Take a little Reggae, a little Ska, and a little Northern Soul, mix them in a pot, and you get Soul Allnighter. The product of DJs Jon and Jonathan, who were looking to bring a taste of their favorite tracks to the masses and incite some sort of dance fueled riot in Korea. Something people could get down to, tunes from England, Kingston, and Motown. Music with the subconscious message, get off your ass and dance. That message was heard by the masses.

If you weren¡¯t there you truly did miss something special. As with the first of any event there usually is a bit of unforeseen circumstance, in this case it was regarding the switching of equipment between DJs Jon and Jonathan. Nothing that wasn¡¯t remedied after the first set change, keeping the deadly pop and silence of the switch hidden away, and the party goers dancing. Aside from the few minor initial gremlins in the factory the rest of the night was a smashing success.

DJ Jon spined a mix of Ska, Reggae, and Skinhead tracks that got the people excited. He started up the party with a selection of songs to warm up the people on a cool December night. Jon set up a vast variety of tracks with that classic sound that you just can¡¯t help getting down with. He even pulled out some tunes that sounded familiar, but were far older than expected. It¡¯s enlightening to learn that some of my favorite old Ska songs, were remakes of even older Ska songs.

Every hour or so, the DJs would switch up, and DJ Jonathan would come and take the stage. Jonathan¡¯s collection of Northern Soul, a meddle of highly danceable B sides from America that made it big in England, turned up the heat. The dance floor was an incredible mix, with all kinds of folks coming out of the wood work for a night of drinking and dancing to music you don¡¯t normally hear in your typical club in Seoul. One woman even came up to Jonathan after his set, being a recent arrival from Los Angeles, California, and thanked him for mixing it up with some Northern Soul.

The music made the night memorable, the music, and the people. Truly and excellent mix of fine individuals, Koreans and Expats alike joined together to enjoy the first Soul Allnighter. The dancing lasted off into the early hours, and the night turned to day and drew to a close. But don¡¯t fret if you missed your chance to show off your moves this time. The next Soul Allnighter is getting ready to make you dance.

The first set, from 11:00 to 11:45, started a little slow. By the end the room was filled up and ready to dance.
Bunny Wailer - Conqueror
Dillinger - Crabs in my Pants (it¡¯s funny because it sounds like he¡¯s saying ¡°I have crap in my pants.¡±)
Tommy McCook - When the Saints Go Marching in (I meant to play a different track and hate this song)
Black Beatles - Reggae and Shout
Rico Rodriguez - Japanese Invasion (my little tribute to the people of Pearl Harbor who died on December 6; hopefully not too tacky)
Dave Barker - Man Next Door
Danny Ray - Revolution Rock (the original, later covered by the Clash)
JD the Rock - Superbad
Junior Murvin - Police and Thieves (the original, later covered by the Clash)
Peter Tosh - Shame & Scandal (a request from Courtney)
Prince Buster - One Step Beyond (the original, later covered by Madness, a request from two people at the same time)
Seven Letters - Flour Dumpling (request from Burke, who wanted Simaryp - Skinhead Moonstomp. This is one of their side projects.)
Pyramids - Bam Bam Baji (request from Burke, who wanted Simaryp - Skinhead Moonstomp. This is one of their side projects.)
John Holt - OK Fred
Mighty Diamonds - Stoned Out of My Mind (a cover of a song by the Chi-Lites)
Roosevelt Singers - Johnny Reggae

The second reggae set featured mostly skinhead reggae and two-tone.
Winston Shand - Matilda (a great skinhead reggae love song with a strong beat)
Simaryp - Skinhead Moonstomp (Yes Burke, thanks for requesting the obvious.)
EK Bunch - Banana
Andy Capp - The Law
Soul Offrus - Ease Me Up Officer
Lloyd Charmers - In the Spirit
Prince Buster - Ten Commandments of Man
Hot Rod All-Stars - Ten Commandments from the Devil
Judge Dread - On the Beach (rudeboy mix) (another request from Burke)
Derrick Morgan - Big Eleven (Derrick Morgan¡¯s response to Judge Dread)
Specials - Stupid Marriage (I switched away from the skinhead stuff and played two-tone here)
Skadows - Ska¡¯d for Life
Skin Deep - Come into My Parlour (a cover of an old skinhead reggae song by the Bleechers)
Millie Small - Carry Go Bring Come (live at the Playboy Club in Jamaica)
Slackers - International War Criminal (they¡¯re coming here in March!)
Fishbone - Ma & Pa (I think this was a request.)
Madness - House of Fun
Maroon Town - Average Man (this song got my best response all night)
Specials - Conquering Ruler (covering Derrick Morgan on their 2001 release of the same name.)
Bad Manners - Skinhead Love Affair
International Beat - Hands Off She¡¯s Mine (a request from Lorne; sorry I played it while you were in the bathroom)
Madness - Chase the Devil (off their recent Dangerman Sessions album, a Max Romeo cover)

The third reggae set was more eclectic.
Ska D Lite (Holland) - Run Joe
Operators (Canada) - One Day
Chris Murray + Slackers - Janie Jones (covering the Clash)
Laurel Aitken - Jesse James
GG All-Stars - Barbabus (a request from Jongo)
New Establishment - Tell Me Something
Boris Gardner - Commanding Wife (dedicated to Jung)
Hopeton Lewis - Boom Shacka Lacka
Alibabky & Tajfuny (Poland) - Wash Wash Ska (who knew Poland had a ska scene in 1966?)
Count Prince Miller - Mule Train
Bob & Marcia - Young Gifted and Black
Mikey Dread - Barber Saloon (sorry it was so late, Paul) Dandy - Reggae in Your Jeggae
Slackers - Sarah (a request by Courtney and...Sarah)
Corumn 80s (Malaysia) - Stop Da Pressure
Skanksters (Canada) - Ducky

Here¡¯s Jonathan¡¯s setlist. I¡¯m not sure when he played which songs, or if this is one set or all of them.
The cavaliers - hold on my baby
chuck wood - seven days too long
lorraine chandler - i can¡¯t change
sandi sheldon - you¡¯re gonna make me fall in loe
timi yuro - it¡¯ll never be ovver for me
frankie and johnny - i¡¯ll hold you
larry williams and johnny watson - ain¡¯t gonna move
ambassadors - (i¡¯ve got to find) happiness
betty turner - the winds kept laughing
maurice mcalister - baby hang on
nolan porter - if i could only be sure
r dean taylor there¡¯s a ghost in my house
steve aldo - you¡¯re absolutely right
the metros - since i found my baby
vibrations - gonna get along without you now
Shirley J. Scott - Goose Pimples (This is the one that the girls reacted most strongly to)
David Essex - So called loving
vibrations - end up crying
azie mortimer - you can¡¯t take it away
dobie gray - out on the fioor
john andrews - it¡¯s just loe
the california - just say a four letter word (love)
the exciters - blowing up my mind
triumphs - i¡¯m coming to your rescue
billy butler - i can¡¯t work no longer
herb ward - strange change
long john bladry - the drifter
seven souls - I still love you
soul brothers six - i¡¯ll be loving you
tami lynn - i¡¯m gonna run away from you
the dynamics - i need your love
bobby bennet - you¡¯r eready now
delacardos - hold back the tears
doug banks - i just kept on dancing
sonny till - tears and misery
tony clarke - landslide
clyde mcphatter - baby you got it etc.

I think this will be a winter thing only. It will definitely be in DGBD, and both Jonathan and myself are grateful to the DGBD people for all their support. If you came and had a good time, thanks for your support and I ask that you drag everyone you can with you to the next one so we can have even more fun.

Don't miss Vega's pictures of the first Soul Allnighter.