From Xtown to Skegness

[bobkayli]

John and I soaking up the Skegness atmosphere

[bobkayli]

Tried joining the Velvelettes but i think my height, gender and inability to sing gave the game away. [[btw don't the ladies look lovely?)

[westgrandboulevard]

Glad to see it...and just waiting now for those reviews...

[bobkayli]

then tried to convince Kim Weston and Diane Shaw that i was Marvin Gaye. They didn't buy it. Prince Philip Mitchell can be seen in the background keeping a low profile. Both ladies put on fantastic sets.

[bobkayli]

however having a lovely lady on each arm has it's compensations...

[bobkayli]

Kim during a highly charged gospel medley. This brought the house down.

[bobkayli]

More photos of the performances to come but Dropbox is downloading them slowly.
What a Motown weekend!
Brenda Holloway started the ball rolling on Friday with a great set giving a mix of her Northern favourites, her hits and a Mary Wells tribute. She sang Operator which was fabulous for me as i asked her for it last time she was over here! She left immediately after her set to get back to LA where she was due to pick up a lifetime achievement award the next day. Thanks for coming Brenda, Come back soon!
The Velvelettes went through the peaches in their songbook. I would leave John to describe this better since he is the definitive word on the Velvelettes. Besides the hits, Twilight Time hit the spot. But a group that starts with He Was Really Saying Something and finishes with Needle In A Haystack could do no wrong with the appreciative Skegness crowd,
Kim played a varied set on Saturday running through her Motown best including her hits and duet with Marvin. Also UK favourites like Looking For The Right Guy and A Thrill A Moment. Then a rousing gospel medley topped off with Just Loving You. There was not a dry eye in the house after this one. She took an unplanned break midway through her set because of the incredible heat on stage but came back stronger than ever.
The Motown part of the weekend was capped off with Joe Billingslea's Contours who showed all the Motown group style dressed in all white suits and shoes with black shirts and handkerchiefs. What a performance they gave. They started with First I Look At the Purse with all the strut and insolence of the original. Most of their hits followed as well as a stunning accapella version of Baby Hit And Run accompanied by all in the audience and which almost tore the roof off of the hall. Tributes to the time with You've Lost That Loving Feeling and a Twist medley led into a rip roaring Do You Love Me. They also showed up on the traditional Skegness finale of Do I Love You.
just a mention for 'non-Motowners' Prince Philip Mitchell and locals Soul Boy and Diana Shaw who more than made up the numbers but this was a Motown weekend for me so my apologies for underplaying the efforts of the others.
From the contributors here it was a pleasure to meet up with David Bell who probably has much better photos than mine and will no doubt share some when he has a moment.

[bobkayli]

For those of you wanting to know more about Skegness besides the music, Rachael and I went for a walk along the beach yesterday morning. This was the scenery...

[motony]

thanks for running it down, sounds like a GREAT event.

[snakepit]

Bob
I was in Skeggy last summer..found a great record shop that was 100% Motown and NS. Unfortunately it was shut and I lost the details but near the sea front.
Sounds like a good show.

Snakepit
Soulful Shack on www.fcumradio.co.UK
Sat/Sun 20.00
Mon/the 17.00

[theboyfromxtown]

Thank you Paul. Not sure I would want to admit to knowing that old man wearing the Velvelettes T shirt but I do seem to recognise him.....he looks at me in the bathroom mirror!

Great weekend and really pleased we were able to meet up.

The Motown performances by Brenda Holloway, Kim Weston, the Contours and the VELVELETTES were all as you would expect. Top quality.

I have some photos on my ipad but I dont know how to get them onto my pc. I will have to work on that.

[westgrandboulevard]

Calv1971/Calvin....

You may by now have found it, but this is the thread mentioned by theboyfromxtown on your own thread of today.

Post # 7 by bobkayli should be of interest......