Paul Weller – Live Review – The Piece Hall, Halifax
By Steve Crabtree, June 2026
My connection to Paul Weller goes all the way back to Sunday morning, May 19th, 1985. I was just seven years old, sitting by the stereo, listening to Radio One with my tape recorder. I was trying to capture a Jimmy Nail song (‘Love Don’t Live Here Anymore’) because he was in Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, and my parents absolutely loved that show (as did I, even if I didn’t really get it back then).
The tape kept rolling, and the very next track they played was ‘Walls Come Tumbling Down’ by The Style Council.
Minutes later, our family received some sad, life-changing news. Because of that moment, that specific song, and The Style Council have stayed with me ever since. So, finally getting to see Paul Weller live for the first time was quite a big thing for me. Nothing emotional, just significant.
And what a show he gave us.
“Strap yourselves in”
I headed into Halifax with my friend Lee. We’d grabbed a quick bite from Acropolis (fab greek takeaway on the corner, just over from the top of Westgate arcade) and headed inside. We took up a spot towards the back of the courtyard to soak it all in. The atmosphere was spot on, and with the British music legend playing to a capacity 6,000 crowd, everyone was ready for a serious masterclass in music.
Weller last headlined this venue back in 2022, and he seemed genuinely glad to be back. As he took to the stage without any frills, he looked out at the packed Piece Hall and shouted: “Hello Halifax, it’s great to be back at The Piece Hall. We have a long old set for you tonight – something for everyone – so strap yourselves in!”
He wasn’t kidding either. He delivered a staggering 31-song set spanning his lengthy career. There was no filler here either, just pure quality from start to finish. A night where the quality of music coming out of the PA system was first-class.
Weller treated us to a brilliant run of hits, including ‘You Do Something To Me’, ‘Stanley Road’, and ‘Broken Stones’. The Style Council fans got a proper treat too when the band smashed through a brilliant version of ‘Shout To The Top’. I also enjoyed ‘Long Hot Summer’ as I enjoyed a beer from Loafers. One of my favourite Style Council tracks, and one I didn’t even think might be on tonight’s playlist.
‘A Town Called Malice’ was a fantastic reminder of Paul Weller’s days in The Jam, but Jam songs were few and far between in the set. That did not matter given the quality of what we got, though there were a few more I would have liked to hear.
“The music is all you need”
There wasn’t much of a flashy show going on behind Paul Weller either. But this massive crowd that I was part of didn’t need any fancy animations, massive screens, or over-the-top lighting effects. That stuff all has its place, of course. But when you have someone like Paul Weller performing right in front of you, the music is all you need. And, as an added bonus, Ocean Colour Scene‘s Steve Craddock joined the band on guitar. Masterstroke.
After dark, as the main set came to an end, the opening chords of ‘Peacock Suit’ rolled out, and the crowd went for it. Before heading into ‘Shadow Of The Sun’, it was the perfect way to begin bringing the main performance to an end.
But, we weren’t going anywhere.
“A real show”
Back he came – giving us a sensational six-song encore that raised the lungs of everyone in the old cloth hall. He fired into ‘The Changingman’, ‘Wild Wood’ and a ferocious version of ‘Eton Rifles’ – the lights did kick in on that one. And to close the entire night, he ended abruptly on ‘Rockets’.
With over two hours in the tank, this was a real show. A real live gig. A huge set, in appreciation of fans in the crowd who’d parted with their ticket money.
There was no ‘Walls Come Tumbling Down’ for me, but I didn’t mind. It would have been nice, but that’s all. There’s a reason Paul Weller sells out all these years later. He proved exactly why he is considered music royalty, putting on an unbelievable show that Halifax won’t forget in a hurry.
Images: Cuffe & Taylor
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.
