NS Weekenders .....

What was the first one ?

Having attended the first night of / for the latest installment of Dave Raistrick's Skegness Weekender ( Thanks again , Dave - another successfull event ; a credit to you ) .....

Now an essential part of the NS social / scene calendar , It seems that these events have been around since Adam was a lad , but what was the first weekender to be held ?

Malc Burton

Edited September 30, 200717 yr by Malc Burton

  Malc Burton said:

NS Weekenders .....

What was the first one ?

Having attended the first night of / for the latest installment of Dave Raistrick's Skegness Weekender ( Thanks again , Dave - another successfull event ; a credit to you ) .....

Now an essential part of the NS social / scene calendar , It seems that these events have been around since Adam was a lad , but what was the first weekender to be held ?

Malc Burton

I have vague memories of there being a weekend/week in Majorca back in the Seventies. I didn't go, but remember it being advertised, so I guess that would be the first.

Great Yarmouth was the first Northern weekender I remember over here, and that was '89, but the Jazz Funk / Dance / modern weekenders had been running for ages before that at places like Caister (May be wrong here not being into that sort of scene)

  SoulWidow said:

I have vague memories of there being a weekend/week in Majorca back in the Seventies. I didn't go, but remember it being advertised, so I guess that would be the first.

Great Yarmouth was the first Northern weekender I remember over here, and that was '89, but the Jazz Funk / Dance / modern weekenders had been running for ages before that at places like Caister (May be wrong here not being into that sort of scene)

And in fact that was me posting on Margie's laptop because my PC is in bits again going for the six million dollar man rebuild !

  Dave Rimmer said:

And in fact that was me posting on Margie's laptop because my PC is in bits again going for the six million dollar man rebuild !

Can you still get valves, David for it.

Kev

  SoulWidow said:

I have vague memories of there being a weekend/week in Majorca back in the Seventies. I didn't go, but remember it being advertised, so I guess that would be the first.

Great Yarmouth was the first Northern weekender I remember over here, and that was '89, but the Jazz Funk / Dance / modern weekenders had been running for ages before that at places like Caister (May be wrong here not being into that sort of scene)

The event you recall , was staged by Chris Burton for his International Soul Club ( I still have one of the publicity handouts ) ....

I am not sure if this was held ( I seem to recall that it was cancelled several months before ) , but was scheduled to run from Saturday November 23rd to Tuesday November 28th , 1974 , at the Pollensa Park Hotel in Majorca ....

Billed as " The Greatest Soul Event Ever " ( I am sure Chris had used that line previously for the Leeds debacle ) , it cost £45.00 PP , and the music schedule ( featuring ISC DJs ) during the time there , was for an arrival party and disco with all free drinks , and an all - nighter in the hotel disco and on the beach .....

The Yarmuff answer could be the one I was seeking ; whether it was the first one , I am not sure ....

Malc Burton

Edited September 30, 200717 yr by Malc Burton

Yarmouth the first I recall and attended and was initially billed as Motown Weekender. The first (proper) Northern Weekender held there was the following year, 1990.

Program for the first weekender.....

Flyer for the "first" Northern one.....

  SoulWidow said:

I have vague memories of there being a weekend/week in Majorca back in the Seventies. I didn't go, but remember it being advertised, so I guess that would be the first.

Great Yarmouth was the first Northern weekender I remember over here, and that was '89, but the Jazz Funk / Dance / modern weekenders had been running for ages before that at places like Caister (May be wrong here not being into that sort of scene)

Were the first Great Yarmouth weekenders not earlier than 89 Dave, the ones run by Barry Morris (?) the Snooker guy under TAC banner or something like, with Ady helping, sure they were way earlier than 89 but then the 80's and 90's are a bit of a blur for me Mr C will be the man with the dates.

The precursor to todays Southport was at Berwick and that was a hardcore soul crowd in those days that although did feature mostly 70's (it was only the 80's so suppose you could call it a modern weekender) I think Alex Lowes deserves the credit for the blueprint of the weekender as it is today.

Jock

PS after Chalkys post, the Motown weekenders were the first, well remembered, still thought that there was earlier than that and certainly dont remember Rockie Robbins etc but as said my memory aint what it used to be. Cmon Mr Croasdell a full potted history please!!

Edited September 30, 200717 yr by jocko

A weekender in Mallorca! That sounds cool. I guess it was quashed by the town hall. In those days, the Mayor was designated by Franco's man, the Civil Governor & I think in the case of the islands, the Military Governor. They'd have probably viewed the hordes of pasty-faced teenagers in baggy trousers as a serious threat to the integrity of the local marias. Having said that, the manuels would have had a field day accompanying soul fans to the chemist in Pollen§a town. Centramine, a type of generic dexedrine, was available over the counter back then. Bustades I think they were called.

I have a DJ friend in Mallorca. He's on the 'white scene', but bound to have contacts. What Chris Burton couldn't pull off...

Now that's got me thinking...

Edited September 30, 200717 yr by macca

  jocko said:

Were the first Great Yarmouth weekenders not earlier than 89 Dave, the ones run by Barry Morris (?) the Snooker guy under TAC banner or something like, with Ady helping, sure they were way earlier than 89 but then the 80's and 90's are a bit of a blur for me Mr C will be the man with the dates.

The precursor to todays Southport was at Berwick and that was a hardcore soul crowd in those days that although did feature mostly 70's (it was only the 80's so suppose you could call it a modern weekender) I think Alex Lowes deserves the credit for the blueprint of the weekender as it is today.

Jock

PS after Chalkys post, the Motown weekenders were the first, well remembered, still thought that there was earlier than that and certainly dont remember Rockie Robbins etc but as said my memory aint what it used to be. Cmon Mr Croasdell a full potted history please!!

The first Motown one was Friday 20th, 21st & 23rd October 1990 (program in previous post) Flyer below....

The first Northern one at Yarmuff was 23rd, 24th & 25th March 1990 (flyer in previous post).

The second Motown and Northern Soul Weekender was October 19th, 20th & 21st 1990 (always falling on my birthday, as if needed another excuse for a piss up )

The second Northern Weekender was 22nd 23rd and 24th March 1991

The third Motown Weekender I've two flyers, dates and acts changed me thinks...

October 18th, 19th and 20th 1991 and 1st, 2nd and 3rd November 1991 (this time with the Four Tops).

Edited September 30, 200717 yr by chalky

Cheers Chalky, as always on the spot, my memories of these days are all completely confused in time zones, thought the Ray Pollard was a few years later, must have been something to do with being out every weekend!!!

Great memories of these, including a mental 14 hour bus journey from Edinburgh on Law Travel, sure Andy Dennision will remember that, the sober bits anyway!!

Met a lot of proper friends at them and first experience of mayhem that was to come at future Cleethorpes!!

Dont remember the Four Tops being there, either didnt go to that or they didnt turn up, anyone remember them being there?

Was the Bettye Lavette the one Iain Levine made his comeback with his interesting entourage or was that the later one??

Waves of nostalgia coming over me, off to listen to some Y2k soul to fight it!!

Cheers

Jock

  jocko said:

Cheers Chalky, as always on the spot, my memories of these days are all completely confused in time zones, thought the Ray Pollard was a few years later, must have been something to do with being out every weekend!!!

Great memories of these, including a mental 14 hour bus journey from Edinburgh on Law Travel, sure Andy Dennision will remember that, the sober bits anyway!!

Met a lot of proper friends at them and first experience of mayhem that was to come at future Cleethorpes!!

Dont remember the Four Tops being there, either didnt go to that or they didnt turn up, anyone remember them being there?

Was the Bettye Lavette the one Iain Levine made his comeback with his interesting entourage or was that the later one??

Waves of nostalgia coming over me, off to listen to some Y2k soul to fight it!!

Cheers

Jock

My memory is just as bad Jock, I've just got the flyers here to remind me Same excuse as well...being out every weekend

I didn't miss one but I can't remember what happened with the Tops, sure they had to change the date.....find it hard to believe two weekenders a month apart Did they turn up?

Ian Levine....he was strutting about with Lorraine Silver on his arm if I remember rightly. We had to endure her do a PA to Lost Summer Love during the afternoon session....painful!!!

Edited September 30, 200717 yr by chalky

  chalky said:

Ian Levine....he was strutting about with Lorraine Silver on his arm if I remember rightly. We had to endure her do a PA to Lost Summer Love during the afternoon session....painful!!!

I remember Ian being there, he cornered poor old Colin (Law) and gave him a B%llocking for not playing his (then) new releases

I'm same as you chaps, all the TAC weekends merge into one another (and I, as a true example of sobriety have no excuse unlike you reprobates ). I do remember though that the first Northern one was one of the best times I have ever had for so many reasons, but in the main the company and people there.

Edited September 30, 200717 yr by Byrney

  jocko said:

The precursor to todays Southport was at Berwick and that was a hardcore soul crowd in those days that although did feature mostly 70's (it was only the 80's so suppose you could call it a modern weekender) I think Alex Lowes deserves the credit for the blueprint of the weekender as it is today.

Jock

Got to agree as a young soulie from whitley bay used to go to the berwick upon tweed weekenders early to mid 80's, was still a bit of Northern played albeit mainly 70's as you said.

Then Fleetwood, then Southport

Got to totally agree Alex Lowes really did make the weekenders what they are today..Southport used to be brilliant from 1st upto about the 9th..for me became too ravey so i stopped....after i had the joy of watching the sounds of blackness on stage now that was priceless.......not sure what there like now,.... the weekenders not the sounds of blackness

Geeoooordie

Edited September 30, 200717 yr by geordiejohnson

The Four Tops did appear...

The organisers had fecked all of the weekender attendees over by selling tickets to the chicken-ina-basket crowd and shipping them in in coaches.

The venue was chock-a-block from early on, so everyone who had gone for the weekend only managed to see four tiny gold specks on a stage with loads of carrot crunching locals sat at large circular tables in front of the stage.

The show was so cabaret that I sidled off into the Northern room after a couple of numbers.

After the Four Tops finished the compere announced that the next act would be coming on, to loads of the shipped in yocals grumbling about 'never heard of 'em', 'yarr, be mangel wurzel picking season so i beyoff' etc.

So it was that Betty Lavette came out to a smaller but very enthusiastic crowd and blew their socks off.

  pikeys dog said:

The Four Tops did appear...

The organisers had fecked all of the weekender attendees over by selling tickets to the chicken-ina-basket crowd and shipping them in in coaches.

The venue was chock-a-block from early on, so everyone who had gone for the weekend only managed to see four tiny gold specks on a stage with loads of carrot crunching locals sat at large circular tables in front of the stage.

The show was so cabaret that I sidled off into the Northern room after a couple of numbers.

After the Four Tops finished the compere announced that the next act would be coming on, to loads of the shipped in yocals grumbling about 'never heard of 'em', 'yarr, be mangel wurzel picking season so i beyoff' etc.

So it was that Betty Lavette came out to a smaller but very enthusiastic crowd and blew their socks off.

Ahhh, it's all coming back seem to remember that now

  chalky said:

Yarmouth the first I recall and attended and was initially billed as Motown Weekender. The first (proper) Northern Weekender held there was the following year, 1990.

Program for the first weekender.....

Flyer for the "first" Northern one.....

Yarmouth 1990 was the best weekender I have ever attended...

And what a line-up

Steve

  pikeys dog said:

The Four Tops did appear...

The organisers had fecked all of the weekender attendees over by selling tickets to the chicken-ina-basket crowd and shipping them in in coaches.

The venue was chock-a-block from early on, so everyone who had gone for the weekend only managed to see four tiny gold specks on a stage with loads of carrot crunching locals sat at large circular tables in front of the stage.

The show was so cabaret that I sidled off into the Northern room after a couple of numbers.

After the Four Tops finished the compere announced that the next act would be coming on, to loads of the shipped in yocals grumbling about 'never heard of 'em', 'yarr, be mangel wurzel picking season so i beyoff' etc.

So it was that Betty Lavette came out to a smaller but very enthusiastic crowd and blew their socks off.

The Four Tops also walked off the stage, straight out of the back door into their Limo and off to their hotel. No autographs, no speaking to fans. Just do the caberet act, take the money and go !

Yeah Yarmouth were brilliant and I didn't have to work. I reckoned I got through 50+ pints per weekender and still had room for chips.

Now which one's the oldest Northern Weekender that's still running?

  ady croasdell said:

I reckoned I got through 50+ pints per weekender and still had room for chips.

You must have been taking it steady then Ady

  ady croasdell said:

Yeah Yarmouth were brilliant and I didn't have to work. I reckoned I got through 50+ pints per weekender and still had room for chips.

Now which one's the oldest Northern Weekender that's still running?

And here's me thinking you were teetotal Mr C ......

Malc Burton

Didn't Kojak/ Inter-City soul club organise a couple of weekenders.

Def remember one at the Norbeck Castle, Blackpool being advertised but i think it was cancelled. This must have been mid to late 70's

  Malc Burton said:

NS Weekenders .....

What was the first one ?

Having attended the first night of / for the latest installment of Dave Raistrick's Skegness Weekender ( Thanks again , Dave - another successfull event ; a credit to you ) .....

Now an essential part of the NS social / scene calendar , It seems that these events have been around since Adam was a lad , but what was the first weekender to be held ?

Malc Burton

Wigan Friday allnighter, Saturday allnighter then on to whitchurch alldayer! Northern weekenders have been goining on for years

Edited October 2, 200717 yr by SteveJohnston

Malc you must have been or at least remembered the Scarborough weekenders in the 70s. I went to my first at Easter 1976. I think they run at least 2 years ealier.

Based around the Four Seasons nightclub (Later Rudies), I think owned by John Rhona?, who was a soul fan I think and various Djs including Paul Temple, they had a Friday night, Sat night, Sunday all dayer, Monday all dayer AND THEY WERE PACKED EVERY BANK HOLIDAY.

In between there was the Salisbury Inn, Rangers supporters club, and Pickwick pub, to relax in and the odd scrap later on with the rockers on the front.

Records that stood out good or bad 'Voltaire Pier - CB' and 'I got it - NYPA'.

Magic times.

Ed

Yeah Yarmouth were brilliant and I didn't have to work. I reckoned I got through 50+ pints per weekender and still had room for chips.

...............

Ady, At the Motown weekender is there any truth in the story about a guy picking out some nice UK motown Demos from your sales box and handing them to you...you take a long hard look at them and say "one twenty" and he offers you one pound twenty pence!!

The Yarmouth Northern weekenders were awesome for me, used to travel down with Nogger and Gilly...great days!

Chris

  tomangoes said:

Malc you must have been or at least remembered the Scarborough weekenders in the 70s. I went to my first at Easter 1976. I think they run at least 2 years ealier.

Based around the Four Seasons nightclub (Later Rudies), I think owned by John Rhona?, who was a soul fan I think and various Djs including Paul Temple, they had a Friday night, Sat night, Sunday all dayer, Monday all dayer AND THEY WERE PACKED EVERY BANK HOLIDAY.

In between there was the Salisbury Inn, Rangers supporters club, and Pickwick pub, to relax in and the odd scrap later on with the rockers on the front.

Records that stood out good or bad 'Voltaire Pier - CB' and 'I got it - NYPA'.

Magic times.

Ed

I had completely forgotten about the Four Seasons ! Put it down to a very senior moment .....

As you state , it was packed every bank holiday , usually with Bub in full flow .....

John Wrona was the manager of the FS , and a true soul fan , that is why he staged the weekenders .....

Sadly John is no longer with us , having been fatally stabbed by a nutter in Scarborough .

I . like many others , have fond memories of The Salisbury ; again usually with Bub holding court sat in that big chair ......

The Salisbury is no longer there , having been demolished , replaced with offices or apartments ( not sure which ) .....

In agreement - magical times .....

Malc Burton

Edited October 5, 200717 yr by Malc Burton