Leeds

Ireland’s famous fast food phenomenon, the spice bag, has landed in Leeds Kirkgate Market

Pass us a Guinness.

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall - 10th April 2026

You can now grab the ultimate hangover cure at our very own Kirkgate Market.

And it comes from none other than The Fisherman's Wife - a Leeds institution that has been serving up fantastic fish and chips for over 60 years.

But now, they're turning their attention to spice bags.

If you have no idea what we're talking about then allow us to fill you in. And we'd recommend pouring yourself an ice cold glass of water, because it's about to get real salty up in here.

The spice bag is an Irish delicacy that is often devoured after a few Guinness on the streets of Dublin, for example.

Images: The Hoot Leeds

It consists of shredded and battered chicken, chips, onions and peppers - all deep fried, loaded into a bag and tossed in lashings of salt and pepper seasoning.

Oh, and of course dipped or lathered in a sauce of your choosing. The classic being curry sauce, obviously.

It's been available in Leeds once before at a pop-up in Trinity Kitchen, but now The Fisherman's Wife is here to make them a permanent option for anyone with that salty craving.

You've got a couple of flavours to choose from too, including peri-peri, plain, salt & chilli and of course the classic salt & pepper.

Images: The Hoot Leeds

You can then add a drizzle of sriracha, curry sauce (obviously) or sticky honey if you're looking for that sweet and salty balance.

The best part? They're selling these for just £6.50.

So next time you've had a few too many the night before, get yourself to The Fisherman's Wife inside Leeds Kirkgate Market's food hall and get yourself a spice bag. You'll be cured in no time.

Read more:

Featured image - The Hoot Leeds

Leeds

Rick Astley at First Direct Arena, Leeds – tickets, times, setlist and more for UK tour

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

Pop hitmaker Rick Astley is playing a few UK shows and is treating Leeds to a night of live music as part of The Reflection Tour.

Newton-le-Willows-born singer Rick Astley has achieved worldwide success, most notably with his work in the 80s alongside songwriting and production duo Stock-Aitken and Waterman.

Astley's album Whenever You Need Somebody has amassed 15 million sales across the globe and is a pivotal record that many would use to define 80s music.

On this LP is his huge hit 'Never Gonna Give You Up' which dropped back in 1987, with the track gaining more attention courtesy of social media trickery.

The worldwide recognition of this hit is all down to people online who deliberately link to the music video for this song, with the term being coined 'The Rickroll'.

Now, Rick Astley is returning to Leeds and ready to play out to over 13,500 people at one of Leeds' biggest indoor arenas First Direct Arena this April.

Gig guide | Rick Astley at First Direct Arena, Leeds - all you need to know

Rick Astley is bringing The Reflection Tour to Manchester this April / Wikimedia Commons via Raph_PH
Rick Astley is bringing The Reflection Tour to Manchester this April / Wikimedia Commons via Raph_PH
Rick Astley is bringing The Reflection Tour to Leeds this April / Wikimedia Commons via Raph_PH

Rick Astley UK tour dates

  • Fri 10 April - Glasgow, UK - OVO Hydro
  • Sat 11 April - Newcastle, UK - Utilita Arena
  • Mon 13 April - Belfast, UK - SSE Arena
  • Tue 14 April - Dublin, IE - 3Arena
  • Thu 16 April - Liverpool, UK - M&S Bank Arena
  • Fri 17 April - Manchester, UK - Co-op Live
  • Sat 18 April - Leeds, UK - First Direct Bank Arena
  • Mon 20 April - Bournemouth, UK - Bournemouth International Centre
  • Tue 21 April - Cardiff, UK - Utilita Arena
  • Wed 22 April - Nottingham, UK - Motorpoint Arena
  • Fri 24 April - Birmingham, UK - BP Pulse Live
  • Sat 25 April - London, UK - The O2
  • Fri 5 June - Scarborough, UK - Scarborough Open Air Theatre
  • Fri 19 June - Newport, UK - Isle of Wight Festival
  • Wed 24 June - Llangollen, UK - Llangollen Pavilion
  • Thu 25 June - Lincoln, UK - Lincoln Castle
  • Sat 27 June - Gloucester, UK - Westonbirt Arboretum
  • Fri 24 July - Ludlow, UK - Ludlow Castle
  • Sat 25 July - Sheffield, UK - Tramlines
  • Sat 30 August - Silverstone, UK - Carfest

Are there any tickets left for Rick Astley in Leeds?

No need to 'Cry For Help', there's plenty of tickets for Rick Astley's Leeds show at First Direct Arena and you can grab yours HERE.

It's been 'Driving Me Crazy' waiting for the right opportunity to do a little Rickrolling of my own - the actual tickets can be found HERE.

Rick Astley setlist for 2026 tour

The Reflection Tour sees Rick Astley play various shows and festivals across the UK / Wikimedia Commons via Raph_PH
The Reflection Tour sees Rick Astley play various shows and festivals across the UK / Wikimedia Commons via Raph_PH
The Reflection Tour sees Rick Astley play various shows and festivals across the UK / Wikimedia Commons via Raph_PH

This year will mark Rick Astley's first official headline tour since 2024 meaning a full setlist is yet to be confirmed.

Here is a setlist from 2024 when the 80s performer played a series of festival sets:

  • Never Gonna Stop
  • Together Forever
  • Beautiful Life
  • It Would Take a Strong Strong Man
  • Dippin My Feet
  • Start Me Up (The Rolling Stones cover)
  • She Wants to Dance With Me
  • Juice (Lizzo cover)
  • Forever and More
  • Hold Me in Your Arms
  • Seventeen Going Under (Sam Fender cover)
  • Cry For Help
  • Dance
  • Angels On My Side
  • Whenever You Need Somebody (O 'Chi Brown cover)
  • Good Times (Chic cover)
  • Highway to Hell (AC/DC cover)
  • Maria Love
  • Never Gonna Give You Up

Stage times for Rick Astley and support act for First Direct Arena, Leeds

Doors for Rick Astley's The Reflection Tour are set to open from 6.30pm with an official starting time of 7.30pm.

Support for this show comes in the form of another celebrated UK performer who achieved prominence the decade after Astley - Gabrielle.

This R&B-pop singer is recognised for her 1993 hit 'Dreams' and is known for soundtracking the 90s and noughties with multiple chart entries throughout the decades.

How to get to first direct arena

Bus Station

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.

Read more: Audio North’s Artist of the Month: Sharan | April 2026

And about the rickrolling earlier... sorry not sorry.

Featured Images - Press shots via Peter Neill / Wikimedia Commons via Raph_PH

Leeds

Audio North’s Artist of the Month: Sharan | April 2026

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

Why have one northern city when you can have two? Sharan, our latest Artist of the Month, was born in Leeds and is now based in Liverpool.

Giving herself the titles of DJ, workshop facilitator and community advocate while also balancing life as a cardiac physiologist – is there anything Sharan can’t do?

This multi-talented music maker has played sets for Crop Radio, supported Sammy Virji, Barry Can’t Swim, SBTRKT and even soundtracked Liverpool FC’s official store ahead of a new kit launch.

Her sets cover all different music genres, meaning she can fit and curate any vibe, including UK funk, Amapiano, house and more.

Images: Press shots

An interview with Sharan – Audio North’s Artist of the Month

Now, the Leeds-born DJ takes a break from the decks, community programmes and medical assistance to chat about being Audio North‘s latest Artist of the Month.

What music did you grow up listening to?

I’ve always been around music. My Dad brought me up on Queen and then when I got to school my best friend listened to Bassline, UK Funky and I downloaded all these songs onto my Blackberry.

Annie Mac and Hannah Wants were real inspirations for me growing up and seeing female DJs in the media is great.

Tell us about the work you do in the DJ community?

I’m originally from Leeds but moved to Liverpool for work four years ago and I’ve become quite heavily involved in the DJ community. I do workshops through ‘Decks in the City‘; I’m a DJ Programmer for Dishoom and I play gigs across the North too.

Why do you want to give back to the DJ scene?

I joined a charity called Getaway Girls, who I still am with today, and I joined a music group through them and I remember decks being in the corner of the room and being intrigued. Then, at 14 I started going to their music workshops.

They’re the reason I got into music and inspired me to want to make the music industry a fairer place for women as well as advocating for women in music.

I love teaching women how to get into music or giving them the opportunity they wouldn’t necessarily have.

What do you hope to achieve through your DJ workshops?

I believe everyone should have the chance to try out being a DJ, or more broadly just have a go at learning a new skill in relation to music.

I want to give everyone a fair and equal chance to learn how to DJ and that’s why the courses I do are accessible and affordable.

As a South Asian DJ who’s also a woman, I want to encourage women and anyone from underrepresented communities to get involved.

In the long run, I’d love to improve festival line-ups and make the distribution of live music opportunities fairer.

What have been some of your favourite experiences as a DJ so far?

Alongside my community work, I’ve played at Leeds Festival for JD Sports and supported some big acts including Barry Can’t Swim, Virji, SBTRKT and Girls Don’t Sync.

What’s one fun fact about you?

I’m not just a DJ, I’m also a cardiac physiologist. It’s a really big part of my life aside from being a DJ. I balance the two together, I’m passionate about both.

How does your heritage influence your work?

I’m South Asian and I remember the Bend It Like Beckham soundtrack so vividly growing up. It fused British pop with Bhangra and Bollywood, it was revolutionary.

Even the storyline of the film itself resonates with me, watching the girl pursuing football against her parents wishes, something I’m doing by going against ‘the norm’ through following my dream of being a DJ.

I love this film and soundtrack so much that I wrote an article about this which explores the soundtrack and its impact on British Asian Youth.

Featured Images – The Manc Group/Press Shots (supplied via Liam Heeley)

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