SOUL SURVIVORS MAGAZINE REVIEW

In the last issue of The Soul Survivors magazine you would have seen, like me the advert for Soul Train in Bristol. This took place on December 27th so l decided to make the trip up the M4 to Bristol which is a remarkably easy city to get to with great motorway links.

It was my first visit to this function so I wasnt too sure what to expect. Soul Train is held every Bank Holiday Sunday in a huge 4 roomed venue called Motion. The main room caters for the big anthems, Jocelyn Brown - 'Somebody Else's Guy' et al. Another room lends the event it's other name in Reggae Train and was presided over by the enigmatic Dezzie Rankin. This room, along with the R'n'B room, was rocking from the off. One of the big tunes that received a huge cheer in the RnB room was the 1986 hit by Midnight Star - 'The Midas Touch' which was a pleasant surprise seeing as it's a song that has been overlooked for many years. (This was also a big tune on The London Soul Cruise so maybe its time for a musical resurgance). But l knew I had chosen the perfect night out when I was on the JazzFunk terrace, which was ably manned by Al B, John and Lee and Will King's 'Backed Up Against The Wall' was dropped. I was in perfect soul heaven.

The crowd are a really friendly bunch and range from mid twenties to us Big people. Trust me though, the younger ones know their stuff! And if I was a single guy I'd be in my element because the women here are absolutely gorgeous and you can't help but glance al the odd ample bosom! The wife did mention something about the guys there, but I chose to take the higher ground and ignore her lewd comments.

The venue gives the whole night a festival kind of feel and has an abundance of bars from which to buy your beverage of choice.

Hats off to Paul Alexander and Johnny Stallard, who originally put this night together as a one off, and the sheer love and popularity for this soulful occasion have kept this experience alive and kicking for 20 years. Dj's Brotha Nick, Ricky 2tuff, Dezzie Rankin, Flex, Conroy and Paul have every right to puff out their chests as Soul Train is arguably one of THE top soul nights in the UK and I for one will be hard pressed to find another of its kind, and I think any one of the 1500 punters will agree.

VENUE MAGAZINE SAYS:

Soultrain Mansion Party
More sparkly, be-wigged 70s fun returns to Ashton Court for the annual Soultrain bash, with disco anthems, reggae, rare groove, saucy slow jams and, of course, a fancy dress comp. THE SOULTRAIN MANSION PARTY ASHTON COURT MANSION, BRISTOL, FRI 31 DEC.

Top Night Out in the West !

Night-time party boat The Tower Belle marks 90th birthday

AN infamous Bristol boat famed for its night-time parties and daytime tours around the city docks has celebrated its 90th birthday.

The Tower Belle motored out into the Bristol docks yesterday as it does every day, but this time with a crew of skippers past and present, music promoters and fond admirers of the boat's lengthy service to the city.

Lord Mayor Colin Smith made a short speech before cutting a cake onboard in the shape of a life ring, and glasses of bubbly were raised in the boat's honour by a crowd of well-wishers.

Mr Smith told the Post: "It is remarkable that this boat can still be around after 90 years and, with the renaissance in the city docks, that boats such as this have come back into huge popularity and add to the city's culture."

The Guardian voted the Soul Train club nights on the boat top for Best Nights Out in the West.

The boat's skipper of 20 years Denton Brockway recalled ferrying a young Tony and Cherie Blair on the boat before the former Prime Minister came to power but calls the most famous people to board the boat the 90 or so school children who take regular trips around the docks.

"It didn't do my career any good staying with the boat, or my pay packet," he said.

"But once you start working on the docks, you stay.

"It was like one long party as people who came on the boat had such fun."

Current skipper Steve Wildon, 56, from Bedminster, said: "We have people who come on here as school children, then have their 21st birthday party and then their wedding reception on here."

The Belle was built in Newcastle in 1920 to service a dockyard turning out military vessels.

In its middle age it found its way to London, where it acted as a ferry, running tours from Westminster to Greenwich before being taken to Bristol in the 70s.

Keith Dunstan now owns the boat with Simon Thomson and their respective wives.

He said: "I hope it has evoked enough good will and good cheer to carry on for another 30 years in Bristol.

"And with modern technology, we can keep patching her up, so why not?"

They bought the boat in 1980 while both working for The Bristol Packet.

Mr Thomson, 64, told the Post: "It seems like yesterday. We didn't expect it to last 30 years."

The 72-foot passenger vessel was originally called the Wincomblee after the area around the shipyard where it was built but was later renamed Tower Belle after Tower Bridge.

The boat is a fixture of the Bristol waterways, running trips through the Gorge and along the docks to Beese's Tea Gardens, Chequers Inn and Keynsham.

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