Rochdale’s rich musical past and vibrant present will collide next spring when Peter Hook, Clint Boon and members of New Order, The Chameleons and A Certain Ratio come together for a one-off celebration of the town’s legendary studios.

As part of the Rochdale Music Stories campaign during Rochdale’s year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture in 2026, fans are invited to a special album launch concert at Heywood Civic on 14 March 2026. The event marks the release of Rochdale Music Stories presents: Kenion Street, a limited-edition vinyl album featuring new interpretations of classic tracks originally recorded at Cargo Studios and Suite Sixteen.

Between 1977 and 2001, the studios on Kenion Street played a crucial role in shaping British music, hosting sessions by artists including Joy Division, The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, OMD, Inspiral Carpets and many more. Now, a new generation of Rochdale artists has been invited to reimagine that legacy.

Fourteen local acts have contributed to the project, recording their versions at Voltalab Sound Studios, which now occupies the former Cargo Studios building. The album will be released on high-quality vinyl on the same day as the live show.

At the concert, all contributing artists will perform their tracks live, including K-Estate, Micah Stalgic, Desyfer & Emma Konnanov, From The Ground Up, PoolEra, Medley, P*Starr, Blvckout, The Velvet Shadow and Leo HC. Each performance draws directly from the catalogue of music once created within the walls of Kenion Street.

Hosting the evening will be Clint Boon, who will also lead on-stage conversations with special guests from the Manchester music scene. Alongside Peter Hook, the panel will feature Vox from The Chameleons and Martin Moscrop of A Certain Ratio, offering first-hand reflections on the era that made the studios famous.

The Rochdale Music Stories project is an initiative from Rochdale Development Agency, delivered in collaboration with The Stockport Music Story and Voltalab Sound Studios, with funding from Arts Council England. Beyond the album and live show, the project will include podcasts, stories and archival material hosted on the Rochdale Creates website, creating a lasting record of the town’s musical heritage.

Tickets for the album launch concert are on sale now, priced from £13.65 here.

ROCHDALE MUSIC STORIES PRESENTS: KENION STREET - ALBUM TRACKLISTING

1. Micah Stalgic ft. Local Vocals - “Atmosphere" (Joy Division)

2. K-Estate - "Damaged Goods" (Gang of Four)

3. Desyfer & Emma Konnanov - "Twenty Four Hour Party People" (Happy Mondays)

4. P*STARR - "Keep The Circle Around" (Inspiral Carpets)

5. Leo HC - "Up The Down Escalator" (The Chameleons)

6. PoolEra - “Electricity" (OMD)

7. Medley - Dreams Never End (New Order)

8. Blvckout - "All Night Party" (A Certain Ratio)

9. The Velvet Shadow ft. Maisie Thompson - "All Tomorrow's Parties” (Nico)

10. Jennifer Reid - "Totally Wired" (The Fall)

11. From The Ground Up ft. Bloom Music Community - "Elephant Stone" (The Stone Roses)

Author: Andrew Braithwaite

Andrew is the founder and chief editor of Music Talkers. He's also a keen music enthusiast and plays the guitar.