The Fall, The Picturedome and Holmfirth ....

Well, my ears are still ringing today after seeing The Fall at the Picturedome in Holmfirth last night; an enigmatic venue for a very enigmatic band.

It's the fourth time I have seen The Fall (twice in New York and now twice in the UK) and each time it is fascinating, challenging and rewarding - sure, their music is an assault on the senses - if you don't know them they do not produce happygolucky-singalongs, that's for sure - but they are a very skilled, powerful and cohesive band and produce incredibly visceral sounds.

It's very rewarding to see a concert where you're not waiting for the next singalong tune with an easily accessible chorus, etc - The Fall makes you think about music, what it means to you and what it does to your senses. For that alone I shall continue to go and see The Fall for many more years, I hope.

And as for the venue, the Picturedome at Holmfirth - well, it's had a turbulent time recently, falling into a bit of a state of disrepair along with a ubiquitous pub chain trying to take control of it - thankfully that has fallen-through and the Picturedome remains independent and will stay as a unique venue for concerts such as this.

It's awash with lovely architectural details and in a lovely setting; the stage is never more than a few feet away, there's a bar, cinema-style seats (if you need to sit down as a result of excessive bopping and/or drinking) and just outside there's the river/weir - all in the tranquil setting of sleepy Holmfirth (where much of 'Last of the Summer Wine' was filmed, if you're familiar with that show).


The Fall