It’s the 40th anniversary of Wigan Casino first opening its doors as a Northern Soul venue, quickly becoming the venue most associated with the Northern Soul movement. At 2am on Sunday 23rd September 1973 Wigan Casino opened its doors for its first Northern Soul all-nighter & the rest is music history…..

For the uninitiated Northern Soul was an underground music and dance movement that emerged, initially in Northern England in the late 1960s, from the British mod scene. Northern Soul revolves around a particular genre of black American soul music based on the heavy beat and fast tempo of the mid-1960s Tamla Motown sound. The Northern Soul movement generally rejects the more commercial sounding Motown or Motown-influenced music that enjoyed mainstream chart success.

The recordings most championed by Northern Soul afficionados are more obscure artists, initially released in limited numbers by small regional US labels such as Ric-Tic and Golden Records ( Detroit ), Mirwood  ( Los Angeles ) and Shout and Okeh ( New York /Chicago ).

Northern Soul is also associated with distinctive, idiosyncratic dance styles and fashions that evolved out of the underground rhythm & soul scene of the late 1960s, at venues such as the Twisted Wheel in Manchester. This scene rapidly spread to other UK dance halls and nightclubs like the Chateau Impney ( Droitwich ), Catacombs ( Wolverhampton ), the Highland Rooms at Blackpool Mecca, Golden Torch ( Stoke-on-Trent ), and of course Wigan Casino. As the beat became more uptempo and frantic, Northern Soul dancing became more athletic, somewhat resembling the later dance styles of disco and break dancing. Much of the time the dancing was fuelled by amphetamine drugs like “speed”.

If you are not familiar with Northern Soul music, then you have been missing a trick and a beat!! Check out this Record Press Top 10 Best Northern Soul Songs –

Top 10 Best Northern Soul Songs

1. Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) – Frank Wilson

2. Out on the Floor – Dobie Gray

3. The Night – Frankie Valli

4. There’s a Ghost in My House – R. Dean Taylor

6. Tainted Love – Gloria Jones

7. The Snake – Al Wilson

8. Time Will Pass You By – Tobi Legend

9. Long After Tonight is Over – Jimmy Radcliffe

10. Seven Day Lover – James Fountain

Which are your favourite Northern Soul Songs? Tell us about your memories of Wigan Casino in the Reply Box below.

Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Wigan Casino opening it’s doors for the first time for a Northern Soul all nighter, by ordering your favourite Northern song in a vinyl single format; framed and mounted as a picture disc souvenir. You can also personalise it with an inscribed / engraved plaque…… 

ORDER NOW…….. www.myfirstrecord.co.uk/

Framed vinyl records, framed CDs and framed DVDs with a personalised plaque, make unique presents or original gifts for a special celebration  / special occasion ie a Wedding ( Wedding First Dance Song ), an Engagement Party ( Our Song ), a House Warming Party ( New Home ), a 21st, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th Birthday ( How about the No1 song on the day of birth? ), a Silver, Ruby or Golden Wedding Anniversary, Father’s or Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day!!  THE PERFECT PERSONALISED PRESENT!!