Fabulous music at Feel Good fringe venue

Falinge Park High School - Part 500

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A range of different music was on offer to festival lovers at the Touchstones today (Saturday 14 August 2010) as part of Rochdale’s Feel Good Festival.

The fun at the fringe venue kicked off at noon with performances from students at Falinge Park High School.

The students formed a music group outside of the regular curriculum and put lots of time and effort into what they do.

The first group of school members to perform was Part 500 the group is made up of friends and they aim to write their own songs, they performed self penned music and the recent hit “Empire State of Mind” by Alicia Keys.

The pupils received a warm welcome from the audience and an incredible applause at the end. Two other groups of perfomers from the school took to the stage, the first a guitar duo played Slip Knot tracks whilst the second, sang their own songs.

Music teacher Michael Dalby said: “Being involved in the Feel Good Festival is so cool for the school.

“We started having Jamming sessions and then I set up a song writing class and it went from there.

“I wanted them to write down their feelings and emotions to form their own material. Their lyrics are all about what they feel about the world and their observations. We threw in some music theory and then put it all together.”

Mr Dalby who is a singer on the pub and club circuit added: “I think they have done great, they are fantastic, hardworking students and they are so spirited they have done excellent.”

Also performing at Touchstones was Councillor Keith Swift, another example of home grown talent and despite finishing his Mayoral duties in May Councillor Swift is now widely renowned as the “Singing Mayor.”

Councillor Swift took to the stage with his swing music, performing hits such as “Come fly with me” and “Fly me to the moon.”

Known on stage as Jonathan Swift, he succeeded in entertaining the crowd and giving day two of the festival a wonderful feel.

Councillor Swift said: “It was lovely, I really enjoyed it.

“I think the Falinge Park High School students were great and Ellysse (Mason winner of Rochdale’s Got Talent) was outstanding.”

Councillor Swift added: “It is a real bonus for me to be involved in the Feel Good Festival, I have been really excited and it is great to see so many people enjoying it and coming to the town.”

The final act on the stage at Touchstones today was the beautiful Catherine Tyldesley; Ms Tyldesley sang with the voice of an angel and really captivated the audience.

Ms Tyldesley, 24, also performed at the Heywood Civic Centre on the run up to the festival.

She said: “It is a nice change to perform in an intimate place where I can actually see the audience instead of seeing the lights.

“I think the Feel Good Festival is awesome – it is absolutely brilliant to have all this culture at one festival.

“I would love to come back next year.”