Mickey Finn

What do Frankie Knuckles, the Fantastic Johnny C and Taggy Matcher (I kid you not) have in common? They are among the many musical highlights of another fantastic Whitby weekender that gave us a full across the board musical experience and a chance to meet old friends while making new ones. Friday evening’s kick off in the big room with Kev got us in the mood with the likes of Patti and the Emblems and Gene Chandler. The always reliable Phil Kingswood got the modern room going an hour later with a very modern set that was mostly 90s to the present and finished with Tears which sounded so good after all these years. Steve Woomble took over and gave us the full Tom Moulton mix of New York City’s I’m doing fine. Brilliant. Upstairs to the market place and Andy Baskett was playing some very new reggae tunes including the most unlikely but really effective remake of Teenage kicks by Taggy Matcher with a very soulful vocal by Wolfgang Valbrun on top of some great dub stylings. Not at all what I expected but a personal highlight of the event. Up next was Soul Sam, returned to us after some health issues and packing the floor with …. Reggae? He gave us about a third of a set with some sixties ska and rocksteady along with more typical spins like Robert Tanner’s Sweet memories, the Medlows Love (part 1) and True Image It’s only a matter of time. John Heaney wrapped up the evening (and almost killed us) with a lively set including Tighten up. Phew, what a scorcher! That last sentence did not apply to the weather this weekend, which meant there was probably better afternoon attendance and dancefloor action during Saturday. We joined Derek Mead in the big room at 3 for some very well chosen youth club and more obscure early Casino memories along with some tunes he has featured over the last few years. Ray Pollard’s The drifter was a standout, sounding wonderful in the big room over a proper system. Hitsville Chalky continued in rocking style as always. We finished the afternoon session with Phil K in the marketplace playing some 70s dancers including Cleethorpes spin Center city by Fat Larry’s Band. Julie got the modern room going in the evening with some early doors floorfillers before Phil took over with more typical 70s modern sounds including the O’Jays I love music, with a curve ball thrown in by (I think) DJ Disciple typical of the kind of soulful house that Phil regularly selects and for me is part of what makes him a reliable spinner year after year. If you read this Phil and you can remember what you played please let us know. Sam Evans, who is surely the answer to Europe’s energy crisis, kept things moving with among others that great remix of Love x love. Then it was upstairs for Lee Fletcher’s selection of ska mod r’n’b etc, always high quality, followed by Soul Sam keeping the floor packed with more of the same and his more typical picks. Derek Mead kept things going with some great connoisseur spins including the highlight selection Mad mouth woman by Wayne Carter, sounding very like Reuben Wilson. Sunday is always special as the afternoon session begins gently and allows the deejays to dig a bit deeper. That’s certainly how Derek started in the main room with a quality set of some less played among the more familiar, including Denise Lasalle Right track, JoAnn Garrett a whole new plan and Jackie Wilson This love is real. Paul Lightly followed with 2 hours of mostly northern interspersed with some r and b (John Lee Hooker!) and modern (Soul-utions), keeping the floor busy. Then came Soul Sam with some great mostly Motown picks including his own firm favourites like Isley Bros My love is your love and the Four Tops There’s something about you, which had the floor almost erupt. Steve Luigi kept things moving along nicely in his traditional late afternoon slot. Out in the marketplace Ian Bottomley (aka Twink) played a very nice selection of 90s followed by late 60s tunes including Verdelle Smith If you can’t say anything nice and The Royalettes River of tears. Then came Rob Smith carrying on in similar style before Julie officially closed the marketplace sessions with some uplifting late 70s dancefloor classics by the Whispers, Stargard and Shalamar. Then Ozz took over with some seamless mixing beginning with …. Tears once again before moving on to some early 80s classics by DTrain, Evelyn King among others that had me well knackered after half an hour. John Barker in the big room showed no mercy - Flaming Emeralds Have some everybody was just crazy but it had to be done! A great set that had the floor heaving, and no Tribute! Snowy rounded off Sunday in the big room and played a selection of less obvious tunes including another highlight, Don’t depend on me by the Fantastic Johnny C. Whoever requested that, thanks, and to Snowy for playing it. Outside Sam Evans and Chris Box had the place rocking with party classics that sounded so fresh after 3 days solid of carefully chosen collectors’, connoisseurs’, and northern classics. What a way to go. Overall, it was a great success. Despite the competition elsewhere in the town this is unrivalled for the deejays, sound systems and traders. And where else can you dance to great music while looking out at the sun setting over the North Sea? To the numpties who ignored the instructions re talc, congratulations for spoiling what began the weekend as a terrific floor. By Sunday the humidity and talc combined had turned it into fly paper. Otherwise a great success all round, and tickets and accommodation bagged for next year. Many thanks to the organisers, deejays, sound and lighting techies, traders, Pavilion staff and punters for making it a highlight of the soul calendar and our summer holiday.