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Having not written a review for about two years, I approached my task with some trepidation, but also within the maelstrom that passes for my mind was a great deal of anticipation. Work
commitments had forced me to miss Prestatyn, (gutted!) so I was pleased that the next Plinston soul night had come round so quickly. I really enjoy this venue and it caters for all tastes with
the main northern room augmented by a modern room and the newly opened mojo room. The promoter is a gent called Neil Oppegaard, who first got into northern in 1978 aged thirteen and a half, (is it my
imagination, or is this starting to sound like a Sue Townsend book) and has stayed with it ever since. That includes through the 'Darkest Days' when the scene's profile was at it's
lowest. He works really hard at promoting, and as a DJ, (known as the big "O", he's one of the Plinston posse) and you'll see him regularly at most of the London venues, as well as Bedford,
Kettering and other satellite soul nights. He's easily recognisable because of his penchant for 'Loud' shirts,:-) but more importantly for the fact that he's a really good dancer. The
'Plinston' soul night hit the ground running on Sept 6th 2002, and has been on the 'up' ever since, before we know it, it will be celebrating its first anniversary, and from what I've witnessed
it will be the first of many! Meanwhile back at the review........
I'd made my intentions clear to Juliette (my other half) right from when we were getting ready, I did not want to stray
far from the northern room tonight. I pleaded my case, "The leather soles on my Loakes crave dancefloor action and the DJs at the Plinston, regulars and guests alike provide me ample opportunity
to dance to top quality northern". A long sentence I know, and with very little punctuation, but somewhere in my man's brain an idea had sprung up. If I plead my case without taking a
breath she'll understand my 'Desire to perspire' and issue forth a sympathetic response. I don't think for a minute that I fooled her, but plan B, 'The doleful eyes' worked a treat.
We arrived at the venue around nine and parked right outside, (my distaste for walking further than twenty yards is legendary) although there is plenty of parking quite close by, and the venue does
actually have it's own car park attached. We went through the doors, said a few quick hellos and were immediately approached by security. "No smoking in the foyer please". What was
cool, was that they explained why, and were pleasant at all times, later in the night I even saw one of them sweeping up a surplus of talc and he was still smiling. Right through the night security
kept a low profile, and I suspect this softly softly approach was an ingredient that assisted the creation of what was a very amicable atmosphere.
I went and found a base to put the 'bags and
fags' and Juliette went to the bar, which is competitively priced and well staffed, something near and dear to the hearts of many of today's soulies. All around the main hall are tables and
chairs and happily they don't impact on either access to the floor, or take up precious dance floor space, both pet gripes of mine! And talking of the dancefloor, it would meet even the most
discerning soulie's criteria. It's large, fast, and very smooth so no need to bring your anti wrinkle cream:-) To be honest the floor needs no artificial stimuli at all, unless of course
you're dancing in 'Diver's boots', or you've recently read "Getting the most out of your talc" by Norman B. Soulful :-)
The DJs are on a stage, and someone has thoughtfully placed a set of
steps on each side, no doubt this is so us ageing soulies don't do ourselves a mischief trying to clamber straight onto the platform. From the vantage point of the stage, the DJs can gauge the
dancefloor reaction to the sounds that they're playing and decide whether to change musical direction. This is something that has to be applauded in my opinion, as far too many DJs let the action
on the floor, and therefore the atmosphere subside, which subsequently dulls the night, and tends to leave a feeling of discontentment. I don't think anyone in tonight's 300 + crowd was
feeling unfulfilled, as floor space was at a premium all night, and for me that pays firm testament to good DJ'ing policy! A sample of some of the tracks pounding out of the new sound-system
are listed below:
MAIN HALL: Soul Sam, Fingers, Hammie, and The Big O
Fingers
Metros I'll never forget you (RCA LP only)
Sydney Joe Quails I Don't do this (20th Cent. Fox LP )
Four Arts Who do you think you are (Shee)
Esther Phillips Nobody but you (Roulette)
Stan Devereaux Sad tomorrows (SuJay)
Arabians (Please) Take a chance on me (Le-Mans)
Tony Middleton To the ends of the earth (Aus. Polydor)
Gino Washington I'll be around (Mala)
Jackie Wilson Open the door to your heart (Brunswick LP only)
Darrow Fletcher What have I got now (Jacklyn)
Soul Sam
Angie Stone – Wish I Didn't Miss You (Soulful Remix 12")
Lou Pride – Your Love is Fading (Suemi)
Tolbert – I've Got It (Rojac)
King Moses – I've Got The Feeling (Pet)
Ernestine Edy – Let's Talk It Over (Phila Of Soul)
Servicemen – I'll Stop Loving You (Grapevine 2000)
Beres Hammond – Do This World A Favour (Rocky Gibbs)
Marve Lee – Old & Grey (Rugby)
Uma – Woman (UN)
Hamilton Movement – She's Gone
The Big "O"
Eddy Jacobs – Friday Night Get-together (Kiss-Kiss) *Plinston anthem!
Original Larks – Together (Shazam)
Kenni Lewis – Not The Marrying Kind (Test Pressing)
Judy Freeman – Hold On (Unissued LP version)
Dream Team – I'm So Satisfied
J.D Abraham – Doctor of Love (Reena)
Joe Valentine – I Lost The Only Love I Ever Had (Val)
Allan Sisters – I'm In With Downtown Crowd (Quality)
Webs – Can't Let You Go (Whiz)
Johnny Darrow – Love Is A Nightmare (Sue)
Hammie
Prince Phillip Mitchell – I'm So Happy (Atlantic 45)
Phoentics – Just A Boys Dream (Trudel)
Lou Pride – I'm Coming Home In The Morning (Suemi)
Brothers Guiding Light – Getting Together (Mercury)
Isley Brothers – My Love is Your Love (Lp only)
Ann Sexton – You've Been Gone Too Long (SS7)
Gloria Jones – Come Go With Me (Uptown)
Tangeers – Heart and Soul Be Free (Okeh)
Whilst in the
'Mojo room'............ MOJO ROOM: Ab, Leon Hewitt, Lee Davies, Fingers and The Big "O"
Ab
King Curtis – Green Onions (Atco)
Joe Simon – Long Hot Summer (SS7)
John Lee Hooker – She's Mine (UK Stateside)
The Untouchables – Raisin Sugar Cane (Madison)
Temptations – A love I can see (Gordy)
Teardrops – Every Step I take (Max)
The Charmers – Waiting For You (BlueBeat)
Derrick Morgan – Round The Corner (Ska Beat)
Stranger Cole – Pussy Cat (Ska Beat)
The Superlatives – Do What You Wanna Do (Dynamics)
Lee Davies (all the way from Wales)
Take 5 - Willie Mitchell - Hi
Charles Tyler - Ease The Pain - Lanor
Young Holt Trio - Aint There Somethin Money Cant Buy - Brunswick
Jean Dushon - Feelin Good - Cadet
Willie Small - How High - Jessica
Irma Thomas - Dont mess with My Man - Ron
Ted Taylor - Somebodys Always Tryin - Okeh (Request)
Richard Berry - Have Love Will Travel - Flip
Clyde Mcphatter - I Never Knew - Mercury
Pearl Woods - Dont Tell it All - Crackerjack
Norma Rudd - He's Mine - SureShot
Yvonne Gomez - My Man A Go-go - Hawaii
Marva Whitney - Saving My Love for My Baby - Federal
Milton Grayson - Aint Necessarily So - Keen
Marion Black - Who Knows - (Avco)Embassy
Little Willie John - I'm Shakin' - King
Ted Taylor - Look Out - Top Rank
Mitty Collier - Pain - Chess
Larry Trider - Carbon Copy - Coral
Lonnie Lester - You Cant Go - NuTone
Porgy & The Monarchs - That Girl - Musicor
Lulu Reed - Your Love (Keeps Workin on Me) - Federal
Cornell Blakely - I want My Share - Rich (Request)
Al Reed - Sorry Bout That - Axe
Johnny Nash - I'm Movin On - Warner Bros
The Big "O" (all the way from the end of the street!)
Mernard Rogers - Good Food...(Marget)
Joe Simon - A whole lot of lovin' (SS7)
James Brown - Money won't change you (King)
BB Brown - I weep (Dit Dot)
Pinochio James - Sneaking around (Glad Hamp)
Jimmy Johnson - The Hunch (Magnum) *For Leon
Dolly Cooper - Big Rock Inn (Dot) *Rocking, and I mean ROCKING, R&B
Paula Grimes (with Andy Gibson Orch) - It's a happenin' baby (Turf) * As above
Norma Rudd & the Jelly Roll Band - Love!
(Cover-up) *This is one of two known copies (so far!) Fab!
Yvonee Fair - Say yeah yeah (Dade)
Delores Wilson - Come on shy guy (Renee)
Linda Queen - I feel the pain (Rod)
Eddie Foster - I wont be your fool (Lyons)
Jay Lyle & Rocketeers - The Love Bounce (Cover-up)
Bobby Kimble - Stop right here (Jab)
Sammy Davis Jnr - Not for me (UK Reprise) *THE version
Barons - Money dont grow on trees (Soul)
4 Bars - What's on your mind (Shelly)
Leon Hewitt
Pearl Woods – Sippin Sorrow (Dawn)
Henry Strogin – Misery (Hank)
Grover Mitchell – That's A Good Idea (VJ)
Jewel Atkins – Just A Wee Bit More Of Your Lovin' (CapeHart)
The Gaylettes – Lonely Feeling (UK Island)
Terry & Jerry – Mama Julie (R&B)
Ronnie Love – Chills & Fever (Dot)
Jackie Shane – In My Tenement (Sue)
Olympics – Fireworks (Tri-Disc)
Fab Dinos – Bad Girl (King) Fingers
Dee Dee Sharp Coming home baby (Cameo LP only)
Charles Sheffield Voodoo Working ( Stompin' LP)
Diplomats Cards on the table (Arock)
Paul Peek The shadow knows (Columbia)
Joe Monte Hurtin' myself (Capitol)
Metros I'm with you all the way (RCA LP only)
Young Jessie You were meant for me (Mercury)
Joyce Davis Hello Heartaches, goodbye love (Okeh)
Volumes Maintain your cool (Twirl)
Monzas You know you turn me on (Moon)
And finally the modern room A.K.A "The Ghetto"
The "Ghetto" Taffy, Soul Sam, Nathan
Taffy
Sundray Tucker-If It Was Me-Tk
Pretenders-I Call It Love-Carnival
Prince Phillip Mitchell-One On One-Atlantic
Clarence Carter-Can I Make It With You-Future Stars
Bobby Hutton-Loving You Needing You-Abc
Rare Gems-You've Got My Love-California Gold
Cory-Take It Or Leave It-Phantom
Freddie Terrell-You Had It Made-Capital
Bottom & Co-Gonna Find A True Love-Motown
Randy Brown-I'm Always In The Mood-Parachute
Brewster Crew-I'm One Who Know-Lifeline
We The People-Making My Daydream Real-Lion
Jones Brothers-Lucky Lady-Avi
The Real Thing-Stone Cold Love Affair-20th Cent
Steeplechase-Never Coming Back-Polydor
Jeff Perry-Call On Me-Epic
Black Nasty-I Have No Choice-Enterprise L.P.
Prince Phillip Mitchell-In Her Own Way-Ichiban
Lenny Williams-There's No Hiding Place-Marathon
Topics-Booking Up Baby-Mercury
As you can see from the playlists, the sounds played were
right across the board, with some classic oldies to whet the appetite, washed down with a rich mixture of r&b, current monsters, forgotten oldies, modern/crossover dancers, and the outright
rare! If you're a dancer, and you live within a fifty mile radius then get yourself here, if you live further afield, then get yourself a room, cos you'll love it at the Plinston! One last
thing, all around the main hall are posters (some as big as 3' by 2') lovingly reproduced by Neil, and top bloke that he is, he doesn't mind if you take them at the end of the night!!
The nights run from 8 til 2 and its £5 Advance Ticket or £6 OTD FUTURE DATES:
May 9th: Tony Warot & Pete Hulatt;
July 4th: Andy Rix (Main Hall) Dave Rimmer (Mojo) & Dave Welding for The Ghetto
Sept 5th (Anniversary) : Mark Bicknell & Butch, (complimentary patch and dance comp)
Nov 14th: Guests TBA
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