Up The Monkey! Nov 2002 review

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

Regrettably, despite having read a lot about them, we havent 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 HAVENT 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 1980s prices!!

Whilst at the bar, the tunes started to hit me. Hang on, I thought. Were 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 wasnt disappointed!! It was like being new to the scene again.

LOADS of records Ive 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 Ive 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. Its 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 were 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!! Ill have to do something because when youre 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

As said many thanks for that, believe it or not the dancefloor was quite "sticky" compared to the infamous July nite, otherwise known as the nite of the falling soulies. Great to hear that enjoyed it and know that Steve T was chuffed to catch up with you