An intriguing exhibition is to be unveiled in Moray celebrating a well-known music promoter, top musicians and an iconic venue that played host to The Beatles.
Albert Bonici owned the Two Red Shoes dance hall in Elgin where The Fab Four once took to the stage in the early 1960s.
The late Mr Bonici also owned The Park Cafe and, latterly, the Eight Acres Hotel.
Four-piece band Windy Miller will be reuniting for the opening of the exhibition at Elgin Museum.
The group gigged at Two Red Shoes and many other venues, including a support slot with Cream at The Beach Ballroom in the last 1960s.
Brian McDonald, drummer and singer in the group, said it was the first full gig the band had done in 40 years.
Brian, 67, from Buckie said it was “absolutely brilliant” to be playing with each other again and he and the rest of the band, including brother Fred, had been working on harmonies.
He added he had many happy memories of the Two Red Shoes and even had the chance to see rock superstars Pink Floyd perform there.
He said: “It was a great venue. It was packed out every weekend virtually.
“At that point, there was only that and the Assembly Rooms in town – that was an old dancefloor which was suspended with very heavy chains. You could see the floor bouncing with the number of people on it.”
Windy Miller signed with Mr Bonici’s record label and cut their LP Windy Miller On The Rise at the Two Red Shoes venue.
Since its closure, the building has taken on many guises, including as an Indian eatery.
Mr McDonald said: “Albert was a lovely guy, he really was. He seemed to have that knack of getting the most out of the bands he brought up in terms of attracting a crowd.
“A lot of the bands that came up here were number one in the charts.”
During the Swinging Sixties and 1970s, music-lovers from near and far flocked to the theatre to hear The Who, Dusty Springfield, the Rolling Stones and Cream, all brought to the town by impresario Mr Bonici.
Windy Miller will be performing at the opening of the exhibition on Saturday at 11am.
