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The Catacombs in Temple Street, Wolverhampton, was tiny venue that had a short life from 1967 to 1974 during which time it was at the centre of the British Northern Soul scene. They called it “the greatest little Soul Club in the land” and, as history tells us, it bridged the gap between the R&B of the Twisted Wheel and the adrenalin soul of the Golden Torch . It was an integral part of the rare soul movement and set the template for what became known as Northern Soul. Aspects of the Catacombs ranged from the bizarre to the downright dangerous: the club served orange squash by the pint and boasted a fire escape made of wood! Already anomalous because of its industrial building, it could not obtain a regular all-night license and so suffered in comparison to larger venues in the north. Fans would attend the Catacombs until closing time, then drive to other venues for an all-nighter. On 13th July 1974, the club held a rare all-nighter to send it off in style. The heat was so intense that the building’s red paint melted off the walls, as though the club itself was bleeding. Grieving fans made cassette recordings of the final playlist and carved their names into the brickwork. On one wall was a simple epitaph: “It’s the death of the Cats.” As the morning drew closer, pink membership cards littered the floor, discarded tributes to the club that had become so beloved. When crowds finally left the club, they were haunted by the words of Where Have All The Flowers Gone? by Walter Jackson . The Catacombs had finally become the tomb its name evoked.
