Northern soul acts from the US came to Wigan – and some even settled in England | Letter

Those who played live at the Wigan Casino included Edwin Starr, Junior Walker & The All-Stars, Jackie Wilson, and more, writes Jez Waterfield

Peter Bradshaw finishes his review of the film Northern Soul: Still Burning (Thumping celebration of the legendary underground club scene, 13 May) with a question: “What did the American acts themselves think of it [the Northern Soul scene of the 1970s]? Were they ever tempted (or invited) to play live at the Wigan Casino?”

Well, as someone who was thrilled to attend Wigan Casino all-nighters as a teenager, I’d say they fell in love with the scene, playing Wigan and other popular venues on the northern circuit (including Manchester’s Twisted Wheel, The Torch in Stoke-on-Trent and Cleethorpes Pier). A couple of these legends even came to settle down in the Midlands and north of England.