3rd September 2005 Groovy Grooves at the Top Deck Club, Huddersfield.

My other half, Shirley, did a review of our first night at the Top Deck Club in Huddersfield last Saturday so thought I'd post it up, totally unbiased of course.

Cheers,
Colin.

3rd September 2005 Groovy Grooves at the Top Deck Club, Huddersfield.

It was the 3rd of September, that day I.ll always remember …“cos that was the day we started our new soul night. ;-))) Guy & Col had decided to start their latest foray into the fickle world of soul night promoting following the success of the …"Real Wigan soul night" held after the last night of the play …"Once upon a time in Wigan" back in April. The music policy was to be on the same lines as venues Col had previously promoted just simply northern soul music with a capital N & a capital S. It was to be a venue where astute soulies could come along to hear audacious DJs earning their fee by rummaging in their boxes and playing something a bit different, something new, the previously played mid-tempo toons that were dismissed twenty years ago but are the hidden gems of today. So we knew the Top Deck Club was just the right size for the kind of forward thinking, discerning soulie prepared to travel to get their fix of …"sweet soul music" ;-))

With adequate parking in the surrounding streets, the club is across the road from the bus station and relatively close to the railway station. It's far enough away from the town centre Saturday night pub crawl all pros so far now for the only con the room itself is at the top of two flights of stairs but even this con depends on how fit you are; Karen, Eileen, Bev, my lips are sealed and for an amazingly small fee I will destroy the CCTV tape I bought from the club l;-))))) (funny how its just the ladies, I myself had no problem with the stairs ;-)) The room itself is on the bijou side and the dance floor although small is beautifully formed, with four mirrored pillars surrounding it; so thereÃ's no need to be half cut up before making that first tentative move on to the floor as the mirrors give the illusion that there are at least four other dancers on the floor with you;-)))))

So back to the night how did it go, well just about as good as it could, a great atmosphere, a full room, cheap beer, dance floor action, great toons played by DJs whom had the presence of mind to play to think about what this travelling crowd of soulies had paid to hear consistent good quality Northern Soul.

Colin Wood (Resident)
Henry Richardson  Dancing girl - Elois
Billy Stewart  Look back and smile  Chess
Jenny Wren  Chasing my dream all over town - Fontana
Singing Swinging Counts  Along the way - Label
The Ithacas  If you want my love  Fee Bee
Jesse James  If you're lonely  20th Century Fox
Shadows  My love has gone  Golden Sound
Masqueraders  I aint gonna stop  AGP
Billy Storm  Please dont mention her name  HBR
Hoagy Lands  Do you know what life is all about  Spectrum
Orientals  Soul aint you thrilled  New Dawn
Houston Outlaws  Aint no telling  Westbound
Chubby & The Turnpikes  I didnt try  Capitol
Astors  In the twilight zone  Stax
California Rock Choir  Whoever you are  Cyclone
Four Exceptions  Its a sad goodbye  Parkway
Intruders  A love thats real  Gamble
Four Sonics  Easier said than done  Sport
Robert Parker  I caught you in a lie  Nola

Guy Hennigan (Resident)
Lord Thunder  Chaos
Rufus Wood  Before 2001
2 + 2 - Love will conquer all.
B J Thomas  Keep it up
Vicky Styles  The tears won`t stop falling
Marvin Gaye  When I feel the need
Anthony & The Delsonics  Everytime
Delegates of Soul  Keep running back
Soundmasters  Lonely lonely
Magnifient Seven  Never will I make my baby cry
Jimmy Reed Jnr  I ain't going nowhere
Kai Williams - Our love is dying
Joys of Life  Good times are over
Chris Morgan  Who am I
Wakefield Sun  Trypt on love
Otis Blackwell  It's all over me (studio acetate)
Quantic - Lighten my load
King George - I`m thru losing. slow mix!!
Ollies Band  Just say maybe baby
Willie Mason - Why
Dorsey - Vista vista.

Dean Anderson (Stand in resident on behalf of Eddie '... Im on holiday' Engel)
Ultimations  Would I do it over again
Barons of Soul  You need love
Sam Dees  Lonely for you baby
Eddie Billups  Ask my heart
Billy Soultree  I'm the man
Frankie & The Damons  Man from soul
Boss Four  Walkin' by
Prophets  One gold piece
The Jaggers  No time
Gordon Keith  Look ahead
Robert Spence  Wedding day
Bernie Williams  Tears tell
The Venturas  Heart of love
Little Nelson  Same old way
The Marlboro & Joker Six  So much

Andy Dyson (Guest)
When the city sleeps
Superbs  I was blind??
Phil Parker  Love you just the same
Jerry Williams  Ordinary Girl c/u

By now Col said my services were no longer required at the door (I don't like bouncing anyway and besides those black puffa jackets dont suit me:-)) Funny enough the playlist notes I had been taking down also stopped around the same time :-)) Fortunately Colin, Dean and Guy wrote down some of their plays, unfortunately Andy didn't hence my pathetic excuse for his playlist, soz Andy. Needless to say he did play a great set many of which were unknown to me.

All in all great music appreciated by a great crowd, next one is Saturday 1st October followed by Saturday 3rd December so come along to the Top Deck Club for some Groovy Grooves.

Soulfully yours,
Shirley.