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Item No: 067

Posted: 15/06/09

Item: Seaside Soul Club Review - Soul In the City

Saturday 13th June; Phoenix Street, Lancaster

After a busy period with the highly successful 3rd North Lancashire Soul Weekend (read about it here), The Seaside Soul Club presented their first evening of Soul at the Phoenix Club.

It’s a venue which is of course synonymous with the Soul scene in the early 90s, with it’s lovely old ballroom upstairs, it helped to create a special atmosphere then, and still does now.

This first night was a successful opening night with the music and beer flowing till late. A large video screen welcomed everyone to the club with images showing of some of the club’s previous nights in Morecambe, as well as some of our previous CD covers. In weeks to come, some vintage soul footage will also accompany the quality of music played by the Seaside Soul DJ’s.

In a climate where pubs and clubs are empty, it was very encouraging to see a good number turn out to this first event, and with more local and regional publicity for the nights planned, we’re sure to increase attendance numbers significantly over the next 3 planned nights and possibly beyond. Cheap beer prices certainly help matters too!

Simon Attwood, Tim Curry & Nick Duffy (who DJ’d here in the early 90s at the Phoenix Soul Nights along with fellow Seaside DJ Sean O’Connor) spun some excellent music to capture the feel of the room and the demands of the local soul fraternity. It was good to see the local Lancaster Soul Posse support the gig and no doubt this will be the start of a revival of interest in the city.

Of course Northern soul has always had a following and now with the music finding its way into all strands of the popular media, it was those tunes that found favour on the dance floor.

Don Thomas certainly has had a great revival, and one hopes that royalties are due in the right areas for artists like this, and from one of Barrow’s big tunes back in the day to Frank Wilson and the epitome of rare Motown and classic Northern soul at its best. But make no mistake, as much as this was a homage to the great tunes of the halcyon days, there was plenty of good new music earlier in the night.

Co promoters of the Phoenix, Gavin and Jill were fantastic in their support providing the excellent sound system. Jill, who used to come and dance the night away at the Phoenix Soul Nights, found what looked to be an authentic 1960ss tub of supaglide powder for the dance floor!!! Well it certainly still worked after all this time, perhaps the boys need to find the recipe!!!

Musically, well it was a mixed set early on from Si with Soulful House to the Salsoul moods of Loleatta Holloway and Double Exposure, along with some cutting RnB and some soul classics from Atlantic and Stax. But it was Marvin Gaye’s “Where Are We Going” that struck a chord with this scribe. The unreleased track from 1971 of course, and a belter too.

I heard Joi Cardwell in there and always glad to hear that one still played out. Lou Rawls “You’ll Never Find a Love Like Mine” from 1976 still sounds to me one of the very best TSOP tracks ever laid down a real good sing along too. I particularly enjoyed “Falling in Love” from Surface from 1983 and a good bit of 80ss mid tempo soul

Next up was Duffs who played for me a classic 60's northern set with all the classics from Wigan Casino and the Blackpool Mecca and closer to home, the Morecambe Central Pier and of course our very own doo’s in Morecambe. Don Thomas “Come on Train“ was requested and duly played packing the floor…..job done. A busy dance floor with a stream of classics.

Tim Curry finished off proceedings and straight away kept the dance floor busy with Frank Wilson (always guaranteed to pack the floor) Martha and The Vandellas along with The Spinners. We had 70ss tunes such as Millie Jackson “House For Sale” which again you just never tire of hearing.

So a great night musically and the soul lovers certainly could have danced long into the morning. We’ll be back for more on 11th July, so just make sure that you do too.

If you’re looking for something different in the city then go get your dancing shoes, as you won’t be disappointed. Soul as deep as you like with a beat..thats Northern soul!!!

Next gigs for the Club;