Feel Good Festival returns after two-year break

Date published: 06 August 2022

Rochdale Feel Good Festival is back in Rochdale town centre on Saturday 13 August with headliners indie rock band The Fratellis taking to the stage after a two year break due to Covid.

From lunchtime, entertainment begins with town centre venues The Empire, Hoochi Koochi, The Medicine Tap, The Flying Horse and The Baum hosting an exciting line up of live musical talent, and some restaurants and eateries are offering special festival themed food menus for the day.

At 3pm gates to the main stage at Hopwood Hall College open and the site includes the festival’s food and drink village, with traders selling delicious dishes, fantastic street food, plus bars and much more.  

The main stage will be headlined by The Fratellis alongside The Northern Soultrain, rock band HAiG, Abbie Ozard, Britain’s Got Talent finalist Sign Along With Us, Aziz Ibrahim, dance act ENTT, indie/folk duo Firewoodisland, DJ Dave Sweetmore and local band The Sprats.

Since winning the Best British Breakthrough song at the BRIT Awards The Fratellis have enjoyed huge success, with 5 top 20 albums and 5 top 40 singles. Their first album – ‘Costello Music’ sold more than one million copies in the UK alone. While they’ve enjoyed a string of hits, including ‘Whistle for the choir’, ‘Henrietta’, ‘Mistress Mable,’ and ‘Baby Fratelli’ they are best known for the anthemic ‘Chelsea Dagger’, which remains a playlist staple worldwide. They won a new generation of fans thanks to the top 5 album in 2018 ‘In your own sweet time’ and last year embraced the return of live music, unleashing the top 20 album ‘Half Drunk Under A Full Moon’, collaborated with Rudimental who remixed their single ‘Need a little love’ as well as releasing a charity cover of ‘Yes sir, I can boogie’ to coincide with Scotland playing at Euro2020 followed by huge shows for key workers at the Hydro Arena in Cardiff and Wembley Arena in London.

For all those making a weekend of it there are also shows on Friday (12 August), with local band The Sprats warming up for their main stage set with a gig at Hoochi Koochi and an indie DJ set from Dave Sweetmore. 

Also on the eve of the festival The Flying Horse Hotel hosts two stand-up comedy shows in The Old Court Room, both starring Britain’s Got Talent and Phoenix Night’s star Steve Royle – a family friendly show at 6pm and an 8.15pm adults show.

The family friendly comedy show with Britain’s Got Talent Finalist, comedian, actor and juggler, Steve Royle will be hosted by Sam Harland. Ideal for anyone over the age of 3, the family show will be filled with jokes, fun and amazing performance antics that have graced many theatres around the world.

The adult comedy night with six comedians, including winner of the 2021 BBC New Comedian of the Year, Anna Thomas and Duncan Oakley, comedian, songwriter, musician, actor, one man band!

The majestic Steve Royle will open the show giving the chance for the audience to witness so London Palladium, with Sam Harland once of the best MCs on the circuit hosting the evening with fellow comedians Ben Silver and Jon Capewell.

Tickets for both shows are available online: www.acelipsevents.co.uk

These two comedy shows are being held to raise money from profits for two charities that help many causes around the Rochdale Borough, The Mayor of Rochdale Fund and Maximus Foundation.

There’s a programme of live music right across town too on Saturday, with festival venues hosting another 20 acts through the afternoon and evening including former Hacienda DJ Dave Haslam, Blondie tribute Bootleg Blondie, The Merchants, Katie O’Malley, country rock band Between The Vines, Gav Law, Amy Nicole Smith and lots more.

You’ve a choice of two official after show parties at The Flying Horse Hotel – rock band The Boutiques upstairs in The Old Court Room and downstairs Mexican and Irish flavours with Juan Direction and The Scattering playing live.

After The Fratellis main stage set, Barry Fratelli, bassist from the band heads over to Hoochi Koochi to DJ alongside Manchester music icon Clint Boon and festival host Dave Sweetmore. Singer/songwriter Jack Carroll from Heywood will be playing at The Baum from 10pm.

It could be quite an emotional day said Ben Boothman, owner of main stage sponsor The Lancashire Hospitality Co-operation: “We’ve all been through such a lot over the last couple of years, it’s going to be special to welcome festival-goers back for an event that’s been nearly three years in the making. With all the work under way around the town hall we’ve also had to move the main stage this year but I think the obstacles have only added to our collective determination to bring this brilliant event back. We must do all we can to get behind the town centre and support our local businesses. People have always come out and supported the event in the past so we need that more than ever this time.”

If you are travelling into Rochdale from Manchester Victoria and Oldham, Metrolink runs a direct service to Rochdale town centre. If you are arriving by train, travel to the town centre by Metrolink from Rochdale train station is included in your train ticket.

Council pay and display car parks are located across the town centre and the first 3 hours are free, but you must display a ticket. There is also parking available in the new multi-storey at Rochdale Riverside, open 24 hours a day and it costs £5 for up to 6 hours.

Advance tickets for the main stage (£7) are still on sale at www.rochdalefeelgoodfestival.co.uk until midnight on Friday 12 August and you can also book in person at Touchstones Rochdale and Middleton Arena. On the day tickets will be available subject to availability for £10 each until 4pm online and in person at Touchstones on The Esplanade until 5pm.

The advice is to arrive early as you’ll need to exchange your e-ticket for a wristband before you can enter the main stage area. Wristbands can be collected from Touchstones Rochdale on Friday 12 August (9am-6pm) or on Saturday 13 August from 9am until 6pm.

Most performances at indoor venues are free and un-ticketed, but check the web site for details.

Due to road closures in place for the festival, taxis and private hire vehicles will be available from Asda car park on Dane Street from 9.30pm if you are leaving the main stage area and there will be a signposted footpath from Hopwood Hall College.

The festival, which is now in its 13th year, is funded by the council together with ticket sales and sponsorship from The Lancashire Hospitality Co-operation, Premier Kia, Hopwood Hall College, Metrolink and The Royal Toby Hotel.