I used to hang out at L'Auberge (or 'the Low Buggery) the coffee bar opposite Richmond Bridge in the late '50s - chatting-up girls, but never played there - there wasn't room for music - and in those days I played a straight tuba. Are you that vintage? -I'm 72.
In '59 i joined my old mate Alan Cresswell's band The Riverside Jazzmen and we extablished the Sunday night sessions at Eel Pie Island - we built up from zero to 1500 kids jiving to our music- I left to go to Uni, but used to come back and sit in, and that's how I was there the night they told us we were not what the kids wanted any more, and that these unknown rock'n'rollers, the Rolling Stones (WHO??), were taking over our gig.
I did go on to be in the band that won on Opportunity Knocks, and the Riversiders recently reformed (well, some of us) and did some great gigs and made a CD, 50 years on.