Now this is an opportunity unlike anything else you'll find in the North.
The Academy of Live Technology is paving the way for a whole new generation of live entertainment and production specialists.
No matter what point you're at in your career, heading down to the Academy at Production Park is an opportunity to learn more about live experiences: there's top-up and short courses for those want to find out more about the industry, degree and master-level courses for those wanting to get the practical experience whilst studying towards a professional qualification and even bespoke training programmes available upon request.
Students are all encouraged to make as many industry connections through work placements throughout their courses, and we're told that there's ample opportunity to jet-set around the globe to work on festivals and arena tours in the UK, Europe and America.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
This said, students are often rubbing shoulders, or at least on the same site as internationally-acclaimed names: Production Park is home to two full-size arena spaces that's hired out by artists before they head on tour.
It's all a little hush, hush on the full list of names that hire out the space for a host of privacy reasons, but the public name of artists that have spent time over at Production Park is incredible.
We're talking: One Direction, Beyonce, Jay Z, Kanye West, The Rolling Stones, Little Mix, Arctic Monkeys, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, Def Leppard, Elton John, McFly, Meat Loaf, The 1975 - the list is simply endless.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Now you're not going to find this kind of professional-studying environment anywhere else are you?
Based over in South Kirkby, the campus is set on what seems like an unassuming industrial park at first, but walking through the door you'll find a colourful Academy that houses three teaching studio spaces, prev-vis and computer suites, lecture rooms and student breakout spaces as well as a myriad of office, performance and prep spaces shared between students and by artists rehearsing for upcoming events.
There's history in the walls, and just about everywhere you look. The site is decorated with set memorabilia: walls are covered in truck tickets, the breakout spaces feature guitar cases from The Who and a tour print, plus the giant black heart from that BRIT performance from Dave, which sits as a sculpture near the canteen - casually.
This really is the place where people from all ages, walks of life and points of their career can come together to learn more about the creative industries: those already in the know of the stars and new students alike.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Courses
There's four undergraduate courses and six postgraduate courses in total, each specialising in different areas of live entertainment design and production.
Undergraduate level
The degree-level courses are naturally centred around live events, with the option to specialise in either Live Events Production, which features four specialist opportunities to study lighting design and technology, live sound, live visuals and event business, either as a full three-year traditional degree course, two-year FDA course or a one-year top up.
Live Visual Design and Production is all about creating those visual experiences for audiences on a global scale: utilising a combination of gaming platforms, immersive technology like VR and motion tracking and projection over a three-year course to
Stage and Production Management is a degree-level course that covers a wider area of theatre, live music, concerts, touring, sports, corporate events and more.
Postgraduate level
Master of Science qualifications cover either Creative Technologies for Live Events or Virtual Production, each of which has the latest cutting-edge technology available for students to develop event-tech for artists and design-led applications with their own research projects.
Meanwhile, the Master of Art qualifications cover Immersive and Interactive Media Design; Live Event Design and Visual Effects for Live Events, led by industry professionals that help students to find their niche across different sectors of technology, management, design and production.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Short Courses
For those wanting to dip their toes into the world of live events and production, the Academy of Live Technology also runs a range of shorter courses and boot camps across the year.
Running across ten sessions, usually twice a week for five weeks, the Skills Bootcamps courses cover topics like Event Management, Event Production, Stage and Screen Rigging, Virtual Production and Unreal Engine. The Skills Bootcamps are fully funded courses for adults aged 19 and over based in either West Yorkshire or the Hertfordshire region.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
How to apply to the Academy of Live Technology
All courses can be accessed on the Academy of Live Technology website here.
For degree courses, entry requirements vary depending on the course, but sit around 64-104 UCAS points. This said, the Academy of Live Technology stresses that it's not about your grades, but the 'type of person you are' and if you show a willingness and genuine interest in the live experience industry, you'll fit right in.
The UCAS deadline for those looking to enrol in September 2024, the current application is 31 January 2024 at 6pm GMT.
Feature Image - The Hoot Leeds
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Bring Me The Horizon announce huge Manchester gig for Count Your Blessings anniversary
Bring Me The Horizon have sent British rock fans into bedlam by booking a special anniversary gig celebrating 20 years since their debut album, Count Your Blessings, and we’re lucky enough that it’s coming to Manchester.
And that’s not the only massive announcement they’ve dropped along with it.
It seems hard to believe it’s been two whole decades since the Northern favourites first burst onto the scene with their first LP, and the Yorkshire heavyweights have come a long way since, both sonically and career-wise in general.
Teaming up with Outbreak ahead of their 2026 festival, they teased the show with a series of posters dotted around Manchester city centre last week.
Yes, the band are set to perform their maiden studio outing, along with a few bonus tracks, in its entirety for the first time EVER.
.@OutbreakFest Presents: Count Your Blessings | Repented
played in full, for the first time ever [manchester 10th july 2026] + other bangers.
It remains unclear whether they’ll be playing it in the original order, nor do we know how many big hits from other albums they’ll be throwing into the set.
All we know is that it’s going to be absolute chaos in those pits.
Presented by Outbreak, the landmark show will be held at the Bowlers Exhibition Centre, a.k.a. the BEC Arena, where the hardcore, punk and all things alternative festival is hosted every year.
Even the poster alone is making us feel nostalgic for our ‘mosher’ phase (as if it ever ended); get your fringes, skinny jeans and checkerboard Vans at the ready.
One of the biggest names to have ever come out of Sheffield – an impressive feat in itself given its rich musical heritage – they’ve done wonders for heavier genres domestically.
Whether you dub them emo, metal, deathcore/anything and everything in between, you can’t deny they’re one of the biggest UK exports this scene has ever, well, seen.
Better still, the all-day event will also feature performances by Static Dress, Rolo Tomassi, Dying Wish, Heriot, Car Underwater and Still In Love.
Last but not least, in arguably even more exciting news, the band have also revealed that they are releasing a full re-recorded version of Count Your Blessings to mark the milestone, dubbing it the ‘Repented‘ version. Not to exaggerate, but we’re absolutely screaming over here…
Fans get their hands on early access by pre-ordering the remastered album from a special old-school, very Myspace-esque landing page; as for general admission, tickets go on sale at 10am this Friday, 17 April – you can get ready to grab yours HERE.
Featured Images — Publicity picture (supplied)/Audio North
Audio
Rick Astley at First Direct Arena, Leeds – tickets, times, setlist and more for UK tour
Thomas Melia
Pop hitmaker Rick Astley is playing a few UK shows and is treating Leeds to a night of live music as part of The Reflection Tour.
Newton-le-Willows-born singer Rick Astley has achieved worldwide success, most notably with his work in the 80s alongside songwriting and production duo Stock-Aitken and Waterman.
Astley's album Whenever You Need Somebody has amassed 15 million sales across the globe and is a pivotal record that many would use to define 80s music.
On this LP is his huge hit 'Never Gonna Give You Up' which dropped back in 1987, with the track gaining more attention courtesy of social media trickery.
The worldwide recognition of this hit is all down to people online who deliberately link to the music video for this song, with the term being coined 'The Rickroll'.
Now, Rick Astley is returning to Leeds and ready to play out to over 13,500 people at one of Leeds' biggest indoor arenas First Direct Arena this April.
Gig guide | Rick Astley at First Direct Arena, Leeds - all you need to know
Rick Astley is bringing The Reflection Tour to Leeds this April / Wikimedia Commons via Raph_PH
Rick Astley UK tour dates
Fri 10 April - Glasgow, UK - OVO Hydro
Sat 11 April - Newcastle, UK - Utilita Arena
Mon 13 April - Belfast, UK - SSE Arena
Tue 14 April - Dublin, IE - 3Arena
Thu 16 April - Liverpool, UK - M&S Bank Arena
Fri 17 April - Manchester, UK - Co-op Live
Sat 18 April - Leeds, UK - First Direct Bank Arena
Mon 20 April - Bournemouth, UK - Bournemouth International Centre
Tue 21 April - Cardiff, UK - Utilita Arena
Wed 22 April - Nottingham, UK - Motorpoint Arena
Fri 24 April - Birmingham, UK - BP Pulse Live
Sat 25 April - London, UK - The O2
Fri 5 June - Scarborough, UK - Scarborough Open Air Theatre
Fri 19 June - Newport, UK - Isle of Wight Festival
Wed 24 June - Llangollen, UK - Llangollen Pavilion
Thu 25 June - Lincoln, UK - Lincoln Castle
Sat 27 June - Gloucester, UK - Westonbirt Arboretum
Fri 24 July - Ludlow, UK - Ludlow Castle
Sat 25 July - Sheffield, UK - Tramlines
Sat 30 August - Silverstone, UK - Carfest
Are there any tickets left for Rick Astley in Leeds?
No need to 'Cry For Help', there's plenty of tickets for Rick Astley's Leeds show at First Direct Arena and you can grab yours HERE.
It's been 'Driving Me Crazy' waiting for the right opportunity to do a little Rickrolling of my own - the actual tickets can be found HERE.
Rick Astley setlist for 2026 tour
The Reflection Tour sees Rick Astley play various shows and festivals across the UK / Wikimedia Commons via Raph_PH
This year will mark Rick Astley's first official headline tour since 2024 meaning a full setlist is yet to be confirmed.
Here is a setlist from 2024 when the 80s performer played a series of festival sets:
Never Gonna Stop
Together Forever
Beautiful Life
It Would Take a Strong Strong Man
Dippin My Feet
Start Me Up (The Rolling Stones cover)
She Wants to Dance With Me
Juice (Lizzo cover)
Forever and More
Hold Me in Your Arms
Seventeen Going Under (Sam Fender cover)
Cry For Help
Dance
Angels On My Side
Whenever You Need Somebody (O 'Chi Brown cover)
Good Times (Chic cover)
Highway to Hell (AC/DC cover)
Maria Love
Never Gonna Give You Up
Stage times for Rick Astley and support act for First Direct Arena, Leeds
Doors for Rick Astley's The Reflection Tour are set to open from 6.30pm with an official starting time of 7.30pm.
Support for this show comes in the form of another celebrated UK performer who achieved prominence the decade after Astley - Gabrielle.
This R&B-pop singer is recognised for her 1993 hit 'Dreams' and is known for soundtracking the 90s and noughties with multiple chart entries throughout the decades.
Located on Dyer Street next to Leeds City Bus Station and approx. 15min walk from first direct arena and is wheelchair friendly.
Support and help for any persons with a disability is available as the station is a registered ‘Safe place’ to come into and ask for assistance.
Nearest Bus Stops
Clay Pit Lane
Wade Lane/Lovell Park Road
Woodhouse Lane
Nearest Train Station
Leeds City Station on New Station Street is around a 15min walk from first direct arena and a major hub on the national, regional and local rail network providing connections to a wide variety of destinations.
Parking
There are over 7,500 car parking spaces within a 15-minute walk of the arena. The arena doesn’t have it’s own car park however there are lots of options nearby. To receive 5% off Q Park when attending a show at first direct arena click here
The nearest Car Park with EV charging is located on Albion Street click here.
None of the above car parks are operated by the arena so for questions, queries or comments we ask that you contact the companies directly.
Hiring Bikes in Leeds
If you’re looking to hire a bike in Leeds, here are some of the best options you can try:
Beryl bikes – you’ll find the ‘Leeds City Bikes’ from Beryl stationed throughout the city. These are all e-bikes, and they’re available to hire on a pay-as-you-go basis. It costs £1 to unlock the bikes, and then 16p per minute to use them. We’d say these are great for zipping around the city and getting from A to B.
Talio – for a wider selection of electric bikes to choose from, Talio based at Buslinthorpe Green is a great option. From this company, you can hire cruiser bikes, mountain bikes, and cargo bikes. Prices start from £20 per day for rental, but if you’re hiring for a month or longer you’ll get a good discount.
Sophie Smith -
24th January 2024 
