Skip to content
Elly Roberts reviews
Two thousand Soul revellers,many from Wrexham, Denbighshire and Flintshire and across the UK descendedupon the Pontins Holiday Centre in Prestatyn between Friday 13 and Sunday 15of October.
Now in its fifth year as a concept, the event is growing in strength each year.This was the first time the three day festival was held in Prestatyn. Alongwith live acts, there was a host of the top Soul DJs from across the UK, suchas Sean Chapman from Pontypridd and Wrexham-based Soul Sam, and severalrecord stalls selling classics to rarities on vinyl and CD.
With overnight accommodation available, it allowed fans to stay on campus,partying in the four arenas until the early hours. The showcase had a realfamily feel, with Soul brothers meeting up once again for the annual event -the camaraderie was quite remarkable. People were mingling and rubbingshoulders with some of the best known names from the USA.
Using the Soul Revue format from the 60s, Friday night brought theMasquaraders. Saturdays bill included Northern Soul legend J.J. Barnes, femaletrio The Andantes and Tamla Motown legends The Contours, all backed by thesuperb new generation of Funk Brothers, the seven piece Midnight Hour SoulBand and two backups, Jo Ankrah and Claire Pilling.
Barnes has a cult following despite never charting in the UK – Our Love Is InThe Pocket is his most popular song. Others from his set included SweetSherry and Real Humdinger all delivered in a masterful performancewith the crowd lapping up the songs and creating a great atmosphere for thelong night ahead.
Motowns top backing singers The Andantes (backing stars Martha Reeves & TheVandellas, The Temptations, Diana Ross & The Supremes) they gave a stirringmasterclass, covering standards like When Youre Young And I Love, My Guyand one of the evenings highlights I Got A Feeling (Barbara Randolph).
Headliners The Contours performance was a dazzling as their jackets.Including original member Sylvester Potts, the singing quartet put ontrademark choreographed routines and cultured vocals whilst doing originalssuch as First I Look At The Purse, Baby Hit And Run, Smokey RobinsonsTracks of My Tears, Jackie Wilsons Higher And Higher, only UKhit Just A Little Misunderstanding, saving crowd favourite Do YouLove Me? for a thrilling closer.
For the finale, all artists appeared for a stunning reprise of I Got AFeeling, rounding off a glorious night for the Legends Of Motown and Soul.
For information about the Northern Soul & Modern Soul Weekender March 16-192007, call 0870 604 5606 quoting code NS07.
Acts for next Octobers event will be confirmed around Christmas time.
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.