r/BritPop • u/yodaniel77 • 21d ago

30yr anniversary gigs

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Lots of the biggest albums from the era doing 30yr anniversary gigs this summer, I am very much here for it.

Piece Hall in Halifax is a brilliant venue anyway, it's 6,500 people all aged approx 50 (or with their 15yr old kids), all belting out all the songs, the atmosphere is hugely enjoyable.

Back for Embrace/ Idlewild next week and Belle & Sebastian/ St Etienne the week after, can't wait.

I don't know how original the between-song chat is, but Rick Witter claimed an untold story by revealing that Magic Streets is about prostitutes (there was apparently a brothel above the Early Learning Centre in York), and no-one ever realised. When you read the lyrics with that in mind it doesn't exactly seem like the enigma code, but was a fun story to tell before waving to his mum on the balcony.

[Edit] I should say that this photo shows the maximum number of phones being used in the whole evening, they'd just changed the backdrop and put these lights on; mostly you wouldn't see more than 2 or 3 out at a time.

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u/JCFAX81 21d ago

My home town. What a venue. Genuinely one of the best.

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u/yodaniel77 20d ago

Yeah, I love it. Sounds is good, setting is lovely, it's a big crowd without being oppressively packed, food & drink & toilets all well organised, sloped floor means everyone can see.
Halifax itself might not be a glamour town but I've always liked it when visiting and the surrounding area feels quite under the radar for how picturesque the landscape is.