UPCOMING UK Northern Soul Tour

[jsmith]

A repeat of last summer's BBC NORTHERN SOUL PROM ... 21293

[jsmith]

A clip from last summer ... Motown Magic ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKtkbpYScZ4&list=PLFDaLm3zjU2t1SylOZj9-jX29pRt67eEg&index=12

[jsmith]

A vid of the BBC TV show ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5vevfcNdCU&list=PLFDaLm3zjU2t1SylOZj9-jX29pRt67eEg&index=17

[jsmith]

Got my ticket for the London show -- it's being staged @ the Royal Festival Hall on the bank of the Thames. This is usually the venue for very highbrow concerts, so the NSoulers will definitely bring a different vibe to the place.

[paul_nixon]

Got my ticket for the London show -- it's being staged @ the Royal Festival Hall on the bank of the Thames. This is usually the venue for very highbrow concerts, so the NSoulers will definitely bring a different vibe to the place.

Saw the Funk Brothers in concert there so it has the right pedigree

[Boogiedown]

Oh dear. This is the antithesis of Northern Soul. It's Everything it wasn't about.

[Starguard4]

Oh dear. This is the antithesis of Northern Soul. It's Everything it wasn't about.

I completely agree. It's yet another BBC distortion, as if their other "Soul Of America In London" offerings weren't bad enough. This is not "our" music. It's just some obnoxious middle of the road interpretation of it, aimed at mainsteam concert goers, TV and radio audiences, whatever.

[Boogiedown]

I completely agree. It's yet another BBC distortion, as if their other "Soul Of America In London" offerings weren't bad enough. This is not "our" music. It's just some obnoxious middle of the road interpretation of it, aimed at mainsteam concert goers, TV and radio audiences, whatever.

Exactly. A cash -in.

If you weren't there then .....this ain't nowhere near gonna do it.

[wilxy]

Totally Agree!

[wilxy]

Hi Paul, I was lucky enough to see the Funk Brothers, in 2005 albeit at the Manchester Apollo, and they were awesome, even though sadly depleted in numbers, whereby for example, the opening bars to "it's a shame" sounded like I was present at 2648 West Grand Boulevard.....Whilst the BBC orchestras' efforts are commendable, they are not in the same league......respectfully!

[jsmith]

. . .. If you weren't there then .....this ain't nowhere near ........
I was there from 1966 onwards [[Mojo, Nite Owl, Wheel, etc, etc) ....
... so you're trying to preach to the wrong guy.

[Boogiedown]

. . .. If you weren't there then .....this ain't nowhere near ........
I was there from 1966 onwards [[Mojo, Nite Owl, Wheel, etc, etc) ....
... so you're trying to preach to the wrong guy.

Sorry if it seemed like I was aiming that at you ....I was speaking to the "you"s of the universe.
You are fortunate to have such bragging rights.... as one who actually got to ride the wave.

As such are you in agreement with my appraisal??

[jsmith]

. . . . are you in agreement with my appraisal??
No, it was me that started this thread, so obviously not.
I really enjoyed the BBC's televised show last summer & wished I'd been at it.
In the past, I've been involved with helping out at UK soul weekenders - being both an official & unofficial unpaid member of the presentation teams. With the best will in the world, I'd have to state that SOME of the 60's acts put on at such events had totally lost their voices. OTHERS could still sing but their 'range' was much reduced [[as you would expect, a person in their 70's can't have the vocal prowess of that person in their 20's). I won't name name's but a few were downright embarrassing.
You get the likes of Bettye LaVette, Chuck Jackson & a few more who still have the chops, but the vast majority don't AND we shouldn't expect them to.
So to see decent 'younger' TRIBUTE singers performing with world class musicians playing sympathetic arrangements is THE BEST WE CAN NOW EXPECT.
There is no way we can turn back the clock to 1969, IMHO this is the BEST we can do these days.
HAVING SAID THAT, I wouldn't go see Otis's version of the Temptations or the group brought over here a while back under the Vibrations name, as they have nothing at all to do with the personnel who gave us all those classic recordings 60 years ago.

[jsmith]

Having said all the above ... if I could get control of Dr. Who's Tardis ... 21336

[Boogiedown]

. . . . are you in agreement with my appraisal??
No, it was me that started this thread, so obviously not.
I really enjoyed the BBC's televised show last summer & wished I'd been at it.
In the past, I've been involved with helping out at UK soul weekenders - being both an official & unofficial unpaid member of the presentation teams. With the best will in the world, I'd have to state that SOME of the 60's acts put on at such events had totally lost their voices. OTHERS could still sing but their 'range' was much reduced [[as you would expect, a person in their 70's can't have the vocal prowess of that person in their 20's). I won't name name's but a few were downright embarrassing.
You get the likes of Bettye LaVette, Chuck Jackson & a few more who still have the chops, but the vast majority don't AND we shouldn't expect them to.
So to see decent 'younger' TRIBUTE singers performing with world class musicians playing sympathetic arrangements is THE BEST WE CAN NOW EXPECT.
There is no way we can turn back the clock to 1969, IMHO this is the BEST we can do these days.
HAVING SAID THAT, I wouldn't go see Otis's version of the Temptations or the group brought over here a while back under the Vibrations name, as they have nothing at all to do with the personnel who gave us all those classic recordings 60 years ago.

I think a nice time can be had ... for this "NS" event or for Otis's "Temptations" as well, depending on one's frame of mind about it I guess.

[jsmith]

Went to the show Friday night & along with everyone else there [[it was packed) really enjoyed myself.
21366

[Boogiedown]

Went to the show Friday night & along with everyone else there [[it was packed) really enjoyed myself.


glad you enjoyed it. :)

Not much about it on you tube .... [?]



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADbv2qcRQXk

[jsmith]

The tour is ongoing & audience members are warned not to make recordings on their phones before the start. Many more shows still to come.
Lots of photos being taken on smartphones, so no doubt lots of short recordings were made. I'm sure many will find themselves onto the net over coming weeks.
Dancing was encouraged but not along the main entrance / access ways to each seating area. Of course, folk ignored the instruction but many did dance [[most in allowed areas).
As the venue I attended [[the Royal Festival Hall -- next to the River Thames -- in central London usually hosts classical music performances & ballet, the staff seemed quite taken with the joyous atmosphere generated on the night. Many of the musicians themselves seemed to be having a great time.

[55Motown]

To have this music played in The Royal Albert Hall, The Royal Festival Hall etc, is massive respect for those who wrote & produced the songs in the first place. Including the studios, engineers, musicians, backing singers, featured artists and the executive producer etc, who took initiatives to make the song[[s) work back in the day. Of course importantly, those who bought the records and supported the genre that helped make the song[[s) popular enough to be released in the UK for example, or encourage cover versions or live tours for those who recorded in the studio.

I struggled to watch the Royal Albert Hall performance at first. When I eventually dipped my toe in I enjoyed it. But, because I can often hear the musical or vocal phrasing errors I get frustrated. It's important to sound like the version they wish to emulate and get the lyrics correct. I think 'Time will pass you by' they mumbled 'la la la's' to some of the b/v's when it should have been 'don't let it happen baby'. Listen to Diane Shaw's excellent live version on YouTube, go figure, I did a co write with Diane and Andy her husband called 'Good Lovin' Man' and it was pressed to vinyl. A 'B' side but...on a 45rpm :-)

But on the whole I am pleased this is happening. The song writers/their estates will be getting some royalties via BMI/ASCAP hopefully if their territories pay for live performances. It may also stimulate the market for more dancing events with fresh young individuals participating. If you do not know who Johnny Boy Pryers is [[in the UK), check his track 'Cause my lover's gone' produced by Robert Paladino of 'You don't love me'/The Epitome of Sound fame or even 'You Ain't Changed' with drums by Detroit's Drew Schulz. Both these tracks produced with passion, but I bet 99% on here have never heard them.

[jsmith]

Just goes to show how things have changed.
For the last 30+ years, when US acts have been brought over to the UK, they've been informed which songs the audiences here want to hear [[many times they've never actually performed some of these songs live in their whole careers -- resulting in singers on stage holding lyric sheets as they perform). Also, the band practices ahead of time to get the backing track at the same tempo as the original recording & as close as the current band line-up [[instrument wise) would allow.
Back in the 60's / 70's /80's, acts would come over here & perform a similar act to that they were doing back in the US. Certainly in the 60's, just about every song they would perform would be speeded up when compared to the recorded version -- we were told this was to up the energy level of their shows ...
so things have changed a lot.
A lady who has been coming to the UK for 30 years. She was just here a couple of weeks ago & will be back here again to do a NS show in a couple of weeks time ...
21385

[Boogiedown]

Any idea why this 30 year NS veteran wasn't included in the elaborate hullabaloo? Obviously available ... seems like a lost opportunity .