The Keystone State Northern Soul Weekender is perhaps the premier soul music dance party in the United States—certainly east of the Mississippi River, anyway. Every year for the last eight years (skipping 2020 because of the pandemic) a bunch of world class soul music DJs (and Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus, for some reason) are rounded up and together they present a high class event at the Elks Lodge in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In previous years it was held in November, but this year—the seventh in the series—it took place on December 8, 9 and 10 (2023).

Julio Fernandez is a Spaniard who now lives in Lancaster and he is the chief architect of the event. He produced another excellent experience.

Folks came from all over the east coast to dance and to dig. We’re always happy to see the contingent from New York City. We understand that folks also came from California, Maryland and Virginia and probably places we’ve never been. Plus, record dealers from around the area–and even Georgia!–were on hand to sell records—mostly 45s— and folks—mostly the DJs—dropped some heavy, heavy loot on them. Not only that, but this year KSNSW corresponded with the monthly record show hosted by the Keystone Record Collectors. More records!!!

There were a bunch of new faces selecting records this year: Ed Maruscello (Sweet Side Records, Glens Falls), David McDaniel (Nor’Easter Soul Club, Albany), David John (DJ) Bywell (an English fellow now living in Southern California), Sean Connors and Eric Zimmerman (both of the Philly Soul Club), Debbie Benjamin-Koller (Heart of Chicago Soul Club) and Mr. Finewine (Down Town Soulville, WFMU). Returning for more action were Tony Chackal (Atlanta), Chey Frazier (Easton), Mikey Post (Daptone), Eric Svirida (Long Island), Paula Carrillo (Minneapolis), George Rodriguez (Hipshaker, Minneapolis), Cher Gingras (Slow Fizz, Toronto), Big Al Aitchison (Soulfinger, NYC), Yana Lil’ Jerk (Soul, Soul, Soul, NYC), Scott Boyko (Garden State Soul Club), and the tag-team of Chas Gibson & Ivy A. Gogo (New Paltz). Plus, there was an unexpected extra DJ when Kenny McDonald, a fellow from Scotland who is associated with the Emerald City Soul Club, tag-teamed with his friend George Rodriguez on Saturday night.

The DJs played fantastic records all weekend long and the Elks Lodge’s fabulous wooden dance floor was crowded nearly the entire time. With so many DJs on hand, Mr. Fernandez had to ‘double deck’ them during the afternoon sessions—that is, two DJs split the 30 minute slots. Some approached this by each DJ taking 15 minutes. Others took turns spinning a disc. Phast Phreddie took the latter approach when he double decked with Mikey Post during the Saturday afternoon gig and with Chey Frazier on the Sunday Soul Day. Brother Weems, once a member of the legendary Empire State Soul Club organization, was the MC on Friday and Saturday nights and he did a splendid job.

Miss Nancy was on hand with double-chocolate cookies and her signature vegan brownies. Here’s a list of all the records played by Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus at the Seventh Keystone State Northern Soul Weekender:

Friday Night

• Winfield Parker–S.O.S. (Stop Her On Sight) (Spring)
• Curtis Lee & the K C P’s–Everybody’s Going Wild (Rojac)
• The Mid Knights–Somebody Somewhere Needs You (Warner Bros.; Canada)
• Ronnie Milsap–Ain’t No Soul Left in These Ole Shoes (Scepter)
• Johnny Johnson & the Bandwagon–Honey Bee (Stateside; Spain)
• The Soul Shakers–The Cold Letter (Loma)
• Joan Moody–We Must Be Doing Something Right (Sylvia)
• The Halos–Come Softly to Me (Congress)
• Billy Storm–Baby Don’t Look Down (Loma)
• The Shirelles–Bright Shiny Colors (Scepter)
• The Del-Satins featuring Adrienne Williams–Baby You’re the Fire (Villa)
• The Fabulettes–Screamin’ and Shoutin’ (Sound Stage 7)
• Johnny Starr–Don’t Hold Back (Eastern)

Saturday Afternoon

• Larry Hale–Shout and Do the Duck (Columbia)
• Nat Kendricks and His Band; vocal by J.D. Bryant–Here It Is (The Philly Dawg) Part I (Sew City)
• The Patti-Cakes–Peas Porridge (Revue)
• Little Richard–Dance A Go Go (Vee Jay)
• James ‘Red’ Holloway–Ala Carte (Mad)
• The Pioneers–At the Discotheque (Trojan; UK)
• The Combo Kings–I’m At My Best When I’m Down (Arctic)

Sunday Afternoon

• The Quests–Soul Finger [from EP 4 Hits] (Columbia; Malaysia)
• Carl Holmes and the Commanders featuring Pervis Herder–Soul Dance No. 3 (Hit Blackjack)
• Bobby & the Dukes–Come on Along With Me (Philips)
• Symarip–These Boots Are Made for Walking (Harlem Shuffle; UK)
• Eddie Lovette–Too Experienced (Federal; Jamaica)
• Eddie Jefferson–Psychedelic Sally (Prestige)

None of these records are for sale.