We had the pleasure of going along to see Hello Cosmos play a special one-off show at none other than St Mary’s Church in Stockport town centre on Friday night, just the gig the building has ever seen and given how incredible an experience it was, we hope there’ll be many more.
Picture the scene: it’s a frosty Foodie Friday night in Stockport with people wearing beer jackets and sharing hot street food to keep warm as the tunes ring around the marketplace; then you spot some light off in the background and notice the windows of the old town centre church glowing.
Not only was that our signal to get a move on, finish our scran and head over to the intimate gig, but it was also a beacon of light for other punters to go and check out as they looked for any excuse to come in from the cold.
And that’s pretty much how it happened. Our three-man party was full of SK natives who wanted to see what it would be like to have a church we grew up with turned into a gig venue, so we were always on board, but plenty of other locals had the pleasure of simply stumbling upon tickets at the door.
We don’t think we’d be putting words in their mouths to say they will have been glad they did, as within a few seconds of walking into the oldest parish church in Stockport, we had never seen the already ornate and historical site look so stunning.
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This wasn’t just a case of plonking some speakers and some drums near the altar like some half-arsed church fête, the roof, windows, pillars and various arches were all lit up by various multi-coloured projectors and strobes and it all felt pretty surreal.
If you’ve ever watched any kind of performance at Manchester Cathedral or a similar venue, you’ll know this kind of set-up is nothing new per se, but it did feel like something different for Stockport, especially when one of our party’s last memories was standing at the pulpit to read the Christmas story.
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Then the music kicked off and we have to start by saying we were pretty impressed by the two support acts, Fondabath — fellow Stopfordians who were probably just as surprised to be in St Mary’s as we were — and Big Society, also local lads, both of which gave plenty of reason to go away and listen to more.
Then came the main event, Hello Cosmos, spearheaded by frontman and bass player Ben Robinson, who along with his jumpsuited bandmates wasted no time in transporting the crowd to what felt like a little pocket of space in some alternate reality.
Having had a few drinks and being given kaleidoscope glasses on arrival certainly helped, but it really was a truly audio-visual experience, from the various coloured jumpsuits and neon hula-hooping to the truly mesmerising light show that lit up the church throughout the set.
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It all felt rather fittingly though when you take into account that Robinson is not just a musician but the founder of both Kendal Calling and bluedot Festival — I mean, even their sophomore album Golden Dirt has a glowing spaceman walking through a sea of sunflowers.
If you’ve never heard them before, think post-punk spoken word and almost Yard Act vibes, only if Christopher Ecclestone was on vocals instead. But their sound is truly sprawling, with ‘Fuse’ from their debut record giving the harder-hitting sounds and ‘Loud is Beautiful’ showing how they best intertwine electronics, keys and those oh-so-good horns from sax player Elara.
Be it jumping up and down in unison as the electric violinist played or Ben dropping to his knees to scream his head off, hopping off stage to walk around the crowd with a megaphone or releasing a sea of balloons from above for the big finish, this ‘Live at St Mary’s’ one-off special had a bit of everything.
It went from a little gig on a random winter evening in Stockport to an unforgettable one that SK-born gig-goers like us never thought we’d see in this particular borough of Greater Manchester whose culture and music scene are clearly thriving.
We really hope this is among the first of many — Hello Cosmos helped make it a success and we can seriously see the Live at St Mary’s series taking off if it continues to get the backing.
Rowetta has left Happy Mondays after 34 years
Danny Jones
It’s a sad day for Madchester fans everywhere as Manc-born and bred musician Rowetta has officially left Happy Mondays after 34 long years.
Rowetta, born Rowetta Idah, hails from Crumpsall and remains one of Greater Manchester’s most well-known singers and all-round cultural figures.
The 58-year-old has recorded and performed with the electronic and indie dance icons since 1990 and rejoined the original lineup for a reunion back in 2012 and has remained part of the touring band ever since, but it now looks as though their long-running partnership has come to an end.
Confirming the news via an official announcement on Monday, 23 December, they wrote: “Happy Mondays and Rowetta announce that Rowetta will no longer be performing with the band.
The statement goes on to read: “Happy Mondays thank Rowetta for her services and wish her the best for the future.” Many have questioned the circumstances given the brevity of the post.
Best known for her powerful voice on the likes of ‘Step On’, ‘Kinky Afro’ and several other hits, but her association with the group has been on and off over the years amid their various splits/hiatuses.
As well as a solo career which saw her songs sampled by the likes of Swedish House Mafia and Black Eyes Peas, Rowetta also featured on the very first series of the X-Factor back in 2004 and has lent her vocals on various different projects over the years.
For instance, she was also a featured artist on Shed Seven’s 2023 single, ‘In Ecstasy, joining them on stage for live renditions as recently as August of this year, when they supported Blossoms at their massive Wythenshawe Park show.
She also delighted crowds at Kendal Calling last summer, with many online arguing that she’s been “carrying the show” of late.
Rowetta herself has issued an official personal response other than sharing the same statement confirming that they have parted ways, leaving many wondering what may have gone on behind the scenes.
The comments underneath both individual posts are also turned off – make of that what you will.
To have spent over three and a half decades on and off with one of the North’s best-loved bands and to then share only a couple of lines, does admittedly raise an eyebrow.
Not only were followers understandably surprised to hear of the news but even if the Happy Mondays and/or Rowetta aren’t making their feelings known on the matter, it hasn’t stopped plenty of others getting emotional on their behalf.
One person wrote on X: “Many Mondays gigs in recent years it has been Rowetta who has kept things going on stage. But, it’s been great to see her singing with Shed Seven this year, and really showcasing her talents on the albums and on stage. Onwards and upwards.”
Is it actually Happy Mondays without Rowetta? Her vocals, presence, style & energy are irreplaceable… I sincerely hope she’s not been shafted by the band she’s been such an integral part of … 🤔 good luck @Rowetta .. keep shining 💥 https://t.co/37CHsFcKNk
For many, it’s a case of “the Happy Mondays without Rowetta just doesn’t work” and it’s clear the relationship with their fans and the energy at live shows won’t be the same without her.
Only time will tell whether or not a particular flash-point caused this split or if they collectively just decided to call it a day.
Either way, we loved listening to you, Ro – we hope to hear you on plenty of other stuff in the meantime.
Featured Images — Man Alive! (via Flickr)/The Warehouse Project (supplied)
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The UK’s much-loved ‘day rave’ with Vicky and Jon McClure returns to Manchester for New Year’s Eve
Thomas Melia
One of the UK’s most popular new club events and pioneering ‘day rave’ is returning to Manchester this New Year’s, featuring founders Jon and Vicky McClure, as well as some very special guests.
The Line of Duty star and Reverend and the Makers frontman started the parent-friendly event back in January of this year as an alternative day out for those looking to have a party and still manage an early bedtime. Since then it’s gone on to become a real phenomenon and is only getting bigger.
With Vicky swapping UK dramas and crime thrillers for the discotheque and ‘Big Jon’ switching lanes from his usual rock, indie and alternative roots to favour timeless dance tracks to still get people up on their feet, Day Fever has gone down a storm all over the country.
With their first year coming towards a close, they now look set for arguably their biggest day rave to date as Day Fever will be hosting a special New Year’s Eve for their final hurrah of 2024 right here in Manchester city centre – and no, you don’t need to be able to stay up until midnight.
The two McClures – unrelated, by the way, they just share a name and a fantastic taste in music – and the rest of their crew will be partying between 3-8pm for a much more tame and friendlier night (day) out, commanding the decks alongside some other special guests.
Not only does this alternative way to party promise a more responsible curfew, meaning clubbers don’t have to worry about missing the last train home but it’s also geared towards over 30s whilst still being super inclusive.
This day-time clubbing event is designed to reminisce on the old days and all those dance-filled memories of evenings spent out on the tiles, just minus the late-night finish – and hopefully the hangover but that’s down to you really, isn’t it?
In their words: ‘There’s no dress code, no egos—just pure positivity’; there’s nothing we love to hear more than the sweet relief of not having to get dolled up for a big night when we just can’t be bothered.
With New Century Hall hosting the Day Fever once again for their first-ever NYE party here in Manchester, along with two other events being held simultaneously in Edinburgh and Birmingham, you can get all your partying done way with plenty of time to get cosy in bed before the calendar turns over.
Just in time to watch Jools Holland’s famous Annual Hootenanny, as they put it.
Jon McClure and Vicky’s co-star, Martin CompstonVicky McClure leading the dance routines
This is guaranteed to be an evening to remember for everyone in attendance, especially when you’re joined by stars of stage and screen who will be powering you through with some proper dance bangers as they have done all year long.
The New Year’s Eve party isn’t just the last dance of the year either, it’s also effectively the prequel to next year’s raft of shows as Day Fever has already announced more than a dozen big dates in January and February.
This batch of 2025 dates sees the gang taking on lots of other cities, including North West neighbours Liverpool, Sheffield, Leeds and Hull over in Yorkshire, two Newcastle shows and plenty more.
So, if you’re feeling those clubbing blues, that pesky seasonal affective disorder or just still not booked up for NYE 2024, why not make the most of this day-time opportunity?
Tickets for both the New Year’s Eve and the rest of their 2025 events are available on the official Day Fever website HERE.
Oh yeah, and help get Rev to Christmas number one – it’s for a good cause and they deserve it!
Danny Jones -
24th February 2024 
