Vocal star Darrell Smith and the Soul Brothers Syndicate front a 20-piece Northern Soul Orchestra that traces the genre's history through its legendary clubs.
Darrell Smith & Soul Brothers Syndicate bring their Northern Soul Orchestra to Hull City Hall on Friday 6 November, with the show starting at 7:30 PM. It's a big one: a 20-piece orchestra backing Smith and the Syndicate, with Judith Ude and Grace Curran joining in on vocals. The whole thing is framed as more homage than tribute to the music of Northern Soul, and it's built around a timeline that traces the genre's history from its humble beginnings at the Twisted Wheel in Manchester and the Golden Torch in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, through to the Blackpool Mecca and the world-famous Wigan Casino. If you've never heard the story, it's a good way to get the full picture of where the sound came from and how it spread.
There's a bit of a double act going on here, too. While the orchestra handles the music, the band brings its own brand of spontaneous humour to every concert, so it's as much about the live performance as it is about the records. And they're not just playing the old stuff. The group released their debut single, The Drifter, in November 2024, which hit No.1 in the R&B iTunes downloads and No.8 in the UK vinyl charts, so there's some of their own recent work in the mix alongside the Northern Soul they're paying homage to.
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On the practical side, tickets start from £29.00, and there's an age guidance of 8+, so it's one you can bring the younger ones along to if you fancy it. The show is at Hull City Hall, Carr Lane, Hull, HU1 3RQ, on Friday 6 November, starting at 7:30 PM.
