Auditions held for film charting The Stone Roses gig at Spike Island in Widnes

Mar 17 2011 by Mark Smith, Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News

AUDITIONS have taken place for a film celebrating the Stone Roses’ legendary Spike Island concert.

The Weekly News reported in January that a film set against the backdrop of the 1990 outdoor Spike Island performance by the iconic Manchester indie band was in pre-production.

The film – entitled Spike Island – revolves around an unsigned band from a council estate in Manchester and open auditions took place in Sale at the weekend to find male actors aged 16-22.

The script has been written by Chris Coghill – who played Happy Mondays dancer Bez in 24 Hour Party People – and is being directed by Misfits writer Tom Green.

The concert attracted 30,000 people and is regarded as the Woodstock of the Madchester generation.

It took place when the band were flying high on the back of top 10 hit Fool’s Gold and a highly regarded debut album.

The new film follows a group of young council estate hopefuls in unsigned band Shadowcaster who head to the show to see their idols.

Tom Green said: “This is a raw and truly authentic rites-of-passage story.

“It’s full of the humour, heartache, dreams and fears of being part of a brotherhood of mates, and set to the greatest record ever written.

“The Roses died in ’95. This is the resurrection.”

Co-producer Fiona Neilson, of Fiesta Productions, added: “The Stone Roses changed our teenage lives and Chris has captured that perfectly, creating a screenplay that will appeal both to fans and to a broad audience who will fall in love with the characters and their story.”

Filming will begin later this year.