A trip into Gloucester to the Folk, what was formerly the Folk Museum, but is now just “the Folk” with most of the Museum displays removed. It’s a sort of rebranding that seems to say “ we like the building, but we don’t know what to do with it”. They have events and volunteers coming from all directions who are hugely enthusiastic and friendly and will tell you all about the place. And they have events, on Saturday afternoon they had a couple of Northern Soul enthusiasts with their dj deck and massive speakers blasting out some brilliant Northern Soul music.

If you don’t know what that is, then allow me: back in late 60s some young and enthusiastic Motown enthusiasts went over to the States and bought loads of vinyl records of little known but very talented Motown bands . They brought them back and one place in particular: The Casino in Wigan, made a thing of it. Hundreds of fans would travel miles to Wigan for Northern Soul nights. Northern Soul dancing is energetic and strangely graceful, look it up on line, it has a synergy with the music.

So what’s it doing in Gloucester’s former Folk Museum? Search me. I went to have a listen with my friend Mike on the strict understanding that neither of us would be ‘breaking into some moves’. Interesting to talk to the two guys putting on this little show ( there was for some time just me and Mike in the audience ) one of them still had his Wigan Casino membership card. The collection of vynl records kept immaculately in steel boxes was I’m told worth a great deal of money, some of these small circles of plastic go for hundreds of pounds. In some cases they only pressed a few of these records, so they became collectors items. The place filled up a little after Mike and I had heard enough, but the oddity of staging a Northern Soul set in a former Museum was lost on me. It needed to be in a big old Casino, preferably in Wigan, and at night.

This little video will give you a taste:

Music is brilliant but it’s not exactly Wigan Casino

Going back up Westgate and skirting round a Wedding Party all done up in their finest we headed for the Docks. Here coming towards me a tall man with beard and a fancy stick, this sort of character is not unusual for Gloucester. James is a painter and decorater in his day job, but enjoys finding and whittling sticks, that match his shirt. A fine fellow. There’s always something to see in Westgate Street on a Saturday: the finest Tudor fronted House in the country ( see previous post ), a wedding, Northern Soul and a man who whittles sticks.

We were headed for the docks but before we got there this street musician was giving his all, a lovely sound. You could call it a warm vibe.

Once round the Docks which was packed with food stalls, a stop to partake of a couple of excellent Portuguese Tarts, who’d have thought it?

Northern Soul,Tudor House front, someone’s wedding, a whittler of sticks, Dave on his xylophone and Portuguese Tarts. Menu for an oddly enjoyable outing, ‘right good’ as they might say in Wigan.