'Next summer is going to be bigger': Piece Hall boss Nicky Chance-Thompson pledges even more gigs and global superstars when concerts return to historic Halifax venue in 2024
This summer has seen a staggering 150,000 music fans flocking to the historic venue for sell-out concerts by some of the biggest names in music.
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Hide AdMadness, Sting, George Ezra, Rag ‘n’ Bone Man, Limp Bizkit, Queens of the Stone Age, boygenius, Orbital, The Charlatans, James, Embrace, The Cult, The Jacksons, Johnny Marr and Sister Sledge are just some of the acts who have been brought to Halifax over the past few months for Live at The Piece Hall.
The shows have been the result of a five-year co-promotion deal between Cuffe and Taylor - the promoters who brought Britney Spears, Lewis Capaldi, Duran Duran and Kylie to Scarborough - and The Piece Hall Trust.
Nicky Chance-Thompson, CEO of The Piece Hall Trust, says, long-term, they are aiming to make the building “one of the UK’s most premium” music venues.
“What an incredible summer we’ve had here,” she said.
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Hide Ad"The artists, the feeling the audience – everyone just seems to have got behind the series this year.”
Asked what made her want to put live music on at the historic venue, she said: “It’s such an incredible venue. It’s steeped in history, built to have this type of event on, and I love music and, you can probably see from the number of people who have visited us this summer, that other people love it too and want to see it in this amazing building.”
She said this year’s Live at The Piece Hall had the most shows and the most amount of fans attend yet.
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Hide Ad"It’s a huge achievement,” she said. “And it’s all testament to the power of this building and the team that we have here, our partnership with Cuffe and Taylor – that combination is creating something quite special.
"Longer-term, we hope to become one of the most premium UK venues for music – that’s our ambition.
"Next summer is going to be bigger – more shows, more global superstars who now want to come and play here.
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Hide Ad"One of the most exciting things that I heard from Johnny Marr and other artists that I’ve had the privilege of speaking to is they’re telling me that other people are talking about The Piece Hall – other artists – and want to play here.
"I think there’s a curiosity because they haven’t played here before. It’s a new venue, it’s quite special and magical, and they’re all asking ‘what is this place?’”
The BBC has reported Peter Taylor, from Cuffe and Taylor, as saying they already have 21 artists pencilled in, and one confirmed, for next year’s gigs. But no names have been revealed yet.
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Hide AdThe summer concerts at The Piece Hall have been growing year-on-year, with 22 gigs taking place in 2023.
This summer has also seen the venue host Calderdale Pride, The Piece Hall Mela, Ellie Sax and exercise guru Joe Wicks.