Rob Wigley

So what this thread proves is that it will be very difficult to run and sustain a rare soul weekender,and any that are put together will probably attract less than 150 people.The rare underplayed fresh new what ever you want to call it side of the scene, is notouriously divided and under supported.Lots of small groups who support only certain djs who fit their criteria for rare soul,and only attend that venue.It will be virtualy impossible to bring all these small groups together to support one rare soul venue.Week in week out on ss the rare soul events struggle for attendance despite all the costant talk from people on here about,wanting to hear anything but the top 500.The way i see it is this side of the scene has a lot of talkers,and not many who are actualy willing to go out and support the venues they keep asking for. Very very true Andy, I asked a question deliberately in one of my earlier posts and named a name as a DJ I'd choose ie Honky (which dave followed up)-- but no one has really named any others they'd chose or even after 3 pages added a "To die for" list. I think you post unfortunately sums up major divisions and to some degree a feeling that some would sooner stay at home and collect their vinyl than venture out. So answers on a postcard please or to answer the original question on this thread "Is there a demand for a dedicate rare soul weekender" it's looking at the moment like a "NO" ! Rob

hI all the problem you've got with "specialist" weekends is boundary's that make a place too small or too big an oldies weekend no matter who organises or runs it and no matter who's "on " will do well .As soon as specialist descriptive words like rare soul or modern pop up in go the shrinking soul violets , and that's the way it is at the moment plan's are a foot for another weekender next year you'll probably not see many flyers for it there may be something on here but it'll be low key , about 150 R-n-B fans , a little latin , a little ska/reggae and other oddments.It'll probably be in the west country (well it will be ) weekend tickets are about £100.00 all in and most are spoken for it's on a small site out the way from the world and the ticket includes everything most oldies type "weekenderers" won't pay it but would you pay this for a nice out of the way place food and accomadation all in , swimming pools and long secluded beaches. No Bootleg's, no "Ilove northern soul" mug's , no cheap t shirts just a hundred and fifty like minded people doing their thing for £100.00 it's a bagan friday night session , sat daytime sat night and a sunday .This is not a opertunist advert as the people we've spoken to have just about taken the tickets , I put this on here to show that a rare soul weekend is defernatly possible just find the place and away you go.Stay chilled out you crazy people Simon And Paula. Good luck you, sounds great...a little like Yarmouth..out of the way...and hush hush until all regulars have booked their yearly places. Almost like Rob & Sams "almost grown" ? At the end of the day we go to enjoy ourselves There's all sorts of things in the mix, however there has to be some common ground which attracts a "decent" crowd, a mid way point, not so far underground that you need miners lamps to see the decks.... £100 would seem like a fair statrting point for a decent weekend away. Enjoy yourself its later than you think...... Rob

Maybe I am not being clear enough, but it's not a rare room I want to go to, it's somewhere with fresh and exciting music.....something different, not recycled lesser knowns, or rare for the sake of it stuff. If some of it's rare great, but I wouldn't want to hear the same old rare tunes bunged out. ATB Steve You , me and Honky in my front room then Steve, cheaper than hiring a venue--"Bespoke Weekenders" !

i have asked him , hes busy this year but next year might possible! He's a great DJ Dave everything he played at Yogi's was spot on I had to get up and look at the 4th record he played (not knowing the previous 3 either) all uncovered, all brilliant , all looked as rare as F**k ! I was the lead for the chin strokers ! he's great guy as well. However you answered part of my question as well Pontin's rely on the oldies room for footfall to subsidize the rare room, it's not an exclusive Rare weekender , so would it satisfy the call on here for exclusivity ?? I'm coming if honky's on ! Rob

It almost has the same structure as Manchester...or very possible a future Manchester . We did a casual day affair and a meeting point for all weekender goers to catch up with fiends from all over UK/europe and listen to the amazing Greatstone guys, then a nighter, then a normal dayer/night event followed by the magical monday - but the whole thing was prob a bit too long in my opinion. DJ roster was defo not the same old, same old though but then you run the risk of not getting a mighty footfall. Good post, lots to consider the big weekenders (including my co promoted events with Rob & Pat) cater for the mid ground as its the only way to make it pay-- we have the other rooms which are subsidized by the main event only way it can be done but it provided variety for the weekend and adds to the party , yes party because that's what a weekender is, . be it rare, common, modern or otherwise. also Birds of a feather flock together, I honestly think that the right venue, with options to suit all pockets, a cracking line up with Dj s that can do it and have the records to fill a dance floor would work, plus chuck in a great live act with the right records to sing. I also know it has to be different .......... lots reading the thread but not too many commenting so is it doable ? or are we just hopeful thinkers behind keyboards ? Rob

Sounds good. Not sure a live act is essential but I love live acts so no complaint here either way. Would an informal lunchtime / afternoon session on the Sunday work? (I'm assuming it won't be a bank holiday) and Saturday only tickets are a good idea Hi Joan Thanks for your input It can be done but has to be special or very different - its if the demand is there and if its financially "do able" without loosing a fortune ! On a smaller scale costs would rise but I still believe in live acts making it very special and a DJ roster which is away from the same old same old ! Rob

Oh on the subject of the rare weekender What format would this take to make it enjoyable to to lesser masses (500) as previously discussed ? Friday Night --all night or 3-4 am finish ? Saturday chin stroking afternoons and record fair / swap meet ? Saturday night all- nighter with an act 8 pm to 8.00 am ? Do you pack up at 8.oo am Sunday ? Would you sell a "saturday night" special ticket ? Rob

Steve they're called overplayed underplayed tunes So does that mean they have now become popular and should stop being played ? A good example of this was when my dear friend Chris Anderton was doing Bretby country club many many moons ago, he even used to apologise for being "young" (didn't you Chris ) Anyway sounds he "Championed" included Jimmy Soul Clark "I'll be your champion" which spread from the club to become popular UK wide, so thus wasn't exclusive or cheap any more-- this made it then overplayed and as brilliant as it is/was no longer fitted the bill ! So if all the "underplayed" become popular and became the "new" Top 500 would the "old" Top 500 and be underplayed oldies ? Good records will always rise to the top and other sink without a trace.... Rob

The main reason we moved was cost. A venue the size of the Bell and the outlay in DJ's fee's, equipment etc couldn't be recovered and the dance floor was too small. Yep, that's the "Real World" Chalky that non-promoters sometimes don't see Great venue for a soul night maybe but not an all-nighter. The conversion and renovation of the rooms didn't effect us really. We got a fantastic deal on the room, £20 a night!! End of the day the manageress didn't want ht hassle of an all-nighter, same with many venues. Many venue owners are just not interested as soon as Northern Soul is mentioned and all-night. It's down to staffing and paying them and also the clean -up costs on a Sunday morning-double time and you're right that the manageress probably wanted her day off and a lie in ! Rob

Better post "On Topic", I think there is a demand for this type of event, but I'd limit it to 2 nights, make it central and with easy Motorway/ rail links. Dave Moores Spanish event "Hitsville" ticks all the boxes, wish it was in UK with that weather as well ! LOL. I'd also be inclined to chuck an act in as well Can we throw in here what peoples ideal DJ line up would be or nominate 1 "Must have" DJ ? Rob PS mine would be Honky

The all-nighters the rooms were open to all but only had problems once when fire alarm went off. The main problem was the manageress. I knew there was something that made you move to The Stables -a better venue for the All-Nighters-- also around that time The Bell was being "Done Up" room by room and the outbuildings being converted as well if i remember right. Rob

As for the Scottish weekender, I couldn't make the whole weekend, I wanted to go for the Saturday night but I wasn't prepared to pay the full weekend fee for one night (£80 a ticket I think), ridiculous and no wonder no one went really. You and dozens of other of others felt the same Chalky, if going with a partner that doubles the cost, if you are only into 60s then the other rooms have no appeal - Act wise both Syl Johnson and Debbie Taylor let Yogi down, however you would have enjoyed DJ Honky's 2 sets, absolutely incredible,unknown after unknown, none "covered up" and labels I'd never seen...would have been worth the £80 alone ! With the supporting cast of Lifeline DJs Arthur and Martin- plus Jock , Dave , Duce and co a great venue as well. I think "The Shrine" room stole the show, mainly rare 70s with a mix of 60s & 80s thrown in. I shan't be going this year as I will see Darrow Fletcher at one of the other two venues he is appearing at in the country. A big mistake letting acts appear elsewhere before the "anchor" venue is sold out, by all means book them into places with a clause in the contract to say as such. Rob

Lifeline had all the rooms for the weekender, no "normal" people as you say. Was this at the all nighters then Chalky ? rob

hi Joan ¹I know of 2 cracking venues, but i'm affraid it's all down to costings on smaller events for the full weekend. most rare soul devotees don't blink at £1,000 for a record they want -- and obviously more £££s as well. But £100-£150 for a weekender ticket with decent accommodation brings tears to the eyes ! ¹The first Scottish Soul Weekender had the "dream team" line up-I estimated I heard £3,000,000 worth of records on the Friday night alone ! superb line up organised by Dave Thorley , trouble was no punters in the room as the Northern side thought the entry fee was too much ! I think everyone needs decent rooms, there's a few shocks coming to people at the "New" Prestatyn , it's not changed one bit..i was there in May and one of the reasons I didn't take it on. Hotel based events with two / three decent sized function rooms are what's needed for a 500 crowd , however you need to Book or reserve the whole hotel, I think Lifeline had problems at the Old Bell due to "Normal" people complaining during the wee small hours about loud music, why did the hotel take these bookings ? Chalky or Andy D will confirm these problems, nobody wants to or can afford to lose money on these ventures, least of all the venue owners who seem happy to keep a venue empty than take a risk on something new. ¹I think there is a demand on the lines of The Stafford re-union in 2010- dare I say rare oldies ? main room, plus satellite rooms playing current biggies and new discoveries all OVO of course. good luck to all Rob

Any more details on this gig Adam ?

I remember buying this as an "original" back in about 76 /77 paid £8 for it then which was half a weeks wage! Is there a difinitive way of spoting the boot, i seem to remember something about the run out groove edge being raised or flat or somethin else, but cant remember if that was on the boot or orig, so basically f##kin useless info!!!! Also any idea what the original is worth nowadays? i saw the lookalike boot on here a few weeks ago for about £75????? Im not sellin it by the way, just curious! Thanks in advance for any help!!!! SAME HERE, BUT THINK MINE WAS £6... they all came in Original GSF sleeves as well, which I later discovered were "Robbed" from hit GSF records at the time purchased cheaply . They originated from New York and the person who was involved is still on here as an active member--allegedly ! They are easy to spot once you have seen an original pressing....be safe and try and find the Israeli LP to be sure.......!!!! Rob

Good bits in it, but awful production and singing

Hi Maark heard it was Fab last year and had an eye on it to go.... shifts / work permitting..... but as Ian says there's an awful lot on in London this "Summer" (if it ever stops raining) and for myself it would really depend on the weather if I wanted to attend .. can't hack cold muddy fields.. or freezing cold apartments come to that either ! hope it all goes well on the re-arranged date. Rob

¹ Possibly due to moving further from London ? I wouldn't have thought they saved Mega amounts axing Nolan and his band, but possibly an easy target !

Big shame, given what that (IYEWOOML) record means to so many people....

be interesting reading ...wonder if we get a mention ????? doubt it LOL

Try Moses Smith and Dena Barnes who appear to be quite untraceable despite plenty of recordings ?

Soul Mole rix does it again ! well done mate, it says she only sings for God, well in my book Ady;s well up there so she might be persuaded ? I'd like to know if she is....... Rob

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The thing about Brid spa is 4 out of the 5 rooms are dance floors wall to wall--all Canadian Maple as well. main room at Brid is fully sprung, its also reputedly the largest sprung dance floor in Europe! My first dance on my new knee was on there as well...... I always enjoyed the challenge of the 100 Club floor is it me or does it slope as well ? Love it ! Rob