55 Soul nights on this Saturday, it will crawl up its own arse before long. Its a lot of talc and handbags me thinks 

WRT some of the posts on this one, people have to realise that in order to keep the current scene going we have to accept new blood. People for whom the 'oldies' won't be oldies at all.

To deny them the joy of dancing to biggies that some may consider played-out can't be right in anyone's book surely? One mans' oldie is another mans' newie kinda thing...

Personally the soul club we belong to and support the most (Soul on Wax, Dean Carr and Lee Vowles endeavour) balances perfectly between the two extremes, you had both promoters who both knew their onions in terms of oldies and also weren't afraid and actively sought to play lesser known sounds that held the interest of people who had been attending events for decades. The reason I have used past tense is because sadly Lee is no longer with us.

I feel like saying, in my role as a personal member of the site (nothing to do with my staff activities) and an active member of the scene past and present that if folks can't stand to listen to a few big oldies mixed in with the atb sounds, then those folks have simply fell out of love with the music. This attitude comes from the fact that when I fall in love with a tune I love it forever, like a comfy chair. I may not listen to my Bobby Garrett, Tomangoes, The Belles, the Tempests much at home these days but when I get them at an event I'm absolutely thrilled, as if it were the first time again.

I think the best DJs, and I consider Dean and formerly Lee as excellent, are able to mix the two into a blend that their audience find extremely satisfying, and that goes the same for them as promoters, a stream of DJs that can do this can keep the event alive and banging throughout.

I'm not deliberately setting out here to promote SoW, but stating that these type of event that are very well received are out there, I know there are other promoters putting on excellent events.

I like a nice balance between the familiar and the unfamiliar, and it can be found. Obviously I can't speak for every event on the calendar but on the whole we enjoy the events we attend, if not what would be the point?

I don’t think anyone is dissuading new blood nor denying them the classics.  But there is 100s of post Wigan classics thatbrarely get heard.  

All most are advocating, well me anyway is some imagination and flare.  They are all new to the youngsters and there is far more to this scene than Wigan. So why not embrace it all instead of focusing on a few years only?

34 minutes ago, chalky said:

I don’t think anyone is dissuading new blood nor denying them the classics.  But there is 100s of post Wigan classics thatbrarely get heard.  

All most are advocating, well me anyway is some imagination and flare.  They are all new to the youngsters and there is far more to this scene than Wigan. So why not embrace it all instead of focusing on a few years only?

For a lot of people Northern Soul started and ended at Wigan. It closed they stopped. They came back they want Wigan again.

Lots before and a hell of a lot since. The scene was very fluid during the 70’s and that continued into the 80’s with Stafford etc etc. 

They now yearn for ‘the good old days’ but that was the time when you craved something new. As Chalky says, embrace it and you will love it all over again.

Maybe better to have too many soul events than not enough? The more there are, the shorter the journey to them. Sure, this dilutes the crowds somewhat, but at least folk are more likely to have something within travelling distance every weekend.

The quality of the sounds is another issue but of course in part determined by the considerable number of  would-be DJ’s...no chance of Mel Britt being spun at 50 venues every weekend. Without these DJ’s, there’s less crate digging and fewer new sounds surfacing. These are key players in taking the scene forward so give credit when it’s due.

The scene continues to evolve and we should be glad that it survives in any form. I say put on more and more events and let the cream rise to the top.

1 hour ago, chalky said:

I don’t think anyone is dissuading new blood nor denying them the classics.  But there is 100s of post Wigan classics thatbrarely get heard.  

All most are advocating, well me anyway is some imagination and flare.  They are all new to the youngsters and there is far more to this scene than Wigan. So why not embrace it all instead of focusing on a few years only?

Oh yes Chalky, well aware of your position bud!

It wasn't a pop at anyone. With the new blood everything is a newie so they're never the ones who moan. A good balance is what makes it really cook son eh! That's what I'm saying in a nutshell. 

8 hours ago, bbrich said:

perhaps the term "currently popular northern"  ?  

 

What about   " THE TRIED, TIRED, UNINSPIRED, WITH THE PREDICTABLE, DESPICABLE, AND ALL ON OVO (WELL A FEW WILL BE) "

I will probably be slated but really dont give a toss about new blood go out to get away from kids .

Thanks for that Si, All I can say is the best soul tune is the one you don't really no but, it becomes an earworm the following week! Then you just have to back for more. Keep the scene progressive but, 🙂 mix it up!

10 minutes ago, Dean Carr said:

Thanks for that Si, All I can say is the best soul tune is the one you don't really no but, it becomes an earworm the following week! Then you just have to back for more. Keep the scene progressive but, 🙂 mix it up!

Hi Dean as you know we loves our oldies, we get it that they have been played a lot over the years but to some ears they are fresh and new, plus in our opinion the big Northern oldies are some of the best music ever created of any genre. Hearing a new to us sound (easy in my case, extremely difficult to find something the other half hasn't heard already) is a great experience and welcome, however it is only new once.

I'm merely pointing out that a good promoter and good set of DJs can keep things fresh enough to maintain an old hands' interest with the lesser known spins, while also playing the old favourites, something which yourself and Lee bless him, have been able to achieve.

Not meant to be promotion but it is some honest positive feedback and is within the context of this discussion.

20 hours ago, chalky said:

I don’t think anyone is dissuading new blood nor denying them the classics.  But there is 100s of post Wigan classics thatbrarely get heard.  

All most are advocating, well me anyway is some imagination and flare.  They are all new to the youngsters and there is far more to this scene than Wigan. So why not embrace it all instead of focusing on a few years only?

No one's dissing the young uns my step son Brett Smith is one of those and he loves it all .like chalky said so many oldies don't get a look in due to lack of imagination  and lack of knowledge in some cases . I still love oldies  but not the same handful week in week out  that's why I stay away from these venues. When I had my oldies collection I could have told you were every sing one was played first. Djs these days don't wanna know just have a box of big tunes to fill the floor. Some of the young djs who I talk to wanna know where stuff was played .so why should the scene revolve around Wigan .only thing any good about it was Richards spot then later Gary Rushbrooke and Sam.   More imagination please it's not hard. 

Top DJ's at the wirrina and lots of class soul artists from the USA performed there Lol 

9 hours ago, adydj said:

Top DJ's at the wirrina and lots of class soul artists from the USA performed there Lol 

That was over 40 years ago. 

Reading this thread its a bit like a group of people who have turned up at a rural bus stop hoping to catch a bus, not realising that the service was withdrawn several years ago 🤣 

11 minutes ago, Steve G said:

Reading this thread its a bit like a group of people who have turned up at a rural bus stop hoping to catch a bus, not realising that the service was withdrawn several years ago 🤣 

Been there, done that Steve.