The Another Love singer performed in Leeds earlier this week.
Kicking off the 25-year celebrations at The Wardrobe, Singer songwriter Tom Odell was spotted in Leeds on Tuesday night performing his best-known hits.
The intimate audience of just 400 fans were treated to a one-off night by the piano before Odell heads across Europe as well as headlining huge summer shows at the 3Arena in Dublin, The Alexandra Palace in London and our very own The Piece Hall in Halifax.
The singer rose to fame back in 2012 with his iconic album Another Love, shortly after he won the BRITS Critic’s Choice Award which firmly confirmed his place as one of the hottest indie musicians of the moment.
Odell performed eleven songs in total in Leeds, including a cover of Phoebe Bridgers' Motion Sickness, as well as breaking into song, taking inspiration from the most unlikely of places.
The burger menu from upstairs.
Odell, who at first appeared unfamiliar with Leeds-born burger joint Slap and Pickle, said to the crowd "I've got the burger menu here" holding the vegetarian and vegan side to the crowd.
Someone from the crowd shouted "the burgers are good", and to the surprise of the audience, the artist replied "are they good yeah?" and started to play a calming tune on the piano, preparing the serenade the options available.
Between laughs and interludes of clapping from the audience, Odell sang: "oh its delicious, vegan too... you can have the veggie option"
"American cheese or American tomatoes, chilli sauce or mayo... oh dear"
So, what are these burgers in question? Slap and Pickle has been around Leeds for well over a decade, operating first as Dogtown, a giant loaded hot dog street food venture, before diversifying into the burger business.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Slap and Pickle is best known in Leeds for its filthy smash burgers, loaded fries and extensive vegan range – and has seen its fair share of venue takeovers over the last few years.Slap and Pickle now operate inside The Venue in Horsforth, Brooklyn on Call Lane, as well as at and serving at The Wardrobe, curing those pre-gig hunger pangs and appetite for a hearty bottomless brunch on the weekends.
It’s going to be a very special year at The Wardrobe, and Tom Odell's performance is just the start. With the likes of The Libertines and hundreds of gigs, comedy shows, talks and more already confirmed for the year, The 25th year at the much-loved music venue is set to be one of its biggest to date.
Feature Image - The Wardrobe Leeds
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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.
Sophie Smith -
25th January 2024 
