous Usher Hall organ during the concert.  Led Zeppelin were late onstage due to “enjoying themselves” at the North British Hotel.  Thank you to Alistair Adams ex Heriot-Watt Entertainments for the detailed info.

• 1970  11th March The Nice

• 197011th April The Keef Hartley Big Band

• 1970  23rd April Fleetwood Mac
• 1970  6th May Tom Paxton

• 1970  26th May (rescheduled from the 23rd May) Ten Years After, support band Tyrannosaurus Rex.  Andy Lothian was a Dundee promoter who coined the phrase “Beatlemania”.

• 1970  6th June Family, Chicken Shack & Black Sabbath

• 1970  14th June The Soft Machine

• 1972  25th March The Eurovision Song Contest, presented by Moira Shearer.  Luxembourg win this year..

• 1972  6th April Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band, spending the day at Edinburgh zoo, then drinking in a pub near the Usher Hall.  Could it have been the Shakespeare?                                                  
• 1972  22nd November Cat Stevens

• 1973  22nd January Chuck Berry, & Baby Whale

• 1973  14th March Procul Harum

• 1973  21st March The Strawbs

• 1973  7th October Moody Blues

• 1973  27th October The Incredible String Band

• 1974  21st April Caravan with Tir-Na-Nog

• 1974  26th April The Strawbs

• 1974  16th September Gallagher & Lyle

• 1974  26th September Charles Aznavour

• 1974  28th September Maggie Bell

• 1974  3rd October Man, support band Badfinger

• 1974  14th October The Sensational Alex Harvey Band

• 1974  24th October Cliff Richard

• 1974  4th & 5th November Pink Floyd

• 1974  9th & 10th November Jethro Tull, support band Fanny, also featuring Miss Shona Learoyd (later to be Mrs. Anderson) as ringmistress

• 1974  25th November Fairport Convention featuring Sandy Denny & Guests

• 1975  30th January Barclay James Harvest

1975  1st February Supertramp, Gallagher & Lyle, & Chris DeBurgh

• 1975  12th February Al Stewart

• 1975  17th March 10CC, and special guests Fancy

• 1975  26th March Soft Machine

• 1975  7th April Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, special guests Sailor (moved from the Leith Theatre/Citadel).

• 1975  20th & 21st April Yes, support band Gryphon

• 1975  22nd & 23rd April Genesis (resheduled from 6th & 7th November

• 1975  26th April Rory Gallagher & His Band

• 1975  2nd May The Sensational Alex Harvey Band

• 1975  22nd May Don Mcclean

• 1975  5th June Donovan

• 1975  6th June Roy Harper

• 1975  9th August Hawkwind

• 1975  17th September Johnny Cash

• 1975  20th September Paul McCartney & Wings

• 1975  11th October Melanie

• 1975  15th October Barclay James Harvest, support band Cafe Society

• 1975  22nd October The Baker Gurvits Army

• 1975  4th November Jack Jones

• 1975  18th November The Blue Jays

• 1975  23rd November Supertramp, & Joan Armatrading

• 1975  26th November Cliff Richard

• 1976  4th February Commander Cody And His Lost Planet Airmen

• 1976  7th & 8th February 10cc

• 1976  8th May Rick Wakeman

• 1976  14th May Nils Lofgren, support band Unicorn

• 1976  15th May Gentle Giant

• 1976  16th May Leonard Cohen

• 1976  19th May Gallagher & Lyle

• 1976 21st May Elton John

• 1976  14th September Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, support band Racing Cars

• 1976  20th September Hawkwind                     
• 1976  25th September The Strawbs, & Derek Brimstone & Phillip Goodhand-Tait

• 1976  29th September Sutherland Brothers & Quiver

• 1976  11th October Barclay James Harvest, support band Easy Street

• 1976  31st October Thin Lizzy, support band Clover

• 1976  3rd November Tangerine Dream

• 1976  18th November Wishbone Ash, & Supercharge

• 1976  25th November Cliff Richard

• 1977  15th January Rory Galagher & His Band

• 1977  6th March The Hollies

• 1977  21st March Graham Parker & The Rumour

• 1977  20th May Shakti, special guest Kevin Coyne

• 1977  15th July Crawler, Boxer, Moon

• 1977  19th September Hawkwind
• 1977  1st October Sutherland Brothers & Quiver

• 1977  16th October Weather Report

• 1977  7th November The Corries

• 1977  9th November Graham Parker & The Rumour

• 1977  20th November David Essex

• 1977  21st November Uriah Heep

• 1977  24th November The Chieftains

• 1977  3rd December Boys Of The Lough

• 1978  21st February Chris DeBurgh, special guest Phillip Goodhand-Tait

• 1978  5th March Eddie & The Hot Rods, special guests Radio Stars & Squeeze

• 1978  22nd April The Manhattan Transfer

• 1978  1st May Jethro Tull

• 1978  14th May Don McLean

• 1978  20th July Culture, & Tradition

• 1978  10th &11th September 10cc

• 1978  18th September Camel, special guest Michael Chapman

• 1978  4th October Cliff Richard 

• 1978  9th October Hawkwind       
• 1978  8th & 9th November Cliff Richard 

• 1978  19th November Gordon Giltrap

• 1979  21st January Nazareth

• 1979  20th February Chris DeBurgh 

• 1979  21st February Billy Joel 

• 1979  13th April Kate Bush

• 1979  17th May Sky

• 1979  19th July Manfred Mann’s Earth Band

• 1979  11th September Nils Lofgren, & special guests Live Wire

• 1979  29th September Sky

• 1979  4th October Dean Freidman

• 1979  13th October Lindisfarne

• 1979  22nd October Elkie Brooks

• 1979  6th November Gallagher & Lyle, support Judy Tzuke

1980  21st January Marvin Gaye & Edwin Starr

• 1980  31st March Showaddywaddy

• 1980  16th April The Osmonds

• 1980  17th & 18th May Mike Oldfield 

• 1980  23rd September Don McLean

• 1981  17th February Camel

• 1981  5th October The Shadows

• 1981  26th October Tangerine Dream

• 1981  9th November Chris De Burgh

• 1982  6th April Sky

• 1982  1st April Spandau Ballet (after show party held at Valentino’s).

• 1983  5th March Jack Jones

• 1984  17th October Buddy Rich

• 1984  9th December Ethiopia Benefit Concert featuring Rory Gallagher, Charlie Watts, Ian Stewart, Jim Diamond, & Jack Bruce

• 1984  10th December The Cocteau Twins, & Dif Juz

• 1986  22nd February Clannad

• 1986  23rd March Fairport Convention

• 1987  2nd April A Gala Concert featuring The Waterboys & The Communards amongt others. 

• 1987  7th November Suzanne Vega

• 1989  9th October The Sugarcubes

• 1989  19th November Clannad

• 1989  3rd December Richard Marx

• 1989  13th December Hawkwind

• 1989  18th December Pat Metheny Group

• 1990  15th February Van Morrison

• 1990  22nd September The Blue Nile

• 1993  24th May Big Country

• 1993  6th July Little Angels

• 1994  16th May Jethro Tull

• 1994  30th November Eternal, & Michelle Gayle

• 1995  5th February Morrissey

• 1995  18th February Cyndi Lauper

• 1995  8th March Chuck Berry

• 1995  22nd May Portishead, & D.J. Andy Smith

• 1995   3rd, 4th, & 5th September Simple Minds

• 1995  8th October Big Country
• 1997  13th February Suede, support band Mansun (moved to Meadowbank)
• 1997  15th November Bjork

• 2000  15th December Jools Holland

• 2002  23rd November Jack Bruce, Uli John Roth, Michael Schenker, & Glenn Hughes

• 2003  23rd November The Manfreds

• 2004  10th April David Byrne

• 2004  1st July Patti Smith

• 2004  8th July The Stereophonics                                      
• 2004  18th October Sarah McLachlan

• 2005  26th November Tony Christie

• 2006  25th March Henry Rollins

• 2006  9th April Gene Pitney (cancelled due to the sad death of Gene, just a few days earlier).

• 2006  27th April Mogwai

• 2007  17th February Eddie Reader