How big name stars are putting Calderdale on the music scene map

Nestled between world-renowned indie hotspots in Manchester and Leeds, the region’s imprint on the world of music has traditionally been a little more muted.

The big music stars who have performed and who are coming to Calderdale in 2019

A wave of excitement hit Halifax on Monday as it was announced that multi-platinum-selling Salford superstars Elbow would take the stage at the Piece Hall on June 30, capping off a weekend that also includes a historic homecoming concert by Calderdale’s very own Embrace two days earlier.

And Independent Venue Week will once again have a home here from Monday, with an array of talent scheduled to perform across six venues.

Piece Hall Trust chief executive Nicky Chance-Thompson, herself a keen music fan and gig-goer, said that the interest is inevitable and that last Summer’s Father John Misty concert was the first of a string of huge annual dates at the 18th century landmark venue.

“Halifax is in a moment,” she said, “Something is happening here, for sure. And with such a huge number of very talented and very creative people in the valley, of course it’s happening, why wouldn’t it?

“This hasn’t been an overnight thing, it’s been building for a long time.

“Elbow coming to Halifax will change the way other bands look at what we’ve got here.

“It’s a town, we don’t have an arena of course, but musicians are artists and I’m hoping other musicians of that size will have that curiosity about the town. There’s more to come.”

The renaissance of Halifax as a live music hotspot was kick-started in no small part by the shock arrival of Stone Roses to the town’s Victoria Theatre in 2016. Since then, they have welcomed the likes of Courteeners, Florence and the Machine, Jake Bugg and Kasabian and wil host pop megastars The Script on March 25.

A spokesman for the Victoria Theatre said: “We’re proud to be a part of the growing music scene in Halifax. Over the past few years we’ve attracted some well established artists in the Indie Music Scene. We look forward in 2019 to welcoming more quality performers as well as new and upcoming bands as part of a program to highlight new talent in the area.”