Post by coops on Nov 9, 2008 19:04:10 GMT
I like this venue, it’s nestled deep within the heart of the former mining communities that made up this part of the east midlands.
The venue and those regulars who frequent it echo that age old industry which was Thatcherised to it’s demise in the mid 1980s.
They have the same indomitable community spirit as the miners.
The same infectious sense of humour and the same ability to have a great night out and still possess the honesty to call a spade a spade.
I, as others, am aware of the many fractious groups that make up this northern soul community of ours, fractious in the sense of ‘loyalties’ to one genre of our northern soul compared to another.
There are many in this neck of the woods that only want their northern served up at 100 mph and on a platter forged deep in the 1960s.
There are others who are more open minded and accept other genre and are able to accept that during a night of across the board sounds there may be one or two that they may not like.
At Annesley there were far more open minded types than the closed genre-specific ones although, and here’s the rub, the silent majority of open minded quality soul fans are often not heard due to the constant whinging of those who think that only their chosen genre should be played at a venue.
But the silent majority do actually have a voice, it’s a voice of movement, a silent voice, the voice of dance.
The dance floor showed that an evening of northern soul music encompassing the many colourful ingredients of this scene of ours can be enjoyed even in the centre of 100mph ‘oldiesville’ in Robin Hoods own county.
I was once again given the honour of playing an hour of my humble tunes at Annesley and I loved every single second of it.
But that’s really only the icing on the cake. The cake itself, so very sweet is just being at this venue surrounded by damned good people, dancing and listening to damned good music on a damned good dance floor.
I’m not sure in which direction this latter-day legend of a club will go, I sense there are some trying to lobby those concerned to make it into yet another 100 mph 60s event (which I believe it may have been in the past), mirroring the many already embedded and others constantly sprouting up in this area. But, as for me and my isolated voice from 90 odd miles away in the East Coast I hope that Annesley continues to embrace the diversity of our northern soul and remembering the words of Jerry Butler – “Variety’s the spice of life”.
A fantastic night for me and the others on our mini bus, a fantastic night indeed but, so what, it’s Annesley, we expected no other.
As shaun has popped a play list on I’m gonna break a habit and post my cheap but cheerful list of tunes that I really enjoy both playing, dancing to and, more importantly, watching others dance to,
In no specific order:
Bob Relf – Girl You’re My Kind Of Wonderful
Terry Callier – Ordinary Joe (single 45 version)
Edwin Starr – I have Faith In You
Brother’s Guiding Light – Getting Together
Sam Dees – Fragile, Handle With Care
Fantastic Puzzles – Come Back
Larry Houston – Let’s Spend Some Time Together
Peggy March – If You Love Me
Paul Anka – When We Get There
Inez & Charles Foxx – Tightrope
Detroit Executives – Cool Off
Richard Wylie – Rosemary
Ramsey Lewis – Wade In The Water
Booker T & The MGs – Comin’ Home Baby
David Ruffin – Walk Away From Love
Marvin Gaye – Come Get To This
Nolan Porter – If I Could Only Be Sure
Bits ‘n’ Pieces – Keep On Running Away
O’Jays – I Love Music
Trammps – Hold Back The Night
Pioneers – My Good Friend.
Even the most ardent advocate of ‘Oldies’ would have to hold his or her hands up and say the most ‘modern’ of those tracks was the Pioneers (1977) which is, in itself 31 years old.
Thanks Pete and Steve, proud to have been there.
images on ournorthernsouls.org
The venue and those regulars who frequent it echo that age old industry which was Thatcherised to it’s demise in the mid 1980s.
They have the same indomitable community spirit as the miners.
The same infectious sense of humour and the same ability to have a great night out and still possess the honesty to call a spade a spade.
I, as others, am aware of the many fractious groups that make up this northern soul community of ours, fractious in the sense of ‘loyalties’ to one genre of our northern soul compared to another.
There are many in this neck of the woods that only want their northern served up at 100 mph and on a platter forged deep in the 1960s.
There are others who are more open minded and accept other genre and are able to accept that during a night of across the board sounds there may be one or two that they may not like.
At Annesley there were far more open minded types than the closed genre-specific ones although, and here’s the rub, the silent majority of open minded quality soul fans are often not heard due to the constant whinging of those who think that only their chosen genre should be played at a venue.
But the silent majority do actually have a voice, it’s a voice of movement, a silent voice, the voice of dance.
The dance floor showed that an evening of northern soul music encompassing the many colourful ingredients of this scene of ours can be enjoyed even in the centre of 100mph ‘oldiesville’ in Robin Hoods own county.
I was once again given the honour of playing an hour of my humble tunes at Annesley and I loved every single second of it.
But that’s really only the icing on the cake. The cake itself, so very sweet is just being at this venue surrounded by damned good people, dancing and listening to damned good music on a damned good dance floor.
I’m not sure in which direction this latter-day legend of a club will go, I sense there are some trying to lobby those concerned to make it into yet another 100 mph 60s event (which I believe it may have been in the past), mirroring the many already embedded and others constantly sprouting up in this area. But, as for me and my isolated voice from 90 odd miles away in the East Coast I hope that Annesley continues to embrace the diversity of our northern soul and remembering the words of Jerry Butler – “Variety’s the spice of life”.
A fantastic night for me and the others on our mini bus, a fantastic night indeed but, so what, it’s Annesley, we expected no other.
As shaun has popped a play list on I’m gonna break a habit and post my cheap but cheerful list of tunes that I really enjoy both playing, dancing to and, more importantly, watching others dance to,
In no specific order:
Bob Relf – Girl You’re My Kind Of Wonderful
Terry Callier – Ordinary Joe (single 45 version)
Edwin Starr – I have Faith In You
Brother’s Guiding Light – Getting Together
Sam Dees – Fragile, Handle With Care
Fantastic Puzzles – Come Back
Larry Houston – Let’s Spend Some Time Together
Peggy March – If You Love Me
Paul Anka – When We Get There
Inez & Charles Foxx – Tightrope
Detroit Executives – Cool Off
Richard Wylie – Rosemary
Ramsey Lewis – Wade In The Water
Booker T & The MGs – Comin’ Home Baby
David Ruffin – Walk Away From Love
Marvin Gaye – Come Get To This
Nolan Porter – If I Could Only Be Sure
Bits ‘n’ Pieces – Keep On Running Away
O’Jays – I Love Music
Trammps – Hold Back The Night
Pioneers – My Good Friend.
Even the most ardent advocate of ‘Oldies’ would have to hold his or her hands up and say the most ‘modern’ of those tracks was the Pioneers (1977) which is, in itself 31 years old.
Thanks Pete and Steve, proud to have been there.
images on ournorthernsouls.org
