By GrahamD (62.254.0.10) on Tuesday, February 25, 2003 - 03:35 pm:

There is 2 days to go and we will be pointing the car in the direction of Pontins at Prestatyn wich is in North Wales for a weekend of pure soul!! Rare soul will be played 24 hours a day and the cressendo of the visit will be the visit to our shores of three Soul Stars Gwen Owens and Don Gardner and Lou Pride!! I have packed all the 45s and Lps that i have by these three artist to be autographed please!!!!! The Cam corder and Camera is stowed away to capture the magic moments these three Soul Stars will create this Saturday Night!I tell you Guys I cant wait!! Friday cant come soon enough! Is anyone here on the forum visiting Prestayn this week end! Hope so,it will be nice to see any of you Guys. Has any one seen any of the above artists appear on stage in the Usa,if so can you tell me anything about your experence seeing such artists! GrahaD :<)

By STUBASS (206.135.204.2) on Tuesday, February 25, 2003 - 03:38 pm:

MEL: WILL YOU BE ATTENDING THIS ONE???...PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!!...STU

By JSmith (212.39.231.20) on Wednesday, February 26, 2003 - 02:55 am:

Graham,
Introduce yourself at the event.
I will be the old overweight buga with a goatie beard who spends a lot of time chatting around the event with the artists (I have to find out interesting stories to chat about with them during my artist 'radio' interviews).
Hoping to get some embarassing stories on Bettye LaVette from Don Gardner, she stood in with his band in the mid 60's. Knowing Miss B, there are bound to be numerous tales he can recount.
I also arrange to be on stage with my camera / video recorder (up front but keeping a low profile) while the artists perform.

By David Meikle (213.122.147.5) on Wednesday, February 26, 2003 - 03:33 am:

It would be wonderful to see Gwen Owens live.

Have a great one and let us know how it goes please.

By MEL&THEN SOME (195.219.7.11) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 07:38 am:

Stu,
unfortunatley due to work commitments I Shall be missing one great week-end.
But a good number of brothers and sisters I know are going so I will have to do with there stories when they return.
Its a pity the likes of your fine self couldnt make it stu(then work would of been somehow sidelined)especially as you featured on one of the finest and rarest tracks that Gwen Owens ever did.
I Would loved to of seen and heard Don Gardner for the following tracks,Aint gonna let you get me down,CHEATIN'KIND,Tighten up your love bone,Is this really love etc.
And Lou Pride,for his Suemi recordings especially,I'm com'un home in the morning,an all nighter monster sound from the mid/late 70s,and Your love is fading,Lonely room,Im not thru'loving you as well as the Ballads he made.
Anyway Stu,
Wanted and Needed just wont sound the same without you on that Bass intro.
Mel.

By GrahamD (62.254.0.10) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 09:38 am:

As I write this sentence my wife is putting the things we need for the weekend in the Trunk of the Car,I hope i get some good Photo's of the artists mentioned as they perform,i will post them on the forum when we get back,see ya soon.

By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 11:45 am:

Graham,
We will be looking forward to seeing the photos you take of this event. Have a great time.

By STUBASS (152.163.188.68) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 01:00 pm:

TO ANYONE ATTENDING: TELL GWEN THAT HER FRIEND AND FORMER BASSIST STU MILLER FROM THE VELGO DAYS SENDS HIS BEST TO HER AND HER FAMILY...BEV...ARTIE...PARENTS!!!...STU...MEL...STILL GETTING MY E-MAILS RETURNED BUT I KNOW THAT I HAVE GOTTEN YOURS???...

By GrahamD (62.254.0.10) on Monday, March 03, 2003 - 02:45 pm:

We have had a fantastic weekend at the Prestatyn Soul Weekend,my soul shoes are still SMOKIN!!!We danced the last 3 days away and as i write these lines i am still on a high!! no need for any drugs! just a fix of good music and away you go!!
Saturday night we had the honour of seeing the 3 soul stars Gwen Owens and her 2 daughters, who was awesome together,Lou Pride who rocked the place,and the Great Mr Don Gardner,if any one knows Dons work you will know of his very professional approach to his work,this man at 71 years old!!( sorry Don but your amazing!!)sings like a Bird,he captivated the audience with what i can only call CLASS. God Bless you Don!Peace and Love too you.Gwen Owens can still hold her own against the best,she to sings like a bird and both her Daughters has inherited Gwens Talents as stage performers,Gwen you are great,you go girl,lets see more of you.
Lou Pride who still retains that great voice of his also captured the audience with his live version of I,M COMIN HOME IN THE MORNIN,man it was awesome,Lou did other songs as did Gwen and Don,I will post there performance and the Photos that i took later when i have Downloaded them.
Graham&RosyD.

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Monday, March 03, 2003 - 03:06 pm:

Sounds like you had a "winner" GrahamD. Was anyone else there from the forum?

By Carl Dixon London (62.31.40.155) on Monday, March 03, 2003 - 05:02 pm:

Graham - can't wait to see the photo's. Sounds like you had a good time.

By JSmith (212.39.231.20) on Tuesday, March 04, 2003 - 04:50 am:

I produced a backdrop (using parts of Coolcat's
20 Grand posters + other bits of my memorabelia) for the artist interviews at the W/Ender. It looked great on the studio wall (& in the video of the interviews).
Although the radio room was supposed to be a secure area (access by passes only), it had been stolen off the wall within 3 hrs of the interviews being completed.
No one of Graham's posters were reproduced on the backdrop in it's entirety, so the originals can't be 'made' afresh from my backdrop.
You can't trust anyone though can you, only people associated with organising the event can have had access to the radio room. No idea who
took it, but I am trying to find out.

Gwen was just brilliant live. I was worried during the interview as she didn't seem to be in 100% good health. But once on stage she became transformed. She was just a total diva, a real fire-brand. Strong vocally & looking great. Her kids sang back-up vocals and were also great. Took photos & a video (I placed myself on the stage during the show) of the live performances, so should have some great piccys.