SOME of the rarest records from a popular soul movement in the 1970s will be played throughout the night at a city venue this weekend.
The Peartree, based at the University of Worcester, will be hosting its first Northern Soul All-Nighter on Saturday (May 31) at 9pm, which organisers hope will help put the city back on the soul music map.
Rainbow Hill resident John Ambler who has set up the event along with music promoter Chris Burton, said Worcestershire was once a hotbed for the movement, with venues such as the Coppertops in Dines Green attracting fans from across the UK.
But now Mr Ambler has vowed to bring Northern Soul, which was influenced by black American soul music, back to the county.
“Worcester used to be a big centre for soul music in the early 70s,” he said.
“Places like the Château Impney, the Abbey in Malvern and the Bank House in Bransford used to have lots of bands playing. Even places like the Archdales Social Club had the Kinks appear there.
“It has not necessarily gone into the doldrums, but between Worcester and Cheltenham there is still a huge soul following, so I wanted to do something about it.”
As well as inviting DJs to play records from the era, the 500-capacity venue will also be showing the 2014 film Northern Soul, which tells the tale of two boys whose worlds are changed forever when they discovered the music.
Tickets cost £13 and can be bought in advance at the Peartree Student Union Box Office or at www.keeleallnighter.co.uk
