In what has been a rather dull and drizzly week, the indie-pop hit-makers most definitely brought the sunshine with them alongside a truly electric performance.
For the fifth instalment of Sounds of the City 2023 on Thursday 13 July, British band Bastille took to the stage and boy they did not disappoint.
Celebrating 10 years since their seminal album, now being re-released as Bad Blood X, the show took us on a trip down memory lane through a thrilling showcase of their catalogue of classics.
A montage of Bastille's journey together was projected to the back of the stage, playing intermittently between tracks.
Image: Millennium Square Leeds
It was a welcome reminder of the band's longevity and proved just how much of a stamp they've made on British pop over the past decade.
Of course they kicked things off with Pompeii, which I am still humming in my head as I write this. Charismatic frontman Dan sprung to attention, hitting every square foot of the stage possible and matching the excited energy of the bustling crowd.
And he didn't just sing, although that would have been impressive enough, he played the drums as well as the keyboard intermittently throughout - all of which added to the overall immersive and encapsulating experience.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
From 'Pompeii' we moved to other hits like 'Things We Lost In The Fire', 'Overjoyed' and 'Flaws'. Although there were some tracks which weren't as widely recognised, the band constantly held your attention by clever placement of their absolute bangers.
Talking directly to the crowd, Dan spoke about the past ten years and thanked his fans for their ongoing support.
A special moment and one which can only happen at unique events such as Sounds of the City was when Dan jumped down from the stage and into the crowd during 'Flaws', weaving through jumping fans and still holding every single note to perfection.
After a short break, it was clear that Bastille were certainly not slowing down. The crowd were warmed up and raring to go for more.
Image: Millennium Square Leeds
Jumping straight back into it with 'Good Grief', the sun was setting and the energy was magnetic.
They then of course sang 'Happier' which was the best performance of the night, the crowd were singing every single word and dancing like nobody was watching. A truly memorable moment.
Overall, we felt honoured to take a trip down memory lane with Bastille and witness such an incredible performance of their music through the ages.
Even though it was a look back on the previous decade, we've no doubt that there'll be many more to come for these British pop legends.
A Pulp pop-up pub is heading to Sheffield later this month, following unbelievable success over in Manchester.
The Sheffield icons will be taking charge of beloved local boozer and grassroots gig venue The Hallamshire Hotel.
The news was announced this afternoon by Rough Trade Records, along with Pulp themselves.
While they're keeping the exact details under wraps for now, we've got a pretty good idea of what we might be able to expect, based on their pop-up pub in Manchester in August.
There, there was a jukebox programmed by Jarvis Cocker himself, along with merch literally plastered on every wall and even the ceilings.
The previous Pulp pop-up pub had loads of merch for sale, from tees and totes to records and stickers.
The walls were turned into a shrine for the band, showcasing posters and photography from throughout their illustrious career.
And the crowds came through in a big way, queueing halfway down the street for a chance to be totally immersed in all things Pulp.
So much so, The Rat & Pigeon (who hosted the Manchester edition) have warned on social media: "Note to @hallamshire_hotel - you WILL be 10x busier than you expect - even if it’s pissing it down. Enjoy!"
For their Sheffield pop-up, all we know for sure is the location (The Hallamshire Hotel) and the date (30 October).
Canadian rock legends Nickelback announce Leeds gig on huge world arena tour
Clementine Hall
Nickelback announce world arena tour in support of their new album - and they're coming to Leeds.
The Canadian rockers will be bringing their biggest hits as well brand-new music to arenas around the world.
Formed in Hanna, Alberta, the band made up of Chad Kroeger, Ryan Peake, Mike Kroeger and Daniel Adair, have sold nearly 65 million albums worldwide.
Best known for rock anthems including Rockstar, Photograph and How You Remind Me, Nickelback have built up a huge global following over the course of their career.
The upcoming tour will see the band celebrate their new album, Everything Under The Sun, and they'll be kicking off the UK leg of the tour right here in Leeds at the First Direct Bank Arena.
The tour follows their record-setting Get Rollin' world tour, and will once again take them to venues across North America, Europe, and Australia.
The group have sold nearly 65 million albums worldwide, and achieved billions of streams across digital platforms.
Their new album will be released at the end of the month on Friday 30 October, so you'll have plenty of time to get to know their new tracks before they come to Leeds on Saturday 22 May 2027.
They'll be supported on the tour by Don Broco, an English four-piece featuring Rob Damiani, Simon Delaney, Tom Doyle and Matt Donnelly. Known for their genre-defying sound and dynamic approach to modern rock.
Nickelback 2027 UK Tour Dates in full
22 May - Leeds First Direct Bank Arena
24 May - London The O2
28 May - Birmingham Utility Arena
1 June - Glasgow Ovo Hydro
2 June - Manchester Co-op Live
Tickets for Nickelback at the Leeds First Direct Arena go on sale next Friday 16 October and you can get yours HERE.
Clementine Hall -
14th July 2023 
