Albums Of The Year 2025: 80 To 61

Spotify Wrapped has revealed that Taylor Swift was the most streamed artist in the UK of 2025, while internationally that crown went to Bad Bunny. However, there is no denying that those K Pop Demon Hunters - HUNTR/X became the surprise global phenomenon of the year, while Chappell Roan managed to build on her success of the previous year, but failed to deliver a new studio album.

Ibiza Classics - Pete Tong And The Heritage Orchestra, Leeds First Direct Arena

In the early nineties, when house music was imploding, DJ Pete Tong’s early Friday night radio show on Radio 1 became essential listening; for any dance act, getting a track played on his show was a golden ticket to success.

Remembering Chris Rea

The sad news that Chris Rea has passed away comes three days before Christmas, when his song, Driving Home for Christmas, remains one of the most played songs on radio at this festive time of year. Rea composed the song several years prior to its release.

Slade - Say Their Goodbyes One Last Time In Manchester

Back in 1974, when the country was under the effect of the electrical blackouts with the three-day week imposed due to an industrial dispute with the miners, over on Top of the Pops on BBC1, Noddy Holder and the rest of Slade were igniting the nation with their brand of commercial pop – that is, if you had electricity in the first place to watch the programme.

Dinsdale's Scrooge Shines In Genre-Confused Christmas Carol

This year's seasonal production at Leeds Playhouse, A Christmas Carol, occasionally appears to have lost its direction. The production struggles to navigate its rather confused genre.

Strictly Come Dancing Pros Head To Bradford

Fan-favourite professional dancers from Strictly Come Dancing will light up Bradford Live on Tuesday 12 May 2026, bringing their hit live show to the city as part of their nationwide tour. The latest Strictly The Professionals tour is bigger, bolder, and more breathtaking than ever.

When businesses support the arts the benefits are huge

A few weeks back at this year’s Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival, Lyse Doucet was the special guest at a packed literary l unch. The BBC’s renowned chief international correspondent captivated the audience as she shared reflections on her extraordinary career as a journalist and some of the stories behind her latest book, The Finest Hotel in Kabul.

Beauty And The Beast - Victoria Theatre, Halifax

If you want to see a pantomime this year that is funny, spectacular, and colourful, then the Victoria Theatre in Halifax is the place to go over the next few weeks. Whilst this particular panto may not have some of the big star names of others in the region, what it lacks in star quality is compensated for with a cast who are energetic, enthusiastic and entertaining.

The Trevor Horn Band Relax In Manchester

Before the Trevor Horn Band arrived at the Ritz ballroom in Manchester came the announcement, “Welcome to the stage the man who invented the 80s, Mr Trevor Horn.” Whilst the statement might have appeared somewhat boastful, there was an element of truth in the greeting.

Northern Ballet's Nutcracker: Tradition Meets Modern Reinvention

For many, The Nutcracker is as much a part of Christmas tradition as mulled wine, mince pies and decorating the tree. Being lucky enough to grow up with an annual family trip to the ballet, for me, the Christmas season doesn’t really begin until we take our seats in the auditorium.

Bradford UK City Of Culture 2025 Comes To An End

Bradford marks the end of its year as a UK City of Culture this weekend with a spectacular closing event that will feature hundreds of locals. It is the last in a series of events that has showcased the rich history and dynamic contemporary culture of Bradford, with early estimates showing audiences in excess of 3 million.

Classical Music: Mahler Symphony No. 7

This is a glorious, fresh account of Mahler's Symphony No. 7 in E minor with Gianandrea Noseda and the National Symphony Orchestra. Recorded live, the work known unofficially as the Song of the Night journeys through contrasting worlds – night and day, darkness and light, melancholy and exuberance – blending poetic dreamscapes with irony, humour and Rabelaisian verve.

In Conversation - D:Ream

D:Ream’s Things Can Only Get Better was one of the biggest hits of the ‘90s, the dance anthem becoming a cultural phenomenon after spending four weeks at #1 and then earning a BRIT Award nomination for best single. Their success continued, with two further Top 10 hits and multiple others reaching the Top 40 as their first two albums both peaked at #5.

Classical Music: Sol Gabetta - Lise Cristiani

This is a fascinating release exploring the music of Lise Cristiani, timed to coincide with the 200th anniversary of her birth this month. There is so much to enjoy, and Sol Gabetta's tribute to a musical trailblazer of great historic significance shines through with conviction in her playing.

Free Festive Organ Recital And Candlelit Carols Launch Christmas Week At Newcastle Cathedral

This Monday, 22 December, Newcastle’s Church of England cathedral continues its countdown to the joy of Christmas with a free afternoon organ recital and, at 7:30pm, the choir’s second evening of Candlelit Carols. As the UK's only cathedral dedicated to St Nicholas, the patron saint of children, Newcastle Cathedral offers a unique and magical setting for all ages through its Christmas music.

Kendal Calling Announces 2026 Line-Up

Kendal Calling has announced its 2026 line-up with mainstage headliners Two Door Cinema Club, Biffy Clyro, Wolf Alice and The Kooks leading a bill of musical legends and rising stars alike.

Leeds Heritage Theatres Announces Dame Dr Linda Pollard As New Chair Of The Board

Leeds Heritage Theatres (LHT) has announced the appointment of Dame Dr Linda Pollard DBE DL Hon LLD as its next Chair of the Board of Trustees, following a comprehensive recruitment and interview process. Dame Linda will formally take up the position in May 2026, succeeding Alan Gay OBE, who concludes his final term as Chair at that time.

Beauty And The Beast, The Grand Theatre, Blackpool

Not having a big star billing in a panto need not necessarily detract from the enjoyment and running of the show.

Anything Goes

On a cold December night in York, climbing aboard the S.S. American to see Pick Me Up Theatre’s all-singing, all-dancing Christmas production of Anything Goes felt like entering a cocoon of comfort and joy.

Madness Squeeze Out The Hits In Leeds.

Experiencing Squeeze as a support act is not generally the normal way to see the band; the group had a succession of chart hits during the late seventies and early eighties and continues to record and tour, with a new album coming out in 2026. The idea of them supporting Madness on their current tour is an unusual one.

Wool City Rockers – No Pulling The Wool Over The Eyes As Bradford Live Holds Its First Rock Concert

Up to now Bradford Live has been home to family-based entertainment, the odd pop event or comedy show, but never a rock music concert – until now.

Ex-Gladiator Joins Cast Of New British Comedy Focused On Menopause

I hate the thought of women missing out on the benefits of exercise because of menopause symptoms. Actor and ex-Gladiator Wayne Gordon is joining the cast of a new British comedy which sheds light on the challenges of the menopause.

The Wombats Illuminate In Blackpool

Anyone wandering into the Empress Ballroom in Blackpool might have been forgiven for thinking they were witnessing the headline act, not the support group, when The Snuts took the stage. The four-piece Glaswegian outfit have some cracking songs in their armoury; despite lead singer Jack Cochrane having a bout of the flu, the band still gave a towering performance.

Pass The Spoon: A Deliciously Daft Operatic Recipe For Festive Mayhem

If there's a theatrical tonic for the winter blues, it's Pass the Spoon at the Howard Assembly Room, Leeds. This isn't merely a show – it's a gloriously unhinged prescription for seasonal levity that demands immediate attention. Miss it at your peril.

Classical Music: Shostakovich: Symphony No 13 'Babi Yar'

The climaxes are electrifying, yet it's in the mesmeric, intense conclusion that the performance truly shines, illuminating the work's philosophical depths. Superbly recorded throughout, this is an impressive addition to what promises to be a landmark cycle

Classical Music: Violin Café Nicola Benedetti

The virtuosic moments dazzle: Sarasate's Carmen Fantasy brims with technical brilliance and rhythmic energy, with wonderful dynamics in the Lento assai. Superbly accompanied by accordion, Benedetti pulls the listener into the recording with a warm violin tone and delicious phrasing. The richness of Carroll's cello adds much to the textures, whereas the excitement of the denouement showcases her technical agility.

Classical Music: Louis Lortie Plays Chopin, Vol. 8

Single-handedly responsible for establishing the popularity of the mazurka, Chopin wrote almost sixty of these works during his lifetime. The two sets presented here date from 1842 (Op. 50) and 1844 (Op. 56), composed while the composer was at the height of his powers and his popularity in the salons of Paris. Lortie performs them with lovely dynamic nuance and superb control, his technical skill deployed with characteristic elegance.

Earth, Fire: Notes On Burials By Jayant Kashyap

The etymology of words plays much more than a passing role in Jayant Kashyap’s award-winning new collection for Poetry Business: his journey into the katabatic underworld of ritual and cultural observance is illuminated, at every turn, by recourse to the guideposts of language.

Stick Man Setting Down Roots Amongst The Young

Part of Leeds Playhouses festive offering sees the return of Stick Man, Julia Donaldson’s classic children’s tale brought to the stage by Freckle Productions.

Cinderella Full Of Festive Fun

We were drawn into the joy of this year’s Grand Opera House panto, Cinderella, by a fizzing Fairy Godmother (played with great enthusiasm by Lisa George) setting the scene with her prologue in rhyme and clearly having a good time connecting with the audience. Hot on her heels was cheery chappie Buttons.

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