SOUL BEACH PARTY, BOURNEMOUTH JUNE 30TH 2007 - EVENT REVIEW BY Rich Chorley

What a night! Thunderstorms and rain all day and right through this nine hour long knees up under the stars, in a rickety old dance lounge overlooking the sea on Bournemouth Beach! There was supposed to be a balcony buffet frrom 8-midnight but it was blasting down and the spray from the waves was breaking over the building at times! As the roof of the 1937 built Rowing Club leaked generously onto dancers, there was an electric atmosphere and the DJ'S played to a busy floor for most of the night.

This was an r+b free zone due to the tastes of the DJ's on offer and it was indeed so refreshing to attend a night that reminded us just how great 6T's and 70's soul classics can sound when they are played back-to-back and without reference to what a lot of the people who attended this event call 'rock and bloody roll records!' Dave Greet played two superb sets, combining modern and northern classics with ease and he was ably supported by Jason and Martin from Bournemouth, Guy Cooch and Pete Widd who all played sets brimming with quality and taste. It was my privilege to do the ' Midnight Motown Hour' and what a thrill to see a floor full of people grooving to some of the greatest records ever cut to vinyl!

On the whole, the atmosphere was pretty electric throughout and although it was a shame that the balcony could not be utilised due to the horrendous weather, the setting right next to the seashore added to the character and everybody got right into the swing of things and helped create a truly memorable night. This was a gathering of old friends and so many faces showed up from the 70's that it would be unfair to mention anyone in particular. The organisers would simply like to thank all of you for helping us stage a great Soul Night, in a great venue with a great atmosphere. The second Rowing Club Beach Party of the year will be on Sat August 18th and we look forward to welcoming you back for another soulful shindig by the sea!