By Lowell (66.32.33.194 - 66.32.33.194) on Monday, October 29, 2001 - 01:15 am:

Okay, I'll bite. What is an all-nighter? I can try to imagine what it -- all night dancin' 'til dawn party at a club. Or is it?

What was your all time favorite all nighter? What happened? What made it special? Wild and drunk, happy and joyous? What is it like?

Anybody have a story?

By acooolcat (211.72.121.66 - 211.72.121.66) on Monday, October 29, 2001 - 02:34 pm:

Lowell, I started going to all-nighters when I was about 17 years old, that was back in the early 1970s. They'd been popular for a few years by then.
Most people didn't really get drunk,they were mostly taking drugs so they could keep on dancing till dawn. These allnighter clubs closed at 8am.
Consequently most were closed after a short period once the local police managed to block their liscence application - renewal. The atmosphere at the ones I remember were really great; you heard the rare 1960s soul records and that's how I got so interested in Detroit music.
The UK scene has moved on, a little, although I guess drugs still play a part. Most of those attending are now in their 40s! I haven't been to one for a long time as I don't live in the UK now. Over to you David!
Cheers, Graham

By david, glasgow, scotland (62.252.128.4 - 62.252.128.4) on Monday, October 29, 2001 - 10:24 pm:

my first all-nighter was in january 1970 at the legendary twisted wheel club in manchester.

it was basically 9 hours of dancing to rare records in a rabbit warren of rooms which were damp and dingy - but what an atmosphere this created.

the dancing was also quite athletic and fitted in perfectly with the music. some of the dancers were fantastic.

we have some nice images to upload in the northern soul story.

it's difficult to put into words the effect the scene has had on people, however. 1,400 attended an all-nighter in stoke on trent in july. i was there and the commitment is as strong as it was all those years ago.

it's a way of life.

By david, glasgow, scotland (217.32.135.2 - 217.32.135.2) on Tuesday, October 30, 2001 - 01:22 pm:

oh, and forgot to mention all-dayers and weekenders.

it's one big party watch this space!

By Lowell (66.32.33.194 - 66.32.33.194) on Tuesday, October 30, 2001 - 02:35 pm:

Great stories. Thanks and keep them coming. All nighters sound like, in some ways, a precursor to the Detroit raves of the 90's techno culture. For the few that may not know it, techno is the first big time musical motif originated in Detroit since the Motown era. Its rise featured huge and clandestine all-night dance parties held in abandoned factories and theaters called raves. I don't think the concept of an all night dance party existed in Detroit, on any scale, until then. [Or maybe I didn't get invited!]

Central to the rave, as with Northern Soul, is the joy of dance. Drugs, of course, but it is mainly ecstasy not drinking [alcohol is said to work against the ecstasy effect]. So ugly drunks are rare, just huggy dancers.

It seems from what has been said that there are more liberal zoning and caberet laws in the UK that allow for all night performances.

By Dave Rimmer (213.122.202.32 - 213.122.202.32) on Tuesday, October 30, 2001 - 10:45 pm:

My first allnighter was at Va Va's in Bolton in 1973. Very much the same sort of introduction as David and Graham.

That's when it all started for me. Here I am, 29 years later, still attending allnighters / soul nights (evening events that usually finish around 1 or 2 am), on almost a weekly basis. Married, two kids, mortgage, responsible job, and the mentality of a seventeen year old when I go out.

David mentions the 1,400 people who were at Stoke, but the very first allnighter under the Togetherness banner attracted 1,700 people, and the same night Winsford allnighter also attracted 600.

Certainly it makes me smile to hear Rave kids say what a great scene they have, staying up all night dancing to music and taking drugs. sorry kids, we were there thirty years before you !

And it's a fair bet that we will still be around and into Soul music long after techno/rave/dance scenes have ended.

I've often said that my wife is the greatest love of my life, but Soul music is the longest !

Dave

By John Lester (213.1.179.51 - 213.1.179.51) on Wednesday, October 31, 2001 - 07:18 am:

I feel bad now...my first All Nighter was the one with Brenda Holloway and Kim Weston in Manchester....was it 1998?

Well I have a sort of excuse - I am only a measly Southerner....

YOU guys certainly know how to party....my ears were ringing for days afterwards and my body clock went into overdrive. I recall at 8:30 in the morning, we were all still there, talking to Kim and Brenda about those old days..and they were signing autographs too. How they managed to keep awake was amazing. At 10:00 am I was in bed, fast asleep ..with a smile on my face!

By daverimmer (213.122.197.61 - 213.122.197.61) on Friday, November 09, 2001 - 10:49 am:

I promised to let people know what was happening in the States, Northern Soul wise. Well I eventually found the link I was looking for. Here it is:
www.geocities.com/unitedsoulclubofamerica/index.htm

Whilst the site is a few months out of date I'm sure the guys behind it will be able to update you.

Dave

By Ade (193.129.220.205 - 193.129.220.205) on Wednesday, December 19, 2001 - 04:22 am:

Speaking as a "newcomer", it's interesting that a number of the detroit based folk are drwing links between the "rave" or "House" scene and the Northern soul scene. There are Sooooo many similarities with regards the "underground" nature of both, drug use, DJ politics, rare sounds and the zeal of the followers. unfortunately, the once underground detroit house and techno sounds are now so "overground" that to a lot of young people, they've lost their edge. Another reason why I travel miles to listen to Searling, Roberts, Croasdell, Burrell and Brown DJ, as opposed to Frankie Knuckles!!! The main difference between the current house scene and the northern soul scene, however, is that a big name soul dj will pay a fortune for his records (£15000 for Frank Wilson) and get paid very little, whereas the big House DJ's get all their records for free and get paid £15000 for a spot. Oh, And I'm yet to find anyone as fanatical about house as I am about Soul!!!!

By Julian (205.188.198.182 - 205.188.198.182) on Thursday, December 20, 2001 - 05:54 am:

Rave and after hour joints are good spots to get your music heard, for us up and comings.