Start Of Amsterdam Northern Soul Scene

[Guest]

Friday, December 17th, 11 pm. DJ Lady Godiva kicks off what should be the start of a northern noul scene in Amsterdam, to my pleasant surprise with "Chasing my dreams all over town" by Jenny Wren. The place: a legalized squat, a cultural centre run by people who consider themselves "the movement". More of encircled A's than the upright fist, but that will do too...

11.05: the first guest appears, a man, alone. "I will probably be too early".

11.10: part-English couple arrives, he is a former Wigan Casino punter. She is eager to dance. They were at our matinee earlier in the month.

12.00 Hans D. takes over. Puts up the volume at request "of the floor". About six people in...

12.30 As a guest of honour D. arrives. The floor is still frighteningly empty. Projected on the wall the video: "The strange world of northen soul". For me, sitting at the door waitng for people to enter, the volume may be turned down - getting headache. Still: my time will come, at 2.40 am.

1.00 The twelfth visitor, tenth paying person present, arrives. Some people have left already.

1.20 Mark Fisher takes over. The floor is empty. All females have left already, apart from DJ Lady Godiva and a barmaid - so there is hardly a chance of getting it filled again. Prospects of people arriving in this part of town at this time are very small.

1.40 White rasta barman says he wants to get it over with. Can we tell the deejay to stop within five minutes? A stunned Mark breaks off immediately and calls for a taxi.

While he is waiting we discuss what would have made our "three before". That should

have been my privilege. I am not going to mention them now.

I should have known that squatters especially in Amsterdam do not like "black" music, unless when it is about intercourse with mothers or ganja. Still, such rude behaviour is beyond my imagination. As is the poor attendance - we could hardly have done more about it.

Eight of the twelve people mentioned were from a scooter club, open-minded and ready and willing to have a good time until the official end. Wrong place, wrong time.

But it takes a lot of faith to keep the faith for Amsterdam. I am in serious doubt about any further gigs in a bigger venue than the club where we do our matinees.

So please: spend something more than a prayer for our faith (the KTF-type).

[Guest]

Hi,

Never heard of this party. The only soul parties in Holland are organized by a group of old Mods who are into Norhern soul since the late seventies. About 3 of 4 times a year we organize Soul parties. We are talking about 150 to 200 persons visiting that parties. It's a mixture of Northern, R&B and other 6t's grooves. The parties take place in Utrecht. About 20 miles from Amsterdam.

As Belgium is near to Holland the belgium soul lovers visit our parties and we visit the parties in Belgium.

It's a very small underground scene in Holland as well as in Belgium.

Ben

[wendy]

hey ben

i've been to utrecht, how come there's a bigger mod presence there than in Amsterdamn? i got a nice prince buster badge in the local scooter/modwear shop, but was really surprised to find a shop like that in utrecht....

[Guest]

Hello Ben,

Didn't you look at the events calendar at this site? I see you have just joined - welcome - still, you could have seen it. And there were flyers and even a poster at Da Capo - where else - in Utrecht. Haven't you heard about our matinees every other week? Maybe we should join forces anyway (and quit communicating in this foreign language), as the Netherlands seem to be too small. See the address below this posting.

We are being supported by a scooter club (who do not identify with the mod scene). They are the biggest part of our audience at Saturdays, and they were the core of the publicon friday night (hell, a dozen people - we have a bigger audience at our matinees, come to think of it).

Alright, anyone for a supportive yell?!