Upfront Nighters - A Dancing Dj's Thoughts

[Guest Dr Pickles]

Just wanted to get some thoughts out there based on my experience of the upfront scene as a dancer / DJ / punter.

If there is a small harcore that want to hear this type of music, should promoters be looking at nighters in a different way?

Why try and mix both scenes?

Why try and find stonking great halls with football pitch size dance floors?

Could a different type of nighter be driven back underground?

Wants list:

Smaller

Intimate clubs

Low ceilings

No requests

No music policy - Promotors choose your DJs accordingly

Dark corners

Comfortable seating

Covered smoking areas with piped music from the dance floor

50 - 100 "up for it" peeps with open minds and ears

Memberships

Smaller dance floors (but never use those made up floors - ever)

One off nights in fantastic smaller venues

Invite only

Lots of different DJ's playing exciting music

If you want something different you will search out this night

If you are a DJ who wants to be inspired to play something different

If you are a dancer who wants to get excited about new tunes and can dance to stuff they have never heard

If you are a listener who wants to take it all in with like minded people in comfortable surroundings

I'm not saying all nighters should be like this but I think there is space for a nighter that goes smaller rather than larger.

A modern version of the 1920's prohibition "speakeasy"

No I'm not starting a new night just some thoughts I've had

Doc

Edited August 18, 2011 by Dr Pickles

[Citizen P]

Just wanted to get some thoughts out there based on my experience of the upfront scene as a dancer / DJ / punter.

If there is a small harcore that want to hear this type of music, should promoters be looking at nighters in a different way?

Why try and mix both scenes?

Why try and find stonking great halls with football pitch size dance floors?

Could a different type of nighter be driven back underground?

Wants list:

Smaller

Intimate clubs

Low ceilings

No requests

No music policy - Promotors choose your DJs accordingly

Dark corners

Comfortable seating

Covered smoking areas with piped music from the dance floor

50 - 100 "up for it" peeps with open minds and ears

Memberships

Smaller dance floors (but never use those made up floors - ever)

One off nights in fantastic smaller venues

Invite only

Lots of different DJ's playing exciting music

If you want something different you will search out this night

If you are a DJ who wants to be inspired to play something different

If you are a dancer who wants to get excited about new tunes and can dance to stuff they have never heard

If you are a listener who wants to take it all in with like minded people in comfortable surroundings

I'm not saying all nighters should be like this but I think there is space for a nighter that goes smaller rather than larger.

A modern version of the 1920's prohibition "speakeasy"

No I'm not starting a new night just some thoughts I've had

Doc

Why does it need to be an AllNighter ??

I was at a club last Saturday that ticks every one of the above boxes-except for the smoking area, but you could hear the music outside

East Bowling -Bradford by the way.

Tony

[Guest Andy Kempster]

chris we are looking at a smaller cheaper venue for the future but still with a good floor but need to find out about a change in management, licensing issues etc so hopefully we will be back on track soon but probably not this side of christmas

you know the venue well and for an upfront nite it is just the right size ticking most if not all of your points

see you soon mate, 100 saturday...?????

[Guest Dr Pickles]

"Why does it need to be an AllNighter ??

I was at a club last Saturday that ticks every one of the above boxes-except for the smoking area, but you could hear the music outside

East Bowling -Bradford by the way.

Tony "

Hi Tony

I'm aware of several nights that are like this but can't understand why promotors won't have nighters like this.

Instead they try to go too big, too fast and wonder why it fails. Then you get the back lash of it was a rubbish night due to the music policy and for me that is just wrong.

You can have a fantastic night with the same music policy in a smaller venue with the right people.

To answer your question - I prefer nighters.

They have a different buzz about them, seem to attract different people and if I'm travelling 300+ miles I don't want it to finish at 1.00 or 2.00am.

In fact I don't want to finish at all if it is one of those special nights where everyone is up for it.

Doc

Edited August 18, 2011 by Dr Pickles

[grant]

Why does it need to be an AllNighter ??

I was at a club last Saturday that ticks every one of the above boxes-except for the smoking area, but you could hear the music outside

East Bowling -Bradford by the way.

Tony

you beat me to it T

[Guest Dr Pickles]

chris we are looking at a smaller cheaper venue for the future but still with a good floor but need to find out about a change in management, licensing issues etc so hopefully we will be back on track soon but probably not this side of christmas

you know the venue well and for an upfront nite it is just the right size ticking most if not all of your points

see you soon mate, 100 saturday...?????

Hi Andy

You've got to be mad or dedicated (or both), I would not envy any promotor at the moment.

You've learnt some expensive lessons with Groovesville and it would be great to see you all back stronger and wiser.

I look forwad to hearing all about it.

Doc

[Ged Parker]

Sounds like 'Grumpy Soul' to me cept it finished at 4am. Mind you some nighters are thinning out by then anyway.

[Guest Andy Kempster]

Hi Andy

You've got to be mad or dedicated (or both), I would not envy any promotor at the moment.

You've learnt some expensive lessons with Groovesville and it would be great to see you all back stronger and wiser.

I look forwad to hearing all about it.

Doc

i think its more the former than the latter chris but just cant help it

[Guest]

Sounds like 'Grumpy Soul' to me cept it finished at 4am. Mind you some nighters are thinning out by then anyway.

It wasn't dark enought though

[Guest]

Definetly the way forward I think. Get back to that whole original 60s cool cellar thing. Maybe venues that hold up to 100-150 people no more than that, the low ceilings as you describe, get that sweatbox atmosphere in there. And invitations is a good idea too. Its how we filled up the Rowing Club a few years back, one off do's in unpredictable venues is also exciting and adds to that sense of something special...I've already suggested a plan like this to Sallie and Rod if they decide to have another bash on the 'Soul in the South' front....As for the question 'Why All-Nighters?', well, because thats what he is talking about and I assume on behalf of those of us who want to see them continue....The idea of a small venue bursting to the seams with those who are really up for it is I agree, much more exciting than having to suffer half empty places and the depression over events that deserve big support but just don't get it. THE ANSWER TO ALL THE PROBLEMS CURRENTLY UNDER DISCUSSION:

Edited August 18, 2011 by rich chorley

[Raremusicdirect]

Hi Doc,

Just some thoughts :

Smaller

Personally I prefer the small to mid sized venue as I think they can be more intense and have better atmosphere. The room size sometimes depends on numbers in though. A venue that holds 600 feels empty with 150 in, a venue that holds 150 feels empty with 30 in.

Intimate clubs

Yes - prefer

Low ceilings

Not essential - but can help - rooms do tend to get very very hot if so though

No requests

Requests are rare if the music policy is stated and the attendees come with that in mind. I never think a few hurt. It can bind crowds to djs more (in general) but tbh my fav djs just play things i tend to like anyway......

No music policy - Promotors choose your DJs accordingly

Shouldn't they do this anyway ?

Dark corners

I prefer the whole room dark. Don't like too bright (appreciate fire regs etc)

Comfortable seating

Not essential, but better than uncomfortable.

Covered smoking areas with piped music from the dance floor

Why not

50 - 100 "up for it" peeps with open minds and ears

Don't all clubs desire this ?

Memberships

Maybe......

Smaller dance floors (but never use those made up floors - ever)

Good sized sprung dance floors. Avoid made up floors.

One off nights in fantastic smaller venues

Not sure, Regular good venues with a mix of djs, maybe guest nights

Invite only

No - I'd like youngsters to be able to try

Lots of different DJ's playing exciting music

I hear complaints that there are too many djs - but I'm not so sure - it seems to be protectionist

If you want something different you will search out this night

Ever the case......

If you are a DJ who wants to be inspired to play something different

Some are, some are not - they need to find what works for them

If you are a dancer who wants to get excited about new tunes and can dance to stuff they have never heard

Some like that, some don't -

If you are a listener who wants to take it all in with like minded people in comfortable surroundings

Yes, great to do

Think I posted on here (fairly recently) about the two crowds and two expectations..........in my view they only mix if the Main Room does Oldies and Current Biggies and the Second Room does Rare and Underplayed and whatever the flavour of the moment is be it RnB, Gospel, Funk etc.......generally the djs are different for both rooms as they think and collect the tunes differently.......(I accept some can do both)............

[Winnie :-)]

Sounds like 'Grumpy Soul' to me cept it finished at 4am. Mind you some nighters are thinning out by then anyway.

sounds like the pigeon club, Dave Rimmer could supply more info

[Guest gordon russell]

back in the day most top clubs were what they were because they were smallish and intimate thats what made the great atmosphere. wheel ,torch (bit bigger but not huge ) cats, va va's and many more. One of the resons my favourite place is so good is because it is reletively small...(anything up to 250 maxish).

Large cavenous places just don,t do it unless they're rammed,but hundreds of folk don,t make atmosphere......thats just a big place full of people.

One of the major problems with upfront venues is.......if all the music,most of the night is largely unknown....that then becomes as bad as a big oldies all night type of venue (to much imo )......it needs to be mixed in with current plays and imaginative oldie/underplayed stuff....then there is a steady trickle through the night of newer tunes and things people know, people would then be more inclined to listen to the unknown because there is always gonna be enough of what they do know/semi know to keep em happy...phew hope that makes sense.........tezza

[Raremusicdirect]

Doc

Such a window at the last Bournemouth Soul Club / Railway do at the Green Room..........

[Ted Massey]

back in the day most top clubs were what they were because they were smallish and intimate thats what made the great atmosphere. wheel ,torch (bit bigger but not huge ) cats, va va's and many more. One of the resons my favourite place is so good is because it is reletively small...(anything up to 250 maxish).

Large cavenous places just don,t do it unless they're rammed,but hundreds of folk don,t make atmosphere......thats just a big place full of people.

One of the major problems with upfront venues is.......if all the music,most of the night is largely unknown....that then becomes as bad as a big oldies all night type of venue (to much imo )......it needs to be mixed in with current plays and imaginative oldie/underplayed stuff....then there is a steady trickle through the night of newer tunes and things people know, people would then be more inclined to listen to the unknown because there is always gonna be enough of what they do know/semi know to keep em happy...phew hope that makes sense.........tezza

perfect answer Tezza

[Steve L]

perfect answer Tezza

I concur

[Guest gordon russell]

l might add that the dj,s for these venues should all have a smattering of all of the said tunes so that each set follows on from the next maintaining a super dooper vibe.......not one underplay dj followed by one known tune dj followed by one r&b dj and then one dj who plays the oldies thats just disjointed.......there is a place that does just this

[Guest in town Mikey]

For me the 100 club ticks most of those boxes. The London crowd when I lived there were always up for the upfront sounds. And I see it carrying on with Vava Voom, which again would seem to tick those boxes Chris.

And while not a Northern Soul allnighter, The Mousetrap would tick an awful lot of those boxes too, with some amazing rare soul thrown in a plenty. (Just not all night).

[Guest Bearsy]

smaller dark venue that starts late and finishes even later with djs that play the music not the numbers game with a passion and a knowledge and a belief in thier tunes mixed up just how Tezza explained a few posts ago

[mikecog]

back in the day most top clubs were what they were because they were smallish and intimate thats what made the great atmosphere. wheel ,torch (bit bigger but not huge ) cats, va va's and many more. One of the resons my favourite place is so good is because it is reletively small...(anything up to 250 maxish).

Large cavenous places just don,t do it unless they're rammed,but hundreds of folk don,t make atmosphere......thats just a big place full of people.

One of the major problems with upfront venues is.......if all the music,most of the night is largely unknown....that then becomes as bad as a big oldies all night type of venue (to much imo )......it needs to be mixed in with current plays and imaginative oldie/underplayed stuff....then there is a steady trickle through the night of newer tunes and things people know, people would then be more inclined to listen to the unknown because there is always gonna be enough of what they do know/semi know to keep em happy...phew hope that makes sense.........tezza

My sentiments excactly Tez !! We discuss this everytime we chat...... Not rocket science!! or is it ??

[Guest rodw]

back in the day most top clubs were what they were because they were smallish and intimate thats what made the great atmosphere. wheel ,torch (bit bigger but not huge ) cats, va va's and many more. One of the resons my favourite place is so good is because it is reletively small...(anything up to 250 maxish).

Large cavenous places just don,t do it unless they're rammed,but hundreds of folk don,t make atmosphere......thats just a big place full of people.

One of the major problems with upfront venues is.......if all the music,most of the night is largely unknown....that then becomes as bad as a big oldies all night type of venue (to much imo )......it needs to be mixed in with current plays and imaginative oldie/underplayed stuff....then there is a steady trickle through the night of newer tunes and things people know, people would then be more inclined to listen to the unknown because there is always gonna be enough of what they do know/semi know to keep em happy...phew hope that makes sense.........tezza

That sounds exactly like the Main Room music policy @ Soul in the South Allnighter

[Guest]

This perfectly describes Bidds!

[Guest]

Just wanted to get some thoughts out there based on my experience of the upfront scene as a dancer / DJ / punter.

If there is a small harcore that want to hear this type of music, should promoters be looking at nighters in a different way?

Why try and mix both scenes?

Why try and find stonking great halls with football pitch size dance floors?

Could a different type of nighter be driven back underground?

Wants list:

Smaller

Intimate clubs

Low ceilings

No requests

No music policy - Promotors choose your DJs accordingly

Dark corners

Comfortable seating

Covered smoking areas with piped music from the dance floor

50 - 100 "up for it" peeps with open minds and ears

Memberships

Smaller dance floors (but never use those made up floors - ever)

One off nights in fantastic smaller venues

Invite only

Lots of different DJ's playing exciting music

If you want something different you will search out this night

If you are a DJ who wants to be inspired to play something different

If you are a dancer who wants to get excited about new tunes and can dance to stuff they have never heard

If you are a listener who wants to take it all in with like minded people in comfortable surroundings

I'm not saying all nighters should be like this but I think there is space for a nighter that goes smaller rather than larger.

A modern version of the 1920's prohibition "speakeasy"

No I'm not starting a new night just some thoughts I've had

Doc

Chris

I remember your club in the very early 90s at the Water Rats in Kings Cross on the Sunday night.

Carl and I came along with a couple of hundred records and did our thing.

There was about 30 (of us mod) people there that particular night, listening, playing tunes and drinking.

Chatting about tunes, nodding in appreciation, getting to know each other a bit

We were into our own thing, and still are now.

I don't think I have ever seen you since .

But a night for people like that in the future ?

A place for 60s collectors and nice people ?

Keep me posted !

Best Gareth, and Regards to Jolie

Edited August 19, 2011 by mosschops

[mrs soul]

our Disciples of soul allniter was upfront but mixed in with some well know stuff as not to scare off people who wanted to hear tunes they knew, we had a good mix of Dj,s some local, some big names .some who dont get to play often. we had it perfect , a great crowd in, 150 approx,local people, travellers, ect, it was two rooms , upstairs a lot of unknown rarer, down stairs more well known , dancers , no stomping oldies though, it worked. it was great, then they sold the venue, still looking for the same type of place it was not massive, it was dingy and dark downstairs . bit brighter up stairs, everything we needed and wanted. Wish we could do it again in the same venue.

[mrs soul]

well after all that jazz....we will do it again when we are ready , there are two many niters as there are too many soul nites, nothing will ever change, we have taken over the marrs bar after the late Pete Robinson, but decided to not do anything as we are all too busy, collecting or otherwise..there are plenty of upfront good niters about, life line being one of them. my thoughts on the upfront niter scene is that you do get a hard core section who will go regularly to a chosen venue, as I have said befor, its an ever-changing scene, and sometimes not for the better, but thats life.we have to suck it up and make the best of everything whilst we all still can , I think we are all lucky to have a choice of places to go,and its nice to look forward to the weekend and swallow some good old soul to satisfy ourselves. as a person who likes rare tunes, I go everywhere when I can, I go to oldies as well as rarer venues, really I please myself, as I do in life when possible.but one thing that I do think is relevant and could really start another bi thread on this is, do we get confused with upfront and just plain I will play anything even if its a load of crap?

[Guest Dr Pickles]

One of the major problems with upfront venues is.......if all the music,most of the night is largely unknown....that then becomes as bad as a big oldies all night type of venue (to much imo )......it needs to be mixed in with current plays and imaginative oldie/underplayed stuff....then there is a steady trickle through the night of newer tunes and things people know, people would then be more inclined to listen to the unknown because there is always gonna be enough of what they do know/semi know to keep em happy...phew hope that makes sense.........tezza

Hi Peggy

I understand your point.

However, I just want to make it clear - the night I'm talking about is not the blue print for all nighters and is more about smaller one off nights with the right crowd for the right DJs and visa versa.

I would not want to see DJs spoon feeding oldies, so some of the crowd " would then be more inclined to listen to the unknown because there is always gonna be enough of what they do know/semi know to keep em happy".

I know it's not as black and white as that.

I would want to see the DJs playing whatever they want because it fits in their set and with what the club is trying to do, and the vibe on the night. With a smaller crowd who know what they are getting into this should make it much easier and avoid people coming up on stage and asking for "some proper Northern" and "something we know".

As much as it kills me to agree with you, there is a Burnley sound and this and Bidds are the closest thing to what I've described. When the right DJs are listening to each other's sets, bouncing off each other and playing in that certain groove, these are fantastic nights and this can mean new, old, funky, R&B, mid tempo, whatever.

Full on dancing, clapping, sweating, cheering, big smiles all round. That need to run up to the decks and say "what the f**k was that, it's great".

Off the back of the Bournemouth nighter discussion, I just wanted to discuss taking these types of nighter further. Not bigger but smaller with a more intense crowd, more intense music in more intimate venues.

Doc

Edited August 19, 2011 by Dr Pickles

[Mike E]

Hi Peggy

I understand your point.

However, I just want to make it clear - the night I'm talking about is not the blue print for all nighters and is more about smaller one off nights with the right crowd for the right DJs and visa versa.

I would not want to see DJs spoon feeding oldies, so some of the crowd " would then be more inclined to listen to the unknown because there is always gonna be enough of what they do know/semi know to keep em happy".

I know it's not as black and white as that.

I would want to see the DJs playing whatever they want because it fits in their set and with what the club is trying to do, and the vibe on the night. With a smaller crowd who know what they are getting into this should make it much easier and avoid people coming up on stage and asking for "some proper Northern" and "something we know".

As much as it kills me to agree with you, there is a Burnley sound and this and Bidds are the closest thing to what I've described. When the right DJs are listening to each other's sets, bouncing off each other and playing in that certain groove, these are fantastic nights and this can mean new, old, funky, R&B, mid tempo, whatever.

Full on dancing, clapping, sweating, cheering, big smiles all round. That need to run up to the decks and say "what the f**k was that, it's great".

Off the back of the Bournemouth nighter discussion, I just wanted to discuss taking these types of nighter further. Not bigger but smaller with a more intense crowd, more intense music in more intimate venues.

Doc

Chris

Hope we are getting somewhere there with the 'Ton of Dynamite' room at Gloucester. Seems to tick a lot of the boxes. However, taking Tezza'a points maybe worth considering a few underplayed/Rarities(Now thats a term open interpretation) for reasons suggested above.???

Regards

Mike

[SallieJane]

Hi Peggy

I understand your point.

However, I just want to make it clear - the night I'm talking about is not the blue print for all nighters and is more about smaller one off nights with the right crowd for the right DJs and visa versa.

I would not want to see DJs spoon feeding oldies, so some of the crowd " would then be more inclined to listen to the unknown because there is always gonna be enough of what they do know/semi know to keep em happy".

I know it's not as black and white as that.

I would want to see the DJs playing whatever they want because it fits in their set and with what the club is trying to do, and the vibe on the night. With a smaller crowd who know what they are getting into this should make it much easier and avoid people coming up on stage and asking for "some proper Northern" and "something we know".

As much as it kills me to agree with you, there is a Burnley sound and this and Bidds are the closest thing to what I've described. When the right DJs are listening to each other's sets, bouncing off each other and playing in that certain groove, these are fantastic nights and this can mean new, old, funky, R&B, mid tempo, whatever.

Full on dancing, clapping, sweating, cheering, big smiles all round. That need to run up to the decks and say "what the f**k was that, it's great".

Off the back of the Bournemouth nighter discussion, I just wanted to discuss taking these types of nighter further. Not bigger but smaller with a more intense crowd, more intense music in more intimate venues.

Doc

Agree Doc, smaller is certainly the way to go with what we are trying to achieve with the Bournemouth Allnighters. We love the rarer and uptempo side of the scene, as eclipsed by Burnley and Bidds, and can't wait for the next ones. Neither one of us is prepared to compromise on the music to fill a venue. There are so many oldies allnighters anyway. But as you know, the problem will always be finding the right place. Down here all the clubs are selling out to the happy hour mentality and concreting over their dance floors for the hen/stag nights and students that invade the town. Maybe we will find somewhere which is "northern soul" friendly, but in the meantime I think we'll just enjoy our niters and see where that leads us.

Sallie

[Guest Dr Pickles]

Chris

Hope we are getting somewhere there with the 'Ton of Dynamite' room at Gloucester. Seems to tick a lot of the boxes. However, taking Tezza'a points maybe worth considering a few underplayed/Rarities(Now thats a term open interpretation) for reasons suggested above.???

Regards

Mike

Hi Mike

I agree that playing an underplayed storming track is just as good as something left field or never played but it must fit in with the vibe of the room. The danger with 2 room nights is playing whats being played in the main room and visa versa.

I think we have a great mix upstairs in the TOD room without treading on toes downstairs. Different, forgotten, uptempo and all storming dance tracks.

Doc

Edited August 19, 2011 by Dr Pickles

[Guest Dr Pickles]

Agree Doc, smaller is certainly the way to go with what we are trying to achieve with the Bournemouth Allnighters. We love the rarer and uptempo side of the scene, as eclipsed by Burnley and Bidds, and can't wait for the next ones. Neither one of us is prepared to compromise on the music to fill a venue. There are so many oldies allnighters anyway. But as you know, the problem will always be finding the right place. Down here all the clubs are selling out to the happy hour mentality and concreting over their dance floors for the hen/stag nights and students that invade the town. Maybe we will find somewhere which is "northern soul" friendly, but in the meantime I think we'll just enjoy our niters and see where that leads us.

Sallie

Hi Sallie

It was the downstairs room at the Spyre club that got me thinking about this.

A small room, leather sofas, great sound system, bar, low ceiling, my sort of music and good friends.

I was thinking if we just had this room with a decent floor and 50 " up for it" nighter peeps in all dancing, chatting listening. I would have been in heaven.

As it was the Wicked Witch of the West kept turning the music down and the joins in that floor kept trying to rip the soles of my shoes off.

BUT it definatly had some plus points over a big hall. If there is only a 100 of us who want to hear this type of music then find a kick arse venue where people are banging the door down to get in a find out what all the fuss is about.

Just a thought

Doc

Edited August 19, 2011 by Dr Pickles

[Mike E]

Hi Mike

I agree that playing an underplayed storming track is just as good as something left field or never played but it must fit in with the vibe of the room. The danger with 2 room nights is not playing whats being played in the main room and visa versa.

I think we have a great mix upstairs in the TOD room without treading on toes downstairs. Different, forgotten, uptempo and all storming dance tracks.

Doc

Chris

Worth having the discussion. Agree re downstairs room as its not an oldies per se room in any case and we not want to duplicate matters.

Keep on keeping on.....Well not literaturely lol! if you get my drift

Mike

[soulsalmon]

Sounds like 'Grumpy Soul' to me cept it finished at 4am. Mind you some nighters are thinning out by then anyway.

Beat me to it Ged

[soulsalmon]

Terry Darcy,uptempo oracle

[Mike]

hatfull of offtopic posts removed

if you do find yourself posting more than 1 or 2 offtopics in a thread

then to save time and effort

take it that you are doing something wrong... and then either use pms to continue or goto the chat room or nip to the chat forum

[Mak]

back in the day most top clubs were what they were because they were smallish and intimate thats what made the great atmosphere. wheel ,torch (bit bigger but not huge ) cats, va va's and many more. One of the resons my favourite place is so good is because it is reletively small...(anything up to 250 maxish).

Large cavenous places just don,t do it unless they're rammed,but hundreds of folk don,t make atmosphere......thats just a big place full of people.

One of the major problems with upfront venues is.......if all the music,most of the night is largely unknown....that then becomes as bad as a big oldies all night type of venue (to much imo )......it needs to be mixed in with current plays and imaginative oldie/underplayed stuff....then there is a steady trickle through the night of newer tunes and things people know, people would then be more inclined to listen to the unknown because there is always gonna be enough of what they do know/semi know to keep em happy...phew hope that makes sense.........tezza

In a nutshell there Tezza , one thing I would like to see is collectors being asked or given a chance to spin a few tunes . We all know what tunage is out there locked up in the spare bedrooms or cellars . Alway thought Lifeline at The Fox was just about perfect .

[Guest gordon russell]

Hi Peggy

I understand your point.

However, I just want to make it clear - the night I'm talking about is not the blue print for all nighters and is more about smaller one off nights with the right crowd for the right DJs and visa versa.

I would not want to see DJs spoon feeding oldies, so some of the crowd " would then be more inclined to listen to the unknown because there is always gonna be enough of what they do know/semi know to keep em happy".

I know it's not as black and white as that.

I would want to see the DJs playing whatever they want because it fits in their set and with what the club is trying to do, and the vibe on the night. With a smaller crowd who know what they are getting into this should make it much easier and avoid people coming up on stage and asking for "some proper Northern" and "something we know".

As much as it kills me to agree with you, there is a Burnley sound and this and Bidds are the closest thing to what I've described. When the right DJs are listening to each other's sets, bouncing off each other and playing in that certain groove, these are fantastic nights and this can mean new, old, funky, R&B, mid tempo, whatever.

Full on dancing, clapping, sweating, cheering, big smiles all round. That need to run up to the decks and say "what the f**k was that, it's great".

Off the back of the Bournemouth nighter discussion, I just wanted to discuss taking these types of nighter further. Not bigger but smaller with a more intense crowd, more intense music in more intimate venues.

Doc

hi doc

Not sure you,ve got my point.......don,t mean dj,s should spoon feed oldies, BUT whats wrong with playing them in a imaginative way (not hammering the same old oldies) encompassing all the stuff with no real emphasis on anything DON,T HAMMER ANY GENRE keep it exciting SING FROM THE SAME HYMN SHEET ALL NIGHT dj,s complimenting the set before and setting the mark for the dj to come bit like 100 mtres relay sprint..........there ya go easy lol don,t drop the baton....pay attention

Have to say there are only 2 or 3 clubs doing this......all north of brum.........dj,s must play whats played at the club or not at all.....whichever club that is!!!!!

p.s who's the dancing dj sean chapman?

Edited August 19, 2011 by gordon russell

[mrs soul]

whats brum got to do with anything?

[Guest gordon russell]

whats brum got to do with anything?

nothing it,s just the north south divide

[KevH]

nothing it,s just the north south divide

Thought that was Watford.

[SallieJane]

Hi Sallie

It was the downstairs room at the Spyre club that got me thinking about this.

A small room, leather sofas, great sound system, bar, low ceiling, my sort of music and good friends.

I was thinking if we just had this room with a decent floor and 50 " up for it" nighter peeps in all dancing, chatting listening. I would have been in heaven.

As it was the Wicked Witch of the West kept turning the music down and the joins in that floor kept trying to rip the soles of my shoes off.

BUT it definatly had some plus points over a big hall. If there is only a 100 of us who want to hear this type of music then find a kick arse venue where people are banging the door down to get in a find out what all the fuss is about.

Just a thought

Doc

Agree the Downstairs room had a brill atmosphere...the tunes and the people made it. That's what it's all about for me. Think for what we want to do small is better. But need a bit of time out now to see where we go from here. Thanks for your comments and see you somewhere soulful soon.

Sallie

[Wilxy]

I totally agree with Terry's take on this topic, and furthermore whilst I have no gripe with any "sub-genre" as such, whilst I'm game to new on the ears, I get bored with one hour sets of Funk, Latin or Popcorn, etc, the odd item sounds great.....but I like what I like, as does each and every participant I suppose

[Geeselad]

I totally agree with Terry's take on this topic, and furthermore whilst I have no gripe with any "sub-genre" as such, whilst I'm game to new on the ears, I get bored with one hour sets of Funk, Latin or Popcorn, etc, the odd item sounds great.....but I like what I like, as does each and every participant I suppose

the 1/2 hour spots favoured by venues like Bidds and Differnet strokes help to solve this problem and for the sake of the dancers should imho by addopted universally. It also seems to give Dj's in incentive in morew ways than one.

[Guest]

the 1/2 hour spots favoured by venues like Bidds and Differnet strokes help to solve this problem and for the sake of the dancers should imho by addopted universally. It also seems to give Dj's in incentive in morew ways than one.

Don't see why DJ's should be limited to half hour spots if they are imaginative, defeats the object. And you are not going to get people travelling all the way down to the south coast for example just to compete in half hour spots...

Edited August 21, 2011 by rich chorley

[Geeselad]

Don't see why DJ's should be limited to half hour spots if they are imaginative, defeats the object. And you are not going to get people travelling all the way down to the south coast for example just to compete in half hour spots...

Best spots and best music I've heard have been through this format, I seldom here anything but self indulgence through the longer format spots, Whats the problem with a dj doing two staggered 1/2 hout spots, it works better for continuaty and for the dance floor IMHO.

[Geeselad]

oops duplicate.

Edited August 21, 2011 by geeselad

[Geeselad]

Don't see why DJ's should be limited to half hour spots if they are imaginative, defeats the object. And you are not going to get people travelling all the way down to the south coast for example just to compete in half hour spots...

Best spots and best music I've heard have been through this format, I seldom here anything but self indulgence through the longer format spots, Whats the problem with a dj doing two staggered 1/2 hout spots, it works better for continuaty and for the dance floor IMHO.

[Mace]

Don't see why DJ's should be limited to half hour spots if they are imaginative, defeats the object. And you are not going to get people travelling all the way down to the south coast for example just to compete in half hour spots...

Well, they don't get just 1 x half hour spot they get 2, so they still get an hour (or in some case 1 x half hour and 1 x 40 minutes depending on how many DJs are booked)

Plus this means all the guest DJs then get a main spot (somewhere between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m.) and their other spot is either early doors (if they want to get off early) or between 4a.m. and 7 a.m. if they plan on staying to the end or can't turn up till midnight etc.

Suppose it works well for Bidds cus we play lots of different genres and plenty of upfront tunes......I do believe it keeps DJs competitively bouncing off each other (no fat jokes required ) and prevents any overkill of any one genre.

As for DJs not wanting to travel long distances to do half hour sets, I've had plenty of DJs travelling long distances to happily DJ under such a format.

In fact Dave Abbott travelled up to DJ at the last Bidds Niter and seemed well impressed with the whole set-up.

He'll probably come on here now and say he hated it mind

Edited August 21, 2011 by Mace

[Little-stevie]

That Mace bloke looks like he's only got one CSE in woodwork but makes a very good point above....

Always been a fan of shorter sets..

Smaller more intimate venues for a more progressive sound works just fine as the folk wanting this are in the minority for sure, common sense i guess..

[Little-stevie]

That Mace bloke looks like he's only got one CSE in woodwork but makes a very good point above....

Always been a fan of shorter sets..

Smaller more intimate venues for a more progressive sound works just fine as the folk wanting this are in the minority for sure, common sense i guess..

Edited August 21, 2011 by little-stevie

[Little-stevie]

Edited August 21, 2011 by little-stevie