Local Entertainment

I was 13 in 1995, right in the middle of the whole Blur vs Oasis era, and like most Manchester teens at the time, I loved both, but let’s be honest, Oasis had the edge.

Rochdale Feel Good Festival has announced its main stage headliners for summer 2026, with Gabrielle set to perform in the town centre.

Performance poet Tony Walsh will host an afternoon of live poetry in Rochdale as part of the town’s year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture. The event will take place at Number One Riverside on Saturday 21 March and will also launch two poetry anthologies created by local writers.

Manchester is known by many for its historically renowned music scene; however, the scenes and sounds of Madchester, Oasis and the likes commonly overshadow the notable influence of surrounding towns within Greater Manchester. Rochdale, Greater Manchester Town of Culture for 2026, is one of those towns whose musical influence is understated and a lot of the time, unknown.

Synth pop pioneers Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark will perform their first ever live show in Rochdale this August at Town Hall Square.

Tenpin Rochdale has a brand new look following the major refurbishment due completion on 13 March 2026, bringing new attractions and upgraded facilities to the town.

An evening of live music and performance will bring together visually impaired performers, volunteers and students in Bury this month. BBS on Tour 2.0 takes place at The Met on Market Street on 12 March at 7.30pm.

A Bolton choir for people affected by cancer is inviting new singers to join as it begins rehearsals for the new year.

Thousands of music lovers descended on Bury during Bank Holiday Monday, 25 August 2025, for Glaston-Bury, the annual one day music festival in aid of Bury Hospice and other local causes. Since it began in 2008, the event has raised over £300,000 and has become one of the town’s biggest highlights of the year.

Day One at Parklife 2025 is done, and what a day it was. Over 50,000 people packed into Heaton Park for a massive Saturday, with sets from FLO, Rudimental and a huge headline performance by 50 Cent.

Tens of thousands of music fans are pouring into Parklife, as the day one of the festival gets underway.