Southend On The Run - Words on Two Room Allnighter on 12th May 2012

Kev J passes on his words on this weekends upcoming two roomed Niter that coincides with the first Lambretta club rally to Southend since 1979. It's on the 12th May 2012

The dark days before the Mod Revival and Quad the predominanly northern scooter clubs were fed on a diet of Northern Soul.Many riders were Casino and Blackpool Mecca regulars. That explains the odd pictures you see of people in baggies and parkas.The Leeds Central Scooter Club were a predominatly northern soul scooter club and used their emblem of the crossed fists for rear plaques on their scoots. Rallies then were organised word of mouth and the printing of paper flyers.It was all pre internet and mobile phone and still underground.

In 1978 the Lambretta Club Of Great Britain decided to organise a rally to Southend.The club had virtually been in mothballs and this was a new venture.Aside from a little trouble with Teddy boys on the seafront it went okay.In 1979 the Rally was repeated but this was an altogether different affair with violence between the northern (northern soul)and southern clubs (mod revival) and the official LCGB run was not repeated.

Official early National rallies of the early eighties always had a strong Northern Soul influence with Chris Burton (ex Torch) forming the Allnighter Club Of Great Britain.....Brian Rae,Jon Buck,Pat Brady deejaying etc and big Northern records would be played at the same time as on the Northern Soul Allnighter circuit.This virtually stopped after other musical influences started to infiltrate.At the same time Mod scooter rallies started happening and early r&b and soul was being discovered along with smart clothes.

The 11th,12th and 13th May sees the Lambretta Club rally back in Southend for the first time since 79 and we aim to bring the Northern Soul Spirit with it with a 2 roomed Allnighter at the old Southend Teddy Boy/Dr Feelgood hangout The Kursaal on Southend seafront.

Room 1 The Guests

We have all the way from Wigan Mr Russ Winstanley and no introduction is necessary.

Mark Sargeant is an old Wigan Casino regular with an amazing collection of originals and is presently a music features writer at Scootering

Pete Kelross has been running the Northern Soul nights at Bisley for the last few years and also plays at The Crown on the Isle Of Wight

Chad Fredericks was a face on the early mod scene in Southend and has a great box of originals and is an indemand dj in the south east

Dick Coombes was the original northern soul dj in the south East.A regular at The Wirrina Niters at Peterborough and gave Keb Darge his first dj break.

Room 2 The Guests

Jon Barnes-Jones.....Another regular face.He can turn his hand to anything but specialises in early Reggae.

The Dandy Bloom Boys-They have attained a loyal young fanbase of R&B fans in and around the Southend area and run their own packed club at The Railway Hotel in Southend.Bringing in the younger element.

Kev Moore- A London and Southeast regular and always enthusiastic.Now running his own Mexican themed Northern Soul night at El Paso.

Kevin Johansen-I will be digging back into The Mod scene circa 1985 when there was a thirst for undiscovered r&b and early soul music....think 98% plus Tax,Honeychild,Maximillion,Roy Redmond,Mr Dynamite etc etc

So scooter or not the Kursaal,Eastern Esplanade,Southend On Sea Essex, SS1 2WW (without the teds) will be the place to be this coming Saturday.An allnighter in 2 rooms.We have a free CD and patch to give away with the first 100 advance tickets.(Only 30 left now) .Tickets are £10 from ( Theticketsellers.co.uk 0844 870 0000)

Full details at www.northern-noise.co.uk .