Arrested development

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Review & photos by Huw Williams

If you’re thinking about hip hop legends Arrested Development, you might be forgiven for harking back to the 1990s and their breakout album 3 years, 5 months and 2 days in the Life Of…. It is home to top 10 hits People Everyday and Mr. Wendal after all.

However, there’s a huge volume of work since then, chalking up 5 albums in the last 6 years. Of course, the set list leans on some of that classic back catalogue, but there are still inclusions from the more recent output, including this year’s Bullets In The Chamber, a particularly politically charged record, even in their history of politically charged records.

The crowd at The Old Woollen, in Farley are definitely here for the familiar favourites though, and they’re joyfully lapping up the celebration of this performance. From the moment Speech - the only original member of the group still involved - takes the stage, there’s a collective smile on the face of the crowd. 

The band performs with real joy. The brilliant Fareedah Aleem burst on to the stage with her passionate and expressive dancing, alongside soulful vocalist Tasha La Rae. Backed by the tightest of bands, there’s a seamless quality to the whole production. Speech and One Love interchange from time to time on the vocals, both with irresistible flow, and the latter - according to one fan at the back - sounding a bit like JayZ.

There are clever arrangements, which weave excerpts from classics such as Bob Marley’s 3 Little Birds, 4 Non Blondes’ What’s Up? into their own material, alongside a mashup of Kriss Kross’ Jump and House of Pain’s legendary Jump Around.

The whole thing feels like a party, celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip hop, something which Speech calls out between songs. It was a feeling that spilled out into the balmy night in Farsley, as people still sang the refrain from the closing song, People Everyday, as they seemed determined to keep that party going into the night. 

Review and photos - Phil Wright

What an amazing night as the 6,000 strong ‘Quo Army’ packed the Halifax Piece Hall. As a MASSIVE Quo fan, I was so excited to have the honour of working as a photographer for this event.

The Piece Hall is a huge open-air courtyard which has been sat in the heart of Halifax since 1779. A fantastic venue to see the Quo, and so well organised.

Opening the show was 80’s vocalist Mike Peters of ‘The Alarm’, getting the sold-out crowd warmed up. He performed their biggest hit ‘68 guns’. Sixty-five-year-old Mike did a stellar performance, sticking two fingers up at cancer.

As the clock struck 9, the mighty Quo casually walked onto the stage as the crowd cheered. I was mainly watching Richi Malone after he replaced the late great Rick Parfitt, but as soon as he played the opening riff to ‘Caroline’, I knew he was going to be good.

For the next ninety minutes, we were treated to a barrage of hits spanning the bands long career. ‘Roll Over Lay Down’, ‘Hold your Back’ to name just a couple. These timeless classics sounded just as good as when they were first released.

The highlight of the show was the brilliant mix of ‘What You’re Proposing / Down the Dustpipe / Something ‘bout you baby I like / Wild Side of Life / Rollin’ Home / Railroad / Again and Again / Mystery Song’ and a full 1o minutes of ‘Down Down’.

A Status Quo show just cannot end without ‘Rocking All Over the World’ and that is exactly what they gave us, along with an encore set of ‘Don’t Waste My Time’, ‘Paper Plane’ and ‘Burning Brides’.

Overall, this was a truly amazing show for all Quo fans, young and old.

Cuffe & Taylor

Rhodes Media

Review and photos - Liam McEvoy

With the summer season of gigs at The Piece Hall in Halifax coming to an end there was still time for the mighty McFly to call in and deliver a sensational headline set performed to a venue that was packed to the proverbial rafters. 

Having formed as a band an eye watering 21 years ago, McFly are now seasoned professionals, and it was clear from the very start that they know how to put on a show opening with the first two track off their lates 2023 album Power to Play, Where Did All the Guitars Go? And Land of the Bees. 

With 7 studio albums behind them however and much to the delight of the fans the band dived into their back catalogue playing Star Girl, Room on The Third Floor (The title track from their 2003 debut album) and their number 1 hit Obviously which had the crowd dancing throughout. 

Being the consummate professionals they are McFly were experts in working the crowd even finding time to throw a jibe at their onetime collaborators Busted, for who could forget the 2014 supergroup team up of McBusted. 

Working the crowd expertly McFly continued to delve into their extensive back catalogue playing Happiness, another of their massive hits All About You before closing their set with the fantastic Red. This left the capacity Crowd eager for more and McFly were more than willing to oblige. 

Returning to the stage the band performed a few final tracks and finishing with the only song they could, Five Colours In Her Hair. The track that kickstarted the band rise way back in 2004 and was the beginning of what is a 21 year and counting career this track is the only one McFly could end with and it had the crowd dancing until the very end. 

On their Headline set at The Piece Hall McFly showed just how good they are and for anyone who missed the show there is good news as they will be playing a second show at the venue on the 18th August and no doubt this will be just as packed as the first date and McFly will put on another stellar performance.

Set list:

1.  Y.M.C.A.

2.  Where Did All the Guitars Go?

3.  Land of the Bees

4.  One for the Radio

5.  Star Girl

6.  That Girl

7.  Lies

8.  Room on the 3rd Floor

9.  Obviously

10.  Everybody Knows

11.  Happiness

12.  All About You

13.  Shine a Light

14.  Red

15.  Forever's Not Enough

16.  The Heart Never Lies

17.  Broccoli

18.  5 Colours in Her Hair

19.  God Gave Rock & Roll To You

Rhodes Media

Cuff & Taylor

Review and photos - Levi Tubman

PJ Harvey is one of my bucket list artists, someone who’ve I’ve managed to miss live for decades, and the slightly unconventional venue of The Piece Hall seems like the perfect place to see this equally slightly unconventional artist. 

The band takes the stage in plain simple clothes with the lady herself in a long white smock. It’s all very subdued and modest, as is the opening number. while all low key it feels very meticulous, the stage set with a collection of old wooden chairs, a small desk, and what looks like a small prayer table, each prop with a place and purpose.  

The first half of tonight’s set is reserved for the new album, starting with Prayer At The Gate, a song that shouldn’t work to open with, light on lyrics, it’s a slow soundscape but the moment she opens her mouth the crowd are captivated. Making it look effortless as each note rings out across the quad, an ethereal figure in the centre of the stage, arms moving to the beautiful music like limbs of a tree as she’s lost in the moment. 

The new album is very poetic, exploring spirituality, life, nature and her love of Elvis, set against the backdrop of the 18th centrally Hall, as the driving rain falls on the stage, picked up by the lights it creates a beautiful image, and while she can’t keep still, the first half isn’t for dancing, its truly for the fans. 

I am a fan, and I really enjoyed her set, but if I wasn’t I feel I might have left a little sooner, from the moment they take the stage to the moment they leave not a word is spoken to the crowd. This is my biggest pet peeve when it comes to seeing a band, it comes across as rude, and builds a barrier, I felt part the crowd getting distracted and turning more to their phones. 

After a break of The Colour Of The Earth, an instrumental by the band, PJ takes the stage again with a new energy turning towards her older albums, material that’s a lot more upbeat and energetic which quickly brings the crowds attention back. 

The second half brings us the phenomenal 50ft Queenie, Man-Size and Down By The Water, 3 of her big hitters that blow the cobwebs away and are a pleasure to hear, but sadly nothing from Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea, but with the new album taking up half of the set there was limited space. 

You can’t blame her for putting most of the new album up front, it has some beautiful songs, bringing an otherworldly feel to the night, and mixing them up with the older material would have broken the atmosphere they created. Tonight felt like 2 distinct sets, both wildly different but both fantastic, even if the first was more for the fans. 

Tonight, we saw an artist who, not in a selfish way, was there a lot for herself, being part of the music and performance loosing herself into it. I’m so glad I finally got to see her, and as each of her albums differ to each other I can imagine no tour is alike, so I’m excited for the next one.   

Setlist 

1.Prayer at the Gate  

2.Autumn Term  

3.Lwonesome Tonight  

4.The Nether-Edge  

5.I Inside the Old Year Dying  

6.A Child's Question, August  

7.I Inside the Old I Dying  

8.A Child's Question, July  

9.A Noiseless Noise  

10.The Colour of the Earth (Just the band)  

11.The Glorious Land  

12.The Words That Maketh Murder  

13.50ft Queenie  

14.Black Hearted Love (PJ Harvey & John Parish cover)  

15.The Garden  

16.The Desperate Kingdom of Love  

17.Man-Size  

18.Dress  

19.Down by the Water  

20.To Bring You My Love  

Encore:  

21.C'mon Billy  

21.White Chalk 

Rhodes Media

Cuffe & Taylor

Review and photos - Levi Tubman

The Pixies are another bucket list band for me, they’re one of those bands that everyone either knows, or knows a band that’s been influenced by them. I don’t think it’s too much to say they’re one of the most important bands of the last 40 years, let’s see if they’re still as relevant today. 

Supporting The Pixies are The Pale White, who have been supporting them for the past 20+ dates, and you can see why. Their sound really matches the classic Pixies Sound, and they have energy and presence to spare, riffs and songs are catchy, and a drummer who could give Animal from the muppets a run for his money! The only issue was sometimes the guitar was a little quiet, but more of that later. 

Taking to the stage there’s no messing about as they get straight into Gouge Away, quickly followed by another Doolittle big hitter Wave Of Mutilation. For the first time I wish I wasn’t in the pit taking photos, so taking a step back for 30 seconds, to a few confused looks, I just enjoy the band. Everyone there will have a favourite album, or the album that got them into the band, and this is mine. Hearing 2 tracks from it at the start of the set l sounding just as good at the album couldn’t have kicked it off any better for me, and going by the noise behind me, the rest of the crowd too. 

When they built The Piece Hall, I don’t think this is what they had in mind, but apart from a view of the stage no matter where you stand, the sound there is always great, but something’s not right tonight. With both bands there’s been songs where the guitar has been too loud or too quiet, and despite an impressive pedal board at times Joey Santiago’s guitar is clean when it shouldn’t be, this is no criticism on the band, just unusual for the venue. 

Unfortunately, they’re one of those bands that don’t talk at all, from the moment they take the stage to taking a bow at the end not a word, and I find it rude. The lack of interaction with the audience helps create an extra barrier, you start to feel more distant and then you hear those 3 notes. In a moment you go from annoyed about the band not talking to being outside with 6 thousand people singing along as you watch The Pixies belt out Monkey Gone To Heaven and you forget all about your annoyance. 

This is the theme for the night, after almost 4 decades you could have a band that doesn’t want to play the popular songs for the thousandth time, or they might want to get all experimental and arty. Instead, what we get is hit after hit, everything you might want to hear is there, there are a few covers in there but they fit nicely into a set that gives us over half of Doolittle alone. 

We get a second rendition of Wave Of Mutilation, UK Surf edition, a quieter acoustic version that goes down as one of the best songs of the night. Walking out there’s groups of people talking about it, saying they’ve only had them play one version before, just popping in this other version towards the end of the set has made the night for some. Sadly, we won’t hear Gigantic, with Kim Deal no longer in the band their first single doesn’t really make the set anymore, for that you’d have to catch Kim in her new band. 

While it’s not their biggest selling single, Where Is My Mind is probably their best-known song, and its inspired dozens of covers, to the point bands are doing cover versions of a cover version. It’s the biggest reaction of the night as soon as the intro riff starts with 6 thousand people singing along, at one point it sounds a little like the band got slightly lost but they recover before finishing the night off with a cover of Neil Youngs Winterlong. 

The crowd are obviously excited to be here tonight, it’s sold out and the quad fills up very quickly, and while you don’t know if the band enjoy it as much, they hide it well behind the music if they don’t. The set does a lot to help with the lack of interaction, but a few words would have really elevated the night, but despite this it’s a fantastic show and they don’t disappoint. 

Cuffe & Taylor

Rhodes Media

Review and photos - Neil Milner

Krankenhaus triumphed again despite Storm Lillian’s worst intentions. Fortunately, its one stage is within a massive agricultural shed at Home Farm Barn, next to Muncaster Castle, sheltering punters, dogs and performers alike from the Armageddon weather. 

I won’t pretend that there weren’t challenges for festival organisers Sea Power and their crew to manage, but to their great credit, they kept these hidden from the audience. The only time you noticed was when a power cut, caused by treacherous overnight weather, delayed proceedings by around 45 minutes on Sunday. Such was the weather’s severity, that the coveted Krankenhaus dog show was moved from the open Flying Meadow to the covered Glade canvas. I suspect if the dogs could talk, may still have collectively asked, ‘Why are we here?’, but they were well behaved throughout.

There’s plenty to keep you occupied at Krankenhaus. The majestic Muncaster Castle set in stunning surroundings and overlooking the spectacular Eskdale Valley are reasons enough to come. This festival offered Flash Fiction, where author Adam E Holton created an instant story from three random words and the character’s name; organised local walks; DJs in the Glade; the Cleator Moor Brass Band; Kosmic Bingo; and much more. I’ll focus on the live music and the talks that I saw. 

Sea Power are obviously the main draw and played two excellent sets Their Friday show was the crowd pleaser, playing for almost two hours. It included some of their big tunes, but also surprises such as the Spirit of St Louis featuring snare drum soloist Ryosuke Kiyasu. This set mostly covered songs from albums The Decline of British Sea Power, the recent Everything was Forever, and Do You Like Rock Music? Their Sunday show was more reflective and included some of their film soundtrack albums such as From the Sea to the Land Beyond and Man of Arran. It’s always a joy to watch them. They are consistently good and always seem to enjoy themselves.

I liked the Lanterns on the Lake captivating set, but their sound rarely deviates from their dreamy, melancholic sound. BC Camplight had to borrow the Lanterns on the Lake piano. Their set on Saturday was extraordinary and dynamic. In more enlightened times they would have been massive. My highlights were the excellent Back to Work from the Shortly After Take Off album and closing song I’m Desperate from Deportation Blues.

Nadine Shah and her band on Friday was so powerful. Her voice is on a different level. Someone behind me exclaimed ‘wow’ during one remarkable vocal moment. Most songs were from the brilliant recent record Filthy Underneath. She closed with Out the Way from the album Holiday Destination, which was aptly dedicated to the people of Palestine. Nadine and her band just keep on getting better. 

Now to the ‘non-headliners’. Ryosuke Kiyasu opened proceedings with a virtuoso performance. Free Love gave an energetic performance. They had an industrial dance sound with plenty of bounce and flair. Teeth of the Sea sounded similar, but more hardcore. Callum Easter & the Roulettes reminded me at times of Suicide, with added glam rock percussion.

Mozart Estate, led by perennial pop-star dreamer Lawrence was solid, but not spectacular. I loved his previous outfits Felt and Denim. I’m less impressed by his Mozart incarnations, but I can’t wait to read Street-Level Superstar: A Year with Lawrence by Will Hodgkinson coming out in September, because I’m sure it will provide an objective account. 

Genn was loud and muscular. The vocalist has a powerful and affecting voice. Plantoid at times reminded me of Black Midi with their jazz influenced arrangements. Butch Kassidy were instrumental, dense, loud and great. Hey Colossus were intense and challenging, with vocalist Paul Sykes unafraid to express his views. 

Free-spirited Islets began by hypnotising the audience with some kind of electronic bell instrument before entering the stage. They were delightfully strange and mystical, swapping instruments and moving erratically around the stage. 

I found Senyawa interesting, intense and primeval, but with the heavy rain outside, there was an Armageddon feel to it, and I wondered if anyone could listen to their records for pleasure. I later got my answer to that as I bumped into an old friend who said he had all Senyawa records, had wanted to see them live for years and declared it the highlight of his festival. That perfectly encapsulated both life and the Krankenhaus experience for me! 

The New Eves looked and sounded refreshingly different and were interesting. A four-piece playing cello, violin, flute, guitar, bass and drums. Their clothing reminiscent of female grunge rock bands from the early 1990s. Their sound mythically ethereal at home in unspecified times from the past, the present and the future. 

Man / Woman / Chainsaw are talented and a band to look out for. They are good instrumentalists and have great harmonies. There’s lots of energy and changes of speed and direction in each track. Whitelands were a joy for anyone wanting sublime, soaring shoegazing indie, which, by the audience reaction to them, was most people.

The Eccentronic Research Council, or The International Teachers of Pop, as I previously knew them, were joined on stage by Maxine Peake reciting dream experiences put to music. Lias Saoudi and John Doran also performed during this set. Maxine Peake previously joined the Lovely Eggs at the Glade to discuss books and reading. 

The Wave Pictures provided hugely entertaining, energetic and at times poignant rock. Their self-effacing attitude endeared them to most people. Lias Saoudi (Fat White Family) was possibly the opposite to that. But his confrontational set was appreciated by many. We saw him on the Monday morning looking forlorn with his guitar and belongings at Ravenglass railway station whilst we were waiting for La’al Ratty to depart to Dalegarth.

We saw four wonderful talks at the Drawing Room in Muncaster Castle. Despite the room’s opulent surroundings, I do think they would be better held in a large outdoor canvas as demand for these illuminating conversations was much larger than the room could accommodate, which inevitably disappoints people. 

Simon Raymonde, (Bella Union record label owner) was in conversation with John Doran from the Quietus talking about his book In One Ear: Cocteau Twins, Ivor Raymonde and Me. Paul Simpson talked with Roy Wilkinson about his book Revolutionary Spirit: A Post-Punk Exorcism: The Teardrop Explodes, Care, The Wild Swans, And Beyond. Will Sergeant (Echo and the Bunnymen), chatted with John Robb (The Membranes, Goldblade and Louder than War), about his latest book Echoes, who was later in conversation with Sarah Walters promoting his book Do You Believe in the Power of Rock & Roll? 

I learnt that Paul Simpson was in the pop duo Care, responsible for the classic single Flaming Sword. I knew of Ian Brodie’s role in that, but I knew nothing of Paul Simpson until now. Despite that, he did explain his heart was with the Wild Swans. Sarah Walters described John Robb as loquacious, and it’s impossible to disagree. But he is interesting with too many stories. He’s an interviewer’s dream. You only need to ask him about three questions, and he’ll do the rest, occasionally answering the question, but going off on many fascinating tangents. 

Sophia West’s Bedtime and West was the final delight which finished each day. It was an immersive audio-visual installation built around original stories inspired by nature. It was captivating, and we briefly felt like we were in Pandora. 

What a way to end!

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Review and photos - John McEvoy

The Piece Hall, Halifax is quite rightly establishing itself as one of the premier outdoor venues in the UK and 2024 has seen a total of 32 different acts ply their trade more often than not in front of a 6,000-capacity crowd. 

Amongst the many highlights of summer series of gigs that took place, one which will certainly last long in the memory was the appearance of Norman Cook aka Fatboy Slim who delivered a truly epic two hour set which had the place up and dancing from the very start. 

As most know, he was originally a member of the Housemartins back in the day, and indeed as recently as this year’s Glastonbury, he reprised his role in the band by joining up with his mate and former front man Paul Heaton to deliver a crowd-pleasing version of Happy Hour.  

However, he of course now known as the king of the big beats in the guise of Fatboy Slim, and is now renowned as one of the finest DJ’s around. 

Ever since he released his first album ‘Better Living Through Chemistry’ way back in ’96, his distinctive sound has been a main stay of dance music ever since and based on the set tonight he’s certainly not in danger of slowing down at all. 

Even though the Acid/Rave crowd may have, ahem, matured slightly, as soon as he took to the stage and the opening refrain of Queens ‘Don’t Stop me Now’ morphed into a huge bassline line, it was clear that everyone was ‘up for it’, and the ensuing two hours seemed to fly by in the blink of an eye. 

Early in the set, he delivered what has become a dance anthem in the shape of ‘Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat’ which gave the impressive sound system a good workout with its chest rumpling bass and infectious hook line. 

Whilst some DJ sets are (rightly) criticised as being a little soulless, Cook manages to bring an infectious joy and warmth to the occasion which the crowd respond to. 

Whilst the set is littered with bangers, he also skilfully weaves in standards such as Talking Heads ‘Burning Down The House’, Indeeps ‘Last Night A DJ Saved My Life’ and of course set closer ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ was the cherry on top of a spectacular cake which has been clearly mixed to perfection.  

For some, the Dance music genre and especially DJ sets are sacrilege as they’re regarded as not being ‘proper musicians’, and that’s fine if you have that view. 

However, there are lots of people out there who love to see a performance like this and the gig at The Piece Hall, once again (for me at least) confirmed that Fatboy Slim still delivers in terms of his recorded output, and most definitely as a live performer. 

If you get chance to see him, you really should, you won’t regret it. 

Although you might ache the following morning after all the dancing!! 

Cuffe & Taylor

Rhodes Media

Review by Huw Williams

Photos courtesy of Cuffe & Taylor / Rhodes Media / The Piece Hall

It’s been nearly 2 years since Scottish rock legends Biffy Clyro have been on the road. With Simon Neil exploring his side project with supergroup Empire State Bastard, the focus was off his alma mater. As the 4th anniversary of A Celebration of Endings approaches, the band are warming up for a stint at Barrowlands in Glasgow, and blasted the cobwebs away with a thunderous show at Halifax’s Piece Hall.

Witch Fever kicked things off with a typically energetic set. On the bigger stage, there were points at which they looked a little lost, but there were some standout moments, especially when lead singer Amy Walpole vaulted the barrier to dance in the circle pit with the fans. They have a strong sound though, and a really clear identity that will hopefully see them find their feet more on stages of this size.

Biffy Clyro showed no signs of rustiness, blasting out on to the stage with 3 huge numbers. They showed immediately why the fans who crammed into the Piece Hall had missed them. A frenetic run through The Captain, That Golden Rule and Who’s Got A Match whipped up the crowd, before things slowed down a little for Re-Arrange. A little flatter, musically, but the staging was stunning, as was the case throughout.

WIth a large scale moving light rig, the visual impact of the show was almost as great as the music. Large pink squares moved down at the front of the stage, framing the 3 band members while the other musicians performed upstage. Pyro and lasers added to the atmosphere. Smoke filled the arena at several points, with those lasers reflecting off the haze and dancing on the roof that surrounds the plaza.

The arrangements of these familiar tracks were rich and textured. The electric violins, mostly upstage, added an anthemic sound. During 9/15ths they take centre stage while Neil and James Johnston took their place at the back allowing them to shine and bring another dimension beyond the rock sound.

Each song was more enthusiastically sung than the last, as the show ramped up towards a great conclusion. Closing out the main set with Mountains would have been a great finish on its own, but a 4 song encore culminated in their biggest song Many of Horror, bringing together the strings, the kinesys of the lighting rig and the lasers to send people home with the sounds of the Scottish legends ringing in their ears. 

Review & photos by Huw Williams

As the summer season of great concerts draws to a close at The Piece Hall in Halifax, it was time to put your dancing shoes for a night of disco, soul and electronic funk. 

Right across the plaza, people danced non-stop through the 22-song set from Jungle, which drew on numbers from each of their 4 albums. Opening with Busy Earnin’, from their self-titled 2014 record. Despite not troubling the top 100 of the UK charts at the time, it’s become an anthem in subsequent years, with an infectious riff and trademark falsetto vocal. 

Despite a plea for no videography during the show, it was hard to stop the phones coming out and capturing the 2023 viral banger Back On 74, the song that probably brought most people to the Piece Hall this evening. 

They have an impressive back catalogue though and there’s no let up in the funk through the whole evening. Alongside the multi-instrumentalists Josh Lloyd-Watson and Tom McFarland, vocalist Lydia Kitto adds so much to the sound. Vocals layered up to give rich, textured arrangements that deliver their signature sound. 

Rather than just reproducing their music, heads down at their laptops, Lloyd-Watson and McFarland bring a 7 piece band to the stage and create a show that is as strong visually as it is musically, a consistent driving force behind their whole output. Cast in silhouette for most of the show, the band stand out against a backdrop of colourful screens. 

There are occasions when the dancers and backing vocalists take centre stage while the 3 permanent members of the band take their place towards the back at their keyboards. For other songs, Kitto comes down to the front to deliver powerful vocal performances. 

It’s not just up on the stage that there’s fun to be had though. Half a dozen giant colourful beach balls bounced around the crowd, delighting all those who continued to dance through the 90 minute set. Indeed they were not ready to call it a night and were delighted with the encore of 2021’s Keep Moving - a track Rolling Stone called an “upbeat post pandemic antidote - did exactly what it promised as the dancing continued to the last note. 

It was a non-stop party that brought infectious joy to Halifax, and showed Jungle to be absolute masters of the craft. A sonic and visual feast that will live long in the memory.

Setlist:

1. Busy Earnin’
2. Candle Flame
3. Dominoes
4. The Heat
5. Heavy, California
6. Beat 54 (All Good Now)
7. Problemz
8. I’ve Been In Love
9. Back on 74
10. Casio
11. Us Against The World
12. Fire
13. What D’You Know About Me
14. Time
15. Truth
16. You Ain’t No Celebrity
17. Coming Back
18. Don’t Play
19. All of the TIme
20. Holding On
21. Good Times
22. Keep Moving

Review & photos by Mo Longfellow

Cian Ducrot's latest tour, Victory, headed to The Piece Hall in Halifax on Monday 26th August. He played to an energetic crowd who were utterly fantastic from start to finish. Victory, is of course the name of his debut album which was released on 4th August 2023. 

Now, I’d not heard a great deal from him until going to this gig, but he sounds like he’s been gigging for years with a plethora of albums behind him rather than promoting his new, debut album. He has been working hard to get where he is and although relatively new to the scene he certainly isn’t an overnight success and this is apparent in his attitude and the way he plays to us all. His stage presence is impressive and each of his songs already have a feel of longevity about them. 

He’s basically singing stories to us, bearing his life for all to see.  His voice is powerful and soulful and his lyrics weave intricately throughout each tune.  As well as Cian’s obvious talent in song writing and singing he’s also pretty decent on guitar, piano and flute!!

It’s apparent that Cian isn’t a fan of just being on stage as he jumps down several times to be with his fans, signing autographs and singing with them as the evening light begins to fade to darkness.  You can see everyone connecting with him more and more as the night goes on which is a real testament to his relatable persona. 

Cian first rose to fame in 2022  with his single "All For You", which gained popularity in 2022 via TikTok and reached number 19 in the UK singles chart. Having seen his performance tonight I’m confident he’s gonna be around for a long time to come. 

Cuffe & Taylor

Rhodes Media

Review & photos - Phil Wright

Becky Hill photos kindly provided by Jason Siddall

I was looking forward to the Rock 'n' Roll Circus three-day chilled-out festival in Sheffield ever since I attended last year’s event. The concept of merging live circus art with live music is amazing. 

This may be the ‘little brother’ to Sheffield’s Tramlines festival but, boy, does it pack a punch!

Thursday night opened with star of the 70’s, Gilbert O’Sullivan, with classic hits such as ‘Claire’ and ‘Matrimony’. These were sounding just as good today as they did all those years ago. (So I am told. I’m obviously not old enough to remember the 70’s. If you believe that, you’d believe anything).

Next up was a brilliant set from ‘The Coral’, getting the crowd moving with a barrage of hits, including ‘In the Morning’ and ‘Dreaming of You’.

The Circus Big Top was filling up with people waiting for the arrival of Sheffield’s very own Richard Hawley, but prior to his arrival, we were treated to the sounds of ‘The Divine Comedy’, whose sounds truly were ‘divine’.

Richard Hawley then made it on stage, looking like he had just dropped in from the 50’s with his blue and cream cowboy jacket and sunglasses. Opening up with ‘She Brings Me Treats’, Richard’s smooth vocals seemed to just glide around the Big Top. He certainly knew how to work the crowd and held a sign saying, ‘Welcome to Sheffield’. You can take the man out of Sheffield, but you’ll never take Sheffield out of the man.

I missed Friday at the festival due to work commitments, but feedback from those who made it was superb. Becky Hill took the headlining set. Thank you to Jason Siddall Photography for capturing those moments.

Saturday soon came around and I was ready for it. Festival favourites The K’s  took to the stage with their unique  style, getting all in the Big Top bouncing with tracks like ‘Chancer’ and ‘Home Town’.

I was particularly looking forward to the Two Tone legends, ‘Selecter’. Pauline Black, Queen of SKA transported us back to the early 80’s. It was so hard trying to photograph and dance at the same time! Seventy-year-old Pauline gave us non-stop hits and was in fine voice. An outstanding performance and a treat to witness.

There were also some brilliant performances by ‘Riffles’, ‘Seb Low’ and ‘Jake Bugg’.

We were then treated to a performance by Pete Docherty. He gave us a full 45-minute acoustic set. A massively talented guy whose skills didn’t go unnoticed.

To finish off this fantastic weekend of entertainment, Sheffield shone, yet again, with the outstanding ‘Milburn’. These guys started the group around the same time as the Arctic Monkeys formed, but just never made that ‘top spot’ until now. 

They were the group many of the crowd had been waiting for and, boy, they did not disappoint! They rolled out a phenomenal performance for the last hour of the weekend and the crowd adored them!

A huge thank you to the organisers of this fantastic event. It was compact, so easy on the legs for us old folk, (a world away from Tramlines where I could not walk for a week after). Thank you to all the vendors, staff and also a big shout out to Greggs for all the freebies! 

Review & photos - Mo Longfellow

As the lights dimmed and the familiar chords of ‘Air Hostess’ echoed through the venue, the crowd erupted in excitement, a sea of fans eagerly anticipating the iconic, pop-punk band, Busted. The energy, even outside at the Scarborough Open Air Theatre, was electric, with fans of all ages ready to relive the nostalgia of the early 2000s.

The show kicked off with a high-energy performance that set the tone for the night. The band displayed their undeniable chemistry as they interacted with the audience, sharing stories and laughter between songs. Their charismatic stage presence kept the crowd engaged, with sing-alongs erupting at all the right moments—an incredible testament to the band's enduring popularity and ability to engage the crowd. 

As they moved through their setlist, fans were treated to a mix of classic hits such as ‘What I Go To School For’ reminding everyone of their catchy melodies and clever lyrics. The production values were top-notch, with vibrant lights elevating the experience. The band's musicianship shone as brightly, as they seamlessly transitioned between upbeat tracks and more emotional ballads, showcasing their versatility.

They told us that this was their last show of the season and as they introduced the next tune, their cover of MMMBop, originally by Hanson, they also told us this would be the last time they performed the song live. The crowd took the news in their stride as they bounced and sang along. 

The encore brought the house down with ‘Year 3000’. The concert ended on a high note, sealing a night full of nostalgia and infectious energy.

Overall, Busted's gig was a fantastic trip down memory lane, proving that their music continues to resonate with both longtime fans and newcomers. Their ability to connect with the audience and deliver a fun, energetic performance solidifies their place in the hearts of pop-punk lovers everywhere.

Cuffe & Taylor

Rhodes Media

Review and photos - Liam McEvoy

In celebration of his newest studio album, I AM The brilliant singer songwriter Tom Walker called into The Wardrobe in Leeds for an intimate album launch show that was performed to a sold out venue and to countless more on the live stream. 

Five years on from the release of his critically acclaimed debut album What a Time to Be Alive Tom Walker has released his second studio album I AM, and he opened his album launch show with the title track from the new album. 

Walker was in fine form giving emotional performances of tracks new and old including Head Underwater, Life line and two of his biggest tracks Leave a Light On and Angels. Between tracks Walker kept the crowd engaged and entertained and in a strange turn of events found himself signing a prosthetic leg. 

Walker continued to play tracks from his new album and from his back catalogue and when playing ‘Just You and I’ The Leeds audience gave a brilliant rendition of the chorus and ended with rapturous applause. 

Tom Walkers second studio album I AM is out now and the show in Leeds was a fantastic celebration of the release. If you have not already this is an album well worth listening too and there will be ample opportunity to see him live in the coming months. 

APB PR

Review and photos - Mo Longfellow

This was not a gig in the traditional sense of the band plays music and we listen.  This was a show.  A full on theatrical production.  The whole thing was choreographed with in an inch of its life and while that might sound a bit stale, it was far from it.  

From the moment Alice Cooper tore through the giant newspaper backdrop and unholstered his mic (yup, he has a holster for his mic.) the crowd were fully immersed in the show.  He led the charge with drummer Glen Sobel, Chuck Garric on bass, Nita Strauss, Tommy Henrikson and Ryan Roxie on guitars by his side.  The first two numbers, ‘Lock Me Up’ and ‘Welcome To The Show’ were just a precursor, teasers, of the inevitable rock fest that was still to come.  I had goosebumps, the crowd were already in fine voice as if it were the encore and we’re only two songs in!

The theatrics continued through the night as a crowd member who got on stage was taken to the ground with a knife to their throat and dragged off, a photographer taking snaps on stage was felled by Alice’s mic stand and similarly dragged off stage - gruesome or just full on rock n roll theatrical entertainment?  Definitely the latter.  

‘Lost in America’ really ramped up the crowd’s enthusiasm, you could feel the atmosphere take a step up, which I wouldn’t have thought possible, but somehow he managed to pull it off.  

There were a few set changes which were seamlessly implemented through the show and during one such change, Glen Sobel treat us to a drum solo which was ace!  Next followed Classic Cooper with ‘Cold Ethyl’, ‘Go To Hell’ and ‘Poison’.  ‘Feed My Frankenstein’ blasted out as a huge, well, Frankenstein mooched around the stage, this thing was massive!

After a guitar solo bringing all three guitarists to the forefront, the finale started with a guillotine being brought on stage and Alice’s head being chopped off.  Sheryl Cooper dressed as a princess then paraded around stage singing to his head.  I mean, I think that’s what happened, when I type it out, it sounds somewhat ludicrous, but I’m sure it did and it was full on rock theatre at its best.  

For the last number, Alice is belting out ‘Elected’ before the encore of, you guessed it, ‘School’s out’ with ‘Another Brick In The Wall’ (Pink Floyd) cleverly weaved into the number which the crowd really enjoyed belting out, almost as much as Copper’s numbers.  He chucked massive balloons into the crowd which were batted about by enthusiastic onlookers.  Each time a balloon neared Cooper he’d pop it with a dagger that he had sheathed in his boot throughout the show, showering the crowd with confetti, a cool touch to end the show.

Cooper has always been know as one of the greatest rockers to ever grace the stage and this tour will only go to further cement his place in rock history as just that.  I left the gig buzzing and have no doubt that every singe person in the arena, whether there to watch, part of Cooper’s team or First Direct Arena’s team will have left feeling the same.

Review and photos - James Fortune Clubb

Never having been lucky enough to see Public Image Ltd at their zenith - comprised of the near perfect axis of Lydon, Levine and Wobble, I did however catch PiL live some years ago and loved hearing tracks from their seminal and one of my all time favourite albums 'Metal Box'. It was a great gig and fantastic to hear those songs live that I never thought I'd get the opportunity to.

And yet.... despite that, there's always been that little voice in my head, that irritating niggle at the back of my mind...the thing that was missing that night, was the monumental and majestic booming sound of Jah Wobble's bass underpinning and driving it all forward, pulling everything together.

So here we are a number of years later, eagerly awaiting that very same bass...for Jah Wobble's 'Metal Box - rebuilt in dub'. It's a live reworking of an album he released in 2021 which somehow passed me by.

So I've never seen Jah Wobble live (with or without his Invaders of the Heart) and nor (to my shame) have I heard any of his many recorded works...

Whilst the gathering throng awaits Wobbles arrival on a Brudenell stage crowded enticingly with many instruments, there's no support band, but instead we are treated to sounds of JWs back catalogue, ("Memories of Camden by the canal") (South London Dub Symphony etc.) along with the fully operational glitter ball - that all makes for a nice relaxed dubby, spaced out pre set atmosphere...

And then, before you know it - Wobble and band are upon us. It's a literally wobbly arrival on to the Brudenell's small stage - as we're soon informed, JW is suffering from a herniated disc ("I'm a proper raspberry") and starts the gig sat on a chair, front centre stage.

Any thoughts I was mulling over about Wobble's reworking of Metal Box possibly being somewhat spaced out, in the manner of the pre gig tape, were absolutely blown out of the water from the off...

Standing down at the front of the stage - I was struck, literally, as if by an Exocet to the solar plexus by the immense . .sound.... of THAT bass. In all honesty in the 45+ years that I've been going to gigs, I've never heard any quite like this...

[25/10/2024, 19:17:44] James Fortune-Clubb: The band is great, the tempo is up and bass is simply phenomenal... without wishing to labour a point, it is trousers shakingly, bowel disturbingly loud and along with the drums lays down a primal, elemental, visceral power that's amazing to behold.

This feels very much like Jah Wobble is reclaiming the legacy of Metal Box and clearly with this gusto, he very easily suceeds. Not tonight the gentler ambient dub of JW.

JW has a great band with him, that he pushes, directs, occasionally conducts, it feels like he's pushing all of them to play their hardest, fastest, to deliver at the very top of their game and then some.

So tonight is mainly Metal Box - around 8 tracks I think, as well as a phenomenal Fodderstompf from PiLs debut album and a great version of the eponymous debut single Public Image.

And is if it couldn't get any better - during a gap in proceedings JW launches into the whole of the 'Now is the winter of our discontent' speech from Shakespeare's Richard III - and guess what, it's word perfect and dramatically spot on, really impressive. It's maybe a pipe dream but Jah Wobble as Richard III - doing the whole play? There's something I'd pay good money to go and see. 

Then there's a 180 degree handbrake turn from perfectly delivered Shakespeare, straight into Metal Box classic Poptones and somehow it works perfectly - unbelievable and a definite highlight.

The band also has the added bonus tonight of sometime JW collaborator and one time Siouxie and the Banshees guitarist/multi instrumentalist Jon Klein - demonstrating how well he clearly knows his way around the fretboard.

So herniated disc or no, despite spending at least some of the set sitting down, JW's power is not diminished in any way - and he is on his feet for occasional pivotal passages, or to knock seven (or possibly 8) shaded out the front of stage snare drum.

Affable and amiable between songs, JW remains uncompromising, unpredictable, retaining increasingly rare air of danger (in the best possible way) as a musician.

So it's a set coming in at just a shade under 2 hours, we couldn't have asked for more, although I would gladly have stayed for more (but my eardrums wouldn't have thanked me).

The Metal Box tracks never sounded better, they're still like nothing else ever recorded, JW and his band were outstanding - a fantastic gig.

All hail Jah Wobble.

Review & photos - Liam McEvoy

With the release of his fourth studio album Changes All The Time imminent James Bay called into The Wardrobe in Leeds to play not one but two intimate acoustic shows to two packed out crowds. 

Bay took to the stage and opened the show with the first single from his newest album Up All Night. A track that sees Bay collaborate with both The Lumineers and Noah Kahan this is a brilliant indi folk track this kick started the show in supreme style. 

As with any album launch this was an opportunity for the crowd to experience new music and get up close and personal with the artist and this was no exception. With James Bay playing a number of new tracks from his newest album including Easy Distraction and Speed Limit whilst also taking an audience request and giving a brilliant rendition of Stay After Summer. 

As Bay said though, when going to a gig fans want to hear the hits and he did not disappoint on this front either. Playing a number of his biggest hits including If You Ever Want to Be in Love, Let it Go and Us. The Leeds Crowd were in great voice and sang along brilliantly. 

The show ended with Bay playing the beautifully optimistic feeling track Hope before finishing with one of his biggest tracks, Hold Back The River. 

This was the first of the two sold out shows James Bay played at The Wardrobe in Leeds to celebrate the release of his newest album Changes All the Time based on this performance this will definitely be an album that should be on anyone’s to listen list. 

Set List:

1.  Up All Night

2.  If You Ever Want to Be in Love

3.  Easy Distraction

4.  Saty After Summer

5.  Speed Limit

6.  Let It Go

7.  Us

8.  Hope

9.  Hold Back The River

Review & photos - Liam McEvoy

Off the back of the release of their latest album The Last Flight, Public Service Broadcasting have embarked on a UK and European tour and called in to the O2 in Leeds. It’s not often you go to a gig and get a history lesson at the same time but that is exactly what you get from Public Service Broadcasting and so much more. 

The band took to the stage and opened with a number of tracks from their newest album including Towards The Dawn, Electra and The Fun of It. This warmed the crowd up brilliantly before the band delved into their back catalogue Playing Signal 30, People Will always Need Coal and Night Mail. 

Public Service Broadcasting are unique in what they do using samples from various old documentaries and broadcasts, and this gives the gig an element of education. The topics are wide ranging going from space flights with Go! and Gagarin to aircraft engineering with Spitfire. 

This had the crowd dancing until the end and the Public Service Broadcasting left the stage to raucous applause but it was not long until the band returned and played a Elfstedentocht Part 1 which is the first time the band have played the track since 2016 much to the delight of the crowd. Public Service Broadcasting ended the gig with the brilliant Everest which had the crowd dancing to the very end. 

Public Service Broadcasting are incredibly unique in what they do, and they definitely produce a brilliant show. 

Track List:

1.  Towards the Dawn

2.  Electra

3.  The Fun of It

4.  Signal 30

5.  Night Mail

6.  People Will Always Need Coal

7.  Progress

8.  The South Atlantic

9.  Arabian Flight

10.  A Different Kind of Love

11.  Blue Heaven

12.  Monsoons

13.  Spitfire

14.  The Other Side

15.  Go!

16.  Elfstedentocht, Part 1

17.  People, Let’s Dance 

18.  Gagarin

19.  Everest

Stay Golden PR

Review & photos - Huw Williams

New Order last played this room in 1984—or so we’re reliably informed as Peter Hook takes his place centre stage at Bradford’s stunning St. George’s Hall. “I was here!” shouts someone in the crowd, as many fans are here to relive the music of their youth. Though there are some younger faces in the audience, they’re few and far between.

Tonight, the crowd is packed with fans who know their New Order and Joy Division history and are ready to let go—it’s Friday night, after all.

Hook is here with The Light, performing both Substance albums, starting with New Order and closing with Joy Division.

Kicking off with “Regret,” “Crystal,” and Monaco’s “What Do You Want From Me?”, Hook commands the stage, pacing with his trademark red bass. This selection offers a slight variation from other stops on the tour, leading into the full 1987 Substance compilation, played in original order.

The energy builds until “Temptation” rings out, sparking some committed pogoing among the crowd. It’s still early in a three-hour set, though, and some fans might want to consider pacing themselves—perhaps keeping in mind the jog back to the station to catch the last train home.

The first half is powerful, with Hook focused on the music rather than crowd banter, determined to deliver the full set before the 11 p.m. curfew. A full throated rendition of “True Faith” brings us to a short interval, leaving a predominantly male-voice choir shouting the lyrics back at him.

As the second half begins, Hook reflects on Joy Division’s history with the venue, noting that they shared this stage with The Buzzcocks some 45 years ago. “I was 23. Those were the days!” he says, dedicating the Joy Division set to the late Ian Curtis.

The sound is immaculate, with Hook’s iconic, melodic basslines reverberating through the hall, layering even more musical history into the fabric of this legendary venue.

The second half is a marked change in atmosphere, with moody lighting, heavy strobes, and smoke reflecting Joy Division’s darker sound. It’s the same musicians on stage, but the feel shifts from New Order’s upbeat rock to Joy Division’s driving, intense vibe. Hook’s bass becomes more insistent and haunting, bringing out the melancholy and angst of Curtis’s lyrics.

The show closes with an anthemic singalong to “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” a powerful tribute to Joy Division’s lasting influence. After a marathon performance, the crowd rewards Hook & The Light with a raucous ovation.

Earlier in the night, Hook had asked, “What do you want from me?” Tonight, he gave this crowd everything they could’ve asked for—and more.

Review & photos - John McEvoy

With a weather forecast predicting wintry conditions, it was gratifying to see so many hardy souls venture out on a Sunday night to the Victoria Theatre in Halifax to see a band who after 50 years (yes 50!) show no signs of slowing down and in fact are still sounding as good as ever. 

However, before the main course, it was down to Damon Gough, better known as Badly Drawn Boy to fill the support slot which was clearly appreciated by those present. Drawing on material from his several album releases including the most recent album “Banana Skin Shoes’ his 40-minute acoustic/keyboard slot was a great start to the evening. 

Shortly after 8:30 it was time to welcome Squeeze on stage, and there is little doubt that this is a band who really are a great British institution. Formed in 1974 this tour is a 50 celebration which was made up of loads of the ‘classics’ as well as lots of new material, which was clear evidence that Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford still know how to write a great tune. 

Opening with ‘Black Coffee In Bed’ the following 2 hours was a canter of some genuinely great tunes that age hasn’t diminished in the slightest.

Many moons ago “Rolling Stone’ the magazine, not the band, hailed Difford & Tilbrook as the new Lennon & McCartney and this reviewer completely agrees with that opinion. 

To be able to write songs such as ‘Tempted’ and Labelled with Love (my personal Squeeze favourite) requires that something special and these two had, and still have that ability by the bucket load. 

Cantering through the 24-track set list tonight, it was a reminder of just how many great tunes these two have written, and current band personnel who make up the third incarnation of the band sounded on point throughout the night.

Bu there’s no getting away with it, it’s clearly Difford and Tilbrook who are main focal point and I’m happy to report that despite the advancing years, their voices show no signs of ageing either, and their harmonies were as wonderful as ever. 

Whilst this tour is primarily to celebrate their 50 years since the band started, throughout the set they’re not afraid to play some material from their later years, and whilst many of the audience maybe didn’t know these tunes as well as their earlier material, each track was warmly welcomed, and as the evening progressed it wasn’t long before the seated audience were up on their feet and having a great time. 

So, here’s the thing, if you appreciate great songwriting delivered by a band at the very top of their game you really should do yourself a favour and go see Squeeze. 

I promise you won’t regret it. 

Setlist:

Black Coffee In Bed

Footprints

Is That Love

Up The Junction

One Beautiful Summer

Someone Else’s Heart

In Quintessence

Departure Lounge

Some Fantastic Place

If I Didn’t Love You

Pulling Mussels (From The Shell)

Another Nail In My Heart

Annie Get Your Gun

You Get The Feeling

Trixies Hell On Earth

Goodbye Girl

Cradle To The Grave

Slap & Tickle

Tempted

Cool For Cats

Labelled With Love

Hourglass

Take Me I’m Yours

After Hours

Republic Media PR