There are venues that come and go — and then there’s King Mojo. From 1964 to 1967, the Stringfellow brothers transformed the former Dey’s Ballroom and School of Dance on Pitsmoor Road into one of the most talked-about clubs in Britain. It was the place where Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix, Ike & Tina Turner, The Who, and countless others cut their teeth in front of packed Sheffield crowds. For those who were there, being part of the Mojo scene became a badge of honour that still means everything six decades later.
The Stringfellow Vision
King Mojo was the brainchild of brothers Peter and Geoff Stringfellow, who had already made waves with the Black Cat and Blue Moon clubs. In 1964 they took a chance on Dey’s Ballroom, giving it a new lease of life as a teenage club that welcomed mods, soul fans, and curious locals — and treated them all the same.
Even Peter admitted those few years were the most incredible of his life. He wasn’t exaggerating.
Breaking Down Barriers
King Mojo stood out in the 1960s for the way it brought Black American artists and Sheffield teenagers together in a small club in Pitsmoor. One night you could see Wilson Pickett tearing up the stage; the next, your mates would be spinning the latest Motown imports. It was a place where class, background and postcode didn’t matter — the only thing that counted was the music.
A Roll Call of Legends
Look at the list of acts and it reads like a who’s who of sixties music: Ben E. King, Edwin Starr, Cream, Small Faces, Sonny Boy Williamson, Geno Washington, The Animals, Pink Floyd, John Lee Hooker. Hendrix himself played one of his very first UK gigs there. For a teenager in Sheffield, a Mojo weekend was better than a trip to the Marquee in London.
The Mojo Spirit
It wasn’t just the bands. Mojo regulars still talk about:
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Coach trips to Ready Steady Go!
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New dances spreading from Sheffield to Hull, Grimsby and beyond within days.
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Condensation running down the walls as hundreds packed into the tiny club.
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Peter Stringfellow DJing till dawn on all-nighters, spinning rare US imports.
As one regular recalled: “There’s never been a club with so much atmosphere. All the latest dance moves started there.”
Legacy and Revival
King Mojo shut in 1967 after constant pressure from neighbours and the authorities. But its legend only grew. Original posters fetch hundreds of pounds; Colin Duffield’s artwork is now classic pop art; and being a “Mojo kid” is still something to boast about.
Now, thanks to a £114,300 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Mojo Rising project is set to be celebrated like never before.
We’re proud to be part of keeping the spirit alive. Explore our King Mojo Collection that honours this true Sheffield legend.
