Post by coops on Dec 21, 2008 18:38:59 GMT
As the unmistaken smell of a burned out building penetrates ones nostrils while walking down the sea front in Skegness, the shell of the square peg still boarded up and a very long time from it’s re-launch. Builders scurrying here and there on the site six days a week trying to build that better dream one can see there is a long way to go before the square peg is once again active and open for soul.
That’s just the bricks and mortar, the ethos, the feeling, the open music policy of the peg is still there, still active and still as welcoming as it ever was.
After the fire last month the peg crew started looking for a temporary place to ‘squat’ and have found a venue and a half in the Bar Life, just opposite the Skegness Weekender venue.
The Bar Life closed through the winter but their management team have decided to let the square peg monthly northern and rare soul night carry it’s torch burning bright into their very own venue, opening it up and getting staff in once each month so the ‘peggers’ can keep on keeping on.
It’s an excellent venue, sunken dance floor, surround-sound speakers, heating, yes heating! This is a commodity that isn’t always present at every Skegness venue in the cold winter months.
No disappointment on numbers, the Saturday before Christmas it may have been but that did not deter regular peggers from as far-a-field as Lincoln, Grimsby, Peterborough, Spalding and all points between.
Once again the music was there in abundant quality served up by four guests who often appear at the peg such is their popularity and depth of quality in tunes and knowing when to spin them.
First up, and first time behind the decks was Sharon Kilner, wife of co-promoter pete kilner.
Sharon only had half an hour but filled it with some very, very nice mid-tempo crossover tunes and, she used the mic between each and every record, not all those new to tune spinning have that confidence first time. Three of sharon’s tunes picked by my listening ears, at random were: Anne Peebles – If This Is Heave. Charles Montgomery – I Don’t Want to Do This Anymore and Al Wilson – I Got A Feeling.
Next up was Brian ‘Hobbo’ Hobson, peg resident, three of hobbo’s tunes: Eddie Billiups – Ask My Heart, Originals – Suspicion, Chuck Cockerham – Have I Got The Right.
First guest of the evening was Debbie ‘J’ from Loughborough, Debbie has dee-jayed at the peg before and is one of the locals favourite visiters. Playing sounds like: Lew Kirton – Heaven In The Afternoon, J Blackfoot – Where Is Love and Neo – Smile she once again shone in the eyes of the local peggers.
Steve ‘Jay’ Jackson was relentless during his ninety minutes of play time, relentless in the provision of quality soul: Chuck Jackson – What’s With This Loneliness, Timeless Legend – I Was Born To Love You and Joi Cardwell – Let It Go were but three of the tunes that entertain with such joy to the paying public. Chris Forrest and Andy ‘Tats’ Taylor also played for ninety minutes and looked like they could have gone on all night. Everything from Life – Tell Me Why, to Bettye Swann – Make Me Yours to Hamilton Movement – She’s Gone and all things between, chris and tats, like steve and Debbie are all favourites at the peg so how else would one want to spend one’s last Saturday night before Christmas, perfect.
As for the Bar Life team, they have my eternal gratitude for stepping in and helping the peg out.
The next Square-Peg-At-The-Bar-Life night is Sat 21st Feb with guests Marco and John McDade with residents Coops and Hobbo.
And until the Peg is rebuilt we are more than happy to be squatting at the Bar Fly, our substitute venue which is far, far better than some venues I have travelled miles to attend.
for images: ournorthernsouls.org
That’s just the bricks and mortar, the ethos, the feeling, the open music policy of the peg is still there, still active and still as welcoming as it ever was.
After the fire last month the peg crew started looking for a temporary place to ‘squat’ and have found a venue and a half in the Bar Life, just opposite the Skegness Weekender venue.
The Bar Life closed through the winter but their management team have decided to let the square peg monthly northern and rare soul night carry it’s torch burning bright into their very own venue, opening it up and getting staff in once each month so the ‘peggers’ can keep on keeping on.
It’s an excellent venue, sunken dance floor, surround-sound speakers, heating, yes heating! This is a commodity that isn’t always present at every Skegness venue in the cold winter months.
No disappointment on numbers, the Saturday before Christmas it may have been but that did not deter regular peggers from as far-a-field as Lincoln, Grimsby, Peterborough, Spalding and all points between.
Once again the music was there in abundant quality served up by four guests who often appear at the peg such is their popularity and depth of quality in tunes and knowing when to spin them.
First up, and first time behind the decks was Sharon Kilner, wife of co-promoter pete kilner.
Sharon only had half an hour but filled it with some very, very nice mid-tempo crossover tunes and, she used the mic between each and every record, not all those new to tune spinning have that confidence first time. Three of sharon’s tunes picked by my listening ears, at random were: Anne Peebles – If This Is Heave. Charles Montgomery – I Don’t Want to Do This Anymore and Al Wilson – I Got A Feeling.
Next up was Brian ‘Hobbo’ Hobson, peg resident, three of hobbo’s tunes: Eddie Billiups – Ask My Heart, Originals – Suspicion, Chuck Cockerham – Have I Got The Right.
First guest of the evening was Debbie ‘J’ from Loughborough, Debbie has dee-jayed at the peg before and is one of the locals favourite visiters. Playing sounds like: Lew Kirton – Heaven In The Afternoon, J Blackfoot – Where Is Love and Neo – Smile she once again shone in the eyes of the local peggers.
Steve ‘Jay’ Jackson was relentless during his ninety minutes of play time, relentless in the provision of quality soul: Chuck Jackson – What’s With This Loneliness, Timeless Legend – I Was Born To Love You and Joi Cardwell – Let It Go were but three of the tunes that entertain with such joy to the paying public. Chris Forrest and Andy ‘Tats’ Taylor also played for ninety minutes and looked like they could have gone on all night. Everything from Life – Tell Me Why, to Bettye Swann – Make Me Yours to Hamilton Movement – She’s Gone and all things between, chris and tats, like steve and Debbie are all favourites at the peg so how else would one want to spend one’s last Saturday night before Christmas, perfect.
As for the Bar Life team, they have my eternal gratitude for stepping in and helping the peg out.
The next Square-Peg-At-The-Bar-Life night is Sat 21st Feb with guests Marco and John McDade with residents Coops and Hobbo.
And until the Peg is rebuilt we are more than happy to be squatting at the Bar Fly, our substitute venue which is far, far better than some venues I have travelled miles to attend.
for images: ournorthernsouls.org