Soul heaven in Cambusbarron

Feb 25 2009 by Kaiya Marjoribanks, Stirling Observer Wednesday

SOUL is coming to Stirling when Centre City Soul Club holds its first soul night of 2009.

DJs Fraser Dunn from Glasgow and Alan McKenzie from Edinburgh will join resident DJs Willie McKenzie and John Maclachlan at the Cambusbarron Social Club on Saturday from 8pm until 2pm.

Willie said: “I think most people if they’re honest will have a few soul records or CDs in their collection, whether it be Stevie Wonder, Lionel Ritchie or Diana Ross – it doesn’t really matter, that’s a start.

“What we’re trying to do at Centre City Soul Club is to extend people’s knowledge of soul and introduce them to a soul that is not commercialised but equally as good.

“The records you’ll hear at our night were first played at soul clubs in the Sixties like The Torch, The Twisted Wheel and, probably the most famous of all, Wigan Casino.

“Songs from more established artists like Tina Turner or James Brown never really got played. It was the more underground records from unknown artist that were spun on the decks.

“Stirling has had a soul club from the mid-70s on and off.

“We had it in the now defunct Railway Club, which was over the railway opposite the KFC outlet.

“In the 80s there was one upstairs in the Anchor Bar in St Ninians. There was even one in the 90s in Plean Tavern that ran for just over four years.

“This is really a new starting point for soul in Stirling and we’ll be running the club four or five times a year with different DJs for each event.

“Fraser and Alan are two brilliant DJs and collectors of soul music. We hope that not just avid soul fans will turn up but perhaps people that are looking for something a little bit different to the sometimes mundane offerings.”

Admission is £5 and the doors close at midnight.