UK pop-rock legends Deacon Blue have just announced a new album and UK tour, including a huge gig at Leeds' First Direct Arena.
The Scottish superstars and long-standing British band are back with their 11th studio album and have confirmed a slew of domestic tour dates along with the announcement.
Having been going since 1985, they are well and truly some of the most revered recording veterans to ever come out of the country, known for hit tracks like 'Real Gone Kid', 'Dignity', 'Loaded' and more.
Revealing a total of 20 dates across various arenas and theatres, Deacon Blue will naturally be kicking off their tour in their home country before heading Yorkshire way not long after.
In addition to the new LP, The Great Western Road, Deacon Blue have plenty to celebrate next year as 2025 will also mark the band's 40th anniversary.
Founding members Ricky Ross and Dougie Vipond reflect on their journey as a group, as well as their long and successful career in the industry in this new album, as well the band's shared age and experience now they're four decades into Deacon.
Commenting on the announcement, lead singer Ricky Ross said: "It’s just the next part of the adventure and it’s as exciting now as it was back then."
"I love the idea that a circus coming to town is a temporary existence, a little bit of magic suddenly appears in the middle of a town or a village and then it goes away. It’s very similar to what you do live.
Perhaps most excitingly besides the upcoming album itself, one of the coolest things about this new tour is that it's not going to be your average old headline gig: they've promised two different shows.
Explaining that they'll be "curating a show that changes and evolves, pulling out little surprises every now and again", the theatre shows will also be distinct from the bigger arena shows, allowing them to flick between the new music and the hits.
They've said they want to give fans "the best night of their lives" and make each show just as brilliant as the last.
"The live experience is so ephemeral, at the end of a show people lose all their inhibitions, and then it’s over", added Ross; "You have to be there. That’s what’s magical about it."
As for The Great Western Road - a tribute to Glasgow's legendary street of the same name located between the city centre and its West End - the album is due to release on 21 March 2025.
Deacon Blue will be coming to Leeds' First Direct Arena on Tuesday, 23 September 2025 and even if you don't grab tickets to that show, they'll be playing nearby dates in Bradford, Hull and a pair of gigs in Sheffield.
General admission goes live at 9am this Friday, 29 November but fans can register for presale tickets either by signing up for the First Direct newsletter. Three mobile customers can also get exclusive presale on Wednesday, 27 November from 10am.
Boyband and radio hitmakers The Script are coming to Leeds and are playing out alongside an equally big support act.
'For the First Time' in almost a year, The Script are playing a run of live shows across the UK including Leeds' First Direct Arena.
This Irish-based band have soundtracked generations with their hits spanning two decades including 'Hall of Fame', 'Breakeven', 'Superheroes' and more.
Consisting of lead vocalist Danny O'Donoghue with Benjamin Seargent on bass, guitarist Ben Weaver and drummer Adam Marcello, their music fuses pop and rock.
The Script has released three albums that have topped both UK and Ireland charts as well as four Top 10 singles and they're hoping to reign supreme on the charts once more with upcoming LP The User's Guide to Being Human.
Although the full album doesn't drop until August, Danny and the rest of the lads have dropped a single titled 'Man In The Arena'.
There's even a nod to the Northern music scene on the tracklist as one of the upcoming releases is labelled 'The Crowd Was Singing Wonderwall'.
Other tracks on this LP include 'Living Our Life Without Me', 'I'm 100 Different People' and a song that's sure to get a few tears out of all of us - 'Grow Old with Grace'.
As well as announcing this new run of shows set for Winter 2026, The Script are joining Take That on a stadium tour titled The Circus Live across June and July.
Joining The Script on their latest UK tour this Winter is James Morrison known for similar ballad-like hits including 'Broken Strings' and 'Wonderful World'.
The Script UK tour dates
Mon 2 November - Belfast, UK - SSE Arena
Thu 5 November - Newcastle, UK - Utilita Arena
Fri 6 November - Birmingham, UK - Utilita Arena
Sat 7 November - Manchester, UK - Co-op Live
Mon 9 November - Nottingham, UK - Motorpoint Arena
Tue 10 November - Leeds, UK - First Direct Bank Arena
Thu 12 November - Aberdeen, UK - P&J Live
Fri 13 November - Glasgow, UK - OVO Hydro
Sat 14 November - Sheffield, UK - Utilita Arena
Mon 16 November - Bournemouth, UK - Bournemouth International Centre
Thu 19 November - Liverpool, UK - M&S Bank Arena
Sat 21 November - London, UK - The O2
The Script are visiting First Direct Arena on Tuesday 10 November 2026 for their The Man In The Arena Tour with tickets and more info HERE.
Featured Image - Publicity Picture (Supplied)
Audio
A daytime rave where you can be in bed by 8pm is coming to Sheffield
Clementine Hall
The famous Day Fever is back and this time it’s set to be bigger and better than ever before.
If you haven’t heard of Day Fever before, then we are about to blow your mind.
Launched in early 2024 by actress Vicky McClure and frontman of Reverend & The Makers Jon McClure, Day Fever has become somewhat of a cultural sensation.
From its debut her in Sheffield to a tour that sees thousands of ravers hitting the dance floor each month, the message is clear: people want to dance and let loose, but still be in bed before 9pm. And to be honest, we don’t blame them.
Image: Supplied
Running from 3pm to 8pm, Day Fever provides a proper night out that doesn’t completely write you off for the entire weekend.
Heading to Sheffield City Hall on Saturday 6th June, this edition of Day Fever will be filled with nothing but wall-to-wall hits courtesy of DJs Stars & Stace, Olly Hayes and Christian Carlisle.
"If you look back at the first Sheffield one to what we are now, the evolution of it is amazing," says Vicky McClure. "It was still the same people that wanted the same thing; they just wanted to go out in the day… and just have a dance!"
Think less nightclub, more joyful chaos. “It feels like a massive house party at your nan’s,” Vicky laughs. “No drama, no egos, just people acting daft, getting dressed up, and having the best time."
Image: Supplied
"It’s stories that we hear that really sum up what it's about," says Vicky McClure. "We’ve had people going through chemotherapy… people grieving… and all of a sudden you just feel this room filled with love."
Danny Jones -
26th November 2024 
