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Sugababes at first direct arena- tickets, times, setlist, and more for UK tour
I've been dropping so many hints... and you're still not getting it.
UK Girl group Sugababes are coming to Leeds and although we're going into 'Overload' we've got you covered ahead of their first direct arena gig.
The formidable trio, also known as Sugababes, are heading to Leeds for the first time and the only question I have is "Can we bring yesterday back around?" because I should've bought those tickets sooner.
Sugababes entered the music scene in the new millennium, 2000, and since then have continued to bring non-stop sass, femininity and flirtatious energy for the past 25 years.
After dominating the West Holts stage at Glastonbury in 2024 attracting unprecedented numbers, this trio are no stranger to belting out a hit or two to a packed crowd - Get them on the Pyramid Stage, stat!
They've recently made a return to the airwaves too with the dance-oriented single 'Jungle' garnering success nationwide, with many celebrating this new era of music for the girls.Just wait for the roars of the fans at first direct arena once they hear Keisha's huge line, "I've been dropping so many hints and you're still not getting it" which opens their smash-hit 'Push The Button'.
Sugababes UK tour dates
Tue 8 April - Leeds, UK - First Direct Arena
Thu 10 April - London, UK - The O2 Arena
Fri 11 April - Manchester, UK - Co-op Live
Sat 12 April - Birmingham, UK - BP Pulse Live
Mon 14 April - Cardiff, UK - Utilita Arena
Wed 16 April - Newcastle, UK - Utilita Arena
Thu 17 April - Glasgow, UK - OVO Hydro
Sugababes tickets for first direct arena gig
This UK girl group announced their tour back in October with tickets going on sale just a few days later, however there are a very small handful of seats and standing options left.
Obviously, tickets to see these girls play out to huge arena crowds are far and few between but you'll be able to take your very limited pick of the bunch, just make sure you 'Push The Button' HERE (Sorry).
Sugababes setlist
There is no official setlist as the tour is yet to kick off so we're basing our info off their latest run of shows in Australia.
This was before the release of their newest track 'Jungle', which we are sure will slot in this list perfectly and have the crowd on their feet.
- Freak Like Me
- Red Dress
- Hole in the Head
- Ugly
- Too Lost in You
- Shape
- Overload
- Flowers
- Flatline
- Stronger
- When The Rain Comes
- Today
Encore
- Push The Button
- Round Round
- About You Now
What are the stage times for Sugababes in Leeds?
First direct arena has a curfew of 10.30pm meaning concertgoers can be safe knowing they’ve heard a quarter of a decade worth of hits without flatlining (Sorry, again).
Doors for ‘Sugababes '25’ are scheduled for 6pm with a kick off time of 7pm with support from Vogue-featured act Rose Gray and Luna, who's just clocked off from touring the world with Eurovision legend Loreen.
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.
Featured Image: Publicity Picture (via Supplied)
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Jarvis Cocker and Kim Sion to curate special art exhibition titled ‘The Hodge Podge’ at The Hepworth Wakefield
Clementine Hall
The Hepworth Wakefield is joining forces with Jarvis Cocker and his wife Kim Sion to create a one-of-a-kind art exhibition.
And it's got the best name ever, titled 'The Hodge Podge'.
This exciting new exhibition (opening in May 2027) will include artists who have challenged mainstream ideas about what can be considered 'art'.
It will invite unlikely conversations between artists such as Jeremy Deller, Peter Doig, Barbara Hepworth, Klara Kristalova, Emma Kunz, Mark Leckey and Agnes Pelton, as well as unknown outsider and visionary artists never exhibited before in UK public museums.
Focusing on alternative means of expression, the structures of class and how communities are able to come together outside of religious or high-brow contexts, Cocker and Sion are keen to explore alternative spiritualities, psychedelia, fandom, dreams, poetry and music.
Laura Smith, Artistic Director of The Hepworth Wakefield comments: "Jarvis Cocker has a long-held interest in art, attending St Martin’s College of Art & Design in the early 1990s, and as a Yorkshireman, felt like the ideal person to work with to consider a fresh way of thinking about and experiencing art.
"The art that he and Kim have gathered together in The Hodge Podge will encourage the feelings of joy, marvel and curiosity that great works of art can inspire and offer our audiences an expanded idea of creativity and community. We are thrilled to be working with Jarvis and Kim on this incredibly exciting exhibition."
In Cocker and Sion’s The Hodge Podge Manifesto, the couple state that te exhibition provides
‘an opportunity to understand where that creative urge comes from and what it can do for
you… You’d be a fool to miss it.’
Tickets for The Hodge Podge: Jarvis Cocker & Kim Sion curate The Hepworth Wakefield go on sale later this year and you can find them here.
Read more: Leeds International Festival of Ideas announces first wave of BIG names for 2026 festival
Featured image - Supplied
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Ne-Yo and Akon at First Direct Arena – tickets, times, setlist and more for UK tour
Clementine Hall
Two R&B greats are heading out on a joint headline tour for the first time, as Ne-Yo and Akon visit Leeds' First Direct Arena.
Both artists are Grammy Award winners, and each has a formidable back catalogue of chart-topping hits.
For Ne-Yo, that includes songs like Miss Independent, So Sick, and Closer; while for Akon, he’s responsible for huge tracks like Smack That, Lonelty, and Right Now (Na Na Na).
Between them, they’ve shaped and defined radio, nightlife, and pop culture for decades.
This 2026 tour will see the pair performing on the same stage – for Leeds that's the First Direct Arena – for a co-headline Nights Like This tour.
Tonight, Thursday 30 April, they’ll perform in a unique back-and-forth set throughout the show.
You might have already seen some pretty iconic videos of their tour already circulating the internet, so it's safe to say you're in for a treat.
The nostalgic gigs will feature everything from slow jams to club anthems, with a party atmosphere throughout.
Are there tickets left for Ne-Yo and Akon at First Direct Arena?
It looks like tickets are limited for tonight, but you may be able to grab a few last minute ones HERE via Ticketmaster.
Ne-yo and Akon setlist for 2026 tour
Judging by previous nights of the tour, the current set list is looking like this...
Ne-Yo
- The Way You Make Me Feel (Michael Jackson cover) (Snippet)
- Miss Independent
- Because Of You
- Nobody
- Champagne Life
- One in a Million
Akon
- Akon's Beautiful Day
- Smack That
- I'm So Paid
- Locked Up
- Soul Survivor (Jeezy cover)
Ne-Yo
- She Knows
- Single
- Mirror
- Sexy Love
Akon
- Bananza (Belly Dancer)
- Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill) (Wyclef Jean cover)
- Bartender (T‐Pain cover)
- Body on me (Ashanti cover)
- Dangerous (Kardinal Offishall cover)
Songs Ne-Yo/Akon Produced
- Let Me Love You (Mario cover)
- Titanium (David Guetta/Sia Cover) / Take A Bow (Rihanna Cover) / Drunk In Love (Beyoncé Cover) / Irreplaceable (Beyoncé Cover) / Just Dance (Lady Gaga)
Akon
- Don't Matter
- Danza Kuduro (Remix)
- The Sweet Escape (Gwen Stefani song)
- Shut It Down (Pitbull song)
- Angel
- Ghetto
- Sorry, Blame It On Me
- Lonely
Ne-Yo
- So Sick
- Mad
- NIGHTS LIKE THESE
- Simple Things
- Up Out & Gone
- Beautiful Monster
- Closer
Akon
- QUE CALOR (Akon crowd surfs in an inflatable ball)
- I Wanna Love You
- Right Now (Na Na Na)
- Beautiful
- Sexy Bitch (David Guetta cover)
- Til the Sun Rise Up (Bob Sinclair cover)
Ne-Yo
- Let's Go
- Let Me Love You (Until You Learn To Love Yourself)
- Time of Our Lives
- Give Me Everything
Encore:
Play Hard (David Guetta cover) - Akon & Ne-Yo on stage
Stage times for Ne-Yo and Akon at First Direct Arena
- Doors open: 6.30pm
- Gig starts: 8pm
- Gig ends: 11pm
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: Yorkshire veterans Shed Seven set for 10th anniversary of Shedcember shows
Featured image: Publicity picture
Thomas Melia -
4th April 2025 
