However they were seen as the beginning of the end for the upfront scene as it was in the 1980’s and early 1990’s. The venue was huge and full but the music took a huge step backwards for people like myself with a reliance on oldies and classics from Wigan Casino, The Torch and other such venues. But it was still a good craic and had an excellent record bar, essential for collectors like myself, this would be where I would get my kicks and satisfy my need for something new as the DJ’s were not fulfilling my thirst.
When you went to Wigan, you could tape some of the event on a C90, C120 perhaps. “There was room if you arrived early enough on some all-nighters to go to their pre-nighter sessions. I only recall going to one of these, at the time when Gerri Grainger (‘I go to pieces’) and Tony Middleton (‘Paris Blues’) were being played. “You’d watch, you’d have a go, and then you’d head home and plan.
- The three being Dave Thorley, Chris King and Steve Croft giving rise to the Three Voices Soul Club.
- Comprehensive documentation of this particular era of northern soul history has been a long time coming.
- “But I did not just go there. It was one of the other dancers who said, ‘There’s more room down here’. The other etiquette was that there was no smoking and no drinking on the dance floor.”
- Eddie Parker and Lorraine Chandler ranks as one of the best all-nighters ever for those who were lucky enough to attend.
- All-nighters were put on at Sheridans in Dewsbury with myself (Karl “Chalky” White) helping with the promotional side of things.
- “These soul fans brought music back to our own hallowed venue, the Winter Gardens.
Most times at the all-nighters I found a spot towards the front, on the left hand side as you looked at the stage. There were a couple of guys who used to dance there who were quite incredible with spins in their dancing. One of them was definitely featured in the ‘This England’ documentary, but I’m not sure about the other guy.
- DJ Russ Winstanley was partially responsible for creating the Northern Soul scene at Wigan Casino.
- The all-nighters were an explosion on the Northern Soul scene and became a new revenue source for the artists who made the music a decade earlier – Edwin Starr, Jackie Wilson, Junior Walker and R Dean Taylor.
- A scene that didn’t suffer fools but gave satisfaction back in spades.
- One of them was definitely featured in the ‘This England’ documentary, but I’m not sure about the other guy.
- I loved the sense that something brilliant was happening and you were in on it which, I suspect, was how it might’ve felt right at the outset?
- Great piece if writing Chalky, as one of the many who carried on attending venues after the Casino closed you have written the story of my life.
Winsford Soul
Wigan Casino was awarded by Americas Billboard Magazine the accolade “The Heart of Soul” in 1978, beating Studio 54 in New York. Eventually the owners of the building and Wigan Council decided to close the venue to extend the civic centre and in spring of 2007 the £100 million Grand Arcade shopping centre including a Casino Cafe and permanent exhibition was built on the site of Station Road. Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read book recommendations and more.
Wigan Casino at 50: stories from the people who made it happen
“Cameras at soul nights and all-nighters were very much a rarity at the time. It’s been a great revelation to see lots of archive photos coming into the light related to this 50th anniversary of the opening of Wigan Casino. But for most of us, just as with cassette tape recorders, you’d think twice about whether you wanted to take it along and then keep an eye on it all night. Another important part of the mid 80’s was not a venue but a UK record label and, once again, Ady Croasdell was the driving force (initially under his alias of Harboro Horace) with his work with Ace/Kent.
With an upfront cutting edge policy the venues at Sheridan’s was packed to the rafters and only guests who they felt would complement the residents were employed. Bidds previously held popular all-nighters hosted by Mace with the help of Johnny Beggs featuring the very best Rare Soul, Latin and R&B. Mace is now co-promoting Pow Wow alongside Mik Parry, Gav Arno and Callum Simpson in the two-roomed event at the venue alongside Lifeline. Around 1979 Randy Cozens and Ady Croasdell formed the 6T’s Rhythm & Soul Society.
years ago this weekend, the first Wigan Casino Northern Soul all-nighter took place
We used to drive down from Edinburgh every two weeks – sometimes bus, usually car. The buzz and excitement of the “new” music wingamb casino at the time was thrilling. Shouts was the Scottish “Stafford” I guess…great set of local DJ’s …An honourable mention needs to go to their forerunner, the Glenrothes (Thornton) nighters ran by the Walls brothers..they kept soul alive in Scotland until the Shotts nighters came around.
Related Source Magazine Articles
The Acts for the 1st Northern Soul & Motown Weekender at Yarmouth. 1989 saw the beginnings of the weekenders on the Rare/Northern Soul Scene. They began in Yarmouth at the Vauxhall Holiday Park under the promotion of TAC. It began life as ‘A Motown and Northern Soul Weekender’ with a strong emphasis on live acts and Motown rather than the DJs. Acts to appear at the first were George McCrae, Jimmy Ruffin, Lew Kirton, George Williams of the Tymes, Junior Walker, Clifford Jones, Rockie Robbins, Ray Lewis of the Drifters, Mary Wells, Martha Reeves and Edwin Starr. If you knew what you were doing (I didn’t then, and still don’t really), you’d head to the record bar on the balcony of the Casino and nab yourself a great find, maybe a real bargain.
Enjoyed the article immensely, it’s 90% news to me as I wasn’t even close. When I was over recently I was again impressed with the dedication shown at the couple of nights I went to. Best of luck to all those who got overly damp recently, and better times ahead I hope. I’ve read before that some left the scene in the early 80s as disillusioned with the music. But in my experience most I knocked around with left because they had 2 or 3 years on the scene and decided they’d settle down with the wife and kids, do the local pub etc.
Latest Articles
April 1982 saw the birth of the one all-nighter above all others that epitomises the scene post Wigan. The Top Of The World club in Stafford would become the focal point for many and it would become the venue most talked about after Wigan Casino, The Twisted Wheel, Cleethorpes and the Torch. The venue had already held all-nighters under the promotion of Keith Minshull (and others) prior to April 1982, but when Dave Thorley teamed up with Keith and the Top Dog Soul Club was formed and a legendary venue was born.
One such night featured the legendary Ric Tic Revue with artists from Detroit including Edwin Starr, Al Kent, J.J. Barnes, Laura Lee, Pat Lewis and Lou Ragland. Steve Croft with his After Dark Soul Club was having also having success at Warrington’s Parr Hall and Sean Gibbons doing likewise on the North West coast at Morecambe. Wigan Casino’s remarkable journey from a ballroom to a global epicentre of soul music is a testament to the enduring power of music, community, and cultural expression. “I got into the Northern scene during the months leading up to the infamous ‘Footsee’ by Wigan’s Chosen Few. Banbury, in 1975, was a modest market town, and there was a strong legacy of people who travelled to clubs like the Twisted Wheel in Manchester, and the Torch in Stoke-on-Trent who then moved onto Wigan Casino and Blackpool Mecca.
If you have a venue or a memory that you feel should be included please get in touch with some details. For me and for many others the music was as good if not better than what went before e.g look at Butch’s playlist in Chalky’s article. Excellent article on evolvement of the scene Chalky,enjoyed it immensely. Maybe if I ever find the time, thanks for the comments, again hugely appreciated.
