The best concerts coming to Leeds this weekend - including Badly Drawn Boy, D:Ream, Spear of Destiny

If you’ve looked at the city’s gig listings for the next few days and thought things seem a little lighter than usual, you’re not alone.

But, perhaps for good reason.

With the summer festival season looming large, the touring circuit has taken a brief breather - but that doesn't mean your weekend has to be a quiet one.

In fact, if you have a soft spot for brilliant songwriting, classic post-punk, or pure 90s pop nostalgia, Leeds is serving up a trio of absolute heavyweights this weekend.

From Mercury Prize winners to boyband royalty, here are our top picks for the weekend and the best of the rest.

This weekend’s gig highlights

Badly Drawn Boy (Sunday - The Old Woollen, Farsley)

Over in Farsley, The Old Woollen is hosting a true icon of British indie music.

Damon Gough - better known as Badly Drawn Boy - is marking over 25 years of a career defined by beautifully eccentric melodies and cinematic folk-pop. The genius behind the Mercury Prize-winning The Hour of Bewilderbeast and the beloved About a Boy soundtrack, Gough's live shows are a masterful mix of sublime music, raw honesty, and hilariously candid banter.

Witnessing his genius inside the stunning, repurposed industrial space of The Old Woollen is a guaranteed weekend highlight.

D:Ream and Tony Mortimer (Friday - Brudenell Social Club)

If you fancy swapping a quiet Friday night for pure, unadulterated 90s euphoria, the Brudenell is the only place to be tonight.

The legendary hitmakers D:Ream are bringing their anthemic, feel-good dance-pop back to the live stage. Famous for the decade-defining smash 'Things Can Only Get Better', they are guaranteed to bring a massive, high-energy atmosphere to the venue. Adding absolute gold dust to the lineup, East 17 mastermind Tony Mortimer is taking over the decks for a special guest DJ set.

It’s an incredible, full-throttle celebration of 90s pop and dance culture in an intimate grassroots setting.

Spear of Destiny (Sunday - Brudenell Social Club)

The Brudenell double-dips on nostalgia this weekend as Kirk Brandon brings the iconic Spear of Destiny on Sunday.

Rising from the ashes of Theatre of Hate, the band has spent over four decades delivering an unyielding, anthemic blend of post-punk, alt-rock, and power-pop. Famous for their blistering live energy and enduring tracks like Never Take Me Alive, they remain one of the most dedicated touring acts from the original post-punk vanguard.

It’s the perfect antidote to a lazy Sunday evening.

Leeds weekend gig guide: May 29 - 31

Friday

• D:Ream + Tony Mortimer (DJ Set) - Brudenell Social Club
• Rainbow Kitten Surprise / Cigarettes @ Sunset - O2 Academy Leeds
• Open Mike Eagle - Belgrave Music Hall
• North - Hyde Park Book Club
• Car Culture / Kirk Barley - Headrow House

Saturday

• Country Club (Indoor Country Music Festival 2026) - O2 Academy Leeds
• Danny Bond - The Space
• Omar - Old Woollen
• ADMT - The Wardrobe
• Weatherday / Committee of Sleep - Belgrave Music Hall
• Banco de Gaia - Howard Assembly Room
• Bathing Suits / Turnspit - Mabgate Bleach
• Flesh Planet / Weedipus - The Key Club
• The Wind-Up Birds / Divorce Finance / Imaginary Husband - Grindhouse
• Django Durrant / Fig By Four / Meriel Paget - The Attic Leeds
• Waiting For Wednesday - Seven Arts (Chapel Allerton)
• One Dimensional Creatures / Scorched Lungs - Northern Guitars
• Eszter Vida / April Tapes - The Chemic Tavern
• Indek - The Primrose
• Paul Thorne / Barry Dodds - The HiFi Club

Sunday

• Badly Drawn Boy - The Old Woollen (Farsley)
• Spear of Destiny - Brudenell Social Club
• Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox - Grand Theatre
• The Virginmarys / Idestroy - Hyde Park Book Club
• Marnie Glum - Shadow Brewing (Otley)

All information provided is correct as of the time of writing.

Please refer to any social media channels for the venues in question in the event of any 11th-hour changes or cancellations.