You don't need us to tell you how talented our wonderful city is, but it's always nice to be reminded isn't it?
And luckily for us, The Light on The Headrow are shining a light (pardon the pun) on local talent throughout summer.
Introducing 'Live At The Light', an exciting new event series that celebrates the local Leeds music and arts scene, bringing the centre to life with live music and talent in collaboration with Heart Radio.
The best part? It's completely free to attend.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Located on the balcony level of The Light by Vue Cinema, incredible Leeds musicians, singers, DJs and more have performed over the past few weekends, but it's only going to get better with lots of talented acts lined up for the rest of the month and into August.
And if you fancy not only watching but performing yourself, you can even sign up for a chance to showcase your talent by the Live At The Light booking form.
Since July, the space has been open to the public, who have been signing up for their chance to showcase their talents through the Live at The Light website booking form.
The Light has been encouraging Leeds locals to pop-in, browse the centre and take some time to enjoy the live performances as they go about their busy weekends.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Not only that, on select weekends there’s even a complimentary bar provided for visitors, with the option to make a voluntary donation to a very special local cause: St Gemma’s Hospice.
In November, Wayne from The Light’s Security Team, will be trekking 5,000 metres up through the Himalayas to reach Everest Base Camp, all to raise funds for St Gemma’s.
It's an incredible cause which you can support by heading to Live At The Light, and you'll have a great time whilst you're there too - it's a win win.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Stephanie James, Marketing Manager at The Light, commented: “We’re thrilled that Live at The Light not only brings amazing local talent to the city centre throughout summer, but also gives us a platform to support a cause as important to Leeds as St Gemma’s Hospice.
“The energy in the centre has been fantastic, it’s been amazing to see people coming together to enjoy the music, support local acts, and give back to the community.”
To keep an eye on the latest updates and line-ups, keep an eye on their socials.
Leeds-based events brand Mint has officially revealed the location of its highly anticipated new venue, Mint XL.
And it's set to open in none other than the iconic former PRYZM nightclub site on Woodhouse Lane in the heart of Leeds city centre.
Known for its longstanding contribution to the city's electronic music landscape through Mint Festival, the brand is now embarking on its most ambitious venue project to date with the launch of a completely reimagined 2,500-capacity space.
The vast space is currently undergoing an extensive redevelopment and full-scale renovation, which will see Mint XL transformed into a state-of-the-art venue built around high-spec production, immersive experiences and forward-thinking programming.
Of course, it's all about the music. So at the heart of the venue is a major commitment to sound and production with a newly installed Funktion-One Vero sound system throughout the main space complemented by cutting-edge lighting, immersive visual production and bespoke room design.
Enough of the details though, let's get stuck into when it's actually going to open its doors.
Mint XL will officially launch on Friday 25 September with an opening party curated by renowned electronic music platform system which aims to set the tone for an ambitious inaugural season.
Taking over the entire venue, the event will bring together some of the most respected and influential names in underground electronic music, including Craig Richards, Enzo Siragusa, Fumiya Tanaka and Sonja Moonear, alongside a carefully selected lineup of acclaimed artists from across the scene.
Also on the line up is none other than Francesco Del Garda, Truly Madly, Prosumer, Laidlaw, Rich NXT, Voightmann, Foehn & Jerome Kinso, Isabelle Koci and of course long standing residents Annie Errez & Bobby ODonnell.
Tickets for the opening party for Mint XL will go live this Thursday 6 June at 6pm and you can get yours here.
UB40 at First Direct Arena, Leeds – tickets, times, setlist and more for UK tour
Thomas Melia
British-based reggae band UB40 are coming to Leeds for a celebration of all their greatest hits live at First Direct Arena.
Formed in Birmingham in the late 70's, this predominantly dub and reggae band has gone onto achieve much success including 50 UK charting singles.
UB40 have also sold over 100 million records as well as keeping a consistent line-up for almost 30 years, before lead vocalist Ali Campbell decided to leave the band.
Now, the band's lead vocalist is former Kioko lead singer Matt Doyle, who's taken on this role since mid-2021 and is ready to soundtrack your night while you enjoy some 'Red Red Wine'.
There's no official setlist confirmed for their latest tour, however, this 11-piece band have played an array of European dates with a pretty consistent roster of tracks:
Here I Am (Come and Take Me)
Maybe Tomorrow
Homely Girl
Sing Our Own Song
One in Ten
Home
Please Don't Make Me Cry
Many Rivers to Cross
Higher Ground
The Way You Do the Things You Do
I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
Cherry Oh Baby
Johnny Too Bad
Red Red Wine
Food For Thought
Forever True
Kingston Town
Can't Help Falling in Love
What are the stage times for UB40 in Leeds?
Anyone up for seeing UB40 play out at Leeds' impressive over 13,500 seater First Direct Arena will have to get there a tad early.
Doors will open at 6pm with a gig start time of 6.45pm due to the special guests who will be taking to the stage before them.
Make sure you get down early as you really won't want to miss the phenomenal duo Aswad, as well as standout vocalist Maxi Priest - It really is a reggae revolution.
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.
Clementine Hall -
28th July 2025 
