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Helicopters buzz overhead as anticipation builds in the crowd. Tens of thousands of Oasis diehards have descended on Cardiff’s Principality Stadium for a celebration they never thought possible, and Luke Holdsworth is right in the thick of it – but not as a lucky ticket-holder. Interpreting the spectacle in sign language, he’s bringing deaf fans into the heart of the experience, conveying the music, the vibe, even the Gallaghers’ trademark swagger.
“You get caught up in the atmosphere – it’s electric,” Holdsworth tells Positive News. “It was an incredible privilege to be part of history while at the same time providing access for deaf people, helping them enjoy the shows.”
Born profoundly deaf and raised by deaf parents, Holdsworth’s first language was British Sign Language (BSL), which uses hand shapes, gestures, facial expressions and body movements instead of spoken words. The language has its own unique grammar, vocabulary and sentence structures. For Holdsworth, 36, it was everyday life. Like many in the deaf community, he was given his own sign language name – ‘Shy’ – reflecting his timidity.
