Shed Seven @ TK Maxx Presents The Piece Hall, Halifax – 6 June 2026
- John Hayhurst
- Jun 8
- 3 min read
Thirty years on, York's finest prove they're still 'Chasing Rainbows' and 'Going for Gold'
Words and Photos - John Hayhurst
Thirty years after A Maximum High first sound-tracked countless indie discos, Shed Seven arrived at Halifax's Piece Hall to celebrate the landmark album that helped define a generation. What unfolded wasn't simply an anniversary show. It was a victory lap, a family reunion and a reminder that some songs only grow stronger with age.
From the moment Rick Witter bounded onto the stage, looking remarkably fit and trim for a man celebrating a record released three decades ago, it was obvious this wasn't going to be a night fuelled purely by nostalgia. The York five-piece played with the energy of a band still moving forward rather than one content to trade solely on its past.
Before diving into A Maximum High itself, Shed Seven treated the Halifax crowd to a handful of fan favourites from their first album ‘Change Giver’, these weren't simply warm-up numbers; they were treasured pieces of the band's history being dusted off and given a new lease of life. Witter joked that “Halifax needed to strap themselves in for a long night”. He then went off as the band were clearly running a long intro for ‘Getting Better’.
The backdrop changed to the album cover and Witter emerged wearing a gloriously sparkly red sequinned shirt, an appropriately celebratory outfit for an album that remains one of Britpop's defining records. What followed was A Maximum High performed in full, exactly as promised, with the crowd hanging on every word.
Three decades haven't dulled the impact of these songs. Where Have You Been Tonight?, Bully Boy and On Standby still crackled with youthful swagger, while Going For Gold felt as euphoric as ever beneath the towering walls of the Piece Hall. Deeper cuts like ‘Lies’ and ‘This Day Was Ours’ haven’t been played live for over 15 years and yet looking at this Yorkshire audience they knew every lyric.
The beauty of Shed Seven has always been their connection with their audience. There are bigger bands from the Britpop era, but few inspire this level of loyalty. Every lyric seemed tattooed into the memories of those packed into the historic courtyard. Witter even does a shout out section to the superfans and hands out maracas to the youngsters who weren’t even here the first time around.
The evening could have ended there and nobody would have left disappointed.
Instead, Shed Seven pushed on into a closing run that showcased why they're currently enjoying one of the most successful periods of their career. Recent tracks from their number 1 albums such as Talk of the Town and Let's Go Dancing sat comfortably alongside the classics, proving the band's renaissance isn't built solely on nostalgia. These songs have earned their place in the set and were greeted accordingly.
Between songs, the band also teased what lies ahead, revealing they are currently working on a new album and promising another full "Shedcember" tour later this year. For a band supposedly celebrating the past, there was a clear sense that they're still writing the next chapter.
As darkness settled over Halifax, the atmosphere shifted from celebration to outright euphoria. Disco Down exploded into life with the kind of communal joy that only a truly beloved anthem can create. Arms were aloft, pints were flying and the entire Piece Hall seemed to move as one giant organism.
When the opening notes of Chasing Rainbows finally arrived, the response was almost overwhelming. It remains the band's defining moment, and judging by the expressions on stage, even Shed Seven were still slightly stunned by the scale of the singalong coming back at them.
Anniversary gigs often feel like museum pieces. This didn't. It felt alive, relevant and utterly joyous. Thirty years on from A Maximum High, Shed Seven remain one of Britain's great live bands and, judging by the reaction in Halifax, they're nowhere near finished yet.
