Petesi

A well known major promotor arguing/winding up a customer on a public forum REALLY???? Possibly not the best way to promote your product. Oh and just for the record....... I am a regular and BIG fan of the Kings H event, so am a little gob smacked to say the least

A couple of points that I find helps . 1) We are all a lot older now ( into our sixties) and as such have less tolerance of aggro/ignorance that spoils our night out. Me, I just generally guide them firmly but pleasantly away from me with a "you dance there mate and I dance over here and we will both have a good night", its my favoured routine for the Kings H Lol. 2) Realise that the Nob heads don`t actually know how ignorant/stupid they look ,usually it`s too much drink and the ones that do... actually believe they are doing great and fitting in well, attempting their silly routine`s of disco dancing with pathetic high kick and even worse... back flop!. IF only they could see a you tube video of just how stupid they look they would probably be too embarrassed to continue, Lol. Finally they are in the minority, thankfully... and I sometime find it amuses me when taking a breather ( as they usually favour the mid tempo sloppy stuff for their routine) sitting watching just thinking too myself " Mate if only you knew, twenty years ago the guy you just bumped into could have sparked you out and just carried on dancing" So just enjoy yourselves safe in the knowledge that if it wasn`t for the nob heads we would have nothing to gripe about! Roll on Oct 2nd.

Not sure on the days but I think maybe Wed, Friday or Sat nights. Pretty dark with tracks of lights running around the roof and bloody great mirrored pillars dotted around the dance floor. I do remember on one night they played plenty of Motown stuff and one of the DJ`s would throw in numbers like Breaking down the walls of heartache, Tell me its just a rumour, Bok to Bak and Seven days is too long etc so it was a good practice night for Tiffs and Wigan.

The Heavy Steam Machine in Hanley Stoke on Trent, downstairs below the cinema?

In Stoke on Trent the shop we all went to for baggies, crombies, bomber jackets etc was Chawners in Hope St Hanley, it was fashion central for the area Lol.

Went a few times late 72 , well sneaked in to be more precise as I was too young to get in . As other posters have said many records were played and claimed to be first play`s equally by the Wheel, The Torch and the Cat`s but one I am almost 100% that was first played at the Torch is " Sliced Tomatoes". Other top plays were.. I still Love you, Exus Trek, 6by6, A little togetherness, These chains of love and You don`t want me no more.

OH sorry forgot you like to question lots of light hearted commentaries,, so Absoloutely nothing. I can`t remember ever verbally using the phrase but it has become a mantra for many from my era so that`s fine by me. I don`t actually think many have or will use it in a conversation but maybe we get a sense of nostalga and well being or belonging when we hear it? I guess. Oh and when I was around 4 or 5, I also thought Santa was the best bloke ever! Now i`m not so sure . KTF.

Oh dear, I along with "others of my generation" got it tattooed on my arm for ten bob old money at gentle Johns on Waterloo Rd ( along with the panther, tiger etc) but 1973 was a bit of a weird year, the Torch had gone and we teenagers were a bit lost for a venue to express our admiration of the music, so it seemed the right thing to do. Of course all that soon changed but hey ho young and misguided, did I regret it ? Fck no......I still pound the floor and heading towards my mid 60 `s I still love it, its what keeps me going...not quite ready for the Derby and Joan yet. So I must be a real Div. LoL.

We are basically saying much of the same thing with a minor difference of opinion on the grey areas, and dont even start me on the " Awake 502" discussion.

Exceptions there will always be, and age will play a big part in that. I cant speak for Butch as not really a rare soul fan BUT Andy Dyson has more idea about dancing and dancers tempos etc than most other DJ`s put together and Richard Searling does a good job too. My main point was Money will not make a top DJ ..practice and experience will. Any way back to the main point boots,carvers re-issue or ovo etc . I say....Leave the label collectors to collecting and leave the DJ`s to entertaining.

Ah at last The truth! or pretty close to it imo. Anyone who has the dosh could go out and pay 100/200k plus for a box load of top class origional`s but... unless he had a clue about dancing and reading the floor he/she would not have a cat in hells chance of becoming a top level DJ,. I cant believe the number of times I have have been at a do when so and so (who is regarded as having a great collection) comes on and shows of his collection by playing some great sounds BUT in totally the wrong order mixing tempo`s and genre in a dancers nightmare....The records mean nothing if you can`t construct a set.

The Torch had atmosphere, and of course Wigan well kinda, also Tiffs Newcastle... both downstairs and up. Nowadays Kings H, Ivo or Burgess hall as it is now, Grosvenor rooms never fails if your old school (I am) Northern line at Alford H Warrington is great too. I guess it will depend on the music and DJ`s cos if the dancefloor is good and its belting along then the rest is just a blur.

I sat out the back in late "72" and .......got to sneak in quite a few times times having wandered up from the chippy round the corner scoffing chips, fish bits n gravy. Happy days and what a start to my journey. Roll on the Kings H in July .

Exactly right...it will all depend when you caught the bug ! And it would appear that for most of us making the (serious) comments The Torch seems to be near or at the top of the list, oh and add Frankie B and the Butlers "If that`s what you wanted" as my pick to the list

AH or Arrrgh Late 1976/1977... which ever way you look at it was a BIG change year for the scene, as I remember. Went to a few events and during some sets myself and some of the "older" Torch/Catacombes crowd just sat and watched in err WTF mode as the likes of Colin Curtis, Ian Levine etc dedicated half their set to what was then regarded as the "New Sounds" of northern soul. Plays included stuff like...Open Sessame, So is the Sun, and loads of other Funk Based stuff that was I think, mainly from the New York scene via Blackpool Mecca. PS. That`s also when as I recall the dance style changed to the kinda stomp shuffle on the spot style that suited the funky stuff better.

Local youth club "Pendragon" Alsager 1971 a couple of guys from the Torch ( one was the Dj for the night). Me and my mate just stood there amazed. Went out next day and bought a couple of records we had heard played from blood LLoyd records Hanley, one of which was The Shakers " one wonderful moment".....It still has pride of place in me record case and the rest as they say..... is history. Roll on July, fingers crossed , Kings H around 3am, Andy Dyson on the decks ..... and the magic continues.

A very good point ... Let`s hope that whilst everyone is keen to get going again, there are only so many customers to go around so not too many of the same type of events on the same date please i.e. Oldies not clashing with oldies nights ..same night as rare or modern would be fine... but please be sensible, something for everyone and all catered for.

Ah ah, a Torch playlist in the most part, as a lot of M`s stuff was great sounds from the all time great clubs that went before. But once a month all this and then some came down to the main floor where it was mixed in with the Wheel, Catcmbs etc ...Now that was a night to attend.

Memories ? Well quit a few but from the1970`s I would say Friday nights at the Casino and Tiffs Newcastle on Sunday`s, and in my more recent escapades the Kings H allnighter`s and probably The Grosvenor rooms. In a strange way its gonna a bit like a re-wind back to the 1970`s for me as in... a weekend escape from the troubles of every day life and work! Only now being in my sixty`s and not my teens the escape is from covid lock down. So can`t wait to get back to finding a spot on the dance floor, lost in my own little world with not a care in the world just reveling in the sights, sounds, atmosphere and venue ..wherever that may be. BUT remember just how lucky we will be when that finally comes around ..as sadly quite a few won`t have been so lucky, both punter`s and DJ`s. Keep safe, fit and well.

Wow... Last time I heard this played was Wigan, M`s in 1977 or there a`bouts.

Frankie Beverly and The Butlers "If that`s what you wanted". When I don`t get up to dance to this....... I will know my days of northern soul are over.

Sad news indeed. I first recall him from my last few weeks of the Torch, then Kidsgrove town Hall, Tiffs Newcastle and more recently Alsager civic. His DJ spots were truly great ,uptempo and a dancers delight. Cantancerous he may have been , but hey ho...........you didn`t sit down too much during his spot on the decks. A true gent and a legend. R.I.P.

Interesting comments from all in this thread and, as usual... we are all banging are own drum depending on the era you discovered this great "scene". Me, I discovered it in the early 70`s at the local youth club ,,then truly discovered at the last week`s of the Torch, moving on to the Casino in 74, Tiffs Newcastle ,Yate etc etc. Took a break in the late 70`s missing Stafford and Keele in the 80`s and 90`s and returning in 2000`s to The Kings, Soul Train etc. Yes it was a bit different to what I could recall from my first experiences and yes some of the new stuff played by Mr Curtis et al from the mid 1970`s were now classed as "Oldies", but I just accepted that it wouldn`t all be Wheel, Catcmbe`s and Torch classics, times had moved on. BUT... the crowd , the music, the dancing and the atmosphere were still there ....I still loved it ! In my opinion If you really are into this great music no matter what comes along you will find a time, a place, and venue to go out to that plays your type of music and find you own space out on the dancefloor and say " C`mon life test me if you wish, but you ain`t pi..ing on my party". Just accept that things will always be changing but there`s room for all on this journey.. oldies, rare, modern and underplayed, just find your niche and make the most of it. Northern has been through many changes but..... it just refuses to curl up and die..... just like the people who support it.