Manchester Ritz

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Louise the "chest"waist high really dance floor had long gone when these pictures where taken . You and wittering never

Where did it go? In a skip do you think? Did the Americans buy it maybe?  I mean someone turned toilets of cultural importance into a pub, the dance floor must be somewhere? Do you think it might be in Colin Curtis's garden? Like a horticultural feature? A lovely wisteria hanging from the chrome railings?  And ivy rampaging all over the steps? Anyway, I'm really glad I started this thread.  It's given me a bit of....what's the term...."closure".  So thanks to everyone who's contributed. It's been fascinating.....erm..... except the gun bit . 

[Godzilla]

I feel as though the Ritz is in my DNA.  My mum and dad met there when they went to Rock n Roll dances in the 50s. My Mum still has her Mecca charm bracelet with all the various trinkets that were awarded to loyal members, including the Mecca “golden” egg. 
 

In the 70s I started going to the Bank holiday Alldayers straight from Wigan. By the 90s I was living in Scarborough and my wife and I went to the Rarest of the Rare, Chicago and Detroit, Boxing Day All-nighters etc. I’ve always loved live music - spent spent around 14 years running  venues - and Gill and  regularly head over to the Ritz to see bands there. Last year we saw acts as diverse as Tower of Power and Fontaines DC. It’s an excellent live venue.
 

I still absolutely love the place  

Edited April 19, 2020 by Godzilla

[Ficklefingers]

18 hours ago, Veedub said:

I stopped goin 2002 ! All our friends had drifted away, just didnt feel the same . Struggled to get good gear  anywhere lol ,  

Anyway.. listening to Bury allnighter the last few weeks... and tonight , I want to start going again when things get back to normal ! 

Me too !! See you at Bury then..

[Winsford Soul]

16 hours ago, Flamingemeralds said:

When this Coronarona is all over, I intend to have a scary corner at a soul do. It's now on my bucket list.  Number 52: Develop and manage a scary corner.

Your far to lovely to have / develop a scary corner. X 

Edited April 19, 2020 by Winsford Soul

[Winsford Soul]

18 hours ago, Veedub said:

I stopped goin 2002 ! All our friends had drifted away, just didnt feel the same . Struggled to get good gear  anywhere lol ,  

Anyway.. listening to Bury allnighter the last few weeks... and tonight , I want to start going again when things get back to normal ! 

Mike. Start going again when things get back to normal.  What's normal . 

Will put you and Sarah on the not so straight and definitely not narrow when lockdown has ended

[Guest]

21 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Your far to lovely to have / develop a scary corner. X 

You haven't seen me armed with a water pistol pulling a mean face ..,

[Winsford Soul]

3 minutes ago, Flamingemeralds said:

You haven't seen me armed with a water pistol pulling a mean face ..,

No.... but i could imagine

[1soulmojo]

Remember Gloria Jones playing live, Superstar Mark Bolan was playing drums. I remember him, just before the concert, sat at the drums on stage playing along to northern tunes played by the DJ. He seemed to be enjoying the atmosphere.

[Mike]

25 minutes ago, 1soulmojo said:

Remember Gloria Jones playing live, Superstar Mark Bolan was playing drums. I remember him, just before the concert, sat at the drums on stage playing along to northern tunes played by the DJ. He seemed to be enjoying the atmosphere.

there's some photos from that event in our gallery 
hang on...

 

here are

 

[Becket]

I remember at some point the two decks sitting on top of a brick built pier or pillar ?
Some said they went straight thru the floor down into the depths of the earth to sit on bed rock.
So that bouncy floor could not affect the vinyl being spun.

Also the sound system was extremely loud but very clear and undistorted.
Would make your ears bleed almost (and ring for a long time on leaving).
Especially when Richard came on and wound it up.

Seeing The Originals (with Freddie Gorman|) there live in 2002 was a personal highlight.  Richard's 50th.

Happy days,     Tom.  Banbury.

[Veedub]

4 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Mike. Start going again when things get back to normal.  What's normal . 

Will put you and Sarah on the not so straight and definitely not narrow when lockdown has ended

Definately Steve , cant wait ! 

[jakeblues]

Hi ya 

        Your picture is of the original  sprung dance floor  the later floor was raised and still springy,  

   I personally  didn't  like it ,liked the original better, the alldayers where rictic reviews  usually  on a sunday and well attended  saw a few artists there 

Remember  the Preston street dancers doing their thing to funk all bells and whistles  , my brain says back flip Russian roll spin etc my old body says  b@#$^%x you silly fool 

[Guest]

4 hours ago, jakeblues said:

Hi ya 

        Your picture is of the original  sprung dance floor  the later floor was raised and still springy,  

   I personally  didn't  like it ,liked the original better, the alldayers where rictic reviews  usually  on a sunday and well attended  saw a few artists there 

Remember  the Preston street dancers doing their thing to funk all bells and whistles  , my brain says back flip Russian roll spin etc my old body says  b@#$^%x you silly fool 

That's interesting actually. I mean that dance floor was infamous, but was it a hit with dancers or difficult to be on? . It would be like trying to dance on a sort of trampoline? 

[Guest]

Here's another unearthed photo!

[Mike]

thinking...

wasn't there a itv drama which had a bit northern based filmed there in the 2000s?

yep just dug, it was titled 'clocking off' though not sure if the clip is worth searching for it

memory says 'nah' but may be wrong

anyone?

 

 

a fair few more photos show in gallery over the years

a seach for 'ritz' should take you to some more

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

sure there's more flyers and such

manchester ritz in the 70s - great days 

[Mike]

8 minutes ago, Mike said:

thinking...

wasn't there a itv drama which had a bit northern based filmed there in the 2000s?

yep just dug, it was titled 'clocking off' though not sure if the clip is worth searching for it

memory says 'nah' but may be wrong

anyone?

 

 

a fair few more photos show in gallery over the years

a seach for 'ritz' should take you to some more

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

sure there's more flyers and such

manchester ritz in the 70s - great days 

 

 

ah yep here you go 

@Wiggyflat uploaded it in our video feature earlier this year

https://www.soul-source.co.uk/videos/view-1704-northern-soul-clips-2002-inc-clocking-off/

 

first 9 minutes is all various video clips

the 'clocking off' bit is about 9.30 minutes in and features 'the champion'

Edited April 20, 2020 by Mike
correct time

[Winsford Soul]

Mike. Lou was in the clocking off episode filmed at the Ritz.  Went along following a advert for extras who liked northern soul. She said it was a good day. 

[Chas]

The 'temple of convenience' was one of Morrisey's favourite haunts apparently. He named it as the place he visits when back in Mancunia, hammered out for weeks after! 

[Kenb]

4 hours ago, Chas said:

The 'temple of convenience' was one of Morrisey's favourite haunts apparently. He named it as the place he visits when back in Mancunia, hammered out for weeks after! 

It was. He also loved the film 'a taste of honey' which has in it a dance scene of Dora Bryan and her man-friend on the Ritz ballroom. Morrisey went on  to gig at the Ritz. When the Temple of Convenience was just 'the bogs', you would get over-spill after closing at Rafters which was where Colin DJ'ed for a while ( and which was the former Takis, which was owned by the same brothers/family as TW), so maybe as someone said, Colin did take the Ritz ballroom back to his garden.

P.S my recollection of the sound system (77/78) was that it was awful, but my mind has mushed since then...didn't go later,

Edited April 21, 2020 by Kenb
P.S

[Steviehay]

On 18/04/2020 at 19:16, Soulandy said:

Turned into a great thread this. First went to the Ritz in the late 70's early 80's, northern/funk dayers. The northern niters of the 90's, the warm ups at the Temple of Convenience, The Attic at the Thirsty Scholar pub. The Motown niter, rarest of the rare. Massive place with that sticky carpet that was still sticky at the early 2000 revival dayers. The que to get in then went all the way up whitworth street. Who could ever forget the bouncing floor and the underground Warren Good times  A picture of our crowd on the balcony at one of the niters

I recognise that bird in blue dress andy 

 

[Steviehay]

Was probably the best venue to hold an alldayer I went from start to the disastrous last one ( badly attended cost niel a bomb ) mushrooms growing out of the carpet downstairs as it squelched under foot 3 bars 2 down 1 up,live acts eddie Holman, Edwin, Tavares, lynx,light of the world and Richard's 50th had to be up there with the best  decks upstairs and down when it changed to a walk on dance floor I think it lost a bit of magic ,no car park too as that went for redevelopment, but musically it was what you waited for plus it had its discoveries that weren't at wigan at the time,don garner sensitive mind,Chandler's bobby Coleman,....oh happy days 

[grantdyche]

We did the Ritz all dayers from about 76 ish,It was a good do to be honest,I remember seeing Barbara Pennington,Evelyn Thomas and L J Johnson all on the same bill,The stage had a circular turning bit in the middle,When L J Johnson was on they had his seat on the turning part and his keyboard on the static bit,During his set the center started to turn just a bit and he had to keep moving his seat,I also remember seeing Tavares there also,There was one all dayer were they had a screen showing the Soul Train tv show,Lots of different tunes played at these times,The Northern set and then what they used to call "New York Disco" at the time,I remember more of the funky disco type stuff played then just because it was so different,Brass Construction "Ha Cha Cha,Fat Larry's Band "Center City",The Rimshots "Do What You Feel",D C Larue "Cathedrals",Whirlwind "Full Time Thing" and one of the biggest at the time was Rose Royce "Car Wash",Good times at the Ritz and fond memories of it

[Andy Cullup]

Dr Buzzard's Savannah Band I'll Play The Fool. Always a favourite from that time

[Back Street Blue]

Great thread.

My mate Mick Malone, deffo, bloke with the porno-tash , seated bottom left in this shot (great pic's thanks).

We went to most of the bank holiday dayers in the 80's.

Did some of the 90's niters with Ronnie Hanley too...…..happy days indeed.

[Mssoulie]

On 18/04/2020 at 16:08, Veedub said:

Another from 1994, Sarah dancing bottom right. This pic is from the Soul Survivors book .

 

Fantastic.

I must be on there somewhere.

Hugh

[Mike]

anyone remember the date of Edwin Starr 70s live appearance there, think was on at wigan before or maybe not?

just looking back and trying to tie dates up with events as you do

[Wiganer1]

chic right in the centre

[Ficklefingers]

On 14/06/2020 at 17:49, Wiganer1 said:

chic right in the centre

In the white vest ?? If so, looks more like Ted Couldstone to me ??

Toddy from Cambridge, with his back to us, in the foreground..dark top and jeans

And possibly Carol Drinkwater just front left of Toddy.. White top, dark skirt, suntan.. No bra !! lol

That guy bottom right is bugging the hell out of me though.. know the face, but that's about it..

And finally, lol.. the guy bottom left in the check shirt..Craig Butler ??

Edited June 15, 2020 by Ficklefingers

[Soulmark]

Remember rarest of the rare fantastic nights 

[Mach]

Went to the Ritz all dayers in the 70s, couple of times straight from Wigan niters, also Rarest of the rare events in the nineities, vaguely remember goin to a warm up venue beforehand in Manc, may of been that temple of conveinace place as previously mentioned, if memory serves was it a long narrow kinda place about 12ft wide? all a bit surreal now,.. probably smashed..Great times

[washlively]

On 12/06/2020 at 09:56, Mike said:

anyone remember the date of Edwin Starr 70s live appearance there, think was on at wigan before or maybe not?

just looking back and trying to tie dates up with events as you do

I went to that all dayer with Edwin on live. He belted out "Contact" as it was his latest release so would have been 78' We got their early as we heard a rumour the first 50 or so got a free single and sure enough we were handed a yellow copy of Agent OO Soul still got it. The solid Northern dayers were fabulous I recall "Paris Blues" being huge back then. The last time I was there was early noughties probably 2006/7 for those outstanding Rarest Of the Rare nighters.

[Woodbutcher]

2 hours ago, washlively said:

 The last time I was there was early noughties probably 2006/7 for those outstanding Rarest Of the Rare nighters.

Did the 'rarest of the rare' nights continue that long ... ? 

The first one was 1994 as I recall.

[Chris Turnbull]

I thought the last ones were about 2002/3 but could be wrong. Used to love them

[Martyn Pitt]

On 15/06/2020 at 20:48, Ficklefingers said:

In the white vest ?? If so, looks more like Ted Couldstone to me ??

Toddy from Cambridge, with his back to us, in the foreground..dark top and jeans

And possibly Carol Drinkwater just front left of Toddy.. White top, dark skirt, suntan.. No bra !! lol

That guy bottom right is bugging the hell out of me though.. know the face, but that's about it..

And finally, lol.. the guy bottom left in the check shirt..Craig Butler ??

Looks like Chic to me.

The guy bottom right looks like John Stone (from Gloucester now Wolves)

I would have been in front of the DJ box, the floor didn't bounce as much there.

Not sure that is Toddy, I think it is John from Bolton who sold me my Cecil Washington and Carol Anderson.

Edited August 27, 2020 by Martyn Pitt
.

[washlively]

On 26/08/2020 at 17:30, Woodbutcher said:

Did the 'rarest of the rare' nights continue that long ... ? 

The first one was 1994 as I recall.

Could have been earlier I guess may be 04? The elavated dance floor had long gone by then. I recall being suprised walking in and it was all flat. 

[Mike]

On 12/06/2020 at 09:56, Mike said:

anyone remember the date of Edwin Starr 70s live appearance there, think was on at wigan before or maybe not?

just looking back and trying to tie dates up with events as you do

 

 

On 26/08/2020 at 15:01, washlively said:

I went to that all dayer with Edwin on live. He belted out "Contact" as it was his latest release so would have been 78' We got their early as we heard a rumour the first 50 or so got a free single and sure enough we were handed a yellow copy of Agent OO Soul still got it. The solid Northern dayers were fabulous I recall "Paris Blues" being huge back then. The last time I was there was early noughties probably 2006/7 for those outstanding Rarest Of the Rare nighters.

 

thanks, I just stumbled upon this which puts a date and year Sunday Nov 12th 1978 to my original ask

 

I thought it must have been summer, but guess every memory suffers from that, anyway was a weekend and a half, fair to say it was an eventful one for all the wrong reasons, long gone memory cells brought back to live yet again thanks to Soul Source!

 

here's the topic that I stumbled upon the above, a lot more pics and flyers from that era on it

 

[washlively]

On 29/10/2020 at 21:55, Mike said:

 

thanks, I just stumbled upon this which puts a date and year Sunday Nov 12th 1978 to my original ask

 

I thought it must have been summer, but guess every memory suffers from that, anyway was a weekend and a half, fair to say it was an eventful one for all the wrong reasons, long gone memory cells brought back to live yet again thanks to Soul Source!

 

here's the topic that I stumbled upon the above, a lot more pics and flyers from that era on it

 

Nice flyer of the Ritz event! My 45 wasn't signed by Edwin sadly but I still have it. Yes memory plays tricks I thought it was a sunny Sunday in summer/autumn not Nov don't remember Russ on the day either.

[Steviehay]

You were lucky to get the single we didn't!!

[Winsford Soul]

Just found this. ( 1978 i think ) 

 

 

 

 

[Steviehay]

yeah someone nicked my bag with this on and fairplay another i had, steve gods sent me for free (pure gent) was the the legend lives on patch i was at all the ritz gigs except the legends ones 

 

[Winsford Soul]

8 minutes ago, Steviehay said:

yeah someone nicked my bag with this on and fairplay another i had, steve gods sent me for free (pure gent) was the the legend lives on patch i was at all the ritz gigs except the legends ones 

 

Steve is a true gent, ( even for a Liverpool fan )

[Steviehay]

1 minute ago, Winsford Soul said:

Steve is a true gent, ( even for a Liverpool fan )

as i am lol

 

[washlively]

10 hours ago, Steviehay said:

You were lucky to get the single we didn't!!

Ive still got the Superlatives orig "I still Love You" that I bought from the record bar that day, the sleeve says Neil Ruston Records. No idea if it was him I bought it off didnt know what he looked like. I only really knew the Wigan jocks and a couple the Manchester guys like Siz back then.

[Back Street Blue]

Here's the Freebee from the 2012 Dayer 

Edited December 7, 2020 by Back Street Blue

[Steviehay]

1 hour ago, Back Street Blue said:

Here's the Freebee from the 2012 Dayer 

yep i got one of these on the day too still have it somewhere 

[Winsford Soul]

Just been re visiting this thread.  No one has mentioned the August Bank Holiday nighter when we used to queue up as the strange and wonderful attendees of the Manchester pride weekend would go walking passed with some of the most amazing costumes and make up that has been seen.  Occasionally one or two of them would join us at the ritz , really was surreal to see a 6ft guy dancing with perfect make up that would put super models to shame.  Mad times