We’re in for another wintery week, and there's so much to be getting up to.
2024 is already well underway now, and while many see January as a month of rest and relaxation following the hustle and bustle of the festive season, Leeds' social calendar still has a wide range of events and activities you can be getting up to over the next couple of weeks.
Take a look at our top picks for the week.
Oliver! At Leeds Playhouse
Until 27 January 2024 | Leeds Playhouse, Quarry Hill
Image: The Hoot Leeds
The sensational musical Oliver! is wowing the Leeds Playhouse with its take on the original musical by Lionel Bart. The musical is in the round stage and helps cultivate a breathtaking performance for all ages that will leave you singing along.
Boozy Brushes, Landscape Paint Party at Canal Club
Thursday 11 January 2024 | Canal Club
A fun light-hearted class taught by a professional artist that values not just skill, but artistry too. With fun, sing your heart out music in the back to help create the atmosphere that will let you socialise and be inspired whilst drinking.
Tuesday16 – Saturday 20 January 2024 | Leeds Grand Theatre
Image: Pamela Raith Photography
Inspired by The Play That Goes Wrong, and the BBC TVv show, The Goes Wrong Show this show is cultivated into a hilarious comedy that will leave you laughing throughout. It’s a performance of chaos and technical mishaps, leaving you with the question: What more could go wrong?
Leeds’ grooviest ramen bar House of Fu are coming in hot with their January deals, and if you’re looking to slurp some seriously good noodles then this is the spot for you. From 11:30am - 3pm on weekdays, you can get involved in the ‘Fu Express Lunch’ and chow down on any ramen or rice bowl for just a tenner… what a bargain.
50% off lunches at The Olive Tree
Monday 15 – Friday 19 January 2024 | 8 South Parade
Image: The Hoot Leeds
This Mediterranean gem is offering 50% off the lunch menu, perfect for a meal with friends. With a variety of choices from their A La Carte menu there’s foodie options aplenty for any palette; with the likes of pork gyros, mushroom calamari, beef stifado and more.
Vue Cinemas across the UK are screening loads of beloved comedy films to make people smile on ‘Blue Monday’.
The cinema says it’s aiming to “spread some joy and laughter” by bringing back some of the nation’s favourite comedies and feel-good musicals and sticking them up on the big screen to help alleviate those so-called January blues. This means that, each week for the next four weeks, you can catch iconic flicks such as Mrs Doubtfire, The Devil Wears Prada, Mamma Mia!, and more.
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.
Get Baked’s viral ‘Bertha’ cake has a sister on the way – and she sounds just as cheeky
Danny Jones
She's big, she's green and she's ready to ruin your figure.
A lot of you will have seen the viral ‘Bertha’ cake by Leeds born beloved sweet treat specialists Get Baked.
They recently opened another site in Manchester's Northern Quarter, where queues literally formed round the block of hungry punters wanting to get their hands on the infamous sugary treats.
And now it's going to happen all over again, as they've recently unveiled their newest flavour which is sure to go down a storm.
We’ll give you a hint: it’s a current food and drink trend that’s about as big as Bertha herself – it’s not matcha, it’s not hot honey (duh), and it’s not Guinness…
Images: Get Baked
Yes—scratch that; HELL YES!Get Baked is set to welcome Bertha’s equally beautiful twin sister, and she’s officially a pistachio girlie.
Having started out life simply as ‘Bruce’, after taking inspiration from the iconic scene from Matilda, this thing has become a phenomenon in its own right, and who doesn’t like more flavours of a good thing?
Probably one of the biggest foodie crazes going at the minute, thanks to the popularity of pistachio cream, cookies, lattes and the similar social media sensation that is the ‘Dubai Pistachio Bar' people are rather fittingly going nuts for this particular flavour of almost absolutely anything.
With that in mind, the Leeds-born bakery and dessert shop – founded by Rich Myers over in Headingley back in 2011 – have shown no hesitation in hopping on the bandwagon and creating a new twist on their own viral menu item.
Teasing the full details in a post on their Instagram this week, they wrote: “What’s big, green, and is going to destroy your life in a couple of weeks’ time? Pistachio Bertha. Strictly limited to 5,000 slices. Coming oh so soon. GB.”
In case you were wondering just how mad those with a sweet tooth could possibly go for a slice of cake, just look at the recent queues when they finally launched in Manchester city centre:
Speaking on the grand opening here on our turf and his partner Amy’s hometown, Myers said simply: “Manchester, what a launch. Thanks for much for the warm welcome. Stay baked.”
Clementine Hall -
15th January 2024 
