What is the Rochdale Music Stories campaign?

The Rochdale Music Stories campaign aims to highlight the town's significant and longstanding influence on British music.

Which bands recorded at Cargo Studios in Rochdale?

Bands such as Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Joy Division, The Fall, The Teardrop Explodes, The Happy Mondays, The Charlatans, The Inspiral Carpets, and The Stone Roses recorded at Cargo Studios.

When and where will the concert celebrating Cargo Studios take place?

The concert will take place on August 7th in the newly created pedestrianised square next to Rochdale Town Hall, 300 yards from the original Cargo Studios building.

Home / Arts and Entertainment / Rochdale Studios: Where Music Legends Began

Rochdale Studios: Where Music Legends Began

19 Apr

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Summary

Outdoor concert celebrates Rochdale's legendary Cargo Studios.
OMD and Peter Hook to headline the summer event.
The studios have hosted numerous iconic bands since 1978.

Rochdale Studios: Where Music Legends Began

An outdoor concert is set to celebrate Rochdale's legendary Cargo Studios this summer. The event will feature headline act Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, with support from Peter Hook. Many bands that launched their careers at Cargo Studios in Rochdale agreed to perform.

Cargo Studios, which opened in 1978, was pivotal to the UK's post-punk scene. Bands like Joy Division, The Fall, and The Teardrop Explodes recorded significant works there. The studios aimed to be financially accessible for emerging artists.

Later, bands such as The Happy Mondays and The Stone Roses recorded at the facility, which became Suite 16 in 1985. The building, now known as Voltalab Sound Studios since reopening in 2013, continues to attract artists globally.