Geoff

The last 100 Club allnighter was 7 December, so it's not far short of three months since then, therefore anticipation was in the air. I arrived just before 11pm and there was quite a queue waiting to get in. After going through “bag check up” and paying our money to the lovely Rolly it was down the stairs to our favourite club. Keith Money, whose birthday it was, serenaded us in. After sorting myself out and getting a drink it was time for Joel Maslin to take over, starting off with Ooh Boy by the Adorables. Following Joel was 100 Club regular Tony Smith who kept to the 60s generally. Thanks for playing My Love Has Gone by the Shadows at my request and good to hear Cody Black's Mr Blue following it. Back to Keith who opened with Job Opening followed I think by El Corols' Chick Chick. Mixing up more recent popular tunes with classic oldies like You Don't Love Me by the Epitome Of Sound, he ended this set with It's Not The Same by Anthony & The Imperials, as Ady said when he followed Keith “beat ballad heaven”. Ady made his first appearance of the night after Keith and played quite a few of his regular favourites, I Wanna Be Good To You, Why Can't It Be Tonight, He'll Be Leaving You and other Pied Piper tunes. Then it was Butch's turn. Your Wish Is My Command, Kiss Me Girl, It's All Over (Baby), Salvation, and cover ups like Vessie Simmons, Chuck Jackson and Take Me Away, haven't heard that lately and the Temptones, a request, were among the better known tunes plus several lesser or unknown records, he also included a couple of instrumentals. The dance floor was busy as usual for him. Sir Henry Ivy's He Left You Standing There was the opening track for Joel's second set, and it set the mood and tempo for the rest of his stint behind the decks Then Tony Smith came back and continued the floor friendly tempo. Great to hear him playing Court Davis's Try To Think What You're Doing, a record I really like but don't hear often. Towards the end of his set he did slow down a bit for the Sea Shells' A Quiet Home and Jimmy Elledge's Sad Town, for me the ideal tempo for that time of night. Keith upped the tempo with Never Learned To Dance and Ton Of Dynamite but eased up a bit with Clydene Jackson's I Need Your Love and Big Mistake by Brenda Jones, ending his set with Something About My Baby and I'll Keep Holding On. As per usual Ady did the last 30 minutes or so, mixing up-tempo sides like Temptation's 'Bout To Get Me with slower tunes like I Wish I Knew by Joe Buckner, an unissued track, Don't Tear Me Down and ending with I'll Never Stop Loving You, Can't Wait To See My Baby's Face and Baby I Need Your Loving. A pretty good number of people attended, quite a few new faces, plus some not seen for a while. It did clear out a bit after 3.30 to 4am but still a good number at the finish. The music was excellent all night long, well done the DJs, thank you. And of course thanks to the 100 Club staff. Long may the night continue.

The Boxing Day nighter was excellent, so will do my best to attend this one.

What will be the music policy for this? Who are the DJs?

A real packer on Saturday, busy from almost the start. And a lot of new faces as well. Tomas opened proceedings doing mainly oldies, e.g. You're Gone and You Gotta Let Go, obviously people were up for dancing as the floor filled even earlier than usual. The first guest DJ followed Tomas, Hendrik Irmscher from Germany, a new name to me. I didn't know many of his first set but he did include Do You Remember and I Can't Stay Away. Busy floor again. Next on were the second guests, the dynamic duo of Brian and David Pinches from Doncaster. I've known them for some time, seeing them at the Scarborough weekender and at the Horse & Groom Sunday sessions, men of very good musical taste, and nice guys as well. They got me and a few others out on the floor for Heartaches And Pain, in fact there whole set kept the floor going. Ady then made his debut that night mixing acetates and current favourites including the latest Anniversary record Carolyn Crawford's Ready Or Not Here Comes Love, He'll Be Leaving You, Why Not Tonight, Here I Am (at least that's what I know it as but I'm sure he called it by another title and did he say it was by Minnie Ripperton?), Timmie Carr & The Persianettes' I Could Never Stop Crying Over You (my record of the night) and ending with Voodoo Mademoiselle. Then it was Butch. After last Saturday's appearance at the Spirit Of The Orwell where he played more on the Modern Soul side it was back predominantly to Northern Soul with a few exceptions. So many good records but hearing Pee Wee Shucks & Huey's Beside Myself, followed by Esther Grant's Let's Make The Most Out Of Love and then the Chuck Jackson cover up was soul and dance floor heaven. Slighter slower tracks included I'm Knocking At Your Heart, Just Can't Leave You and Talkin' 'Bout Love moved into the Modern area. Needless to say he kept the dance floor moving. For his second set Tomas mixed oldies including Bobby Treetop's Wait Till I Get To Know You with Modern Soul current popular tracks like You Can Be A Star by the Luther Davis Group and ending with Gangster Boy. Back to Hendrick who played mainly oldies, ideal tunes for that time of the night, remember him playing Frankie Beverley's classic If That's What You Wanted, never fails to get people dancing although to be fair they were already on the floor. The penultimate set went to Brian and David and they filled it extremely well, plenty of big nighter tunes, Sha La La, All My Life and near the end Count The Days (that seems to get us all up on our feet) and I'd Like To Get Near You. Their set reminded me I must make a trip up to the Horse & Groom in the new year. I'm not sure if it was them or Ady who played I'm Stepping Out Of The Picture at the end of their set or was it the beginning of Ady's? But as usual Ady finished the night off in his own inimitable fashion. Temptation's 'Bout To Get Me, It's Torture, an unissued version of I Wish I Knew (Butterfly) by Joe Buckner, and ending with I'll Never Stop Loving You and finally Baby I Need Your Loving. There were still a real crowd at the end, more than usual I'd say. The general opinion seemed to be that it had been an amazing night, both musically and socially. Great to see so many of my friends from near and far. Lovely to see Lisa Hurley, hadn't seen her since Cleethorpes a couple of years ago, good to catch up. I certainly had a good time, my legs giving me hell on Sunday proved it. Thanks to Ady and all the DJs for entertaining us so well, and thanks to the staff of the 100 Club.

My third visit to the Haydock Park Golf Club for the Spirit Of The Orwell, and each time it gets better and better. Absolutely superb music from all the DJs, but Butch was really in a class of his own, a true masterclass as his records were really quite different. Unfortunately Flanny couldn't attend so his place was ably taken by his son Liam, he did two good sets, plenty of tunes I didn't know. The other “Orwell” guys did their usual excellent sets, including some current releases, which are often underplayed and can pass under my radar. By the time I normally hear them they have been snapped up and the price has shot up. Butch took his place behind the decks at 10pm and started off with the Four Dynamics' Things A Lady Ain't Supposed To Do, following it with Martha Starr's Sweet Temptation. I thought I was in the 100 Club, two regular tunes there. And he did include some of his nighter tracks, e.g. Sha La La, It's All Over (Baby) and Kiss Me Girl but I would say the majority of his set were more on the lesser played Modern Soul side of our music. Not all though, he included a Charmaines' track featuring Sandi Sheldon called Standing In The Need Of Love and a medium tempo girl vocal called You're A Lucky Guy, the latter sounded very much in the girl group style of the 60s. He slowed down the tempo at the end with records like Love Dreams and I've Been Untrue, and I think his last play was his Little Caesar cover up, but I may be wrong. I'd like to thank him for playing my request for Infinity's Queen Of My Universe, my favourite Modern Soul record, sadly out of my price range now. Nice to see so many friends there, some of them unexpected, Soul Sam was there simply to listen to the music. It was dark in there so if I missed saying hello please accept my apologies. Lately, while I have enjoyed the soul nights I've attended I wasn't getting quite the buzz I normally get. My recent trip to Boomerang in Thorne did perk me up and The Spirit Of The Orwell completed my rejuvenation, all systems go now. Thank you to Steve and co for an excellent night.

A strange night at the 100 Club. A mistake had been made by not requesting a late music licence from Westminster council so the night could not carry on till 6am. Therefore the times had been changed to a 9pm start finishing at 3am, door price reduced from £12 to £8, excellent value for money. Unfortunately this did prevent some of the regular travellers from attending, Gary, Rolly, Tabs, Elaine, etc. were missed, not quite the same without you guys. I normally have a meal and take my time getting ready but last night had to put my skates on, time seemed to fly by and it was time to walk to my local station, naturally it started raining. However when I arrived at Oxford Circus the pavements were dry, I felt a bit overdressed in my raincoat. Walking from Oxford Circus underground station I noticed how busy it was, of course I was a couple of hours earlier than usual. As there was no one queuing outside the club I walked around to the Blue Post where I met friends from Wales and also from Yorkshire. I left them there so I could get in at the start and I think Dave Swift and I were the first in, Dave was certainly the first on the dance floor. Joel Maslin was playing as we entered and included quite a few tunes I didn't recognise but was glad to hear the Marvelettes' Don't Make Hurting Me A Habit, very nice tune. He got me dancing to Ooh Boy by the Adorables at the end of his set. The first guest DJ Lisa Wolverson followed, she is a regular at the club. She concentrated on medium tempo tunes such as I Need You Like A Baby and You Better Stop It by Barbara Mason. By this time the club was filling up and Lisa kept the dance floor busy. Second guest was Lars Bulnheim who has DJ'd before at the club. He did a skilful mix of Northern and Modern Soul records. For example Lies by Bobby Freeman, one you don't hear often, the Soulful Strutters' Let Yourself Go, and my favourite Modern Soul record Infinity's Queen Of My Universe, delighted to hear that played, thank Lars. Then it was time for Butch, a mix of well known and a few that I didn't know: Sweet Temptation (not sure which version), Tiaras' Love Finds A Connection, Pee Wee Shucks & Huey, Kiss Me Girl, Where Are You, Love Came Into My Life, and particularly nice to hear the Temptones cover up You Know You're In Love. By now the club was really busy, more like an anniversary night. I'd expected things to be quiet with many who travel being unable to attend due to the 3am finish making travel home difficult but the club filled up newcomers, I assume many were simply passers by. Butch finished and Lisa took over again. Again a dance floor friendly set, tracks like the Montclairs' Hey You and Johnnie Mae Matthews' classic I Have No Choice, a record that gets better every time I hear it. Lars again for a second set playing quite a few that I didn't know but including Free Man, Southern Comfort's It's In My Letter and Twinkle Little Star. For the penultimate set Joel was the man, keeping a Northern groove with Paulette's Love You Baby and the instrumental of World Of Happiness, Bird Doggin'. Where did they get that title from? For the last 50 minutes Butch did a set that was superb, records like Sha La La, Mighty Lovers, Diane Lewis' You Ain't Got A Chance, Chuck Jackson cover up, the Shades' Hit It, one called I think Down Deep or something similar, not heard Butch play this before, it's one of Trickster's favourites, Shake Cheri, plus a few I didn't know, Satan Let Me Sleep Tonight. Think he played one more after that but it eludes me which one. It was 3am, the bouncers urged us out and we emerged to Oxford Street in the middle of the night, that felt a bit strange. Luckily the tube runs all night on Fridays and Saturdays so it was easy to get home with the assistance of a cab at the other end. Got indoors and had tea and porridge, then off to bed for a few hours. As I said above I didn't expect it to be busy but I am pleased that it filled up and the night went so well. I missed some of my usual friends but good to see the friends from Wales and Yorkshire enjoying it so much. My usual thanks to the DJs and 100 Club staff, and a well done to Matt Bolton for organising it all.

I understand that the timings of this has been changed to 9pm start and 3am finish, with door tax of £8. This was on Faebook.