If ‘Red Light Spells Danger’ then Billy Ocean live in Leeds spells a quality night of music as far as we’re concerned.
It’s time to go ‘Calypso Crazy’ as legend and all-round hitmaker Billy Ocean is making his way to first direct arena Leeds to celebrate his latest tour ‘The Very Best of Billy Ocean’.
Whether you’re there to party the night away with Ocean and his stacked roster of hits or are hoping ‘There’ll Be Sad Songs’, you’re definitely in for a treat.
Amassing 12 UK top 40 hits and six top ten albums, Ocean has certified his place in the music industry and built himself a very impressive legacy.
Eva Rinaldi via Wikimedia Commons
Now he’s ready to spread even more ‘Everlasting Love’ as he embarks on his latest UK tour across music venues up and down the country.
Billy Ocean UK tour dates
Wed 11 June - Bristol, UK - Bristol Beacon
Fri 13 June - Brighton, UK - Brighton Centre
Sat 14 June - Blackpool, UK - Blackpool Opera House
21 June - Leeds, UK - first direct arena
23 June - Liverpool, UK - Liverpool Empire Theatre
25 June - London, UK - Royal Albert Hall
27 June - Wolverhampton, UK - University of Wolverhampton Civic Hall
28 June - Cardiff, UK - Utilita Arena
30 June - Nottingham, UK - Royal Concert Hall
2 July - Stockton, UK - Stockton Globe
4 July - Oxford, UK - New Theatre
5 July - Birmingham, UK - bp Pulse Live
Billy Ocean tickets for first direct arena gig
If you’re after a chance of catching the ‘Loverboy’ in the flesh, you’re in luck, there’s a good selection of tickets still for you to get your hands on HERE.
Billy Ocean setlist
One World
Love Really Hurts Without You
Nights (Feel Like Getting Down)
Stay the Night
Red Light Spells Danger
Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car
The Colour of Love
No Woman, No Cry
Mystery
Suddenly
Loverboy
When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going
Daylight
Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)
What are the stage times for Billy Ocean in Leeds?
Image: Eva Rinaldi via Wikimedia Commons
First direct arena has a curfew of 10.30pm meaning concertgoers can be safe knowing they’ve heard a lifetime of hits without having to ‘Suddenly’ disappear before the clock strikes twelve.
Doors for ‘The Very Best of Billy Ocean’ are scheduled for 6pm with a kick off time of 7pm with support from German talent Ada Morghe who’s dropping an album of her own on 13 June titled ‘Pure Good Vibes’, how lovely.
How to get to first direct arena
Bus Station
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.
Two R&B greats are heading out on a joint headline tour for the first time, as Ne-Yo and Akon visit Leeds' First Direct Arena.
Both artists are Grammy Award winners, and each has a formidable back catalogue of chart-topping hits.
For Ne-Yo, that includes songs like Miss Independent, So Sick, and Closer; while for Akon, he’s responsible for huge tracks like Smack That, Lonelty, and Right Now (Na Na Na).
Between them, they’ve shaped and defined radio, nightlife, and pop culture for decades.
This 2026 tour will see the pair performing on the same stage – for Leeds that's the First Direct Arena – for a co-headline Nights Like This tour.
Tonight, Thursday 30 April, they’ll perform in a unique back-and-forth set throughout the show.
You might have already seen some pretty iconic videos of their tour already circulating the internet, so it's safe to say you're in for a treat.
The nostalgic gigs will feature everything from slow jams to club anthems, with a party atmosphere throughout.
Are there tickets left for Ne-Yo and Akon at First Direct Arena?
It looks like tickets are limited for tonight, but you may be able to grab a few last minute ones HERE via Ticketmaster.
Ne-yo and Akon setlist for 2026 tour
Judging by previous nights of the tour, the current set list is looking like this...
Ne-Yo
The Way You Make Me Feel (Michael Jackson cover) (Snippet)
Miss Independent
Because Of You
Nobody
Champagne Life
One in a Million
Akon
Akon's Beautiful Day
Smack That
I'm So Paid
Locked Up
Soul Survivor (Jeezy cover)
Ne-Yo
She Knows
Single
Mirror
Sexy Love
Akon
Bananza (Belly Dancer)
Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill) (Wyclef Jean cover)
Bartender (T‐Pain cover)
Body on me (Ashanti cover)
Dangerous (Kardinal Offishall cover)
Songs Ne-Yo/Akon Produced
Let Me Love You (Mario cover)
Titanium (David Guetta/Sia Cover) / Take A Bow (Rihanna Cover) / Drunk In Love (Beyoncé Cover) / Irreplaceable (Beyoncé Cover) / Just Dance (Lady Gaga)
Akon
Don't Matter
Danza Kuduro (Remix)
The Sweet Escape (Gwen Stefani song)
Shut It Down (Pitbull song)
Angel
Ghetto
Sorry, Blame It On Me
Lonely
Ne-Yo
So Sick
Mad
NIGHTS LIKE THESE
Simple Things
Up Out & Gone
Beautiful Monster
Closer
Akon
QUE CALOR (Akon crowd surfs in an inflatable ball)
I Wanna Love You
Right Now (Na Na Na)
Beautiful
Sexy Bitch (David Guetta cover)
Til the Sun Rise Up (Bob Sinclair cover)
Ne-Yo
Let's Go
Let Me Love You (Until You Learn To Love Yourself)
Time of Our Lives
Give Me Everything
Encore:
Play Hard (David Guetta cover) - Akon & Ne-Yo on stage
Stage times for Ne-Yo and Akon at First Direct Arena
Doors open: 6.30pm
Gig starts: 8pm
Gig ends: 11pm
How to get to First Direct Arena
Bus Station
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.
Leeds International Festival of Ideas announces first wave of BIG names for 2026 festival
Emily Sergeant
Leeds International Festival of Ideas (LIFI) has announced its first wave of big names on the lineup for the 2026 festival this autumn.
Returning to the city in October, LIFI is set to bring together some of the most innovative and thought-provoking minds from around the world for five days of talks, panels, and ideas that encourage conversation, connection, and curiosity - with the first three speakers having been announced today as Tim Minchin, Ashley James, and Dr Mya-Rose Craig.
The festival, which'll be taking place 6-10 October at Leeds Playhouse, says it's 'delighted' to reveal the first three names on the bill.
Tim Minchin is a musician, writer, actor and comedian, and the multiple Olivier and Helpmann Award-winning, Tony and Grammy nominated composer-lyricist of two stage musicals - including the beloved Matilda the Musical.
At LIFI26, he is set to bring three decades of songwriting, storytelling, and sharp social commentary to the stage.
LIFI26 has announced its first three speakers / Credit: Supplied
Ashley James is the Sunday Times No.1 bestselling author of BIMBO and a social and political commentator on ITV's This Morning, and her LIFI26 appearance promises a 'frank, funny, and fearless' contribution to an important conversation.
Finally, Dr Mya-Rose Craig is an environmentalist and race activist campaigning for equal access to nature, to stop biodiversity loss and climate change, and to ensure global climate justice, and she's set to bring a vital voice to LIFI26 on the intersections of nature, equality, and the future of our planet.
"We're thrilled to be back for another exciting year of LIFI, and these first three names set the tone for what's to come," commented Festival Director Martin Dickson as the first three speakers were announced.
"Tim, Ashley and Mya-Rose each bring something truly different - music and satire, feminism, and cultural commentary, environmental activism and youth voice.
"LIFI26 is shaping up to be our most ambitious programme yet, and we can't wait to bring it to Leeds Playhouse this October."
LIFI26 will take place from 6-10 October 2026 at Leeds Playhouse, and is brought to the city by LeedsBID and Welcome to Leeds, supported by Weightman, City of Maths, Pinsent Mason, and AV Matrix.
The full programme announcement is expected on 3 June, with tickets going on priority sale on 4 June and general sale on 10 June.
All the latest LIFI26 information can be found online here.
Thomas Melia -
16th June 2025 
