Gracie Abrams brought the vibes, bows, songs and girlies to Leeds.
Let's face it, you were either at Gracie Abrams or Sabrina Carpenter last night but wow were we glad to be at Leeds First Direct Arena.
Gracie is a sensational performer and I personally only became a big fan of her at the end of last year after "That's So True” went viral on TikTok.
After a cancelled show last week, Gracie made a speedy recovery and rescheduled for Thursday 13 March. Best friend in hand, surrounded by girlies (and their parents) in bows, the atmosphere was wild and we were ready for the show to begin. With one beady eye on the look out for Paul Mescal.
She elegantly flowed onto the stage, wearing the most gorgeous long silk dress with sparkled black bowed arm ties. Kicking off the show with "Felt So Good About You” and "Risk” back to back and it's safe to say I’ve never heard the crowd roar with applause like that ever.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
She quickly apologised for being poorly and welcomed everyone by saying “Leeds, we made it, welcome to the Secret Of Us Tour”. She then went onto say how she has so many feelings about this rescheduled gig and thanked the crowd for being there "you're so understanding, showing up and being so generous. I can’t tell you what this means to be - sincerely thank you”
I’ve never seen a performer like Gracie before, she was beautifully interacting with the crowd at every opportunity, whether that was taking scrap books off the super fans, phones for selfies, talking to them directly or waving at every part of the arena possible. It was very clear to see her fans loved her and she loved them just as much.
Mid-set she took everyone to a re-creation of her childhood bedroom in the middle of the standing pit, where she wrote most of her early material. She sat down on her white double bed, next to her a bedside table with a lamp and of course, her keyboard where she continued to interact with fans and perform some of her early material.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
The evening was truly electric and I genuinely felt like I made a friend in Gracie. Her warm approach to the crowd was genuine and really beautiful. Time for one of my favourites “Cool”, although we all knew it was closing to the end, the roars and screams to every single lyric did not stop.
And that was my night over with, heading to my car with headphones on blasting Gracie Abrams complete on Spotify and contemplating If I could pull off cutting my hair into a sharp bob.
Stockport-originating band Blossoms have just announced their big return to Leeds Festival, as the four-day music event continues to impress with its stacked line-up.
They might have a 'Joke About Divorce' from time to time but when it comes to entertaining a Leeds Festival crowd, Blossoms take it very seriously, playing at Bramham Park three times in the past decade.
This band have captivated audiences since the rise of standout track 'Charlemagne' and more recently with the addition of their fifth album studio album, Gary, named after an eight-foot-tall gorilla.
Known for always putting on a stellar performance, Tom, Joe, Charlie, Myles and Josh are bringing a brand-new set to Leeds when they pay us a visit this August.
As well as releasing new music, Blossoms are making a big return to Leeds Festival 2026 / Credit: Publicity Picture (Supplied)
Currently, Leeds Festival 2026 has seven headline acts spanning all genres from Dance and EDM to Pop and Rap with the likes of Charli XCX, Raye, Dave and more topping the bill.
The Stockport five-piece are featured alongside three other insane artists as 'Special Guests', appearing next to Skepta, Sombr and Role Model.
Also listed on the line-up are rising stars like R&B vocal powerhouse Skye Newman, pop princess Jade, Merseyside indie rockers The K's and Wigan-formed The Lilacs with more to be announced.
Although nothing is confirmed yet, this upcoming Leeds Festival set from Blossoms will contain high energy and obviously all their biggest and best bangers from across their four chart topping albums as well as new music.
Leeds Festival 2026 is set to be a belter with the addition of Stockport band Blossoms returning for a fourth time / Credit: Publicity Video (Supplied)
Whether you're there for 'Your Girlfriend' or 'What Can I Say After I'm Sorry', one thing's for sure, you're guaranteed to have an absolutely spectacular night.
Blossoms are making their big return to Leeds Festival 2026 which is taking place from 27 to 30 August at Bramham Park with tickets live HERE.
Dermot Kennedy at First Direct Arena, Leeds – tickets, times, setlist and more for UK tour
Thomas Melia
Irish singer-songwriter Dermot Kennedy is bringing The Weight Of The Woods tour to Leeds for a night of powerful ballads and bangers.
After busking for a considerable time, Kennedy took to streaming platforms to upload his music before dropping notable tracks like 'Power Over Me' and 'Giants'.
Since then, this Irish performer has amassed a total of 9 million monthly listeners and multiple songs with over 100 million streams across three chart-topping albums.
In 2023, Dermot Kennedy teamed up with electronic music group Meduza for a monster of a collaboration titled 'Paradise' which peaked at 5 on the UK Official Charts.
Gig guide | Dermot Kennedy at First Direct Arena, Leeds
Dermot Kennedy UK tour dates
Fri 29 May - Glasgow, UK - OVO Hydro
Sat 30 May - Manchester, UK - AO Arena
Mon 1 June - Cardiff, UK - Utilita Arena
Tue 2 June - Leeds, UK - First Direct Arena
Thu 4 June - Birmingham, UK - Utilita Arena
Fri 5 June - London, UK - The O2
Are there any tickets left for Dermot Kennedy at First Direct Arena?
Hoping for some 'Better Days'? Well maybe that can happen by getting the chance to see Dermot Kennedy live on his latest The Weight Of The Woods tour.
Don't be 'Outnumbered' and grab a ticket or two for Dermot Kennedy on Saturday 30 May at First Direct Arena in Leeds HERE.
What are the stage times for Dermot Kennedy in Leeds?
First Direct Arena has a strict curfew of 11pm, meaning you'll be leaving the venue reminiscing 'An Evening I Will Not Forget' before the sun's up.
Supporting Dermot Kennedy on the night will be Irish three-piece band Amble who will be taking the Leeds crowd on a journey to 'Mary's Pub' and reflecting on 'Schoolyard Days'.
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.
Fran Mallinson -
14th March 2025 
