Live music is woven into the heart of the cultural fabric of Leeds with venues of all sizes to be found in the city.
From intimate jazz clubs to thousand seater stadiums, there’s plenty for music fans to enjoy with Leeds being a regular touring stop for bands. It’s also a hub for emerging talent with numerous inspiring artists to come out of the city, including 2024 Mercury Prize winners, English Teacher.
With SAE launching its courses in a new Leeds campus in September 2025, we’ve compiled our guide to some of the best venues to watch live music.
Check out our essential list below – and if you’d like to find out more or join a course at our new campus, contact our team now.
Brudenell Social Club
For over 100 years, the Brudenell Social Club has been a stalwart of the live music scene in Leeds.
The space has different sized rooms for bands to perform with gigs taking place almost every night of the week. Recent shows have come from Warmduscher, Gurrier and Beak> while the likes of Wet Leg, Sam Fender and even Tom Jones have graced its stage.
Alongside music, various creative groups gather, local ales are poured and live sports are often shown, making this an important community space for everyone in the area and beyond.
Find out more | (Photo credit – Yorkshire Post)
The Key Club
Since 2014, the Key Club has been a live venue offering a valuable platform for alternative bands. It is run by the team behind the Slam Dunk Festival and alongside live acts, runs club nights across the week, showcasing the latest punk, rock and indie guitar sounds.
Established acts including Don Broco, Beartooth, You Me At Six, Cancer Bats, Idles, The Xcerts, The Wonder Years, While She Sleeps, Frank Iero & The Future Violents, and Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes have all performed.
The promoters often have slots for local bands across its shows in Leeds and beyond. If you make your own music and perform live then fill out the form below:
Apply to play at the Key Club | (Photo credit – The Key Club Facebook)
The Hyde Park Book Club
After opening in 2016 in what was a disused petrol station and fancy-dress shop, the Hyde Park Book Club has become a popular multi-purpose music and arts venue.
The team behind the venture share a passion for books, plants, great food and drink alongside live music that sees the space house two venues – they cater for 150-capacity and 45-capacity gigs.
The space also includes a record label with acts including Vipertime, Lara Jones and Skwid Ink while live events have recently seen an eclectic mix of artists performing, including Gurriers and the Zangwills.
The HiFi Club
The HiFi Club originally opened in 2000 after the closure of the much loved Leeds venue, The Underground.
Ed Mason, John Morelli and Steven Allison were the promoters who found the basement space where the HiFi Club now lives. The venue is currently home to a wide array of DJ, live bands and other entertainment offerings.
Local hero Nightmares on Wax, Peanut Butter Wolf, Onra, SBTRKT, Horse Meat Disco, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, and Andrew Ashong are all among the names to have played.
Find out more | (Photo credit – The HiFi Club/Justin Gardner)
First Direct Arena
The arena has played host to some incredible artists since opening in September 2013 with Sir Elton John the first performer.
Since then, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Bublé, Gary Barlow, Prince, Miley Cyrus have all graced the stage with recent highlights including Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.
According to First Direct, it was the first such UK arena to have a fan-shaped orientation. This means fans and performers can both enjoy a more intimate atmosphere with reduced viewing distances inside the 13,000 capacity venue.
Find out more | (Photo credit – Populous)
The Domino Club
The Domino Club has been located in the Grand Arcade in 2017 and has been operating as a speakeasy with live jazz, blues, funk and soul acts all performing.
Supposedly, it is the most active music venue in the city with up 40 acts per month and bands from as far afield as New Orleans and New York taking to the stage.
Since opening the venue has also been able to invest over £1 million directly to hundreds of musicians, according to reports. If you’re looking for great live performances in a special setting, then this venue is a must.
Find out more | (Photo credit – The Domino Club Facebook)
Belgrave Music Hall
Originally opened as a three-storey recreation hall and nursery school in the 1930s, the Belgrave Music Hall has been in situ for more than a decade in its current guise, offering an array of cultural delights for visitors.
The venue is now spread over three floors and features two bars, two kitchens, a 200 capacity event space and spectacular roof terrace.
Live music, comedy, film and art exhibitions are all part of the programming while the likes of Jungle, Loyle Carner and Jorja Smith are among the artists to have played.
The City Varieties Music Hall
The City Varieties Music Hall is a Leeds venue steeped in history and heritage. Initially opened as a room above a pub in the 19th century, it is regarded as the oldest working theatre in Leeds and holds the Guinness World Record as the UK’s longest running music hall.
The legendary escape artist Harry Houdini reportedly took his act to the stage in 1902, and was given the challenge of escaping from an empty barrel of Tetleys beer which he supposedly failed to do.
The venue enjoyed a refurbishment in 2009 and is still going strong with a rich range of acts performing – recent shows include performances from the Motown Gospel Choir and comedian Grace Campbell.
Find out more | (Photo credit – Leeds Heritage Theatres)
Oporto
Oporto is a fantastic late night drinking spot to be found near the Corn Exchange in Leeds that also happens to host live music.
The focus is on great beers, cocktails and a special ambience although the 120 capacity venue is also popular with many students due to its late finish and eclectic musical policy.
Past guests have included Phoebe Green, Fox Palmer and Kytes while local promoters and indie label Dead Young Records are responsible for much of the event programming.
The Refectory
The Refectory is a venue based at the University of Leeds and has seen many of the great and the good from the world of pop and guitar music perform over the years.
Since the sixties, the likes of Elton John, Bob Marley and the Rolling Stones have been among the long list of artists to take on the 2,100 capacity venue.
Perhaps most famously, the Refectory was where British rockers The Who recorded their live album Live at Leeds in 1970, a release that has become the benchmark for how live rock recordings should sound.
The venue continues to host touring bands, with Franz Ferdinand and local heroes the Kaiser Chiefs among those to play.
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