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What's On in Leeds

Thursday 17 September 2026 · This weekend · City guide

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Leeds does not ease you into a Thursday — it throws open every door at once. From indie guitar noise to glitter-dusted cabaret, from soulful house grooves to a Smiths tribute that will have you mouthing every word, the city has lined up a genuinely brilliant spread for the evening ahead. Wherever you end up, you will feel like you made exactly the right choice.

Highlights

The Molotovs — Leeds Beckett Students' Union plays host to The Molotovs from 7:30pm, and if you like your Thursday evenings loud, energetic, and unapologetically fun, this is your room. Student union gigs carry a particular kind of electricity — packed tight, unpretentious, and buzzing with people who are there purely because they love live music. Check the website for ticket prices and do not sleep on this one.

The Smyths — Brudenell Social Club is one of the finest small venues in the country, and on Thursday it welcomes The Smyths — a tribute act that captures the jangling, melancholic brilliance of The Smiths with genuine warmth and care. Doors from 7:30pm, in a room where the sound is always exceptional and the crowd knows every lyric by heart. Check the website for tickets, and prepare to feel every feeling.

Baga Chipz - Bagz to Riches — RuPaul's Drag Race star Baga Chipz brings her Bagz to Riches tour to The Glee Club Leeds at 7:30pm, and for somewhere between £8 and £10 this might be the most entertainment per pound available in the city tonight. Sharp comedy, shimmering glamour, and the kind of warm, raucous atmosphere that The Glee Club does better than almost anywhere — this is a proper night out that will have you cackling from start to finish.

STUDIO Thursdays: House and Disco @ The Backroom — When the rest of Leeds is winding down, The Backroom is just getting started — STUDIO Thursdays kicks off at 11:00pm with a night dedicated to house and disco, the two genres most likely to make you forget you have work in the morning. Entry is between £1 and £8 depending on when you arrive, which makes this one of the best-value dance floors in the city. Come late, stay later.

Full listings

EventVenueTimePriceLink
Live Music
The MolotovsLeeds Beckett Students' Union7:30pmCheck websiteTickets
The SmythsBrudenell Social Club7:30pmCheck websiteTickets
Nightlife
Baga Chipz - Bagz to RichesThe Glee Club Leeds.7:30pm£8–£10Tickets
STUDIO Thursdays: House and Disco @ The BackroomThe Backroom11:00pm£1–£8Tickets
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