1956 Mulhouse

Mulhouse is a French city, close to both the German and Swiss borders. It even shares the only Euro-airport with Basel, a swiss city, just across the border.

On September 28th, 1956, Kid Ory and his band played in Mulhouse. The concert ended in mayhem. The situation got close to a riot twice in the evening. First, when some people in the audience found out they could not move their chairs forward to get closer to the scene, as they were used to do. The management had had the brilliant idea of bolting them without any notice. Then, at the end of the concert, the fans were not allowed to get on the stage for the usual autograph session.

The information and all photos have been given to us by Mario Schneeberger and they come from the Hans Philippi files.

Turmoil and incidents

at Kid ORY concert

where wild youth break chairs

before demonstrating in the street

The Hot Club of Mulhouse asks us to insert :

After the events that happened during Kid Ory's concert on September 28th, and to show its disapproval, the Hot-Club of Mulhouse wants to stress that such behaviour is inappropriate and not fit from true jazz lovers. As a result, the executive committee has decided on cancelling all the planned contracts for the season. It is a shame to see that a large part of the audience come to concerts only to engage to grotesque demonstrations leading to general turmoil.

While sorry to deprive true jazz lovers of their favorite music the executive committee is convinced to meet the public's understanding and their approval of this measure, imposed by the events, and hopes thus to safeguard the interests of jazz music.

Regarding the events mentioned by the Hot Club in their communiqué, here is what happened :

The first part of the concert unfolded rather quietly, but things changed after the intermission. Some eight hundred people attended in the hall, most of them youngsters. Most of the front rows not being occupied, some of the listeners from the back rows tried to settle in the front rows, each one of course bringing his chair. Now, the chairs are not removable any more since the management of the House of the People has bolted them on rods, so the rods were simply broken. The police had to intervene. The turmoil went on to the end of the concert, and other incidents took place when the audience after the show were not allowed on the stage for a signing.

One can only regret with the Hot Club such behaviour, likely to be detrimental to a kind of music which, in spite of its detractors, counts many ardent lovers among the young. These latter will be deprived of jazz music for the season, should the Hot Club stick to their decision, thus picking up the pieces, or rather here the broken chairs...

We are told that the incidents continued after the show in the street, where wild youth obstructed the traffic during almost one hour.

PALAIS DES FETES - MULHOUSE

TODAY, SEPTEMBER 28th at 08:30 PM

for the first time the king of New-Orleans

KID ORY

and his orchestra

are going to visit Europe and MULHOUSE.

Reserve Friday September 28th to be

at this fantastic evening with KID ORY

and his famous orchestra.

Bookings at ORELLI's Music House, place

de la République

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The wrestling evenings stewards are requested to

meet at 07:00PM this Friday September 28th at

the Palais des Fétes to control the crowd at this concert.