The Leeds band are celebrating their hometown show with a day full of pop-ups, DJs, food collabs and more.
Yard Act are teaming up with The Northern Market this Saturday 3 August on the day of their massive Millennium Square show.
Situated just 100 yards from the concert venue, Yard Act have curated a personalised day of pop-ups, food collabs and more for a celebration of some of their favourite things in the city, all hosted inside the Northern Monk run venue.
Kicking off from 1pm until the show's doors open at 6pm, the inside of Northern Market’s popular food & drink hall will be transformed into a vision of Yard Act’s own Leeds.
Image: Supplied
Expect a tap takeover by Armley’s Anthology Brewing Company, a special pop-up by Jumbo Records and a carefully curated line-up of the city’s best DJs including Emily Pilbeam, Thea HD, DJ Lozzatron, Hoppo and fast-rising Leeds musician and star of the band’s music videos Hang Linton.
Northern Market’s four in-house food traders will each be collaborating with one of the city's best-loved restaurants for a one-off menu item.
Joining the Northern Market regulars of Falafel Guys, Big Buns, Six Slice and Bastards Bistro is Manjit’s Kitchen, Burley institution Ryan’s Kitchen, the much-loved Homeboy Pizza Co. and wood-fired kitchen Galleria.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
To celebrate, Northern Market will be offering 20% off drinks to those who show their Millennium Square gig ticket at the bar.
James Smith, Yard Act said: “Hello all you Northern hunks… If you're headed to Millennium Sq next weekend and are wondering how best to get warmed up before doors, may we suggest heading down to the Northern Market Hall for food and drinks curated by some of our favourite local breweries and kitchens. From Ryan's banging Caribbean food to certified Yard Act super fan Manjit of Manjit's kitchen - famous for their Va-Va-Va Vada Pav (sung to the tune of Land of the Blind) they'll all be collaborating on some cutting edge, groundbreaking world fusion cooking.
"There will also be a Jumbo records pop up and a silent trench coat auction for charity (featuring custom designed pieces by Yard Act, David Thewlis and Paul Simonon of The Clash). The beer will be provided by Liam of Anthology brewery, who has been our pal and master brewer since day one and there will be DJ sets from some of our favourite local selectors."
Final tickets to Yard Act at Millennium Square are available here. dr
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.
Clementine Hall -
31st July 2024 
