100 Club Allnighter

Unsurprisingly the 100 Club allnighter was busy last night, partly I suspect due to the rather long gap between the last one in May and this one, due to the unfortunate cancellation of the July night. I'd been suffering withdrawal symptoms and I wasn't the only one. A good crowd in and quite a few I hadn't seen for ages.

Friends from Wales were visiting London with a view to the 100 Club as part of their itinerary, so I went to the Blue Post first, met up with Suzy, Tabs, Trevor, etc. and when we strolled to Oxford Street I found my friends outside the pub, they were a bit late. We queued for a few minutes, went in, paid for entrance and anniversary night tickets, then down the stairs.

As is normal the first DJ was Ady himself. In this spot he often plays lesser known records and one that I particularly liked was Life by the Stereos, an early sounding tune, I assume it's the same doowop group who had a hit in 1961 with I Really Love You. Among others he played was The Same Old Feeling by the Volumes.

After 30 minutes or so Keith Money took over from Ady. I'm embarrassed to say that I just can't remember what he played, yet I know I danced to a couple and he played a very nice medium tempo one that I liked a lot, he said who it was by but I just didn't catch it. In fact the microphone was a bit “dodgy” all night as Ady had earlier commented.

Chris Dale, a well known London DJ, followed Keith. I requested Feminine Ingenuity and he played it next. Great, thanks Chris. He ended with Patti Austin's Didn't Say A Word which seems to be popping up on playlists since Butch revived it.

Another guest followed, Cliff Steele, whom I'd not seen at the 100 Club, but many times elsewhere, Lifeline, Boomerang, Spirit, QoS, etc. In this, his first set, he included I'm Lonely I'm Troubled, Suffering Wrath, Too Late and Mama's Gone. He finished this set with a Latin instrumental similar to Jobell's Never Gonna Let You Go.

Tom Page, a young DJ who is making a name for himself made his 100 Club debut next. Starting off with On You Heartache Looks Good by Carol & Gerri, one that I haven't heard for ages out, used to love it at the Dome and These Old Shoes. He certainly mixed the styles, including the R&B of Mickey Champion's What Good Am I with the Crossover of I Can't Move No Mountain by Margie Joseph via Still A Part Of Me and I Want My Baby Back.

For the second time Keith took over and kept the music coming and the dance floor busy, as it was all night.

Again it was Ady's turn and he featured some classic rare sounds including the Demures, Etta James, the Gerri Grainger cover up and Pied Piper classics like He'll Be Leaving You and Voodoo Mademoiselle.

Chris followed and played a mainly sixties spot but ended with another 70s track Carl Hall's What About You, a perfect end to a set.

Cliff then did his second set including Destination Nowhere at the start. Thanks for playing my request for the Adorables' Ooh Boy, one of my favourite records. Good to hear and dance to Living Color as well.

Time then for Tom's second go on the decks, a real mix of sounds, a couple of fast tunes then it was Challenge My Love by Tobi Legend. Earlier I'd been talking to John Stubbs, who'd made one of his rare visits to the club these days and had mentioned A Whole New Plan by JoAnn Garrett. We used to hear that a lot a few years ago, and I was delighted when Tom played it, following it with Betty Lloyd's I'm Catching On, Betty Wilson's I'm Yours and Bobby Reed's The Time Is Right For Love, ending with Don't You Worry Baby The Best Is Yet To Come, the old Mecca favourite by Bessie Banks.

Keith did the penultimate set of the night and included Anthony & The Imperials' It's Not The Same and Karmello Brooks' Tell Me Baby among other favourites.

As per normal Ady did the ending spot and started with up-tempo records like the Olympics' Same Old Thing and She'll Be Leaving You, slowed it slightly with Don't Tear Me Down and This Is The Thanks I Get before upping it again with I'll Never Stop Loving You, ending with the perennial Baby I Need Your Loving. Then the lights came up, That's What Mama Say played and we all got ready to leave, after the photo of the ending people.

A good night well worth waiting for. My Welsh friends enjoyed it. Nice to see so many other friends there including some who had travelled quite a distance. Especial thanks to Suzy for her consideration for me.

Well done to all involved, DJs and staff of the club and of course Ady for running it, thank you.

If I've got anything wrong in this review please let me know, I didn't really feel with it last night, slightly under the weather.