Northwest Dance Halls

Photo Needed
Headless Horseman
Portland, Oregon

Some of the bands that this place during the early years of NW rock and roll were:

Bent Scepters
Brothers & Friends
Everybody in The World
Gentleman Jim and the Horsemen
The Happie
Music Box
The Quints
Paul Revere and the Raiders
The Tikis and The Fabulons
The Wild Elements

Others??

The "Headless Horseman" was a small Teen Club on Park ave between Salmon & Taylor streets in Portland.  It was operated  by promoter Olin Clark and for awhile featured a small balcony stage above a stairway. The whole place was painted black and there were two floors on which you could dance or watch the bands from the balcony. The stage was so small that bands had to mix and share the same gear.

Olin Clark also had a TV show called "Battle of the Beat', featuring two live local bands each week and a taped 'guest star' .The show was sponsored by Mayflower Milk on KOIN 6. Votes were  by postcard, and my band ,"THE HAPPIE", made it to the quarterfinals.

Rojer Blaine, January 2006

The Headless Horseman was a main venue for middle 60's Portland bands. The manager of record was Olin Clark..but...the real boss was Jack Matlack. A Portland business man. Bands that played that venue were: The Bent Scepters...The Tiki's and the Fabulons...and...The Epic's (Or.).

Carl Wilson, June 2006