Rochdale’s soundtrack reborn as new album and concert celebrate town’s music legacy

Wednesday, 28 January 2026 11:24

By David Murphy

A new album and live concert are set to honour Rochdale’s iconic place in British music history, with the borough’s past and present artists uniting to revive classic tracks recorded on Kenion Street.

The album, Rochdale Music Stories Presents: Kenion Street, reimagines songs first recorded at the legendary Cargo and Suite Sixteen studios, which once played host to Joy Division, The Fall, OMD, The Stone Roses and many more.

The project, part of Rochdale’s year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture 2026, sees local artists, a brass band and a community choir reinterpret these tracks at Voltalab Sound Studios, the modern incarnation of Cargo. The recordings will be released on limited-edition vinyl later this year.

To mark the launch, a live concert will be held at the refurbished Heywood Civic Centre on Saturday 14 March. Hosted by Inspiral Carpets frontman Clint Boon, the event will feature performances by K-Estate, Micah Stalgic, Desyfer & Emma Konnanov, Local Vocals, and many others who contributed to the album.

Councillor Sue Smith, cabinet member for culture and co-operation at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “Music is so important to Rochdale, not just as a part of its rich history in the seventies and early eighties but in more recent decades too. We’re pushing this further during our year as Town of Culture with this fabulous new album and concert. In the town where so many world-famous artists recorded iconic tracks, it’s great to see how groundbreaking music continues to thrive.”

The full track list includes reworks of classics such as Joy Division’s Atmosphere, OMD’s Electricity, and The Stone Roses’ Elephant Stone, interpreted by emerging talent from the borough’s growing music scene.

Tickets for the 14 March show, priced from £13.65, are available via https://www.heywoodcivic.co.uk

The celebration continues into the summer when synth-pop pioneers OMD return to Rochdale for a headline show at Town Hall Square, joined by Peter Hook & The Light and A Certain Ratio.

Rochdale Music Stories is a partnership between Voltalab Sound Studios, Rochdale Development Agency and Stockport Music Story, supported by Arts Council England. A dedicated section on the Rochdale Creates website will preserve the town’s music legacy with podcasts, stories, and memorabilia.

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