Loads & Loads Of Events

[Dave Thorley]

Interesting that not one person , whether they be DJ or promoter or "leading personality" , either on this website or anywhere else on the scene , no matter what part of the soul spectrum they are a part of (oldies, modern, new 60's discoveries, crossover and so on) , suggests that EVERYBODY should get together , perhaps have a summit meeting of some sort, put their prejudices aside, pool their efforts/ideas/resources and organise ONE big weekly or fortnightly regular event which caters for - and pulls together - every strand of the soul scene.

It certainly CAN be done , if there is the WILL there is the way ....

History has shown that what the soul scene needs to thrive is leadership, focus and direction ... Wheel Mecca Torch Wigan and to a slightly lesser extent 100 Club and Stafford , (not discounting all the other great venues that have made their own worthwhile contributions).

Question is, is there too much self interest on everyone's part and too many "perceived" riches and power at stake , to allow the scene to be put in the hands of ONE small group of people to run the scene ?

Weather right or wrong I'll think you'll find that the people at Middleton, Togetherness and a number of other venues think that's just what they are doing. You may not agree, I may not agree, it is always down to perspective. I think what we're trying to do at Soulshakers International is moving in that direction, we will be having the best DJ's from all over europe in the first year appearing there many of them promoters of other major events. Allthough we will only start with two rooms playing Northern one room Contemporary soul in the other, if it goes well we hope to open a third room to put on some special sets, so we reflect everything that is currently happening on the rare soul scene.

Everyone get together, infromally, yes this alraedy happens. We have had fantastic support from all the major promoters in the UK and Europe to help spread the word, a couple even moved dates so not to clash with our first night, to help get it off the ground. Many of the Uk's leading radio DJ's have been helping through their radio shows. The UK soul scene is not as fragmented or confrontational as you may think. You need to sometimes look behind the upfrount bravado, and you will find that infact it is a very small close nit community. But of course, this is only my opion

While I'm at it Malayka and I would like to thank everyone that has helped thus far to get this off the ground. Now comes the worst bit, those couple of weeks leading in hoping we get anyone one through the doors.

Edited October 22, 2006 by Dave Thorley

[Russ Vickers]

Not sure what I think of this to be honest....on one level I agree with it, but on another its smacks of 'Soul Police'.

I suppose if you go to a Soul night weekly, travel the country every weekend and collect records all the time, then the more obvious events seem ...well obvious I guess.

But if you're a more casual punter and just want to hear music you can actually dance to ( and lets face it if we are really saying there are 500 top quality truly great memorable danceable Northern Soul records we're actually really fucking lucky... I think they maybe a few hundred more.... the rest are really second third and fourth division..same with Disco, House, R&B, Modern Soul (doesn't count cos they play borderline ballads too)...500 is a pretty big number !) in a reasonably nice big venue with a good sound system then why shouldn't the more casual punter have that privlege? It's really wierd how the English always like to have someone to look down on.

The hardcore Northern Soul nutters can go to a smaller more trusted -by -them - venue and listen to second rate stuff, talk the same old crap to the same old trainspotters and get all wet at the thought of finding a rare record for tuppence at the local dealer/ Oxfam/ rubbish tip/bootfair etc. Thats the wonderful thing...everyone has the choice..go or don't go.

IMHO its a f***ing good job we have the hard core NS nutters otherwise we wouldnt have a NS scene, I suspect that this comment was slightly tongue in cheek Simon , but really to be honest I get frustrated that the original values of the NS scene are now used to ridicule those of us that have never changed our attitude from the original ethos, ie discovering, playing & dancing to Rare Soul music. Good luck to all promoters, DJ's blah, blah, blah, I really dont give a monkey's, certainly not enough to be critical of any one, but I will attend the venues that I see as being true to the cause, yep, fully paid up member of the Soul Flying Squad & proud of it. You will also see me at selected oldies nights a few times a year, when Im in the UK cos I like them too under the right conditions.

Live & let live, but never forget that that the true NS scene was about discovering, playing & dancing to 'new' Rare Soul records, people can argue until they are blue in the face but that is a fact.

Russ

[Chalky]

Interesting that not one person , whether they be DJ or promoter or "leading personality" , either on this website or anywhere else on the scene , no matter what part of the soul spectrum they are a part of (oldies, modern, new 60's discoveries, crossover and so on) , suggests that EVERYBODY should get together , perhaps have a summit meeting of some sort, put their prejudices aside, pool their efforts/ideas/resources and organise ONE big weekly or fortnightly regular event which caters for - and pulls together - every strand of the soul scene.

It certainly CAN be done , if there is the WILL there is the way ....

History has shown that what the soul scene needs to thrive is leadership, focus and direction ... Wheel Mecca Torch Wigan and to a slightly lesser extent 100 Club and Stafford , (not discounting all the other great venues that have made their own worthwhile contributions).

Question is, is there too much self interest on everyone's part and too many "perceived" riches and power at stake , to allow the scene to be put in the hands of ONE small group of people to run the scene ?

If the history of the scene has shown us one thing it is the fact that ego's, conflict and self interest will always play it's part. There has always been rival promotions, with one promotion trying to undermime another or get the better of the other.

If the scene was left in the hands of one small group to "run" the scene there is a danger of complacency, at least with a variety of venues promotors are kept on their toes and have to deliver or they fall by the wayside. You will never get total agreement between promoters with different ideas of how a night should be and the policy. There is still plenty of sh*t going on behind the scenes with some saying one thing in public but behaving the opposite in reality.....too many egos and too many with self interest as you put it.

Also would a central venue catering for all work these days? The nighter crowd is slowly getting smaller and many have no wish to travel these days any great distance, many don't have to with nighter and soul night promotions all over the country.

Most promoters are making an attempt to co-exist in some sort of harmony, the nighter planner on here for instance but clashes are bound to happen with very few dates and venues putting pressure on promoters to put an event on every month, I've still 3 dates to find for Ginger and Andy's Dusk Till Dawn promotion as Sheridans want a nighter a month, a clash of some sort will be inevitable unfortunately.

Whilst I do think there are too many promotions the one thing we do have is choice, those that deliver the goods will prosper.

[Guest]

I like choice and different venues, whether 5 or 50 miles apart can have completely different atmospheres.

Not sure I appreciate people saying certain soul nights aren't welcome or are crazy - if you don't like that venue you don't have to go. Dont forget, all the soul nights hosted aren't just for soul source. They serve the locals too.

We hardly get anyone travelling down to Bournemouth when there's a night on but it's still well visited by locals within a 20 mile radius of the Town. And that suits the promoter

[Guest Baz]

This thread got me thinking the last week or so has been a nightmare trying to catch up with all the posts in events seems like its ever growing in there, think its down to alot more members joining, and posting there events rather than more events coming up?

[Guest]

That could well be the reason I wish there were more in my neck of the woods... costs me a fortune in petrol that could be better spent behind the bar locally

[Guest Bogue]

That could well be the reason I wish there were more in my neck of the woods... costs me a fortune in petrol that could be better spent behind the bar locally

Who let her out of the 'Cooler' ? That's it i'm off

[Winnie :-)]

I like choice and different venues, whether 5 or 50 miles apart can have completely different atmospheres.

Not sure I appreciate people saying certain soul nights aren't welcome or are crazy - if you don't like that venue you don't have to go. Dont forget, all the soul nights hosted aren't just for soul source. They serve the locals too.

We hardly get anyone travelling down to Bournemouth when there's a night on but it's still well visited by locals within a 20 mile radius of the Town. And that suits the promoter

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

Valid point, and why shouldn't locals be catered for. Not everyone wants to go to nighters anymore

[Winnie :-)]

IMHO its a f***ing good job we have the hard core NS nutters otherwise we wouldnt have a NS scene, I suspect that this comment was slightly tongue in cheek Simon , but really to be honest I get frustrated that the original values of the NS scene are now used to ridicule those of us that have never changed our attitude from the original ethos, ie discovering, playing & dancing to Rare Soul music. Good luck to all promoters, DJ's blah, blah, blah, I really dont give a monkey's, certainly not enough to be critical of any one, but I will attend the venues that I see as being true to the cause, yep, fully paid up member of the Soul Flying Squad & proud of it. You will also see me at selected oldies nights a few times a year, when Im in the UK cos I like them too under the right conditions.

Live & let live, but never forget that that the true NS scene was about discovering, playing & dancing to 'new' Rare Soul records, people can argue until they are blue in the face but that is a fact.

Russ

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But the discovering of New records is very rare within itself. It's more about reactivation of records that didn't cut it 'back in the day'. So things have changed.