New events listings online

Plenty of events coming up in the coming months, with details of the first of them now online in our events section.

That includes The Pow Wow Club in Sheffield (19th September), No Way Out in Manchester (4th October), Birmingham's Brum Beat Parts 1 & 2 (25th October) and although not strictly a mod event, top-notch soul and funk at the Soul Revolution 3rd Anniversary (19th September).

Sadly, we've not had time to do a breakdown of what's on over at the Isle of Wight for the August Bank Holiday Weekend, but you can find details of most of the events in the Modculture forums.

If you have anything coming up, feel free to get in touch via the 'contact us' button on the site.

Find out more at the Modculture events listings

Ray Davies set to star in own musical

Former Kinks frontman Ray Davies has written a musical about growing up in post-war London.

Davies composed 20 new songs for the production, which he is also set to narrate when it hits the stage later this year. Come Dancing focuses on the vibrant London ballroom scene of the 1950s. As a youth, Davies said he used to watch his sisters go to the capital's ballrooms and dances every Saturday night. He would later write The Kinks song 'Come Dancing' about his eldest sister Rosie. Davies has been planning the musical for almost a decade. The musical is directed by Kerry Michael, who recently took the helm of the theatre production of The Harder They Come.

Come Dancing opens at the Theatre Royal Stratford East in London on September 13. See here for more information.

The Wrong Box in Blackpool

If you happen to be planning a late season break in Blackpool, you might want to check out The Wrong Box.

Taking place at West Coast Rock, Abingdon Street, Blackpool on Saturday 6th September, you'll get a couple of live bands (The Valvetronics and Yeh Yeh), followed by the resident DJs playing vintage sounds - everything from soul to psych.

Admission is £3 on the door and if you want to know more, email info@thewrongbox.com.

Rhoda Dakar at Da Doo Ron Ron

Brighton's long-running 60s girl group night Da Doo Ron Ron is having a special guest DJ - Rhoda Dakar (Special AKA / The Specials, The Bodysnatchers).

Actually, there's two guest DJs, as she'll be joined by Nick Welsh (The Selecter, Lee Perry, Prince Buster, Laurel Aitken, Judge Dread, Skaville UK) on the decks. The night is on Friday 25th July, running from 11pm until 3am at the Komedia in Brighton, with a playlist of 60s girl pop, soul and funk embracing 60s girl groups, Motown, Ska, Soul / Northern soul, Ye-Ye, Pop, Girls in the garage, Sister funk et al.

Tickets are £5 in advance (from Komedia) or £7 on the door.

Da Doo Ron Ron MySpace

Reggae Train at Isle of Wight

The Reggae Train returns to the Isle of Wight on August 22nd, 23rd and 24th - offering three nights of original reggae, rocksteady and ska and celebrating 40 years since the arrival of the original skinheads.

The venue is The Town Club, 25 Star Street, Ryde, running from 8pm until late with cheap bar prices promised.

If you want to know, give Jim Cox a rung on 07901 834901.

Mod-friendly events at Filthys

As we have mentioned previously, Filthy MacNastys is hosting the Mods: Influences and Aspirations exhibition - and to accompany it, Filthys has put together a short programme of mod-friendly nights (outlined below). The address is 68 Amwell Street, London EC1R 1UU, with more at the website.

Sunday 6th July - Mickee's Sunday Explosion

The 6th of July see's the return of the Mod cabaret otherwise known as the Sunday explosion! A light hearted event which explores the record boxes of a dedicated explorer of Sixties Soul and Mod club vibes!  This month Mickee is joined on the decks by Tim 'The Mod' Fuller.

Tuesday 8th July - Book launch – 500 Lost Gems of the 60s

Kingsley Abbott's 500 Lost Gems of the Sixties is a lovingly presented collection of artwork, true stories and gossip surrounding a very special selection of seven inch UK singles, all linked by one fact: each one was robbed of a top 10 position! To celebrate the book Ovolo Publishing are organising a one off event, starting at 8pm.

Thursday 17th July - Tall Poppies

From 8pm - catch a band on the up for free.

V&A's Motown Weekender

You probably know that the V&A is currently hosting a Supremes exhibition, but you might not know that the V&A will soon be hosting a Motown Weekender.

And there's sure to be something for everyone over the weekend of Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th July, with the event promising DJs spinning soul, jazz and reggae alongside the Motown sounds, as well as films, talks, t-shirt printing, Supremes makeovers, dance routines and workshops.

In fact, if you want to know the full details, check the link below. All events are free.

Find out more at the V&A website

Vertigo double decker in Manchester

Next Friday sees the return of Vertigo in Manchester, a two-floor event with a bargain admission price - nothing.

Friday June 27th to be precise with 60s Beat, R'n'B, Early Northern sounds, Ska and Blues with 60s visuals on the big screen in the Attic, while Downstairs in the Thirsty Scholar plays host to Modern 60s influenced Indie, 2 tone, Mod revival and Classic 60s.

It runs from 9pm until 3am - email here to find out more.

Shingaling Thing! returns

Top DJ and all-round good egg Mark Ellis is overseeing the return of his much-missed London club night - It's The Shingaling Thing!

A DJ line-up of Mark, French Fred, Jo Sadler, and Will Bourton will be spinning jazz, latin, R&B, soul and reggae on Saturday 19th July at the Apple Tree, 45 Mount Pleasant, London WC1.

Admission is free and it all goes on from 8pm until late. Want to know more? Email Mark by clicking here.

The Boiler 5th Anniversary event

Check out the events section for details of The Boiler 5th Anniversary Weekender in Barcelona.

It take place over the weekend of 11th and 12th July, mixing live music from The Bottleneckers and The Five Aces with two soul allnighters, featuring guest DJs Barbara Grassi (Genova), Alan Handscombe (London), Neil Henderson (Manchester) and Batman (Paris)

And of course, you get some sun and stylish scenery...

Find out more in the Modculture events section

BFI's Midsummer Psych-Out

The Flipside crew at London's BFI have another fine event on the agenda - the Midsummer Psych-Out.

As the name suggests, this is a night of mind-blowing visuals and late 60s tunes, which takes places on Saturday 21st June from 6:20pm. The film program is outlined over the page (taking place in two parts), with the visuals followed by a 'freak out' at no extra charge to the swirling psychedelic sounds of DJs Mariko and Anti-Gravity Man (The Girls in the Garage) in Benugo bar. Tickets are £8.60 each show or a joint ticket is available for £12.50 (concessions £9.25).

Wanted: Your recommendations

Well, we've (almost) got a brand new website, now all that's needed is a serious update of the content.

We've got the album reviews covered, not to mention films and books (although it's always good to hear of new ones - and indeed new bands). But we could do with your help for the club listings, recommended shops, scooter dealers, barbers - you know the kind of thing.

If you can help with anything (nothing is too small), then please fire over an email to:
david@modculture.co.uk
- with the subject of what you're sending about (club, shop etc) and the details in the main body. Check out the current sections for the kind of info we need. If you have any ideas for news stories, fire them to the same address too.

Right now it's UK only, but we are considering expanding the shopping guides to worldwide. If you can help, drop us a line...it might just push us into doing it.

Contact Modculture

An interview with Dean Belcher

As we mentioned earlier, Dean Belcher will be introducing his Mods: Influences and Inspirations photo exhibition in July, which will show off images of a cross-section of mods from the modern era, taken in Dean's studio over a number of months.

So it made sense to collar Dean for an interview for Modculture - which we did - and that interview is now live on the site. Dean talks about is mod past, how he broke into photography and what led him to this project. You'll also get a preview of some of the images.

Check it out via the link below.

Read our interview with Dean Belcher

Immediate Records book signing

We previewed Immediate Records: Labels Unlimited by Simon Spence recently and if you like the sound of it, you can meet the author at a forthcoming event at Waterstones.

The book focuses on the ups and downs of the mod-friendly label, the brainchild of Andrew Loog Oldham. Indeed, author Simon Spence was a collaborator on Andrew Loog Oldham's autobiography, Stoned,

You can ask him about the book and the label at the Waterstones store on Gower Street in London on Thursday 12th June at 6.30pm. Free tickets are available and refreshments are provided.

Find out more at the Waterstones website

July's Mind Yuh Business

We mentioned the rescheduled Mind Yuh Business + Trio Valore event recently, but before that takes place, there's another Mind Yuh Business in July.

It's on Friday 4th July 2008, with a live appearance from Baby Charles (around midnight)  plus DJs Tim Keenoy (Resident), Jazzman Gerald and guests spinning soul, ska, boogaloo, funk and more.

Venue is the Dex Club, 467 - 469 Brixton Road, London SW9, running from 9:30pm until 6am, with tickets costing £6. They tend to sell out so email
mindyuhbusiness2008@googlemail.com if you want to reserve any.

Mind Yuh Business website

The Acid Gallery Summer Happening

Over the past two years London club The Acid Gallery has attracted many admirers with its mix of top notch DJs playing the experimental music of the late 1960s and the cream of the bands from todays garage, psych, and mod scenes. And to celebrate the achievements so far the organisers have put on a full weekend of events, dubbed the 'Summer Happening'.

From the 18th-20th July the club, hosted by DJs Phil Istine and Tommy 'Gun' Atkins, presents two evening parties and an all-dayer to finish things off. On the Friday new Leicester combo The Dirty Backbeats headline with their frenetic psych-blues squall, with support from new London garage sensations The Lysergics. DJ accompaniment comes from Andy Morten of Toffee Sunday Smash/Shindig! fame. On the Saturday night the band line-up is topped by Modculture favourites The Draytones and their freakbeat-fuelled melodic-pop, with support from garage heroes Thee Exciters and the Parisian psychedelic collective Aqua Nebula Oscillator. Guest DJs here are Col Wolfe, Docteur Man (Austria), and Shazzula (Paris).

The Sunday all-dayer features 8 blistering live acts all ready to make your weekend finish in a decidedly cheerful manner. Bands include Leeds blues punk duo The Old Romantic Killer Band, kraut-psych wonders Organ Morgan, Reading nu-gaze boys Somebody’s Mind, and power-poppers The Charlie Parkers. Bringing you the strange sounds from way-way-out will be Elliott Marmaduke Jones (Gas Mach 5) and Rich Hero. Probably best book Monday off work after all that...

The venue, The George Tavern in Whitechapel, has a beer garden to perfectly facilitate those woozy summer chats with fellow ravers. Full weekend tickets are available to buy for £14 from Ticketweb here. Purchase a ticket and be entered into a draw to win a years’ subscription to Shindig! Magazine. For more information visit the Sweet but Deadly website here or Myspace page here.

Mind Yuh Business + Trio Valore

Originally postponed due to a double booking, Mind Yuh Business with Trio Valore is rescheduled for Saturday 30th August 2008.

It takes place at the Dex in Brixton, kicking off at 7pm, with the action carrying on until 6am. If you don't know, Trio Valore consists of Steve White - Drums, Damon Minchella - Strings and Seamus Beaghan - Keyboards and they'll be onstage around midnight.

The music starts early on the roof terrace and food will also be available. There's a jacuzzi / hot tub on the roof so weather permitting you might even be able to take a dip. Failing that, you can dance to a strong DJ line up, including Tim Keenoy (resident) and Jazzman Gerald.

Tickets are £8 and likely to go fast. If you want one, email mindyuhbusiness2008@googlemail.com or visit the website below.

Mind Yuh Business

Vertigo Double Decker in Manchester

See above for the details of the next Vertigo Double Decker in Manchester, taking place on Friday 30th May 2008.

Two floors and free entry, with  60s Beat, R'n'B, Early Northern sounds, Ska and Blues i The Attic, with modern 60s influenced Indie, 2 tone, Mod revival and Classic 60s in the basement.

It runs from 9pm until 3am. To find out more or to get a DJ spot, email allthatjazz_mcr@hotmail.com.

Manchester mod weekender

The ninth annual Manchester mod weekender details have just been announced.

Taking place over the weekend of Friday the 25th and Saturday the 26th of July 2008, the popular weekender (also known as "Modchester") is bought to you by The Hideaway gang of Neil Henderson, Mike Warburton and Paul Welsby. This years event is in a brand new venue, but expect the usual first-class mix of R&B and early soul played on original 45s.

Friday 25th July
"Mod Ball", 9pm-2am, £4 entry. Guest DJ Frank Popp (Germany)
Saturday 26th July
"50 years of mod sounds" Afternoon do, 12noon-5pm, free entry
The Hideaway Club evening do, 9pm-2am, £4 entry. Guest DJs Roger Banks, Pete Griffin (Boogaloo Radio), and Frank Popp.

All events @ The Deansgate, 321 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 4LQ.

For more on the weekend visit the website here .

Mind Yuh Business + Trio Valore

Please note that the Mind Yuh Business + Trio Valore night has now been cancelled due to the band getting a better offer (TV date) in Italy. The night might be rescheduled in August - more when we know it.

Mind Yuh Business website

Midnight Movies at Curzon Cinemas

If you are in London and on the look out for a late night cult film in themed surroundings, free beer and a party thrown in, you should check out Midnight Movies, which is taking place at Curzon Cinemas.

The next event is on Friday 30th May, a 1960s-themed event with Skidoo on the big screen - a satirical comedy involving gangers, hippies, prison riots, LSD, a soundtrack by Harry Nilsson and starring Groucho Marx in his final role. Locked away by director Otto Preminger himself and never released on video and DVD, this is a rare opportunity to catch this groovy flick from 1968.

The event starts at 9:30pm (with DJs), with the film showing at 11:30pm. Entry is £10 (advance) or £12 on the door, with each ticket including a free beer. Tickets are available from the box office at Curzon Soho, 99 Shaftesbury Avenue, W1D 5DY or from the website below.

Curzon Cinemas website

Via Cinedelica

The Creation at the 100 Club

Mod/beat legends The Creation are back together for a gig - at London's 100 Club.

The date for your diary is 24th July 2008, running from 7:30pm until 11pm, with DJ support from Gary Crowley and Dave Edwards.

Tickets are a fairly hefty £20 and available from the link below. Or find out more at the 100 Club website.

Order tickets for the gig online

Perpignan Soul Weekender 2008

The Perpignan Soul Weekender offers 3 days of rare soul, R&B and classic soul in sunny Perpignan, in the south of France. Taking place over the weekend of the 19th-21st of June, there is an extensive line-up of top DJs to give you maximum pleasure for your money. Below is the schedule, including DJs, times and costs.

Thursday 19th: Soul Aperitif
Wine tasting in a cafe, with local DJs + guests
7.30pm-10.30pm, free entry

Friday 20th: Soul Steppin
Party at the El Mediator, Avenue General Leclerc.
DJs: Liam Quinn (Belfast), Andy Bellwood (York), Paul Rockey (North Wales).
7.30pm-1.30am, 4 euros

Saturday 21st: Soul Night
Party on the 7th floor of the Palais Des Congres of Perpignan.
DJs: Liam Quinn (Belfast), Thierry Steuve (Brussels), Tony Jackson (Manchester), Maria Willingham & guest (Middleton), Paul Rockey (North Wales), Chic (Manchester), Andy Bellwood (York), Steve Cato (Manchester), and Chris Bearsoul Morgan (Manchester).
8pm-4am, 8 euros (includes free drink).

Wattstax film each evening.
Projection of Wattstax, the 1972 concert at the Watts Stadium in Los Angeles, to the memory of the black riots of 1965. With Isaac Hayes, the Barkays, Little Milton, Rufus Thomas etc.
Cine Rive Gauche, Quai Vauban.
7pm, 5 euros.

For more information on the weekend or to reserve tickets email lava-records@hotmail.fr.

1970 Reggae Soul Revival weekender

Following the success of the first event, details of the 2nd 1970 Reggae Soul Revival weekender have been announced.

Taking place on the weekend of the 11 and 12th of July at the Sugar Lounge in Margate, the big news this year has to be the appearance of Derrick Morgan alongside George Dekker. They will be duetting on many classic skinhead reggae anthems, as well as performing their solo songs. Weekends DJs include Brian Kelson, Phil Bush, Mark Wilson, and Oxford Paul. Weekend tickets are priced at £20 and available from the venue here .

1970 Reggae Sound Revival
11-12th July 2008
@ The Sugar Lounge, Mansion Street, Margate, CT9 1HE
8pm-3am on the Friday (£6), allnighter with live acts on the Saturday (£15). Free Sat daytime event (open decks, stalls)

For more information on the event you can phone the organisers: Phil on 07796 988633, or Brian on 01952 604251.

Monkey Train in Stockton

Another night in Stockton, this time a newly-launched night going by the name of Monkey Train.

The music mix is ska, 60s R&B, soul & reggae, with DJs Paddy M (Tighten Up, Set the Tone), Johnny and guests. It kicks off on Saturday 7th June at the Georgian Theatre, running from 8pm until late. Tickets are £3 in advance, £4 on the door.

For more information check out the clubs MySpace site or if you have any questions or fancy a guest DJ spot contact monkeytrain@hotmail.co.uk.

Dance - and win a Savile Row suit

We have mentioned the Magic Bus night before - and if you've not been down, here's an added incentive for you. You could win a Savile Row suit.

How? Well, Magic Bus at the Cock Tavern on Friday 13th June will feature special guest DJ William Hunt of Savile Row alongside Eddie Piller, Ivor Jones, Johnny Valatone and Dean Rudland. And there's a dancing competition with the prize of a bespoke Savile Row suit from William Hunt - male or female suit.

Flyer above, but if you can't see it, the address is The Cock Tavern, East Poultry, Smithfield Market, London EC1 (20 yards from Fabric), running from 9pm until 2am, £5 on the door.

Find out more at the MySpace site

Modern Life in Stockton

Modern Life is returning to its soulful home, bigger and better than ever on Friday 23rd May.

Shake and fingerpop to the sounds of Tamla Motown, Atlantic, freakbeat blue eyed soul, ye ye, Hammond mod, 60s britpop and Northern. Dress neat and be ready for sharp beats as DJ Grant Schofield and his team (guest DJs include Chris Arthur).

There's a live band too - Edinburgh-based five-piece combo Modus, recently signed to Hammondbeat Records. The night takes place at the Stockton Arc, running from 9pm til late, with admission £8 (£6 concessions).

Arc website

The Boiler in Barcelona - May

Check out the flyer above for the next Boiler in Barcelona, which takes place on May 10th 2008.

Gues DJs are Jo Wallace, Roberta and Moonwolf, with the night running from 11:30pm until 5am and admission 10 Euros.

If you want to know more, contact the organisers via the Boiler website.

Solid Gold 60s weekends

Solid Gold Weekends present two autumn events in Hemsby, Norfolk for '60s music lovers.

First up is their '60s Weekend' from the 24th-27th of October. This is one for the beat fans amongst you, as headlining are The Nashville Teens and The Merseybeats. Then comes the 'Soul and Motown Weekend', from the 21st-24th of November. This event see performances from Geno Washington and His Ram Jam Band, Cliff Bennett and The Rebel Rousers, The Soul Detectives, and more. Both events are compeered by Steve Cherelle of BBC Essex.

The weekenders take place at Seacroft Holiday Village in Hemsby, near Gt. Yarmouth. For 3 days and nights of live acts and accommodation combined costs from £99. To book ring 01493 733610. For more info and updates visit the Solid Gold Myspace page here.

Beatles day in Liverpool

The Beatles are to be celebrated in their hometown of Liverpool on the first dedicated 'Beatles Day' this July 10th.

The event marks the 44th anniversary of the band’s triumphant homecoming after they conquered America in 1964. The day will help generate funds for the Alder Hey Children's Hospital Imagine Appeal, and the Liverpool Echo's 'Liverpool Unites' campaign. 20,000 moptop wigs and inflatable guitars are being made, and businesses will be encouraged to decorate buildings with Beatles memorabilia. Radio stations are set to play more Beatles-related tracks, as well as invite listeners to share their Fab Four memories on air. There will be also be a Beatles parade.

The day, part of the Summer Pops series, will end at the Echo Arena with 'Imagine - The Concert', hosted by Ricky Tomlinson. Musicians from far and wide will play their own versions of Beatles songs, with many special guests expected. Summer Pops promoter Chas Cole says:

Liverpool has always been proud of The Beatles and it’s a wonderful idea to combine an annual celebration of their music with a fund-raising drive for charity. Beatles Day will really be about the ordinary people of this city, and hopefully in the future, cities in the UK and beyond because we want this idea to catch on, from Liverpool to London to Los Angeles.

To buy tickets for the Imagine concert (priced £19.50 and upwards) visit Ticketmaster here.

Small Faces Convention 2008

Details of the 2008 Small Faces Convention have been announced.

The annual event, organised by John Hellier, will once again take place at Carling Islington Academy in north London on Sunday September 21st. Live acts confirmed so far are Small World, Small Fakers, 17Black, Matt Henshaw, Fuzz Face, Petty Hoodlums, 5 o'clock Heroes, RT3, and special guests Secret Affair. Tickets for the 12th edition are still priced at £20 and will be on sale from in June  from the venue and John himself via the Wapping Wharf website.

Full event address:
Carling Academy Islington
N1 Centre, 16 Parkfield Street, London, N1 0PS
Nearest tube: Angel

And whilst on the subject of the Small Faces, Issue 30 of fanzine The Darlings of Wapping Wharf Launderette is available now, priced £3.50 (from the Wapping Wharf website). It features coverage of last years' convention, the recent plaque unveiling on Carnaby Street, and much more besides.

Oslo Mod Weekender

If you've never been to Oslo, you could take the opportunity on September 5th & 6th for the Oslo Mod Weekender.

Friday night is hosted by Oslo's top Mod club Klubb Magnus playing 60s soul, rhythm & blues, latin and boogaloo in an authentic 60s venue, then following a daytime event on Saturday, the Saturday night will offer more mod sounds, courtesy of  Pow Wow's Mik Parry, Carole F and Callum from Shoutin' the Blues, Mark Raison, Mr. No More Doggin's Kev C and from The Alley Club, Big Jon.

We'll have a flyer and full details in our events section nearer the time.

Find out more at the MySpace website

What do you want on the site?

We're about to start our re-design of the website and to go along with it, we want to stick up a load of new content. We hope to expand and improve existing sections, but we need to know specifically what you are interested in.

Do you want more listings? More news? More reviews? And if so - what kind of reviews do you want - clubs, events, films, books, music or anything else?

And do you want more articles - and if so, what kind of articles? And who do you want us to interview? Or perhaps you want something more technical - like a radio station or downloads? Would you be interest in well-designed merchandising?

Please let us know your thoughts abut the above and anything else by contacting the site or leaving a comment below. And if you fancy contributing in any way at all, we're ALWAYS happy to hear from you.

Contact the site

Back Beat R&B weekender

Hot on the heels of news of the Berwick weekender this Autumn comes the announcement of the line-up for the Back Beat R&B Weekender at Prestatyn.

Set for the weekend of the 10th-13th October at the Prestatyn Sands Holiday Centre, the Back Beat crew are Joe Dutton, Hoss, Roger Banks, Kev Drage, Ted Couldstone & Nashee. They offer here two allnighters, two afternoon sessions, and the Sunday Finale with the cream of the European R&B scene DJs, including Mik Parry (Pow Wow), Merv Parnell (Midnite Town) Bob Morris & Paul Bennett (Shakedown) DundeeDavie and Kev Conn (Basics) Soggy and Simen (Klubb Magnus) and Andy Pollard.

Whether you are an R&B aficionado or just fancy dipping your toes into the scene this weekender has something special to offer you. Prices for onsite accommodation start at £34 per person. The booking and information number is 0844 576 5949. For more on the Back Beat club visit the website  here.

All Together Now: oh we do like to R&B beside the seaside…

 

100 Club photographic exhibition

London's classic mod venue The 100 Club presents a new photographic exhibition covering the last 60 years of its renowned and infamous history.

The iconic images to go on show will include such jazz and blues artists by Walter Hanlon, Terry Cryer and Chas McDevitt, The Punk Festival of 1976 shot by Barry Plummer, plus images of acts such as The Rolling Stones, (such as their image here, shot by Carole Lateman), Chuck Berry, The Clash, Primal Scream, Oasis, The Horrors, and many more.

The exhibition will be open to the public from Friday 9th May to Sunday 11th May, 12pm – 4pm. Entry is free.

For more visit the 100 Club website here.

Double dose of Italian summer fun

Whilst the weather here in the UK has been less than great recently you may have been contemplating getting away for some sun.  And what better way to do that than by getting some mod fun into the bargain too. Here are two recommended Italian weekenders to give you such an opportunity.

First up is Hot Mod Summer On The Lake taking place in Perugia in June. Organised by the Perugia Cool Scene group, the annual event is set in a beautiful venue and is always very popular. Hot Mod Summer offers two allnighters, a scooter run, swimming pool party, and plenty of opportunity to sunbathe. Weekend DJs are Giulio Bresin, Michael Myers, Mike Painter, and Nancy Yahiro.

Secondly there is The Right Track On The Beach in Terracina, 60km south of Rome. Get Smart Roma and Mods Blood Fish Terracina have got together to turn their annual 'getaway at the beach' into a full blown weekender. The venue is a cool terrace set on the beach, helping keep the party-goers from overheating in the summer heat. Like Hot Mod Summer there are two allnighters and scooter run, plus live music on the first night from Smart Riot. Joining The Right Track crew on the decks over the weekend are guests Mary Boogaloo, French Fred, Michael Wink, and Borja Sanchez.

Hot Mod Summer On The Lake 2008
27th-29th June 2008
Lago Trasimeno, Perugia, Northern Italy
Info: hotmodsummer@yahoo.it, Myspace page is here.

The Right Track On The Beach
11th-13th July 2008
Terracina, Central Italy
Info: Stilemod site here or The Right Track Myspace page here.

In Crowd Weekender feat. The Impressions

The Impressions are to headline the In Crowd Soul Weekender in Northampton this May Spring Bank Holiday.

Held at the usual Park Inn Hotel venue in the centre of town, this fourth meeting sees a headline performance from Motown legends The Impressions, and a support cast of  The Undisputed Truth, The Shades of Blue, and Kenny Bernard. DJs for the weekend are Ginger Taylor, Sean Chapman, Nigel Brown, Jo Wallace, Hitsville Chalky, Phil Richards, Andy Bellwood, Paul Donnelly, Tony Dellar, Chris Morgan, Glenn Bellamy, Karl Boddington, Catriona, Nathan Houghton, plus your host Paddy Grady.

The Saturday night event featuring The Impressions will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 2, and that days’ Craig Charles Soul & Funk show will also broadcast live from the event.

In Crowd Weekender, 23rd-25th May
@ The Park Inn Hotel, Northampton, NN1 2TA
Friday 23rd 8pm-3am - DJs and two live acts over two rooms
Saturday 24th 12pm-5pm - Afternoon DJ session
7.30pm-3am - DJs and two live acts over two rooms
Sunday 25th - 12pm-5pm - Afternoon DJ session
3pm onwards - ‘meet the artists’ session
8pm - 12.30am - closing party

Weekend passes cost £50, but be quick as not many are left. To buy tickets and to see more about the event visit the Northern Soul Radio website here.

Ska and soul in Brixton

Following on from the success of the first night, another night of soul and ska is planned for March 29th at Dex in Brixton.

In room one, you'll find live ska from Soothsayers, along with DJ support from a strong line-up including Jazzman Gerald and Tim Keenoy. In room two, there's a good mix of vintage sounds, including rare groove and dub.

Tickets sold very fast for the last event, so get in early - £5 in advance and you can ifnd out how to get tickets by dropping Tim Keenoy an email.

Glasgow Mod Weekender announced

Scotland's premier mod club Friday Street once again brings us news of the Glasgow Mod Weekender, this time set for the 26th-29th of June.

The big change this year is the two new venues being used, The Twisted Wheel for daytime events and The Winchester Club for the evening do's. These venues are second to none and promise to provide a great party atmosphere. Of course you should expect all the usual great events the weekender has established in the past few year: top DJs, excellent bands, daytime stalls and the scooter ride-out around Glasgow City centre. Confirmed weekend DJs are Mikey Collins (Friday Street), Paul Molloy (Friday Street), Gav Arno (Pow Wow), Mik Parry (Pow Wow), Rob Bailey (NUTS), Neil Donaldson (Figure 5), and Lenny Harkins (ex Caley Soul).

Full line-up of events:
Thursday 26th June
9pm till 1am @ The Twisted Wheel, free entry
Friday Street DJ's plus guests on the decks; live set from Rico's Torpedo.
Friday 27th June
9.30pm till 3am @ The Winchester Club, £6 entry
Weekender residents plus guests spin top quality Modernist tunes in 2 rooms.
Saturday 28th June
Mid-day till 5pm @ The Twisted Wheel, free entry
Live music from The Five Aces, guest DJ's, record and clothes stalls
9.30pm till 3am @ The Winchester Club, £6 entry
Weekender residents plus guests spin top quality Modernist tunes in 2 rooms.
Sunday 29th June
Mid-day till 5pm @ The Twisted Wheel, free entry
Guest DJ's, record and clothes stalls, scooter competition and ride out
9pm till 1am @ The Twisted Wheel, free entry
Weekender DJs in the basement

For information on accommodation or anything else you can contact the organisers at glasgowmodweekender@hotmail.co.uk. For more on Friday Street see their Myspace page here.

Berwick mod weekender confirmed

Plenty of advance notice for this one, but trust us when we say it is worth getting the diary out in advance for the Berwick Weekender.

Taking place over the weekend of Friday 7th to Sunday 9th November 2008 in Berwick-Upon-Tweed, the weekender sees DJs from four top UK mod clubs - London's Steppin' Out, Liverpool's Sink Club, Manchester's Hideaway Club and Berwick's own Barrels Club - serve up a platter of the very best in mod, r'n'b, ska and '60s club classics. It all takes place within the confines of the Marshall Meadows Hotel. On top of this are DJ appearances from special guests Merv Parnell, Hoss and Dave Byrne.

A weekend pass costs £20. To purchase a pass and for any enquiries regarding accommodation phone 07904 182178. For more info and to stay abreast of the latest developments see The Hideaway Club website here.

Finger Poppin' Time in London

The Finger Poppin' Time crew are promising the best in Club Soul, R&B, Ska, Latin, Boogaloo on Saturday 1st March at The Cavern in Walthamstow.

DJ's for the nigh are local residents Alice Fowkes, Mark Ellis, Jo Sadler and Tim 'The Mod' Fuller, spinning tunes at a 'great friendly venue' within easy reach of Walthamstow tube (Victoria Line).

Find out more at the Modculture forums or drop Tim a line via email here.

Madrid's s.m.a.r.t. club - March 2008

The s.m.a.r.t club in Madrid returns on March 15th 2008 with the usual top-notch selection of guest DJs.

Playing mod and soul sounds are Mary Boogaloo (Rome), Niamh Lynch (London) and Ana Vila (Barcelona), playing with resident Bego Cueto.  It takes place ar the Clamores Club, 14 Alburquerque street (metro station: Bilbao).

Time: 01:00 till 05:30
Entrance: 10 Euros (one drink included)

Find out more at the s.m.a.r.t. website

Brighton Beach Leeds Cockpit Allnighters

Brighton Beach is returning to the Cockpit in Leeds - offering an Allnighter if the university hours of the regular Leeds Brighton Beach are a bit short.

The first one is on 8th March and monthly afterwards. It's described as an 'aftershow party' and starts at 3am (when the university BB ends), running until 6am - when most trains out of the nearby Leeds station start up. And to differentiate it from the the earlier night, this one will have an all-60s soundtrack - soul, r’n’b, northern, boogaloo, garage & beat, along with a chill out room playing cult 60s films.

The aftershow will cost you £3 on the door. For reference, the earlier Leeds University Brighton Beach is a two-room events, running from 10pm until 3am, costing £5 in advance.

Brighton Beach website

Leeds Smokestack Mod Weekender

2007 saw plenty of great mod clubs and events, but possibly the best UK one was the Leeds weekender organised but the 25th Hour Collective. So its no surprise that many are already looking forward to the 2008 version.

The May event, this year dubbed 'Smokestack Lightning', has much to offer over its three days and two venues: live music on the opening night, a top selection of DJs joining the 25th Hour crew to spin all manner of vintage black music sounds, a scooter run, and the already infamous 'North v South' 5-a-side football clash. Will the north get their revenge for last years defeat? You'll only know if you show up!

25th Hour Present
Smokestack Mod Weekender
23rd May - 25th May 2008
Leeds, Yorkshire

Friday
@ Smokestack, 159a Lower Briggate, Leeds, LS1 6LY,
9pm until 3am. Free Entry
Live: 'Cuppa T & The PGs'

Saturday and Sunday afternoon
@ Sandinista, 5 Cross Belgrave Street, Leeds, LS2 8JP,
1pm until 5pm. Free Entry.
Open decks, stalls, scooter ride out.

Saturday and Sunday night
@ Smokestack
8pm until 3am. £5 on the door.

Weekend guest DJs:
Alan Handscombe (Capital Soul Club)
Paul “Smiler” Anderson (Steppin’ Out)
Mark Ellis (Steppin’ Out)
Lee Miller (New Untouchable s)
+ 25th Hour Collective: Jonathan Marsden, Neil Lee & Nic Brady

To get in touch with the organisers email them at twentyfithhourcollective@yahoo.co.uk or telephone on
07753283048 or 07956886917.

See also:
25th Hour Myspace
Smokestack Myspace
Sandinista Myspace