By Jack Walsh
As the August bank holiday came into full swing, excitement filled the air for the long weekend ahead. How were you going to celebrate it? Drinks with friends, a trip abroad with your significant other? Or did you venture down to the Piece Hall to witness the mighty powerhouse that is Faithless? I know my answer!
As the DJ dropped his stack of hits, the entire hall erupted into a giant rave. The crowd was heading for a long night of partying.
Taking the reins was legendary house DJ Graeme Park, widely credited as one of the founders of the UK’s rave/club scene. Graeme wasted no time in getting the crowd energised and pumped for the onslaught of tracks that were heading their way.
‘35 years was the last night I saw this DJ,’ one fellow fan beside me stated. He was loving every minute. Everywhere you looked, people were dancing with their friends, carefree with giant smiles on their faces; hands in the air as each beat from Graeme sent everyone into a dancing frenzy. The sky was so clear, and beers were flowing from every vendor. This was turning into the perfect recipe for pure carnage. Were you ready?
As the night wore on and Graeme continued to captivate the audience, one thing became clear: no one was slowing down. Quite the opposite, in fact! People were becoming even livelier. I wouldn’t have been surprised if a dance competition hadn’t broken out from the energy this crowd was radiating. As the final track spun and faded, everyone caught their breath. Anticipation filled the hall for the arrival of Faithless. More beers were poured, and the music grew louder. ‘Are you excited?’ I asked one group of friends. They all looked at each other and, in a collective voice, shouted, ‘HELL YEAH!’
I’ll tell you this, though: nothing prepared me for what was about to unfold. If I had to describe Faithless’ opening tracks in three words, it would be ‘pure, unfiltered mayhem’. Trying to keep up with this band as they tore through the stage was certainly a workout. They were some of the most energetic individuals I’ve photographed. Let alone the pulsating beats firing on all cylinders.
Leaving the photo pit, I ventured off to find a good vantage point to oversee the crowd and continue writing my review. As I walked, one thought popped into my head: How would they top that opener?
The answer… Insomnia. I’ve been to the Piece Hall a lot over the years, especially for gigs. But I’ve never seen a crowd take to a song like they did with Insomnia. Everyone was moving, and I mean everyone.
Understandably so, given the record was released in November 1995 and was still voted as the fifth greatest dance record of all time in 2013 by Mixmag readers.
‘Piece Hall, we’re so grateful to be here,’ shouted Sister Bliss. The crowd cheered as tracks new and old continued to deliver and the mind-blowing light show had every eye fixed. ‘I’ve seen 15 bands here, and this is the most I’ve seen the crowd engaged.’ The guy next to me wasn’t wrong. Even though I had a pen and paper in hand, I couldn’t help moving to each beat like everyone else. I was having the time of my life!
My main love for that night’s gig was how much they respected and honoured the late Maxwell Alexander Fraser, better known by his stage name Maxi Jazz. From his digital projection on screen, delivering lyrics to videos, the whole crowd fell silent whenever he appeared; all you could hear were united cheers, all you could see were the tears, from fans around the hall. It was a beautiful sign of respect.
As the night came to a close and the band returned to the stage for their encore, it was certain to me that this was one of my favourite gigs I’ve covered this year so far. The energy, passion, and love Faithless delivered to their fans last night was a beautiful sight to witness. I’m not the biggest fan of house music, yet last night, that didn’t matter; we were all united for one cause, to rave our hearts out, and that’s exactly what we did.
Unless otherwise stated, Photography & Text Copyright 2025 © Jack Walsh/ADRENALINE Magazine.
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