'Great' news for the town - we're all backing #OldhamLIVE
Reporter: Simon Smedley
Date published: 24 July 2018
Britpop stars Dodgy will headline the #OldhamLIVE evening music extravaganza
It's clear to see that people from all over town are giving the mega #OldhamLIVE event a huge thumbs-up.
The town centre's Parliament Square will be transformed on Saturday, August 25, the date Oldham Council and Revolution 96.2 are teaming up to put on a day packed with family fun and offering something for all ages and tastes.
The #OldhamLIVE stage – under the Parliament Square owls – will be showcasing a great line-up of entertainment and live music.
Live music gets underway from around 6pm with a dazzling line-up headlined by Dodgy.
The Indie Britpop outfit are best known for smash hits like ‘Staying Out For The Summer’, ‘Good Enough’ and ‘In A Room’ in a career boasting 12 Top 40 singles and more than a million record sales.
Support acts include Owen Paul, who is famed for his huge 1986 hit ‘My Favourite Waste of Time’.
He has also worked with Mike and the Mechanics.
Also on the bill are one-time Brit Award nominees Sweet Female Attitude, whose massive number two chart hit Flowers in 2000 is considered a classic old school garage anthem.
There will also be a set from Ella Shaw, the Britain’s Got Talent 2015 semi-finalist who is now a successful singer songwriter with a mighty voice – plus a DJ set sure to excite from Revolution 96.2’s Dave Sweetmore, with Madchester anthems and Indie classics aplenty.
Before all that #OldhamLIVE focusses on free family fun from noon onwards.
Sid Sloane, CBeebies’ longest-serving presenter, is headlining the stageshow with an interactive Sid’s Gameshow that will be loved by all.
There’s also Russ Brown’s amazing puppet show, plus madcap antics and magic from Andy B.
Anna Hughes from Shaw thinks that #OldhamLIVE is just what the town needs.
“I think it’s great and I think it’ll be great for the town," she said.
"I think we need to bring more people into Oldham and I think that’s what it’ll do.
"I have heard of Dodgy and Ella Shaw so yeah, I think it’ll be great.”
Josh Fleming from Royton told us: “I think it’ll be great - especially with it being free.
"I think it’ll be great for Oldham.
"Looking at the line-up I think everyone should get down definitely – it’s something I’ll be coming to.”
Will it appeal to the kids?
“I’ve got nieces and nephews who I’ll bring down so definitely," added Josh.
"Looking what’s on offer for free, people should definitely come down.
“I didn’t come last year so that’s why I’m definitely going to come this year.
"I know a few of my friends are coming down so there’s definitely going to be a good turnout.”
Lifelong Oldhamer Sharon Pilgrim is relishing the prospect.
She told the Chronicle: “I do think it’s a good idea – we’ve not really got much going on these days – especially safe things.
"And from what I've seen and heard it seems like a safe event so, yes, I think people will be looking forward to that.
"We don’t have as many people coming into Oldham anymore because of these troubled venues that we’ve had, so this might be a kickstart to something new – something better.”
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