Thousands flock to town centre as Feel Good Festival rocks Rochdale

Date published: 14 August 2024

The town centre was buzzing on Saturday 10 August as thousands gathered under the summer sun for the return of the Rochdale Feel Good Festival.

Headlined by indie rock legends Ocean Colour Scene, Lottery Winners, and Heather Small, the festival lived up to its promise of a weekend to remember.

The town centre was alive from early afternoon, with crowds flocking to the main stage which was back at Rochdale Town Hall Square, after five years.

Festivities kicked off on Saturday at The Empire, with a full day of live music featuring local artists. As the day progressed, the main stage – sponsored by The Flying Horse Hotel and hosted by DJ Dave Sweetmore – came to life with a powerful performance by Atlas, the local band that won this year’s ‘Feel Good – Battle of the Bands’. Their energetic debut on the main stage was met with an enthusiastic response from the crowd.

 

 

"The crowd was amazing," said Atlas member Oscar. "A lot of fans supporting us, and many faces we recognised, which really kept us going." Dylan added, "Hearing people sing along to our choruses was incredible. Knowing that it’s our creation, our baby, feels good to get up there on the main stage and do our thing."

Indie R’n’B pop star iamkyami followed, delivering an electrifying set that captivated the audience. Reflecting on the experience, she shared, “When I looked into the crowd, people were smiling and having a great time, which is always really nice.”

It was her first time in Rochdale, and she was struck by the town's charm: “The town hall is very grand – I’d even say it’s nicer looking than the Manchester one.”

 

 

Saddleworth ska band Madame Claude kept the energy high with a rousing performance that had everyone dancing, followed by Toucan, whose soulful melodies and heartfelt lyrics won over new fans. "The energy has been amazing," said Toucan's Conor Clancy. "It was great to do the Feel Good Festival before taking a small break, and then hitting the ground running in 2025."

 

 

As the evening drew in, multi-award-winning artist Heather Small took to the stage, drawing a crowd of thousands for a high-octane performance that included her classic M People tracks and solo anthem ‘Proud’. Her set, perfect for a sunny evening, ended on a high note with the crowd singing along to ‘Fantasy Island’.

Returning to the Rochdale main stage after ten years, Lottery Winners delivered a set filled with anthemic songs from their chart-topping album Anxiety Replacement Therapy. Their performance was a blend of catchy tunes and humour, with lead singer Thom Rylance engaging the audience from start to finish.

 

 

After a short interlude, the stage went dark for the final headliner, Ocean Colour Scene. In front of a crowd of over 4,600, they launched into their set with ‘Riverboat Song’, thrilling the audience with a mix of fan favourites and classics like ‘The Circle’ and ‘The Day We Caught The Train’. The night wrapped up with the band firmly in control of the crowd’s euphoria.

Councillor Sue Smith, Cabinet Member for Communities and Co-operation, expressed her delight: "Seeing the festival back on our restored town hall square was wonderful. The biggest-ever line-up didn’t disappoint—it's a weekend we’ll never forget."

The celebrations continued at The Flying Horse Hotel with an official after-show party and more performances across the town centre.

 

 

Sunday saw a more relaxed vibe with a free afternoon of folk music headlined by Ríoghnach Connolly & Honeyfeet. The festival also premiered a new musical, Peter's Field, marking one of the most momentous days in working-class history, the Peterloo Massacre.

The festival’s food and drink village thrived throughout the weekend, with over 45 live performances taking place across various venues. The Friday night fringe programme featured gigs in ten local venues and a sold-out comedy show at Champness Hall headlined by Gary Delaney.

All photos: John Wall