It’s been a year since the internet went crazy about the news of the UK’s first Northern Soul and Motown club coming soon to Birmingham. Richard Priest, an original Northern Soul fan, was the man who literally ‘had a dream’ of opening a Northern Soul and Motown club, and it wasn’t long before that dream became a reality.
The Night Owl opened in Digbeth to a sold out Northern Soul all-nighter on Friday July 17th 2015. In the months that follow this intimate bespoke club has played host to many a sold out party, hosting acts such as Angelo Starr & The Team, Tim Burgess (The Charlatans) and Steve Craddock (Ocean Colour Scene) to name a few. They’ve even been building relationships across the pond with Nicholas Mancuso of the Motown Museum in Detroit saying he is ‘very excited about The Night Owl and their Motown night The Soul Hole, everyone here at the Motown Museum wish them well on their 1st birthday’.
Recently The Night Owl won the Brummie’s Choice award for Best New Venue, ran by Birmingham Mail online and voted for by the public. This is no flash in the pan, The Night Owl is here to stay and is already a firm favourite among locals. But it’s not just Brummie’s who love this quirky club, soul fans travel from all over the UK and Europe for a dance on its infamous sprung wooden dance floor.
15th-17th July, The Night Owl celebrates its 1st birthday with a mega birthday weekender.
Friday night sees KoKo Fridays returning to a purist Northern Soul night with a special ‘Black Country Legends’ all night event featuring original DJs from infamous local Northern Soul clubs of the 70s and 80s, heading up the bill is PEP.
Saturday night sees The Soul Hole hosting a Northern Soul, Motown & more all-nighter with the legendary Colin Curtis doing both a Torch and Mecca set.
Sunday is a Testify 60s r n b, ska & soul all dayer with BBQ, live music from The Heels and much more.
As if that wasn’t enough there will be a host of activities around the venue across Saturday and Sunday daytime including food traders, vintage and vinyl stalls, dance classes and more.
Advance tickets for this mega weekender are now on sale here.
It looks like Northern Soul & Motown has found its new home in Birmingham, Keep On Keeping On and we’ll see you down The Night Owl.