A piece from a Manc newspaper ... 

In the 1960s, the Twisted Wheel was the undisputed king of northern soul, with the term originally being coined by journalist Dave Godin following a visit to the club.

Once it closed in 1971, The Golden Torch took its crown and reigned over the scene for the next two years until Stoke-on-Trent Council refused to renew its licence in March 1973.

Until Wigan Casino opened in September of that year, there was an overwhelming demand for northern soul all-nighters, which Va Va in Bolton gladly took advantage of.

Hidden down the stairs of Elizabeth House, just off Great Moor Street, the venue held around 400 people but it was its futuristic decor that raised eyebrows.

In his book 'Young Soul Rebels', Scottish journalist and author Stuart Cosgrove notes that the "short-lived" Va Va was "memorable for its mirrored walls and the paranoia they induced" in those who caught a glimpse of themselves while dancing under the influence.

A review of the club in an old issue of Blues and Soul Magazine said that the club contained more than £10,000 worth of equipment and lights. Writer Pete Fell also described the dancefloor as "small but adequate" and said that the drinks prices were "extortionate".

It's now 50 years since the Va Va was on the go. Richard has recently posted a few bits on Facebook about this being the 50th anniversary ...

I think I went to most of the all-nighters at Va-Va's as there was no where else to go. The club was not the usual type of venue, being more of a trendy disco with flashing lights and mirror balls. The dance floor was good but, as has been said, had glass or mirror screens around it, a bit weird and not what we were used to. The records Richard played there were all the top sounds and most you couldn't hear any where else. I don't remember if there was another DJ with Richard, maybe Martin Ellis. In those days DJs seemed to have more stamina so didn't need a squad of others to do an all-nighter.

For some reason Richard couldn't do one night, I think he may have been in the US, so he asked me, and others, to help out. The DJ booth was at the edge of the dance floor with a glass screen in front and behind which was strange. 

There was a good atmosphere at VA-Va's but had no chance once Wigan Casino opened.

Northern soul was most probably identified in 1970..prior to that the for runners such as the Wheel in Manchester were primarily soul/RB clubs , also other clubs particularly in London were similar,  with a mix of RB but also uptempo tunes as well.

For me VaVas was a great allnighter. The music, the deejays, the crowd and the dancefloor were top notch and the club itself returned an intimacy to the scene that was beginning to be lost with the Torch. Things went downhill with Wigan. I went to most, if not all nights there. The glass screens took some getting used to; my nose has never been straight since.....

I never got to VaVas...but did go to the Torch...and agree with your comments on the differences between those and the Casino, although it did bring the scene together. I guess my point is that these were 70s clubs and not 60s..and the NS movement was primarily at the start of the 70s...

Edited April 26, 20232 yr by Sheep

Un real photo was there at the time reflects the memories of the place ,  bar down the end stupid panel were they orange?? all crammed in round the dance floor and the DJ box was  in a pit great times...

 

I attended VA VAs all nighter in July 1973. It was a surreal experience and very different from the Catacombs in Wolverhampton. The sad part about this tale is around 03:00am VA VAs was raided by the police. It never reopened. I'm glad I still have such clear memories of a club in Bolton that has never been surpassed for its uniqueness and modern approach to being an urban 'flagship' for trail blazing the genre of 1970s northern soul!