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...

Read my review of the wonderful, life-affirming gig by @shezraja.bsky.social in Birkenhead last Friday nick-holmes-music.com/2025/07/20/s...

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...

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...

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...

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...

'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. nick-holmes-music.com/2025/06/19/b...

“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...

Read my five-star review of Hamlet Hail to the Thief with the music of Radiohead and the words of Shakespeare, produced by Factory International and the Royal Shakespeare Company live at Aviva Studios in Manchester nick-holmes-music.com/2025/05/09/h...

Read my review of REFRACTIONS the new collaboration between Manchester Collective, the musician Clark and choreographer Melanie Lane at The Bridgewater Hall in Manchester last Friday nick-holmes-music.com/2025/04/29/m...

Here's Part II of my post on the space songs of @stevenwilsonhq.bsky.social - the solo years nick-holmes-music.com/2025/04/27/s...

With the release of The Overview, the new space-themed album by @stevenwilsonhq.bsky.social I thought it would be a good time to revisit the space-themed tracks he wrote for @porcupinetree.bsky.social Read my thoughts here... nick-holmes-music.com/2025/04/20/s...

Read my five-star review of the BBC Philharmonic at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester on Saturday evening. A superb performance of Mahler's Ninth Symphony conducted by Yoel Gamzou nick-holmes-music.com/2025/04/14/b...

It's thirty years this month since the release of THRAK by #KingCrimson. Read my thoughts here: nick-holmes-music.com/2025/04/11/t...

Read my five-star review of the double-headed album launch by Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate and Ghost of the Machine at the Camden Club on Sunday. nick-holmes-music.com/2025/04/08/h...

Read my review of Beethoven's Emperor Piano Concerto performed by the BBC Philharmonic conducted by John John Storgårds, with Paul Lewis at The Bridgewater Hall in Manchester last week, with Nordic symphonies by Per Nørgård and Jean Sibelius nick-holmes-music.com/2025/04/01/b...

Read my review of the launch gig of Mobula, the new album by Gleb Kolyadin of iamthemorning nick-holmes-music.com/2025/03/06/g...

Read my review of the world premiere of the new album The Overview by Steven Wilson last night at BFI Imax with stunning visuals by Miles Skarin of Crystal Spotlight nick-holmes-music.com/2025/02/25/s...

Read my review of a stunning concert by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Ludovic Morlot and pianist Bertrand Chamayou, a celebration of Pierre Boulez at 100 and Maurice Ravel at 150 nick-holmes-music.com/2025/02/24/b...

Very pleased to see that the revised and fully updated and expanded edition of my in-depth analysis of the music of @porcupinetree.bsky.social is now available to order from @burningshed.com and other good bookshops! burningshed.com/store/sonicb...

Read my review of Wagner's Flying Dutchman by Opera North in Leeds, UK. A superbly sung and acted new production exploring the plight of refugees. nick-holmes-music.com/2025/02/09/w...

Read my review of an evening of English and Russian music including Elgar's Cello Concerto and Stravinsky's Firebird at The Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, with the BBC Philharmonic conducted by John Storgårds, cellist Senja Rummukainen and the CBSO Chorus. nick-holmes-music.com/2025/01/30/b...

Read my review of 2024 - an excellent year in progressive rock nick-holmes-music.com/2025/01/16/r...

Read my review of 2024 - a memorable year in classical music - in Manchester and beyond nick-holmes-music.com/2025/01/05/r...

Read my five-star review of Messiaen's From the Canyons to the Stars with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra nick-holmes-music.com/2024/12/23/b...

Read my review of the Prog the Forest festival of prog rock at the Fiddler's Elbow in London nick-holmes-music.com/2024/12/10/p...

Thank you so much, Nick. Such a well observed and eloquent review. You picked up on everything so elegantly and with such inquisitive openness. What a pleasure to be so kindly reviewed by you. Thank you. 🙏🏾

Read my five-star review of @nitinsawhney.bsky.social with The Hallé at the Bridgewater Hall with @eoscounsell.bsky.social, Shapla Salique, YVA, Chris Cameron and Aref Dervesh nick-holmes-music.com/2024/12/06/t...

"This was a wonderful, life-affirming concert... It provided food for the mind, balm for the soul, joy for the feet, and rhythm for the body." Read my review of Sirocco by Manchester Collective at the Stoller Hall in Manchester nick-holmes-music.com/2024/11/18/m...

"An imaginative production brings out the humanity in Mozart’s last opera... This was a very attractive, lively performance..." Read my review of The Magic Flute with Opera North at The Lowry in Salford last Friday. nick-holmes-music.com/2024/11/14/m...

A night of heroes at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester. Read my review of Strauss and Shostakovich with a UK premiere by Anna Clyne. Excellent performances from the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Alpesh Chauhan, Alban Gerhardt and Zoë Beyers nick-holmes-music.com/2024/11/20/b...