Tag Archives: NIEL THOMPSON

WIGAN CASINO AND NORTHERN SOUL REVISITED HERE AT LITTLEDEAN JAIL

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NEW ADDITIONS TO OUR UPCOMING WIGAN CASINO, NORTHERN SOUL & 1960’S REVISITED EXHIBITION HERE DOWN SOUTH AT LITTLEDEAN JAIL IN THE ROYAL FOREST OF DEAN , GLOUCESTERSHIRE

HERE BELOW ARE SOME PERSONALLY SIGNED  CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE STAR OF THE SOULBOY FILM…. MARTIN COMPSTON , KINDLY SENT CARE OF AJ (ANDY JONES ) AT LITTLEDEAN JAIL TO BE DISPLAYED ALONG WITH OTHER WIGAN CASINO AND NORTHERN SOUL EXHIBIT MATERIAL HOUSED IN ALONGSIDE THE QUADROPHENIA COLLECTION


ORIGINAL VINTAGE 1974 WIGAN CASINO REVERE COLLARED TEE SHIRT ON DISPLAY ALONGSIDE THE UK’S ONLY QUADROPHENIA COLLECTION HERE AT LITTLEDEAN JAIL 

For once words just fail me – is this the most outrageous example of genuine “Wigan Casino” memorabilia ever to come to market? Absolutely perfect for framing and perhaps the last surviving example of this garment. Made in 1974 and all most likely discarded by 1975. The front is an artists impression of the Casino complete with balcony, a crammed hall, clearly depicting all those “dance-moves” with one “soulie” performing a back-drop. It’s wild, it’s crazy and the coolest piece Casino-kitsch you could ever possibly own. A beyond-rare Retro-Northern Soul conversation…

ORIGINAL COLOURFUL ARTWORK FROM ARTISIT NEIL THOMPSON OF WIGAN CASINO ENTITLED -” WHERE IT’S AT” …. HERE ON DISPLAY AT LITTLEDEAN JAIL’S…….. QUADROPHENIA COLLECTION 
ORIGINAL VERY COLOURFUL WIGAN CASINO ARTWORK FROM ARTIST NEIL THOMPSON ENTITLED “I’M ON MY WAY ”  ON DISPLAY HERE AT LITTLEDEAN JAIL’S QUADROPHENIA COLLECTION 

ABOUT THE ARTIST NEIL THOMPSON – WHOSE ORIGINAL WIGAN CASINO ARTWORK CAN NOW BE SEEN ON DISPLAY HERE AT THE JAIL ALONG WITH THE UK’S ONLY  QUADROPHENIA COLLECTION, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES REVISITING THE 1960’S, NORTHERN SOUL, SKA, TWO-TONE AND  MUCH MORE 
NOT FORGETTING OF COURSE THE MODS AND ROCKERS !!
 
Neil has been a professional artist for over 30 years. He was born and brought up in Lancaster, and first discovered soul music in the many pubs and clubs of his home city. He first visited Wigan Casino in 1973. Like many, his life changed at that point. The images on this website reflect the Northern Soul Scene – the first underground music scene ever in this country.
 
Some experiences are so essential they are always part of who you are. That’s it with Northern Soul, whether it was the Casino, the Wheel, the Mecca, the Torch or any of the other great soul clubs.
 
Why Cool Dude Art?? Easy, the music was cool, the fashions were cool, the people were cool, and the art is cool!
 
Neil’s work has been highlighted in a range of publications from the soul music magazine “Mojo” to Spain’s “Go” magazine.
 
Some of Neil’s work is on exhibit at the Grand Arcade Shopping Centre in Wigan, built on the exact site of Wigan Casino.
 
For the first time, Neil has decided to publish his many paintings and drawings online.
 Neil presenting “Something Keeps Calling Me Back” to the late, great Edwin Starr.

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Wigan Casino

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Wigan Casino was a nightclub in Wigan, Lancashire, England. Operating between 1973 and 1981, it was known as a primary venue for northern soul music. It carried forward the legacy created by clubs such as the Twisted Wheel in Manchester and the Golden Torch in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent. It remains one of the most famous clubs in Northern England.[1]

This England, a TV documentary about the venue, was filmed in 1977. In 1978, the American music magazine Billboard voted Wigan Casino “The Best Disco in the World”, ahead of New York City‘sStudio 54.[2] Russ Winstanley and Dave Nowell wrote a history of the club, Soul Survivors, The Wigan Casino Story, which was published in 1996. A stage play by Urban Expansions, produced and directed by Paul Sadot about the Wigan Casino years, Once upon a time in Wigan, debuted in February 2003 at the Contact Theatre in Manchester, and has since toured nationally.

Wigan Casino was the name of the last incarnation of a Wigan ballroom called the Empress. Russ Winstanley approached Wigan Casino manager and leaseowner Gerry Marshall to run Allnighters there. Walker brought Winstanley from the rugby club to the Casino Club, and Wigan Casino opened in September 1973, with Winstanley as the DJ. Many famous soul performers performed there, including Jackie Wilson, Edwin Starr and Junior Walker.[edit]History

Young people from all over the UK regularly made the trek to Wigan Casino to hear the latest northern soul artists and to dance. Queues to get in were sometimes five or six people deep, and stretched quite a way up the road. The second dance floor, called Mr. M’s, stayed open until 6am and played oldies songs from a variety of DJs. Every all-nighter traditionally ended with three songs that became known as the 3 before 8: “Time Will Pass You By” by Tobi Legend, “Long After Tonight Is Over” by Jimmy Radcliffe, and “I’m On My Way” by Dean Parrish. Parrish is still active on the northern soul circuit. Over Four Million people attended the Soul Sessions which also had early sessions every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Wigan Council owned the building and wanted to extend the nearby Civic Centre, but due to running out of cash,it never went ahead.[citation needed] The Club was closed December 6, 1981; that final night of Wigan Casino in its northern soul state was DJed by Winstanley, and the 3 before 8 were played three times consecutively at the end of the night. The crowd refused to leave, so according to Winstanley, to “break this spell of hysteria” he picked a 7″ at random from his box and played that. This final Wigan Casino song became one of the most famous northern soul songs of all time, Frank Wilson‘s “Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)”. Annual reunions are held in Wigan and hosted by the original DJs.

The site, as of 2009, is occupied by the Grand Arcade shopping centre.