100 Club Allnighter

Once again a nighter at the 100 Club without main man Ady Croasdell, but this time wasn't a night off but unfortunately Ady was under the weather. Matt Bolton was able to step into the breach and the night went very well.

I only found out about the midnight start on Friday, but went up the same time as usual to meet a group of mates in the Blue Post and then onto the Spanish bar in Hanway Street. We left there about 11.45 and found a queue waiting for the club to open. It did seem interminable but chatting to Mick H and Co passed the time, eventually we got in. Fay was on the reception standing in for Rolly, paid my money and down the stairs to You Know How To Love Me. Keith was doing the first half hour, his set included It's Better To Cry and Too Young For Me, nice medium tempo tunes.

Frank Webster, who is a regular at the club, was the guest this time. Quire a few of his plays I didn't recognise but he included Little John's Heartbreaking Time; Choice Of Color's Your Love (this is such a catchy tune); Virgil Henry's I'll Be True; and followed that with a track by the Caesars, not sure of title but a great harmony group record. I think he also played Chick Chick but it may have been someone else.

Tomas followed Frank and one he played was Bernard Smith's Got To Be A Reason, however I have to admit I just can't remember any of the other records he played, my mind is blank. Can anyone help please?

Then it was time for Butch's first set. By now the club was pretty busy with loads of new faces who were obviously enjoying themselves, let's hope they return and become regulars. Butch opened with Good News by the Hytones followed by Arthur Willis, Jimmy Andrews' Big City Playboy, and the Chuck Jackson cover up. The latter is one of my favourites, always gets me dancing, but I was shocked later in the night by a friend visiting from the north who didn't rate it at all. Get your ears cleaned out mate! Also Butch included Hank Hodge's Eye For An Eye and Shadow Of A Memory by 21^st Century, which is the original version of the song I believe. He also played an instrumental track which had a 60s sound as opposed to the funky ones often played at the moment.

Keith was on next with tracks like Job Opening, I Need Your Love by Clydene Jackson and Bob & Fred's I'll Be On My Way. Then it was Tomas again, mixing up styles with some Modern Soul of the type he plays at Inner City Soul and more mainstream Northern including Never Found A Girl and You're Gone by Celeste Hardy.

Time for the second and last set from Butch which included quite a few 70s sounds, in fact there was a lot of 70s played by all the DJs. He included Love Tempo, a big favourite at the club, the classic Sweet Memories, Fluorescent Smogg, and Just Can't Please You, think he said it was Tony Hestor's version.

A number of 70s tracks were included in Frank's final set and he ended with Come See (What's Left Of Me) by Bobby Hutton, fabulous record.

The last 45 minutes, normally done by Ady, were taken by Keith who included some classics like Mel Britt and the Epitome of Sound. He finished with I'm Yours by Betty Wilson, Something For My Baby by the Sweet and finally I'll Keep On Holding On by Lee McKinney & The Magnetics. The lights came on halfway through that one, and we gathered our belongings and said our farewells to friends while Walter Jackson's That's What Mama Say was on the decks as usual at the end.

As I said earlier there was a good number in, many new. At one point it looked as if it had thinned out but then the dance floor filled up again and there was a good number at the end.

So once again an excellent night of soul music in Oxford Street, well done to the DJs and to Matt for standing in. Let's hope Ady feels better soon.