100 Club Allnighter

So this was the last allnighter of 2017 at the famous Oxford Street club, and it was a good'un. A bit of a miserable night in London, drizzly and the pavements were quite slippery. Strolled around from the Blue Post just before 11 pm to find a queue, fairly unusual. After going through “security” and paying our entrance fee downstairs we went. Only to find the dance floor wet. It seems there was a rock or punk band on earlier and there'd been beer spilled. The slipperiness did seem to dissuade quite a few people from dancing early on, but it did dry, but felt a bit sticky, And in the gents toilet the floor was like a skating rink.

The music during the night was of a high standard, with many tunes not known to me, plus of course the ones I do know but can't think what they are.

Guest Ian Jackson's sets included a fair number not known to me, but I do recall the Soul Notes' How Long Will It Last, a fine track that I've not heard out for ages.

The other guest Nige Brown mixed fairly well known records with lesser known items. Thanks for playing Feminine Ingenuity for me, sorry to be so predictable with my requests.

Keith Money is always good value, playing some favourites and ending his second set with the classics She'll Come Running Back and You Didn't Say A Word.

Butch was back mainly in a 60s mode, after last week's Spirit of the Orwell soul night where he played predominantly Modern Soul. Starting his first set with The Hurting Is Over, following that with the Tiaras' Surprise, then Pee Wee Shucks & Huey's Beside Myself he kept the dance floor busy. His second set included several I don't think I'd heard before, particularly liked one he introduced as R&B, a very nice track.

Ady started things off as we entered the club, then did his usual mid nighter spot. He played quite a few of his acetates, Fidels, Demures, Gerri Granger, ending this set with the Paramount Four's Sorry Is The Word. He included a beat ballad just before Oh Baby Don't You Weep. How was the ballad by, does anyone know?

He opened his final ending set with Etta James' Can't Shake It, the floor still busy at 5.30. He finished with Just Say Goodbye by Esther Phillips and of course Baby I Need Your Loving. As the lights went up he played a version of I'll Never Stop Loving You which to my ears sounded as if the backing was a piano. Who was that?

There were a reasonable number, possibly more than last month, but some of the younger element were missing. At times it looked as if there weren't many in but suddenly the dance floor would be full. And there were plenty dancing at 6 am. Good to see all my usual friends there, plus Nige and Carms, always good to meet and chat. Also this nighter saw the return of Rbman, Martin Ainscough to the club, must be three or four years since he attended. Good to see you Martin, you seemed to enjoy it.

My usual thanks to Ady and the other DJs who entertained us so well, and to the 100 Club staff.

This nighter has been going for years but still packs them in, quality counts.