Guest Matt Male Posted September 7, 2007 Posted September 7, 2007 Went to Wigan quite a few times but never went with out partaking in the old smarties and far to many of them so only have sketchie memouries of the place, So would liked to of gone straght, Just once This is a good point, i was totally off my head pretty much every time i went to Stafford, so much so i can barely remember any of it even now people say 'remember this at Stafford?' er.... no.
Guest Glawsters Best Posted September 7, 2007 Posted September 7, 2007 Mine was Blackpool mecca can't really remember why i didn't make it i was regularly going to wigan until yate started hardly missed one so it was casino Friday night's for me remember one boxing trying to get a lift to go to the torch no trains hardly anybody had cars in them days but i don't regret not going to the torch because i had such good times at wigan yate etc
Guest nubes Posted September 7, 2007 Posted September 7, 2007 Leamington Spa, Coventry, Birmingham Intl, Birmingham new street[change here] , Stafford,Wolverhampton, Crewe[ change here] Warrington, WIGAN The 5:15 got us to Wigan for 9:35 .......... then hit the earlys in M`s Coming back was real fun . I could recite that train journey in my sleep [/quote Bloody ell,....how come it took all that time from the Spa??....i use to get the 7:20 from Northampton and arrive at wigan around 10:15....change at Rugby....Crewe.....Wigan....Delxxxx
Guest garv Posted September 7, 2007 Posted September 7, 2007 Leamington Spa, Coventry, Birmingham Intl, Birmingham new street[change here] , Stafford,Wolverhampton, Crewe[ change here] Warrington, WIGAN The 5:15 got us to Wigan for 9:35 .......... then hit the earlys in M`s Coming back was real fun . I could recite that train journey in my sleep [/quote Bloody ell,....how come it took all that time from the Spa??....i use to get the 7:20 from Northampton and arrive at wigan around 10:15....change at Rugby....Crewe.....Wigan....Delxxxx We started at Banbury Del, Spa was the 1st stop
Tsu Tomatoes Posted September 8, 2007 Posted September 8, 2007 (edited) Despite being a Soulie, I would've loved to have to have gone to Paradise Garage to hear Larry Levan spin Edited September 8, 2007 by tsu tomatoes
Guest Emma Posted October 17, 2007 Posted October 17, 2007 Wish I had been about for Blackpool Mecca but was born in the wrong era!
Guest Posted October 17, 2007 Posted October 17, 2007 totally agree morcambe doesnt get mentioned hardly at all(peir or dome or carlton) wish i could have gone yate a little more often.. only went about four times but well worth the journey Super place,didnt miss many Morcambe`s only a couple for Parr hall,and was the infighting as bad as today,infact even worser...........anybody here had to replace broken windows after a nighter,damage caused by rival promoters,Morcombe v Parr hall.......Oh!!allegidly
Steve G Posted October 17, 2007 Posted October 17, 2007 Can I have 5 ? The Wheel , The Torch , Pendulum , The Cats [ nearly went to the last night, but that's another story ] and Va Va's . In conversation with Steve Glover and Jan years ago , at Soul Galore record stall , they reckoned that Up the junction , Crewe was the best , so would've liked to have gone there as well !! Wish I'd gone to The Mecca more as well ,especially for Colin Curtis's last hour sets, but Wigan was more straightforward on the train .Best ,Eddie Yup Wigan was easier for us down here too. 8.25 out of Euston - change at Crewe, then two stops and we'd be walking up the road at 11.10 pm. E.Z P.Z. Getting back on Sunday was more fun with the engineering works though, we ended up in some right odd places
Pauldonnelly Posted October 17, 2007 Author Posted October 17, 2007 Pete Smith sent me a cd of The Casino Live 1974 deffo before the 1st anniversary, a mate of mine mid 30's who never went there was visiting when the pakt arrived(doing some trades ) "Listen to this mate" I said..on came 'footsee'-' love trap'-'Joey Dee' etc.. today those that dj would probably only play 20% of was on the cd, but I tell you what the WHOLE cd is chuffin brilliant, when Footsee came on I swear I could smell the joint a truly awesome piece of Northern Soul History that anyone who went there will appreciate and should get. I turned to my mate and he said..."Paul thats fluckin crap" funny ole game enit Greavsie
Bigsoulman Posted October 17, 2007 Posted October 17, 2007 Probably a couple for me, The Flamingo Club in London back at the start of it all and have heard wonderful reports of The Golden Torch in Stoke Lenny
macca Posted October 21, 2007 Posted October 21, 2007 my choices would have to be in the category 'could have gone but didn't'. samanthas - always heard great things about this place but wigan always won the toss. cleethorpes pier - ditto. blackpool mecca - I saw mecca dancers have dog-ends flicked at them at the phoenix all-nighter in peterborough. curtis was playing something like 'on the real side' & the 60's punters wanted 'manifesto'. Very ugly. yate - a lot of people from my area started to flock to yate after st.ives closed. I heard lots of good reports but couldn't be arsed to make the trek. I regret it.
Barry Posted October 21, 2007 Posted October 21, 2007 (edited) I'd choose The Mecca - if only for the fact that I read the argey-bargey about how Levine went off the point (did he?! - progression?!) and am unable to make a biased decision for myself - I have only hearsay and other peoples views to go on Here's my (at the time, youthful) view of the nighters in my world at my time: Wigan - believe it all, nowt will ever come near to it's musical urgency (luckily for me I entered it's walls late '79 'til its' gut wrencing end, no footage of how cutting edge it [searling] was). A truly life changing experience (proper Yorkshire blokes offering me (a kid) water - unforgettable respect if only for he fact you were there - and that was late 70's, early 80s' - not this watered down shit nu- man we have now.) Brought me up believing Northern wasn't 60's 70's or 80's - Northern was what I heard on that dancefloor then, at that time of my life, and I believe it (the dj's) grounded me, soulfully, for life - I will gratefully cut myself out of the politics of the scene at the time (Keep The Faith Not The Funk etc), if only for the fact I thank God I was around to experience it's 'specialness'. I'll die a happy man. The last three guitar strums on 'I Don't Like To Lose'....'Mate!? Rotherham - very little time between Wigan being taken from me and me taking the next step - my first real venture into the world of travelling cross country for my music - a completely different take on the all nighter, musically, but such a fantastic experience. Awful walk from Sheffield in winter though. Brag in the back room with Brian Rae & Martin form Congleton. Yogi shuffling to 'Pusherman', 'Machine' , Charles Johnson and my talc covered moccassins - winning a wank competition LP off ov Dave Evo. Thumbing it home. Leicester Oddfellows - a bit of a blur generally, good memories of the Anniversary nights. Hinckley Leisure Centre - Major Lance, Ric Tic Revue, Jr Walker, Curtis Mayfield - cool skinheads with dodgytattoos and baseball court markings that didn't make good for dancing. 100's Club - travelling down with Brian, staying with Cliff White (Charley compiler and his white witch wife) and going to The Old Ball (was it? - Ions early sessions), staying at Kebs or Danny's (rough as) on the Old Caledonian Road - travelling back and knocking out Robert Cray albums on Sunday markets. Buzzard - an oddity of an evening. Morecambe Pier - Gibbons whole family chipping in, from nephews serving tea, to his gran taking taking the money on the door - getting snotted on the way over by skinheads generally - loved it though (Alexander O'Neal - 'What's Missing, Luther - 'Let It Slide'), Brian dropping ' Broadway Sissy' at 7 in the morning, being verbally abused by Thommo & Greeney (Pondies for the Pondie boys [blackbeat]) Real 80's Northern gubbins. Stafford - although it does get some stick from the old boys I still speak to for it's 'real soul' policy (Geaorge Tindley, Clyde McPhatter), it will eternally be Tommy Navarro (it may have been a 100's club play prior, but Stafford for me) and Donald Jenkins, alongside the cracking modern nights (James Cobbin & Prime Cut ). Pete Lawson holds dear at this time for me. Parr Hall - local venue....being upset at lads coming in off the trains with bloody noses - Warrington Town Lads. The Carleton, Morecambe - recently played the Modern Room there, don't remember it as the same venue - age probably. Notts Palais (the Dilly Dally) - revolving dancefloor and all, good memories, again especially of Petes playlists. King Georges Hall, Blackburn - my memories of this venue aren't really good ones, seems a little skeletal to me now - maybe I was just holding on to my memories. Kev Appleton intimidating me into parting with my Sam Fletcher...never forgave the c***. Bradford Queens Hall - loved every minute of both rooms, asked to choose I'd go Sam & Arthur downstairs, real progressive soul...and people who cared. Crofty and his (wrong) promtional policies - advertise it soulies as asoul night and ravers as a house night - The Big E-Zee ha ha) ........I am aware right now that I am wankered and may regret this diatribe when I wake up, so I will spare you any more of my sad rattlings about attended venues. I wouldn't have had my life any other way, I'm happy. Apologies (note to self, don't come on message boards when you can't ride yer bike home). Edited October 21, 2007 by Barry
Guest Posted October 21, 2007 Posted October 21, 2007 attended? maybe you weren't even born or maybe like others you were in Prison? Stafford for me, as Kevin Spittle once said to me "the day NS grew up" dunno if it was the fact I never went but the music was just up my street. During the dkof night with hennigan and thorley I took time out to discuss Stafford with them, awesome converstaion with two normal bloke like you and me. One statistic that knocked me out was both of them said on a good night no more than 300, which took me back as I had this notion it was 1000 no problem, bit like Hennigans face when I told him what the legal capacity was of the Torch... The nights I wish I could have been at first shotts scotland speaking to the people that went it sounds perfect after that wigan obviously just to taste the atmosphere and hearing them tunes for the first time the dancers etc thirdly stafford met a guy at a scooter rally in portrush n. ireland got chatting about the soul scene his memories of stafford and the records that were being played he said it was like playing in the premership (wigan) and then playing in the champions leauge differnt leauge by the way I was too young to play back then unlucky for me but lucky for me places like dundee soul club are keeping it going progression is the way forward KTF
Peter99 Posted October 23, 2007 Posted October 23, 2007 ........I am aware right now that I am wankered and may regret this diatribe when I wake up, so I will spare you any more of my sad rattlings about attended venues. I wouldn't have had my life any other way, I'm happy. Apologies (note to self, don't come on message boards when you can't ride yer bike home). There's nothing wrong with that post Barry - some great, and important points about the music - not being 60s, 70s or 80s in particular. Searling was a fooking genius etc etc. Nice one mate. Peter
Barry Posted October 23, 2007 Posted October 23, 2007 (edited) There's nothing wrong with that post Barry - some great, and important points about the music - not being 60s, 70s or 80s in particular. Searling was a fooking genius etc etc. Nice one mate. Peter Ha ha, I eventually got myself to bed and when I woke, it was like - Balls!! - note to self, don't start on the boards when messy. Ta for the vote of confidence anyway Pete. Oh yeah, and that lot was in the 'lost' 80's. Edited October 23, 2007 by Barry
Guest Posted October 23, 2007 Posted October 23, 2007 I'd choose The Mecca - if only for the fact that I read the argey-bargey about how Levine went off the point (did he?! - progression?!) and am unable to make a biased decision for myself - I have only hearsay and other peoples views to go on Here's my (at the time, youthful) view of the nighters in my world at my time: Wigan - believe it all, nowt will ever come near to it's musical urgency (luckily for me I entered it's walls late '79 'til its' gut wrencing end, no footage of how cutting edge it [searling] was). A truly life changing experience (proper Yorkshire blokes offering me (a kid) water - unforgettable respect if only for he fact you were there - and that was late 70's, early 80s' - not this watered down shit nu- man we have now.) Brought me up believing Northern wasn't 60's 70's or 80's - Northern was what I heard on that dancefloor then, at that time of my life, and I believe it (the dj's) grounded me, soulfully, for life - I will gratefully cut myself out of the politics of the scene at the time (Keep The Faith Not The Funk etc), if only for the fact I thank God I was around to experience it's 'specialness'. I'll die a happy man. The last three guitar strums on 'I Don't Like To Lose'....'Mate!? Rotherham - very little time between Wigan being taken from me and me taking the next step - my first real venture into the world of travelling cross country for my music - a completely different take on the all nighter, musically, but such a fantastic experience. Awful walk from Sheffield in winter though. Brag in the back room with Brian Rae & Martin form Congleton. Yogi shuffling to 'Pusherman', 'Machine' , Charles Johnson and my talc covered moccassins - winning a wanking competition LP off ov Dave Evo. Thumbing it home. Leicester Oddfellows - a bit of a blur generally, good memories of the Anniversary nights. Hinckley Leisure Centre - Major Lance, Ric Tic Revue, Jr Walker, Curtis Mayfield - cool skinheads with dodgytattoos and baseball court markings that didn't make good for dancing. 100's Club - travelling down with Brian, staying with Cliff White (Charley compiler and his white witch wife) and going to The Old Ball (was it? - Ions early sessions), staying at Kebs or Danny's (rough as) on the Old Caledonian Road - travelling back and knocking out Robert Cray albums on Sunday markets. Buzzard - an oddity of an evening. Morecambe Pier - Gibbons whole family chipping in, from nephews serving tea, to his gran taking taking the money on the door - getting snotted on the way over by skinheads generally - loved it though (Alexander O'Neal - 'What's Missing, Luther - 'Let It Slide'), Brian dropping ' Broadway Sissy' at 7 in the morning, being verbally abused by Thommo & Greeney (Pondies for the Pondie boys [blackbeat]) Real 80's Northern gubbins. Stafford - although it does get some stick from the old boys I still speak to for it's 'real soul' policy (Geaorge Tindley, Clyde McPhatter), it will eternally be Tommy Navarro (it may have been a 100's club play prior, but Stafford for me) and Donald Jenkins, alongside the cracking modern nights (James Cobbin & Prime Cut ). Pete Lawson holds dear at this time for me. Parr Hall - local venue....being upset at lads coming in off the trains with bloody noses - Warrington Town Lads. The Carleton, Morecambe - recently played the Modern Room there, don't remember it as the same venue - age probably. Notts Palais (the Dilly Dally) - revolving dancefloor and all, good memories, again especially of Petes playlists. King Georges Hall, Blackburn - my memories of this venue aren't really good ones, seems a little skeletal to me now - maybe I was just holding on to my memories. Kev Appleton intimidating me into parting with my Sam Fletcher...never forgave the c***. Bradford Queens Hall - loved every minute of both rooms, asked to choose I'd go Sam & Arthur downstairs, real progressive soul...and people who cared. Crofty and his (wrong) promtional policies - advertise it soulies as asoul night and ravers as a house night - The Big E-Zee ha ha) ........I am aware right now that I am wankered and may regret this diatribe when I wake up, so I will spare you any more of my sad rattlings about attended venues. I wouldn't have had my life any other way, I'm happy. Apologies (note to self, don't come on message boards when you can't ride yer bike home). I'm sure you're very proud of this moment Barry
Barry Posted October 23, 2007 Posted October 23, 2007 I'm sure you're very proud of this moment Barry I'm murder for it Kirsty.
Madmandy Posted October 23, 2007 Posted October 23, 2007 Alway one of my regrets..not getting to Wigan Casino As my parents first born and only girl child ...it was YOU'RE NOT BLOODY GOING AND THATS THAT YOU'RE TOO YOUNG TO GO ALL THAT WAY ON YOUR OWN Little did they know my younger brother climbed out of his window to go to the allnighters only to be already up out of bed red eyed the next morning lying through his back teeth that he'd got up early!!! One of the first things I did upon my return to the scene was buy a wigan T shirt ( I dont wear it now) But I will say this.. every venue Ive visited Ive danced on those floors the way I would have as if I had been on the floor at Wigan ( a lot less acrobatically I might add tho ) I m 44 and love dancing even more now than I did back then And Notts Palais will always bring back happy memories as it was the only place I ever was allowed to go Mand
Winnie :-) Posted October 23, 2007 Posted October 23, 2007 Would like to have gone to the Torch and probably the wheel. Never went to Stafford either, but never thought I wished I had
De-to Posted October 23, 2007 Posted October 23, 2007 motown studio `A`, plus me old mate from biggleswade,bedfordshire always rated va-va`s in bolton so if it was good enough for him then that would be my choice,woops thats two venues,sort of.
Guest KoFi Posted October 23, 2007 Posted October 23, 2007 Wigan was the magic for me!! 14 year olds 1st niter amazing!! late 76 then 77to 81 without fail loving is really my game. oldies nite friday ram jam fantastic... the heat phew Cleethorpes winter gardens and clifton hall for the modern side fond memories Kgb sheff also samanthas
manus Posted October 24, 2007 Posted October 24, 2007 I wish I'd made it to the Wheel but I have some great memories of Wigan. I loved the atmosphere in the Beachcomer before hand. A real strange old place with what seemed like theatre seats around it so you could be sitting up in the air. It had such a buzz and used to open again in the morning after the nighter finished. People still dancing like there was no tomorrow and steam coming off them. Many a train was missed. Great days. Had some fantastic nights at the Mecca and Cleethorpes too. All the best Manus
Guest nusha Posted December 5, 2007 Posted December 5, 2007 For me probably Blackpool Mecca, St. Ives and Yate. You can still Go To St Ives..It still looks the same and it is still one of (is) the best northern venues of all time.
Guest nusha Posted December 5, 2007 Posted December 5, 2007 Great music at Stafford but it was always fairly quiet when i went. Catz was a Khazi..Good fun but wierd dump. Heres some others that no one has mentioned that you may wish to consider...Parkers (Manchester)Cassinellis (Standish)Locarno (Birmingham)California(Dunstable)The Surgery(London)Beachcomber(Nottingham)Southport Weekenders (the soulbase years)Stomp(London)RealDeal@Frames(Cambridge)Howard Mallett Club (Cambridge)Earls Barton Dog Track(Northants)Dom Polski Allnighters(Bedford)
Guest vinylvixen Posted December 6, 2007 Posted December 6, 2007 Get me the Soul Tardis, Doctor.... The Scene The Skabar The Torch The Rooster Lounge Studio 54 Went to Wigan - mad crazy times - and West Hampstead....I'm surprised none have you have expressed the desire to have gone to the Margate Scout Hut nights - held just after dog training, they were the BEST Jo
Guest whippet Posted December 6, 2007 Posted December 6, 2007 Any one who didnt go to Bretby seriously missed out.
Guest 2648 W Grand Boulevard Posted December 7, 2007 Posted December 7, 2007 I'll have three please !!! From what I have learnt and listened to over the years I wished I had got to Yate, Stafford and Thorne. Last but not least as a bonus, the Norfolk Village in Shoreditch High St would have been interesting. Dave
Guest Kevin J Posted December 7, 2007 Posted December 7, 2007 The 20 Grand, Detroit 1965. can you imagine?!
Missing Link Posted December 7, 2007 Posted December 7, 2007 Twisted Wheel Torch Va Va's Catacombs Cleethorpes Pier Early Blackpool Mecca (didn't make it there till '77)
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