SEVENTIES soul legends The Real Thing are set tp play at the Dormans Club in Middlesbrough this festive season.

The group that scored million selling hits in the 70's with 'You To Me Are Everything', 'Can't Get By Without You' and 'Can You Feel The Force' have a great connection with nightlife on Teesside that goes back a long way. The band is made up of the three original members, brothers Chris and Eddie Amoo, with Dave Smith and are still hugely popular, performing around the UK and internationally.

Chris said, "We are really looking forward to heading to Middlesbrough in December for the Dormans festive season. We go back a very long way with people in that area, when we first topped the charts in the mid 70s we played The Club Fiesta on Norton High Street for the Lipthorpe family, and it really all started form there."

"We as a band have so many friends based around Middlesbrough and Stockton. We have great memories of working at venues like The Mall on Stockton High Street and also over at Tall Trees in Yarm, which where both owned by our great friend Javed."

"The people from around that patch are always up for a great time and to have some fun with us. We have built up a great fan base around the area and we cherish that fact. It still gives us a thrill to play all the hits and see the response we get when we perform them live. Even at parties we have visited across the years, when the disco plays 'You To Me Are Everything' , Can't Get By Without You' or 'Can You Feel the Force' those songs still pack the dancefloors - I can't tell you how good that feels."

"Next summer will see forty year anniversaries for 'You To Me' making number one and 'Can't Get By ' reaching number two in the charts and we are already talking about something special for the anniversary. It was a magical summer, the weather was amazing all summer long and we seemed to be on every TV show, both here at home and jetting off to different parts of the world to work . . . truly terrific memories that have stayed so very close to our fans that have been so loyal to us."

In the mid-eighties all the songs were remixed and all three re-entered the UK charts, and proving to be very popular once again in nightclubs across the region.

Chris said, "We'll have plenty of fun in Middlesbrough and we hope to bring back some wonderful memories to those joining us for the festive party season.

Tickets for the two shows over Christmas, Friday December 4th & Friday December 11th priced at £20 are available from the Dormans Club in Linthorpe, Middlesbrough or by calling Goffy Media on 07990 588 424 Pic attached - The Real Thing Chris & Eddie Amoo with Dave Smith