Neil Gits Thameside

Obviously, living in Essex for over 60 years I have seen The River Thames ! Whether it has been chilling out on the Estuary at lovely places like Two Tree Island & Old Leigh, standing on London Bridge on my lunch break in my first proper job, wandering round Windsor as a tourist with my camera or more recently even feeding the swans at the quirky Truss’s Island near Thorpe Park, my encounters with this famous river are many and varied. I’ve driven across it countless times in all of my eight cars and numerous vans on road trips and delivery jobs, everywhere from the huge Dartford Crossing to points close to its source in Oxfordshire, barely noticing as the wheels passed over a small rural bridge. Looking at the map it is quite amazing just how many memorable places in my life it’s waters have flown gently past …

However, until last Friday, despite spending a lot of time over the last seven years in the Grays area with “A13 Annie” I had never been in the town’s Thameside Theatre ! As you may have heard me mention in my show recently, she bought us tickets to see local soul boy Matthew Winchester perform there and we had a really nice time. The music was very good (of course !) and we got to meet Matthew himself briefly after the gig, a lovely friendly talented chap. But we also rather enjoyed the theatre experience itself and having sat in the row behind the manageress and got talking in the interval, we were shocked to find out the place might be closing down, within minutes of having vowed to return for another event !

It’s an ongoing issue, too complicated to detail here, but if you do get the chance, try and support the Thameside, it’s got a really good relaxed and intimate vibe, quite similar to Basildon’s own Towngate Theatre, and it would be such a shame to see it go – “use it or lose it” as the cliche goes. Hopefully it won’t come to that and there will be plenty more chances yet to catch good quality music acts representing all music genres there …

To get your next fix of soul, jazz-funk & disco, make sure you are near your radio for the ‘Repeat Play’ on Gateway this evening at 5pm or catch up via the ‘Listen Again’ page. These are the songs I chose for you on Monday :

The Tunes – Monday 5th June 2023

Loose Ends – Magic Touch
Hugh Masekela – Don’t Go Lose It Baby
Cool Million feat Matthew Winchester – Keep On
Barbara McNair – Baby A Go Go
Barbara McNair – Countin’ On You Babe
Tristan – A New Dawn Rises
Hot House – Don’t Come To Stay
India Arie – Strength Courage & Wisdom
Level 42 – Almost There
Real Thing – Boogie Down (Get Funky Now)
Jacksons – Lovely One (Groovefunkel Remix)
Scandal feat Lee Genesis – Love Either Grows Or Goes
John Holt – How Sweet It Is (To Be loved By You)
Four Tops – Walk Away Renee
Three Degrees – Dirty Old Man
Two Man Sound – Que Tal America
One Way featuring Al Hudson – You Can Do It
Dwayne Scivally – Let Me So
Lynn Davis – Beautiful You
Evelyn Champagne King – I Think My Heart Is Telling
Wilson Pickett – I’m A Midnight Mover
Change – The Glow Of Love
Deniece Williams – I’ve Got The Next Dance
MFSB – Use Ta Be My Guy

Feel free to get in touch with your soulful request or just for a mention on the show – put a post on “The Old Gits Soul Show” page on Facebook, text (01268)833978 or message me via e-mail : [email protected].

The Old Gits Soul Show is broadcast LIVE from 7pm–9pm every Monday, repeated on Saturday evening from 5pm–7pm, on Gateway 97.8FM in Basildon & East Thurrock and available nationally via the Radio Player at Sky TV as well as online via www.gateway978.com You can listen on your smart speaker or your phone too … plus you can hear it again anytime you like via the “Listen Again” button on the Gateway website – just search “Cool Soul” !