Manchester Ritz

[Len]

Not forgetting the many people who used to dance on the stage! I know doing so was seen as a bit 'divvy' by some, but no one really cared, we were all too busy enjoying ourselves (As were they) The atmos really hit you as you walked in, and Boxing day was on another level! It was almost as if we had all been on 'lock-down' having to spend Christmas with our families, by the time the Boxing Day Nighter came we all were chomping at the bit (Quiet litterally) 

I always describe those times as healthy because it was full of people with great attitudes, embracing the new sounds as well as those that were played through the 80's to not that many people.  There is still plenty of room for those tunes to be appreciatted - Maybe a 'second wind' is on it's way folkz!

Len  

 

[Len]

10 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

The was more people outside the toilet venue than inside if i remember rightly. Also the one around the corner up the stairs at the back of Oxford road station .

Scary corner which one Len ? i,m guessing  the emergency exit on the left in between the two bars. or the record bar ? both full of savoury characters

Steve

 

I expect everyone had their very own (what they saw as) 'Scary Corner' (Patto's phrase on here if I remember rightly btw) Our 'Scary Corner' was stage right, we congregated stage left - Maybe we were 'Scary Corner' to some 

Fab times! (Did I mention it being so?)

Len 

 

[Len]

10 minutes ago, Flamingemeralds said:

Scary corner?! This gets better! What was scary corner all about?! Why was it scary? 

Shhhh! They may hear you! 

Len 

 

[Winsford Soul]

8 minutes ago, Len said:

I expect everyone had their very own (what they saw as) 'Scary Corner' (Patto's phrase on here if I remember rightly btw) Our 'Scary Corner' was stage right, we congregated stage left - Maybe we were 'Scary Corner' to some 

Fab times! (Did I mention it being so?)

Len 

 

I was a fully paid up member of quite a few of those scary corner clubs, with me being the shy , quite retiring type of person i am. and not knowing many people Steve 

PS. Remember seeing my very first real handgun at the Ritz. But that's another story 

Edited April 18, 2020 by Winsford Soul

[Guest]

scary corners? Were they like gangsters dens? 

[Guest]

When this Coronarona is all over, I intend to have a scary corner at a soul do. It's now on my bucket list.  Number 52: Develop and manage a scary corner.

[Veedub]

Great thread !! I think every corner you wasnt part of was a scary corner , they all thought your corner was scary ! lol ! 

Bury Town hall tonight folks ?  

[Guest]

Oh I think I'll be popping in for a while, but I'm bringing these with me ! .  If anyone wants one I'll be in scary corner selling them. They're originals.

[Veedub]

[Len]

26 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

I was a fully paid up member of quite a few of those scary corner clubs, with me being the shy , quite retiring type of person i am. and not knowing many people Steve 

PS. Remember seeing my very first real handgun at the Ritz. But that's another story 

Yup - Heard about the gun (Not sure if same gun)..........It was scary in places 'Flamingemeralds' 

Len 

 

[Guest]

52 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

I was a fully paid up member of quite a few of those scary corner clubs, with me being the shy , quite retiring type of person i am. and not knowing many people Steve 

PS. Remember seeing my very first real handgun at the Ritz. But that's another story 

 

22 minutes ago, Len said:

Yup - Heard about the gun (Not sure if same gun)..........It was scary in places 'Flamingemeralds' 

Len 

 

Saw my first revolver in the corridor outside M's. 1974. One of our large scarier friends, name beginning with a C and ending in IE. A VERY scary character to those who didn't know him.

Edited April 18, 2020 by Guest

[Guest]

Gun!? You mean a real "stick em up" jobbie? Steve! You must tell me the story next time I see you!  This is better than EastEnders!

[Len]

"Ok folkz, now taking you back to those very golden days of 'The Ritz' Manchester. What a time we all had! - Now let's get that dance floor bouncing!"

Len 

'Terry Callier - I Don't Want To See Myself (Without You)'

 

[Guest]

Guns! Guns! Good god!  

[Veedub]

Spot on Len, Cheers !

[Winsford Soul]

23 minutes ago, Joey said:

 

 

Is this the same guy that was from the hulme/ moss side area ? 

[Winsford Soul]

4 minutes ago, Flamingemeralds said:

Gun!? You mean a real "stick em up" jobbie? Steve! You must tell me the story next time I see you!  This is better than EastEnders!

Yes love. Real stick em up "jobbie" as you say. X 

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, Flamingemeralds said:

Gun!? You mean a real "stick em up" jobbie? Steve! You must tell me the story next time I see you!  This is better than EastEnders!

Real guns. There were quite a few very intimidating characters around in the early days. Almost everyone either carried a knife, or at the very least should have bloody well done! If you were new to the place, and decided to walk across the dance floor at the Torch in a nice jacket, legend has it that you wouldn't be wearing it when you got to the other side! Wheel, Pendulum, Vava, and the early Casino days all the same.

2 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Is this the same guy that was from the hulme/ moss side area ? 

Aah, you knew him as well then!  

[Len]

23 minutes ago, Joey said:

 

 

Well if this is a 'theme'......One day after Nina and I had been to 'The 100 Club' All-nighter, our young next door neigbour popped round to show us his new baby (Lovely) Along with his new gun (Yes Flamingemeralds - A real "Stick em up" jobby)  Surprising at the best of times, but absolutely mindboggling after a nighter! Things like this just happened back then  

Len 

P.s - I've run out of 'likes' (I thought us Moderators had unlimited 'likes') 

[Mark W]

Some photos from 90’s niter posted by Maureen Wallace on FB recently.

Hope this is OK sharing here Maureen, but guessed it’s fine as in public domain on FB. If not let me know and I’ll delete post

[Mark W]

Rarest of the Rare niters were immense especially. Always packed and a great atmosphere.Had some brilliant t trips to those on coaches from Edinburgh and in the legend Melv’s car. 

Edited April 18, 2020 by mark w
Typo

[Winsford Soul]

5 minutes ago, Joey said:

Real guns. There were quite a few very intimidating characters around in the early days. Almost everyone either carried a knife, or at the very least should have bloody well done! If you were new to the place, and decided to walk across the dance floor at the Torch in a nice jacket, legend has it that you wouldn't be wearing it when you got to the other side! Wheel, Pendulum, Vava, and the early Casino days all the same.

Aah, you knew him as well then!  

Yes mate. He was on remand with a good mates brother then banged up at strangeways together,  ironically the last time I saw him was at one of the very last Ritz  nighters and we had a drink. He hadn't changed 

Edited April 18, 2020 by Winsford Soul

[Guest]

Well, my jaw is on the floor.  It is. It's not a good look, but an essential one at the moment. .  Looking on the positive side....they might not have had bullets in?

[Winsford Soul]

10 minutes ago, Flamingemeralds said:

Well, my jaw is on the floor.  It is. It's not a good look, but an essential one at the moment. .  Looking on the positive side....they might not have had bullets in?

Louise.  You have led a sheltered life . I will fill you in with some details when I see you next love. X  nighter tonight  ? 

[Soulandy]

Turned into a great thread this. First went to the Ritz in the late 70's early 80's, northern/funk dayers. The northern niters of the 90's, the warm ups at the Temple of Convenience, The Attic at the Thirsty Scholar pub. The Motown niter, rarest of the rare. Massive place with that sticky carpet that was still sticky at the early 2000 revival dayers. The que to get in then went all the way up whitworth street. Who could ever forget the bouncing floor and the underground Warren Good times  A picture of our crowd on the balcony at one of the niters

Edited April 18, 2020 by Soulandy

[Veedub]

The temple of Convenience !! that was it Andy !! 

[Guest]

Was that the public loo! Brilliant! 

[Veedub]

Yes it was a Victorian , under the pavement loos !  in the 90s taken over into a small club thing .. wierd , but cool !  High on gear, just sort of accepted it . 

[Guest]

If it's still there, maybe there should be a Temple of Convenience Revival Ressurection Resurgence Reunion Niter .  Except, of course, there won't be any loo roll.

[Veedub]

ha ha, I dunno, i havent returned since.  perhaps it was just a wierd dream and never really happened ? is anything real ??  

[Guest]

11 minutes ago, Veedub said:

ha ha, I dunno, i havent returned since.  perhaps it was just a wierd dream and never really happened ? is anything real ??  

I could probably write a philosophy essay based on that last question and the conclusion would probably be "Is it fiddlesticks, nothing is real".  They could do a marvellous Dr Who episode based on the Temple of Convenience.  It's the sort of place the TARDIS would end up. 

[Guest]

https://www.manchestersfinest.com/eating-and-drinking/pubs/the-temple/

Was it this?

[Len]

Yup looks like it - Standing room only when we went. I did have that feeling of....."Is this real?"..... 

Len 

[Veedub]

Thats it yeh ! thought it was a strange dream from the 90s that didnt really happen ! But before the Ritz, it was a northern soul warm up full of strange and wonderful characters all on edge awaiting the niter ! 

[Guest]

Just brilliant! If you have grand kids, I hope you've told them about it! .  The best times of our lives are usually the ones which were the craziest! 

[Veedub]

No Kids or grand kids.. just squandered it all on the northern soul scene, clothes , going out, gear, Ford Zodiacs, scooters. travelling round the country at the drop of a hat from one soul do to an allnighter, the 90s were awesome. Still have vivid dreams about it all . too much to take .totall fucked up before we realised it was too late to start a family. but dont regret a thing xx  . 

[Guest]

14 minutes ago, Veedub said:

No Kids or grand kids.. just squandered it all on the northern soul scene, clothes , going out, gear, Ford Zodiacs, scooters. travelling round the country at the drop of a hat from one soul do to an allnighter, the 90s were awesome. Still have vivid dreams about it all . too much to take .totall fucked up before we realised it was too late to start a family. but dont regret a thing xx  . 

Like I say, the best times are usually the craziest so....you've had a lot of crazy ...so....it's been the best!  . 

[Winsford Soul]

1 minute ago, Flamingemeralds said:

Like I say, the best times are usually the craziest so....you've had a lot of crazy ...so....it's been the best!  . 

Plenty more to come. Hopefully 

Steve 

[Veedub]

2 pics from mid 90s. we drove everywhere in a 1963 ford zodiac.. 

 first pic of me outside Winsford civic hall  . . fecked or what  ?   Then me and sarah outside keele 97 . 

 

 

 

[Chris Turnbull]

'Temple' a regular soul venue mid-late 90's, every Wed for ages with Alan Darker, Phil Wainwright and Dave Ripolles, and official Ritz warm up for a few years run by Dean Johnson with various guests (including me a couple of times ). Great little venue that somehow seemed bigger when it it was packed out

Could talk for hours about the Ritz - 90's totally my niter era (was 20 in 1990), and did all the biggies of the day, but Ritz definitely the daddy, especially Rarest of the Rare niters

Had everything as a venue - top DJ's, massive dancefloor, big crowds, fantastic atmosphere, original venue from back in the day, still nicely murky with loads of dark corners, balcony all the way round, superb sound system, top record dealers, and importantly (maybe naively) I always felt there was a healthy element of joint venture between those that ran it and those who went, compared with some other bigger venues

Great times there anyway, really loved it. For some reason it seemed to tail off as a niter venue - last time I went (about 2014 to a Richard Searling niter) there was hardly anyone there despite a strong DJ line up - couldn't understand it at all. Now it's an O2 live music venue and the niter days appear long gone   

PS similar thread on here a few years ago - had a quick look but can't find it - worth merging if anyone else can locate it

[Guest]

10 minutes ago, Chris Turnbull said:

'Temple' a regular soul venue mid-late 90's, every Wed for ages with Alan Darker, Phil Wainwright and Dave Ripolles, and official Ritz warm up for a few years run by Dean Johnson with various guests (including me a couple of times ). Great little venue that somehow seemed bigger when it it was packed out

Could talk for hours about the Ritz - 90's totally my niter era (was 20 in 1990), and did all the biggies of the day, but Ritz definitely the daddy, especially Rarest of the Rare niters

Had everything as a venue - top DJ's, massive dancefloor, big crowds, fantastic atmosphere, original venue from back in the day, still nicely murky with loads of dark corners, balcony all the way round, superb sound system, top record dealers, and importantly (maybe naively) I always felt there was a healthy element of joint venture between those that ran it and those who went, compared with some other bigger venues

Great times there anyway, really loved it. For some reason it seemed to tail off as a niter venue - last time I went (about 2014 to a Richard Searling niter) there was hardly anyone there despite a strong DJ line up - couldn't understand it at all. Now it's an O2 live music venue and the niter days appear long gone   

PS similar thread on here a few years ago - had a quick look but can't find it - worth merging if anyone else can locate it

Have you been in it? As it is now? Is the dance floor still there do you know?

[Woodbutcher]

As it is now ... 

[Chris Turnbull]

3 minutes ago, Flamingemeralds said:

Have you been in it? As it is now? Is the dance floor still there do you know?

No as I say not since about 2014 - at that time the venue itself more or less the same as the 90's although DJ's were on the stage rather than just through the door. Dance floor as I remembered and looks much the same now as per photo below

 

Just now, WoodButcher said:

As it is now ... 

Beat me to it!

[Winsford Soul]

No more nighters because of the residents in the adjacent blocks of posh flats and sound issues regarding sound proofing a listed building  Ok as a music venue because it finishes relatively early plus the flats are now where the car parks used to be. How selfish 

[Chris Turnbull]

5 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

No more nighters because of the residents in the adjacent blocks of posh flats and sound issues regarding sound proofing a listed building  Ok as a music venue because it finishes relatively early plus the flats are now where the car parks used to be. How selfish 

Did you go to any of Richard's niters around 2013 /14? Just couldn't understand why there was hardly anyone there

[Guest]

Is that a large bath at the far end of the dance floor? I need to go and see this place for myself I think. I'm obsessed with the dance floor. The current pictures don't seem to show a chest high dance floor with steps.  Has that been removed now? .  Do I sound like I'm wittering?

[Len]

I remember asking Nina to pass me the ash tray (They used those tiny foil ashtrays that used to be in McDonalds) Nina turned and said...."Why?".....Looking around at the 100s of tabs that were all over the floor, plus the tiny ashtray was absolutelly overflowing!....."Yeh good point love".... 

Len 

[Veedub]

It was one big ashtray , same as everywhere else 

[Winsford Soul]

12 minutes ago, Chris Turnbull said:

Did you go to any of Richard's niters around 2013 /14? Just couldn't understand why there was hardly anyone there

Yes I went to the last few . I coudnt understand it either why no one bothered.  The first block of flats on the left had been built by then plus there was a problem with cars get stolen when you parked up the other side of the arches. Maybe didn't help. 

[Winsford Soul]

17 minutes ago, Flamingemeralds said:

Is that a large bath at the far end of the dance floor? I need to go and see this place for myself I think. I'm obsessed with the dance floor. The current pictures don't seem to show a chest high dance floor with steps.  Has that been removed now? .  Do I sound like I'm wittering?

Louise the "chest"waist high really dance floor had long gone when these pictures where taken . You and wittering never