spirit

Why not pay them the same as the OVO DJs, but in monopoly money?

Well, I've been on for about 3 years. Can anyone beat that?

There are plenty of very experienced and courteous dancers who wear the right footwear and use talc in moderation to make any generalisations pretty silly. Some dancefloors - despite bullsh-- assurances from their promoters - just suck. Literally.

I was semi-joking Chris, because Dave is a big traveller to foreign events I think.

Dave, I first met you at Burnley Nighter. You pretended to punch me. A punter's view. The great majority of places in the Midlands and North are 'oldies' nights where the playlists are pretty much interchangeable, though a couple of them are brave enough to make space for a collector to clear the floor now and then. I'll assume you are looking for non-oldies Soul nights in the first fortnight of December anywhere in the UK; ie. places where collectors gather as much as dancers. Looking at those listed already, and those that are not, but I can remember as being on in the first fortnight regularly: The Attic 5th Although he's the promoter, Dean's first post summed up the Attic very honestly. It may be low numbers or it may be bangin' or it may be both. I always enjoy myself there, despite being a dancer rather than a trainspotter. It's very small and intimate and run by people who are passionate about peering over decks and talking about records with a pint in their hand. I seem to remember you're an ex-para or something and used to danger and strife-torn areas, so it will have the added nostalgic appeal for you of being in Mansfield. Lowton (near Manchester) Second Room ''Room with a View" 11th I haven't been since it was the brilliant DDA, but it is the same sort of enthusiast running the second room there now. I am assuming it is on in December, but it isn't yet listed. It has a big main room if you fancy a few oldies as well. Bishops Wood Nighter (near Birmingham) 12th Music is typical nighter fare, ie. more geared towards the lesser-played than the obvious but with a few anthems as well. Very relaxed and laid back, and a cosy dealers corner for nattering. One of the smaller (but more perfectly formed) nighters, like Bidds or Burnley, but a little lighter and less intense. Of the events I haven't been to, Bradford Morley Carr and Almwich Allnighter in Wales have the biggest buzz about them from the people I talk to. I don't know much about London and the South; have only been to a few events down there. Boogaloo looks your best bet down there. Worth checking the lookbacks anyway for the events I've mentioned. You should find playlists. Those I haven't mentioned: either I've forgotten about them or missed them in the listing; they aren't listed yet; I haven't been to them and they haven't caught my attention; they are oldies or are specialist (eg. rnb/modern); they aren't in the first fortnight. No disrespect to any of them, just trying to match your criteria. My recommendation then: Nuremberg Weekender

The forum works on GMT, 1 hour behind what the posters are on. The time differential means the views will not be registered for an hour, and due to deflation and time dilation (the messages travel at the speed of light, don't forget) by the time they are added in, the 'weight' of each individual view on the thread has shrunk to zero, so unfortunately they are not registered. Simple, when you think about it.

Only joking, natch. Deja Vu was really good, and the manager was great, and (the noted concerns aside) it would be worth keeping them as a fall back, but the last one at The Royal was one of the best nights I've been to, and I'm looking forward to the return.

I've changed my mind. I prefer Deja Vu.

Passion. If it's an addiction, it's the healthiest one I've ever had, but as long as I stick to dancing, and the social side, and stay away from buying records, I reckon I'll be ok. It does have at least one negative side though - I'm unable to get anything done in the house when its on in the background as I end up shuffling and jumping about like an idiot.

That's truly impressive. Let alone the generosity, how much energy has that bloke got? Anyway, brilliant Paul-S. Congratulations on your achievements, and the nomination.

I wish I knew more about Japanese pop - it used to punch well above its weight in the music press when I used to read it. I always liked oddball rappers Frank Chickens. https://www.youtube.c...h?v=cXZanbZ6PWs

I was going to stay off this thread, as I closed the other one down, but I just want to say thanks to everyone for your support, just so you don't think I'm being rude and ignoring you. There is a great bunch of people out there, thank you. Theresa, you are a star, and I may follow that route, but on the other hand life is too short to get obsessed with this stuff (I've had a go, and it goes without saying my hurt pride is minutely small beer compared to some of the crap some people deal with every day, including some on here). Also, I've told you what I think of astrology - don't let's fall out over this...

Thanks a lot, Kev and Matt. Ok. In response to Mark Bicknell's concern, and taking into account the implication of Pete S and DundeeDavie that I'm doing this for titillation, and because I have no desire to embarrass or cause problems for this site, I am going to close the thread off. Sorry to anyone who was hoping for an entertaining bloodbath - that was never going to happen, and its not why I started the thread. The promoters know who they are. This is a final appeal to them to do the right thing. Apologise (that's the most important thing) and give me the full refund. I will let you know if they sort things. Until then I will follow my original intent, and Simsy's advice, and not return to their events, which I will genuinely regret.

No. I paid and remember paying. I've no idea about the stamp, maybe they forgot to give me one, maybe it sweated off. I have no idea. I wrote to them twice, they didn't respond to my second letter. I didn't at any point threaten to go to Soul Source. I never had any desire to settle this on here.

It has occurred to me I may be wrong. I have spoken to one person privately who pointed out the number of freeloaders, and the promoters point of view that someone inside an event without a stamp (they kicked me out when I asked for one to go outside) is guilty until proven innocent. I have been on sites unrelated to soul where naming and shaming is banned, and offending posts are removed to prevent the issues I have mentioned. As this is not a normal lookback I am being cautious until I have been given permission. I really am trying to do this the correct way.

Because if the promoter is unfairly maligned on here, it may have legal or financial consequences for the site, and that is not my call to make. It shouldn't really make a difference who it is as to what the opinion or advice is, I would have thought.

Thanks a lot, you are a great bloke. I really hate doing this on here, believe it or not. I've got better things to be doing with my time. I would like it resolved fairly and quickly and would have preferred it to be done privately, but don't know what else to do having failed through correspondence. I just want an apology and a refund and advice on how to get that, or an explanation why I'm being unreasonable.

That's pretty much it in a nutshell. None of us are perfect - I just wanted an apology for lousy treatment. Other than that (and the refund), I've no beef with them. Whoever it is.

Thank you, Kev, but thought I'd better get opinion first.

Cheers Joan, your opinion means a lot to me.