Music legends - and Leeds!

The Fab Four performed in Leeds on four separate occasions – one of which was at the famous Queens Hall (formerly Swinegate Tram Depot on Sovereign Street) in June 1963, where they were seen by over 3,000 fans.

Until its demolition in 1989, the venue also hosted an array of musical legends, including (but not limited to!) AC/DC, Elton John, Joy Division, Pink Floyd, The Clash, The Jam, The Police, The Rolling Stones and Roxy Music. It was said to be the biggest exhibition space outside London upon its opening in May 1961.

The Beatles’ other three visits to Leeds took place at the former Odeon Theatre on The Headrow, from 1963-64 (June and November 1963, October 1964) – occasionally misremembered as performing at The Grand, just a few doors down the road!

At the peak of Beatlemania by late 1964, attendees recall a large police presence outside the venue in futile efforts to keep the fans under control!

The Magic of The Beatles

Roundhay Park first saw Michael Jackson perform in August 1988, as part of the Bad World tour – supported by Kim Wilde. As the show happened to fall on his 30^th birthday, the 90,000-strong crowd treated the King of Pop to a rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’!

He returned to Roundhay several years later, for 1992’s Dangerous World tour to similar fanfare (though no birthday singalongs).

Throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s, global stars ranging from Bruce Springsteen (July 1985) to Madonna (August 1987) performed at Roundhay Park, with Ed Sheeran most recently performing in 2019. Following its latest expansion, the venue is set to host Roundhay Festival in summer 2026.

Man in the Mirror

On tour promoting Hunky Dory, Aladdin Sane and, of course, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, David Bowie performed two shows at Leeds Rollarena (Kirkstall Road) in 1973 as Ziggy Stardust. Bowie’s final show as ‘Ziggy’ followed just four days later, at London’s Hammersmith Odeon, marking the end of an iconic era. Bowie did return to Leeds via the Earthlings tour in 1997, at the Town and Country Club (originally opened as The Coliseum in 1885, currently the O2 Academy).

The Rollarena show was a rescheduled gig, originally to be at Leeds University in June 1973 (the exact reasons are unclear, with accounts ranging from ‘too small a stage’ to ‘tour fatigue’). Whilst the University Refectory has continued to hold gigs since the 1960s (highlights including The Who: Live at Leeds, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Bob Marley, Slade and many more), the Rollarena remained a roller skating rink until its closure.

But Leeds’ glam rock history doesn’t stop there! In November 1969, the Leeds University Refectory also hosted T. Rex, replacing Pink Floyd (after they cancelled). This gig was the first for key band member Mickey Finn – and arguably where the pioneering glam rock band as we know it was born, before they hit the charts in 1970. It was this line-up, made up of Marc Bolan and Finn, who headlined the first Glastonbury festival in 1970.

Leeds’ glam rock heritage continued, also seeing the likes of Slade at Leeds Town Hall (billed alongside Thin Lizzy and Suzie Quatro) in November 1972 and Mud in ’82 and ’89, fronted by lifelong Leeds United supporter Les Gray. Wizzard also played Leeds University in February 1974, following their Christmas hit I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday in 1973.

The Glam Rock Show