Tom Jones performing at the Odeon Cinema, Newcastle on 25th March 1971(Image: Mirrorpix)
The closure and eventual demolition of Newcastle Odeon marked the final scene for one of Tyneside’s most cherished cultural landmarks.
For decades, countless thousands flocked to the fabulous Art Deco cinema on Pilgrim Street to see the latest film releases. But it wasn’t only a mecca for movie‐goers. Some of the biggest names in music also took to the stage there.
Opened in 1931 as the Paramount – it became the Odeon in 1940 – the venue welcomed early visiting acts such as big‐name dance bands Billy Cotton and Joe Loss, and there were personal appearances by stars of the day including George Formby, Al Bowlly, George Robey, and Anna Neagle.
Later, in the 1960s and ’70s, a very different generation of performers arrived. The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, The Who and Tom Jones were among the major acts to play the Odeon.
Tom Jones performing at the Odeon Cinema , Newcastle on 25th March 1971(Image: Mirrorpix)
The latter of those artists performed four shows there this month 55 years ago – twice nightly on March 24 and 25, 1971. An Evening Chronicle photographer was on hand to capture a series of striking shots of the 30-year-old Welsh crooner and his backing band in full flow.
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Jones’s story began in Pontypridd, South Wales, in June 1940, where he was born Thomas Woodward, the son of a miner. He showed an early aptitude for singing, and even then possessed the remarkable full‐throated baritone that would become his trademark. He once said: “First of all, I love singing. I mean I get out of bed and I sing. I can’t help it.”
The young Tom paid his early musical dues as the frontman for a local beat group called Tommy Scott and the Senators. Going solo and acquiring a new manager in 1963, the singer relocated to London and adopted the stage name Tom Jones – the title of a popular film of the time, itself an adaptation of a classic 18th century novel.
A deal with Decca Records was signed – and the rest is history, with Jones quickly becoming a major star in Britain and the United States, and gaining sex symbol status with his sizable female audience along the way.
By the time he appeared at Newcastle Odeon in 1971, the singer was a household name with a string of huge international hits under his belt, including It’s Not Unusual (1965), What’s New Pussycat? (1965), Green Green Grass Of Home (1966), Delilah (1968), Help Yourself (1968), Daughter Of Darkness (1970) and She’s A Lady (1971). Jones was enjoying considerable success across the Atlantic too, performing sold-out residencies in Las Vegas and rivalling Elvis Presley – who was making a hugely successful comeback – for popularity. He even had his own television variety show – This Is Tom Jones – which aired on ABC in America and on ITV in this country.
Tom Jones performing at the Odeon Cinema, Newcastle on 25th March 1971(Image: Mirrorpix)
Somewhat surprisingly, no detailed review of the 1971 Odeon concert appears in the Evening Chronicle or Journal – but his shows from that era typically contained many of his hits, plus covers of classics such as Bridge Over Troubled Water and My Way.
During the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, Jones would explore different musical styles, and enjoy fruitful collaborations with other artists, gaining continued success. He was knighted in 2006, and he gained a new generation of fans when he became a coach on the television show The Voice UK.
In 2026, Sir Tom Jones stands as a national treasure, whose career has spanned more than 60 years, while selling 100 million records. Turning 86 this year, he once said: “Time is my enemy. Time will catch up with me vocally and I dread that. I dread to think about life without singing.”
