I paid £34 for this seat. A disgrace. Although I knew it was a restricted ticket view, I did expect…read moreto see more of the stage. I got crossed eyed being so close to this wide pillar. Just money grabbing . Should not have been sold. Not worth £5. Lost all respect for this theatre. Was with my grandkids whose views were not much better. I felt so embarrassed. 4 X £34 was a costly mistake. A theme park next time.

I love the theatre, I love the 3Dness of it all, I love the action, I love watching the expressions…read moreform naturally from that in the moment feeling the actors present to their parts. I've seen a few shows at the Leeds Grand, musicals, pantos, and the serious dramatic theatre pieces. Acoustic wise, the Grand is fabulous, and it doesn't seem to have suffered from the renovations, I am rather sick of renovations sucking the soul out of a place, but this one has only enhanced the beauty of the Grand. It's the Grand, so as a large and traditional and acoustically sound theatre, it's bound to pull in the big players on the regional tours, be they Jane McDonald, Calendar Girls, Romeo and Juliet or Ken Dodd. Kids, big kids, grown ups, low brow, high brow, the classics and the contemporary, they can all be found here at the Grand at some point throughout the year, that is a given. And as far as shows and performances go, the Grand is worthy competition for plenty of theatres in the surrounding area, although the same ruddy issue of friggin leg room always comes up. The other thing I do love about the Grand is the open access events that appeal to hardcore theatre gooers and it's education friendly attractions, the theatre is also home to backstage tours and talks and even workshops should the opportunity arise. When the company allows it, there are opportunities for small groups to meet and greet with the cast of the show in question, to discuss the show and the actor's experiences, which I think is a lovely touch.

Every Thursday performing to an increasingly hard-to-please audience more intent on drinking games…read morethan a comedy club there are sometimes very gifted performs and sometime less so, as you would expect for a night out. It is a little break to the norm if you fancy a drink with a bit of a difference but the actual venue/clientele may be off putting as it is very student orientated.

Went last week and was blown away by the high level of all three comedians - even the compere was…read morehilarious. Unlike the clubs in the city centre everything seems a lot more polite and much less aggressive. No Hens or Stags or other big boozy groups meant that me and my friends felt very safe and I can't remember a night where I've laughed so much, Think this will become a regular one for us.

Leeds Burlesque is taught in The Subculture club by Miss Bella Besame. It was created two years ago…read moreby Leeds Burlesque performer, Cecilia Rouge, when she felt the people of Leeds had nowhere local to go to learn how to perform Burlesque. Starting with a one off £30 fee then £12.50 for each class after (a block of around 9) it may seem a little pricey. However, I don't think you can put a price on the confidence you feel after your performances in front of your group! Bella is an amazing teacher with a laugh dirtier than an ashtray. She instantly makes you feel at ease as she teaches you the basic moves to burlesque and helps you make up a routine. Try this out if you want a confidence boost or just a good giggle with a few like minded ladies. For class information, just email: info@leedsburlesque.co.uk

I completed this course of Burlesque classes a couple of years ago. I can honestly say it's one of…read morethe best things I have ever done. Bella is amazing and you come out of class feeling confident and fabulous. I thoroughly recommend it to all ladies whatever your age, shape or size. You'll LOVE it!!!

Liked the layout and the Courtyard Theatre I saw my play in was great.read more

The West Yorkshire Playhouse is a multi venue hot spot for the creative arts, situated, quite…read moreproudly in good ole Leeds. Coming up for its 20th year anniversary, the WYP has plenty to be proud about; two theatres, The Quarry and The Courtyard, a gallery, a workshop venue, a bar, a restaurant, and a costume hire department. Wow. Impressive or what. It really is a nice modern space inside, and the minute you approach the doors you are greeted by very welcoming staff that don't do the saccharine over the top type greetings, but more inform you of what is happening, what's open and if you're interested what's going on right now and what's to come. Sitting in stark comparison to the Leeds Grand, the West Yorkshire Playhouse is a lovely alternative to the traditional theatre venues without being so anti-tradition that the concept and enjoyment of the theatre is ruined. Technical wise it's a good sound venue, acoustics are grand, viewing is good, legroom isn't as snug as some venues are, which is always a plus point. Also, for all of you budding theatre goers under the age of 26, West Yorkshire Playhouse is a part of the A Night Less Ordinary scheme, whereby companies who are signed up offer free tickets on select shows for free. How awesome.

I've been to Sela a couple of times now (both with Leeds-based colleagues on a night out) and it…read morehasn't let us down as a great place to finish off an evening in the city. The fact that it's down a flight of stairs from street level really helps to emphasise the 'intimate' atmosphere - there are no windows so your senses are focused on the sounds of live music instead. On my first visit there was a reggae band playing, the second time it was a jazz-influenced band. We really liked the down-to-earth vibe in here; they don't take themselves too seriously which is always refreshing. The bar offerings are also pretty impressive, they have literally dozens of beers from the UK and abroad (draught, cans and bottles). For non-beer lovers they have an ever-changing cocktail menu (expect to pay £6.50-£7). They also offer stone-baked pizzas, it's just a shame that by the time we've gone there we're already full from eating elsewhere!

Handily placed alongside one of the city's top bars; North Bar - Sela tends to always seem to find…read moreitself amidst a list of my regulars on a night on the city's finer tiles. It's just so handy to walk out of North Bar, fresh from an organic cider, to find myself tottering down the steps into Sela and ordering a Modelo. Thank you barman. A cool fresh funky bar, I don't know why it doesn't feature among my own personal favourites. Perhaps it's that, while it's a nice little bar, there's simply nothing to distinguish it from a lot of other trendy city centre nightspots. For me, it's lacking a bit of character and charisma. They do do a nice pizza though.

From the brain-boxes of the Arts Council England, in association with Metro (that newspaper we can…read moreget in the mornings when using public transport) comes a brilliant idea that greatly frustrates me as I am JUST too old...young people have everything, drinks offers, money off clothes and now free theatre tickets. Apparently once you are over 26 you're meant to be on this career path thing, earning loads money and all that. End rant. Anyway at selected theatre and on selected shows you can get free tickets, and they are not necessarily bad ones. Friends of mine exploited this offer and watched Peter Pan before Christmas. They were blown away, good seats, an amazing performance and something they wouldn't have considered without this offer.

Seven is an independent arts space. That's how it sells itself, but to do that almost sells itself…read moreshort. Named after it's LS7 postcode, Seven really does do the Chapel Allerton area proud. A relatively new venture in the way of artistic spaces and venues, but it is pretty damn good. It's constantly gaining momentum, and currently there are projects going a ahead for budding film makers, artists, musicians and creative types. Seven relies on funding and sponsorship, which is good news for the local business who wish to hire out rooms for conferences and business meetings, as all money generated from the room hires goes back in to funding more arts projects. Seven also has it's own bar, Bar Seven, which is a cool place to spend before a show, or just to go in and have a drink with some friends, as it's open from mid morning til midnight. Oh yes, the events, there are many to choose from, acoustic nights, plays, comedy nights, art exhibitions, workshops and being super festive there's a Valentine's night this Sunday, with a Buenos Aires, film set, dinner and dance spectacle vibe, with tickets at £20 a head. Housing about 100 in capacity, Seven offers an intimate setting which can be a welcome change from bigger venues, especially for plays and acoustic performances. And there's the added satisfaction that your money is going back into the production of more fabulous art events.

Just been to the monthly 'Killfor a seat' Comedy at & arts…read more always a good show,,, top of the range comedy in Leeds. The Host and Compere 'Silky' aways makes it feel like the show is just for you, Picks the best of touring comedy, and new acts,,, occasionally runs over, so if you're on the bus,, make sure you have the taxi fare home. If you go there you know you'll get quality comedy, not for the faint hearted. And of course 7 Arts is a cracking venue with good beer. so what's not to like.

The O2 Academy, previously the Carling Academy, and even more previously the awful club Creation,…read moreis a welcome addition to a city lacking a music arena. While the 15000 seater Leeds arena is being constructed, the academy has played host to the biggest music acts to come to the city in recent years - the autumn 2009 line-up for example, includes David Guetta, Massive Attack, and The Cribs, revealing the wide range of genres attracted to playing here. It's a good, if tiny, venue for acts of such magnitude, as two and a half thousand sweaty revellers are packed into very little space ensuring a proper gig-style atmosphere. Less impressive however, are the Academy's standard nights, such as Pet Sounds on a Saturday. While drinks are cheap and the music is good if you're into indie, the set-up of the venue just doesn't really work as a nightclub. One huge room with a sticky stained carpet means that it feels more like a high school disco than anything else. This is an aspect of the Academy that you fail to notice when you're watching a band play, but something that becomes hugely evident when there's nothing but booze and a DJ to occupy you.

As you would expect from a music venue really, a little walk out of the main centre (up hill from…read morethe train station, so prepare to be out of breath if you're running late!), expensive bar as per (drink before and after, I vote after party on call lane, or 52% frankly), better value, nicer drinks. Sticky floor as per, toilets you'd rather avoid, as per, but the stage is great, the sound is always pretty good. One thing I wasn't very happy about on my most recent trip there (my fellow gig goer even more than me), I know security is very important, but to make me chuck away things I needed for medical reasons, not even just a case of shoving them in the coat check area until later, was a bit of a gripe. It's never amazingly organised, and it is a bit of a pest to find your way around, but that's all sort of the gig experience that hasn't changed since I was a teen metal head!

What a terrific venue Belgrave is - I'm jealous that Leeds has them and Manchester lacks one like…read morethem! The three storey building is used for events such as gigs, comedy nights, film showings and art installations, but at the weekend it was all about the food at their 'Belgrave Feast'. Every second Saturday of the month a small selection of the north's street food vendors set up here alongside permanent residents Patty Smith's (burgers) and Dough Boys (pizza). There's a full bar serving some very decent cask ales, craft beers and cocktails, and seating on all levels (though the ground floor gets very busy from noon onwards). You're able to explore each floor including their roof terrace which will no doubt be extremely popular when the weather's good - they also had a small arts and crafts market on the first floor when we were there. Free entry and free wifi to boot - the owner-operators certainly know how to run somewhere that seemingly ticks all the boxes. A great afternoon was had and I can't wait to go back.

As I wandered through the swathes of party goers on Saturday night, I felt heady on the vibes. Some…read morecool off-kilter electronica sounded out from the DJ, and I felt distinctly Gen Y - the lead in a scene from my own rave movie, or something. It's a place to be seen and scene. Perhaps I'm being overly poetic, I do that sometimes. This grand experience is Leeds' latest live music venue, and it's been a long time coming. Having opened briefly under the guise of simply 'The Belgrave', it was short-lived and you could tell there was potential in the space. Now, it's fully opened and raring to go, with so much going on. The first thing that greets you as you ascend the stairs are the bright neon signs, proclaiming the 'slice bar' (Doughboys Pizza) and the now-infamous roof terrace. There's two areas of seating right in front of the large windows at the entrance, for the cool kids to show off, and great long beer hall style tables in the main ground floor room. It's rustic, it's got the too-cool-to-be-finished unfinished feel, and you'll spot more intriguing facial hair here than at the World Beard And Moustache Championships. Probably. The menu of drinks offers up what I've come to expect from most new and hip venues in Leeds: a selection of craft beers and cocktails, all at a premium price, but (depending on your opinion) worth the spend for a decent drink. The staff have often been stressed and busy on my visits, but not unfriendly. They seem a solid bunch. Further to the excellent pizza, freshly made on sight, you've your choice of fish and chips from the fantastic Fish& as well - although I'm not sure about the hours they're open. On the first floor is where the music happens, and for that, you'll have to wait until I've gone to see Múm on the 21st for some thoughts. (Or go to a gig yourself!) I've heard it's a fantastic space, though, so I expect good things. The roof terrace is something of a marvel though. This is a fairly unheard of concept in Leeds, with only Sky Lounge, Angelica, and Crafthouse offering such delights elsewhere. (As far as I know.) However, this one has to be the coolest of the lot. It's got a distinctly festival vibe, and if I'm right in thinking the chaps that bring you Beacons fest are involved here, you'll see exactly why when you climb to the top - faux grass lawns, drinking sheds, deck chairs, and chimneys that seem to amplify the live music from the floor below. Now that's frackin' cool. But can you get a chilled beverage without having to go all the way back downstairs? Yes you can, from the Brooklyn Lager shed. It's pricey, but it's worth not having to go down and back up. So, the conclusion: It's absolutely worth heading over and checking out. It's so damned cool. Even in this wintry weather, grabbing a can and reclining almost horizontally in the deck chairs, whilst looking over Leeds, has a charm of its own.

They host some really cracking events, it's worth noting that it isn't just music- I've seen some…read morereally quality cabaret here. The drinks are decent, full bar and reasonable prices too- it's worth checking out what they have on.

We came here for a friend's birthday last night and although I knew where it was, I'd never been…read morebefore. It reminds me a bit of Bradford's Love Apple in its set-up, in that it's a bar, restaurant, music venue and club all rolled into one. Our table was set up in a bit of an awkward place, along the side of the bar, beside the small booths, which meant that initially we got a great view of the stage (and the music provided by the Jen Low Band - very Dave Matthews they were), but from about 9pm people kept eyeing us up because clearly we were in their way, and so they simply stood in front of us, banged into our seats to get to the bar, and generally made us feel a bit like we were imposing. Hot Steve and I had already had a massive lunch so we passed on the starters, but did have a small bowl of olives for £2. For my main I had courgettes stuffed with ratatouille and Ribblesdale cheese for £10, and Steve had the sea bream with fries (£13.50). A bit pricier than I'd usually pay, particularly given the conservative portions, but then it did mean that we had room for puddings Mine was the prettiest pudding I've ever eaten (pistachio meringue with chantilly cream and strawberries - £4), and Steve's rubarb crumble and custard was very tasty too - also £4. So without drinks it was just over £30, and we got to listen to live music. We headed downstairs for the free Chichino gig (I had never heard of them, as I am not down with the kids, but it was a lady in leopard print leggings and a sweatband playing the funk out of a keyboard with a backing band - 'live house' apparently), but only stayed for one drink as it was a bit busy and we were full of food and also it was all a bit too surreal for almost-sober people like us. I'd like to come back - it's a nice place for a relaxed, long evening over a tasty meal and a bottle of wine, and less so much for a big party of people I think.