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The best gigs, concerts and live music performances in Yorkshire | June 2023

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Sophie Smith Sophie Smith - 29th May 2023

What a month we have ahead of us.

Not only is the one and only Elton John coming to Leeds for the very last time this month, but Leeds has also got a whole host of names big and small visiting before festival season takes over - including Jack Whitehall and Lewis Capaldi.

Over in Halifax, there's plenty going on at The Piece Hall - including Queens of the Stone Age and Rag 'n' Bone Man, whilst Sheffield is holding the South Yorkshire music scene with performances from Aussie favourite Dean Lewis and a very special homecoming gig from the Arctic Monkeys.

And that's just the beginning!

Keep reading to find our top twelve picks for gigs this months across Yorkshire...

Dean Lewis

Thursday 1 June 2023 | O2 Academy Sheffield

Image: Spotify

What: Australian singer-songwriter Dean Lewis knows a thing or two about heartbreak and since his best known 2016 single Waves blew up, he's spent plenty of time exploring love, loss and everything in between through song.

Where: O2 Academy Sheffield, 37-43 Arundel Gate, Sheffield City Centre, Sheffield S1 2PN

Tickets: Cost £30.30 each for standard tickets and are available via See Tickets here.

Additional Yorkshire dates: Dean Lewis will also be in Leeds at the O2 Academy on Sunday 4 June. Tickets are still available here.

Requiem

Thursday 1 - Sunday 4 June 2023 | Leeds Grand Theatre, Leeds

Image: Tristram Kenton via Opera North

Leeds’ own Opera North and Phoenix Dance Theatre have collaborated with South African partners Jazzart Dance Theatre and Cape Town Opera on Requiem, a powerful double bill of contemporary dance performed to choral and orchestral music. Conceived during the pandemic and brought to the stage for LEEDS2023, Opera North’s Requiem pairs Mozart’s mysterious, timeless work with a brand-new composition from South African composer Neo Muyanga.  

Find out more here.

Grace Carter

Friday 2 June 2023 | The Wardrobe, Leeds

Image: The Wardrobe

What: Grace Carter started writing music as a way of expressing emotions as a teenager, and was first signed at just 17. Now with years in the industry under her belt, Carter continues to bring audiences together with fusions of R&B, reggae and soul.

Where: The Wardrobe, St Peter's Square, Leeds, LS9 8AH

Tickets: £13.20 each and available via See Tickets here

Elton John's last ever performance in Leeds

Tuesday 6 June 2023 | First Direct Arena, Leeds

Elton John. Credit: Publicity picture

What: Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road tour is finally set to arrive in town this summer after being rescheduled for health reasons, with just one night at Leeds’ First Direct Arena. It’s set to be his last-ever tour and has around 300 dates – so you can imagine what the demand for tickets has been like…

Where: First Direct Arena, Arena Way, Leeds, LS2 8BY

Tickets: Priced between £51 and £899 (that is not a typo), tickets are very much sold out, but you might be able to get some resale tickets. Keep an eye on Ticketmaster here.

Inhaler

Tuesday 6 June 2023 | The Leadmill, Sheffield

Inhaler performing at O2 Academy Leeds in February 2023.
Image: The Hoot Leeds

What: Consisting of Elijah Hewson, son of the U2 star Bono, bassist Robert Keating, guitarist Josh Jenkinson and drummer Ryan McMahon, Inhaler rose to fame after releasing their first EP It Won’t Always Be Like This when the four-piece came fifth in the BBC’s Sound Of… poll, an annual survey that asks critics and industry figures who is the most promising new talent.

Where: The Leadmill, 6 Leadmill Road, Sheffield S1 4SE

Tickets: Currently sold out but See Tickets has a waitlist going for any available tickets here

Additional Yorkshire Dates: For those that missed out on a night of non-stop dance anthems and heavy guitar riffs, Inhaler will be back for summer, performing at Leeds Festival over the bank holiday weekend in Leeds.

https://thehootleeds.com/news/inhaler-kick-off-uk-tour-in-leeds-with-non-stop-new-album-hits/

Arctic Monkeys

Friday 9 – Saturday 10 June 2023 | Hillsborough Park, Sheffield

Arctic Monkeys. Credit: Zackery Michael 2022

What: Often touted as one of the best live bands on the planet, Arctic Monkeys will be stopping off on home turf at Hillsborough Stadium for two massive outdoors summer gigs. They last played here way back in 2007. Support will come from The Hives and The Mysterines.

Where: Hillsborough Stadium, Parkside Road, Sheffield, S6 2AB

Tickets: Completely sold out obviously, but if they come back to See Tickets you’re looking at £72.50 as the cheapest possible tickets.

Jack Whitehall: Settle Down

Saturday 17 June - Sunday 18 June 2023 | Leeds, First Direct Arena

What: Award winning comedian, actor and writer Jack Whitehall has said that this will be his most “personal” tour to date, and after three sell-out arena tours he is keen to get back on the road. Upon announcing, Jack Whitehall said: “This is my most personal show yet, with plenty of material about the big changes that have happened in my life. It’s about my struggle to settle down gracefully.

Where: First Direct Arena, Arena Way, Leeds, LS2 8BY

Tickets: For a limited time only, the tickets are selling for just £25 each on Ticketmaster so act fast and grab yourself a bargain here.

Pete Tong presents Ibiza Classics

Sunday 18 June 2023 | Temple Newsam, Leeds

Image: Gigantic

What: Legendary DJ Pete Tong will be taking to the decks once more to bring a taste of Ibiza to Leeds. Grab a drink and dance as the sun goes down to true summer anthems .

Where: Temple Newsam, Newsam Road, Leeds, LS15 0AE

Tickets: Still available via See Tickets, priced at £51.75 each and available here

Queens of the Stone Age

Tuesday 20 June 2023 | The Piece Hall, Halifax

Image: Wikicommons

What: The American rock band are still going strong after almost 30 years together. Only a few weeks ago the band's first single since 2017 Emotion Sickness was released, along with an official announcement of the album In Times New Roman…so this tour comes with high hopes of tunes new and old

Where: The Piece Hall, Blackledge, Halifax HX1 1RE

Tickets: £49.50 for standing and £88 for balcony seats, both are still available via Ticketmaster

Summer Solstice: Asian Music Festival

Wednesday 21 June – Thursday 22 June | Leeds Corn Exchange, Leeds

Image: Wikicommons
Image: Qais Essar

Lunchtime recitals, Indo-Jazz tunes to wash away the day, and as night falls, the Corn Exchange will celebrate the Summer Solstice with sweet melodies. Whether you come to see award-winning musician Qais Essar playing on 2,500-year-old instrument or just popping in for a cuppa and staying for an hour to listen to the music, it promises to be a day to remember.

When: Wednesday 21 June, 11am – 5.30am, Thursday 22 June 2023.

Where: Leeds Corn Exchange, Call Lane, Leeds LS1 7BR

Tickets: All tickets are 'pay as you feel' with options ranging from £3 - £33, and available to book on the SAA website here.

Rag 'n' Bone Man

Friday 23 June 2023 | The Piece Hall, Halifax

Image: Wikipedia

What: With a deep baritone voice and heartfelt lyrics, Rag 'n' Bone Man has been capturing the nation's attention for a good decade now. His album Life by Misadventure debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and became the fastest-selling album by a solo artist in 2021.

Where: The Piece Hall, Blackledge, Halifax HX1 1RE

Tickets: Ranging from £47.80 - £95.60 depending on if you want general admission or a balcony ticket. There's also VIP tickets left at £204.50 - all of which are available via Ticketmaster here.

Iron Maiden

Wednesday 28 June 2023 | First Direct Arena, Leeds

What: Heavy metal legends Iron Maiden will bring The Future Past Tour to the AO Arena, featuring songs from Senjutsu and a focus on the iconic 1986 Somewhere In Time.

Where: First Direct Arena, Arena Way, Leeds, LS2 8BY

Tickets: They started from £64 on Ticketmaster but are currently all sold out.

https://thehootleeds.com/audio/project-house-new-concert-venue-leeds-brudenell-belgrave/

Feature Image - The Hoot Leeds

Audio

Audio North’s Artist of the Month – Lucky Iris | August 2026

Declan Kelly Declan Kelly Lucky Iris - Audio North Artist of the Month

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
Lucky Iris on a tour of Leeds with The Hoot
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.

Read more: TESTBED unveils major transformation to become Leeds’ premier destination for music and culture

Featured image: Press

Audio

TESTBED unveils major transformation to become Leeds’ premier destination for music and culture

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall

Here's your first look at the new and improved TESTBED music venue in Leeds city centre.

Gearing up to relaunch this September, the landmark Leeds venue will reopen its doors to showcase permanent structural improvements and major upgrades across sound, lighting and overall customer experience.

With a capacity of a very impressive 2,500, there's no denying that TESTBED is preparing to relaunch at the forefront of Leeds’ vibrant creative culture.

The venue is expanding from 10,000 sq ft to 23,000 sq ft, guests will now enter through a new lobby where they can enjoy a brand-new 5,000 sq ft mezzanine level with customisable seating and a view of the dance floor from a brand-new balcony.

Image: Supplied

There will be a new upstairs bar that will continue TESTBED’s commitment to support local brands and suppliers.

Downstairs, the custom-built stage allows for a 360-degree crowd and a room two is also underway for a 2027 reveal, creating a multi-purpose space and chill-out area.

Image: Supplied

The newly designed lighting includes multiple moving lights and strobes, together with a large LED ceiling installation and bespoke under-balcony display of LED strips and curves, complemented by a high-res 8m x 4m LED video wall.

Guests will also keep cool thanks to significant upgrades to ventilation and air circulation, with powerful high-capacity fans creating a fresher, more comfortable environment throughout.

Image: Supplied

Now onto the important stuff... the portaloos are gone and replaced by four brand new toilet blocks, doubling capacity and of course - comfort.

So, what are you waiting for? We'll see you on the dance floor at the brand-new TESTBED when it opens its doors again this September.

Full lineups and opening details will be announced soon, we'll keep you posted as and when we find out more.

Read more: ‘There is no refurb. There is no reopening. This is it.’ – legendary Sheffield club announces shock closure

Featured image - Supplied

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