Olly Murs – Live Review – The Piece Hall, Halifax
By Alex Crabtree, July 2025
It’s hard to believe it’s been 15 years since Olly Murs first won the nation over as an X-Factor finalist. Even harder to believe he didn’t actually win. But, judging by the reaction of a packed Piece Hall in Halifax, that hasn’t mattered one bit. Murs is a fully-fledged pop institution – and his live show proves exactly why.
With my daughter Meghan in tow, this was our second time seeing him live, and I’m not sure who was more excited! We’d enjoyed him in Scarborough a few years ago and loved every minute. But somehow, this night in Halifax felt even bigger, brighter, and somehow more fun.
“We were hook, line and sinkered”
Before Olly took to the stage, Lemar warmed things up beautifully. A soulful, smooth set delivered with ease. A nice guy, and someone who knows how to work a crowd. It was still daylight as the venue filled up, and The Piece Hall atmosphere had a brilliant buzz about it. People were dancing in their spots before the main event had even begun!
When Olly appeared, it was to a roar of applause and a sea of phones in the air. He launched straight into ‘Troublemaker’, one of his biggest hits and one of Meghan’s personal favourites, which meant we were hook, line and sinkered from the off. And for the rest of the night, he didn’t let the tempo drop once.
“It was fun, and it was feel-good”
The crowd was one of the most diverse I’ve seen in years. Families, groups of friends, teens, kids on shoulders, couples who’ve clearly grown up with Olly’s music and those who are discovering it for the first time. There was a wonderful feeling around the courtyard – and that’s helped by how Mr Murs is on stage. Every interaction, every singalong, every burst of laughter between songs…it was fun, and it was feel-good too.
Hits came thick and fast. Throughout the night, he performed ‘Right Place Right Time’, ‘Please Don’t Let Me Go’, ‘Thinking of Me’, and the gorgeous ‘Dear Darlin’’. They all landed with the warmth and familiarity of songs you love, and love even more when you hear them live.
And I loved his dancing too! Murs moves with the slick confidence of someone who’s been doing this for years and still loves every second of it.
Image: Alex Crabtree
“Pop-disco”
The lights and graphics really came to life as the sun dipped. It gave the night a real sense of pop-disco, and by the time he was belting out ‘Heart Skips a Beat’, ‘Wrapped Up’ and ‘Save Me’, The Piece Hall had become a full-on party arena.
One of the most fun surprises came midway through the set when he broke into an 80s megamix – everything from ‘I’m So Excited’ to ‘500 Miles’, Rick Astley and even Wham! made an appearance. Olly joked it was for the blokes who’d been “dragged” along, but it turned out to be a massive crowd moment that got everyone dancing, regardless of their reason for being there.
With every tune, Olly Murs is cheeky without being cringey, slick without being showy. He smiles, we smile back. He dances, we try to keep up. It’s pure fun – the kind of night out that sends you home on a high.
“Dancing our way through Halifax”
As things neared the end, Olly dropped in new song ‘Baby’ as his penultimate track – upbeat, dancey, and completely in keeping with the vibe of the night. Then, for the big finish, he brought the house down with a final blast of ‘Dance With Me Tonight’ that had the whole of Halifax bouncing. A perfect closer to a set that never dipped.
And that was that. The lights came up, but there was a real reluctance to leave, and you could see it in the faces still beaming as the crowd drifted towards the exits. We were no different. Meghan and I ended up dancing our way through the streets of Halifax, half-hoping we’d bump into someone with an encore up their sleeve.
There’s been hope of Olly Murs playing The Piece Hall for a long time, and now that it’s finally happened let’s hope it’s not a one-off. Judging by the response tonight, he’s more than earned a regular slot on the summer calendar!
Images: Cuffe & Taylor and The Piece Hall
