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Sounds of the City kicks off with incredible performance from McFly
Kicking off the 2023 Sounds of the City, McFly took to the stage in Millennium square and wowed the people of Leeds with a nostalgic and energetic performance.
Kicking off the 2023 Sounds of the City, McFly took to the stage in Millennium square and wowed the people of Leeds with a nostalgic and energetic performance.
Doors opened to the first summer performance at 6pm sharp and people started pouring into the square to get those front spots. A sea of cowboy hats and band t-shirts, the energy from the get-go was just electric.
The huge outdoor venue saw a few minutes of rain but not enough to dampen the spirits of the evening to come.
Credit: Millenium Square
Ahead of the gig, a message flashed on the screen which read: “Raise your glowsticks and phone torches during Star Girl in memory of Kel.” Kel, a very well-known fan of the band passed away earlier this year and with her mum among the crowd this tribute was very heartfelt.
The first of the two support acts took to the stage as the eager crowd still poured into the venue. Skinny Living, a three-piece English indie soul band from Wakefield, were the perfect energy to start the evening. The velvety tones of lead singer Danny rang around the square harmonising beautifully with his fellow band mates.
Credit: skinnyliving.co.uk
Next up was the pop band New Hope Club which I think it would be fair to describe them as a 'mini McFly'. By that, I mean you can really see this band having the same success as the headliners, their music and stage presence matching the early days of McFly.
There was then a short break so we grabbed some food from one of The Hoot's favourites, Spud and Bros, and a drink from the bar. I have to say the prices were reasonable, less than £6 for a pint, which in this day and age, I can't knock.
Punctual as ever, McFly burst on the stage at 9pm sharp with the same energy they've kept up for the last two decades. I have to say it's very impressive, as someone who has watched these four lads since 2004 you always know what your getting and that's a sparkling performance.
Credit: Millenium Square
All eyes were on band member Dougie as he jumped onto the stage in baggy white dungarees and no top on underneath them. It’s fair to say you could hear the longing screams across Leeds, and that was just from me.
Credit: Millenium Square
They opened the show with a song from their brand new album 'Where did all the guitars go?' and even those in the crowd there for the classics loved it. From that point onwards it was all dancing, singing and synchronised hand clapping.
Making their way through the 14-song set list, the band had smiles on every face in the crowd as they jumped across the huge stage. While they included a few of their newer songs they kept us OG's happy with all the best classics. 'Obviously' had everyone with their hands in the air and singing along to the 20 year old tune (that makes me feel old).
They ended the set with my personal favourite song 'Star Girl' and of course the crowd absolutely loved it, leg kicking all over the place. The song was dedicated to super fan Kel who sadly passed away earlier this year, lead singer Tom Fletcher said a few kind words and the crowd held there glow-sticks high in the sky for Kel.
With a big thank you to everyone for coming, the four lads waved there goodbyes as a very grateful crowd clapped and cheered.
I know what you're thinking, no mention of everyone's favourite wedding song, there must be an encore. The band reappeared and the opening melody of 'All About You' sent gasps around the square.
To everyone's surprise and pure delight, the cheering continues as those famous lyrics echoed around the venue, 'She's got a lip ring and five colours in her hair'. There wasn't one person in that square not singing along to the iconic song that opened many a primary school discos.
And with that, the opening night of Sounds of the City came to an end. Although despite my best efforts my evening didn't end with Dougie and I sharing a takeaway pizza and reminiscing about the good old days, it was a really wonderful evening.
Bastille, The Wombats, Shed Seven, Morrissey, Blossoms and Kasabian will all be taking to the stage over the next fortnight at Millennium Square. While a couple of shows are sold out, you can still get your hands on tickets for others.
Feature Image - Millennium Square
News
Football Focus cancelled by the BBC after more than half a century
In a fairly big bit of British broadcasting news, Football Focus is ending after more than half a century on our screens.
Announced on Thursday, 23 April, the once flagship show and weekly TV guide staple for countless domestic households is set to be cancelled after 52 seasons' worth of coverage.
With BBC Sport confirming the tough decision in a lengthy statement, the long-running show will be taken off the air at the end of the 2025/26 campaign.
Most programmes like these have seen declining audiences across the board in the era of streaming and digital packages across various platforms, but this is truly the end of an era.
An incredible 52-year journey comes to an end.
Following extensive consideration, BBC Sport has made the difficult decision to say goodbye to Football Focus at the end of this season.
First broadcast in 1974, Football Focus is a testament to the brilliant team who have… pic.twitter.com/bmHQqQdf6J
An official social media post reads: "An incredible 52-year journey comes to an end. Following extensive consideration, BBC Sport has made the difficult decision to say goodbye to Football Focus at the end of this season. "First broadcast in 1974, Football Focus is a testament to the brilliant team who have worked on it over the years and, of course, the audience. The programme has been a staple of the BBC’s football coverage for decades, providing fans with interviews, analysis and stories from across the game ahead of the weekend’s fixtures.
"But changing audience behaviours means fans are now increasingly consuming football content in different ways, and we need to respond appropriately as we face difficult decisions around how the licence fee is spent."
Second only really to Match of the Day (MotD), which first began a whole decade prior to its once equally popular spin-off, Gary Lineker, Manish Bhasin, Alex Scott and others have all enjoyed varying periods hosting the regular weekend watch.
While even MotD has seen steadily dipping viewing figures, not just following the Lineker departure/saga, but ever since YouTube highlights and the social media era.
They go on to add: "Fans are accessing discussion, highlights, analysis and news through digital platforms and on-demand viewing, and as viewing habits continue to evolve, it is right that BBC Sport adapts how it brings football coverage to the widest audiences across television, radio, online and to its extensive social platforms. BBC Sport boasts a strong football rights portfolio and is set to significantly expand its digital output this year, growing content across BBC platforms, as well as a bold new slate of exclusive shows on YouTube.
"Featuring fresh formats, big personalities and more frequent, always-on content tailored for digital audiences, the expansion will bring fans closer to the game than ever before, delivering more high-quality, accessible and engaging football coverage at scale. We will release further details on these plans in the coming months."
Will you miss it? Perhaps more to the point, do you still watch Match of the Day, Soccer Saturday and the like on terrestrial telly here in the UK?
Farmer Copleys bans dogs from popular Tulip Festival after tragic death of beloved pet
Daisy Jackson
Farmer Copleys, which is behind the popular Tulip Festival attraction, has spoken out after the tragic death of a dog who visited last weekend.
The family-run farm has decided to ban dogs (with the exception of service dogs) from its site, after a visitor reported that her beloved springer spaniel Bobby had died just hours after attending the Tulip Festival.
It's believed that Bobby had eaten a tulip bulb or flower, which can be deadly to dogs.
Farmer Copleys has now shared a statement about the incident, writing that the team are 'deeply saddened' by the animal's death.
They stressed that while the exact cause of his death remains unknown, they 'do not wish to take any further risks' and will no longer be permitting dogs at the Tulip Festival.
"The safety and wellbeing of all our visitors and their pets is something we take extremely seriously," Farmer Copleys wrote in a statement shared today.
Customers who are no longer able to attend since the change are welcome to get in touch with the farm directly to discuss a refund.
And assistance dogs are still welcome, but owners will need to sign a disclaimer before taking them into the Tulip Festival.
Farmer Copleys tulip festival is one of the most popular events in Yorkshire every springDogs will no longer be allowed at the Tulip Festival
Farmer Copleys wrote: "We are deeply saddened by the recent incident involving a visitor’s dog following a visit to our Tulip Festival, and our thoughts remain with the owner at this difficult time.
"We must stress while the exact cause of this incident remains unknown, many flowers and plants in outdoor environments can pose risks to dogs if ingested, particularly the bulb, and we do not wish to take any further risk.
"The safety and wellbeing of all our visitors and their pets is something we take extremely seriously. As a precautionary measure, we have made the difficult decision to no longer permit dogs at our Tulip Festival for the remainder of the season.
"In addition, this has further reinforced our decision to close the pick your own area for the remainder of the festival.
"We understand this may be disappointing for some visitors. Any customers who have booked and are now unable to attend due to this change are welcome to contact us regarding a refund at info@farmercopleys.co.uk.
"We are undertaking a full investigation and make a decision on 2027’s season in due course."
Abbie Bartlett -
7th July 2023 
