Nick Holmes
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Nick Holmes
@nickholmesmusic.bsky.social
30 followers 26 following 49 posts
Author and music blogger at www.nick-holmes-music.com
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nickholmesmusic.bsky.social
‘…another delightful evening with The Apex Singers. It would not be easy to find another ensemble as happy to perform together.’
Read my five-star review of the Christmas concert by TheApex Singers.
nick-holmes-music.com/2025/12/15/t...
The Apex Singers – Christmas with the Apex Singers – Live Review
The Yard, Manchester Tuesday 9 December 2025 ***** Christmas magic comes early to Manchester with joyful singing and a party atmosphere The Apex Singers. Photo Harry Proctor On another unseasonably…
nick-holmes-music.com
December 15, 2025 at 7:45 PM
nickholmesmusic.bsky.social
Classic Rock Magazine has just named The Overview by Steven Wilson as the Number One Album of the year. Here’s my COMPLETE detailed analysis of the album (previously published in three separate sections).

nick-holmes-music.com/2025/12/11/s...
Steven Wilson – The Overview – Album Review
The Cover of The Overview by Steven Wilson, designed by Hajo Müller His Eighth Solo Album The Overview is Steven Wilson’s eighth solo album, released on 14 March 2025. It charted at number thr…
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December 11, 2025 at 3:49 PM
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Read my five-star review of the strings of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra playing Bartók and Tchaikovsky, directed by Zoë Beyers at the RNCM in Manchester
nick-holmes-music.com/2025/12/09/b...
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra – Serenade for Strings – Live Review
Friday 5 December 2025 RNCM, Manchester ***** The strings of the BBC Philharmonic shine in music by Bartók and Tchaikovsky The Strings of the BBC Philharmonic directed by Zoë Beyers. Image © Chris …
nick-holmes-music.com
December 10, 2025 at 11:06 AM
nickholmesmusic.bsky.social
“We have a new mission: to represent Manchester and this region as cultural ambassadors, with your support”
Kahchun Wong, Conductor of the Hallé, speaking at the orchestra’s superb concert on Sunday afternoon at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester. Review here:
nick-holmes-music.com/2025/12/03/t...
The Hallé – Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto – Live Review
Sunday 30 November 2025 Bridgewater Hall, Manchester ***** Manchester’s oldest orchestra become the city/region’s newest cultural ambassadors Akiko Suwanai, Kahchun Wong and members of …
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December 3, 2025 at 8:03 PM
nickholmesmusic.bsky.social
Read my review of the latest concert by Manchester Collective and the Marian Consort, with the premiere of a new piece by Samantha Fernando, inspired by the book Wintering by Katherine May
nick-holmes-music.com/2025/11/28/m...
Manchester Collective x The Marian Consort: Wintering – Live Review
Thursday 27 November 2025 Stoller Hall, Manchester **** Samantha Fernando’s new piece Wintering celebrates winter’s withdrawal from daily life Wintering with Samantha Fernando © Mike Sk…
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November 28, 2025 at 10:12 PM
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Here’s the latest in my Off the Beaten Track series – a review of Peter Hammill’s extraordinary Mr X (Gets Tense)/Faculty X from his 1979 album ph7, in a superb new mix by Stephen W Tayler

nick-holmes-music.com/2025/11/24/o...
Off the Beaten Track # 16 – Mr X (Gets Tense)/Faculty X from pH7 by Peter Hammill
The Cover of pH7 (1979) by Peter Hammill With typical sarcastic humour, Peter Hammill named his eighth solo album pH7, when it would have been more logical to name it PH (Peter Hammill) 8. He wrote…
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November 24, 2025 at 11:52 AM
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‘A spellbinding and emotional journey through a historical travesty of justice’

Read my five-star review of The Witch Trials by Kantos Chamber Choir conducted by Ellie Slorach at the RNCM in Manchester

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Kantos Chamber Choir – The Witch Trials – Live Review
Friday 14 November 2025 RNCM, Manchester ***** A spellbinding and emotional journey through a historical travesty of justice The Pendle Witch trials of 1612 have left a deep scar in our collective …
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November 20, 2025 at 5:20 PM
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Read my thoughts about an excellent concert by the BBC Philharmonic conducted by Elena Schwarz on Saturday in Manchester, featuring nature-themed Mahler and Debussy, and the Trombone Concerto by Dani Howard, with soloist Peter Moore
nick-holmes-music.com/2025/11/11/b...
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra – Mahler’s ‘Titan’ – Symphony No. 1 – Live Review
Saturday 8 November 2025 Bridgewater Hall, Manchester **** Elena Schwarz conducts nature-themed Debussy and Mahler, with the Manchester premiere of Dani Howard’s trombone concerto The BBC Phi…
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November 12, 2025 at 1:48 PM
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Here’s the third and final part of my in-depth analysis of The Overview, the latest album by @stevenwilsonhq.bsky.social

nick-holmes-music.com/2025/10/19/s...
Steven Wilson – The Overview – Album Review Part Three: ‘The Overview’
This is an analysis of the second half, and title track, of Steven Wilson’s eighth solo album, The Overview. For an introduction to the album, click here. For an analysis of the first half of…
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November 7, 2025 at 5:06 PM
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Read my five-star review of American composer John Adams conducting @thehalle.bsky.social in a concert of his own music at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, featuring a stunning performance by the violinist Leila Josefowicz and a UK premiere

nick-holmes-music.com/2025/11/04/t...
The Hallé – John Adams Conducts the Chairman Dances – Live Review
Saturday 1 November 2025 Bridgewater Hall, Manchester ***** Exploring Powerful Women in the Music of John Adams, with Astonishing Playing from Violinist Leila Josefowicz Leila Josefowicz and The Ha…
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November 5, 2025 at 11:19 AM
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Read my five-star review of the fantastic concert by divinecomedyhq.bsky.social at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester. Click on the link below

nick-holmes-music.com/2025/10/26/t...
The Divine Comedy (@divinecomedyhq.bsky.social)
The Official Bluesky Account Run By The Nice Folks At DCHQ. Website: https://thedivinecomedy.com/ New Album 'Rainy Sunday Afternoon' Out Now ☂️ Live 2025/26: https://thedivinecomedy.com/live #thedivin...
divinecomedyhq.bsky.social
October 26, 2025 at 11:51 PM
nickholmesmusic.bsky.social
‘Superbly directed and acted, with fine singing and marvellous orchestral playing. A large and enthusiastic audience welcomed English National Opera to the North. We have much to anticipate if future ENO productions here are of this quality.’
nick-holmes-music.com/2025/10/23/b...
Britten – Albert Herring – English National Opera – Live Review
Tuesday 21 October 2025 Lowry Theatre, Salford **** Minimalist Design Meets Comedy and Psychological Realism in ENO’s first production in the North The Cast of Albert Herring © Genevieve Girl…
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October 23, 2025 at 11:52 PM
nickholmesmusic.bsky.social
Here's the second part of my detailed analysis of The Overview by @stevenwilsonhq.bsky.social, the first side of the album - 'Objects outlive Us'

nick-holmes-music.com/2025/10/22/s...
Steven Wilson – The Overview – Album Review Part Two: ‘Objects Outlive us’
The Cover of The Overview by Steven Wilson, designed by Hajo Müller This is an analysis of the first half of Steven Wilson’s eighth solo album, The Overview. For an introduction to the album,…
nick-holmes-music.com
October 22, 2025 at 7:36 PM
nickholmesmusic.bsky.social
Here’s the first part of my detailed review of The Overview, the latest album by Steven Wilson. More to follow in due course!
nick-holmes-music.com/2025/10/15/s...
Steven Wilson – The Overview – Album Review – Part One – Introduction
Steven Wilson. Image credit: Kevin Westerberg His Eighth Solo Album The Overview is Steven Wilson’s eighth solo album, released on 14 March 2025. It charted at number three in the UK, the four…
nick-holmes-music.com
October 15, 2025 at 3:10 PM
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Read my five-star review of Mahler's Eighth Symphony at St Paul's Cathedral in London, with The Bach Choir and conductor David Hill, celebrating the Choir's 150th anniversary.
nick-holmes-music.com/2025/10/13/m...
Mahler Symphony No. 8 – Live Review
Thursday 9 October 2025 St Paul’s Cathedral, London ***** A stunning opening to the Bach Choir’s 150th anniversary season in the most dramatic of settings How do you open the 150th anniversar…
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October 13, 2025 at 6:52 PM
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'A tribute to the variety of sounds that strings make, and the human connections that music brings’

Here's my review of Manchester Collective's concert at the RNCM in Manchester on Sunday

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Manchester Collective – Shaker Loops – Live Review
Sunday 5 October 2025 RNCM, Manchester **** A tribute to the variety of sounds that strings make, and the human connections that music brings Manchester Collective Some concerts are about the music…
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October 7, 2025 at 2:17 PM
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‘Nearly 60 years since first playing in Manchester, Hammill is still a supreme communicator and a powerful performer’

Read my review of the concert by Peter Hammill of Van der Graaf Generator at the RNCM in Manchester this evening

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Peter Hammill – Live Review
Tuesday 1 October 2025 RNCM, Manchester Nearly 60 years since first playing in Manchester, Hammill is still a supreme communicator and a powerful performer **** ‘The hits just keep on coming&…
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October 1, 2025 at 11:08 PM
nickholmesmusic.bsky.social
Here's my review of the opening concert by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, featuring music by the new Composer in Residence, Julia Wolfe and Augustin Hadelich playing Prokofiev's 2nd violin concerto

nick-holmes-music.com/2025/09/24/b...
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra – Fountain of Youth – Live Review
Saturday 20 September 2025 Bridgewater Hall, Manchester **** A triumphant opening to the BBC Philharmonic’s new season Violinist Augustin Hadelich with members of the BBC Philharmonic. Image …
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September 24, 2025 at 1:20 PM
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Read my review of the wonderful, life-affirming gig by @shezraja.bsky.social in Birkenhead last Friday

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Shez Raja – Live Review
Friday 18 July 2025 Future Yard Birkenhead ***** Guthrie Govan Joins Shez Raja for Triumphant Birkenhead Show Shez Raja (and Chris Jerome, back left) This was a triumphant homecoming gig for bass p…
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July 22, 2025 at 6:08 PM
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Read my review of the Spellbound by British-Asian bass player
@shezraja.bsky.social, an eclectic and invigorating mix of musical styles from East and West

nick-holmes-music.com/2025/07/10/o...
Off the Beaten Track # 15: Spellbound by Shez Raja – Album Review
The Cover of Spellbound by Shez Raja British-Asian bass player Shez Raja has been voted one of the ‘Hottest Bass Players in the World’ by readers of Bass Player magazine. His mother is Asian, and h…
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July 12, 2025 at 1:14 PM
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Here's my review of day two of Manchester Classical, with Manchester Collective - Rakhi Singh and Zoë Martlew, plus Musicians from the Hallé, the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, RNCM, The Chorus of ENO and Hallé Choir, conducted by Alpesh Chauhan

#mcrclassical25

nick-holmes-music.com/2025/07/06/m...
Manchester Classical 2025 Day Two – Live Review
Sunday 29 June 2025 Bridgewater Hall, Manchester For a review of day one of the festival click here and for the opening night click here Musicians from the Hallé, the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, RN…
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July 7, 2025 at 8:00 AM
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Read my review of the opening night of the Manchester Classical Festival, with Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead playing the music of Steve Reich, with @thehalle.bsky.social conducted by Colin Currie.

#mcrclassical25

nick-holmes-music.com/2025/07/04/m...
Manchester Classical 2025 Opening Night – Live Review
Friday 27 June 2025 Bridgewater Hall, Manchester Jonny Greenwood performs Reich with the Hallé The first Manchester Classical music festival took place two years ago, in June 2023. The festival won…
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July 4, 2025 at 6:46 PM
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Read my latest interview with Malcolm Galloway of Hats Off Gentleman It's Adequate. He talks about the band's new album and the Prog the Forest festival

nick-holmes-music.com/2025/06/29/i...
Interview – Malcolm Galloway from Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate on the new album The Uncertainty Principle and the Prog the Forest Festival
The Cover of the Uncertainty Principle by Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate Malcolm Galloway is the lead singer, songwriter, guitarist and keyboard-player of London-based prog rock band Hats O…
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June 29, 2025 at 10:03 PM
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'John Storgårds conducts the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in a breathtaking performance of Mahler’s Third Symphony.'

Read my five-star review of Mahler's Third Symphony in Manchester.

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BBC Philharmonic Orchestra – Mahler Symphony No. 3 ‘The Voice of Nature’ – Live Review
Saturday 14 June 2025 Bridgewater Hall, Manchester ***** John Storgårds conducts the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in a breathtaking performance of Mahler’s Third Symphony John Storgårds, Jess D…
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June 20, 2025 at 2:56 PM
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“Maybe we don’t give much thought to the perspective of what we are and what our reality is.”
Read my interview with Miles Skarin of Crystal Spotlight
about the making of the film for The Overview, the new album by @stevenwilsonhq.bsky.social

nick-holmes-music.com/2025/05/26/i...
Interview – Miles Skarin: Creating ‘The Overview’ film with Steven Wilson
“We look inwards so much, and when you look outwards at space there’s so much out there which is unattainable and unreachable for a lot of humans, so maybe we don’t give much thou…
nick-holmes-music.com
June 7, 2025 at 9:29 AM