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BBC 2 - Northern Soul at the Proms - Tv Broadcast Saturday Night

BBC 2 - Northern Soul at the Proms - Tv Broadcast Saturday Night magazine cover

As you may be aware the recent BBC 'Northern Soul At the Proms' feature was broadcast live on BBC radio back in July,

You can read our 'busy' Source Forum topic on the showing here - tap here to read
 

The concert was also filmed for a later TV broadcast and as such the feature will be broadcast in the Uk on BBC TWO this Saturday 26th August at 19:45 - 21.15 hrs, that's a 1 hour, 30-minute show.

Details from the BBC website on the tv show follow below

Northern Soul at the Proms

BBC Proms 2023

The roof of the Royal Albert Hall nearly comes off in this special Prom dedicated to northern soul, curated by Wigan’s Stuart Maconie and Manchester’s Joe Duddell.

A celebration of raw, rare American soul music that first obsessed young people across the north and the midlands in the 1960s and 70s, inspiring an all-night dance culture.

Epic new arrangements of northern soul anthems are performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra, conducted by a dancing Edwin Outwater, and featuring the vocals of six incredible singers led by Vula Malinga of Basement Jaxx fame.

A night of freedom, passion and euphoria presented by Andi Oliver, with special guests Clarke Peters and PP Arnold

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001q211

 

A Video from the night

 





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1 hour ago, Mike said:

BBC TWO this Saturday 26th August at 19:45 -21.45 hrs, a 1 hour, 30-minute show.

Just to be clear the above time start and Finnish according to TV Schedules is 7:45 Start and 9:15 Ending

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Just flicked through this week's Waitrose 'Weekend' newspaper and surprised to see a 2 page spread where Stuart Maconie normally has a column featuring Northern Soul, focussed on the up coming screening of the Prom.

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Is this bringing the longest underground scene, our beloved Northern soul, into the mainstream public eye ?

Watching it now, and the singers and musicians are presenting the music very well and good choice of sounds to a packed Albert Hall.

But i wished it would stay underground, under the radar, off the screens, or am i just getting too old.......

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Having given up after 3 songs on the radio, I have now watched it.  Enjoyable yes, but I enjoyed the tribute to Aretha and the Dee Dee Bridgewater concerts more.

 

 

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54 minutes ago, Paul H said:

Is this bringing the longest underground scene, our beloved Northern soul, into the mainstream public eye ?

Watching it now, and the singers and musicians are presenting the music very well and good choice of sounds to a packed Albert Hall.

But i wished it would stay underground, under the radar, off the screens, or am i just getting too old.......

In the words of Williams and Watson, it’s far ‘Too Late’. The music’s not been underground for decades so just go with the flow, discover your own obscure sounds and support venues where progressive DJ’s work hard at exposing the rarest of the rare.

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We really loved it! Brilliant singers and orchestra  it sounded amazing even on our really ole TV without surround sound.  Read in the other thread some songs did not make the cut hope they release another longer one with them included as well  👍

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I personally thought the Royal Albert Hall represented our Passion for soul music really well ,  

Everyone there looked like they had an amazing time,  the atmosphere must have been electric, 

I do love the Proms so for me it was a perfect match,  

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On 25/08/2023 at 20:08, Seano said:

Just flicked through this week's Waitrose 'Weekend' newspaper and surprised to see a 2 page spread where Stuart Maconie normally has a column featuring Northern Soul, focussed on the up coming screening of the Prom.

Thanks for the heads-up. I just walked to central London via Waitrose to pick up a copy. Boy, does Maconie write well. I’ve just started his book, The Pie At Night, and am enjoying it tremendously.

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19 hours ago, Soulof said:

We really loved it! Brilliant singers and orchestra  it sounded amazing even on our really ole TV without surround sound.  Read in the other thread some songs did not make the cut hope they release another longer one with them included as well  👍

I hope so too. 

It would have been nice to see the full version. Surely they could have allocated extra time for this event.

I enjoyed the program.

The singers and orchestra covered the songs well.

5 hours ago, ulyssees said:

Enjoyed the prom,  my only gripe …..no instrumentals, imagine Festival Time, Bari Track or Double Cooking played by that orchestra.

If they do revisit in future and with such an orchestra at their disposal the Instrumentals should definitely feature.

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Young and stupid, maybe, but it was our passion, and nothing can take that away, we are Soulies.

I absolutely loved it, yes it was all main stream stuff, but the point is the BBC recognised our passion and put it out there, yes we are are a niche group of people but putting it out there can only be for the benefit of us, I didn't even know it was on. Until last year I lived in a small village in Oxfordshire for 5 years, nobody had even heard of Northern Soul there, I got a text this morning to say watch it on catch up from my mate Dave(75), he absolutly loved it, never too old to enjoy our passion!!!

 

Now living back in my home city, Southampton

 

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Once underground, Subculture is now becoming the newly accepted mainstream culture whether Northern Soul or orchestral House music. It has more cultural relevance for most than ballet or opera by now.

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On 26/08/2023 at 20:51, Paul H said:

Is this bringing the longest underground scene, our beloved Northern soul, into the mainstream public eye ?

Watching it now, and the singers and musicians are presenting the music very well and good choice of sounds to a packed Albert Hall.

But i wished it would stay underground, under the radar, off the screens, or am i just getting too old.......

That ship sailed in 1977 with the Granada "This England" programme on Wigan Casino !!

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On 26/08/2023 at 23:26, Soulof said:

We really loved it! Brilliant singers and orchestra  it sounded amazing even on our really ole TV without surround sound.  Read in the other thread some songs did not make the cut hope they release another longer one with them included as well  👍

One was Jimmy Beaumont's 'I Never Loved Her Anyway'.

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Haven't seen it and probably won't but can't get exited either way. Regarding Stuart Maconie, on a northern soul show on radio 2 a few years back, he said he loves the music but doesn't like the politics. To illustrate this he told the story of when he tried to play 'the Night' but found himself on the wrong side of a compilation so played 'Grease' on the basis they'd know it. He just likes every pop music fad deemed 'cool' by the telly since he saw the Beatles aged about three.  

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The singers and the orchestra did an excellent job but I hate the way that its seems that history has been re written so that Wigan Casino is the be all and end all of Northern Soul but its' predessor The Twisted Wheel has been airbrushed out. Other clubs of the late 60's contributed to the type of soul music that became known as Northern Soul long before Wigan Casino.

I wouldn't class Hold Back The Night by the Trammps as Northern Soul as it's the type of sound that we Wheelers rebelled against in much the same way as those super smooth productions by  The Stylistics, Chi-lites, Commodores, Harold Melvin etc. 

Let battle commence...

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On 27/08/2023 at 13:36, ulyssees said:

Enjoyed the prom,  my only gripe …..no instrumentals, imagine Festival Time, Bari Track or Double Cooking played by that orchestra.

Exus Trek and Sliced Tomatoes were on the radio (full) version.  I think your suggestions would have been better choices .

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5 hours ago, Tykebike said:

The singers and the orchestra did an excellent job but I hate the way that its seems that history has been re written so that Wigan Casino is the be all and end all of Northern Soul but its' predessor The Twisted Wheel has been airbrushed out. Other clubs of the late 60's contributed to the type of soul music that became known as Northern Soul long before Wigan Casino.

I wouldn't class Hold Back The Night by the Trammps as Northern Soul as it's the type of sound that we Wheelers rebelled against in much the same way as those super smooth productions by  The Stylistics, Chi-lites, Commodores, Harold Melvin etc. 

Let battle commence...

The Wheel closed in January 1971  I think.....quite a few years before the type of smooth productions as above. And things like "Hold back the night" and "Heaven must be missing an angel" were probably played at Rare soul venues before crossing over.

When I went to The Wheel, as I recall, there was no  "Title" attached to the type of club playing rare soul....it was a place that attracted you because they played "IMPORTS"...wow!!

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11 hours ago, Stevesilktulip said:

Haven't seen it and probably won't but can't get exited either way. Regarding Stuart Maconie, on a northern soul show on radio 2 a few years back, he said he loves the music but doesn't like the politics. To illustrate this he told the story of when he tried to play 'the Night' but found himself on the wrong side of a compilation so played 'Grease' on the basis they'd know it. He just likes every pop music fad deemed 'cool' by the telly since he saw the Beatles aged about three.  

Was it him, I can’t remember, it was at the 100 club and it was a celebrity radio guest who was playing off CD and selected the wrong track and did indeed play ‘grease is the word” instead of the night… great hilarity ensued… it was def not intentional as he apologised over the mic (whoever it was)

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8 hours ago, Sutty said:

Was it him, I can’t remember, it was at the 100 club and it was a celebrity radio guest who was playing off CD and selected the wrong track and did indeed play ‘grease is the word” instead of the night… great hilarity ensued… it was def not intentional as he apologised over the mic (whoever it was)

I think it was Andy Davies,Johnathon Ross’ sidekick on Radio 2,whom Stuart had on his Northern Soul show,also on Radio 2...

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21 hours ago, Tykebike said:

 

I wouldn't class Hold Back The Night by the Trammps as Northern Soul as it's the type of sound that we Wheelers rebelled against in much the same way as those super smooth productions by  The Stylistics, Chi-lites, Commodores, Harold Melvin etc. 

 

Me neither. Trammps were pure disco fodder when I was in Manchester during the mid to late 70’s. Rather like the Tavares, another decent outfit with tunes that grace any wedding celebration as they are accessible to anyone who can handle  pop music. I think Maconie must have included Hold Back The Night to make the Prom a bit more populist and to cow-tow to the ultra-Woke layers of management at the BBC. Inclusion of the tune also reflects his very limited knowledge of Northern Soul.

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7 hours ago, Frankie Crocker said:

Me neither. Trammps were pure disco fodder when I was in Manchester during the mid to late 70’s. Rather like the Tavares, another decent outfit with tunes that grace any wedding celebration as they are accessible to anyone who can handle  pop music. I think Maconie must have included Hold Back The Night to make the Prom a bit more populist and to cow-tow to the ultra-Woke layers of management at the BBC. Inclusion of the tune also reflects his very limited knowledge of Northern Soul.

There is far more to Tavares than their pop hits, some great 70s soul

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2 minutes ago, Chalky said:

There is far, more to Tavares than their pop hits, some great 70s soul

Exactly ,albums like Hard Core Poetry and Madame Butterfly are great examples of 70’s Soul at its best .

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8 minutes ago, Frankie Crocker said:

Me neither. Trammps were pure disco fodder when I was in Manchester during the mid to late 70’s. Rather like the Tavares, another decent outfit with tunes that grace any wedding celebration as they are accessible to anyone who can handle  pop music. I think Maconie must have included Hold Back The Night to make the Prom a bit more populist and to cow-tow to the ultra-Woke layers of management at the BBC. Inclusion of the tune also reflects his very limited knowledge of Northern Soul.

To be fair ,Hold Back The Night was massive at Wigan ,played by John Vincent off the new Zing album .The tune was only previously known as the instrumental Scrub Board ,from The Torch era etc 

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Ha!  "Hold Back The Night" - it just so happens I finished my set Sunday evening with this. Floor rammed more so than any other northern classics and oldies. Make of that what you will.  

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16 minutes ago, Frankie Crocker said:

Me neither. Trammps were pure disco fodder when I was in Manchester during the mid to late 70’s. Rather like the Tavares, another decent outfit with tunes that grace any wedding celebration as they are accessible to anyone who can handle  pop music. I think Maconie must have included Hold Back The Night to make the Prom a bit more populist and to cow-tow to the ultra-Woke layers of management at the BBC. Inclusion of the tune also reflects his very limited knowledge of Northern Soul.

Tavares With Freda Payne :I Wanna See You Soon. Cheap as chips and v.g (IMO)

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4 minutes ago, Eddie Hubbard said:

To be fair ,Hold Back The Night was massive at Wigan ,played by John Vincent off the new Zing album .The tune was only previously known as the instrumental Scrub Board ,from The Torch era etc 

Which is what I said above...

A record never changes, only a person's viewpoint as to that record's reflection on their ever changing tastes and self image.

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23 minutes ago, Steve G said:

Ha!  "Hold Back The Night" - it just so happens I finished my set Sunday evening with this. Floor rammed more so than any other northern classics and oldies. Make of that what you will.  

Could be an age thing.

At the few  NS events I attend, the tunes from the 70s always seem more popular.

60s classics followers are fast disappearing.

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