If you trawl YouTube regularly like I do there seems to be a massive shortage of good quality clips featuring soul/mod based clubs in the UK from the mid 1960’s to the early 1970’s.

Then I stumbled purely by chance upon this great 2:38 minute long film of a club from 1967 in full swing.

And what made it all the more fascinating was this revered Halifax club was only 5 or 6 miles from where I’m living now.

About 10 years ago after reading John S Wharton’s fascinating book on the history of ‘Plebs The Halifax Jazz Club 1961-1968’, I must confess I did have a little wander over to Halifax to see where this club was or used to be.

The building is still there but sadly is now empty and derelict.

Impressions - Can't Satisfy @ the Plebeians Halifax1967

Watch and enjoy.

Derek

This is one of my favourite clips - great footage

Many happy nights spent there ( starting before '67 though)

Julian

anybody remember a lady called 'Gabby' from Bradford? Pretty sure she is one of the dancers on the stage. The one with the short dark Julie Driscoll haircut. Thought I may have spotted a very young Miss Bushby in there too, but maybe not..

God this takes me back reminds me of the all nighters at the String o 'BeadsBradford

God this takes me back reminds me of the all nighters at the String o 'BeadsBradford

A little off topic but being from Bradford (well Bingley actually) can anyone fill me in with a little more history on the "String O Beads".

I started frequenting the Continental/Hole In The Wall around '68 when I was 14 and just getting into soul music so slightly too young for SOB!

As I recall it got shut down due to drug raids but was it an out and out soul club, or just a disco playing a few wheel sounds etc.?

Over to you Stu, Derek, Julian etc,?

Edited November 13, 201113 yr by Stubbsy

great clip , remember the club , but before my time , halifax ! strangely enough was a great place to be for the music back then

and through the 70,s ( tiffs) where i cut my teeth, people traveled far and wide to go to halifax for the music .

There was always a good group of Soul fans in and around Halifax..the Vic lounge was testament to that. Plus being close to Leeds and Bradford, then not that far onto Manchester it was a vital link in the soul underground network, so to speak. plus loads of little chemists !!

There was always a good group of Soul fans in and around Halifax..the Vic lounge was testament to that. Plus being close to Leeds and Bradford, then not that far onto Manchester it was a vital link in the soul underground network, so to speak. plus loads of little chemists !!

hahahaha ! loads of Chemists , very true that why you dont see any around the area of the old bull , Vic lounge had its own

behind the bar , and the best juke box in the world , with all the the best NS going .

Halifax was the place to be!

From late 1965, me and best friend Dave Miller travelled upto 3 times a week from Huddersfield, which was a soul free zone at that time and never really was a soul 'hotbed'. Pailings, Plebs and the Vic Lounge were our introduction to the

music that made you want to dance.

Agree about the Juke Box in the Vic Lounge, never heard a better one, blew your mind when you compared it what was being played oon every other Juke Box! I think that the great stalwart of our scene, Graham Slater had a hand in what was played on it?

There was another club around 1967 which I cannot remember the name of, it was in a yard and upstairs. A little bit more 'sophisticated', Little Carl Carlton, Archie Bell & Drells, Jose Feliciano & Ann Peebles are records I remember from there. Can anyone tell what the place was called please?

Halifax was the place to be!

From late 1965, me and best friend Dave Miller travelled upto 3 times a week from Huddersfield, which was a soul free zone at that time and never really was a soul 'hotbed'. Pailings, Plebs and the Vic Lounge were our introduction to the

music that made you want to dance.

Agree about the Juke Box in the Vic Lounge, never heard a better one, blew your mind when you compared it what was being played oon every other Juke Box! I think that the great stalwart of our scene, Graham Slater had a hand in what was played on it?

There was another club around 1967 which I cannot remember the name of, it was in a yard and upstairs. A little bit more 'sophisticated', Little Carl Carlton, Archie Bell & Drells, Jose Feliciano & Ann Peebles are records I remember from there. Can anyone tell what the place was called please?

was the club called reflections ? no cant be it that was above burtons , good mood ?

we had gayity bar too in the 70,s meeting place before going off to wigan

Edited November 29, 201113 yr by Stevie.T

Big Daddies

Big Daddies

Thanks Crooky & Stevie T

Got there eventually! It was called Clarence's in my time 67 - 69, prior to that Big Daddie's and later on The Good Mood or just Mood.

Found this article on Plebs with references to Clarence's:

freespace.virgin.net/julian.moseley/dreamland/jazzclub.htm

Perfectly captures the scene.

That was a fantastic, not only did it bring back the old times to me I was there. Halifax was the centre of soul music,