Wigan Casino 50th Anniversary And Soul Festival 6 - Blackpool

I can't put into words what I've just experienced,  been thinking for a few hours how to try & say how I feel , totally & utterly blown away is best I can come up with ! Thank you to you all , the ones that made this event happen & the staff that kept it all together , your patience was awesome,  although there were a few cheeks blown out by one or two bar staff , can't be easy having to serve a few thousand grand dads &, grand ma's! Good amount of young uns there too ,which many were brilliant dancers , that's it I'm done gonna take me rest of week to recover!

Keep on living the life you love x

Emotional,  exhausting, fabulous !   anybody who didnt go, will never know the atmosphere or vibe, that went on over the weekend. 

   i had to leave early sunday morning,  but i really wish id stayed for the last session.    The records,  the memories,  the people, the venue...  absolutely spectacular !!   i wont forget my weekend in a hurry .  being in the dedicated Mr M's room, was just wonderful,  messers Evison, Cain , Rigby, etc etc, take a bow gentlemen.  i welled up in there, i'm serious.    it was way better than i expected.  the rooms were huge,  which allowed a massive amount of dancers and observers alike, into each venue.    a catch up with folks i've not seen forever,  plus travelling with my lifelong soul friend,  made it even more special. 

  thank you all. 

Totally agree with the other reviewers ... this was special, well worth the trip. The Sunday closing session with Richard and Kev in the big room was amazing and very moving.

Dave Evison's Q&A was entertaining, informative and poignant as he reflected on a life lived within the scene. He also played an absolute cracker of a set in the Spanish Hall on Saturday night that had the floor packed and very much in the spirit of the 50p records he always wanted to play, and that were and are still in many cases better than the signature tunes that now collect stupid money. Special mention also to Derek Mead for a very educational and enjoyable set on Sunday afternoon, digging deeper into some earlier and forgotten spins such as Phil Coulter's "A good thing going".

Soul Sam as always a delight to see and hear in action, kicking off Saturday in the new Conference Centre venue with a variety of post-Wigan discoveries, followed by Ted Massey's very lively set from the same era. Then it was off the big room for Ian Dewhirst, followed by Sam again, who mixed it up good style and kept the floor very busy. Big thanks also to Dug Chant and Tony Monson in the Old Vic on Saturday afternoon, preceded by Nick Aravis playing some great 70s tunes. The Friday night mod/ska session with Sean Chapman and Mark & Debbie Wilson in the Pavilion was terrific and of course Sam got things off to a good start there and had us bouncing along to Bee Vee and the Honey Bee among other Sam classics.

Caught some of the documentary before Dave Evison took the stage on Saturday. I'm looking forward to the full edition and so too are the audience who was there to see Dave - the spontaneous applause at the end of the clip and the atmosphere in general all made it a particularly moving occasion.

Richard Searling and the organisers, including the Winter Gardens staff, performed miracles to pull this one off so well and for those who were there it will be a particularly treasured memory. Words are not enough to express the gratitude and appreciation they are all owed, but maybe they will take some encouragement to see as many youngsters dancing away (some with real flair), giving hope that the scene will continue to evolve and that this fantastic music will not be forgotten.

Thank you also to the traders who collectively offered a better selection of goodies than you can find in most shopping centres these days.