Steel it Steelers

Big thanks to everyone who came out and made Friday perhaps the most packed Soulcialism so far - judging purely from the absurd beer consumption.

Des Parker and Johnny Beggs played a storming hour-plus of hits and oddities (everything they brought with 'em), and were duly impressed with the crowd's size and capacity for drunken dancing - we were duly impressed with their ability to knock 'em back, too.

In fact, this weekend was good enough to require a Soulcialism top-ten list.

10) "Big Bad Wolf" by Johnny Watson, on Johnny Beggs' "Northern Cowboys" mixtape. Storming R&B from Mr. Gee-tar. I'll never own it, so this dub will have to last me a lifetime - a new all-time favorite.

9) "Countdown Here I Come" by The Tempos. One of my fave's ever, and an occasional Soulcialism play, but doesn't it sound THAT much better when you don't know it's comin'?

8) Johnny Beggs' late-night recounting of dodging razor-sharp soup-can lids hurled by Burnley fans in his youthful Stoke City days.

7) Troy Polamalu. 'Nuff said.

6) Panang Curry with seafood at 3am. Clears the sinuses, rocks the mouth. Up to 11. Thai is America's Indian.

5) "Baby Don't Weep" by Wilson Pickett. Going back over some of his stuff, this thing's the killer, f'sure. Bless 'im.

4) Austin Shifrin's sweat-soaked smash-n-grab dance to Bob Seger's "Heavy Music." Dude must do laundry every day.

3) Big Ben. 'Nuff said.

2) "R 'n' B Time" by E Rodney Jones tied with "Too Late" by Williams 'n' Watson for dancefloor-slaying supremacy.

1) Pittsburgh Steelers and Northern Soul - the new/old steeltown tradition. The rousing 'here we go' at the end of the night at the Eagle Friday was enough to bring a wee tear to the eye. Sniff!