Hi folks,

I'm doing a Northern Soul birthday party this Saturday.

4 1/2 hours of nothing but Northern Soul, Motown, Mod, Ska... I think you get the picture.

I'd like to be as authentic as possible (never having been to the Wigan Casino, Twisted Wheel etc) in the way I DJ this.

I'm keeping lighting to basics but wondered if there's anyone out there that can give me some pointers in how they used to play these tracks.

They're all 2 or 2.5 mins long thereabouts so I'll be busy but did they introduce each track?

Some of the old video I've seen the DJ introduces each one like an old Motown radio station.

Did they try to fade in/out?

Any suggestions/tips would be greatly appreciated.

I know you're all too young to remember but just in case your great-great-grandad mentioned anything in passing.......

I'll be happy to post the playlist afterwards if anyone wants to see.

Thanks in advance


Teez

As this is a Birthday party and there are a few genres in the list this should be great. A playlist from the client would be really useful this would show how much of a Northern soul fan they are.

i have been to a few northern soul nights and all i heard was a group of customers moaning that the dj wasn't using original vinyl and that he wasn't playing really obscure tracks ..luckily they were a minority (but a large enough group) as most were dancing and yep he had a fake american soul radio station introduction style and just faded one into the other while talking over..didnt like the fake accent myself but hey , each to there own.

It did put me off hosting my own northern soul nights (i was doing research into different types of gigs at the time) due to the real nerdy geek northern soul fans who would know more than me about the genre and moan about records you wouldn't have. they were asking for stuff most wouldn't have danced to but ticks there rare tune box. I have seen a few of these types at northern soul nights .

I go to as many DJ themed nights and tribute acts as i can to do research, its amazing the little things you can pick up.

I personally do not like doing one genre birthday parties as when i have 1 in ten like the chosen genre and then only the odd track not all night ,so you tend to have two hours of what the hosts want then the normal crowd pleasing stuff .. or half an hour at the beginning with birthday boy dancing at the beginning, then really drunk ...then 4 hours of empty dance floor as you play the tracks/genre he insisted on.

Now you can be lucky and everyone is into it and it ROCKS! that has happened too.

as all you guys know being prepared, flexible is the key.

good luck and i hope it works out , i am sure you will knock there socks off!

Thanks for your comments Robster,

I agree it's a bit of a gamble. The client has chosen most of the music and yes, will be comatose by about 10pm whilst I have another couple of hours of his tracks to play.

I'm reassured that quite a few of his guests are Northern Soul buddies from the 70's so I'm sure I'll get the full treatment but I'll just smile!!

Here are some of the tracks we've chosen... sequencing them is going to be a nightmare.

I think I'll save the dance ones till later

Afternoon On The Rhino Casino Soul Orchestra
Ain't No Soul (In These Old Shoes) Major Lance
At The Top Of The Stairs Formations
Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) Frank Wilson
Everybody's Goin' To The Love-In Bob Brady and The Con Chords
Festival Time San Remo Golden Strings
Fortune Teller Benny Spellman
Getting Mighty Crowded Betty Everette
Heaven Must Have Sent You The Elgins
Here I Go Again (LP Version) Archie Bell and The Drells
I'm Gonna Run Away From You Tammi Lynn
I'm On My Way Dean Parrish
Just A Little Misunderstanding The Contours
Long After Tonight Is All Over Jimmy Radcliffe
Love Love Love Bobby Hebb
Love On A Mountain Top Robert Knight
Move On Up Curtis Mayfield
Out On The Floor Dobie Gray
Picture Me Gone Evie Sands
Seven Days Too Long Chuck Wood
The Snake Al Wilson
Tainted Love Jones, Gloria
Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While) Eddie Holland
There's a Ghost in My House R. Dean Taylor
These Things Will Keep Me Loving You The Velvelettes
Think It Over (Before You Break My Heart) Brenda Holloway
Two Can Have A Party Tammi Terrell
Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um Major Lance
Why Am I Lovin' You Debbie Dean
25 Miles Edwin Starr
6 By 6 Earl Van Dyke and The Motown Brass

I have a couple of "arrogant" vinyl scratching friends who see my style of DJ'ing as mere button pushing. I would like to see them try to entertain a mixed age group 21st Century audience with purely NS, Motown etc... I think not!

Bring it on...


Teez

Hi All,

Not posted for ages but still lurking every chance I get. I do quite a lot of Northern Soul & Motown nights and Scooter Club stuff aswell and the best advice I can give you is to get in touch with the birthday boy/girl and see what they mean by Northern Soul and get them to list you a couple of tracks. Reason being what some people class as Northern Soul overs don't, for example the town centre Soul Lounge I work most weekends (In Barnsley) Al Wilson & Dobie Gray get played at least 3 times each in the six hours I play because thats the kind of Northern Soul that the punters want, If I played the same tracks at other 'proper' soul nights then I get lynched.

And as for the vinyl thing don't get me started, as far as I'm concerned if I can hear the song and dance to it I don't care what it's being played off of, I've seen people walk out because I use a HD2500. Thats just sad, don't get me wrong I collect the vinyl too and sometimes use it but what difference does it make as long as you can hear it.

Jase

I really should read posts more carfully, just noticed you already spoke to the birthday boy, Ive not had much sleep. I'll try and post a list of more tunes for you in a bit if I wake up some more

Thanks Jase, look forward to it.

It's not too serious a NS night as for starters the talcum powder won't work on the pub carpet!!

Nevertheless, I'm trying to get as authentic as possible (having never been to one myself) and my main question is how are the tracks intro'd and outro'd?

There's loads of good research on Youtube but none of the clips show that key moment when one track ends and another starts.

Are they allowed to run through to the end and does the DJ introduce each one?

I'm guessing no major fades and because of the obscurity of many tracks the artists and song titles are always introduced.

I'm sure the various DJ's had/have their own style, it's just useful background knowledge for me.

Cheers

Teez

PS: Totally agree with you on the vinyl thing. People that try to be purist about one form of technology only but are still happy to use a remote control to change TV channels rather than get up and crank a knob on a black and white TV need to chill out more!!

I'm Gonna Run Away From You Tammi Lynn

What a tune, one of my all time favourites, must play it next gig.

I did a birthday party once with a similar brief, went really well.
As for intro's etc, just pretend you are back in the 60's/70's using basic decks and mixes and a bit of banter between tracks to hide any difference in tempo's.
Don't think you need worry too much, Sounds good fun, enjoy yourself.

Thanks Mick,

Yes thought as much, will keep it as low tech as possible.

Now I just need to practice that infernal dance routine!!!!

Teez

"nerdy geek northern soul fans" EH? !
Bit disrespectful to people like me who host northern soul nights ,frequented wigan in its heyday, and for the record, I CERTAINLY AM NOT A GEEK NOR NERDY ,
so I HOPE you retract that statement, as it is offensive and uncalled for.

No disrespect was meant and this would apply to any genre and any section of opinion , I like star trek for example , now there are star trek fans who eat there breakfast in full Klingon outfits and teach there children all ferengi rules of acquisition. People take things too far.
Some (and this was NOT pointed at you or your nights ) northern soul fans take it too far too.
i like northern Soul , i try to sing some northern soul tunes ...as a genre and a scene its cool. but i was referring to the people who take it too far , insisting on original vinyl and rare songs that some wouldn't like or dance to .
At a general birthday function is this what you would want?

I also think it was disrespectful not to read my post properly and accuse me of calling people who host northern soul nights or the majority of people who go to such nights when i definitely did not.

if i caused offence to you by implying that there has been or ever will be a nerdy geeky fan of a music genre you like.. i apologise ... but my guess and personal experience is every genre of music has them.
My advice was given honestly to help a member maybe see the potential problems he may find , but obviously all northern soul fans are the easiest people in the world to please , never complain and like any tracks and on any format so he wont have any issues.

Star Trek, now you're talking seriously nerdy geeks. Here's some going to Asda






although this fan deserves a closer inspection.







Live long and prosper...........

my wife at the time looked like Marina Sirtis when TNG came out RRRRLLLLLLL ! lol we all have the ability to house the inner geek but if they look like the above example then im all for it!! (not the andorians)