Doves – Live Review – The Piece Hall, Halifax
By Steve Crabtree, August 2025
As the Live at The Piece Hall season edges towards its finale, I found myself heading into Halifax once again for my penultimate show there of 2025. It’s been another brilliant run of shows – eclectic, busy, and full of talking points. Saturday night’s line-up added another couple of chapters to that story, and it wasn’t just the headliner I was excited about.
This was Doves – a band who’d always been on the periphery of my musical tastes, if there is such a thing. Nonetheless, I’d been looking forward to catching them live – especially as the line-up was bolstered by a couple of standout support acts too.
Both of whom could quite easily have stolen the show.
“Turned heads and stopped chatter”
Opening the night were Apollo Junction. A Leeds band that I’ve come across briefly before but who quickly made me ask where I’d been. They were outstanding, and gave us who were getting in nice and early a loud, confident set. Their upbeat, shiny sound meant that tracks like ‘Magic’ was simply that, and ‘Forever’ was sensational. It was one of those performances that turned heads and stopped chatter, which says a lot for a first support. And in Jamie Williamson there’s a frontman who knows how to own a show.
They’ve just released new album What In The World too, so timing couldn’t have been better for them to showcase it.
Following them were a band I really like. I’ve seen Cast plenty of times over the last 25 years – and they did exactly what you know they’d do.
A lively, well-paced set full of fan favourites, with John Power in fine voice and even finer form on the mic. He was as chatty as ever, joking with the crowd between hits like ‘Walkaway’, ‘Finetime’ and ‘Alright’.
I can’t think of a bad Cast gig, whether as a support or a headliner. And if the leaders of The Piece Hall are reading, they’d be a brilliant choice for a main act in 2026.
“Intent and heart”
It’s got to that time of year where the headliners are coming on stage when it’s already dark now. And, as Doves prepared to take the stage, I did wonder how this performance was going to pan out.
Regular frontman Jimi Goodwin is currently taking an extended break from the band, which leaves vocal duties mainly in the hands of Jez Williams. It was a fair question – would the gig feel like it was missing something without him?
The answer came quickly. From the moment they opened with ‘Snowden’, it was like the remaining members were stepping up in a big way. But pretty effortlessly. Each song came at us with the same intent and heart, and even without Jimi, it sounded like Doves.
I didn’t even feel the new vocalist made brought a new dynamic with him It was just really good, really familiar, and the band didn’t put a foot wrong.
“Powerful”
We had a nice atmosphere inside the venue. Relaxed but with the usual buzz. The lighting design played a big part in elevating the show too.
And we had a brilliant setlist, where highlights included a brilliant version of ‘Catch the Sun’ – apparently the first time it had been played live since 2010. And the pounding energy of ‘Pounding’ was just aptly named. A very powerful live track.
‘Kingdom of Rust’ was another crowd favourite, while ‘There Goes the Fear’ was too.
But for many of us, me and the wife especially, ‘Black and White Town’ was the song we’d been waiting all night to hear. When it arrived to close out the main set, it gripped Halifax. The energy lifted even more, and everyone around me seemed to know every word. It was always going to earn the biggest reaction of the night, and rightly so.
“Doves had delivered”
Doves gave us a single-song encore – and it was a delight. They closed the show with ‘Space Face’, a throwback to their early days as Sub Sub. It was a fun, full-circle moment that brought the night to a close with a friendly, lively edge.
As we spilled out into the Halifax night, I think it was unanimous – Doves had delivered. It’ll be great if and when Jimi Goodwin feels well enough to return. But, despite his absence, they more than proved their ability to still put on a show.
And with Apollo Junction and Cast on the same bill, this was one of those Piece Hall gigs that’ll be talked about for a while.
Images: Cuffe & Taylor and The Piece Hall
Give Steve music, give him food, give him theatre, tech or travel… and he’s a happy man. He’s been writing professionally since 2003, turning to journalism in 2017 when it offered him the chance to enjoy a lot of his existing passions, and learn some new ones at the same time. Steve can be found spending many of his summer nights watching bands at The Piece Hall in his hometown of Halifax, or enjoying a bite to eat and a drink with his wife anywhere in Yorkshire at any time of year. Random fact: He does the best impression of Zippy and George from Rainbow that anyone has ever heard.
