One of Britain's best performed to a pack-out crowd at Leeds' historic Kirkstall Abbey.
If there was ever a venue designed to make you feel like you've accidentally wandered into the coolest history lesson of your life, it's Kirkstall Abbey.
Ancient ruins, blazing sunshine, pints in plastic cups and thousands of people flocking for the one and only Loyle Carner? Not a bad way to spend a Saturday we think.
And it wasn't just Loyle who we were treated to either, the entire day as part of Above All Else Festival saw a bill of groove-fuelled acts take to the stage.
Bricknasty, Kofi Stone, Kokoroko and Jordan Rakei delivered fabulous sets and warmed us up very nicely indeed for the man himself.
Fresh from the release of Hopefully!, Carner arrived to deafening cheers, wasting little time before settling into the laid-back confidence that has become his trademark.
And he didn't waste time getting into his catalogue of hits either as he seamlessly transitioned from one banger to the next.
It really felt like a celebration of his work, and he himself welled up at the sea of people singing his songs back to him over and over again.
Of course, highlights included Loose Ends and Ottolenghi but dedicating Hate to Nigel Farage was nothing short of iconic.
This is a rapper that has executed the delivery between syncopation and rhythm perfectly, but it's his lyrics that keep you going back for more.
Of course Kirkstall Abbey itself deserves plenty of credit, as the sun went down the abbey was lit up and created probably the most cinematic backdrop for a gig you can imagine.
What stood out most, though, was the atmosphere. There was a proper sense of community throughout the evening, with strangers dancing together and friends rapping every word arm in arm.
Loyle Carner has long been regarded as one of Britain's most thoughtful voices in hip-hop, but nights like this show why his appeal stretches far beyond the genre.
What's next for Loyle Carner? We're not sure, but we feel very lucky to have shared this moment with him, and you could tell he did too.
There are few better settings for a summer gig than The Piece Hall, and on Friday 21 August, The Wombats showed exactly why.
Swapping the enclosed surroundings of an arena for the open air grandeur of Halifax’s historic Piece Hall, the indie favourites delivered an energetic headline performance packed with big choruses, infectious hooks and plenty of moments for the crowd to sing back.
From the moment The Wombats walked onto the stage, the atmosphere was electric. Thousands of fans filled the courtyard, surrounded by the impressive stone architecture of one of Yorkshire’s most distinctive venues. With the evening sun fading and the stage lights taking over, the setting became every bit as memorable as the music.
The outdoor venue gave the gig a completely different feel to a traditional arena show. There was a sense of freedom throughout the evening, with fans dancing, singing and enjoying the warm August atmosphere. The historic walls seemed to amplify the sound, creating a huge backdrop for some of the band’s biggest songs.
The Wombats have always been masters of turning indie melancholy into something uplifting, and that was clear throughout the set. Familiar favourites sparked some of the loudest singalongs of the night, while songs from their more recent work fitted comfortably alongside the classics.
The support acts also helped build the atmosphere. Circa Waves brought plenty of energy to the stage, while Cherryholt and The Caymans helped get the crowd warmed up earlier in the evening. By the time The Wombats appeared, the audience was more than ready.
And they didn’t disappoint.
The band performed with the confidence of a group that knows exactly how to connect with a live audience. Their upbeat sound, catchy melodies and relentless energy made the most of the enormous outdoor space, with songs travelling across the courtyard and bouncing back from the surrounding stone walls.
As darkness settled over Halifax, the visual side of the performance became even more impressive. The combination of stage lighting, thousands of fans and The Piece Hall’s historic architecture created a spectacular atmosphere that simply wouldn’t have been possible inside an arena.
That’s what made this show work so well. The Wombats are a band built for communal moments, and The Piece Hall provided the perfect environment for them. Rather than feeling like a concert contained within four walls, the evening felt like a huge summer celebration in the heart of Halifax.
By the closing songs, the crowd was completely involved, singing along and making the most of every final moment. It was loud, joyful and full of the kind of energy that makes live music so enjoyable.
The Wombats have played some of the UK’s biggest venues, but their night at The Piece Hall proved that sometimes a band and a venue simply fit together.
A stunning outdoor setting, a brilliant crowd and a headline performance full of indie anthems made Friday 21 August a night to remember.
The verdict: a vibrant, energetic summer gig that showed The Wombats at their best in one of Yorkshire’s finest outdoor venues.
Audio North’s Artist of the Month – Lucky Iris | August 2026
Declan Kelly
There’s something about Lucky Iris that feels completely made for a packed-out club at 1am.
The Leeds-based duo, made up of Maeve and Jasper, have spent the last few years carving out a sound that refuses to sit neatly inside one box. Hyperpop, electro, indie, dance, synth-pop throw it all in, and you’re somewhere close, but even then, Lucky Iris are busy smashing those pop archetypes to pieces.
And right now, they’re doing it better than ever.
After a huge 2025, Lucky Iris have kicked off 2026 with their debut mixtape, 'fall in love with the dj', a project that feels like the culmination of everything the pair have been building towards since their bedroom-pop beginnings during lockdown.
Released in January via Launchpad+ and EMI North, the six-track mixtape takes Lucky Iris back to the place that shaped them: sweaty, low-lit, bass-heavy rooms where music becomes something bigger than just something playing through a speaker.
As Maeve puts it, the project is about 'finally making the music we want to hear', and that philosophy runs through every corner of the record.
FROM BEDROOM POP TO ELECTRO CHAOS
Lucky Iris might now be turning heads across the UK, but their story started much closer to home.
What began as a bedroom pop experiment during lockdown has evolved into something far more ambitious. The pair have continually pushed their sound forward, experimenting with electronic production and finding a space somewhere between alternative pop and the dancefloor.
Lucky Iris on a tour of Leeds with The Hoot. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
Their latest mixtape is arguably the clearest expression of that evolution yet.
Tracks like i just want to dance, play me like a speaker and heart 4 heart had already started building serious momentum throughout 2025, giving listeners a taste of the direction Lucky Iris were heading in.
Then came 'fall in love with the dj'.
The title track captures exactly what makes the duo so exciting. It’s not simply a song about going out it’s about that strange, almost euphoric feeling of losing yourself in music.
THEIR BREAKOUT YEAR
2025 was the year Lucky Iris started making serious noise.
The duo completed their first UK tour supporting Master Peace, while also sharing stages with artists including Babymorocco, Dorian Electra, Hannah Diamond, Bimini and Jessica Winter. They also made an appearance at SXSW London.
DIY, Wonderland, The Forty Five and BBC Radio 1 have all been among the tastemakers backing the duo.
The duo were also selected as a Spotify RADAR Artist of the Week/First Listen Artist, joining a list of previous RADAR artists that includes Griff, Central Cee, Rose Grey, Barry Can't Swim and Rachel Chinouriri. Artists who have all gone on to achieve big things, and it appears that Lucky Iris are heading in those footsteps.
Not bad for a project that started in a bedroom.
LEEDS IS WRITTEN ALL OVER IT
There’s also something particularly Leeds about Lucky Iris.
The city has been part of their story from the beginning, from those early nights out that inspired their music to the grassroots venues such as Hyde Park Book Club where they developed their live show.
And live is where Lucky Iris really come alive.
Their commanding performances have become a major part of their identity, transforming their electronic productions into something that feels less like watching a band and more like stumbling into the middle of a party, from larger-scale production to smaller settings like Rat and Pigeon in Manchester we’re we recently saw them transform the space into a hyper-pop evening alongside similar artists.
They’ve even managed to bring their music and their football obsession together.
As lifelong Tottenham Hotspur fans, Maeve and Jasper have collaborated with the club, featured on Sky News and appeared pitchside at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the club’s The Warm Up series. Their music has also found its way onto the Premier League Official Playlist.
Because apparently Lucky Iris weren’t content with taking over the dancefloor, they wanted the football stadium too.
MAKING MUSIC FOR THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT
Ultimately, Lucky Iris aren't trying to reinvent pop for the sake of it. They’re making the kind of music they genuinely want to hear.
Music that is loud. Music that is messy. And music that understands why we keep going back to clubs, gigs and dancefloors in the first place.
'fall in love with the dj' feels like a statement of intent from a duo who have finally found their sweet spot. It’s crunchy, electronic and relentlessly fun, but underneath all that noise is something incredibly human: the desire to feel something.
And with everything Lucky Iris have achieved already, it feels like we’re only just getting started.
Keep an eye on them because if the last 12 months are anything to go by, the Leeds duo are going to be making a whole lot more noise.
Clementine Hall -
2nd August 2026 
