Tom Odell – Live Review – Piece Hall, Halifax
By Christine Goode, July 2024
The iconic Piece Hall in Halifax is not only a beautiful landmark with hundreds of years of history but has now become famed for being a spectacular music venue hosting a huge array of big names in the music industry, and last night was no exception. Brit Award winner Tom Odell was in town, and with six top ten albums to date, it is little wonder that fans of all ages flocked to the venue, all eager to see this talented singer-songwriter as part of the TK Maxx Presents Live at The Piece Hall summer series.
Inside the venue, there is a chilled and calm vibe as people mill around, getting there early to secure the best spots possible. As we casually chat to other fans on a cool summer evening, there is great excitement in the air.
“Melancholy moments to upbeat sing-alongs”
The support act for this evening is Tom’s good friend Rae Morris. As she quietly enters the stage and sits behind her piano, a cheer goes up, but it is instantly silenced as soon as she starts singing. People chatting at the back near the bars are silenced by her incredible voice, many around me aghast at her haunting, angelic tones as she sings her hits such as “No Woman Is An Island”, “Love Again”, and favourite “Someone Out There”.
After a short break, the excited crowd cheers as Tom Odell and his band come on stage and immediately kick off with “Loving You Will Be The Death Of Me” from his latest album Black Friday. We enjoyed further hits including “Can’t Pretend”, “Magnetised”, and “Best Day Of My Life”, to name but a few of his many hits.
It must be hard for such successful artists with a huge back catalogue to select which songs to put in a playlist. However, Odell selected a wide variation from his, treating us to 19 songs! Taking us from melancholy moments to upbeat sing-along hits in the blink of an eye, his voice never faltering throughout. Unlike some artists, Odell prioritises the music, highlighting the level of skill and passion that his craft requires, giving a masterclass performance while refreshingly displaying that it is not always necessary to have all the ‘smoke and mirrors’ some may use at a music concert.
“Memorable”
Odell intermittently chats with the audience and describes the venue as ‘one of the most beautiful places’. He also said, “Anytime you want us to come back, just say the word!” to which he receives delighted cheers. He then went on with a powerful sing-along to “Fighting with Fire”, ahead of a seven-track encore featuring his cover of Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colours” and his debut single “Another Love”.
A memorable moment was when he invited Rae Morris back on stage to duet on “Half As Good As You”, a stunning performance from two incredible talents. The band is strong, and the entire performance is enhanced by dramatic lighting. The final song, “Another Love”, has the crowd singing and dancing along, even as they leave the venue (and on the train home).
images: Cuffe & Taylor
