Soul Guardians celebrate a decade of bringing Northern Soul nights to Maidstone

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On a quiet evening in 2013, a BBC2 documentary flickered onto Matt Ellis’s television screen - Northern Soul: Keeping The Faith was the title. By the end of the programme, something had shifted inside him.

“I couldn’t believe I hadn’t heard of this scene,” Matt recalls. “It resonated with me so much. It felt like the 90s rave days all over again - that same raw energy, passion, connection.”

This moment sparked a journey that would not only reignite Matt’s own musical fire but add a totally different musical event to Maidstone’s nightlife over the next decade.

At the time, Matt was training in martial arts with Steve Payne, a lifelong mod and fellow black belt in kung fu.

“I got into Madness when I was a kid, through the two-tone scene,” Steve says. “Quadrophenia, The Jam, Paul Weller - I’ve always been a mod at heart.”

Matt knew Steve’s musical leanings and approached him about a local soul night in Rochester. “We weren’t really close pals at that point,” Steve says. “But he saw the programme, knew I’d be into it and asked if I wanted to come along.”

That night changed everything.

“It was heavy,” Steve laughs. “We got drunk and had one of those ‘We should do this’ conversations. But with Matt, it’s different. He doesn’t just talk. Two days later, I had a flyer for our first Northern Soul night in my inbox.”

In 2015, that first night became reality - Soul Garden was born in Maidstone’s Rafters Club, a once-iconic, slightly battered venue that oozed character.

“It was the first nightclub I ever went to as a kid,” Steve says. “Up the stairs between two restaurants. It used to be a heavy-metal club. You could smell 50 years of sweat in the walls. At the back, you could see the stars through the roof.”

Despite its grit, the event was electric. The crowd came, the music spun and people danced the night away.

“Even though it was different music from the rave scene,” Matt reflects, “the energy was the same. The connection, the people, the passion - I was hooked.”

Soon, Soul Garden evolved into Soul Guardians - a name that better reflected the mission. Matt and Steve weren’t just throwing parties, they were protecting and nurturing a cultural legacy.

Over the next few years, they grew a loyal following. The nights happened quarterly, carefully timed not to clash with other events in Kent and Sussex. “We’re all in touch,” Steve says of the regional scene. “It’s the same crowd and you don’t want to split it.”

What started as two men sharing a love for a niche genre became a full-fledged community. People travelled from London, Essex and the South Coast drawn by the promise of vinyl gems, vintage fashion and dancefloors filled with soul.

In 2018, Soul Guardians took a bold leap - taking over Maidstone’s Royal Star Arcade and local restaurant-bar 4Degrees, they staged an event unlike any other.

They set the DJ decks on the arcade balcony, overlooking an atrium filled with dancers spinning into the early hours under glass ceilings and hanging vinyl records.

“It tripled our usual turnout,” Matt says. “It felt magical. Looking up at the stars, people just losing themselves in the music.”

It was such a hit, they returned a year later, always looking to push the boundaries of what a Northern Soul night could be.

Today, Soul Guardians (@soulguardianskent) hosts its events at the Civil Service Club in Maidstone - a venue that suits its style and ambition. Every event is still a labour of love, from decor to lighting, projections and even individually-designed commemorative badges handed out on entry.

“We don’t do loads of nights,” says Matt. “We want each one to feel special. So that you walk in and feel something. That takes effort and we love doing it.”

The visuals include projected videos and photos from previous nights - a nostalgic mirror for the crowd. The community has also developed a rotating pool of DJs, many of whom were once just regular attendees but who now take turns sharing their rare and beloved records.

“It’s like owning a classic car that never gets driven,” Matt says. “If you’ve got something rare, let people hear it.”

More than 10 years since that fateful night in Rochester, Soul Guardians is more than a club night. It’s a revival. A movement. A living archive of a subculture steeped in history, reimagined through modern eyes. And the crowd is as eclectic as the music. “You get mods in loafers, Northern Soul guys in baggies, ska heads in 2 Tone,” Matt says. “It’s a beautiful mix and people really make the effort.”

And while the venues have changed, the mission hasn’t: protect the culture, share the music and keep the faith.

INFO: soulguardians.co.uk