THE NORTHERN SOULTRAIN

A THREE-NIGHT RESIDENCY AT BARNOLDSWICK MUSIC & ARTS CENTRE

Three Nights. Three Soul Parties. One Unforgettable Celebration.

There are concerts... and then there are Northern Soul nights.
What began in the late 1960s inside Manchester's legendary Twisted Wheel would soon ignite an underground movement unlike anything Britain had ever witnessed. By the early seventies the pilgrimage had moved north to the hallowed dancefloors of Wigan Casino, Blackpool Mecca, The Torch and Cleethorpes Pier, where thousands of young devotees danced until dawn to impossibly rare American soul records that had been forgotten in their homeland but found eternal life in the North of England.
It wasn't about chart hits. It wasn't about fashion. It was about discovery.
About DJs travelling across America searching for obscure 45s. About records so rare only one person in Britain might own a copy. About impossible dance routines, talcum-covered floors, Oxford bags, badges declaring "Keep The Faith", and a community built around uplifting music that refused to die. More than half a century later, Northern Soul remains one of Britain's greatest musical success stories—a movement that continues to inspire new generations while never losing the heartbeat that made it legendary.
This December that heartbeat returns to Barnoldswick as The Northern Soultrain rolls into town for a very special THREE-NIGHT RESIDENCY, transforming Barnoldswick Music & Arts Centre into Lancashire's own little corner of Wigan Casino.
Now approaching their 19th year as one of the UK's premier live Northern Soul bands, The Northern Soultrain have become one of the most respected ambassadors for the music anywhere in Britain. Since forming in 2008 they have performed everywhere from the iconic Blackpool Tower Ballroom and Band on the Wall to major festivals, theatres and dance halls throughout the UK, building an enviable reputation as one of the finest live soul experiences on the circuit.
Their reputation has been earned one packed dancefloor at a time.
This is a powerhouse nine-piece band, driven by one of the tightest rhythm sections on today's soul circuit, propelled by the explosive Union Pacific Horns, and fronted by the irrepressible David John Jaggs, whose infectious energy and genuine love for the music has made him one of the most charismatic frontmen on the Northern Soul scene.
The result is nothing short of exhilarating.
From the opening blast of brass, audiences are transported back to those legendary all-nighters where every record carried the promise of another unforgettable dance. Their set is packed with the records that defined an era—classic stompers from Frank Wilson, Dobie Gray, Billy Butler, Al Wilson, Julien Covay and countless more, alongside carefully chosen Motown favourites and deep soul gems that continue to fill dancefloors more than fifty years after they were first recorded.
The band's philosophy couldn't be clearer.
"A cabaret show this is not... this is an authentic soul party."
That authenticity has earned them glowing praise wherever they perform.
Legendary Wigan Casino DJ and Goldsoul promoter Richard Searling describes them as:

"My favourite North West soul band... they really do look the part as well. A very talented group... quite rightly getting rave reviews and developing a lasting connection with soul fans new and old through their powerful performances."

BBC Entertainment Correspondent Colin Paterson summed up his first experience simply:

"Had a top time at my first Northern Soul All-Nighter. Highlight was the live band, The SoulTrain. Great setlist."

The Lancashire Evening Telegraph praised the group for bringing:

"Soul classics from the '60s and early '70s with an amazing freshness."

While recent audience reviews continue to echo the same sentiment:

"Just an amazing band—pure quality."

"Fantastic group, amazing singer."

"Absolutely brilliant... highly recommend for an amazing night out."

For David John Jaggs, Barnoldswick holds a special place.
"You will never get a better chance to see us up close and personal as you will in Barnoldswick. It's an amazing venue and a lovely contrast to the festival stages that we appear on during the summer. It'll be fantastic to see up close the impact these amazing songs have on our audience."
He's absolutely right.
There are very few venues where a band of this calibre can be experienced in such an intimate setting. Every blast from the horns, every Hammond flourish, every bass groove and every soaring vocal can be felt only a few feet away. The atmosphere becomes less like a concert and more like stepping inside one of those legendary Northern dance halls where strangers become friends through a shared love of soul music.
For three magical nights Barnoldswick won't simply host a gig. It will become a Northern Soul club.
A place where generations meet on the dancefloor, where forgotten American masterpieces are celebrated once more, where the brass punches harder, the rhythm digs deeper and the spirit of Wigan Casino, Twisted Wheel and Blackpool Mecca lives on.
So polish those loafers. Dust off the talc.Straighten the braces.And prepare to dance like it's 1974.
Three Nights. One Incredible Band. One Legendary Venue.
THE NORTHERN SOULTRAIN is pulling into Barnoldswick once again...
Jump aboard... because once this train leaves the station, you'll be wishing you'd bought a ticket.