The Original Doncaster Sunday Chillout
Doncaster Town Cen

The Original Doncaster Sunday Chillout bowed out in style for its 17th anniversary, delivering a send-off that was equal parts celebration and what felt like a heartfelt goodbye.

The Doncaster Catholic club was packed with devoted artisans and loyal regulars. The depth of soul music knowledge in the chillout area was almost overwhelming, most sharing a palpable sense of shared history. Conversations, Soul scene related anecdotes and musical passion flowing freely with the music. Like a mesmerised outsider, I found myself soaking it all in. That is until the dance floor became irresistible. Musically, it was nothing short of spectacular. The DJs delivered a masterclass—mixing unfamiliar yet fabulous  tracks alongside rare and underplayed gems.  

Joe Lakin was on the decks when we arrived, the memorable standout for me was the powerfully emotive C.M Lord “Oh Mama”.  I think it was Keith Whitson that followed, spinning the magical Almeda Lattimore “ These Memories “. John Benson and John Buckley maintained the incredible quality, the unmistakable vocals of Bobby Bland “I’m So Tired” and the polished sound of Johnnie Taylor “You’re The Best In The World “. Cliffe Steele gave us a masterclass in crossover Soul, the captivating vocals of Annette Pointdexter “Wayword Dream” and the smooth Cynthia Sheeler “I’ll Cry Over You”, plus quite a few fabulous tunes all new to me.

The dance floor was filling as Dave and Brian Pinches took the stage.  Some real gems, Charlene and the Soul Serenaders, Cleveland Robinson “Love Is A trap” and Otis Browne “Southside Chicago”. For the remainder of the day, the superb music continued to assault the senses, Richard Caiton, Robert Tanner, Flowers and the sublime Seville “Show Me The Way”.

The Doncaster Sunday Chillout ended on a high, with the music soaring, the floor full, and the memories rich enough to last well beyond the final note.

Edited 7 hours ago7 hr by Mickyfinn