Do you think the rank and file northern/modern crowd are generally prepared to travel distance these days to hear a big name DJ?

I went to a couple of dos last year that had a top name & they were well promoted but poorly attended.

That got me thinking, maybe a Big Name DJ is only a very small part of the mix.

I think a much bigger factor in your choice of venue is probably making sure that you get the right mix of soul all night & knowing that you are going to get the right sort of atmosphere that suits you.

absolute nonsense - people travel all over the country to hear Butch - and he's only got five letters in his name.

I agree with Joe butch is always a draw...but he's probably all id go to hear these days......but after i heard joes great set at the friendship last October a few more of them would get me tromping round to venues again.

Geeoooooordie

Depend who you mean by Big Name DJ, quite a few play extremely safe when on their travels, you wonder why the promoter bothered as a local could have played their set. Would always travel to hear Butch.

Martin Barnfather's a big name innit? loads of letters in that (some good anagrams too)

Thats interesting that Butch's name came up 3 times, as he was one of the DJs I saw at a do in the south that I felt was poorly attended.

Maybe views on here are not representative of 'rank & file'

Edited January 24, 200619 yr by Soulsmith

  Soulsmith said:

Do you think the rank and file northern/modern crowd are generally prepared to travel distance these days to hear a big name DJ?I went to a couple of dos last year that had a top name & they were well promoted but poorly attended.That got me thinking, maybe a Big Name DJ is only a very small part of the mix.

I think a much bigger factor in your choice of venue is probably making sure that you get the right mix of soul all night & knowing that you are going to get the right sort of atmosphere that suits you.

There seems to be no pattern to it these days, Freinds of mine Reg Yogi & Chris run SOS in Hemel....No Big name DJs....But they can still get 160 plus in....& Sean Chapman was telling me of a do that he was guesting @ last year had just 22 people in....

Jon Buck

Which do, Colin?

drax at selby packs them in every month. i went once and thought we would get there nice and early. arrived just after 8 and the dancefloor was heaving.

no named dj's and very little promotion. they even play cd's

however, the event does exactly what the punters want - oldies and more oldies!

Shane

  jonbuck said:

There seems to be no pattern to it these days, Freinds of mine Reg Yogi & Chris run SOS in Hemel....No Big name DJs....But they can still get 160 plus in....& Sean Chapman was telling me of a do that he was guesting @ last year had just 22 people in....

Jon Buck

Thats sort of what I was getting at. I know Chris supports a lot of local dos, so people are more inclined to support a do that he has a hand in organising. I don't think the word I'm searching for here is loyalty, but maybe you get the way I'm thinking.

  garethx said:

Which do, Colin?

Lightwater about a year ago.

To be honest I don't think a lot of the 'rank & file' would have much idea of who he was, or what his reputation is. Thats not meant to be in any way an offensive comment.

  ShaneH said:

drax at selby packs them in every month. i went once and thought we would get there nice and early. arrived just after 8 and the dancefloor was heaving.

no named dj's and very little promotion. they even play cd's

however, the event does exactly what the punters want - oldies and more oldies!

Shane

Think it was similar state of affairs for Junction 11

  Soulsmith said:

Do you think the rank and file northern/modern crowd are generally prepared to travel distance these days to hear a big name DJ?

I went to a couple of dos last year that had a top name & they were well promoted but poorly attended.

That got me thinking, maybe a Big Name DJ is only a very small part of the mix.

I think a much bigger factor in your choice of venue is probably making sure that you get the right mix of soul all night & knowing that you are going to get the right sort of atmosphere that suits you.

RUSSELL WINSTANLEY..That`s a big name DJ -it`s got 17 letters...Beat that...

  The Soul Intention said:

RUSSELL WINSTANLEY..That`s a big name DJ -it`s got 17 letters...Beat that...

KENNETH AITCHISON ...Another one..16 letters..

  The Soul Intention said:

RUSSELL WINSTANLEY..That`s a big name DJ -it`s got 17 letters...Beat that...

KENNETH AITCHISON ...Another one..16 letters..

Replying to my own posts.....a sure sign of madness.... No.. not that type of madness...

  Soulsmith said:

Thats interesting that Butch's name came up 3 times, as he was one of the DJs I saw at a do in the south that I felt was poorly attended.

Maybe views on here are not representative of 'rank & file'

==========

You'd have to define rank and file Col, which might make this a very tasty thread

Winnie :-)

  Soulsmith said:

Do you think the rank and file northern/modern crowd are generally prepared to travel distance these days to hear a big name DJ?

I went to a couple of dos last year that had a top name & they were well promoted but poorly attended.

That got me thinking, maybe a Big Name DJ is only a very small part of the mix.

I think a much bigger factor in your choice of venue is probably making sure that you get the right mix of soul all night & knowing that you are going to get the right sort of atmosphere that suits you.

There's not that many these days who travel for a soul night full stop, not a great distance antyway. Anyone who does is often travelling to a niter after.

Most local soul nights don't have a market for so called big name dj's as most "locals" no longer travel any great distance, and I would guess most local punters don't really give two hoots who plays what judging by playlists and demand for certain records all the time.

There's not many soul nights I would travel for. Lowton, Orwell & Piercebridge are some that I would and do travel to, Union when it was going but that was hardly travelling for me But having said that if I'm going to travel I want something other than the same old same, I can stop local for that.

Edited January 24, 200619 yr by chalky

  Soulsmith said:

Hi Col

One of the problems with Lightwater is it's a nightmare to get to if you don't drive. I would go up there myself if it had decent transport links.

Derek

Big names...When you could only see a certain dj just a few times a year then its was different,you would make the effort but now a lot are on most weeks...Lots of collectors have come out and are now playing tunes just as good if not better than the so called big names..Me and my freinds would make an extra effort by looking at the whole line-up,if line up aint that good IMO then there are plenty of local places to go....This topic was covered some time ago on here,can the mod find it....

  chalky said:

There's not that many these days who travel for a soul night full stop, not a great distance antyway. Anyone who does is often travelling to a niter after.

Most local soul nights don't have a market for so called big name dj's as most "locals" no longer travel any great distance, and I would guess most local punters don't really give two hoots who plays what judging by playlists and demand for certain records all the time.

There's not many soul nights I would travel for. Lowton, Orwell & Piercebridge are some that I would and do travel to, Union when it was going but that was hardly travelling for me But having said that if I'm going to travel I want something other than the same old same, I can stop local for that.

=============

Maybe we have to look at this from another perspective, these days DJ's are prepared to travel, guesting up and down the country, so the pilgrimages up North to see a top line DJ are no longer required. I can regularly see DJs I like such as, Soul Sam, Arthur Fenn, Butch, Kenny Burrell (to name just some) at venues close to me. I still travel to a degree, but the need to do it every week isn't there, because they're doing the travelling instead

Winnie:-)

  little-stevie said:

Big names...When you could only see a certain dj just a few times a year then its was different,you would make the effort but now a lot are on most weeks...Lots of collectors have come out and are now playing tunes just as good if not better than the so called big names..Me and my freinds would make an extra effort by looking at the whole line-up,if line up aint that good IMO then there are plenty of local places to go....This topic was covered some time ago on here,can the mod find it....

=================

Stevie,

And this isn't a dig at you in any way, SS is constantly attracting new members who may not have taken part in previous discussions on any given topic, so personally I don't mind going over old ground, because it often contains fresh takes/views that certainly maintain my interest.

Winnie:-)

  The Soul Intention said:

RUSSELL WINSTANLEY..That`s a big name DJ -it`s got 17 letters...Beat that...

KENNETH(Backdoor) AITCHISON ...Another one..16 letters..

Actually.....

  CUNNIE said:

Martin Barnfather's a big name innit? loads of letters in that (some good anagrams too)

but he's shortened it to soul sam

  taffy said:

but he's shortened it to soul sam

Yes,we know but a good one anyway!!

  ken said:

Actually I`ve added my nickname "Backdoor " so I win!!

Nice editing of my posts Ken!

  The Soul Intention said:

Nice editing of my posts Ken!

Nice to be of help Mr Intention make`s a change,me helpin` someone

  ken said:

Nice to be of help Mr Intention make`s a change,me helpin` someone

No probs

  Winnie :-) said:

==========

You'd have to define rank and file Col, which might make this a very tasty thread

Winnie :-)

Good question who are the rank & file and just maybe there not all anoraks like the most of us on here if you live in the south west you have to travel everywhere a local soul nite is anywhere from 5 to 70 miles away from Exeter to Cheltenham Cardiff to Melksham they are coved by the region the south west so you have to get the mix just right to get people thro the door and yes i think you do need a so called big name dj on with a mix of local talent imho

HB

  Winnie :-) said:

==========

You'd have to define rank and file Col, which might make this a very tasty thread

Winnie :-)

  heavenly blocked said:

Good question who are the rank & file and just maybe there not all anoraks like the most of us on here if you live in the south west you have to travel everywhere a local soul nite is anywhere from 5 to 70 miles away from Exeter to Cheltenham Cardiff to Melksham they are coved by the region the south west so you have to get the mix just right to get people thro the door and yes i think you do need a so called big name dj on with a mix of local talent imho

HB

Hi Nige ,the Big Name DJ to play what? Original knowns or lesser knowns.I think Chalky stated something similar ATB Stevie

Cant we change the thread,DJs with big heads ,i`m you`re winner

  ken said:

Cant we change the thread,DJs with big heads ,i`m you`re winner

No, I`VE got a bigger head than you Ken...look

Edited January 25, 200619 yr by The Soul Intention

WELL THAT`S THAT THREAD ENDED!!!

Unless, of course any of YOU know differently!!

  Soulsmith said:

Lightwater about a year ago.

To be honest I don't think a lot of the 'rank & file' would have much idea of who he was, or what his reputation is. Thats not meant to be in any way an offensive comment.

You are f***ing joking arnt you, any one on the Rare Soul Scene in the UK who hasnt heard of Butch must be dead............it's like saying in 1978 that you hadnt heard of Richard Searling, ridiculous.

Just my opinion of course.

Russ

Think it was similar state of affairs for Junction 11

  Russ Vickers said:

BUTCH`S SALES BOXES WERE ALWAYS THE FIRST I EVER LOOKED IN- as soon as I arrived at ANY venue..He`s sold me some quite awesome stuff over the years.