Camel Niter 07 Nov 03 Review By Shirley

Camel Niter 07 Nov 03 Review By Shirley

Friday 7th November 2003 saw the premiere of a new all-nighter held

at the Camel Club in Huddersfield.  This was our first foray into the

world of all-nighter promotion and even though wed previously run

soul nights at the Rider Club and Pavilion we were aware that a soul

night and an all-nighter are two quite different animals - one of

them is a camel for a start ;-))  We hoped we were up to the job of

giving the paying soulies a darn good night so it was with an excited

nervous energy that we arrived at the Camel Club early doors on

Friday evening to set up for what we propose will become a permanent

date on the Northern Soul all-nighter calendar.

The Camel Club is relatively close to the railway & bus stations so,

for those soulies like Col & myself with own transport difficulties,

it is an ideal nighter venue.  The club itself is accessed through

Byram Court in Huddersfield so although it is a town centre club its

set apart from the main hub of drunken activity that appeals

to "normal" people.  Once in the courtyard the club is entered by

going down a few steps through double glass doors, the "tax" booth is

on the immediate right through these doors.  Then its through

another set of double doors into club, here youll find the loos and

a cloakroom to stash bags etc.  On first impressions the club appears

a bit on the "bijou" side, but this is quite deceptive as its made

up of several "areas".  There is a bar in the main room, but there is

also a bar in the area we had designated for the record bar and chill

out room, in here you can hear the music and see through to the dance

floor, but if youre wanting to cut a deal over a record or just

natter about your latest acquisition then you can do so without

having to shout.  On the other hand if youre a dancer then theres

alcoved seating where you can stake a base camp, this surrounds a

great wooden dancefloor where the DJs can peer out at you from the

confines of what can only be described as a cage (this had obviously

been designed with the aforementioned "normal" people in mind as Im

sure its meant to protect precious vinyl from clumsy drunks rather

than keep inquisitive soulies from checking out plays on the decks ;-

))

As this was our inaugural night I knew I wasnt going to get to dance

too much as although I was no longer "stuck" at the door to collect

the "tax" money I had been given the "straightforward" task of

issuing the "Rare Soul Collective " membership cards.  We had a well

thought out system to simplify this undertaking, which in

my "capable" hands soon degenerated into hastily writing down

necessary information on new members, this new system then further

disintegrated into the new members hastily writing down their own

details, hmmm!! seemed like a good idea at the time.  Ive got to say

trying to read my own scrawl the "day after" is bad enough so

unfamiliar handwriting became a real challenge, if the powers that be

ever want to verify the "Rare Soul Collective" club membership

theyre gonna find some very strange names and some unusual towns if

it comes to that. ;-))) 

Col in the mean time was at the decks playing some very nice toons

whilst I was busy buggering up the "well thought out" membership

system.  I was also itching to get to the dance floor, instead I

tried to jot down a few plays in the lulls between "buggering up",

this too seemed to be a far too complicated task for me as I either

(A) knew the artist but not the title, (B) knew the title but not the

artist and in some cases © didnt know the toon let alone the title

and the artist.  In these instances (of which there seemed to be

many) I thought writing down key words would be useful, hmmm!!!!

again what appeared at the time to be a good idea became yet another

challenge over the next few days of deciphering ;-))

Col was followed on the decks by Alex whos playlist was full of

mainly option © as far as I was concerned.  Guy was up next and as

I went to dance to some of his spins his playlist was shorter than

what he actually played.  Unfortunately whilst Howard was placing his

vinyl on the decks I was deep in conversation and managed to jot down

nothing!!!!!  Eddie played a blinding set but again I managed to take

note of only a few, and by the time Andy and Mick came on I had

abandoned the playlists altogether in favour of the dancefloor,

leaving Howard and Eddie to write down their own plays.  Well who

wants to write when they can dance not this girl and thats for

sure ;-)) 

The night flew by and was over far too quickly for me.  I cant wait

for the next nighter to be held at the Camel Club as the whole thing

far exceeded my expectations, the club, the soulies (who had

travelled from near and far), the DJs (who had also travelled from

near and far), the music, (second to none) everything was perfect. 

Ive just got to say a big thank you to everyone who made this first

nighter into what can only be described as the absolute Camels

b*****ks in this soulies eyes.  

The next planned Rare Soul Collective do at the Camel Club will be on

Friday December 19th, this one will be a "bring a friend" night, a

damn fine idea suggested by Stuart.  So to all of you who experienced

the November nighter, bring a friend and to everyone else just bring

yer fine selves along, youll love it I promise ;-)))

PLAYLISTS (music excellent – list info briefer than usual, next time

Ill leave a pen and paper by the decks and let the DJs write their

own playlists)

Colin

5O Farenheit – Just let your heart be your guide

Teddy Pendergrass – We got love

Jimmy Castor – Make me

Four Sonics – Easier said than done

Candace Love – Wonderful night

Alex

Little John – Wait & see

Nomads – Somethings bad

Frank Dell – He broke your game wide open

Mikki Farrow – Set my heart at ease

Lillian Dupree – Hide & seek

Willie Tee – Please dont go

Howard

Four Tops - Wonderful baby

Martha & The Vandellas – Your love makes it all worthwhile

Barbara Jean & The Lyrics – Why werent you there

Darrow Fletcher – Pain gets a little deeper

Debonaires – Heartache in my heart

Barbara Carr – My mama told me

Sammy Ambrose – Welcome to dreamsville

Lou Ragland – Since you said youd be mine

Shitlles – No doubt about it

Artistics – Girl I need you

Perigents – You better move on

Tony Middleton – To the ends of the earth

ZZ Hill – Make me yours

Temptations – I want a love I can see

Guy

Spirits – Pied piper

Irma & The Fascinations – You need love

Barons of Soul – You need love

Butlers – Laugh laugh laugh

Johnny Watson – Aint gonna move

Lord Thunder – Chaos

Implements – Look over shoulder

Hayes Cotton – Black wings

BJ Thomas – Keep it up

Linda Queen – Where can my baby be

Soundmasters – Lonely lonely

Apocryphals – Im losing you

Victors – Not only a girl knows

Eddie

Cody Black – Im slowly moulding

Dottie & Millie – Nothing in this world

De-lites – Lover

Stewart Ames – Angelina

Twans – I cant see him again

Honey & The Bees – Dynamite exploded

Barons of Soul – You need love

Teddy Pendergrass – We got love

Ronnie McNeir – Isnt she a pretty girl

Jimmy Norman – Family tree

Andy

Patrinell Staten – Little love affair

Homer Banks – Sweetie pie

Locations - Mr Diamond Man

Robert Tanner – Sweet memories

Sensations – Demanding man

Danny White – Keep my woman home

Bernard Williams – Focused on you

Volcanos – Laws of love

Gordon Keith – Look ahead

Volumes – Aint gonna give you up

Mick

Unique Blend – Yes Im in love

Little Henry – Way of living c/u

Tranells – Blessed with a love

Primers – How does that grab you

Passions – If you see my baby

Buddy Smith – Never gonna let you go

Young Brothers – Whats your name

Springers – Nothings too good for my baby

Devotions – Do Do De Dop

Kenny Lewis – Whats her name

Prince Paul – In the beginning

Johnny Rodgers – Make a change

Eddie Whitehead – Just your fool

Colin

Satisfactions – Take it or leave it

Parfays – You got a good thing going boy

Maximilian – Youd better

Sonny Til – Tears & Misery

Joey Scarbury - Midnight mail

Joe Douglas – Something to brag about

Curtis Blandon – In the long run

Sophisticates – I cant stand it

Shadows – My love has gone

Trutones – Hes got nerve

James Bell – Amazing love

Donald Height – Rags to riches to rags (thanks to Mark Hanson for

this one)

Jerry Fuller – I get carried away

Soulfully yours,

Shirley.