JLS have delighted fans with what will be the best news they’ll hear all week by announcing a massive UK comeback tour later this year.
Aston, Marvin, Oritsé, and JB are back this autumn for the ‘EVERYBODY SAY JLS: The Hits Tour’.
And of course, they'll be paying a visit to us here in Leeds.
You may remember the popular 00s boyband’s tour in 2021 was hugely-successful and proved to be one of the hottest tickets in town, with the quartet playing a whopping 29 dates at arenas across the UK and Ireland to more than 350,000 people at sold-out shows – and when something was so good the first time round, they might as well have another crack at it, right?
Kicking off in Dublin on 20 October, the lads will take to the stage in several major UK cities such as Cardiff, Belfast, Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester, before they make their way over to see us in Leeds at the First Direct Arena.
Newcastle, Sheffield, and Nottingham are some of the other cities on the list, as well as two nights in London at the O2 Arena.
The suspense is over… 😂 We couldn't be more excited to announce another UK and Ireland arena tour later this year🙌🏾🙌🏾 Last time out was totally surreal and we’ve been eagerly awaiting the right time to do it all over again!! https://t.co/uJhlPb03Ytpic.twitter.com/6VlGaIxTdf
After stealing hearts on ITV reality singing competition X Factor, finishing runners-up, JLS then broke through in 2009 in the biggest way possible as their debut single ‘Beat Again’ shot straight tonumber one on the UK Top 40.
Their chart-topping success then continued with the follow-up singles ‘Everybody In Love’, ‘The Club Is Alive’, ‘Love You More’, and ‘She Makes Me Wanna’.
Another five top 10 hits, a self-titled number-one debut album, three more top-three records, two BRIT Awards, and five MOBO Awards all came, before they said goodbye with their 2013 ‘Greatest Hits’ album.
Not all goodbyes are forever though, as the lads continued their own successful careers outside of JLS, and remained the best of friends, before reuniting for the first time back in 2021.
And now, it’s time for their second comeback in 2023.
🆕🎤🎤🎤🎤 THEY'RE BACK! @JLSOfficial will 'Beat Again' at first direct arena this November! Tickets available 9AM Friday 3 March.
“We couldn’t be more excited to announce another UK and Ireland arena tour,” the boyband said in a statement.
“Last time out was totally surreal and we’ve been eagerly awaiting the right time to do it all over again, as playing live and seeing our amazing fans is definitely the best part of being JLS.”
JLS will stop off at the First Direct Arena on Tuesday 7 November 2023 as part of the ‘EVERYBODY SAY JLS: The Hits Tour’.
Tickets will go on general sale from 9am on Friday 3 March, and you can grab yours here.
Northern Guitars in Leeds has had its long-term future secured after the building has been purchased as part of a nationwide community ownership initiative.
If you've ever been on a night out on Call Lane, then you will know of (or have heard) Northern Guitars.
It's about as grassroots as it gets, a proper intimate venue supporting artists of all levels.
And now the much-loved city centre venue, which has become a staple of Leeds' music scene, is one of the latest independent music venues to benefit from a scheme designed to protect cultural spaces from the pressures of the commercial property market.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The space has been acquired by community benefit society Music Venue Properties (MVP), an organisation set up by the Music Venue Trust to buy the buildings occupied by grassroots venues and rent them back to operators on long-term agreements.
The move means the brilliant Northern Guitars can continue doing what it does best without the uncertainty that often comes with being in an increasingly challenging landscape.
MVP was launched in 2022 in response to the growing number of grassroots venues disappearing across the UK. According to the organisation, more than a third of the country's grassroots music venues have closed over the last two decades, with many struggling due to short-term leases and rising property costs.
Since launching, MVP has raised more than £7 million through community investment and funding, using the money to secure permanent homes for venues that play a vital role in nurturing emerging artists and supporting local music scenes.
This is a proper win for Northern Guitars and we're absolutely chuffed to know that they'll be going absolutely nowhere.
Opening party announced for Leeds’ newest XL nightclub taking over the old PRYZM site
Clementine Hall
Leeds-based events brand Mint has officially revealed the location of its highly anticipated new venue, Mint XL.
And it's set to open in none other than the iconic former PRYZM nightclub site on Woodhouse Lane in the heart of Leeds city centre.
Known for its longstanding contribution to the city's electronic music landscape through Mint Festival, the brand is now embarking on its most ambitious venue project to date with the launch of a completely reimagined 2,500-capacity space.
The vast space is currently undergoing an extensive redevelopment and full-scale renovation, which will see Mint XL transformed into a state-of-the-art venue built around high-spec production, immersive experiences and forward-thinking programming.
Of course, it's all about the music. So at the heart of the venue is a major commitment to sound and production with a newly installed Funktion-One Vero sound system throughout the main space complemented by cutting-edge lighting, immersive visual production and bespoke room design.
Enough of the details though, let's get stuck into when it's actually going to open its doors.
Mint XL will officially launch on Friday 25 September with an opening party curated by renowned electronic music platform system which aims to set the tone for an ambitious inaugural season.
Taking over the entire venue, the event will bring together some of the most respected and influential names in underground electronic music, including Craig Richards, Enzo Siragusa, Fumiya Tanaka and Sonja Moonear, alongside a carefully selected lineup of acclaimed artists from across the scene.
Also on the line up is none other than Francesco Del Garda, Truly Madly, Prosumer, Laidlaw, Rich NXT, Voightmann, Foehn & Jerome Kinso, Isabelle Koci and of course long standing residents Annie Errez & Bobby ODonnell.
Tickets for the opening party for Mint XL will go live this Thursday 6 June at 6pm and you can get yours here.
Emily Sergeant -
23rd February 2023 
