Anybody who as ever been to the Twisted wheel
allnighter in Manchester. As been to a club draped in historical moments of
the past. There are many good venues all over the UK now at times they play
wheel records however. You wont ever know the feeling of it fully. Until you
hear it played in the actual Twisted wheel club. I have raved about the
allnighters ever since I attended 1. For traditional northern soul fans
this allnighter is as close to the Twisted wheel, the Torch, Wigan casino
allnighters as you will get.
I have been attending allnighters at the Twisted wheel since
the mid 1990's. Since the first time I went there it was obvious the
content was on traditional northern soul. The trend of introducing
crossover as not been adopted there and that rubbish described as rare
soul as no place either. Which is a real bonus for making the trip there
to start with knowing you wont have to listen to that crap my website my
opinion on it. The people who attend the Twisted wheel tend to be around
50+ many of whom went to the original club but everybody is welcome
regardless of age group. The crowd I have always found friendly the
atmosphere is a very relaxed one.
the Twisted wheel
It as never been in doubt in my mind that northern soul allnighters.
Originate from the Twisted wheel club in Manchester. The original club
was close to Deansgate and Albert square in Brazennose street owned by
brothers Jack, Phillip, and Ivor Abadi. It played mostly
rythm+blues and soul music with the dj Roger Eagle. Later the club moved
to Whitworth street a converted warehouse which is still open today. At
the time most nightclubs in the UK focused more on contempory soul music
like Tamla motown a very much more commercial music. But the Twisted
wheel started to import large quantities of records directly from the
USA. Many of the records played at the Saturday night sessions at the
wheel where rare even in the USA. Some where on little independent
labels produced in a single state. All night sessions lasted from 11 pm
Saturday night to 7.30 am Sunday morning. Live acts performed at the
wheel at 2 am amongst the artists that appeared where Junior Walker,
Edwin Starr, Oscar Tooney jnr,Marv Johnson, the Bandwagon, and
Inez and Charlie Fox who later appeared at the Torch. All performed on
the small stage at the Twisted wheel. Fans travelled from all over the
UK to the all night sessions at the Twisted wheel by car, train, coach,
and bus. Following on with another mods tradition of taking pep pills
the club was a regular target for the newly formed drugs squad. Often
large number of the drugs squad where in attendance at the all night
sessions. Eventually in 1971 the club was closed through a local byelaw
preventing any club from opening more than 2 hours into the following
day. The club is still open today holding regular allnighters and soul
sessions the atmosphere is alive with the days gone by. The times I've
attended the Friday allnighters since 1997 have all been a great night
walking round the passages of the club. You often imagine what it was
like in the 1960's when the road outside was full of scooters and the
club full of mods. The feeling is quite awesome if you allow your mind
to take you back. In 1970 after visiting the Twisted wheel the late Dave
Godlin termed the phrase northern soul which as been used to describe
the subculture ever since then.
the twisted wheel website for future allnighter + events:
index link's
homepage
Twisted wheel club