Lowton Civic Celebration Alldayer

Looking forward to our first event of 2025 at CULCHETH and what an event it’s shaping up to be! We start the year as we’ve always done with our ‘homage’ to the venue that brought many of us together and continues to bond many of us, LOWTON CIVIC HALL.

This year, on SATURDAY FEB1st, we are celebrating the LOWTON ANNIVERSARY with a special ALL-DAYER! 12 hours of soulful sounds running from 1pm till 1am and featuring THREE ROOMS and 21 DJ’s!

ROOM 1, the main room, residents and guest dj’s will be featuring the records that made LOWTON a ‘Must-visit’ monthly venue for many years, so expect classics oldies, rarities and LOWTON favourites.

ROOM 2, a new addition to the proceedings this year and harking to the very popular back room at LOWTON, featuring rare and underplayed, 60’s and 70’s, with more than just a tip to the DDA, ROOM WITH A VIEW and BURY TOWN HALL KENWOOD SUITE

ROOM 3 the Modern Room, a monthly feature at CULCHETH and a room that became one of the most successful North-West modern rooms for many years at LOWTON, so taking its rightful place at the LOWTON Anniversary special.

Don’t Miss This Very Special Event! Check out the Lowton – Culcheth Soul Facebook group or the All-Dayer event on Soul Source for more details and updates

Can't wait for this one: Three Rooms of Fun and quality soul music rather than 7 Rooms Of Gloom anytime for me!

I'm gonna keep my eye on this thread for news of the various guest DJs mein host has got up his sleeve....never a dull moment at Culcheth and this episode especially as an all-dayer mixed in with the celebration of another Lowton Anniversary! 

What's not to like 

See you all there for the festival

On 05/01/2025 at 17:51, Eddiefoster said:

Can't wait for this one: Three Rooms of Fun and quality soul music rather than 7 Rooms Of Gloom anytime for me!

I'm gonna keep my eye on this thread for news of the various guest DJs mein host has got up his sleeve....never a dull moment at Culcheth and this episode especially as an all-dayer mixed in with the celebration of another Lowton Anniversary! 

What's not to like 

See you all there for the festival

Things shaping up nicely, more to follow...

Been asked for a list of hotels near Culcheth on Facebook for those wanting to travel, so I thought I'd share with fellow Soul Sourcers 

These are all within pretty much 10 mins by car from the venue, hope that helps

Travelodge Warrington Lowton
322 Newton Rd, Lowton, Warrington WA3 1HD•0871 559 1851
B&B HOTEL Warrington
Aston Ave, Risley, Warrington WA3 6ZN•01925 847050
Bay Horse Hotel
49-53 Warrington Rd, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan WN4 9PJ•01942 725032
The Kirkfield
2-4 Church St, Newton-le-Willows WA12 9SU•01925 222058
The Greyhound Hotel Leigh
Sporting Lodge Inns, Warrington Rd, Leigh WN7 3XQ•01942 671256
Holiday Inn Express Leigh - Sports Village, an IHG Hotel
Leigh Sports Village, Sale Wy, Leigh WN7 4JY•01942 366334
Premier Inn Haydock Park/M6 J23 hotel
Yew Tree Way, Lowton, Warrington WA3 3JD•0333 003 1699
Mercure Haydock Hotel
Penny Ln, Haydock, St Helens WA11 9SG•01942 559940
Village Hotel Warrington
110 Centre Park Square, Warrington WA1 1QA•01925 377540
Premier Inn Warrington (M6/J21) hotel
Manchester Rd, Woolston, Warrington WA1 4GB•0333 321 9124
 

On 07/01/2025 at 19:44, Agentsmith said:

This year sees the 8th anniversary of the closure of one of the North West's greatest ever venues, and one that hosted top quality soul nights for 21 years prior....one of the longest running in this part of the uk. Its main ballroom provided a spaceous and highly polished dancefloor, which was graced by thousands of enthusiastic dancers over those years. It goes without saying that, the country's leading djs and lot of unsung collectors, contributed in their own way, with a fantastic array of music, rarities, classic oldies, modern, rnb, latin boogaloo, Detroit.....right across the board....ever changing playlists and never ending queues at the front desk to be where the action really was....even the huge car park in the venues grounds, wasn't huge enough!, akin to car boots, people would have to park on the Civic's playing fields!.

Lowton set a precedent for a soul night ( as opposed to a niter ) with 3 rooms ongoing though, it also hosted some legendary all niters as well.

Culcheth Village Hall carries the mantle for this area of Lancs, being in close vacinity as it is, to the original site of Lowton Civic, it upholds its predecessors great tradition, and its musical ethic is in tempo with all that Lowton achieved over two decades.

This all dayer, undoubtedly, will be a great celebration of that era, faces old and new gathering in a superb setting to reminisce and put the shoe leather to the test on February 1st...the Spirit lives on!

Nicely put Mr Haigh. You're absolutely spot on mate. It's a big thumbs up from me.

1 hour ago, Rhino said:

This is only my own opinion but where else would you get 21 djs all with top draw original vinyl collection and tastes for £10 and open for 12 hours . To me the scene has had it to cheap for far to long just my opinion, Great venue plenty of parking. It's not even a £1 an hour. To many local events in every town in the country that are less than average this event has something for everyone musically and for one will be there with the usual reprobates. If you love soul music don't miss this one of the best night's where at Lowton over the years . People need to more with there ears and not there wallets . Some events it's more expensive for a pint of lager than entry fee . Rant over but had to vent as baz moves heaven and earth to put these nights on a deserves the support. The spirit of Lowton is still alive in me and not missing this event that's for sure, hopefully see you there all the best Pete  

100% correct Pete, you've been doing the original venue a lot longer than me, i remember attending Lowton on a couple of occasions in 2000/1, then not again until Richard and Ginger relaunched it. That lasted 7 years. I got involved helping Baz when he took over promoting it....same as we did the last 3 years of Prestwich..it was hard work but no regrets. Barry Maleedy is true blue, heart on the sleeve dedicated to soul and quality at that! hence, always intuitive line-ups of folk who he knows have great retrospective and uptodate collections as well...and not necessarily time served veteran djs..and he keeps a constant rota of guests, as in our brothers at Ashton. That's why " Same Ole " dosn't apply to Culcheth..it carries on Lowton's tradition: leading from the front.

1 hour ago, Agentsmith said:

100% correct Pete, you've been doing the original venue a lot longer than me, i remember attending Lowton on a couple of occasions in 2000/1, then not again until Richard and Ginger relaunched it. That lasted 7 years. I got involved helping Baz when he took over promoting it....same as we did the last 3 years of Prestwich..it was hard work but no regrets. Barry Maleedy is true blue, heart on the sleeve dedicated to soul and quality at that! hence, always intuitive line-ups of folk who he knows have great retrospective and uptodate collections as well...and not necessarily time served veteran djs..and he keeps a constant rota of guests, as in our brothers at Ashton. That's why " Same Ole " dosn't apply to Culcheth..it carries on Lowton's tradition: leading from the front.

You say Baz is True Blue, that's his only downfall, he's a Wigan Athletic fan.

46 minutes ago, Jessie Pinkman said:

You say Baz is True Blue, that's his only downfall, he's a Wigan Athletic fan.

maybe he just goes for the pies? talking of pasties....we had Morris' of Chorley at Terry's 70th on friday.

ALREADY on my shortlist for Pie/Pasty Of The Year 2025 yum yum! Hope you n Mo all good?, and a Happy New Year to you both from Shirley n me....see you Feb 1st?

4 hours ago, Agentsmith said:

maybe he just goes for the pies? talking of pasties....we had Morris' of Chorley at Terry's 70th on friday.

ALREADY on my shortlist for Pie/Pasty Of The Year 2025 yum yum! Hope you n Mo all good?, and a Happy New Year to you both from Shirley n me....see you Feb 1st?

Of course he goes for the pies, that's the bonus of going to the Brick Community Stadium (formerly the DW Stadium.).

Do you mean Maurice the butcher was at Terrys do. If so has he moved from Blackpool? I'll bet when Ginger saw Maurice he thought "Heyup Pies've cum". If they're that good it's worth just putting on a do and inviting Morris as a guest, as long as he brings his pies with him. Who's next big birthday is coming up.

All the best for the New Year to you & Shirley and yes I'll see you Feb 1st.

8 hours ago, Rhino said:

This is only my own opinion but where else would you get 21 djs all with top draw original vinyl collection and tastes for £10 and open for 12 hours . To me the scene has had it to cheap for far to long just my opinion, Great venue plenty of parking. It's not even a £1 an hour. To many local events in every town in the country that are less than average this event has something for everyone musically and for one will be there with the usual reprobates. If you love soul music don't miss this one of the best night's where at Lowton over the years . People need to more with there ears and not there wallets . Some events it's more expensive for a pint of lager than entry fee . Rant over but had to vent as baz moves heaven and earth to put these nights on a deserves the support. The spirit of Lowton is still alive in me and not missing this event that's for sure, hopefully see you there all the best Pete  

It's an interesting point you make Rhino and it made me think so I checked the relative value of £5 in 1995 compared to now and it works out as a tenner

2 hours ago, Jessie Pinkman said:

Of course he goes for the pies, that's the bonus of going to the Brick Community Stadium (formerly the DW Stadium.).

Do you mean Maurice the butcher was at Terrys do. If so has he moved from Blackpool? I'll bet when Ginger saw Maurice he thought "Heyup Pies've cum". If they're that good it's worth just putting on a do and inviting Morris as a guest, as long as he brings his pies with him. Who's next big birthday is coming up.

All the best for the New Year to you & Shirley and yes I'll see you Feb 1st.

Bob, he turned up around 9pm, they were fresh out the oven!, total pie heaven...no wonder Wigan is the pie capital...even Shirley was scoffin' the sausage rolls  don't know why that Leyther Mr. Cunliffe wasn't there, he'd have soon had one in a barm!

2 minutes ago, Agentsmith said:

Bob, he turned up around 9pm, they were fresh out the oven!, total pie heaven...no wonder Wigan is the pie capital...even Shirley was scoffin' the sausage rolls  don't know why that Leyther Mr. Cunliffe wasn't there, he'd have soon had one in a barm!

 

 

Gonna be a packer, with huge interest already!! I think my first visit to Lowton was on the first anniversary, the place was rammed, great memories and no little education with the back room opening my ears to so many quality 70s tracks and testament to the original DJs from there Messrs Maleady and Plumb, still doing the do !! Looking good for February 1st !!

2 hours ago, Rhino said:

Baz being a big rugby fans as have had many chats about rugby league and a die hard ST HELENS supporter and proud of it . Just wish his taste in rugby was a good as his record collection and be a RHINO but we all have our crosses to bear . Long live the spirit of Lowton was a special place for me and made so many great friendships there including baz, always been there if needed anything including a dancefloor... seriously one of life true gentleman and always been about quality and love of scene. Looking forward to 12 hours of top quality music in each of room. £10 for 12 hours of music and 21 djs if that's not value for money I don't know what is in my opinion. Wish other promoters worked as hard as him . That's the end of rant or opinion see you there people

Us RL fans all have our ‘crosses’ to bear from time to time, the ascendency of ‘you know who’ and ‘you know who 2’ means we have to put up with ribbin’ from Warriors and Wire fans BUT it’s all good fun and in most cases, makes for great banter, just like our beloved Soul scene. It’d be boring if we all channelled the same furrow… sad part is, I probably like pies as much as the next mon

Off piste so, apologies but....

I have quoted the wrong suppliers of pies. I asked the question and was rapidly informed, what was served on Friday night at Terry's 70th, actually came from T & T Sargeant of Leigh. Ive subsequently checked out the website and its 100% correct so, apologies for misleading information!

From Top Food to Top Tunes and a diverse and succulent menu on offer in 3 rooms...or is that 3 courses, including dessert?....certainly a feast and anticipating the forthcoming details regards line-ups and times....reserve yer tables now!....and yer spot on the dancefloor

Thanks for clearing up the pie situation Rob, Ian would have been expecting a free pie barm.

Just in case you missed it, DJ list now finalised, with a couple of sets still available on the rota, so watch this space...

8 hours ago, Jessie Pinkman said:

Thanks for clearing up the pie situation Rob, Ian would have been expecting a free pie barm.

One cannot mess about with serious subjects, such as pies Bob...particularly when there are descerning scholars of the crust like Mr. Cunliffe, a life long Leyther of note!

WHAT A STAGGERINGLY GOOD LINE-UP, and a big to our Baz for making this happen. C'mon now folks, pull yer fingers out!, supporting this epic event goes without saying. I can't imagine any reason for tunes to be repeated in ANY of the rooms, with the collections at the disposal of this set of djs?

Play hasn't got underway and we're looking at one of the highlights of the year already!, this surely has to appeal to all points of the compass so, if there's a good many of you, of a mind to travel a good distance, then dkn't make it a rushed weekend...take the sensible precaution of checking out here, the list of hotels with accommodation available within a short radius.

Going to be interesting reading when the dj past faves and current selections are posted, and a bit more insight, regards what to expect on the day, no fillers..just killers!, those sorts of tunes that you generally wouldn't hear played at traditional standard soul nights...but this is what Culcheth's mantra is, in line with what's on offer elsewhere in the calendar month..and there certainly are some good standard bearers out there, Ashton Uky being a consistant topic of conversation...our good friend, Mick Howard lends that venues brand to this occasion and many of the line up here, including our host, have entertained there too.

It's also great to see a fully fit Sam back behind the decks, still as vibrant and enthusiastic as he's always been, with some A list sounds in tow to bend the connoissuers ears and get the dancefloor afficianados working up some sweat.

We certainly hope and expect the continuing proliferation of views on here to transfer to an impressive attendance figure so, if you definitely like the look of this, clear down your calendar and accept no substitutes for an appearance here...you certainly won't regret it...and you will almost certainly remember it for years to come!