Soul Uprising

Not quite how I'd have put it, but it was great to have some young'uns there with a threat of more next time, if we can find another venue.

Ironically, my crowd are the only ones who can definitely claim they're not dinosaurs, but someone from the Dark Ages can always accuse somebody else of being Jurassic.

The hallowed halls of Empty Shop was always going to be a tough act to follow, but this dump didn't get near. Actually the room is great, but the boss is a t0$$er - aren't they all. Sadly it looks like the Empty Shop will close its doors for the last time after the jazz festival in june.

While I knew that, at its height, the night was epic, it was only when I looked at what I'd played I realised how much music I'd slipped in. Tavares again, though nobody asked for it; most people have only ever heard the single and it's great to see their response as it slips into part two. Full length Move on Up which I've played before but everyone left the floor during the break; this time a few stuck around.

At first it looked like nobody wanted to dance so I indulged until my regulars arrived. Then it looked like everybody just wanted northern, so I resigned myself to playing every good northern record ever uncovered, plus any requests including stinkers (actually I got a few requests for stuff I didn't know).

Then I thought I'd go with some modern for the kids: if Flowers, Gloria Scott, Beloyd, John Gary Williams and Jesse James are necessary evils, I can live with that. By the time we got to the city of brotherly love, the place was kickin.

The t0$$er stopped the night early, but I was able to indulge a little more for about forty minutes, but even my sacred Marvin Gaye medley, which I've done for years, was clipped, and I only managed three Lamont Doziers.

Mostly excluding ones I played last time, all full length (except where indicated), in no particular order and as best I can remember:

Four Tops - Baby I need Your Loving, Shake Me Wake Me, Standing in the  Shadows, Seven Rooms.

Lamont - Same Old Song, Going Back to my Roots, Why Can't we be Lovers.

Leroy Hutson - All Because of you, I think I'm falling in Love, Lovers Holiday.

ZZ Hill - Two Sides to every Story.

Eloise Laws - Love Factory.

OJays - I Dig your Act, One Night Affair, I Love Music (medium version- about seven mins).

Richard Caiton - I'm Gonna Love you More, Got to get Across to you.

GC Cameron - Give me Your Love, Caught in your Love Trap. 

Curtis - Back to the World, Move on Up.

Marvin - I Want You, What's Happening Brother.

Jackie Wilson - Who Who Song, Whispers getting Louder.

Archie Bell - Don't let love get you down, Where will you go when the party's over.

Edwin Starr - Twenty Five Miles, I Have Faith in you Baby.

Tony Clarke - Landslide.

Gerri Grainger - I go to Pieces.

Tobi Legend - Time will pass you By.

Terry Callier - Don't want to see myself.

Womack - How could you break my heart.

Temptations - Law of the Land.

Betty Everett - I'm Falling in Love.

Denise Lasalle - Here I am Again.

Jean Plum - Here I go Again

Spencer Wiggins - I'm at the Breaking Point.

Michael Henderson - Won't you be Mine.

Ann Sexton - You've been Gone too Long.

Bobby Hutton - Lend a Hand.

Montclairs - Hung up on your Love.

Facts of Life - Hundred Pounds of Pain.

Independents - Lucky Fellow.

Natural Four - You Bring out the best in me.

Ted Taylor - I want to be a part of you girl.

Randy Jackson - How can I be sure?

Eddie Hinton - I'll come runnin back to you.

Butlers - She's Gone.

Jack Montgomery - Dearly Beloved.

Teddy Pendergrass - Is it still good to ya?

Eddie Floyd - I've never found a girl.

OC Smith - Nothing but the Best.

Johnnie Taylor - Try me Tonight.

Dramatics - Now you got me loving you.

Herb Ward - Honest to Goodness.

Bobby Garrett - My Little Girl.

Harold Melvin - The Love I Lost.

Anthony White - Stop and think it Over.

Chimes - Still Haven't Found what I'm Looking For.

Angie Stone - Freedom/ No More Rain in this Cloud.

King Floyd - I'm Gonna Fall in Love with you.

Maxine Brown - Let me give you my loving.

Paris - I Choose You.

The forecast was for storms, but Caliban has a new Prospero - as the kids would say, wha'ever - but, when it comes down to the music, which should be the prime indicator, this is still the Best Little Soul Night anywhere. One girl in her early twenties told me I'd converted her, and the nice people at Soul Source enable me to put up the playlist. Job Done. 

Very good soul music.

Its lovely to see the younger generation into soul and this is certaiy encouraging... The age of the northern dinosaur is over... The age of young hip soul fans, with fresh ears, who want to hear heavy sh@#t, philly, Chicago etc . has begun. A sure soul uprising...