What's On in Leeds

Courteeners | Leeds First Direct Bank Arena | 6:00pm | Check website | Category: Live Music — The Courteeners roll into the First Direct Arena for what promises to be one of those roof-lifting, arm-around-a-stranger, chorus-bellowing nights that Leeds does better than almost anywhere. Liam Fray and the band have spent two decades crafting anthems that feel deeply personal and gloriously communal all at once, and in an arena setting those songs take on an almost spiritual weight. Doors open at 6:00pm — check the website for ticket availability and pricing before it is too late.

Yard Act | O2 Academy Leeds — Sharp-tongued, post-punk provocateurs Yard Act bring their wiry, bass-driven grooves and razor-wit lyrics to the O2 Academy at 7:00pm, and if you have not yet seen them tear apart a room in the flesh, tonight is the night to fix that. Frontman James Smith has the energy of a man with something urgent to say, and the band locks in behind him with a tightness that makes everything feel urgent and alive. Check the website for tickets, and expect to leave with a slightly different view of the world.

White Sugar Machine / Slipped Disco / Death Rituals / Dorodango — Four acts, one beautifully chaotic bill, and a tenner on the door — the Lending Room does what it does best tonight by cramming some of Leeds and beyond's most interesting underground acts onto one stage from 7:00pm. Whether you are drawn in by noise, post-punk, or something harder to classify, this kind of multi-act grassroots night is where future favourites are quietly born. Grab your £10 ticket and get there early enough to catch the full thing.

Ferocious Dog — Ferocious Dog at Brudenell Social Club is exactly the kind of Friday night that turns into a story you tell for years — Celtic-punk fury, folk-rooted heart, and a crowd that sings every word back at full volume from the first bar. The band from Nottinghamshire have built one of the most fiercely loyal followings on the alternative circuit, and their passion for social justice bleeds into every song in a way that feels urgent rather than preachy. Doors open at 7:30pm — check the website for tickets and do not sleep on this one.

Jason Byrne: 30 Years Byrning — The irrepressible Jason Byrne celebrates three decades of chaotic, high-octane stand-up at the gorgeous City Varieties Music Hall from 7:30pm, and if you have ever seen him perform you will already be reaching for your coat. He is a hurricane of physical comedy and audience interaction, the kind of comedian who makes the whole room feel like they are in on something together. Check the website for tickets — this one is a genuine treat for anyone who needs a belly laugh to round out the week.

Acid Ballroom presents: Paranoid London — When Beaver Works opens its doors at 10:00pm for Acid Ballroom, the night is really just getting started for those who want to dance until the small hours beneath a proper sound system. Paranoid London are genuine heavyweights of the UK electronic underground, known for raw, uncompromising acid house and techno that strips everything back to its most essential, hypnotic core. At just £10, this is one of the best value late nights in the city — follow the bass and you will find exactly where you need to be.