50th anniversary of Wigan Casino to be marked with Northern Soul all-nighter on BBC Radio 6- full schedule

It was one of the most iconic music venues in Greater Manchester, and next month Wigan Casino will mark its 50th anniversary. Widely regarded as one of the establishing venues for Northern Soul, the casino became a cradle for the genre as it thrived in the 1960s. 

Northern Soul swept across the North of England and the Midlands during this time. It combined cultures and was driven by the youth, breaking through at a time when people needed something to escape to with the backdrop of economic turmoil. 

Wigan Casino closed in 1981, but the spirit of Northern Soul has lived on. To mark the landmark 50th anniversary of the casino, BBC Radio 6 has announced a full night of Northern Soul music, lasting 14 hours. The evening will begin at 6pm on Saturday September 9 and conclude at 8am on Sunday September 10. 

The all-nighter will kick off with Craig Charles’ Northern Soul, a special edition of his regular Saturday night Funk and Soul show which will take place between 6pm and 9pm. The show will feature a ten-piece soul house band – The Signatures – and special guests including Wigan Casino legend, Richard Searling and all-female R&B group, The Flirtations. Craig will also be going in search of the rarest Northern Soul record, recently sold for £100k.

From 9pm-12am, Stuart Maconie joins the party, as he and Craig introduce a broadcast of the Northern Soul Prom, created by Stuart and recorded with the BBC Concert Orchestra.The programme sees talented singers including Brendan Reilly, Darrell Smith, Frida Mariama Touray, Natalie Palmer, Nick Shirm and Vula Malinga perform classic Northern Soul tracks such as You’re Gonna Make Me Love You, Open the Door to Your Heart, It Really Hurts Me Girl, Hold Back The Night and more - all accompanied by the BBC Concert Orchestra, conducted by Edwin Outwater.

Midnight until 4am will consist of audio tours of some of the UK’s most famous all-nighter venues, including Wigan Casino. This will include hour-long playlists by DJs who were there at Golden Torch (12am-1am), Wigan Casino (1am-2am), Twisted Wheel (2am-3am) and 100 Club (3am-4am)

 The next stage of the all-nighter, from 4am to 7am, will be 6 Music’s Morning After Mix, Northern Soul Special. This will consist of a playlist of mellow soul numbers, featuring classic ballads and as well as contemporary selections, making for a peaceful way to start your Sunday morning. 

Stuart Maconie will present his ‘Lights on with Stuart Maconie’ show at the earlier time of 7am. He will finish off his show with the original versions of Wigan Casino’s famous Three Before Eight – Time Will Pass You By by Tobi Legend, Long After Tonight Is All Over by Jimmy Radcliffe and I’m On My Way by Dean Parrish. This will bring to an end the Northern Soul all-nighter. 

Samantha Moy, Head of BBC Radio 6 Music said: “At 6 Music we love to delve deep into the scenes that shaped the UK’s musical history, bringing listeners stories from those who were there, insight from our expert presenters and of course, brilliant music. Stuart Maconie’s Northern Soul Prom was a triumph at the Royal Albert Hall, which was filled with joyous singing and dancing. I’m delighted to be able to share it on 6 Music as part of our celebration of Northern Soul.”