Puzzle Hall Inn

French Fridays
2025-03-07 17:30 - 18:30, 2025-02-28 17:30 - 18:30, 2025-02-21 17:30 - 18:30, 2025-02-14 17:30 - 18:30, 2025-02-07 17:30 - 18:30, 2025-01-31 17:30 - 18:30 (Europe/London)
An informal group to practice your conversational French – Everyone welcome!

Folk Night with Duotor
2025-03-06 20:00 - 23:00
This month we welcome – Duotor
Duotor is two groovy medieval knights with a hypnotic sound incorporating hurdy-gurdy, drum, bagpipes, chants, songs, and throat singing. They do unholy things to the holiest of medieval tunes influenced by trance, folk, and glam rock and roll. They were headliners at Hepfest 2024, rocked the tent at Medieval Music in the Dales 2024, supported Mes Levres at Nan Moor’s in Todmorden, played the New Year in at the White Lion in Heptonstall, and now entrancing the Puzzle Hall Inn.
Free entry, donations toward events and artists always welcome.
For those who may be unsure of the public transport situations, here are some useful details…
Trains: If you’re travelling towards Halifax / Bradford / Leeds, the last train leaves Sowerby Bridge at 00:05If you’re travelling up the Calder Valley, and onwards to Manchester, the last train leaves Sowerby Bridge at 23:22
Please allow 15 minutes to walk from the pub to the station, and please check, on the day of travel that the times have not changed, or that strike actions are being planned.
Bus: There’s a 579 bus to Halifax that leaves Station Road at 23.48, just a few minutes’ walk from the Pub, however, give yourself plenty of time, as it’s the last bus, it can be pretty sharp in setting off.

Technical Difficulties
2025-03-05 19:30 - 22:00
Technical Difficulties is Sowerby Bridge’s original experimental & electronic music open mic held on the first Wednesday of Each Month
FREE ENTRY
Please send us a message if you want a slot!
We have a PA installed, two tables and somebody to plug you in…
Whether you’re into alternative hip hop, dark ambient, free jazz, freak folk, beat poetry or drone rock come on down, plug yourself in and let your freak flag fly!

Chess Night
2025-03-03 20:00 - 23:00, 2025-02-24 20:00 - 23:00, 2025-02-17 20:00 - 23:00, 2025-02-10 20:00 - 23:00, 2025-02-03 20:00 - 23:00, 2025-01-27 20:00 - 23:00
All welcome for this casual but serious evening of chess.

Acoustic Singaround Session
2025-03-02 13:00 - 16:00, 2025-02-02 13:00 - 16:00
Join us at the Puzzle Hall Inn, the 1st Sunday of each month for an acoustic afternoon informal singaround. All persons of all ages and skill levels welcome.
Hosting, will be the incredible Dave CalvertIn his own words: “Everyone is welcome to come along and sing, play, join in or just listen, the beer is great, as is the atmosphere. Its a lovingly restored, community owned pub which is continuing it’s long history of music events.”
Entry is free, hope to see you there.

Kath & The Kicks + Vinyl Friday + DJ Snakehips
2025-03-01 21:00 - 23:00
Formed in 2018, Hard hitting rock power trio Kath & The Kicks have cemented themselves as one of the UK’s most enthralling acts, both live and in the studio. Receiving plaudits from the likes of Louder Than War, Bauer Media & airplay from Kerrang! Radio, Planet Rock and Radio X.They are widely recognised as a blistering live act, who deliver a stunning set with the tightest of musicianship anywhere on the scene. They’re punk rock at its finest and not to be missed.
‘Kath and The Kicks have an exhilarating stand out sound, raw and fresh with the spirit and attitude of grunge, punk rock and rockabilly.’ – Stencil Mag
“Kath and The Kicks come to deliver chaos and wrath….a band that know they can rock the stage to smithereens.” – Good Music Radar
‘Dirty, smack you in the face rock and roll from a band projecting true passion and searing melodies’. – Louder Than War

Vinyl Friday are a young up and coming alternative rock group from Bradford. A hard gigging act full of boundless energy and enthusiasm backed up by chops which belie their slender years. Catch them before they hit the big time.

To round off the night we’ll be joined by DJ Snakehips on the wheels of steel who’ll be playing rock, punk and alternative classics old and new for your pleasure.

Run Remedy & Herorangecoat
2025-02-28 20:00 - 22:00
Run Remedy is the brainchild of violinist and evangelical escapee – Robin Koob. Raised by two church leaders in American east coast suburbia, Robin’s particular flavor of experimental folk is laced with equal parts grief and goof, playfully exploring themes of transatlantic struggle, familial rejection, gay panic, and forbidden first kisses.Singer and string’est by trade, Koob has hustled her way across East Asia, Germany, and the UK with her ever expanding pedal board, playing everything from post-rock to psych pop, indie, and jazz with all the while building her own creative voice. Her attention to detail and arrangement can be seen throughout every song, making for an intricate audio experience for those who enjoy a good laugh, or cry.
“Genre bending brilliance…hauntingly beautiful. The daughter of two preachers with the voice of an angel” – BBC Radio Manchester
“[Like They Were] is really a beautiful song” – Guy Garvey, BBC 6 Music
​”Candid and cool, raw and tender” – The Autumn Roses
https://www.runremedy.com/
HerOrangeCoat is a definitive example of the sum being greater than the parts. Her indie-folk songs – original, soulful and heartfelt – is a beguiling mixture of her life experiences to date, woven into a rich tapestry of sound. Her lyrics are often hard-hitting, topical and eloquent, showing off her rich vocals, reminiscent of artists such as Joni Mitchell. Armed with her ukulele, she crafts songs that show a remarkable ability to turn melancholy into an enticing musical journey that demands to be heard.
Her debut EP Ballads for this Age simultaneously outlines the difficulties of her early twenties whilst providing a micro-study of some of the most pressing societal issues of the present day.
‘You need this music in your life’ – With Just a Hint of Mayhem
https://www.herorangecoat.com/

Jazz Night with Shadow Quintet
2025-02-27 20:00 - 23:00
February sees the first visit of this exciting line up from the Shadow Quintet.
Expect to hear spiritual jazz from the sixties and seventies, drawing on influences from the likes of Joe Henderson, Alice Coltrane, Chico Hamilton and the sounds of the wonderful Impulse record label from the sixties and seventies.
The Shadow Quintet are:
Leon Johnson: sax
Pete Williams: sax, clarinet and flute
Jonnie Kahn: guitar
Paul Baxter: double bass
Paul Hession: drums
Free admission, collection towards the band taken, please be generous if you can.

The 844s
2025-02-22 21:00 - 23:00
The 844s are vocalist and harmonica player Dave Rigg, bassist Jerome Dineen, drummer Jim Duffy, and rhythm guitarist and second vocalist Wally Woodcock.
The band plays original compositions with one or two covers, ranging from slow-burn blues to high-energy rock.
Free Entry, donations towards events at the puzzle are always appreciated!

Open Mic with Maddie Brooks
2025-02-20 20:30 - 23:00
This session will be hosted by local legend Maddy Brooks
Everyone and anyone welcome, get yourselves down to play, sing, say and listen!
We have a PA installed, plus mics, stands and DI boxes available to use.

Bhajan Bhoy + ADRA
2025-02-16 14:00 - 16:00
Bhajan Bhoy (Netherlands)Dutch musician Ajay Saggar creates psychedelic kosmiche raga electronic soundscapes and guitar heaviness. Presenting new album Bhoy On The Wire!
https://bhajanbhoy.bandcamp.com/

ADRAAndy Abbott looped acoustic instruments ambient music for psychiatric wards
https://andyabbott.bandcamp.com/…/music-for-psychiatric…

FREE ENTRY with donations for acts gratefully accepted.
—– Further Info ——
Bhajan BhoyDrawing from a deep well of psychedelia, Bhajan Bhoy further shifts the parameters of the genre with a beautiful and meditative set of tracks. Within this kaleidoscopic sonic universe, you will find raga-esque excursions, meditative Dream House drone, Laurel Canyon-recalling folk, electronic soundscapes and heavy guitar riffola (sometimes two chords are enough!). This is the sound of freedom! Imagine Pandit Pran Nath, Spacemen 3, Pauline Oliveros and Don Cherry drinking psilocybin tea and letting loose in a studio.
“a unique soundworld broad enough to encompass wild psych-noise guitar, dream-pop lullabies, and futuristic drones with thrilling results” / Mojo Magazine
“With BHAJAN BHOY, Saggar synthesizes all of the stylistic approaches he’s explored over the years, swirling them into an intoxicating musical blend, with an earthy spirituality. Even the project’s name reflects the dual aspects of Saggar’s upbringing coming together in harmony. In Hindi, a “bhajan” is a devotional song, sung in the mandir, or temple, while “bhoy” is a Scottish and Irish derivation for a young man. There’s a searching quality to Bhajan Bhoy, as if Saggar is still hunting for transcendence with each track, whether through an expansive drone, an orchestral facility on the piano, or an electronics-augmented raga that threatens to dip into noise” (Erick Bradshaw / writer and WFMU DJ).
This album presents a rich and varied set of compositions that showcase Saggar’s skills as an incredibly talented and accomplished composer and musician. With each and every Bhajan Bhoy LP, you are are carried to a higher place. With ‘Bhoy On The Wire’, the 35 minutes laid out unfolds like a cosmic tapestry, an extraordinary exploration that shimmers and reverberates with newfound vibrancy. The songs were broadcast as part of a session on Steve Barker’s “On The Wire” radio show in April 2024. They were a gift to Steve and his team for 40 years of broadcasting. “On The Wire” is simply the greatest radio show in the world. As Ajay explains in his own words :
“In September 1984, I started a degree course at the University of Lancaster. On a wet and soggy Sunday afternoon towards the end of September, I sat in my room staring out at the grey Lancashire landscape, and decided to alleviate the boredom by seeing if there was anything to listen to on the radio. Most of the stations I tuned into were as dull as the weather outside. However, as I neared the end of the FM dial (and was about to give up hope), I chanced upon a station where I was taken by the music being played. That show was “On The Wire”, introduced by Steve Barker. From there on in, every Sunday, between 2-5pm, I tuned into Radio Lancashire to listen. Steve’s shows had an incredible and wide reaching selection of music and genres, that thrilled your ears and left you wanting more. Tied to that, his deep knowledge of the material he played helped the listener dig into the sounds even more, and also left you in admiration of this trait. In 1985, I started putting on DIY shows in Lancaster (inviting the likes of Bog-Shed, bIG fLAME, The Membranes, The Wedding Present, etc etc) and Steve was kind enough to mention the shows on-air, which helped in getting people from different parts of the county to come to the shows. At the tail-end of 1985, he invited me to the studio to come and hang out. When in 1988, the group I was in, Dandelion Adventure, released our first (demo) cassette, it was Steve, who not only played tracks off it, but invited the group to the studio for an interview. Now if you’re a young band, that is a massive thrill! And in 1990, when Dandelion Adventure did a John Peel session, I actually used “On The Wire” jingles (that Steve had put on a cassette and given to me a few years before) on the track “All the World’s A Lounge”. Since then, the show has been a mainstay for me, and so many others around the world, to get turned onto incredible sounds from around the world. And over the course of 40 years, Steve has always supported my music. These six tracks are a 40th birthday gift to the “On The Wire” team (Steve, Michael “Fenny” Fenton (an absolutely critical part of the show), and Jim Ingham (engineer who keeps the technical side of things going)) for sharing so much amazing music, and making the world a better place. They were originally broadcast as an exclusive session in April 2024 on “On The Wire”, and are here for your listening pleasure. Music like shower”.

The Richard Royle Band
2025-02-15 21:00 - 23:00
Richard Royle is a Halifax based guitarist and vocalist specialising in bottle neck slide guitar. As a multi instrumentalist Richard has performed with various bands and acts locally but now has turned his attention to performing his original material.
A mix of folk, blues, soul and jazz his music centres around intricate guitar work which comprises bass, rhythm and lead parts all wrapped up in one guitar.With inspiration coming from greats such as Ry Cooder, Sam Cooke, Robert Johnson and many more Richard’s music is raw, honest and genuine.
Free entry, donations towards events always welcome…

The Silver Reserve & Andrew Smith (aka The Celtic Harper)
2025-02-14 20:00 - 22:30
The Silver Reserve
Matthew Sturgess, who performs as ‘The Silver Reserve’, plays delicate, sparse music on a classical guitar, crafting intricate melodies around thoughtful and evocative lyrics. At times creating dense, layered atmospherics, this is music that doesn’t rush and takes its sweet, sad time to unfurl and sneak under the skin.�
“I have fallen in love with The Silver Reserve. Songs of warmth and beauty that scratch at the inside of your heart. In a world that sits heavy on your chest, this is music that reminds you how to breathe.’ Thea Gilmore (Cooking Vinyl)�
�”Beautiful, fragmentary songs which slowly dismantle you.” Seamus Fogarty (Domino Records/Fence Collective)
“The Silver Reserve is beautiful as fuck and funny as fuck and beautiful as fuck.” Kathryn Joseph (Rock Action Records)
www.thesilverreserve.com
Andrew Smith AKA The Celtic Harper
Andrew Smith is a harpist based in Glastonbury who writes beautiful gothic folk songs about the human spirit. Some of the songs are about folklore, and others are about stories of courage, healing, and survival.
Andrew’s music is enriched with the complex, dark emotional worlds of the people he writes about, be they real or imagined, and from the Celtic landscape. Andrew layers his songs with beautiful rhythms and progressions, tapping into the full potential of the harp, but way differently to how you may have expected.
Musically, Andrew had a classical training in the harp through Ruth Faber and Lauren Scott. His songs are influenced by the likes of John Martyn and Nick Cave, but his harp compositions are influenced by classical harp composers such as John Thomas and Eire Lynn Jones. Andrew is releasing his debut studio album in Easter, 2025.
www.thecelticharper.com

Grow + King Violet
2025-02-08 21:00 - 23:00
Grow are an indie rock quartet from Halifax who burst onto the scene in 2024 and are rooted in timeless inspiration carving their path through a cultured mix of influences such as Pink Floyd, Steely Dan and Neil Young.
‘A mix between Steely Dan and Bowie’ – BBC Radio 6
https://growtheband.bandcamp.com/album/your-own-time…

King Violet are an alternative rock band from St Albans, best described as “heartbreak and despair, dressed up with pop, sass and mystery”. Previous support slots include Declan Walsh and the Decadent West and Sad Boys Club. Their most recent single ‘October’ has been described as “the sound of replaying the end of a relationship through a 35mm camera, the reel burning away into something beautiful”For fans of Wolf Alice, Hayley Williams and The Cure.
https://www.instagram.com/kingvioletband/

Folk Night with Ghost School
2025-02-06 20:30 - 23:00
The First Thursday of each month, the Puzzle Hall is home to LORE, our Folk & Roots Music Night curated by Gareth Scott with special guests each month.
This month we welcome – Ghost School
Ghost School is an acoustic trio that plays a mixture of original songs and traditional material from all corners of the British Isles.Weaving songs and stories from the past with contemporary original compositions, Ghost School create a rich musical tapestry that comes to life in their dynamic live performances.The band brings together three of the Calder Valley’s most accomplished and experienced musicians; Andy Greaves (mandolin/guitar/vocals), Jen Trott (fiddle/ vocal) and Les Gillon (guitar/vocal).All three are well known for their work in other bands, including The Tragics, The Revelator Band, The Agents of Karma, Edward Molby and Fire Tower 4, but together they create unique sound that draws upon their shared love for the music of the people. Their album Let All Hearts Be Hollow is available to stream or download from all major platforms.
Free entry, donations toward events and artists always welcome.
For those who may be unsure of the public transport situations, here are some useful details…
Trains: If you’re travelling towards Halifax / Bradford / Leeds, the last train leaves Sowerby Bridge at 00.05.If you’re travelling up the Calder Valley, and onwards to Manchester, the last train leaves Sowerby Bridge at 23.23.Please allow 15 minutes to walk from the pub to the station, and please check, on the day of travel,that the times have not changed, or that strike actions are being planned.
Bus: There’s a 579 bus to Halifax that leaves Station Road at 23.48, just a few minutes’ walk from the Pub, however, give yourself plenty of time, as it’s the last bus, it can be pretty sharp in setting off.

Technical Difficulties
2025-02-05 19:30 - 23:00
Technical Difficulties is Sowerby Bridge’s original experimental & electronic music open mic held on the first Wednesday of Each Month.
FREE ENTRY
Please send us a message if you want a slot!
We have a PA installed, two tables and somebody to plug you in…
Whether you’re into alternative hip hop, dark ambient, free jazz, freak folk, beat poetry or drone rock come on down, plug yourself in and let your freak flag fly!

Apollo House
2025-02-01 21:00 - 23:00
Apollo House are a space jazz quartet from Manchester, UK. Influenced by nature, adventure and the exploration of the unknown, Apollo House aim to push the boundaries of what is capable within a collaborative project in order to explore the sonic landscape through the use of electronics and improvisation. Inspired by artists including Mammal Hands, Gogo Penguin and The Comet Is Coming, Apollo House have created their own individual style of music, coupling driving beats with mesmerising harmony and fusing jazz, electronica and ambient styles.
Having built a reputation as one of the most exciting up and coming live bands in the North of England, Apollo House recently completed their first UK headline tour with dates across England and Wales, culminating in a performance at The Royal Albert Hall for the Music for Youth Proms 2023. Notable performances also include: Manchester Jazz Festival 2023, supporting Myele Manzanza at The Yard (Manchester) and sold-out headline performances at Fuel (Manchester) and Hyde Park Book Club (Leeds).
at Puzzle Hall Inn, 21 Hollins Mill Lane, Sowerby Bridge, HX6 2RF8pm (prompt start) – 10pm
FREE ENTRY with donations for bands gratefully accepted. Done in time for trains back to Leeds / Manc.

Chrysalid Homo + Dots
2025-01-31 20:00 - 22:00
Chrysalid Homo are a hard-edged synth group from Salford whose unique sound heralds of a dark and dangerous future of shock and awe. Not afraid of drawing influences from those that have come before, this merry band of mad-max musicians can name those early pioneers of electronic music; Kraftwerk, The Human League, Tubeway Army, John Foxx, as shaping their own unique sound. Fear not, they aren’t flogging horses here (alive or dead), they’re pushing the boundaries of electronic music to carefully curate a sound that is unique, interesting and, dare we say, pop!(?)
www.chrysalidhomo.com

Dots are Nicki & Les, a dynamic electronic duo who together serve up a crazy cocktail of synth pop and early blues, mixing the sounds of Kraftwerk with the spirit of Hound Dog Taylor, topped with a generous sprinkling of humour. Genre-bendingly bizarre? You bet.
www.iamseeingdots.co.uk

Jazz Night with The Sylvie Rose Quintet
2025-01-30 20:00 - 23:00
This is a pay as you feel event – please be generous if you can.
The Sylvie Rose Quintet
Sylvie Rose, flute, vocalsAnton Hunter, guitarAdam Fairhall, keysRichard Young, drumsStuart Eastham, bass.
Sylvie, a long-term collaborator with Brazilian musicians, based here in the UK and in Brazil itself has composed and arranged all tonight’s music. while there are musical influences from that continent, we can expect heady, heavy Brazilian grooves with vocals here and there in the mix.
Sylvie Rose first appeared at the Puzzle during August 2024 when she brought her band Music do Brazil, (Music of Brazil) to play on one of our “Summer Sunday” afternoon gigs. The music that day was a veritable melange of traditional rhythms and melodies from Brazil and other South American countries. It certainly went down well, with over a hundred people outside enjoying the whole afternoon.
It’s these unusual confluences which make Sylvie’s music uniquely compelling.

For those who may be unsure of the public transport situations, here are some useful details…
Trains:If you’re travelling towards Halifax / Bradford / Leeds, the last train leaves Sowerby Bridge at 00.05.If you’re travelling up the Calder Valley, and onwards to Manchester, the last train leaves Sowerby Bridge at 23.23.Please allow 15 minutes to walk from the pub to the station, and please check, on the day of travel,that the times have not changed, or that strike actions are being planned.Bus:There’s a 579 bus to Halifax that leaves Station Road at 23.48, just a few minutes’ walk from the Pub,however, give yourself plenty of time, as it’s the last bus, it can be pretty sharp in setting off.
