WEEKEND COLUMN SATURDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 2026
previews, articles, reviews, interviews, and recommendations with Steve Cooke
WEEKEND COLUMN SATURDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 2026
Previews: Simon & Garfunkel Through The Years at Middleton Arena, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice musical, BREATHE at Aviva Studios plus The Day Disco Social.
Review: Rochdale Music Stories Presents Kenion Street [2026]
Rochdale Music Stories Presents Kenion Street [2026]
Review by Steve Cooke
Between 1977-2001, Rochdale was home to both Suite Sixteen and Cargo Studios on Kenion Street close to the centre of town.
Studios where trailblazing artists including The Stone Roses, New Order, OMD, Inspiral Carpets, A Certain Ratio, Fall, Happy Mondays, and Joy Division recorded some of their best work.
In 2026 Rochdale is celebrating the legacy of these studios with an innovative new compilation release. Fourteen local artists were invited to reimagine tracks that were created at both studios. The album has been released as: ‘Rochdale Music Stories presents Kenion Street.’
Nigerian musician, dancer, and multidisciplinary artist Micah Stalgic kicks it off with a reimagining of Joy Division’s `Atmosphere` regarded by bassist, Peter Hook as one of the band’s greatest. The song is seen as a kind of eulogy to singer Ian Curtis, released a couple of months before he died and again after. Micah’s version is a little more upbeat with vocals rapped, spoken and sung with gospel like local backing.
K-Estate who engagingly blend house-pop and electronic funk with a street-style edge perform `Damaged Goods` which was the debut single from Gang of Four, a number about “sexual politics” that they make their own with a pop come funky, very catchy version.
Desyfer & Emma Konnanov deliver their take on `Twenty Four Hour Party People` from Happy Mondays debut album, that deals with people on the dole who prefer partying to looking for work. Seasoned DJ and music producer Desyfer has a celebrated history in the electronic music scene. Here he creates a vibe where singer/songwriter Emma’s rich and ethereal vocals combine to deliver a thumping electronic dance banger.
`Keep The Circle Around` was a track on Inspiral Carpets demo album `Dung 4` from 1989 and pioneers of Northern Funk, P*STARR give a funky interpretation that has feet tapping enthusiastically along.
Leo HC comes up with an alternative‑folk version of The Chameleons `Up The Down Escalator’ from their 1983 debut album `Script of the Bridge’ an engagingly delicate, trancelike take.
The wonderful, fast rising indie band PoolEra create a brilliant forceful guitar led take of OMD’s ‘Electricity’.
We then get Medley’s dreamy trippy version of ‘Dreams Never End’ a New Order number sung by Peter Hook, the opening track on the band’s debut album `Movement` from 1981.
`All Night Party` A Certain Ratio’s edgy debut single is reworked by Blvckout, a heavy-hitting alternative rock band from Littleborough. Here some of the edginess is smoothed out but that underlying sense of anxious tension is cleverly retained.
`All Tomorrow’s Parties` by Nico, an Andy Warhol’s favourite by The Velvet Underground, is here a dreamy electronic version from musician and producer The Velvet Shadow and Maisie Thompson with her gossamer like vocals.
Jennifer Reid known as a Lancashire dialect folk singer shares an unexpected but wonderfully scorching, venomous version of The Fall’s `Totally Wired` a Mark E Smith song that Johnny Marr is said to be ‘obsessed’ with.
Manchester Indie Christian band, From The Ground Up, featuring Bloom Music Community brings the album to a gently folky close with an almost spiritual version of `Elephant Stone` a Stone Roses classic that addressed loss, grief, existential crises, and a world in decay.
Rochdale Music Stories: Kenion Street 2026 is not only a celebration of Rochdale’s rich music history showcasing an amazing array of local talent it would also be an excellent soundtrack to a great evening, whether in or out!
Pete Courtie, Head of Culture and Placemaking at Rochdale Development Agency said “Our Kenion Street Album is doing well in the Alternative Top 20 Album charts at the mo. Go on buy one you know it makes sense - it’s ace! Easy buy link here:” https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0H8F9MKVT/ref=sr_1_1?crid=6CAST364K5UG&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.JJutUOWE22lkJZEKr8PaFg.l33WdY-iJdBG4_aWqmLVcK8Lh6NNm9bysDXgl6Gg0M4&dib_tag=se&keywords=kenion+street+rochdale&qid=1786455096&sprefix=kenion+street+rochdale,aps,167&sr=8-1
It is also available in Vinyl from Rough Trade: https://www.roughtrade.com/product/various/rochdale-music-stories-present-kenion-street?algolia_query_id=27098e7f02f029644e3d68dd56a2f805&algolia_object_id=57978835272011&algolia_index=shopify_prod_products&algolia_position=1#57978835272011
I have bought my copy, and I highly recommend you get yours.
To find out more about Rochdale Music Stories visit: https://www.rochdalecreates.co.uk/news/rochdale-music-stories-a-celebration-of-rochdales-rich-musical-history
Simon & Garfunkel Through The Years at Middleton Arena
Preview by Steve Cooke
Critically acclaimed as one of the world’s greatest tribute shows, Simon & Garfunkel Through the Years continues to delight audiences across the globe. Acclaimed as “Featuring stunning vocal harmonies from world-class musicians, this spectacular concert transports you on a journey through the epic songs and history of the much-loved Simon and Garfunkel”.
The show is a celebration of the unprecedented rise to fame of two boys from Queens, New York, who went on to become the most successful folk-rock duo of the 1960s, selling 38 million albums in the US alone, and receiving 10 Grammy Awards. In 1981, they performed to over half a million people in their hometown of New York, and in 1990 were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Collectively known as Bookends, Dan Haynes and Pete Richards have been fronting Simon & Garfunkel Through the Years since its creation in 2011. Much like their idols, they became friends at school and could not resist singing together from a tender age.
Alongside stops in London’s West End, the show has toured extensively around the UK, Europe, United States and Australia, attracting packed houses night after night. With consecutive sell-out runs since 2014 at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, they are championed as “one of the best vocal groups touring today”, whose sounds are ‘’simply breathtaking’’.
Featuring all the major hits such as The Sound of Silence, Mrs Robinson, The Boxer and the iconic Bridge Over Troubled, don’t miss out on this phenomenal show.
From £27.83
Friday 16 October at 7.30-9.30pm
Middleton Arena, LCpl Joel Halliwell VC Way, Middleton M24 1AG
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice musical.
Preview by Steve Cooke
This Christmas, HOME is to present The Sorcerer’s Apprentice musical between Fri 27 Nov – Sat 2 Jan.
This brand-new musical will debut on stage at HOME, following on from its earlier digital version that won worldwide acclaim in 2021. A talented cast of ten will bring the story to life – but what is the story behind The Sorcerer’s Apprentice?
In 1797, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe - one of the most influential German poets of all time - wrote a ballad poem entitled “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”.
Split into 14 stanzas, the poem paints the scene of an old sorcerer who leaves his apprentice with chores to perform. Tired of manually heaving water pails, the apprentice enchants a broom to magically carry out his tasks – with chaotic consequences.
Following frantic scenes of overflowing water and multiplying brooms, the sorcerer returns to break the spell. The poem served as a cautionary tale that power must be wielded carefully, and with wisdom.
With captivating scenes of magic and drama, the poem went on to inspire many more works…
In 1897, French composer Paul Dukas was so enchanted by the poem, he went on to create a symphonic poem in its honour.
Dukas published the poem alongside the orchestral score, and – within the music – closely followed the events set out in Goethe’s poem.
The symphony became a popular concert piece and has since become Dukas’ best-known work. This is largely due to its references in films throughout the following century…
In 1937, Disney acquired the rights to Dukas’ symphony.
With those rights, they later used the symphony to accompany an animated depiction of Goethe’s poem in the 1940 film Fantasia.
This scene featured again in the revived Fantasia 2000, as the only segment from the original Fantasia to appear in the film. If you’ve ever watched Fantasia, you’ll remember Mickey Mouse – as the apprentice – trying to control multiple brooms, set to Dukas’ intense musical symphony.
This same scene was later referenced in other films, perhaps most notably The Sorcerer’s Apprentice – the Nic Cage-led film in 2010.
In 2021, Seabright Live (a theatre company headed up by James Seabright) developed a musical called The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, which also took inspiration from the original Goethe poem.
Seabright Live has produced around 250 shows since 2001, including the Olivier-award winning Showstopper! The Improvised Musical, which continues its roaring success in the West End.
As theatres were closed due to the COVID pandemic in 2021, the play premiered on streaming platforms, to worldwide acclaim. Due to popular demand, it returned for an encore season.
In this digital play, audiences loved a new, gender-swapped twist on the timeless tale. A father (the sorcerer) and his daughter (the apprentice) live in a small town powered by the Northern Lights, where its finite resources are threatened by corporate greed.
The premise? “To rescue their town from destruction, the sorcerer and his daughter must work out how to make magic together – and fast…”
Like the Goethe poem, the play explored themes about the potential danger of magic – and takes a modern look into who should wield power.
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Five years later, and thankfully no theatre closures in place, James Seabright revamps the same production for where it belongs: on stage.
Bringing onboard director Kirk Jameson (who directed Madagascar The Musical, and Song from Far Away), and composer Alexander S. Bermange (I Wish My Life Were Like A Musical), we can expect stunning music and astonishing spectacles of magic – premiering at HOME this Christmas.
Alexander S. Bermange is a highly acclaimed and award-winning composer, whose songs have won over West End and Broadway audiences, and performed by international stars including Cynthia Erivo. He will be creating entirely new music for this updated version of the show, so we can expect to be blown away by the soundtrack.
This gripping family-friendly story will see brooms coming to life and love blossoming anew, as apprentice Eva discovers the explosive possibilities of her newfound magical powers, leaving havoc, catastrophe and joy in her wake.
Building upon the success of its digital release in 2021, we can expect the same humour and feelgood story – but with extra sparkle on stage.
The play promises to enchant audiences at HOME between Fri 27 Nov – Sat 2 Jan, making it a perfect festive show for all the family.
To book your tickets visit: https://www.homemcr.org/whats-on/the-sorcerer-s-apprentice-tr4m
BREATHE at Aviva Studios
Preview by Steve Cooke
BREATHE competition returns for 2026 to Factory International’s The Social, Aviva Studios with what will be an electrifying fusion of spoken word and dance.
Watch pairs of dancers and poets perform duets showcasing their complementary styles while telling a single story through language and movement.
These dynamic duos face off in a head-to-head battle judged by a panel of leading artists from the worlds of poetry, dance and theatre, with the winning duo taking home the £200 prize.
Enjoy special guest performances from award-winning artist Sophia Thakur and internationally renowned dancer-choreographer Olivia Beckford – all set to music by a pioneering figure in the UK Hip Hop dance battle scene, DJ Renegade.
“Poetry and dance have always lived in the same body. Poetry. Dance. One story.”
Pay What You Can (Free - £8)
Book Your Ticket at https://factoryinternational.org/whats-on/breathe-dance-poetry-slam-2026/58718/
Suitable for all ages - Under 14s with an adult 18+
Running time: 2 hours 30 minutes
19.00 on Saturday 3 October in The Social, Aviva Studios, St John's, Manchester, M3 4JQ
The Day Disco Social
Preview by Steve Cooke
Heywood Civic are bringing back the spirit of the legendary Heywood Reunited events – those unforgettable dancefloor moments, the tunes you grew up with, and that feeling that the night could go on forever… only this time, they’re doing it in the daytime.
You are invited to Join them “for a feel-good Daytime Disco for the over 30s, soundtracked by an all-star line-up of local favourites including Heywood’s own Andy Big H Hargreaves. From the soulful grooves of Northern Soul, Motown and vintage R&B, through the neon pulse of the Electric 80s, and into the attitude and anthems of Madchester..
“So grab your mates, dust off your dancing shoes and join us on the dancefloor – because great nights out don’t have to happen at night.”
£13.65 - £17.85
2.00pm-9.00pm on Saturday 19 September at Heywood Civic, LCpl Stephen Shaw MC Way, Heywood OL10 1LW
RECOMMENDED
Saturday, 5 September 2026
Themed Lego Club - Wardle Library
First 2 Saturdays of each month. Come and join our themed Lego club, with Duplo available for younger children. Can you create something amazing?
Free
For families with children aged 4 and over.
No need to book, you can just come along.
Contact: library.service@rochdale.gov.uk
10am - 12pm
Wardle Library, 448 Birch Road, Wardle, Rochdale OL12 9LH
Monday, 7 September 2026
First Steps Into Music - Heywood Library
In these sessions, you'll be able to:
Learn new songs together
Play musical instruments
Learn how to develop your child’s communication skills
Make friends
Free
Booking required: please book on the Wild Things Performing Arts website https://wildthingsperformingarts.org.uk/joinus/firststeps/
For babies and pre-school children aged 0–4. Parents and guardians will join in too.
Contact: heywood.library@rochdale.gov.uk
9.30am - 10am
Heywood Library, LCpl Stephen Shaw MC Way, Heywood OL10 1LW
Monday, 7 September 2026
Wardle Library Reading Group
1st Monday of every month. Discover new authors and discuss new books with other readers at our free, friendly and informal monthly meetings. Everyone's welcome.
Free
For adults and teenagers.
No need to book, you can just turn up.
Contact: wardle.library@rochdale.gov.uk
6pm - 7pm
Wardle Library, 448 Birch Road, Wardle, Rochdale OL12 9LH
Monday, 7 September 2026
Little Reads at Rochdale Central Library
First Monday of every month. Little Reads is a fun, interactive workshop using drama, dance, songs and play to explore children’s picture books.
This is a space for you and your little ones to have fun sharing a story, singing, moving and playing. Remember to join in yourself as your children love to copy you.
Free
For families with children aged 2–6.
No booking required, you can just turn up.
Contact: library.service@rochdale.gov.uk
10am - 10.30am
Rochdale Central Library, Number One Riverside, Smith Street, Rochdale OL16 1XU
Monday, 7 September 2026
Bookstart Bear Club - Castleton Library
Every other Monday during term time. Join Amy and Bookstart Bear for a fun session, especially for toddlers up to pre-school age and their parents or carers.
Free
For babies and toddlers up to pre-school age and their parents or carers.
Booking required: please book a ticket for every child who is to attend. Accompanying adults don't need a ticket. See available sessions and book tickets through Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/rochdale-borough-libraries-10695506106
When you and your child come along to their first session of Bookstart Bear Club, they will receive their very own Bookstart passport for you to get stamped each time they come along to a session or visit the library. For every 6 stamps they get in their passport, they'll receive a certificate. Don't worry, if you or your child aren't library members already, you can join when you come along to Bookstart Bear Club.
Contact: castleton.library@rochdale.gov.uk
9.45am - 10.30am
Castleton Library, 604 Manchester Road, Rochdale OL11 3AF
Wednesday, 9 September 2026
Toad Lane Concerts - Rochdale's Weekly Music at Lunchtime
This week we have - Anne Butterworth soprano, Stephen Taylor baritone Elaine Marsden piano
Running every Wednesday, Music at Lunchtime is a weekly live classical music concert series that has been going since the 1960s. The sessions were initially run at the old Rochdale Art Gallery by the local authority, but since May 2001 have been run by volunteer-enthusiasts and artistic director, Dr Joe Dawson.
£6
Phone: Dr Joe Dawson 01706 648872
St Mary in the Baum, Toad Lane/St Mary's Gate, Rochdale OL16 1DZ
Doors open 12noon, concert starts 12.30pm - 1.30pm
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