Petesi

Hmm, I too was at the KH last weekend 6pm-12 midnight and really saw none of what you described ??It was a decent night with good quality oldies and a few rare bits thrown in. If you didn`t enjoy it then maybe you are right its time to pack in going out because this event was pretty good by all standards of events I go to.

Ermm, I think we are both in agreement here. I was just trying to find a positive in a bad situation, hence my reference to the girl NOT moving like a bad robot L0L

A good point but at least the girl with the cap on at the back has some idea and feeling for the music , the rest well, its a starter for them so it can only get better with practice.

That`s the spirit ! Now we are Teenager`s back in the early 70`s . Perhaps we should change the KTF slogan to WTF ? LOL.

Wow, I certainly don`t Know every record and as some have pointed out you always hear one or two that are new to me but not always new to the scene as well as plenty of long forgotten and seldom played stuff that was quality back in the day so no problem with motivation. I go out about once or twice a month and choose mainly quality oldies events and for sure the DJ`s always manage to entertain me with their selections. Basically it appears the scene as lost its appeal to you which happens ( I have taken several breaks away from NS since 1972) but always come back for one last go, and enjoyed it, and still do.

Hmm, Well for what it`s worth. I and many others are in our mid to late sixties, still dancing( and quite well in some cases) , yes there are divvies as you call em and they were also plentiful in the mid 70`s so no change there! I agree with the videos of some events but other events on show look pretty decent so it all depends on what you watch imo on that one. As for the mix of music yes at some events they want to please or draw a crowd of as many as possible, so go "off piste" with an eclectic mix which in many cases is as far removed from northern soul as gets and is truly awful..I avoid these events period. On your final point I agree, the music is very special and to me always will be, so I can put up with a few divvies, the occasional look at me pratts , the pott bellied I love NS but I really never knew it until tonight and all the other minor irritations, cos it sure beats playing crib and listening to Val Doonican down at the Derby and Joan. So as long as I can I will be out on the floor lost in my own little World with Frankie Beverley, The Parliments, Alice Clark, etc. and leave the moaning and griping to those that must. Lol.

All good with yer clothing then, and yes spacial awareness is a must. Oh and no matter what the floor is like don`t get tempted to wear trainers, just take a couple of different pairs of dancing shoes.

If you want classics, oldies and a smattering of RnB etc try one of the following (dependant on where you live) Grosvenor rooms, The Northern line, Driving beat and of course The Kings Hall Stoke. Most of Peps events in the midlands are good as are Hitsville chalkys Darlaston Town hall Etc and Rugby, Nuneaton co op as well. Further south It is bit more hit and miss as their take on northern soul varies somewhat but I can recomend Stewartby, and the Ivo re-union events, along with Poole and Bournmouth as pretty decent . Of course there will be many more but these I have commented on because they suit my taste in northern classics with a bit of other stuff played as well. Happy hunting I am sure you will find your fav niche and as for dancing play a few tunes at home and practice to gain a bit of confidence ...we all did and... are still in my case. LoL.

IMO. Both of the above mentioned were monster plays in the mid 70`s and were staple dance floor fillers at most events I went to, they rarely get played today but are cracking dancer material and those of us that can recall will always be up and dancing when they are played... whatever the label says.

Everybody who was around and dancing or learning to ( Me ) at The Torch, danced to this, it was a genuine monster of the time and if you can dance to this you can dance to anything it is a genuine 100mph classic.

It happens at most of the smaller events, BUT it is usually to a slow /mush song, so I don`t have an issue with that as I for one won`t be on the floor, so my opinion is leave em alone and let em enjoy it, after all most of us should be at the Derby and Joan club anyway LoL. NOW..... if they start doing it to Jimmy Raye`s.. Philly dog around the world.. that would be a whole different thing and we may have an issue

Just my opinion, I went to Yate a couple of times around 77 and to be honest didn`t really like it, even then there seemed to be a different take on what I knew and grew up with at the Torch, Top rank, Tiffs, Wigan etc, it seemed slower and not the 100mph sweat soaked grit n grime days I was used to. Having lived down south in Kent for the past 20 yrs I certainly see the difference in what`s played and popular at most of the southern clubs and only a few keep to the true spirit of a proper northern soul event. PS. Back up north now so can enjoy the real deal again, again there is even a "north/ south" divide in the northern soul scene too LoL.

My last post or comment on this, northern soul dancing ...It makes your pulse pound, your head ring and your heart sing YES you CAN learn the moves but when you dance you feel the music, the soul, the spirit of the record and the artist that made it. For me it`s a moment that transports you to another place in time, when you sang along, splits, kicks and swallow dives or back drops in the breaks and not a care in the world. You can teach the moves but.. you cant teach the feeling, you either have it or you don`t and it will show in the way you dance.