Feel Good Festival 2016

Two days packed with fabulous free entertainment in Rochdale town centre. Live music from established names, must-see rising stars and first class cooking from world renowned chefs. Music and food at its very best!

FOOD FESTIVITIES

The festival includes live music across indoor venues, a main stage sponsored by The Flying Horse Hotel against the backdrop of the town hall, and Stage 2 – the community stage. Chefs and food producers will host live cooking demonstrations throughout and the festival will also include the popular food market.

The summer festival is funded by Rochdale Borough Council together with sponsorship from local businesses.

FOOD STAGE

Watch our fantastic line up of chefs in action on the Food Stage on both days. Pick up tips, sample delicious treats or just relax in the festival atmosphere.

CHRIS BAVIN
Before his television career took off, Chris ran his green grocer business, ‘The Naked Grocer’ for 6 years, twice winning the ‘National Independent Retailer of the Year’ award. The business now focuses on direct home deliveries, supplying fruit and veg boxes for home, fruits for offices and wholesale catering. His ‘Eat Well For Less’ television series with Gregg Wallace and Lucy Jones sees them helping families across the UK, proving good food doesn’t have to cost the earth.

Chris also presented on BBC1’s primetime series ‘Tomorrows Food’ with comedian Dara O'Briain which revealed the awe-inspiring future of our food. He’s also co-presented BBC Daytime's new series ‘Good Enough To Eat’ with Gloria Hunniford.
Saturday 20 August 2016 (demonstration times to be confirmed).

NISHA KATONA
The popular food writer, curry evangelist, teacher and owner of Manchester restaurant Mowgli will be sharing her quick and easy dishes with us for the first time. Nisha gave up her 20 year career as a barrister to focus on her passion for Indian food. Famous for creating simple dishes, a million miles away from the curry stereotype, her recipes are healthy, often vegan and always packed with fresh flavour. Her recipes promise authentic Indian dishes in 20 minutes using just 3 spices. Her first book – ‘Pimp my Rice’ was published in 2015 and she films for the Food Network as well as tweeting daily recipes to her 24,000 followers on Twitter.
Friday 19 August 2016 (demonstration times to be confirmed)

AAZAM AHMAD
Our ever popular BBC Fusion Chef Aazam will be appearing for a record ninth year. Indian food guru Aazam has appeared on television and radio and is a favourite at top food shows across the world, including the BBC Good Food Show. Born and bred in Manchester, he has a passion for his city and world cuisine. With his generosity of spirit and big heart, he is actively involved in charity work both locally and nationally.
Friday 19 and Saturday 20 August 2016 (demonstration times to be confirmed)

ANDREW NUTTER
Rochdale’s own Andrew Nutter has won multiple awards, including Lancashire Chef of the Year, Restaurant of the Year, and the Courvoisier Award. He’s a regular on radio and on television and hosted his own Channel 5 series ‘Utter Nutter’. Last November he was named ‘Rochdale Man of the Year’ honoured for his charity work and for representing the town nationally and internationally. He works alongside supermarket chains, promoting regional and local produce and is always a favourite at the world’s major cookery events.
Friday 19 and Saturday 20 August 2016 (demonstration times to be confirmed)

GUO YUE
The renowned master of Chinese cookery, musician, author and restauranteur from London will bring his global cookery workshop to town on Saturday 20 August. Discovered by Peter Gabriel, Guo is a musician and chef in equal measure. Growing up in Beijing during the Cultural Revolution, the talented guru is an outstanding soloist on the bamboo flute as well as a true master of Chinese cooking! Owner of The Bamboo Flute restaurant near Regent’s Park in London, Guo has worked on the soundtracks of several international films, including the Oscar-winning The Last Emperor and the theme for the Emmy award-winning Channel Four television documentary Beyond the Clouds. He’s also worked with artists including Peter Gabriel’. Guo cooks like a musician, with an emphasis on the colours, notes and rhythms that make up his collection of traditional and modern recipes. Author of 'Music, Food and Love: A Memoir with Recipes' and the award-winning children's book 'Little Leap Forward: A Boy in Beijing' Guo gives demonstrations all over the world, often combining them with performances on his bamboo and white jade flutes. His unique approach to cooking and his uplifting philosophy that bridges old and new China, have led to appearances on radio and television and articles in The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian and Observer Food Monthly.

Guo Yue said he is looking forward to his first visit to Rochdale:

“I have cooked with Aazam many times so it is exciting to be asked to be part of this wonderful festival that I have heard so much about. In my demonstrations I hope to show how important music, food and love is in Chinese cooking.”

MUSIC

MAIN STAGE HEADLINERS
Indie rock trio THE FRATELLIS will headline Rochdale Feel Good Festival this summer. The band, famous for their turbo charged indie guitar tunes will take to the main stage for a free show by Rochdale Town Hall on Saturday 20 August.

Since winning the Best British Breakthrough gong at the BRIT Awards, the Glaswegian three-piece have enjoyed huge success, with 3 top 20 albums and 5 top 40 singles over the past decade. Their first album – ‘Costello Music’ reached Number 2, selling more than one million copies in the UK alone. While the lads have 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 at sports stadia around the world.

It’ll be a Rochdale debut for The Fratellis who have performed at major festivals across Europe including Glastonbury and T in the Park as well as completing sell-out tours in the UK, America and Australia.

Councillor Janet Emsley, Cabinet Member for Culture, Health and Wellbeing at Rochdale Borough Council said:

“We are excited to have secured The Fratellis for the festival. This event goes from strength to strength and brings visitors into the borough from across the region. We hope thousands will join us once again to make this another year to remember and with our river re-opening work complete, the festival site in the town centre will look fantastic.”

PLUS: VERY SPECIAL GUESTS…

KESTON COBBLER’S CLUB
After a completely sold-out tour earlier in 2016, the Feel Good Festival is delighted to provide Rochdale with a chance to catch the KESTON COBBLER’S CLUB. Snapped up by major label Universal Records, KCC released their critically acclaimed ‘Wild Fire’ album last year with The Guardian hailing it as a record of ‘rambunctious folk and joyous pop’. Named after an 18th-century violinist cobbler renowned for his abilities to see people lose themselves to dance, these Kent folkies will be looking to channel their namesake’s abilities at Feel Good as they bring their chest-thumping singalongs and barnstorming anthems to the party.

THE RESONATORS
One of the most powerful dub bands in the UK taking all the influences of original Jamaican sounds and riddims and bringing it forward into the sounds of here and now. Fronted by two soulful and innovative female vocalists, Faye Houston and Kassia Sermon, this 8-piece troupe generates a sound which is equally strong and sweet conscious and fun - the perfect complement to a Saturday Summer’s evening here at the Feel Good Fest.

ALEX CORNISH
ALEX CORNISH’S varied musical styles include contemporary rock, folk, orchestral and ambient and he’s been compared to Coldplay and Ryan Adams. On tour, Alex has supported artists including Alison Moyet at the Royal Albert Hall, Amy Macdonald, Kathryn Williams and Starsailor. He’s performed alongside Ellie Goulding and his cover version of ‘Brothers in Arms’ was included on the Radio 2 Saturday Sessions CD. Last year he played another live in session with Dermot O’Leary who describes Alex as 'a genius.’

BOOMIN’
BOOMIN’, famed for their extravagant live shows, take well known hits and play them with their own inimitable style, blending classic rock with modern chart music plus a stack of their own original material and a touch of anarchy! Regional finalists of the coveted ‘Hard Rock Rising’ competition in 2013, the band have already supported acts including The Script, McFly, N-Dubz and Scouting for Girls. They’ve played some of the UK’s biggest arenas as well as collaborating with Newton Faulkner. The lads released their debut Album ‘Original Junkie’ in 2012.

THE TWISTED DOLLS
THE TWISTED DOLLS blend of catchy rock and roll blues mixed with power and showmanship has gained them a reputation as one of Manchester’s most exciting new live acts. Their acclaimed single ‘Bluesbreaker’ released in November was named one of the year’s best singles by new music website sonicbandwagon.com and they’ve been tipped for great things by BBC Introducing in Manchester. Taking musical influences from Kings of Leon, Arctic Monkeys and The White Stripes, the Dolls’ distinctive sound has been described as ‘a mix of fuzz, riffs and 60’s garage rock n’ blues.’


THE BRIGHT BLACK
Also on the main stage line-up are Middleton-based band THE BRIGHT BLACK. This funk and soul-inspired pop outfit launch their new single ‘Skin on Skin’ this month and have been recognised as one of the region’s best new unsigned bands, performing sell-out gigs across Manchester in recent months. They take influences from classic funk and soul artists like The Isley Brothers and Al Green while maintaining a high-energy sound symptomatic of their Mancunian roots. Their blend of upbeat feel good sounds with soulful lyrics was emphasised in their debut EP ‘Up Not Down’ recorded at 80 Hertz Studios, produced by George Atkins who has worked with Lily Allen and The Courteeners.

Rochdale Feel Good Festival returns on Friday 19 and Saturday 20 August, for another showcase of entertainment, food and culture.

Full Music Line Up here!

BATTLE OF THE BANDS COMPETITION 2016
Our Battle of the Bands competition is now open for entries, and we are looking for local bands or solo artists. All you need to do to stand a chance of bagging your own 30-minute set in front of the crowds on our main stage is email a link to a YouTube video of you playing live, along with a short biography to [email protected]

After the closing date of 20 May 2016 submissions will be added to the festival Facebook page, before the top 6 who get the most ‘likes’ go forward to a judging panel who will decide on who performs on the main stage.

Solo artists must live in the borough, and bands must have at least 50 per cent of their members living in the borough. Entries must be received by the closing date of 20 May 2016.

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Posted: Thursday 11th August 2016
ID: 11464 - 1742