Lily Allen, The Darkness and Dermot Kennedy announced for Leeds first direct bank arena performances in 2026
A plethora of major names have been announced for the first direct bank arena in Leeds for 2026.
Global star Lily Allen, rockers The Darkness and Irish singer songwriter Dermot Kennedy have been confirmed to perform at the arena.
Allen, whose latest album ‘West End Girl’ has been one of the most hotly discussed records of the year, will perform on June 21 while Kennedy will perform on June 6. The Darkness fans will have to wait another year to catch their heroes as they stop by on December 9.
Lily Allen
Pop sensation Lily Allen has announced the Leeds date as part of what is shaping up to be the biggest live chapter of her career.
Her highly acclaimed album West End Girl has become a global phenomenon with over 150 million streams since being released on October 24, with many captivated by the candid way she addresses her break-up from actor David Harbour on the record.
The news follows overwhelming public demand for her instantly sold-out theatre shows in March 2026, prompting Allen to expand her schedule with an outstanding run of UK and Ireland arena dates. These newly announced performances mark a significant milestone, officially becoming the largest headline tour Lily Allen has ever undertaken.
Her tour, titled Lily Allen Performs West End Girl, will feature the star performing her brand-new album in full, track by track, as it appears on the record.
Lily Allen tickets at first direct bank arena are available on general sale on Thursday, November 27 at 10am and are available through the first direct bank arena website
Three mobile users get exclusive early access to presale tickets on Tuesday November 25 through their mobile platform.
Dermot Kennedy
Multi-platinum singer/songwriter Dermot Kennedy has announced his largest headline tour to date for May and June 2026 with a date confirmed for the first direct bank arena on June 2.
The shows will feature favourites spanning Dermot’s discography, along with new material to be released in 2026, that display the emotional intensity, poetic lyricism, and raw vocal power that have made him such a compelling performer.
Supporting Dermot will be rising folk duo Amble, whose heartfelt harmonies and rich acoustic sound have been winning over audiences nationwide. Their inclusion promises an unforgettable evening of authentic, soul-stirring music from start to finish.
The first direct bank arena—renowned for its immersive sound and fan-focused design—should be a great setting for Dermot Kennedy’s return to the UK stage.
Dermot Kennedy tickets are available on general sale on Friday, November 28 at 10am and will be available through the first direct bank arena website.
Three mobile users get exclusive early access to presale tickets on Wednesday, November 26, via their mobile platform.
The Darkness
The Darkness will be bringing their biggest headline tour in two decades to Leeds in December 2026.
As part of their seven-date winter tour, the multi-award-winning rock heroes will deliver their trademark riffs, operatic vocals and electric stage presence to Yorkshire fans eager for a night of arena-sized energy.
Supporting The Darkness across all dates are GRAMMY-winning, multi-platinum American country-rock icons Brothers Osborne, along with British alt-rock favourites A, whose multi-million streamed tracks have earned them a loyal following.
Frontman of The Darkness, Justin Hawkins, describes the tour as the perfect meeting of “powerful rock” and “huge rectangular buildings”—a tongue-in-cheek nod to the band’s love of arena-ready anthems and larger-than-life performances.
The announcement arrives fresh off the success of their eighth studio album, Dreams On Toast, which reached No. 2 on the UK Official Albums Chart earlier this year—their strongest performance since their the immense success of their debut Permission To Land.
The Darkness tickets at first direct bank arena are available on general sale on Friday, November 28 at 10am and will be available through the first direct bank arena website.
Three mobile users get exclusive early access to presale tickets on Wednesday November 26 via their mobile platform. For venue presale, sign up to the arena newsletter for early access to tickets from Thurs November 27 at 10am.