Arooj Aftab

Transformative may not be an urgent enough word to describe the multi-hyphenate creative Arooj Aftab. Rooted to a constellation of unmappable margins and elegant refusals, she lithely moves against the weight of time and convention, honoring multiple traditions while being owned by none. She eludes categorical capture through an expansive repertoire of study, including the techniques of music production and engineering as well a sprawling vocal practice that moves with cunning intention through and alongside jazz, South Asian classical music, pop, and blues.

Vintage Caravan

THE VINTAGE CARAVAN upcoming album 'Monuments' will be out on April 16, 2021 via Napalm Records. Iceland's biggest Rock trio incorporates a fountain of modern influences mixed with Classic Rock reminiscences to create an addictive sound all their own. After countless high-voltage live performances at festivals such as Wacken, Hellfest, Werchter, Roskilde and touring with Opeth, Europe among many others, the Icelandic band’s new full-length impressively demonstrates that they have matured both musically and lyrically, accented by bold, nostalgic nuance.

Jake Xerxes Fussell

Reared in Georgia and now settled in North Carolina, Jake Xerxes Fussell has established himself as a devoted listener and contemplative interpreter of a vast array of so-called folk songs, lovingly sourced from a personal store of favorites. On his latest album, When I’m Called—his first LP for Fat Possum, and his first as a parent—Fussell returns to a well of music that holds lifelong sentimental meaning, loosely contemplating the passage of time and the procession of life’s unexpected offerings.

Kinky Boots

The Broadway and West End sensation, Kinky Boots, is strutting into Leeds Grand Theatre in a brand new production starring Strictly Come Dancing’s Johannes Radebe* and rising star Dan Partridge (Grease).  This joy-filled musical, based on a true story and hit movie, features Tony and Grammy-winning music and lyrics by pop icon Cyndi Lauper, a hilarious and life-affirming book by Tony Award-winner Harvey Fierstein and is directed by Nikolai Foster (Grease and An Officer and a Gentleman).

Heartbreak: The Tom Petty Show

Heartbreak: The Tom Petty Show is a sensational new show celebrating the Grammy Award-winning, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and all-round American legend Tom Petty. Featuring hit songs by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, Travelling Wilburys and Stevie Nicks throughout the evening.

Tom Petty was one of the biggest-selling artists of all time, enduring mass appeal through a string of solo hits spanning four decades and through other projects like The Travelling Wilburys, and collaborations with artists including Stevie Nicks, Roy Orbison, and Mudcrutch.

Opera North Costume Sale

There's a rare chance to bag a bargain at Opera North's costume sale over two days in late May. 

Anyone who has ever fancied dressing like an opera diva or adding some drama to their wardrobe will want to head to Opera North in the heart of Leeds next month for the first sale of costumes from the company’s archives since 2005.