In Autumn 2024, taking a break from HCS Voices, I returned to Holmfirth Tech for the first time since the pandemic. Previously the home to the Singing for Fun group but this time to sing with Dan Price’s Soul Choir.

The Soul Choir sings a varied mix of Soul styles including Motown, Blues and Gospel, learning by ear. On my first evening with the choir, we covered uplifting songs by Bob Marley, Carole King, Aretha Franklin, Dusty Springfield and Diana Ross & The Supremes.

On my second evening Dan introduced me to the Northern Soul group MVPS and their hit ‘Turning Their Heartbeat Up’ that he had arranged in three parts. A really enjoyable sing amongst a list of foot tappers!

Holmfirth Picturedrome

My first gig with the Soul Choir saw a return to the Holmfirth Picturedrome, this time in the main theatre rather than the Box Office Bar. The rehearsal midweek had been my first time in the main theatre, despite having performed in the Box Office bar 3 times with Open Mic nights including with the Singing for Fun group.

That was a really good experience with an excellent band, great songs and a brilliant audience reaction.  Our seven song set:

1. River Deep, Mountain High (Tina Turner)
2. Is This Love  (Bob Marley)
3. Son of a Preacher Man (Dusty Springfield)
4. Ain’t no Mountain High Enough (Marvin Gaye / Tammi Terrel)
5. The Night (Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons)
6. Caravan of Love (The HouseMartins)
7. You’re wondering now (The Specials)
   
   The Huddersfield Gospel Choir delivered some delicious  harmonies and joyful sing-along. 
   
   Meanwhile the young True Talent performers melted the hearts of everyone with their enthusiasm and captivating delivery.
   
   Leaving the stage whilst singing ‘You’re wondering now’ by The Specials is a very special memory of the concert.

Christmas Sing-along

Our final event for 2024 was a joyful Christmas sing-along at a packed Holmfirth Civic Hall.

We really didn’t want it to end! So we managed to coax Dan into reprising the ‘Caravan of Love’, originally by the Housemartins, a song that we had performed at the ‘Sing into Christmas’ concert at Holmfirth Picturedrome.

New Year, New Venue

The Soul Choir entered the new year with exciting developments and new songs. The Wednesday & Thursday sessions at Holmfirth Tech have now merged in order to create a space in Dan’s schedule to host a new branch in Wakefield on Thursdays.

To accommodate the merger the choir also relocated to the Holmfirth Methodist Church. It was sad to be leaving Holmfirth Tech again but this new venue works really well.

Marsden Cuckoo Festival

The Marsden Cuckoo Festival is held annually in April. Marsden village celebrates the return of the cuckoo and the hailing of spring’s return.

The Soul Choir performed in St Bartholomew’s Church.

We had a nine song soul set for our 40 minute slot but the audience wanted more so we performed two encores.

Honley Show 2025

The Soul Choir is set to return to the Honley Show on the 28th June, 2025. I joined the Choir in Autumn 2024 so missed this experience of performing at another Honley Festival.

I last performed in Honley at the Christmas Lights Switch on with The Awesome Choir of Rock back in 2018.

Sadly changed circumstances meant that I also missed this performance but looked forward to singing the same set at Ripon Theatre Festival a week later.

The Soul Choir was scheduled to venture to North Yorkshire in July with to appear at Ripon Theatre Festival. Sadly a vehicle breakdown led to the cancellation of the set.

https://www.ripontheatrefestival.org/event/soul-choir

On Thursday, 23^rd October 2025  we presented ‘Keep The Faith’, a celebration of Northern Soul. This unique event brought together Northern Soul Dance, all three branches of  The Soul Choir and DJ Stephen Holt Samuels ( of the Inspiral Carpets band).

When I joined Soul Choir in Autumn 2024 one of the early songs that Dan rehearsed was completely new to me. I was captivated by the driving beat of the MVPs ‘Turning My Heartbeat Up’.  When Dan then introduced  Frankie Valli’s ‘The Night’ I just had to find out more about these Northern Soul songs.

Besides starting to explore some songs with my guitar I also chose to sing ‘The Night’ solo, to a backing track, for my first ‘Sing Pop’ student showcase appearance at The Blind Pig, Sowerby Bridge.  So relished singing that one again and was amused when the track was played during the Northern Soul Dance lessons and most Soul Choir members could not resist joining in!

Our ten song set then followed the band playing the stage walk on tune ‘Sliced Tomatoes’ and we than made a Northern Soul sandwich between Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons classics:

Our performance ended with a good number of audience members taking to the dance floor as we sang ‘The Night’. That was the best ‘choral’ event that I have participated in and it had some strong contenders.

The event started with tuition in Northern Soul dance moves…