Scissor Sisters Bring Glam-Pop Glory to The Piece Hall
Few bands have ever managed to be both gloriously mainstream and proudly subversive at the same time, but Scissor Sisters have made an entire career of straddling that line. Formed in New York City in 2000 by friends Jake Shears and Scott “Babydaddy” Hoffman — who had met the year before in Lexington, Kentucky — the band emerged from the city’s gay nightlife scene with a sound that fused glam rock, disco, nu-disco and electroclash into something utterly their own. They were soon joined by the magnetic Ana Matronic, guitarist Del Marquis and drummer Paddy Boom, completing a line-up that would go on to conquer charts across the world.
Their breakthrough came in extraordinary fashion. The band came to prominence following their Grammy-nominated, chart-topping disco reworking of Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb” and their self-titled debut album in 2004. That record struck a particular chord in Britain. It reached number one in the UK, became the best-selling album of 2004, was eventually certified nine-times platinum, and earned the band three BRIT Awards in 2005. Hits such as “Take Your Mama,” “Laura,” “Mary” and the irrepressible “Filthy/Gorgeous” all landed inside the UK top 20, while Bono famously hailed them as “the best pop group in the world.”
The momentum carried into their second album, Ta-Dah (2006), which delivered their crowning single. “I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’,” co-written with and featuring Elton John on piano, reached number one in the UK and stayed there for four weeks, also topping the charts in Australia and across Europe. Two further studio albums followed — the clubbier Night Work in 2010 and Magic Hour in 2012 — before the band announced an indefinite hiatus during a show at London’s Camden Roundhouse in October 2012.
Across their career, Scissor Sisters have become renowned for spectacular, theatrical and often joyfully outrageous live performances, and they have taken that show around the globe. They toured the world extensively behind each album, headlined festivals including the Isle of Wight’s Bestival in 2006, played a free Trafalgar Square concert to 10,000 fans, and ended their first UK tour with three sold-out nights at Wembley Arena, supported by a then-unknown Lily Allen. A 2007 O2 Arena show in London was filmed and released as the concert film Hurrah! A Year of Ta-Dah. Their reach extended far beyond Europe, with tours and festival appearances spanning North America, Australia, Latin America and beyond, and a memorable run supporting Lady Gaga on her Monster Ball Tour in early 2011.
After more than seven years away, the band returned. In October 2024 their reunion was confirmed for a series of 2025 shows celebrating the 20th anniversary of their debut album, with the line-up now a trio of Jake Shears, Babydaddy and Del Marquis, joined by longtime drummer Randy Real. That comeback proved triumphant, taking in a UK arena tour, a legendary Saturday-night Glastonbury set, and a co-headline summer tour across the USA alongside Kesha. At Glastonbury 2025 they were joined on stage by special guests including Ian McKellen, Beth Ditto and Jessie Ware.
And the party rolls on into 2026 — which brings us, delightedly, to Halifax. Scissor Sisters will headline TK Maxx presents Live at The Piece Hall on Sunday 9 August for a night of high-energy anthems, dazzling performances and unapologetic queer joy. They’ll be supported by The Hidden Cameras, with doors opening at 6pm, last entry at 8pm, and the event finishing by approximately 10.30pm.
We could not be more thrilled to welcome them to our historic courtyard. There is something perfectly fitting about one of pop’s most flamboyant, life-affirming live acts taking to the stage beneath the open Yorkshire sky, surrounded by 250 years of history. From “Take Your Mama” to “I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’,” expect a glitter-soaked celebration of every disco anthem in their arsenal. Mark the date, gather your friends, and get those dancing shoes ready — this promises to be an extraordinary night at The Piece Hall.
