Is Northern Soul resurging? A Wigan 17-year-old's perspective

Just because that musical phenomenon came and went decades before I was born doesn't mean it is irrelevant to me.

The quality and passion surrounding it has staying power and it is easy to see why it is still capable of attracting new fans today.

Starting in 1973, it became known as the place to be for Northern Soul, running all-nighter events from 2am until 8am.

These events drew capacity crowds from all over the country, yet it only lasted eight years until 1981, seven months after its 500th all-nighter.

Now, where the Casino once stood is the Grand Arcade, the former venue being commemorated with a blue plaque.

Though the building is gone, the Casino’s life and the legacy continues through those who lived through it, including those who ran it.

The idea of Northern Soul was one that did not die out.

The dance moves that attracted thousands to this relatively small town are alive today as Northern Soul events paying homage to the era (often taking place in Wigan and Blackpool) allow people to re-live the '70s.

That special sound has worked its way into more recent genres such as house, hip-hop and techno, permeating the music scene and giving opportunities for younger generations to discover the era and older generations to rediscover it.

The scene has also enjoyed a revival in Japan. A venue called the Nude Restaurant hosts monthly soul nights for the residents, absorbed into this world, inspired by videos of those who attended Wigan Casino all those years ago.

It’s clear that even 50 years on the music and nightlife that brought so many people together still forges a great sense of community.

In 2023 the town sought to show all those who did not live through it, the true experience.

The displays of photos from Francesco Mellina accurately depict what it was like to be on the dance floor.

Shots capture people mid-dance or celebrating with friends, dancing not because they were professionals but because it was their passion.

Events like these help every generation to rediscover everything about Northern Soul.

More recently '90s Britpop band Pulp intrigued a new audience with a music video that centered around Casino footage taken by Tony Palmer in 1977.

This precious, significant footage shows the real Casino.

He took time to speak to those attending, and each shot shows someone full of enthusiasm for the scene.

It is clear the video has hit peaks of nostalgia for some viewers, reminiscing over their time spent travelling and dancing, imagining what it would be like to “be 17 again”.

Most appreciate how this has allowed so many more to pa “homage to Northern Soul” while others admit they were unfamiliar with the genre but that it is the “coolest video they have ever seen” and now encourage others to explore.

So, even though the original Northern Soul’s nightlife disappeared decades ago, it is clear fans won’t let it be forgotten.

The music and the memories surrounding it will be passed down through generations and others may discover it accidentally.

Either way, the resurgence is clear, and it allows more and more people to be a community - including me - to find something to connect over, just like they did half a century ago.