Views From The Jungle Floor - Monkey

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Views From The Floor - 16 Nov 2002

Reviews-Plays : Monkey Time - Nov 16

Posted on 2002/11/21 18:30:55

Well after a great night at the Wilton with a quality dj line up it was time to leave for North Wales and make Monkeys of ourselves (Andy Dyson and Mick H, the two guests for the night and myself. Arrived an hour and fifty minutes later to be greeted by such a wonderful sight, two lasses in fancy dress, one dressed as a genie....f*g 'ell could have rubbed her lamp but as my hands were full with Andy's record boxes any thought of playing Aladdin soon disappeared

Was sorely tempted to put the boxes down and head next door but as we weren't suitably dressed for the occasion had to settle for the Drunken Monkey Soul Club!

All I can say is top night and top crowd. Musically great with the emphasis on quality, non of the usual overplayed hammered to death soul you get at some other venues. We all had a great night and can't recommend this place enough, you really ought to try and get along. Crowd were fully appreciative of all the records played regardless of individuals tastes.

As I said earlier Andy and Mick H were the guests and they didn't disappoint. Both played blinding sets as did all the djs on the night. Our ears were treated to sounds like

Soul Inc, Sensations- Demanding Man, Robert Tanner - Sweet Memories, Vanguards on Shirley (listen out for this great choon), Locations - Mister Diamond Man, Nu-Rons All Of My Life and many more which I'm sure I'll remember when some brain cells have recovered. Maybe Andy can remember what he played and post a playlist

Nice to meet all the other Soul Talkers making monkeys of themselves, I won't name names as I don't want to offend anyone I miss out which I

probably will with my memory.

Left towards the end and headed for Stoke which was a different experience altogether.

Again great night and hope to get back there again pretty soon.

Chalky

Another view

Many thanks to Neil and gang for taking time to pass on their view

Regrettably, despite having read a lot about them, we haven't been able to attend the previous DMSC nights so, when the five of us arrived at 8.45pm we were all officially 'monkey virgins!!'

Having paid our soul tax, we walked into the main room and immediately you could tell the room had atmosphere - WHY HAVEN'T WE GOT VENUES LIKE THIS IN SHROPSHIRE!! we all cried. What a great place!!

Having grabbed some seats we headed for the bar and that was the second pleasant suprise of the night. £6.40 for five drinks!!!

I thought (perhaps in some bizarre tribute to Stafford top-of-the-world) that the beers were being charged at 1980's prices!!

Whilst at the bar, the tunes started to hit me. 'Hang on', I thought. We're still in the first hour of this night and already the big tunes are playing. If the tunes are this good early on, things could only get better

- And I wasn't disappointed!! It was like being new to the scene again.

LOADS of records I've NEVER heard before - Superb. A track by Prince Paul was played twice and this was the highlight of the night for me. WHAT AN AWESOME RECORD and I've never heard it before.

Taking my seat again, my aged fellow soulie Chic said what we were all thinking, 'this is like an allnighter atmosphere', he said. 'It's like the

tunes that used to get played at Droylesden and Hyde Town Hall'. This truly was praise indeed as these two venues rank highly in my list of all

time favourite venues.

Suddenly on comes Teardrops by Soul Bros. Inc. and we're up and dancing

This was to be the third suprise of the night!!

I have, for over 10 years assumed the slippyist dancefloor in the world was at a soul nite we used to go to at a working mens club in Leigh. THE

SPRINFIELD HAS PROVEN ME WRONG!! What have you done to the thing!!?? It was like ice!! I went up to ask the DJ for a record at one point and nearly paid the ultimate price. Surely no-one in the history of Rare Soul has ever fallen on their @rse on a dancefloor whilst simply walking across it

(unless very drunk!!).

Anyway, I soon learned that by dancing on the edge of the carpet I could survive and I will make sure that next time I wear trainers!! I'll have to do something because when you're hearing tunes like Troy Dodds, Arthur Willis and Buddy Smith not dancing is not an option!!

As you can tell, we are now all firmly Monkey converts and we will be regulars at future nights. My only regret is that the Christmas one clashes with the do we run at the White House in Cannock. Anyway, I hope that goes well and we will all be back with you at the Springfield for more quality soul in 2003.

Keep up the (very) good work.

Neil, Chimene, Kiddo, Wendy and Chic

Shrewsbury