Roger Daltrey – Live Review – The Piece Hall, Halifax
By Steve Crabtree, July 2025
I love it when true legends are heading for the place that I was born and bred. The Piece Hall has been bringing them in by the truckload over the last few years, but tonight we were going to be getting in some true British rock music royalty.
A seated show tonight, with a handful standing around the edges and up on the balcony, the older-than-usual crowd we had in t0night was here for Roger Daltrey – lead singer of The Who, and a musician whose calibre in the entertainment industry is quite something.
It’s the first time The Piece Hall have brought us a series of seated shows, and I must say I’d been quite sceptical about whether or not they’d work. What I can say is that the seating thing didn’t mean the night was subdued. In fact, it was nice to rest my feet at a gig for a change. It worked really well…
“An arrow pointing forwards”
Before our headliner appeared, we were treated to a fantastic opening set from Simon and Oscar – two familiar faces from Ocean Colour Scene. Stripped-back versions of their band’s classics worked perfectly in this intimate setup. ‘The Circle’ and ‘The Day We Caught the Train’ were the standouts, and Simon’s playful thanks to the crowd for “making me feel young at a gig for once” got a warm laugh. It was a really nice way to start things off.
Daltrey arrived just after 8.30pm with a grin, a long-sleeved blue top, blue jeans, and absolutely no fuss. A cheeky smile, a wave, and a “hello Halifax”. And he was straight into it. ‘Let My Love Open the Door’ kicked things off brilliantly before he took a seat with the rest of us and led into a powerful rendition of ‘Who Are You’ – still belted out with serious vocal strength. With that coming out so early, it was clear we were in for a great night. A night of hits and some of Daltrey’s favourites.
From stage to seats, we were all in a great mood. And that only rose through the night, as songs like ‘Freedom Ride’, ‘Giving It All Away’ and ‘Substitute’ came along. And it’s fair to say that the seating arrangement, slightly tight rows aside, worked for this one. Being just eight rows from the front and able to see Roger Daltrey and his band clearly was an absolute treat – and the option to rest legs between standing moments definitely suited this kind of show and this kind of crowd.
“He’s only having a dance”
Musically, the night was fantastic. But we got much more than that. We were told lots of stories from Daltrey throughout the evening, and the one that stood out for me was about living with his first wife and child, knowing deep down it wasn’t the life for him. He was in a band at the time called The Detours, and there was a van parked outside with an arrow pointing forwards painted on the side. He said he felt it was calling him, and if he could do what he thought he was going to do, he’d make a better life for everyone, including his child and ex-wife, by going away and forging that music career.
It wasn’t a boast, and it wasn’t cocky. It was a grateful nod to how things turned out – and it led beautifully into ‘The Kids Are Alright’. A song he thought was written about him, and about that life of his.
‘Won’t Get Fooled Again’ was a clear highlight of the night too. Daltrey invited the crowd to help him out with that infamous scream, and we gave it our best shot. By this point, most of our section was on its feet, the music doing exactly what it should – pulling people together.
The set flowed nicely throughout the show and the vibe was warm. A particularly heartwarming moment came when a guy named Dave had a dance in the aisle near the front. Two security guards approached, asking him to return to his seat. But Daltrey told them, “He’s only having a dance – he’s alright.” The crowd cheered. “He won’t cause no trouble…you’re causing more trouble than him,” he added in a nice but definite tone, prompting even bigger cheers. The guards smiled and backed off. Dave carried on dancing.
“Laser-like focus”
There were plenty of standout numbers Daltrey and his fantastic eight-piece band. A gorgeous run through of ‘Have You Ever Seen the Rain?’ got a lovely reaction – especially when we learn that writer John Fogerty had spent years unable to earn from his own songs due to losing the rights. Now that they’re finally back where they belong, Fogerty only gets paid when others perform them – so Daltrey’s added it to the set as a gesture of support. A small move, but it added extra heart to an already lovely rendition.
Paul Simon’s ‘Boy in the Bubble’ was a change of pace that worked well. ‘Going Mobile’ was fun, with Simon Townshend on lead vocals, and then came the show-stopper: ‘Baba O’Riley’.
Before launching in, Daltrey told us he’d keep using his voice until he dropped – and then the violinist took centre stage with laser-like focus, setting up that unmistakable intro. She and Daltrey made a great pairing on that one, and the audience absolutely lapped it up.
As the band left the stage, Daltrey stayed. Alone under the lights, he gave us a truly beautiful version of The Kinks’ ‘Days’. His voice – steady, strong, and full of character – took us home. We sang with him, quietly, knowing we’d just seen something special.
I’d expected maybe a few airs and graces from a man who led, and still leads, one of the UK’s most iconic bands. But Roger Daltrey was down to earth, warm, funny. Cheeky, with a glint in his eye – and very clearly still full of passion for what he does. You couldn’t help but love the person, as well as the rock star.
Image: 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.
