Synth pop pioneers Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark will perform their first ever live show in Rochdale this August at Town Hall Square.
The band, widely known as OMD, will headline a major outdoor concert on Friday 7 August alongside special guests Peter Hook and The Light and Manchester band A Certain Ratio.
Despite recording their debut single Electricity in Rochdale in 1979, the group has never previously performed in the town. The upcoming performance will form part of their Summer of Hits tour.
More than 3000 tickets have already been sold for the event, which will take place in the square outside the recently restored Rochdale Town Hall.
Andy McCluskey, co founder and lead vocalist of OMD, said: “We can't wait to come and play at Rochdale’s magnificent town hall square. We recorded our first single at Rochdale's Cargo Studios back in 1979, but have never played in the town before, so what a great way to finally come back and have a party with our old Factory Records friends.”
OMD has sold more than 40 million records worldwide during a career spanning more than four decades. The band achieved major chart success with songs including Enola Gay, Maid of Orleans, Souvenir and If You Leave.
The concert will also bring together three acts closely linked to Rochdale’s music history. Peter Hook and The Light, led by the Joy Division and New Order co founder, also recorded at Cargo Studios in the town.
Peter Hook said: “Simply because of John Brierley and Cargo Studios on Kenion Street, all three of us me, OMD and A Certain Ratio recorded with John, engineering at Cargo. He was a sonic assassin, working wonders with the equipment in that studio. The songs sounded as fantastic then as they still do today, it must have been something in the water. The sound was why I bought the studio when John retired and while we didn't have his sound, we still recorded and helped hundreds of bands at the beginning of their journey, in the town.”
The line up will also include A Certain Ratio, whose members also began recording their early material in Rochdale.
Martin Moscrop, founding member of the band, said: “This show feels like the Factory Records outings we did between 1979 and 1980, when we used to go out as a package and played many times with OMD and Joy Division. So playing with Peter, Andy and Paul again will be a pleasure. The last time we all played together was at The Acklam Hall, London back in May 1979.”
The event is being staged in partnership with Rochdale Borough Council and Rochdale Development Agency as part of Rochdale Music Stories, a campaign celebrating the town’s influence on British music.
Tickets priced at £55 plus booking fee are available online and VIP packages are also being offered.
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