Cotton Clouds
           Competition winner Liz Webster with husband Dave
Friday’s review by Alistair Cochrane
Friday
        The second, ever, Friday at Cotton Clouds can only mean two things; great music and some even greater downpours. Once again, brolly’s and anoraks were the order of the day as music lovers from near and far, tucked themselves onto the Saddleworth cricket club pitch.
Spirits were dry and soaring at Cotton Clouds despite the real clouds looking much more menacing above. Even upon entering the festival the palpable atmosphere of excitement only highlights just how much of a stalwart this event is becoming in the local calendar.The sounds of
Alabama 3 rings around the valley. Lead singer Larry Love stalking the stage with his low, growling tones.
The real beauty of Cotton Clouds lies in the selection of acts, stalwarts such as Alabama 3 play their tried and tested sets, new, up and coming acts are trying and testing their material out on the festival crowds and seizing the opportunity at that. It seemed almost written in the clouds that this fair-weather journalist would swiftly be forced into one of the tents, just in time to catch a set from one of said up and coming acts. Manchester-based 11 piece, Agbeko were warming the crowds with their unique African, jazz styled rhythms, taking the Greenfifield audience on a global music tour.
Believe it or not, the rain was actually stopping by the time the set had ended, there were Pterodactyls flflying around as well, at which point it seemed a good time to leave the Cotton Clouds ale for the time being. In the
meantime, Northern-Irish rock favourites, Ash, were entertaining the main stage, playing from their songbook of hits and thanking their good fortune to have landed a dry-ish time slot. Tracks such as Girl from Mars and Shining Light had fans singing along and dancing joyously to the energetic set.
Back in the tent, it appeared the roof was soon to be lifted off by Manchester Hip Hop ground, Mouse Outfifit, whose fast-flflowing rap and heavy, jazz-inflfluenced beats were providing a bounce to the evening.There wasn’t a still pair of feet in the tent as their infectious sounds lit up the now darkening evening.
Evening had set in, the hills providing little more than a silhouette background with the orange streetlights glittering in the distance. Back down to the ground the stage was set. Peter Hook and the Light taking the headline slot and providing a more than suitable
    James Taylor, Head Chef & owner of The Bulls Head in Heyrod serving the Cotton Cloud revellers.
The second pic is Peter Hook bringing a great fifirst day to an end.
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