Me,between 150-200.....

almost every oldies night and maybe half a dozen saturdays in its last 18 months . though i was very lucky to live so close by (west yorks)

i remmember a plymouth crowd we used to sit/dance near being quite disgusted that we didnt go everytime it opened its doors seeing as we lived so much closer than them and they coudnt make it as often . they probably thought we were part timers looking back

i do remmember though being really impressed at how far folks would travel . some hitchhiking many 100s of miles to get there

and i also remmember people turning up in stolen cars too

I spent the night in a cell due to getting into a stolen car from Halifax. The lad driving it said he had borrowed it off his mate and we didn't know any different till he stalled it at the lights at Ince and then did a runner when the cops flashed us over.

wasn't very impressed at the time but maybe I shouldn't have been that naive.

Hows Many Times Did You Go To The Casino?

100+ times and with the great music, dee-jays, atmosphere, friends and of course other things wish it was 1000 times.

I have been to so many great nighters over the years and met some great people but there was something about the Casino nights!

Mark

Edited March 1, 201015 yr by littlestanley

Just wondering Dobby, Would you've still done the Wigan every week if you :-

Had to travel more than 30 miles, (Just I think)

Didn't know if there'd be anyone there you knew when you got there,( Only in early few weeks)

Didn't know if you would be allowed in (Not a prob was 18 a few weeks after wigan opened)

Had to wait around for hours in train & bus stations (Yes bus stations in early days on Sunday mornings)

Stand around surrounded by well dodgy Mancs & Scouses (Was not bothered)

Knew what a shit hole you was going to (Yes knew it was a shithole )

Blew most of your money on football (Yes football came 1st back than)

and knew there was a nighter closer with people you knew and trusted. (No Wigan nearest)

I went 4 times (more of a right of passage than anything else) enjoyed the music & the dancing but hated the pissing about getting there and back, not knowing hardly anyone, all the women were paired up and knowing I was proberly missing a better night at Sam's, Cleethorpes, Coalville, Nottm Palaise, KGB, St Ives, Peterborough, etc etc. (Only went to Sam's and Cleethorpes, none of the others, but Blackpool Mecca was by far 1st choice back than.)

My mates used to think I was mad for going, and thinking about it they were proberly right

P.S. If you went there that many times did you think that ?

The scene was part of Wigan or Wigan was part of the scene.

John I had to put my replys in some great questions.

Phil I went to Wigan about 100 time s plus, but I went to the Mecca 200 - 250 times at a guess maybe more.

A few times on to Wigan from Blackpool on THAT bus, and later had a car. (works van)

Dave.

P.S. don't know why replys are in blue?

Edited March 1, 201015 yr by davetay

I think it was 800 times

i do remmember though being really impressed at how far folks would travel . some hitchhiking many 100s of miles to get there

and i also remmember people turning up in stolen cars too

But that could also be said for every other nighter too , Wigan was easier for me than Yate , but I went to Yate (&Peterborough) more on a Saturday night than Wigan in the late 70s because ;

The music was better

The people were friendly

It wasn't full of Barb Heads

Their was less hassle getting gear

And before anyone goes off on one , I'm only talking about 78/79 when even the most ardent Casino goer would have to admit that it hit rock bottom except for Dickie's spots

Nighter folk have always travelled to the better venue's - not just Wigan

I Only Went Once. It Was A Tuesday. It Was Closed.

Yes of course martyn. I hitched down to yate after an oldies night with a mate from bradford (whos still goes to em now ) i also went to other nighters too including rotherham and peterborough. And apparently i went to stafford once (im on a mates foto) though i dont remember a thing about it . I would have gone to the mecca but unfortunatly the people who had offered us a lift also got themselves barred. If my memory serves me correctly ! I might even have been one of them . God knows. Also went to local dos like bensons in bradford and halifax tiffs . Oh and a nighter in sheffield in a massive nightclub with a sunk floor or maybe it was raised floor .Summat like that or maybe i dreamt that one . Dunno. I was off me head at the time.

Yes of course martyn. I hitched down to yate after an oldies night with a mate from bradford (whos still goes to em now ) i also went to other nighters too including rotherham and peterborough. And apparently i went to stafford once (im on a mates foto) though i dont remember a thing about it . I would have gone to the mecca but unfortunatly the people who had offered us a lift also got themselves barred. If my memory serves me correctly ! I might even have been one of them . God knows. Also went to local dos like bensons in bradford and halifax tiffs . Oh and a nighter in sheffield in a massive nightclub with a sunk floor or maybe it was raised floor .Summat like that or maybe i dreamt that one . Dunno. I was off me head at the time.

though apart from living in Bradford that could be me

went 6 times, twice in 74....playlister's:

kris peterson - just as much

pretenders - i wanna be

jodi mathis - you dont care anymore

marc copage - who can i turn to

al wilson - passport

rb freeman - im shaft, you aint shaft

sister sledge - love dont go through no changes

malibu's - gee baby i love you

modern redcaps - the spy

sam ward - sister lee

eula cooper - let our love grow higher

marvin holmes - you better keep her

don thomas - come on train

gil scott heron - the bottle

bataan - the bottle

larks band - discotheque groove

chiffons band - sweet talkin guy

earl gaines - you belong to me

centuries - jack 23

graham central station - feel the need

jeanette williams - something good's got a hold on me

nooney rickett - tomorrow is another day

california incrowd - happiness in my heart

lord thunder - thunder

frankie valli - the night

florence devore - kiss me now, dont kiss me later

harold melvin - get out

five year intermission....1979 3 oldies all-nighters and one final saturday with vicky baines, cecil washington, rita & the tiaras and eddie henderson "prance on".......

WHO REMEMBERS THAT THEN???!!!

ROB.H

Twas a nightmare mate , dont think I have ever been so scared since,was only 16

pity these lads wonna with ya

pity these lads wonna with ya

What happened to the other eight?

What happened to the other eight?

Had to miss the photo shoot due to choir practice.

pity these lads wonna with ya

wigan 74 add-ons:

smokey & the fabulous blades - jerk baby jerk

jd martin - by yourself

reggie garner - hotline

kenny gardner - the skin

al wilson - the snake

g davis & r tyler - hold on help is on the way

guys from uncle - the spy

steve karmen - breakaway

the belles - let me do it

tamiko jones - the pearl

sheila anthony - livin in love

towanda barnes - you dont mean it

nancy wilson - end of our love

bill blacks combo - the funky train

larry santos - you got me where you want me

the capreez - how to make a sad man glad

teen turbans need to be loved

shawn robinson - my dear heart

doni burdick - bari track

just a few more then, tried to be specific from the point of view, this is what i remember hearing at the time.

rob.h

how many times did you have to attend to become a soul source connoisseur,(5 would be cruel )

He he he ; ))

Me,between 150-200.....

ONCE...........with SOULCARP, August 1975, last allnighter I went to , it were last time I spoke to Swish, who was there that night as well.

We, me and Soulcarp, hitched up there from Luton in Bedfordshire, he were working at Vauxhall at time

Edited March 5, 201015 yr by DanDare

74-81. Must have ben over 200, I forget how many times i slipped on my arse in the waterlogged toilets while, balancing with one foot on the floor and the other foot braced up against the pan-house door to stop anybody entering while necking the narcotics. Oh happy days.

Never been,my Mam did'nt get that far with my pushchair.

Kev

Me too,mate and there was never any seats on the toilet!

Or paper

Every week from 73 - 79 plus Oldies and anniversaries. Then they closed it while I was on Belfast stint!!! TW@TS

So it must be over the 200 mark.

Rick

But l'm quite sure not too many people had a shite in there!!! New thread coming on.....'Did you have ever have a shite at Wigan Casino!'

i shit me self a few times, but it was when someone said ds are in

We got tugged once.....ZoomSoulBlue on here was one of them......Hundreds of blueys down me undies,but they searched the car, it was an Austin Maxi!!

i was tugged in there as well, not by the ds though

We got tugged once.....ZoomSoulBlue on here was one of them......Hundreds of blueys down me undies,but they searched the car, it was an Austin Maxi!!

They probably didn't have the heart to search you properly..................thought you had enough problems turning up in a Maxi...............

Me,between 150-200.....

Probably not as many as I thought, but over a 3 year period about 2 twice a month so 40 or 50 times but then to all dayers and to Blackpool, Samanthas and Leeds. Anybody remember Col Eversedge? I knew him around 1974/75

And it was shite!!

Me,between 150-200.....

WENT TO CASINO FROM 76 TO 81 WENT EVERY WEEK IN 1980 COULDENT MISS SCARED OF MISSING SUMMAT DONT THINK EVER DID THOUGH

HITCHHIKED 4 6 MONTHISH BUZZING ALL THE WAY.

does the one who went the most often get a badge

Edited March 7, 201015 yr by chalky

does the one who went the most often get a badge

HOPE NOT WOULDENT LOOK GOOD ON OLD GRAMPA CARDIGAN

IM TOLD I WENT FROM 73 TO 80? BUT IM TRYIN TO REMEMBER WOT I WENT FOUR...IS THIS THE FISHING PAGE....

You sir are the cheeky bastard I never went I was from down South and far to posh to attend such a shit hole, now if you are refering to that lanky fresh faced teenager from Reading who was lead astray by slightly bigger boys from the North of England then yes he did go for a solid three years from 1976 - 1979 but I never liked the twat personally lol think he ended up DJ'ing all over the place, fat bastard now hardly goes anywhere but from what I understand he still has some very tasty tunes lol

Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Don't remember any fresh faced lad from Reading. I do remember some ugly tall tw*t called Bignall or summat tho

not including the time we turned up from leeds one friday to find it shut, counting to three sometimes has evidently proved problematic . about sixty times.. give or take two or three.wished the one to take was the one where had to surrender to bail having been smacked with a beer can full of road chippings on the football special train from victoria at six on a saturday night.think i sat on me arse on the balcony for about seven and a half hours that night .Highlight was the very first one ( billed as a mods revival, probably had hardcore puking into their wheat crunchies hearing green onions and backfield in motion blaring out. and also the 500th allnighter and the seventh anniversary.getting a kicking outside wallgate station after gettin earlier train was memorable,as was the blonde woman i used to talk to in the cloakroom who was probably old enough to be my mother but i had a bit of a crush on.and many many many more.

Not sure how many times in total but went most weekends from 1976 until 1979 - still like the smell of brut as it takes me all the way back to my youth plus almost got the sack for falling asleep at work most Monday's - Used to get back late afternoon then go out Sunday night (was totally wacked) ooh happy days - The main thing I hated at Wigan was the sweat dripping off the ceiling - especially when it dripped on my blouse ......yuk!

Edited March 8, 201015 yr by Miss Wasperella

last year it was open - oldies nights plus about 3 saturday nights - so i reckon 15 - celebrated my 18th birthday there

Not sure how many times in total but went most weekends from 1976 until 1979 - still like the smell of brut as it takes me all the back to my youth plus almost got the sack for falling asleep at work most Monday's - Used to get back late afternoon then go out Sunday night (was totally wacked) ooh happy days - The main thing I hated at Wigan was the sweat dripping off the ceiling - especially when it dripped on my blouse ......yuk!

I used to love the Sunday nights after an all nighter - the Sombrero in Chester Le Street used to have a Sunday night session ( run by Bill Swift) and later the Mayfair in Newcastle had a mixed Soul night with some rare/northern played - a few pints and you'd be buzzing again.

Not sure how many times I went to Wigan. First went in 1974 and the last time was 1979 - sometimes I'd go every week for a couple of months and then not go for about 3 weeks or more. A lot of the people I remember from the 74 period had stopped going by 76 - I think maybe at the time it was seen as something you

did when you were young and then you grew up and raised a family got a career or whatever - we didn't realise just how addictive the Soul scene was/is or understood it's "Something keeps calling me back" magnetism.

Certainly at Wigan by late 78 early 79 most of the people I knew who were going were 2 or 3 years younger than me and this coupled with the full on slide into pop dancers told me it was time for a change. I know now that the last year was among the best for black music but it was really hard to imagine this being the case in late 78.

I only went to the Mecca about 15 to 20 times but always really enjoyed it and the music always felt one step ahead - I think there were a fair few people who enjoyed both the Mecca and Wigan and didn't get caught up in the rivlaries. One of the best niters I ever went too was at Cleethorpes Pier early 75 with a dance comp that a local guy won - the place was absolutely buzzing.

Cheers

Manus

Only twice, Loved every minute of both times though.

But l'm quite sure not too many people had a shite in there!!! New thread coming on.....'Did you have ever have a shite at Wigan Casino!'

Only time I went you could'nt get shite house door open 'cause of all the empty SKF and Riker tubs on the floor

did you go for the music or for the pool table, & shopping trolley races in th morning

Martin behave, can't we take you anywhere

Me,between 150-200.....

Me, not once............

Went from Sept 75 up until 80, and missed very few nights so its gotta be 200+.... under 11st and 5'10, happy days

I wouldn't dare to count the times inside the Casino as I wasted my youth in the place.

as well as the allnighters I was there most nights of the week (can't remember which nights it wasn't open???) I can't recall Monday or Tuesday nights? Sunday nights where the quietest! Wish I had a penny for every time we walked home through Haigh Hall.

Regular from 1974-78 then now and again through to the end.

At one time I was going 6 times a week plus the allnighters.

The Casino used to have soul and disco nights every day of the week except Tuesday's.

As far as allnighters are concerned...every week for about 3 years.

about 40-50 I guess from oct 75 to march 77, used to hitch it from j4 on the m6 sometimes stopping off at maine road on the way

Kinnell , loads of times , some I remember , some I can't remember and a few I don't want to remember . All I know is I stopped going in 75

Ditto.

Except for the dates 1977 to the end for me.

Stu.

Started summer 78 till the last saturday niter sept 81,bloody great years with Richard,soul sam +pat playing great new records 60ts and 70ts.only went to 1 friday oldies late 78,listening to oldies allnight would have sent me crackers.

Never given this a thought until seeing this thread?

Didn't miss many weeks between 77 to mid 80 plus oldies nights.Does going up to Carlisle (on the York coach) count when it was shut to add more nicotine to the walls sorry I mean redecorate So 150ish maybe more..........bloody hell.

Did stop going when live acts were on, always thought they ruined a good nighter............still do come to think of it?

Does anyone have the same problem as me? When I get with some of old mates & we start swapping old Casino stories I can always remember the incidents but I feel as if they all happened in one night???? Maybe I only went once

Happy days........I think.

Cheers

Martyn

The first time I went was to see Jackie Wilson in 75 the last time was a all dayer August bank holiday 80 or 81, about 30 to 40 times I suppose

Never went I lied lol

Mark Bicknell.

HEY MARK..GERTCHA COWSON! DID YOU NOT GO? WELL YOU MISSED THE SHOW YOU NO, IT'S SURPRISING HOW MANY PEOPLE DID NOT GO, OR STARTED TO GO FROM 79 ONWARDS, IT MUST BE STRANGE TO HERE SO MUCH ABOUT A PLACE BUT NEVER WENT THERE? I WONDER WHAT THAT FEELS LIKE? DAVE KIL

About half a bakers dozen towards the end.

Probably missed the best nights because imho the ones I went to, were overated.

Tom

HEY MARK..GERTCHA COWSON! DID YOU NOT GO? WELL YOU MISSED THE SHOW YOU NO, IT'S SURPRISING HOW MANY PEOPLE DID NOT GO, OR STARTED TO GO FROM 79 ONWARDS, IT MUST BE STRANGE TO HERE SO MUCH ABOUT A PLACE BUT NEVER WENT THERE? I WONDER WHAT THAT FEELS LIKE? DAVE KIL

IT FEELS FANTASTIC................................................KNOW ALL THE TUNES THO

DAVE