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Sean Paul and Ashanti at first direct arena, Leeds – tickets, times, setlist, and more for UK tour

Did someone turn up the ‘Temperature’ or is it just me?

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia - 11th April 2025

Why have one music legend when you can have two? Sean Paul and Ashanti team up for their ‘Bring It Tour’ at first direct arena in Leeds.

first direct arena is about to become a noughties haven as two musical greats have come together for a joint tour like no other - Sean Paul and Ashanti.

Sing a vocal run or two with the airy and light vocal tones of Ashanti and her hits, ‘Happy’, ‘Foolish’ and ‘Baby’.

Or maybe you’ll let Sean Paul do the talking as you boogie and dance the night away to tracks like ‘Mad Love’, ‘No Lie’ and ‘Got 2 Luv U’.

Whatever you’re planning on doing while you watch these masterminds perform, you’re guaranteed a night that covers all the bases.

Sean Paul and Ashanti UK tour dates

Fri 11 April - Aberdeen, UK - PJ Live (Sean Paul ONLY)

Sat 12 April - Newcastle, UK - Utilita Arena 

Sun 13 April - Leeds, UK - first direct Arena 

Tue 15 April - Glasgow, UK - OVO Hydro

Wed 16 April - Nottingham, UK - Motorpoint Arena

Fri 18 April - London, UK - OVO Arena Wembley (Sean Paul, Ashanti and Big Joe)

Sat 19 April - Birmingham, UK - Utilita Arena 

Sun 20 April - Manchester, UK - AO Arena

22 April - Cardiff, UK - Utilita Arena 

23 April - Brighton, UK - Brighton Centre (Sean Paul ONLY)

24 April - Bournemouth, UK - BIC (Sean Paul ONLY)

Sean Paul and Ashanti tickets for first direct arena gig 

Just like Ashanti’s 2002 hit you’d have been ‘Foolish’ not to get tickets when they first came out, however there’s still a chance for you to ‘Get Busy’ like Sean Paul’s ‘02 throwback.

There’s a limited run of tickets left throughout the venue including standing, seated and even an option to watch the show from ‘The Mixer’ if you’re after a VIP experience - All HERE.

Sean Paul and Ashanti setlist 

There’s no official setlist yet however if you consider the past selection of hits from their previous separate gigs, fans are in for a jam-packed night.

Sean Paul:

So Fine

Get Busy

Ever Blazin’

Cheap Thrills

Baby Boy

Bailando

Hot Gyal Today

Infiltrate

Breathe/ Make It Clap

Give It Up to Me

Got 2 Luv U

Mad Love

No Lie

Boasty

Love Me Ladies

Tip Pon It

Volcano

Bring It

Greatest

I’m Still In Love

Light My Fire

Punkie

Rockabye

Like Glue

Deport Them

Trumpets

She Doesn’t Mind

Temperature

Ashanti:

Happy

Rock Wit U (Awww Baby)

Mesmerise

Only U

Baby

Southside

Down 4 U

Body On Me

What’s Luv?

Ain’t It Funny

Always On Time

Foolish

What are the stage times for Sean Paul and Ashanti in Leeds?

first direct arena has a curfew of 10.30pm, anyone attending this link up of a lifetime can enjoy their night knowing they'll be 'Ever Blazin'' after a full night's sleep.

Doors for the ‘Bring It Tour’ are scheduled for 6pm with a kick off time of 7pm with no confirmed or mentioned support acts as of yet.

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.

Read more: AJ Tracey is playing a HUGE gig at Headrow House in Leeds next month

Featured Image: Publicity Picture (via Supplied)

Audio

This Leeds pop choir is putting emerging musicians centre stage

Declan Kelly Declan Kelly This Leeds pop choir is putting emerging musicians centre stage

If there’s one thing Leeds knows how to do, it’s produce a seriously talented bunch of emerging creatives. And this time, we’re swapping the usual indie gigs and late-night dance floors for a choir proving there’s nothing old-fashioned about singing together.

Meet LC Pop Choir, the Leeds-based group taking some of the biggest pop, rock and gospel hits and giving them a whole new lease of life.

Based at Leeds Conservatoire, the choir was founded in 2015 by Principal Lecturer Craig Lees and has since grown into a talented community of students and alumni who share a love of music and a good old singalong.

But don’t go thinking this is your typical Sunday afternoon choir. We’re talking huge vocals, impressive harmonies and the kind of performances that make you want to get up and join in. Think songs you already know by heart, reimagined with a whole room full of voices behind them.

In 2025, LC Pop Choir took to the stage on ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent, performing Natasha Bedingfield’s Unwritten. The anthem is practically impossible not to sing along to, and the choir gave it a powerful new spin, showing just how much a familiar pop hit can be transformed through the power of group vocals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxUjfRqvyks

It’s the sort of performance that reminds you why live music is so special. There’s something about hearing a song you’ve known for years delivered in a completely different way that makes you fall in love with it all over again.

LC Pop Choir is such an exciting part of Leeds’ creative community. They’re not just performing songs; they’re finding new ways to bring people together through music. And that’s something Leeds has always done particularly well.

What makes the group even more special is the talent behind the harmonies. Made up of emerging artists releasing their own music, touring around the country and even performing at major festivals, these are creatives making waves in their own right.

Yet, every Monday, they come together as a family of creatives, supporting one another, nurturing their talents and celebrating their shared love of music.

The music industry can be a competitive place, particularly for artists just starting out, so having a space to develop their skills, meet like-minded people and be part of something bigger is invaluable.

This Leeds pop choir is putting emerging musicians centre stage. Credit: Ian Hodgson
This Leeds pop choir is putting emerging musicians centre stage. Credit: Ian Hodgson
This Leeds pop choir is putting emerging musicians centre stage. Credit: Ian Hodgson

And that sense of community is exactly what makes groups like LC Pop Choir such an important part of Leeds’ cultural scene.

Whether you’re a musical theatre obsessive, a pop music fanatic or someone who simply loves a brilliant live performance, LC Pop Choir is one Leeds-based group worth keeping on your radar.

We have a feeling some of these young artists will be paving the way for the next generation of music in the North, and we can’t wait to see what they do next.

Read more: Inside the historic Leeds mill transformed into a thriving hub for creatives

Featured image: Ian Hodgson

Audio

Clubland to celebrate 25 years with huge Leeds arena show

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall

Clubland is heading to Leeds for a special arena-sized anniversary celebration next year.

The Clubland Arena Tour promises a night of the biggest artists and biggest anthems, giving fans the chance to come together for a celebration of the dance music brand.

Celebrating 25 years of Clubland, the tour will stop off at arenas in Manchester, Glasgow, Newcastle, Aberdeen, and of course Leeds.

With the event set to take over one of Leeds' biggest live entertainment venues, anticipation is already building for what promises to be a nostalgic night of club classics and dancefloor favourites – even before the lineup is announced.

Image: Supplied

The full line-up is expected to be announced very soon, with fans encouraged to keep an eye out for further details.

Previous headliners at Clubland Live have included Cascada, Basshunter, Scooter, Ultrabeat, and Vengaboys, always guaranteeing a night of non-stop anthems.

For many dance music fans, Clubland has become synonymous with the sounds that dominated clubs, radio playlists and party nights throughout the 2000s.

Over the years, Clubland has continued to celebrate the artists and songs that helped define an era of dance music, giving fans the chance to experience their favourite tracks live alongside thousands of like-minded clubbers.

From infectious pop-dance hits to harder-hitting electronic anthems, its events tap into a sense of nostalgia while keeping the energy of a night out firmly at the centre of the experience.

The 25th anniversary tour looks set to build on that legacy, bringing a quarter-century of club classics to arenas across the UK.

The Clubland Arena Tour will be at the First Direct Bank Arena on Saturday 1 May 2027.

Tickets will go on sale on 30 October from 9.30am

Read more:

Featured image: Photo by Aditya Chinchure on Unsplash


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