FROBISHER SUITE - 28 FEBRUARY 2004

FROBISHER SUITE - 28 FEBRUARY 2004 A cold and snowy night in Yorkshire, compounded the soul night promoter's nightmare - how many events clash with us tonight? Well, the answer to that question tonight was - many: New Century nighter, Stoke Togetherness nighter, a charity do in York, the list went on and on. Will anybody venture out because of the weather? Will they be saving themselves for next week's Prestatyn Weekender? Will anybody come through the door tonight? Questions, questions. Yes, numbers were a bit down on normal, but with guests MICK H and DEREK ALLEN, the Trent Soul contingent, joining residents DAVE BOX and FRED WARD, the quality of the sets guaranteed a full across the board mix. Dave kicked off the warm-up spot, 8 til 9, and as usual gave an airing to some soulful mid-tempo gems from his collection, many played for the first time at the venue. Dee Dee Warwick - We've Got Everything Going on Mercury; Fresh Flavour's - Without You Baby on Buddah; Patti Jo - Stay Away From Me on Scepter; Al Williams - The Other Side Of Your Love on Crajon; Denice Chandler - Mama, I Wish I'd Stayed At Home on Lock; Sonny Fisher - Oh Love, This Is Sonny on Tousea; Ralph Graham - What Am I To Do on RCA; Gene Chandler - Without You Here on Curtom; Tony Diamond - You Mean Everything To Me on Capitol; The Four Tops - Are You Man Enough on ABC Dunhill. Fred followed with his first set of the night, featuring classic oldies, as the crowd steadily built up. Mel Britt - She'll Come Running Back; Roger Collins - She's looking Good; Larry Laster - Go For Yourself; Bok to Bach - Father's Angels; Ethics - Look At Me Now; Saxie Russell - Psychedelic Soul; Edwin Starr - Back Street; Soul Twins - Quick Change Artist; Young Holt Unlimited - California Montage; Darrell Banks - Our Love Is In The Pocket; Chuck Jackson - These Chains Of Love; Ann Sexton - You've Been Gone Too Long; Illusions - You Didn't Have To Leave; Bobby Freeman - I'll Never Fall In Love Again; Lenis Guess - Just Ask Me; Crusaders - Put It Where You Want it; Impressions - You've Been Cheatin'; Ramsey Lewis - Wade In The Water. Third visit for Derek Allen, with his own unique style - how the hell he managed to cue in Cody Black's Slowly Molding between his frantic dancing and spins only he knows. A great set, resulting in a steadily filling dance floor. Sam Cooke - Sugar Dumpling on RCA; Richard Popcorn Wylie - It's A Girl's World on Soul Hawk; Jimmy Ruffin - He Who Picks A Rose unissued; Gladys Knight - No One Can Love You More on UK Tamla; Betty Swann - Kiss My Love Goodbye on Atlantic; Kenny Thomas - Crazy World; Bonnie Herman - Hush Don't Cry on Columbia; Paulette - Love You Baby on Contact; Dee Dee Sharp - I'm Coming Home from the Cameo LP; Beverley Ann Sharp - A Three Dollar Bill on Jubilee; James Fountain - Seven Day Lover on UK Cream; Patrice Holloway - Stolen Hours on Capitol; Linda Perry - I Need Someone on Mainstream; Will Collins&Will Power - Anything I Can Do on Bareback, Next up was Mick H guesting for the second time at the Frobisher. Mick over the last few years has built up a tremendous reputation spinning monster sounds a major venues all over the country and tonight was no exception. Mick laid down an incredible spot, kicking off with 70s monsters which he skilfully merged into a "rarest of the rare 60s" finale: Unique Blend - Yes, I Am In Love on Eastbound; Bobby Rich - There's A Girl For Me on Sambea; Ujima - I'm Not Ready on Epic; Eugene Smiley; Innersection - Let Me Love Yuh on Group 5; Eric Lomax - So Good To Me c/u; Nu-Rons - All Of My Love on Nu-Ron; Hamilton Movement; Poets - Wrapped Around Your Finger on J2; Aspirations - You Left Me on Peaches; Don Gardner - Cheatin Kind on Sedgrick; Kenny Gamble - The Joke's on You; Joe Jama - My Life on Optimum; Sensations - Demanding Man on Wayout; Appointments - I Saw You There on Delite; Jimmy Bo Horn to finish. Requests from the floor were Appreciations - I Can't Hide It on Aware, Professionals for Fred and Andy Fisher for Dave - it doesn't get any better than this. The crowd filled the floor and showed their appreciation by applauding every track. Now Follow That!!! Well, Dave had that job, tough as it was, and started his main set with a track he's been featuring for some time, namely Shelly Fisher - Girl I Love You on Dayla. Shelly wrote the song, and Garland Green's version on Gamma/Revue has been a classic for years. Methinks the time for Shelly Fisher's version is long overdue. Dave's set went something like this: Constellations - I Don't Know About You on Gemini Star; Darnells - Call On Me on Atco; Ruby Andrews - Just Loving You on Zodiac; Johnny Howard - The Chase Is On on Bashie; Casanova Two - We Got To Keep On on Early Bird; Masqueraders - Do You Love Me Baby on Wand; Soul Communicators - Those Lonely Nights on Fee Bee; Ascots - Another Day on Mira-don; King Ernest - You Gonna Miss Me on Sonic; A request from Mick H - Bold Breed - Mood For Love on Bold Breed, not many copies of this about - great up tempo sound; Tammy Lavon - It Takes Two on Nation; Geraldine Hunt - Winner Takes All on ABC; Fascinators - In Other Words on Bombay; Mystiques - Put Out The Fire on Twinight; Jimmy Hughes - It Ain't What You Got on Atlantic; Betty Turner - Be Careful Girl on Liberty; Baby Washington - Leave Me Alone on Sue; Volumes - Ain't Gonna Give You Up on Karen. Dave responded to a request for Jerry Williams classic If You Ask Me, which completed his set, and with a full dance floor, set things up quite nicely for Fred's final hour through to the finish at 2am. Fred's spot featured more classic oldies from both the 60s and 70s eras, and satisfied many requests - definitely keeping the dance floor busy. Moses Smith - Girl Across The Street; Younghearts - A Little Togetherness; Velours - I'm Gonna Change; James Barnett - Keep On Talking; Pattie&The Emblems - I'm Gonna Love You A Long Long Time; Nolan Chance - Just Like The Weather; Johnny Wyatt - This Thing Called Love; Nella Dodds - Come Back Baby; Exciters - Blowin Up My Mind; Dobie Gray - Out On The Floor (a request for the bar staff at the Frobisher); Johnny Sayles - I Can't Get Enough; Earl Jackson - Soul Self Satisfaction. To sum up the night - although down on numbers the crown responded and created a great atmosphere. It was a very enjoyable night full of tremendous soulful music. The Trent Soul duo and residents did the business. Thanks for your support - it can't happen without you the punters. 27 March is an All Yorkshire Event, with all the DJs coming from Yorkshire - guests John Britton from Wakefield, John Benson from Mexborough, and Dave and Fred from Normanton. See you there.