There are some bands that just stand the test of time. With thirteen Top 40 studio albums and twenty-two hit singles to their name, it's safe to say The Charlatans are one of them.
Evolving from 1990 Manchester scene hopefuls to one of the UK’s most enduring and best-loved bands, they've been through some ups and downs, sure, but they've also charted remarkable progress over the past three (and more) decades.
Known for hits like 'The Only One I Know' and 'North Country Boy', their sound is instantly recognisable with its mix of driving Hammond organs and house-influenced rhythms.
Now, in celebration of the band's impressive career, this year sees Tim Burgess and co. embark on their (slightly delayed) 30th-anniversary tour of UK.
Landing at Leeds' O2 Academy on 17th December, fans can finally look forward to witnessing those swaggering guitars and Tim Burgess’s sunny yet somehow yearning vocals in person.
Kicking off on kick off on the 22nd of November in Belfast and finishing up just under a month later in Aberdeen, they'll be stopping off at a total of 18 UK cities.
They're also releasing a special limited edition album box set on blue vinyl to accompany the tour dates, due to drop on Then Recordings on the 15th of October 2021.
Titled A Head Full Of Ideas, it hosts a diverse collection of five LP albums and a seven-inch single featuring demo versions of ‘Indian Rope’/ ’The Only One I Know’.
Spanning their hits, classic live performances, unheard demos and rarities and remixes from the likes of The Chemical Brothers, Norman Cook and Sleaford Mods, the box set also boasts a signed print of a tour poster from the early 1990’s together with a booklet featuring unseen photographs and sleeve notes by friend and journalist Dave Simpson.
There will also be triple vinyl LP version and 2CD deluxe of the box set featuring the hits albums plus the live album, and finally a cd or vinyl of just the hits albums.
Tickets will go on sale at 10am on Friday 30th April.
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Leeds pizza shop hailed ‘exceptional’ and ‘best in the UK’ by major reviewer
A Leeds pizza takeaway has received a glowing review from popular review duo.
Edges Pizza opened up their first permanent spot in Leeds back in June this year, after making a name for themselves slinging out pizzas at multiple pop-ups across the city.
Owners Grace and Edge from Harrogate opened Edges Pizza two years ago, taking inspiration from trips to New York over the years.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Their pizzas are a love letter to the class New York slice, think thin and crispy rather than chewy and floppy. But above all else, think absolutely delicious.
And now, they've caught the attention of a major review page, with Bite Twice Food Reviews (a page with almost 300k followers) paying Edges a visit.
The food review duo of Gerry del Guercio and Paul Delany popped up in Holbeck beneath the arches to get their hands on a pizza, and the outcome is brilliant.
In the video, Bite Twice said that the pizza is 'f**cking exceptional' and up there with 'one of the best pizzas in the UK'.
Before even taking a bite, they said: "On aesthetic, I don't think anywhere in the UK is doing pizza like this".
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Then after the first bite, they go on to say: "There are very few pizzas in the UK that create this, I’m a little bit blown away".
As Londoners themselves, they go on to say that Edges is 'easily hitting with the best that we’ve got down south'.
And if that's not high praise enough, they sign off the video saying: "Leeds has got an absolute gem. I give this a stamp so hard my foot went through the pizza. Edges. Don Level."
Yorkshire-set Christmas film by Leeds director starring Richard E. Grant set to hit UK cinemas next month
Clementine Hall
A brand-new Christmas film is hitting cinemas nationwide next month - and it’s a proper Leeds success story.
Jack Spring directed his first feature film at just 19 years old and has spent the last decade carving out a career in independent film, as well as co-founding Leeds-based production company Shush Films.
His first movie, Destination: Dewsbury, was shot just down the road in - you guessed it - Dewsbury. And after moving to Leeds from Grimsby, Jack became determined to build his business from the city, putting down roots and growing his production company here.
Image: Supplied
Now, after years of working on independent projects, Jack has taken his biggest leap yet with a brand-new Christmas film, Merry Christmas Aubrey Flint.
Set in Yorkshire, Merry Christmas Aubrey Flint follows Aubrey Flint, a reclusive model soldier painter with a lifelong hatred of Christmas, who is sentenced to community service at Willow Lodge - a retirement home on the brink of closure.
Roped into helping with a chaotic production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Aubrey clashes with its interesting set of residents...
And the cast is about as star-studded as it gets, featuring Richard E. Grant, John Bradley, Celia Imrie, Adjoa Andoh, Sophia Di Martino, Adrian Rawlins and Kiell Smith-Bynoe.
Image: Supplied
The heartwarming festive comedy will hit cinemas nationwide on Friday 6 November - a huge milestone for a Leeds-based director and production company, taking a homegrown Yorkshire story to audiences across the country.
You just can't beat a proper wholesome British Christmas film, so you can best believe we'll be watching in the cinema, popcorn in hand.
Georgina Pellant -
28th April 2021 
