Ranking in fourth place as one of the UK's most celebrated music venues, The Duchess, or Duchess of York is well-known across the city as a spot to catch some of the UK's biggest artists - many before their heyday.
Grass roots music venues have been in decline for the past 20 years or so (with a 35% closure rate, according to the Music Venues Trust), and now the number of pubs closing due to an increase in bills (rising by 50% according to Altus Group) - it's more important than ever to shine a light on venues that allow up-and-coming artists the space to try out new songs.
In light of this, The Insurance Emporium has taken a trip down memory lane to look at some of the UK's most loved music venues - and naturally Leeds' was The Duchess.
Today the grounds of The Duchess are a Hugo Boss store. / Image: Google Maps
Known as The Duchess of York, the music venue was famous not just in Leeds but across the north – serving as an integral piece of the city’s music scene for many years.
Right up until 2000, 71 Vicar Lane was home to an iconic Leeds pub that hosted such bands as Nirvana, Oasis, Blur and the Manic Street Preachers.
After its closure in 2000, it was replaced by fashion giant Hugo Boss which still has a store on the site to this day.
Further big names to grace The Duchess’s stage over the years include Radiohead, Coldplay and Green Day – but its biggest claim to fame has to be welcoming in Nirvana as a support band back in the late 80s.
It’s said that the little-known band from Aberdeen, Washington came to support Tad – and that Kurt Cobain went and slept on the sofa upstairs afterward.
At the time, the band was in town to promote their album Bleach; but they also played some songs that would feature in their second album Nevermind, such as About a Girl, Love Buzz, Floyd the Barber and Polly.
For anyone who was there, it was surely a truly iconic gig to witness. We have to say, we’re rather jealous.
‘The Duchess’ or ‘The Duchess of York’ as it was also known as, on Vicar Lane, was one of Leeds’ most highly regarded music venues until its closure in 2000. One its biggest claims to fame was that Nirvana performed there before they were propelled to fame.
The venue has since been transformed from a pub to the designer clothing retailer ‘Hugo Boss.’ It’s hard to imagine that before this immaculate, high-end shop was a gritty Yorkshire pub that welcomed the likes of Blur, Manic Street Preachers, Radiohead, and Coldplay.
Bringing back a piece of nostalgia the pub was reincarnated in 2021 in the form of a pop-up in Leeds’ Kirkgate Market for the Compass Festival.
The Duchess became a pop-up bar inside Kirkgate Market in 2021. / Image: Compass Festival
Everything you need to know about Slam Dunk North – lineup, tickets, dates and more
Some of the UK's most celebrated music venues also included The Astoria Theatre in London, that also saw Nirvana and Manic Street Preachers play before closing in 2009.
The Roadhouse in Manchester, which only closed in 2015, saw Elbow perform their first ever gig, also made the list, as well as The Boardwalk in Sheffield - an institution that saw The Clash's first performance, and Arctic Monkeys' own Alex Turner used to be a bartender here, loving the place so much that the band's first demo was called ‘Beneath the Boardwalk.’
You can find the full list of celebrated music venues here.
Feature Image- Leeds Civic Trust / YouTube
Audio
No Greek Tragedy, just indie bangers – The Wombats set Leeds’ First Direct Arena alight
The Wombats aren’t just still going strong - they’re getting better. And honestly? Long may they reign.
The Wombats absolutely tore the roof off the First Direct Arena in Leeds last night, Wednesday 26 March and what a night it was.
From the second they hit the stage it wasn’t just a gig, it was a full-blown indie-pop spectacle, packed with infectious energy, nostalgia, and a whole lot of dancing.
They kicked things off with “Moving to New York,” and honestly? The crowd was in from the first note.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Matthew Murphy’s unmistakable vocals rang through the arena and suddenly, thousands of people were screaming every lyric like it was 2007 all over again. It was one of those moments where you could just feel how much this band still means to people.
Despite the massive venue, The Wombats somehow made it feel intimate. The lights? Pure chaos in the best way - vibrant, colourful, and totally in sync with the band’s wild, bouncy sound.
Murphy’s cheeky banter between songs made it feel less like a polished arena show and more like a jam session with a few thousand of your closest mates.
Setlist-wise, they nailed it. “Let’s Dance to Joy Division” and “Greek Tragedy” had the whole place losing it, while the stripped-down version of “Techno Fan” gave everyone a minute to breathe (and maybe get a little emotional).
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Those quieter moments just made the high-energy choruses hit even harder. It was a rollercoaster - in the best way possible.
Then came the encore. If you thought the crowd was loud before, “Kill the Director” took things to another level. Pure, chaotic indie bliss. The kind of moment you don’t want to end.
Here’s the thing about The Wombats: some might say their older songs hit harder than their newer stuff, but is that just nostalgia talking? Or maybe it’s a generational thing?
Either way, they proved they’re still one of the most exciting live bands out there. They’ve still got the hooks, the humour, and the ability to turn a massive arena into a sweaty, euphoric singalong.
Mumford & Sons add new Leeds show at the First Direct Arena to sell out UK tour
Clementine Hall
Two new arena dates have been added to their forthcoming UK tour, after selling out the entire run within two hours.
Ahead of dropping their fifth studio LP Rushmere at the end of the month, the cult favourite folk-rock outfit announced a brand-new European tour in support of the record, including a limited UK leg.
The now sold-out arena run starts in Europe in November before now arriving in Leeds on Sunday 30 November.
The significance of the band’s return can be found in the title of the new album, as Rushmereis the spot where it all began for the boys: a pond located on Wimbledon Common in south-west London where Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett and Ted Dwane first hung out.
However, the multi-award-winning acoustic-driven British rockers and folk revivalists are now a trio following the departure of Winston Marshall, who quit the band back in 2021 following controversies surrounding his right-wing beliefs.
Image: Supplied
With that in mind, it’s rather fitting that they have insisted that beyond just a place and a title, Rushmere is alsothebeginning of a new phase.
Following an intense period of creativity, the project was produced by fellow nine-time Grammy winner Dave Cobb and recorded at the famous RCA Studio A in Nashville, as well as in Savannah, Georgia and back home at Marcus’ studio in Devon.
The album itself drops on this Friday 28 March and judging by the little that we’ve heard so far, they’ve been well worth the wait.
As for the arena show, tickets will go on sale this Thursday 27 March at 10am.
Best of all, they’re donating £1 from every ticket sold straight to War Child UK – this sort of stuff should be standard for any big act as far as we’re concerned.
The Hoot -
14th March 2023 
