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The Darkness announce huge arena tour including Leeds date
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The Darkness have announced their largest headline tour in 20 years, and they’re heading straight to Leeds.
The British glam rockers will be performing seven nights across the UK, including the First Direct Bank Arena.
The Darkness Band of Brothers Tour will include support from the Grammy Award-winning American country rockets Brothers Osborne, as well as UK rock band A.
Earlier this year, the band released their eighth studio album, Dreams On Toast, which has become their most successful album since their debut Permission to Land.
Permission To Land, which spawned the single I Believe in a Thing Called Love, has been revealed as the most successful British rock album of the 21st century.
They’ve been touring across Europe, Australia and the USA with their new music, and soon it’ll be time for their gargantuan headline tour.
The Darkness will be performing at Knebworth Park in support of Iron Maiden next summer, before The Band of Brothers Tour kicks off in winter 2026.
Frontman Justin Hawkins said: “Powerful rock was designed to be played in huge rectangular buildings. Huge rectangular buildings were designed to house powerful rock bands.
“The Darkness are a powerful rock band and the arenas listed below are huge rectangular buildings. Except for the exception which proves the rule. Thank you O2 Arena…
“In December 2026 this elegantly logical proposition will become a reality, driven by three bands consisting of seven brothers.
“Three of them are Perrys, from Lowestoft’s A. Two of them are Osbornes, from the Brothers Osborne. And two of them are my brother Dan and I.
“The Darkness, Brothers Osborne and A, veritable Bands of Brothers, rocking in a huge rectangular (or domed) building – what could be more powerful than that?”
The Darkness will play the First Direct Bank Arena in Leeds on 9 December 2026 with tickets on sale from 10am on Friday 28 November HERE.
The Darkness 2026 UK tour dates
- 11 July – Knebworth Park (with Iron Maiden)
- 8 Dec – Glasgow, OVO Hydro
- 9 Dec – Leeds, FD Arena
- 11 Dec – Manchester, AO Arena
- 12 Dec – Birmingham, Utilita Arena
- 13 Dec – Cardiff, Utilita Arena
- 15 Dec – Brighton, Brighton Centre
- 16 Dec – London, The O2
Read more: Lily Allen adds huge Leeds arena show to West End Girl tour
Featured image: Simon Emmett
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James Blunt announces huge European tour, kicking off in Leeds
Daisy Jackson
Singer-songwriter James Blunt is heading back out on tour next year, kicking off a run of arena dates here in Leeds.
The singer, perhaps best-known for his iconic 2005 pop ballad 'You're Beautiful', is hitting the road again in 2027.
The newly-announced European tour is in celebration of his new album Airplane Mode, which is set for release this autumn.
James Blunt will kick off his tour here in Leeds next spring, with a massive show at the First Direct Arena.
Then he'll head to more cities including Manchester, Newcastle, Birmingham and London.
His new album, Airplane Mode, is being released on 6 November and will, according to his press release, be 'exhilarating'.
James has already released the first single, 'Tastes Like Summer', and 'Weight Of It All', with 10 more songs to come on the record.
Airplane Mode was recorded with James’ brilliant long-standing live band, who'll be back on tour with him next year.
Speaking of the new album, and recording in Pig Music Studios, he said: "Somewhere back there, I lost my way, but found it again in a studio in Banbury."
James Blunt will be at the First Direct Arena in Leeds on 26 March, 2027. Tickets go on sale from 10am on 9 September.
James Blunt UK and Ireland 2027 tour dates
- 26 March - Leeds
- 27 March - Birmingham
- 28 March - Newcastle
- 30 March - Dublin
- 31 March - Belfast
- 2 April - Glasgow
- 3 April - Manchester
- 4 April - London
- 6 April - Cardiff
- 7 April - Bournemouth
- 8 April - Brighton
Read more: Blossoms announce massive First Direct Arena gig in Leeds
Featured image: Supplied
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Major DJ has set cancelled as overcrowding concerns continue at Leeds Festival
Clementine Hall
After closing for the entire second day, The Warehouse stage at Leeds Festival has once again been forced to evacuate.
One of the most anticipated dance acts of the day has been cancelled due to health and safety concerns just moments before the set.
Sheffield DJ Silva Bumpa was due to take to The Warehouse stage today at 1:30pm, but the set was cancelled due to overcrowding.
It's not the first time this has happened at Leeds Festival 2026, as yesterday Omar+'s set was cancelled due to the same issue and the stage was subsequently closed for the rest of the day.
The Warehouse stage is completely new for this year, and supposedly is designed specifically for dance music...which is quite ironic.
Announcing the news to Instagram, Silva Bumpa said: "So so sorry Leeds Fest but due to over crowding my set was cancelled last min I was just behind the stage and got told right before such a massive shame."
Prospa, another prominent DJ who's set was cancelled at Reading on Friday afternoon, spoke up on the situation: "We are disappointed in The Warehouse stage closure at Reading Festival. We were told it wasn't possible to play whilst on the way. This was due to too many people outside the stage.
"We have seen this happen before at larger festivals in the UK. It's time to double the capacity of tents or put dance music on the main stage."
It comes after another dance stage, LS23, was closed mid-set last night due to a health and safety hazard when all the lights suddenly switched off and ravers were forced to evacuate.
If yesterday is anything to go by, we wouldn't be surprised if The Warehouse was closed for the rest of the day which means anticipated sets from Rossi and Mall Grab will also be cancelled.
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