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This year, for the third time, it’s the turn of Perth to host the National Australian Northern Soul Weekender, or simply "The Nash" as it’s affectionately become known. The concept was born on my back patio in the summer of 1997 where I was knocking back a few coldies with my Yorkshire chum Andy Dean. Monthly Northern nights were going well at the Irish Club and we had become aware through t'internet of similar existing scenes in Sydney & Melbourne so the conversation turned to perhaps getting together with these 2 other scenes for a weekender. Adelaide was the natural selection for a neutral location (even though it’s 2100 Kms from Perth) and one of the Melbourne lads, Craig Bayliss, knew a bloke in Adelaide who was willing to do the legwork in booking venues & equipment etc. Cut a long story short, approximately 70 fanatics had a barbecue & lash up on 23rd October 1998, an allnighter at Boltz Café on 24th and an alldayer at the Duke of York on 25th. The enthusiasm on display that weekend encouraged ex Ramsbottom resident Pete Feven to start a regular Northern night which is still going strong to this day. At the end of the allnighter a draw was made (using talc bottles of course) for the 1999 location and Perth came out of the bag. Sydney won the honour of hosting the millennium event which left Melbourne for 2001 and with numbers now pushing 300 the rotation policy continued so it was back to Adelaide in 2002. At that point in time the Brisbane scene was thought to be a little too fledgling so Perth took 2003 with Brisbane joining the party in 2004. The cycle of Ade Per Bri Syd Mel is now set in stone with a slight difference in that the Queensland organisers have selected Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast, just over 100km south of Brisbane, as the magnificent setting for 2009. So from the humble beginnings of a few mates getting together, we find ourselves presiding over what has evolved into an internationally recognised “proper” weekender and for this I must also thank Manifesto chief Mike Ritson and that travelling man Roy Burton for consistent exposure over the years, both of whom will undoubtedly be in attendance again this year.

To Perth 2008 and as you can see from the flyer a certain Mr Ginger Taylor will be the first big name DJ to guest at The Nash and he's promising to bring a crew who will arm-wrestle anyone with a pulse. The weekend dates are 21st, 22nd & 23rd November with a meet & greet for the early birds on 20th and invariably some kind of after-party gathering on 24th. I already have a mailing list of potential UK/European visitors so please email your details if you'd like to be added. The ticket price has yet to be set but it will be typically less than A$100 or £40 for a weekend pass. Because of logistical & financial obstacles we never have live acts at The Nash, simply collectors who have grown into DJs spinning class original vinyl, perhaps not too many of the serious rarities heard at events such as Lifeline but some high calibre 45s nonetheless. You can expect to hear predominantly 60s dancers over the weekend with a modest sized helping of RnB and Modern. The allnighter venue is impressive; a 700 capacity will ensure plenty of square metres of sprung timber per person without being too cavernous, featuring an overlooking balcony & second bar area. If you're a collector, raid the piggy-bank for a Saturday afternoon of record trading & merchandise sales. A successful renovation permitting, this session, along with the Thursday meet & greet, will take place on the banks of the River Swan (pictured in the flyer) at the Lucky Shag Bar, which we intend to nominate Northern Soul HQ for the weekend.

Now for the propaganda. Perth is the most isolated city on the planet (closest capital is Jakarta at 3000 Km) and enjoys long hot summers starting around November and for well over 300 days each year you'll be struggling to spot a cloud. We also boast a world class wine region in Margaret River about a 3 hour drive south. Of course, being closer to UK it’s a bit cheaper to get here too, and if you want to explore other Australian icons (Sydney Opera house & The Great Barrier Reef aren’t too shabby) then Perth provides the ideal springboard. Go to these websites for details: www.perthtouristcentre.com.au; www.westernaustralia.com; www.visitwa.com.au; www.experienceperth.com; or just email me. Finally a necessary disclaimer: whilst Ginger is very committed to this event, I am not liable for any costs or disappointment arising from his potential non-appearance. In any event, you’re guaranteed the time of your life - how can you go wrong with all these S’s - sun, sea, surf, sand, shiraz, soul and (if you’ve still got the energy) a shag?
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