The Casablanca: The Club That Changed Our Lives
How the Casablanca Club, a black-owned night club in Cardiff鈥檚 docklands, became a magnet for people from all walks of life, and changed people's lives in the 70s and 80s.
Presented by former disco dancing champion and boxer turned soul singer, Noah Francis Johnson whose father, Frankie was a manager at the Casablanca Club. Noah uncovers how and why this edgy club in a former church in the heart of Tiger Bay attracted people of every shade of skin colour.
It was a standing joke that the pigeons roosting in the roof were permanently stoned and when part of the floor collapsed, it didn't stop the dancing. Leroy Ingram remembers how the locals welcomed everyone, but woe betide anyone who caused trouble. In the 1970's, teenager Andr茅e Morgan-Andrews introduced Malaysian sailors to the Casablanca, they'd docked in ports the world over but had never experienced anything like it. The bands were as diverse as the punters, Maxi Priest, Spandau Ballet, Musical Youth, Van Morrison, Jimmy Ruffin to name but a few, as well as local talent. 'Cass' one of the DJ's, tells how his playlists would jump from one musical genre to another yet kept the dance floor heaving.
In the Rhondda, Cheryl Terry borrowed her mum's car to take her mates to the Casablanca, she never told mum they were heading down the docks because back then the area was branded as dangerous. Welsh language rock icon Geraint Jarman fell in love with reggae at the Casablanca and it became his second home. Mali Evans from rural Wales got a job behind the bar and felt she'd become part of a very special family. So was this unique nightclub ahead of its time? Multiculturalism was not the agenda of the club, it was driven by love of music and the need to make money, yet life-changing relationships were made at the Casablanca without anyone having to make a big effort, or an institution or the state rolling-out diversity policies!
Producer Chris Rushton, Gritty Productions
Last on
Music Played
-
Blaenau Gwent Chorale
It Is Well With My Soul (When Peace Like A River)
Broadcasts
- Thu 12 Aug 2021 18:30成人快手 Radio Wales
- Fri 13 Aug 2021 05:30成人快手 Radio Wales
- Sun 15 Aug 2021 19:00成人快手 Radio Wales
- Fri 29 Oct 2021 18:30成人快手 Radio Wales
- Sun 31 Oct 2021 06:00成人快手 Radio Wales
- Mon 1 Nov 2021 05:30成人快手 Radio Wales
- Fri 2 Dec 2022 18:30成人快手 Radio Wales
- Sun 4 Dec 2022 06:00成人快手 Radio Wales
- Mon 5 Dec 2022 05:30成人快手 Radio Wales
- Fri 21 Jul 2023 18:30成人快手 Radio Wales
- Sun 23 Jul 2023 06:00成人快手 Radio Wales
- Mon 24 Jul 2023 06:30成人快手 Radio Wales