50 years ago tonight/tomorrow (2am) Wigan Casino opened its doors to host its first ever Northern Soul all-nighter.

Were you there Bolty58, or anyone else for that matter

Never went. Twisted Wheel, Va Va, Blackpool Mecca and many smaller venues for me. I knew a couple of lads from Farnworth who regularly went with others  by mini bus to the Golden Torch around 1971.
Nothing against it apart from the commercialisation that killed the scene. Wigans Chosen Few and Wigans Ovation as proof.

Sure many will have happy memories. 
(Lots of snobbery around NS of which I’m probable as guilty as anyone 😊)

Been listening to a bit of NS here and there of late, partly because Radio6 were doing a retrospective.

Like any scene, some decent stuff (don’t ask me what, but a lot of it a bit samey.

One song called Green Door by K Frog (I think) is proper good, but I’m a sucker for a funky organ.

Can imagine the nightclub scene was good though.

1 hour ago, BobyBrno said:

Never went. Twisted Wheel, Va Va, Blackpool Mecca and many smaller venues for me. I knew a couple of lads from Farnworth who regularly went with others  by mini bus to the Golden Torch around 1971.
Nothing against it apart from the commercialisation that killed the scene. Wigans Chosen Few and Wigans Ovation as proof.

Sure many will have happy memories. 
(Lots of snobbery around NS of which I’m probable as guilty as anyone 😊)

Sounds a bit like me in a way with dance/rave/trance. All about Bowlers or Mr Smiths when I was youth, hated both of them.

Blackpool rammed with them.

Every hotel in North Shore booked solid. 

Some big do on at the winter gardens and an 8am all nighter planned.

Soul Sweet bar was busiest Ive ever seen it at tea time.

2 hours ago, Spider said:

Been listening to a bit of NS here and there of late, partly because Radio6 were doing a retrospective.

Like any scene, some decent stuff (don’t ask me what, but a lot of it a bit samey.

One song called Green Door by K Frog (I think) is proper good, but I’m a sucker for a funky organ.

Can imagine the nightclub scene was good though.

Wynder K Frog.........came from Bolton.  ( am i being whooshed ? )

1 minute ago, bolton va va said:

Wynder K Frog.........came from Bolton.  ( am i being whooshed ? )

Honestly only heard it for the first time this week whilst going through a Spotify playlist.

Funky organ stood out.

Know nothing about the artist so if it’s a local, then that’s just a massive and pleasant coincidence 😊

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJKe2j9Wjh4

 

Slightly too young to have been involved in the scene but NS was around when I was growing up and listening to music

Also remember NS being a thing on The Lever End in the 70s. There was the long hair, denim and flares lot, and a big group of sharp dressed Levi’s, button down shirts, etc. Guess that was @bolty58’s lot 

19 minutes ago, Freddie Hill said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJKe2j9Wjh4

 

Another one with a Bolton connection, reputed to have been first played in Britain at Bolton Va Va by Richard Searling !!!

6 hours ago, H said:

50 years ago tonight/tomorrow (2am) Wigan Casino opened its doors to host its first ever Northern Soul all-nighter.

Were you there Bolty58, or anyone else for that matter

No mate. I could almost use Boby's post below your opener word for word. Very close to my own personal experience.

The Wigan Casino's alleged status as the birthplace grinds a little for me. Not disrespecting in any way - it was a phenomenon as far as NS is/was concerned but the Wheel was the birthplace in my opinion. The term was 'rare soul' before Dave Godin's intervention with the later label he attached to it. I suppose proud Northerners saw a recognition of some sort in the new label and adopted it immediately. We were scouring record stores for soul rarities for years before the Casino became a thing. I can still see a lad from Bromwich Street running up Deansgate in Manc with the single "Treasure Of Love' by Clyde McPhatter held up like the FA Cup and 'woo-hooing' with joy after finding it an a clearance box at that record store whose name now escapes me (near Victoria station).

Boby used the term 'snobbery'. Arguably the wrong word but he is making a valid point. It was more a case of 'our thing' that the hoi polloi knew nothing about or had any interest in and that was the way most in the scene would have preferred it to stay. Loved watching the recent Albert Hall prom and some of the movies on the subject in recent years but I am sure Roly, Jock and the boys from The Wheel would be less than impressed with any move towards becoming mainstream in a WWays 'm0ng magnet' sort of way.

I was just discussing this subject (NS) with a devotee in Gibraltar yesterday in a chat which was heavily Twisted Wheel orientated as we were on about the book 'Central 1179' which is a 'must read' for my money for anyone seriously wanting to understand the roots of the NS phenomenon. I was telling him an (in my mind) amusing story about a well known Wheel regular from Bolton who was a good mate of mine who had been searching for a particular vinyl single for years ('Hey girl don't bother me' by The Tams originally released in 1964) and was beside himself with excitement when he finally found someone willing to sell him a copy for what (at the time) was a kings ransom. He wanted to tell the world (and did!) only to be fucking devastated a few weeks later when the record label decided to re-release it meaning that any fucker could get it! The look on his face when he found out was priceless. Must have been the same look from Spider when he realised he'd ticked the wrong box.

1 hour ago, MancWanderer said:

Slightly too young to have been involved in the scene but NS was around when I was growing up and listening to music

Also remember NS being a thing on The Lever End in the 70s. There was the long hair, denim and flares lot, and a big group of sharp dressed Levi’s, button down shirts, etc. Guess that was @bolty58’s lot 

Knew plenty of them mate. Some of the Lever End stalwarts of that time (like Zulu, Gravel Rash, Good Knee etc.) will remember the evolution from skinhead to suedehead to smoothie etc. which was mostly East London inspired but each transition was given a northern twist in the NW which definitely included NS types and some of the the clothes started to mutate for the latter for obvious reasons (looser kecks etc.). Those of us with the Crombies, Royals, two tone etc. (sharpened point umbrellas in some cases!) generally stuck with Levi Staprest, 501's etc. Gazelles and Fred Perry's were favoured by all of the above and still are by certain silly (or inspired) cunts who have never stopped wearing them to this day 

Kinell, this is like a reminiscing relay FFS. I need to get out of this thread. The fucking 'Hovis' tune will be in my head in a minute. Oh, fuck. Too late!

Coincidentally, it’s the Mod weekend and scooter rally in Clitheroe. I just happen to be here as well.😊

Just bought a pair of Oxford Bags - I think I look ace. Everyone else is laughing a bit.

There was article last night on bbc NW they interviewed Sandy Holt as he was a regular also a black lad from Bolton think he was called Percy, showed footage of the black lad dancing and also a Leigh girl who they found and interviewed. 
 

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/northern-soul-movement-celebrates-50-111744730.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly91ay5zZWFyY2gueWFob28uY29tL3NlYXJjaD9wPWJiYytub3J0aCt3ZXN0K25vcnRoZXJuK3NvdWwmZnI9aXBob25lJi50c3JjPWFwcGxl&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAIHlLiMsBjl5_rgQVx4utioGYeWTSEHdZpz5fJ5_deIElYelPSYXFLreaoz1uz02uIfsCEGJWXOyG2MVShaIighdMMvTox_h30NrAoEVZvmQqlmxTKqNA4AIELp55aV96ABCf8QdWSu5359M3HMxIv8Nnw7A4H159KVrx35eT4R-

Edited September 23, 20232 yr by Mounts Kipper
Found the bbc footage

Wigan Casino,  mm

Before I start , great music must have been good to be part of the "scene" if you actually went .

R . Only lasted 8 yrs as a venue have met loads who claimed to go . But their ages don't add up .

Obviously I am totally biased but Jillys in Mcr was a better all night venue. 

My self I usually stayed closer to home , frequenting 

 the Swan Cellar Bar and the Lower Nags .

 

On 22/09/2023 at 22:45, bolton va va said:

Wynder K Frog.........came from Bolton.  ( am i being whooshed ? )

 

On 22/09/2023 at 22:48, Spider said:

Honestly only heard it for the first time this week whilst going through a Spotify playlist.

Funky organ stood out.

Know nothing about the artist so if it’s a local, then that’s just a massive and pleasant coincidence 😊

Love a bit of organ too so had a listen 

https://spotify.link/pAcqzRmMlDb

Cracking tune

Would never have had that sound as originating from Bolton but checked and indeed it was

 

Always struck me as much more of a feminine musical genre than its followers would suggest.

Hard to imagine some of rough looking footy type lads from Northern backwaters Ive seen this week busting out fancy dance moves to some lass singing soul music.

Love it like, love a good scene.

Can anyone who was there at the time explain to me if 'barb butties' we're really a thing?

1 hour ago, gonzo said:

Always struck me as much more of a feminine musical genre than its followers would suggest.

Hard to imagine some of rough looking footy type lads from Northern backwaters Ive seen this week busting out fancy dance moves to some lass singing soul music.

Love it like, love a good scene.

Ha ha know what you mean

But look at the soul/disco scene in the 70s/80s. House in the 90s. Acid/rave

Boys busting moves when there’s skirt around 

On 23/09/2023 at 10:18, BobyBrno said:

Coincidentally, it’s the Mod weekend and scooter rally in Clitheroe. I just happen to be here as well.😊

Top little town is Clitheroe. Usually visit when I am back home. Northern Soul shop, some beltin' pubs. Just a nice little original Lancashire town proud of it's heritage.

23 hours ago, embankment said:

Wigan Casino,  mm

Before I start , great music must have been good to be part of the "scene" if you actually went .

R . Only lasted 8 yrs as a venue have met loads who claimed to go . But their ages don't add up .

Obviously I am totally biased but Jillys in Mcr was a better all night venue. 

My self I usually stayed closer to home , frequenting 

 the Swan Cellar Bar and the Lower Nags .

 

'Ere, who let this facking rocker in 'ere? 

11 hours ago, gonzo said:

Always struck me as much more of a feminine musical genre than its followers would suggest.

Hard to imagine some of rough looking footy type lads from Northern backwaters Ive seen this week busting out fancy dance moves to some lass singing soul music.

Love it like, love a good scene.

 All been tried before matey. They used to accuse Mods with bouffants of being tarts - often just before swallowing teeth fragments.

A certain FD of Bolton fame has always been a face in the Northern Soul scene. Do us a favour pal, next time you see him (after giving him my regards), just mention to him that he looks a right tart when he's NS dancing (by the way, something he is very adept at). I'll organise to send you some grapes.

And conversely, some of the nicest, softed, big hearted, wouldn't hit anyone over anything people I've ever met have been at the heaviest music gigs.

I've often found its the other way round, the heavier the music, the nicer the people. Go to an indie gig and if they are quite popular you are surrounded by feral little shits. 

Not saying those who like NS aren't nice like. 

56 minutes ago, bolty58 said:

 All been tried before matey. They used to accuse Mods with bouffants of being tarts - often just before swallowing teeth fragments.

A certain FD of Bolton fame has always been a face in the Northern Soul scene. Do us a favour pal, next time you see him (after giving him my regards), just mention to him that he looks a right tart when he's NS dancing (by the way, something he is very adept at). I'll organise to send you some grapes.

 

 

Hey Im a reach for the lasers guy making heart shapes at the DJ ha ha

 

Last time I saw FD he was telling us about twatting his anger management therapist