What better place to smash it than Stoke Kings Hall, home of the most popular current all Nighter. The heart of the revival and only 20 minutes down the road-some things are just meant to be. Sat there at 9pm eating groovy biscuits like a kid before the school disco, wondering when the "normal" time is to rock up, wondering if 4 sugars in me tea will keep me going. The people there had seen it all, Casino years, the originals- and here I was in my tartan trousers and shiny shoes.
But then you get in there, you feel the music, stronger than ever, it hits you. Then you look around, and smile. Nobody gives two what you look like, your age, gender, class or race; this Is our music. A unity hard to find, a unity no outsider could understand. Much like the look on people's faces when you claim you danced for 7 hours without anything to help you along the way. Much like the look on friends faces when they realise Gloria Jones' "Tainted Love" is far from Soft Cells original.
Spins, high-kicks, clapping to the last beat; I've never seen Stoke so alive.
Dancing... now I'm no Fred Astaire but you feel on bloody fire on that dance floor. The first song, maybe the casual shuffle, but then you really start to feel the music. Forgetting everyone around you, the music lifting you as high as the rooftop around you. This is soul music.
You wake up looking forward to the next All Nighter. It's the reason you get up, the reason you don't care about failing your driving test for the third time. The reason I stay up till stupid hours writing these blogs. Your first all Nighter might change your life, it changed mine, you'll never look back.
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