50th anniversary of Wigan Casino to be celebrated with Northern Soul all-nighter on BBC Radio 6 Music

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Between 1973 and 1981, Wigan Casino was the place to be if you wanted to dance along as the latest tracks were spun from the decks.

Housed in the former Empress Ballroom, coach loads of clubbers would arrive at the Casino - which was often open until 6am in its heyday - to spend hours queuing up for just a glimmer of the action.

At 2am on September 23, 1973, Wigan Casino hosted its first ever Northern Soul all-nighter and it became a quick hit. Alongside DJ Winstanley, the likes of Ian Fishwick, Kev Roberts and Richard Searling would all take turns spinning the latest tracks in-between performances from the likes of soul legends Jackie Wilson, Edwin Starr and Junior Walker. Try MEN Premium for FREE by clicking here for no ads, fun puzzles and brilliant new features. Now, some 50 years later, those all-nighters are to be honoured with a special night of programming dedicated to Northern Soul on BBC Radio 6 Music to mark the 50th anniversary of the legendary Wigan Casino.

Kicking off at 6pm on Saturday (September 9) and running until 8pm on Sunday (September 10), the night will feature a special Northern Soul edition of The Craig Charles Funk and Soul Show alongside a broadcast of Stuart Maconie’s Northern Soul Prom, which was recorded at the Royal Albert Hall in July. “Northern Soul was and is one of the most thrilling and vital music subcultures ever,” Radio 6 Music DJ Stuart Maconie says. “It’s a dynamic, sympathetic union of the sounds and dreams of generations in the industrial heartlands of the North and Midlands of the UK and their counterparts in New York, Detroit, Philadelphia and beyond. “At the heart of the scene is this wonderful, dramatic, vibrant and inspirational music, as well as the passion and