The Brit School grad effortlessly performs her Mercury prize-nominated album and proves she was born to perform.
Fresh from delivering a show stopping set at Coachella, Olivia Dean comes to the Leeds University Stylus which is just the second stop of her UK and European tour.
Her crowds have seen a meteoric rise over the past year, having been nominated for three brits and poised for the Pyramid stage at this year's Glastonbury festival.
So it's no surprise that her Leeds gig is a sell-out with many still hoping to bag tickets on the night.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
But it's the intimacy of the University Stylus which makes the evening so incredibly special.
Sporting a yellow denim two piece complete with black knee high boots, the 25-year-old musician looks calm and at ease on her largest headline tour so far.
Gracing the stage with a seven-piece band behind her, she says "I'm very excited to be here this evening with you, it's Friday night in Leeds!"
Kicking things off with an atmospheric UFO, Dean wastes no time in showing off her hit heavy repertoire as she swiftly follows with Ok Love You Bye - a track that gets the whole crowd moving and singing along.
Her debut album Messy, nominated for the acclaimed Mercury Prize, is all about self-discovery and dealing with the turbulent aftermath of a break-up.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Tambourine in one hand and pint of beer in the other, Dean stylishly executes her big tracks whilst seamlessly interacting with the audience.
Introducing the titular track, she says "I wrote this song to feel like a big hug. I wanted it to feel like a big bowl of tomato soup."
And we can't put it better ourselves.
Dean glides through Messy, almost as if singing a lullaby, holding us in the palm of her hand as we slide up and down the catchy melody with her.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Later comes Carmen, a song dedicated to Olivia's Guyanese grandmother which sees the entire band come together in what can only be described as a real dance party.
Of course she ends with Dive, the standout track from the album that perfectly depicts the exhilarating feeling of falling head over heels for someone.
She thanks the audience and bids her farewells: "Hopefully see you again soon" she says, "You coming Glastonbury? Gosh pyramid stage, I'm bricking it."
And on that note, we were all left wishing we had a ticket to the farm this summer just to see this shining star who no doubt will pull big crowds to one of the biggest stages on earth.
It's clear that Olivia Dean was born for the stage, and the bigger the stage the brighter she will beam.
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.
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.
Clementine Hall -
27th April 2024 
