NORTHERN Soul is set to make a comeback as a regular feature of the Hartlepool music scene for the first time in decades when a monthly night of the popular genre is officially launched this week.
Leading the revival is David Halcrow, a 56-year old taxi driver from Owton Manor, who will throw open the doors of Hartlepool United Supporters’ Club, in Duke Street, for a five-hour session.
It will feature himself and a line-up of four other DJs spinning classic Northern Soul records to what he hopes will be a near capacity crowd.
David stepped in to rescue a previous attempt to launch the night last month when the original promoter was forced to pull out, and had officially cancelled the night on the Facebook page he had set up to promote it.
Despite its cancellation, the night still attracted around 30 of the Hartlepool Northern Soul faithful. They ended up having a great night and encouraged him to make the event a regular addition to the growing number of similar nights in the region.
David set about promoting the night and quickly attracted almost 100 fans.
He has since gone on to set up a website where he plans to publish photographs and video to be taken at this Friday’s event in order to keep fans informed of forthcoming dates and guest DJs.
David has now received messages from Northern Soul fans as far away as Chesterfield and Sheffield who have promised to travel to Hartlepool and dance the night away to records they and other members have requested.
But unlike many of those dancers David isn’t a veteran of the Northern Soul scene which sprang up in now legendary clubs like Manchester’s Twisted Wheel and Wigan Casino in the late 1960s and early 1970s – and had its Hartlepool home at the Windsor and the Engineers Club in town.
Even so, having been bitten by the bug, he says he’s learning fast.
David added: “The first night was an experience for me.
“I’ve always liked Northern Soul and I’ve always had a few records in my collection to play at ordinary discos, but I’d never done an actual Northern Soul night.
“But it was great and I’m really getting into it.
“I’m even planning my holidays from work around Northern Soul nights I’d like to go to.
“I’m planning to give people what they want and play the records they want to hear.
“So I’ve drawn up my playlist from the sounds people have told me. It will make it a great night.
“Three people have sent me 20-record playlists and there have been other requests for particular records so I know what people want to hear.”
The Northern Soul night runs from 7pm until midnight and admission is £2 on the door. David’s website can be found at http://hartlepoolnorthernsoul.webs.com/
Comments