Guest Aquarius Soul Posted June 11, 2011 Share Posted June 11, 2011 (edited) Civic Ballroom Civic Suite, Beecroft Road, Cannock WS11 1BG Starting 24th June 2011 we introduce our new 'Soul and Motown' Party Night with guest DJ's playing the sounds of 'The Motor City' plus a sprinkling of Northern Soul at our fabulous new (post Aquarius Ballroom) venue in Cannock. The Civic Ballroom comfortable holds around 250-300 guests with plenty of free parking. Fully licensed bar and a great atmosphere. For information contact Mike on 07990 554459 Edited June 11, 2011 by Aquarius Soul Link to comment
Gaz Lees Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 Mike lets hope the spirit of the Aqua lives on until its new home is built on the old site good luck with this hope to become involved in time to come. Gaz Link to comment
Nige Brown Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 (edited) Mike & Gaz Aquarius Soul ,,,, emmmmm yessss well!! Not being funny but you are de meaning what we had going at the AQUA with your Soul/ Motown Party night with a Sprinkling of Noprthern Soul!! When we run the Aqua is was a Solid Northern Soul night PLAYING Northern Soul ,,, Class Oldies and Current Massive Niter Tunes!! What you are doing is NOT the Spirit of the Aqua and NEVER was!! To be honest i wished youd call its something else instead of Trading off the good name we had for all those years! But its a free country i suppose, i just tind it sad you have to delute a great Northern Name that isnt even in the same venue!! Nige Brown fomer Aqua Promoter Edited June 14, 2011 by Nige Brown Link to comment
Gaz Lees Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Mike & Gaz Aquarius Soul ,,,, emmmmm yessss well!! Not being funny but you are de meaning what we had going at the AQUA with your Soul/ Motown Party night with a Sprinkling of Noprthern Soul!! When we run the Aqua is was a Solid Northern Soul night PLAYING Northern Soul ,,, Class Oldies and Current Massive Niter Tunes!! What you are doing is NOT the Spirit of the Aqua and NEVER was!! To be honest i wished youd call its something else instead of Trading off the good name we had for all those years! But its a free country i suppose, i just tind it sad you have to delute a great Northern Name that isnt even in the same venue!! Nige Brown fomer Aqua Promoter Nige I hope to carry on the Aqua memory seperate to what Mike is doing again it will be at the civic along hopefully with guests from the old place playing northern soul as you rightly say the Aqua was famous for. The last ever night at the Aqua a few weeks ago proved how popular the old Aqua was and it would be sad to loose the buzz created from that night. I think Mike is just trying to keep the name alive and used the name Aquarius Soul as a user name for soul source for soul nights he is running at the Civic perhaps it would be fitting for Mike to call it Civic Soul or similar. Hopefully the true name Aquarius can be resurected when we get a new Aquarius built on the old land in a couple of years time then the spirit will be returned. Gaz Link to comment
Local Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 (edited) Pretty p#ss poor response and a lot of back peddling going on here (IMHO) When we ??? get the new Aqua built ??? who's funding this build ??? The aqua spirit my arse !!! how can we ??? make a bit of cash, more like !!! Edited June 16, 2011 by local Link to comment
Gaz Lees Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 Pretty p##ss poor response and a lot of back peddling going on here (IMHO) When we get the new Aqua built ??? who's funding this build ??? The aqua spirit my arse !!! how can we ? make a bit of cash, more like !!! John I believe the local council are involved here along with Tesco and St Modwen in building and funding the new 10,000 sq ft Aquarius dance venue (if that's what it eventually gets called.) According to the local newspapers including the Express & Star tonight (Thurs) there is a £30 million investment in Hednesford itself and the old site so there's funding for you. Re your comments back peddling theres no back peddling from me I have nothing to do with what Mike is doing on this one he is the new licence holder etc at the Civic and free to promote or call his nights what ever he wants whether you agree or disagree with it so I suggest you take any issues you might have with him not me. I just wished him luck as he has made a big investment in taking over the entertainment and bar etc etc at the civic and dont forget Mike kept the old Aqua going on all fronts for 2 extra years or so before it closed putting his time and money in when nobody else would so good luck I say. Link to comment
Local Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 (edited) Gaz, As a tax paying, Hednesford resident, I am well aware of what is going on in the local area. As an ex regular atendee, I am also well aware of what the Aqua was all about, are you ? As Nige commented, the proposed night in question has no musical resemblence to the original,isnt run by any of the original promoters and isn't in the same venue, so why use the name "Aquarius" at all ? I am always dubiously sceptical of the motives when people promote soul nights, or anything else, by associating themselves with a name or something to which they have no legitimacy, or historical connection. You are of course correct, it is a free country and Mike or you can do as you wish, I suppose if RW can revive the Casino in a shopping arcade,then anything is possible, however, true soul fans will draw their own conclusions. Best regards, John Edited June 18, 2011 by local Link to comment
Guest gouldensoul Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 WELL SAID MR BROWN. Link to comment
Guest Aquarius Soul Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 Guys I'm really sorry that you seem so upset by what I am trying to do here. As Gaz said 'Aquarius Soul' is my site access user name. However please remember that The Aquarius Ballroom was loved by many different dance groups who want to see the name retained - if not we are unlikely to be able to use it at the replacement building! I am not trying to reconfigure the Northern Soul night, that is being left in its truest form and, hopefully, continuing where we left off. I am not a Northern Soul DJ hence I have not attempted to run the night myself rather handing it over to Gaz as I did with the 'End of an Era' night'. Having said that as a DJ of more than 30 years experience I do know about Soul and Motown Nights and have run many successful events through my dance business over the years in many areas. And yes, I do sprinkle some popular Northern Soul tracks in too, no apologies! Having met up with Gaz earlier this week, and before seeing these posts, I did ask him if he was interested in taking on the Soul and Motown nights as I feel they might run better with known, local DJ's. I have no issue with bringing in other players to join the team, I am a team player. Why can't the spirit of the 'Aqua' survive after the building has been broken up? Surely the dancers and the DJ's make the night and there is no reason why the Civic Ballroom, in all its splendour, cannot become as good a replacement as you are going to get. As Gaz said, without myself and my team The Aquarius would have remained closed 2 years ago or re-opened as an Auction room as was the alternative plan. The 'End of an Era' night ran very well in May, not just because of the big name DJ's but also because of Gaz, myself and my team who did all the hard work organising and promoting it...and it was a success on many fronts!! Can we all please remember I fought extremely hard to keep the Aquarius Ballroom alive but money talks and Tesco's have more than me. So now it is being bull-dozed and we have to move on, but not before I have secured some of the original dance floor and mirror ball for the replacement venue in 2013. Until then we had to find a temporary home, and we have, but it was a fight as the County Councillors did not care what happened to the likes of you, calling us 'selfish' for wanting to maintain our dance events program. (Express and Star, March) Nige, you talk about demeaning 'What we had at The Aqua' - so why didn't any of you come to see me when I re-opened it? Just Only Gaz in almost 2 years, hence the loyalty to him. If the 'original promoters' want to take either of the nights on, or get involved, then please just come and see me just as Gaz did BUT please do not critcize the efforts of someone whose love and passion for dancing is equal to your own - if it wasn't I would not have bothered. Please vote with your feet - if you don't want to come along then you wont be giving the venue a chance and that is unfair! Mike Civic Ballroom tenant Previously Aquarius Ballroom owner. P.s. John F, I think your comments are poorly thought out and don't do you any favours. Link to comment
Nige Brown Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 Nige, you talk about demeaning 'What we had at The Aqua' - so why didn't any of you come to see me when I re-opened it? Just Only Gaz in almost 2 years, hence the loyalty to him. If the 'original promoters' want to take either of the nights on, or get involved, then please just come and see me just as Gaz did BUT please do not critcize the efforts of someone whose love and passion for dancing is equal to your own - if it wasn't I would not have bothered. Mike I would never have come "To You" as i personally have NO INTEREST in promoting ,,, i have not been in that arena since i left the AQUA many years ago!! And if i had been involved we would have done it properrly!! After Gazz asked me to DJ ,,, it was a real ball ache for me as some people thoght i WAS back promoting it again!! All thogh well attended it was NOTHING like the nights we used to run ,,,, it turned into a SECOND RATE Oldies Night ,, a bit of embarassment for me personally! The Music was dire and main room sound system was awfull!! Gazz Lees probably ony came to you as he saw a good opportnity to make money ,,, he has small venues ALL over the Area as you know!! Gaz was never part of the original set up My only gripe was it seemed you were using the SUCCESS of the ORIGINAL Aquarius Northern Soul Night Concept to plug your light weight/ poppy soul do at the CIVIC NOT everyone on this scene is on Soul Source so i was thinking that using the Name AQUARIUS Soul as part of your header people locally would naturally coonect it with what we we were doing back in the day!! Like i said in my other post ,,, you can call it what ya like its a free country,,, but you will never stop me thinking without OUR past success you may not have featured the name AQUARIOUS!! I honestly wish you all success with your night,,, theres deffo now a market for this sort of night!! Nige B Link to comment
Guest Aquarius Soul Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Nige, Did you read this post before you sent it? Who are you to criticize other peoples efforts and describe their nights as 'embarassing' and 'second rate?' Note; You DJ'd!!! You criticize Gaz and myself, tell us it was a 'ball-ache' yet you were still happy to take your pay at the end of the night - a touch hypocritical don't you think? You go on to say you would have done it 'properly'......do I need to tell you how that makes you sound!! I do have every right to use the name 'Aquarius', and will continue to as I owned (and resurrected) the venue for 2 years...that is my legitamacy and connection! I have also organised and run in excess of 5000 dance events over the last 15 years, plus another 10 this week, next week, the week after etc.... Being humble is an endearing trait, being nasty and self-righteous is not. For the last time, The Aquarius Ballroom, as you knew it has gone, as has the past. Gaz is putting on some Northern Soul Nights for people who want to have a great night out, and I wish him all the best. Me, I will just do my separate 'lightweight poppy/soul do' at The Civic Ballroom once a month aimed at those musically challenged members of the public who also like a great night out. Obviously not to your high standard but then again, how could I? I hope I don't become you once I have retired. Mike Link to comment
Guest Phil Richards Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 All the best to you and Gaz with your soul nights Link to comment
Local Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Guys I'm really sorry that you seem so upset by what I am trying to do here. As Gaz said 'Aquarius Soul' is my site access user name. However please remember that The Aquarius Ballroom was loved by many different dance groups who want to see the name retained - if not we are unlikely to be able to use it at the replacement building! I am not trying to reconfigure the Northern Soul night, that is being left in its truest form and, hopefully, continuing where we left off. I am not a Northern Soul DJ hence I have not attempted to run the night myself rather handing it over to Gaz as I did with the 'End of an Era' night'. Having said that as a DJ of more than 30 years experience I do know about Soul and Motown Nights and have run many successful events through my dance business over the years in many areas. And yes, I do sprinkle some popular Northern Soul tracks in too, no apologies! Having met up with Gaz earlier this week, and before seeing these posts, I did ask him if he was interested in taking on the Soul and Motown nights as I feel they might run better with known, local DJ's. I have no issue with bringing in other players to join the team, I am a team player. Why can't the spirit of the 'Aqua' survive after the building has been broken up? Surely the dancers and the DJ's make the night and there is no reason why the Civic Ballroom, in all its splendour, cannot become as good a replacement as you are going to get. As Gaz said, without myself and my team The Aquarius would have remained closed 2 years ago or re-opened as an Auction room as was the alternative plan. The 'End of an Era' night ran very well in May, not just because of the big name DJ's but also because of Gaz, myself and my team who did all the hard work organising and promoting it...and it was a success on many fronts!! Can we all please remember I fought extremely hard to keep the Aquarius Ballroom alive but money talks and Tesco's have more than me. So now it is being bull-dozed and we have to move on, but not before I have secured some of the original dance floor and mirror ball for the replacement venue in 2013. Until then we had to find a temporary home, and we have, but it was a fight as the County Councillors did not care what happened to the likes of you, calling us 'selfish' for wanting to maintain our dance events program. (Express and Star, March) Nige, you talk about demeaning 'What we had at The Aqua' - so why didn't any of you come to see me when I re-opened it? Just Only Gaz in almost 2 years, hence the loyalty to him. If the 'original promoters' want to take either of the nights on, or get involved, then please just come and see me just as Gaz did BUT please do not critcize the efforts of someone whose love and passion for dancing is equal to your own - if it wasn't I would not have bothered. Please vote with your feet - if you don't want to come along then you wont be giving the venue a chance and that is unfair! Mike Civic Ballroom tenant Previously Aquarius Ballroom owner. P.s. John F, I think your comments are poorly thought out and don't do you any favours. Mike your entitled to think as you wish, I stand by every one of my comments . Link to comment
Guest poacher Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 nice to see the politics going strong around here ,thank the lord us lowly punters dont pay it any attention ,ill be there cus i know there will be a good atmosphere cus gaz plays wat we want to hear , Link to comment
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