Now that Christmas is round the corner, it seems that the gig schedule has turned its attention to tribute nights, theatre productions and Rod Stewart.
This Christmas there's a fantastic selection of nights of live music and performances ahead. Whether you've been waiting to see Craig Charles, UB40 or The Cure, the city is full of all genres to bring in the festive cheer, or help you forget about Christmas and enjoy a break from festivities with an evening of non-stop hits- either way you're in for a real treat.
Keep reading to find out the ten best live concerts that you can still grab tickets for this month.
Craig Charles Funk and Soul Club Xmas Party
Saturday 3 December 2022 | The Wardrobe, St Peter's Square
Image: Live Nation
Who better to bring in the festive cheer than Craig Charles? The actor, comedian, TV and radio presenter from Liverpool has become synonymous with British media during his career, but this DJ set is the latest of the Craig Charles Funk and Soul Club performances to hit the town. Expect non-stop hits from one of Leeds' most exciting venues, and if this one can't get you in the mood for Christmas, we're not sure what will.
Tickets cost £18.00 each plus a £1.80 booking fee.
Get tickets for Craig Charles Funk and Soul Club Xmas Party here.
ABBA Christmas Party
Saturday 3 December, 2-6pm | 11-15 Hirst Yard, Leeds city centre
Image: Brunch Club
The ABBA Christmas party is a four-hour event where the resident DJ will be getting you in the festive spirit alongside live ABBA impersonators, fancy dress and tipsy cocktails.
So, what music can you expect? On the playlist there will be a mix of Christmas classics as well as all of ABBA’s top hits. So you can go from belting your heart out to Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas is You to jiving across the dance floor to Waterloo or Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!
Tickets cost £15-£25 each, depending on whether you get tickets for the first, second or third release.
Get tickets for ABBA Christmas Party at Hirst's Yard here.
James Bay
Monday 5 December 2022 | O2 Academy Leeds, Millenium Square
Image: James Bay
The Hold Back The River singer-songwriter has been bringing soulful melodies to the UK and beyond since 2013, effortlessly intertwining folk rock with pop and classic Americana genres. Following from the original tour date in November, all James Bay tickets have been rescheduled for early December, but there's still a chance to grab tickets.
Tickets cost £31.65 each for either standing or balcony unreserved seat.
Tuesday 6 December 2022 | First Direct Arena, Arena Way
Image: First Direct Arena
Forming part of the 2022 European Tour, The Cure has made Leeds one of the 44 shows in 22 countries, and naturally the punk-rock band has got the city excited and nearing sellout on all available tickets. The Friday I'm In Love band is expecting to bring a huge array of bestselling hits on tour- hopefully Pictures Of You, Boy's Don't Cry and Same Deep Water As You.
Tickets are extremely limited but can be found from £88.40.
Get tickets for The Cure at the First Direct Arena here.
Stick Man
Wednesday 7 December – Saturday 31 December 2022 | Leeds Playhouse
Image: Freckle Productions
This touching and funny adaptation of Julie Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s Stick Man is coming to Leeds for the festive season. The heartfelt children’s story follows the journey of a wooden stick who becomes separated from his family home and embarks on an Odyssey-like adventure to return there.
The production will showcase three fantastic actors whom will perform an array of puppetry, live music and funky dance moves. The play will run for 55 minutes and is aimed at children aged 2+, making it the perfect afternoon of fun for all the family.
Tickets cost between £14 and £21, plus a flat-rate booking fee of £2.50 each.
Get tickets for Stick Man at Leeds Playhouse here.
Being As An Ocean
Friday 9 December 2022 | The Key Club, Leeds Merrion Centre
Image: Wikipedia
The American post-hardcore band from California have made it over to the UK for a 10-year anniversary tour of Dear G-d, and Leeds is just one of a few chosen stops. This said, the band has five studio albums to choose from, so we're expecting a few hits from PROXY or maybe An A.N.I.M.O. Story?
Saturday 10 December 2022 | Mana Nightclub, Bradford
Image: Soundcloud
The Yorkshire lads began as a group that uploaded comedy and prank videos online before shooting to fame in 2020, becoming a huge lockdown success. Since then, they have been nominated for both the NME Award for Best New British Act and NME Award for Best New Act in the World, releasing album Disrespectful alongside EP Charva Anthems and a number of hit singles. Before heading on their UK tour next year, you can catch BBCC in their hometown Bradford.
Tickets cost £22.25 each (£20 plus the booking fee), and there's VIP packages for uo to eight people for £550.25 available too.
Get tickets for Bad Boy Chiller Crew at Mana Nightclub here.
Rod Stewart
Tuesday 13 December 2022 | First Direct Arena, Arena Way
Image: Live Nation
Naturally as soon as December rolls around, Rod Stewart has to make an appearance. Whether you're listening to him telling you to Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas on the radio or you're heading over to the First Direct Arena to listen to the legend himself bring his distinct voice to life in the company of 13,700 others- it's just not Christmas without him.
Tickets cost £64.40 each for remaining seats, with tickets up to £210.22 on resale.
Get tickets for Rod Stewart at the First Direct Arena here.
UB40
Tuesday 20 December 2022 | First Direct Arena, Arena Way
The English reggae-pop band has been bringing us bangers since 1978, and with over 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart since their humbled beginnings, there's a reason why UB40 can comfortably pack out an arena almost 45 years on.
Tickets cost £43.55 for standing, or from £46 on Ticketmaster resale.
Tuesday 27 December 2022 | Brudenell Social Club, Burley
Image: Slade UK
80s chart toppers and singers of the Christmas classic Merry Christmas Everybody, Slade is one of those bands that have truly stood the test of time. Now, you can relive the Slade era to bring the 2022 year to a close with the 'world's number one' Slade tribute act at the Brud with Slade UK.
American rock band Kings of Leon are making their way to Leeds for a visit to First Direct Arena as part of their current EU/UK tour.
Formed in 1999 by brothers Caleb, Nathan, Jared, plus their cousin Matthew Followill, the rock band has gone on to achieve nine top 40 singles and six UK number one albums.
The rockers have two singles in Spotify’s Billions Club, including their standout hit ‘Sex on Fire’, which has amassed over 2 billion streams and ‘Use Somebody’ with 1.2 billion – two tracks that helped skyrocket them from cult favourites here in Britain to global superstars.
This four-piece’s latest LP, Can We Please Have Fun, dropped mid-2024 and knowing how energetic Northern crowds can be, it’s safe to say we’ve got this covered.
Last time they travelled over the pond, they let the Manchester crowd know the England score in real-time (read our full review).
Gig guide – Kings of Leon at First Direct Arena, Leeds
Kings of Leon UK tour dates
Fri 3 July – Glasgow, UK – Bellahouston Park
Sat 4 July – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Mon 6 July – Leeds, UK – First Direct Bank Arena
Are there any tickets left for Kings of Leon at First Direct Arena?
If you’re wondering where you’ll ‘Find Me’ on Monday 6 July, it is probably watching these four relatives play their two decades’ worth of hits at First Direct Arena.
Don’t ‘Waste a Moment’ as there’s only a limited number of tickets left if you’re after catching a glimpse of Kings of Leon live – get yours HERE.
Kings of Leon are gearing up for their Leeds gig at First Direct this July (Credit: Press shot)
Kings of Leon setlist for 2026 UK tour
These American rockers have been performing all across Europe, switching up a couple of songs at each show; however, the hits below have featured at most of their appearances.
Slow Night, So Long
Waste a Moment
Find Me
On Call
Radioactive
The Bucket
Revelry
Manhattan
Use Somebody
Wait For M
Split Screen
Closer
Molly’s Chambers
Razz
MyParty
Supersoaker
Fans
Back Down South
Seen
Pyro
Black Thumbnail
To Space
Knocked Up
Sex on Fire
What are the stage times for Kings of Leon in Leeds?
Doors for Kings of Leon at First Direct Arena in Leeds are set to open at 6pm with a kick-off time of 7.30pm from a huge indie rock band.
Supporting the US rockers is a band who have received comparisons to Kings of Leon, the loud-and-proud Scottish stars The Snuts, known for their tracks like ‘Glasgow’, ‘Elephants’ and ‘Maybe California'.
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.
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied)/Raph_PH (Flickr/WikiCommons)/Audio North
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Pitbull at Roundhay Festival, Leeds – tickets, times, setlist and more
Thomas Melia
Megastar Pitbull is heading to Roundhay Park in Leeds for a headline festival performance where you're sure to be yelling "Timber".
Lots of Leeds music lovers might be flocking to Roundhay Park for an outdoor gig like no other because this one comes with 'Hotel Room Service' - not literally, but the Cuban-American star will probably deliver a rendition of this smash hit.
Amid this current heatwave, we might even be able to change the 'International Love' lyrics from "Hotter than Miami" to "Hotter than Roundhay".
Pitbull playing out to a crowd of bald caps at Co-op Live in Manchester / Credit: The Manc Group
Pitbull UK tour dates
Tue 30 June - Belfast, UK - Ormeau Park
Wed 1 July - Bellahouston Park, UK - Glasgow Summer Sessions
Fri 3 July - Leeds, UK - Roundhay Festival
Sat 4 July - Cardiff, UK - Blackweir Fields
Sun 5 July - Lancashire, UK - Lytham Festival
Are there any tickets left for Pitbull at Roundhay Park, Leeds?
If you're up for singing"I'm on fiiiiiire" with the lively leeds crowd and Pitbull himself you can find tickets for his Roundhay Festival headlining slot HERE.
Oh and did we mention you can 'Talk Dirty' with Jason Derulo and 'Snap Yo Fingers' when Lil Jon takes to the stage, all in one day? This festival is top class.
Pitbull setlist for UK festival tour
These upcoming dates from the phenomenal Floridian are part of the Pitbull: I'm Back! tour which has already stopped off at a variety of venues stateside.
Here's all the tracks you need to get memorising ahead of Mr. Worldwide's British summertime shows:
Don't Stop the Party
International Love
Hotel Room Service
I Feel Good
Suavemente
Shake/ Culo
I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)
On the Floor
I Like It
DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love
Feel This Moment
Gasolina
JUMPIN
Timber
Time of Our Lives
Fireball
Give Me Everything
What other artists are on the 3 July Roundhay Festival lineup?
Jason Derulo
Tinie Tempah
Lil Jon
Los Tucanes De Tijuana
Jazzie Martian
CJ. AllDayy
Dan Hills
DJ Flex
What are the stage times for Pitbull's headline Roundhay Festival?
Last entry for all shows is 8.30pm with box office closing slightly earlier at 8pm and any headliner expected to wrap up their set by 10.30pm.
Getting to Roundhay Park
Car
Just a 10 minute walk from Roundhay Festival's West Entrance is Connaught Fields which is the closest parking option.
Or, if you're up for a walk and want something more cost-effective, Fearnville Park and Stride is a 30 minute walk away, with parking spaces on the grass fields and a scenic country path which leads you to the festival.
Accessible parking can be found on Mansion Lane with a clear pathway to the event with spaces needing to be pre-booked when purchasing your ticket at no extra cost.
Bus/ coach
A dedicated shuttle bus service has been set up to and from Roundhay Festival running every 20 minutes from 11am to 8pm on Sovereign Street, just four minutes from Leeds Train Station.
The last shuttle bus from Roundhay Park back to the city centre will depart at 12.30am with clear signposting and stewards on hand for any gig goers.
Roundhay Festival has also partnered with Big Green Coach meaning concert attendees can hop on from a wide range of pick-up points across the UK from Wakefield all the way to Coventry - more info HERE.
Car/ taxi drop off
Vehicles heading to Roundhay Festival should follow marked signs for 'Pick-up/ Drop-Off points'.
Drivers should not attempt to pick-up or drop-off from any of the nearby roads aside from those already designated via signage: North Pick-up/ Drop-off via Park View Crescent | South Pick-up/ Dro-off via Wetherby Road.
Extra Info
All travel updates and road closures on event days will be announced and regularly checked HERE.
Sophie Smith -
30th November 2022 
