Heywood band inspire festival crowd

Photo: Matt Barker @ Expressive Exposure

Red Or Black

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Revellers in Rochdale enjoyed one of the first bands to perform at this year’s Feel Good Festival tonight (Friday 13 August 2010).

Crowds gathered to the Litten Tree to watch Red or Black, a Heywood band, take to the stage.

The reaction to the group was phenomenal, all those who were sat down stood up to see more and many enjoyed a dance to the group’s self-penned tracks.

“28 days” and “Out of Control” were just two of the songs performed by the group who were runners up at the Feel Good Festival’s Battle of the Bands competition.

The energy shown by the five men was inspiring and it was reflected amongst the audience.

The group’s front man Danny Carden thoroughly enjoyed the set, not only did his excitement show it but so did the beads of sweat running down his face.

He said: “Sometimes it can be hard to gage what people think but there was just so much energy in the room, people were boogying. When I looked around I could tell the people who know us and the people who didn’t but the people who didn’t were getting into it too.

“Local support I think is a springboard and I don’t think we have done ourselves any harm by being here tonight.

“I think the Feel Good Festival is a fantastic idea, more people should get involved and give it a chance. Rochdale can sometimes get a bad reputation but it’s free and its fun and everybody should come out and enjoy it, it might even spark something in them.

“It makes places like this that aren’t normally music a venue, a venue and I think there should be music on in Rochdale – we would do it every week!”

Mr Carden concluded: “We have had a great night and we hope everyone else has.”
The bands manager Jay Smith described the bands performance as “superb” he said: “They have had a really good reaction, we brought some fans along with us but some people here are people we have never seen before and they are getting on their feet and having a good time.”

Mr Smith added: “Being involved in the Feel Good Festival is a massive thing for us we have done numerous gigs in Manchester but this has given us an opportunity to come to Rochdale and be in the centre with local people and it has worked out for us tonight.”

Event organiser, Suzy Woods from Rochdale Town Centre Management said the band was fantastic, energetic and very inspiring.

“They have been very enthusiastic all the way through and are keen supporters of the festival.

“The Litten Tree isn’t the typical venue for this kind of thing but they have given it a go, and for a Friday night, which is usually quiet, it is busy and they have brought people in. We hope to do lots more of this in the future which showcases the great local talent in Rochdale,” said Ms Woods.

Also on the bill later in the evening at the Litten Tree, back to the Festival by popular acclaim, was The Travelling Band.