MORE than 30 years ago, a band played a Bury town centre venue in a gig that descended into a riot.

Now Crispy Ambulance are being welcomed back to The Met, Market Street, Bury, as part of this year’s Glaston-Bury Festival, on August 26, bank holiday Monday.

The event, now in its sixth year, promises to bigger and better than ever before with dozens of bands appearing at venues in the town including Blind Tiger, Bolton Street, Club Verve, in The Rock, and Sugars Bar, Silver Street.

Bury DJ Chris Buckley, who organises the annual event, said: “We have got a bit of a coup.

“Thirty three years ago, Joy Division played at Bury Met but Ian Curtis was ill and couldn’t perform.
“Crispy Ambulance, another Factory Records band, were playing that night.

“They got the lead singer of Crispy Ambulance to front the band and the crowd didn’t like it. There was a riot.

“It’s gone down in music folklore.”

This scene in the venue, when it was called Derby Hall, is depicted in the Joy Division biopic Control and Crispy Ambulance is featured in the commentary for the 2002 film, 24 Hour Party People.

Mr Buckley added: “Hopefully there won’t be a riot this time!”

There are more than 100 bands on the line-up including former Stone Roses guitarist Aziz Ibrahim, rave band Together, best known for hit Hardcore Uproar, and popular tribute bands including Guns or Roses and Pearl Scam.

There will be at least 12 stages this year, including a separate heavy metal stage at the Elizabethan Suite, as well as an outdoor stage if a sponsor can be found.

Mr Buckley added: “It’s going to be bigger and better than it was last year and it was brilliant last year.

“We said, since the first one, we are going to make it bigger and better. We always try and better what we did previously which is going to be something that is hard because last year was brilliant.”

Since it began, the family friendly festival has raised £50,000 for Bury Hospice.

Glaston-Bury takes place on Monday, August 26, and tickets, costing £6, are available from The Met.