Nile Rodgers and Chic returned to The Piece Hall in Halifax for a third time after their two previous shows in 2022 were heralded as incredible.
They brought with them London based, and heavily 80’s influenced band, Deco, who you may know from their TikTok antics, namely a mashup of Wonderwall and Bronski Beats’ Smalltown Boy to name one.
They are a great band, full of energy and a confidence that plays well on a big stage like the one in the Piece Hall. Frontman Max Kendall is a natural and gets everyone in the audience going as he makes the most of the space. With a nostalgic nod to the 80s their sound is big and catchy and proved a perfect appetiser for the 2 acts that followed.
Pop Queen Sophie Ellis-Bextor took to the stage next along with a gorilla, a T-Rex and a shark with a guitar, which was a sight to behold.
Having saved many people’s sanity during the Lockdown’s with her Kitchen Disco, and a high charting reappearance of ‘Murder on the Dance Floor’ when it was used in ‘that scene’ at the end of Saltburn, she is currently enjoying a lot of interest.
Having spent the day looking around the independent shops that surround the courtyard at the Piece Hall, particularly enjoying the vintage clothing shop, she declared the venue to be absolutely beautiful.
She high kicked her way through a set of classics which included ‘Crying at the Discoteque, a medley of Modjo, Groovejet and Abba followed by a gorgeous version of Madonna’s Like a Prayer, before closing with her own banger Murder on the Dance Floor. A fantastic and fun set.
Nile Rodgers is no stranger to Halifax and began the set by declaring that the last time they visited was phenomenal, so they would have to try and top that with another incredible set.
That wouldn’t prove to be a hard job, as when you’ve written and produced as many bangers as he has you don’t have lulls in your set like most people do. It’s like someone had put £30 in the jukebox and gone mad playing hit after hit. You’d find it hard to pick a song to walk away from and go to the bar or loo all night long.
They put the FUN in funk and their level of musicianship is unrivalled. Kimberly Davis and Audrey Martells voices sounded exquisite, their voices raising goose bumps as they soared into the atmosphere.
Nile Rodgers intersperses stories from his past in between songs, and although it feels a bit ‘name-droppy’ at times, the man has earned the right to do that, and it’s interesting to hear how Madonna overruled him when he wanted to release Material Girl but it was Like a Virgin she wanted to be her first single, or his stories about Daft Punk, or Bowie.
Not only do the crowd get the choice between the clean or naughty version of Beyonce’s CUFF IT, but we get an update on the England football score directly from the man himself, which receives one of the loudest cheers of the night.
The party atmosphere that was created made the whole evening extremely enjoyable, watching people from all walks of life dancing and singing together and hearing some of the biggest songs of the last 50 years and as the show closes with a huge funky ‘Good Times’, the bands theme tune, yet another legendary night at The Piece Hall ends with people smiling and singing their way out of the venue.