Blues, jazz, Irish folk...a successful Saturday afternoon

Feel Good Festival 2009: Nancy Wallace

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Crowds swarmed the town centre streets this afternoon (Saturday 11 July), for the first batch of live music for the Feel Good Festival. Rochdale Online News reporter Kirsty Rigg reports from Bar 5…

Rochdale town centre was today a scene like never before, for those of us not old enough to remember the swinging 60s.

Talented artists had travelled from as far as Suffolk and London to play Bar 5 as part of the Feel Good Festival, for what was an incredibly varied afternoon of indie rock, blues, jazz, and Irish folk music.

First up was London girl Nancy Wallace, described as a “born folk brat”, who performed a range of traditional Irish folk songs as well as some impressive work of her own.

With a gentle voice and a stripped down acoustic style, she gave a tranquil yet captivating performance which drew in an appreciative crowd.

Nancy said: “I travelled all the way from Hackney this morning and I’m exhausted, but I’m so glad to be here.

“I had a wander round the town centre, everyone is very friendly, it has been a lovely experience.”

A much more energetic performance came next, from musical wizard Will Tang, a local man who can pass off a Jimi Hendrix cover like he’s the man himself.

Coupled up with drummer ‘Mikey P’ the pair raised the roof with superb blues songs, as Tang blew out some outstanding mouth organ and electric guitar solos, in a kind of Bob Dylan meets Jimi Hendrix style.

Mikey P hammered out some epic drum beats, keeping up with the skills of front man Tang, and between them drew in twice as many people than were in the bar before they started playing.

Will Tang said: “It is a fantastic idea to have a festival in Rochdale, look at all the people who have some to enjoy it.

“It’s been a great success and we were lucky enough to get a really brilliant crowd in there, they were so attentive.”

Following shortly after was a four-piece band from Liverpool, Random Family, whose musical tags are considerably harder to describe.

With an array of instruments including the ukulele, flute, bass, banjo and acoustic guitar, the four-piece swapped and changed their instruments while harmonising beautifully in an almost angelic manner.

A soulful performance of slow, serene songs which suggested Christian worship teamed with a 1960s peace lover’s sound.

Last man of the afternoon was John Smith, highly regarded as a “must see” by previous band Random Family, the solo acoustic artist brought a first-class ending to an afternoon of entertainment in Bar5.

The young chap is a talented song writer whose rocky blues influences wooed the crowd, that had progressively grown since the first performance at 2.00pm.

The afternoon drew to a close nicely, and even more people have started appearing ready for tonight’s big performances, including the Bluetones, on the main stage at 8.00pm.