My favourite music venue in Leeds. Need I say more? As a hopefully esteemed Yelp scout, I guess I…read moreshould. The Brudenell is a small, intimate venue that has played host to some of the city, county and country's greatest bands. It was where Leeds favourites The Cribs chose to host Cribsmas, a special three-gig event where they played each of their albums in full with b-sides forming the encore. The support acts - Kaiser Chiefs, Franz Ferdinand and Kate Nash - sum up the attraction and character that the Headingley venue boasts. A number of bands - including the Kaisers - have lent their support to the Brudenell, which very nearly closed a few years ago. Thankfully it didn't and it remains one of the most charismatic concert halls that Leeds has to offer, hosting breaking acts including the likes of Girls (go listen) and Johnny Flynn (same again) in the next couple of months. For full listings, go to brudenellsocialclub.co.uk. In the meantime, just pop in for a pint. They always taste nice at the Brudenell.

The best sound system in Leeds. I love live music and constantly get frustrated by the poor sound…read morein almost every venue I go to. I saw Wooden Shjips here in April 2010 and it was fantastic. What's more, despite being sold out, it wasn't over-crowded, the bar staff were efficient and prices were reasonable. Plus there is another bar so you can get away from the loud music if you want to. There's also a cab firm close by so it's not too hard to get home. Highly recommended! Updated Just to add a few further words of praise. This venue consistently stands out as the best I know of in the UK. As other reviewers have said all the people who work here are really friendly and are a lot of fun. I've never seen any trouble inside and it made me realise that I've never seen a bouncer in there either although I'm sure they know how to cope if things do get heated. At the end of the headline band's set there is no hassle to leave like so many paces (O2 Academy, Cockpit). If you fancy another drink they are relaxed and that's cool. What a refreshing attitude. I've seen so many bands here and it's easily my favourite venue anywhere - so many great memories! The thing that says it all is that if I am hesitant about seeing a band but then discover they are playing at the Brudenell my mind is immediately made up and I go. Wish it was within walking distance of my house!

I had a wonderful time at this club. A mixed crowd of all. The music was amazing. It has a lot of…read morewood so the sound was actually great. They don't serve food as far as I know. The night I was there it had DJ's, but I believe they have live music too on other nights. The area is filled with other great spots and restaurants. So you could grab a bite elsewhere and then head here to dance the night away.

Have you got the funk? If you're a smooth mover, then get your dancing shoes on and prepare to…read morestrut your stuff... If you can find a small haven of space on a Saturday night, that is. Yes, HiFi -it's one of my favourite places to bust out my best grooves. (I'm not suggesting they're good, but I'm sure they're a spectacle.) I'd not been back for some time, so when the opportunity arose this weekend, I couldn't turn it down. As I was arriving, some of my friends had left, and in some respects I can see why. It was absolutely heaving, and of course the music was incredibly loud, as standard. It's difficult, as I was certainly getting the rage whilst trying to make my way to the toilets, or the bar -it's one thing for a venue to be heaving (this is fine, and can elevate the fun), but it's entirely another when you're battered and shoved beyond belief. Perhaps it was because it was so late, and so folk were drunk, but there were rather a lot of pushy people and manners had almost entirely left the building. It costs nothing to say 'excuse me'! Anyway, rant over. That being said, once I managed to wade to the bar, things got a lot better. The chap who served me was lovely and friendly, and beer in hand, I managed to find a spot with my comrades where we could dance with abandon. Top tip - the steps by the stage seemed to be the most spacious throughout the evening! And that brings me to the music. It's always utterly fantastic - for all the funk, soul and reggae that you could want, this is the place to come. I've not danced for a solid few hours in quite a while, and can absolutely say that it was fantastic, and in spite of the crowds I'm hoping to come back again soon. Drinks wise, I didn't really check out all the options, but there's a fairly decent range to suit most tastes. Price wise it was £4 in at about 1am, perhaps more earlier on, and the drinks are standard -expect to pay about £3+ per drink. I agree with Ben, the door staff are quite the jobsworths, though this keeps out the riff raff, for which I'm grateful! (And, they are friendly, don't get me wrong.) The toilets were in a bit of a poor state, but having been in much worse, it's not all that bad. Essentially, the biggest draw is of course the fantastic DJs, live music and comedy at their other regular events, friendly staff and having a right old dance. Highly recommended for a proper night of fun. Just be patient with the crowds!

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.

Places like these are such fantastic little finds, and make up a part of what I adore about Leeds…read more Scratch beyond the surface, wander a little off the beaten path, and you'll unearth a little wonder. So, what is Holbeck Underground Ballroom? It's an event space, of sorts, and I've heard that many a magical happening has occurred within their walls; Sneaky Experience and theatre performances, to name a few. The reason I knew about it? Andrew Weatherall and Sean Johnston. Yes, anyone who knows me a tiny bit will know that his set at Beacons Fest changed my world. (Sounds dramatic, but it was an incredible set. P.s. if anyone finds a recording of that set - do me a biggy, send it over!) Their night is called A Love From Outer Space (Yelpers in Glasgow, they do a regular there from what I gather) and it's just incredible. Electronica and dance like you've never understood before, but better than you can imagine. I'm an eclectic sort, and I'm well rooted in beat-orientated aurals, so this was my calling. And they played here, in this venue, in this city. The reception area out front is large enough to bung up a few gazebos, for smokers during events, and an array of portoloos. It's all fenced in, so managing ticketed events is easy, and the entrance room had a make shift bar selling a variety of drinks. In there, there was space for Joe's Bakery to set the tone with their skills, and through into the main room a decent light show shone out above the crowd, with the headliners themselves at the far end. The building is basically an old warehouse in Holbeck. Inside there's rustic hints at what once was its pupose, but now, much like Temple Works, it acts as an awesome underground space for artistic and musical events. Having only been the once, I can't quite give a more overall feel for the place, but it's promising and I'm certainly looking forward to an excuse to head back here. It feels, at the risk of sounding pretentious, like it's a place where cool things happen. Just a note: it's hard to spot. If you're headed over, grab a cab or go with a few mates. It's not exactly dangerous, but it's a little out of town.

This is how i want all theaters to be. Take note rest of the world!…read more It might not look like a million dollars when you arrive, the walk through Holbeck could be most optimistically labelled a development prospect. But once your in any concerns you may have had will wash away. The staff are uber friendly. If you've time before your show you'll find yourself nattering away with them for an age. Being a bit out of the way and secret and honestly "cool" in the proper use of the word (without guile), its one of those places where you'll end up taking to everyone. That might be a "my kind of people" statement but the place does have a friendly feel to it. Furnish yourself with a free cup of tea or coffee. Just grab the kettle and work away. Then head in to the "front room". Its not called that but with a mad array of sofas, chairs and stools it looks just like it. For large performances this is just the ante-room but for the smaller gigs (like the recent show Babylon) this is the home of the magic. In one corner you'll find an aga with some kind of delicious stew or soup bubbling (this is also free). Settle yourself down wherever you fancy and await the show. If you get cold (in winter particularly as it is a bit of a warehouse) avail yourself of the free to borrow blankets and hot water bottles! Are you reading this? Is it sinking in? Free tea/free food/blankets and hot water bottles. All just for the sake of being nice! The shows they have on tend to be of the original and crazy variety. Your bound to have an experience and be entertained. The last two i've seen (Babylon being the one that still sticks in my mind) were grand musical affairs that even gave you the chance for a bit of a dance and some participation in the story. I was bowled away by it and will happily trek out that way again for whatever they had to offer. The night in question was a pay how you feel night. We all paid £10 for our tickets, it seemed only fair, we even threw an extra £10 into the venue. I know this defeats the point of free food and tea but it was so overwhelming (and still added to two pounds each between us). So yes, it was great, i love it and so will you: To Holbeck!

The Venue is a theatre style auditorium for holding concerts in Leeds College of Music. Jazz,…read moreclassical and world music are the main genres for The Venue which is used for touring artists as well as show casing work from students as well as ensembles with students and established artists. There are various themes held at The Venue including lunch time sessions during the week and the international concert series showcasing particular styles from particular periods from certain parts of the world. This time round it is covering French chamber music from the 1870s.

Quite an odd place to attend a 'gig'…read more This is part of Leeds College of Music so is a more formal set up than a beery, sweaty venue one might expect for guitars and the like. There are endless stairs to climb to find the place, but once in your seat it's comfortable and spacious, with a well set out auditorium. What makes it a success is the terrific sound quality. Good sound might go hand in hand at such an establishment, but sound is what can make a place work. So many venues suffer from poor mixing or just a poor PA in general, but the sound for the Mark Lanegan show I saw in November 2013 was immaculate. You could hear every instrument, every warble in the great man's voice, and the audience remained silent throughout which made it better. Not quite the ***** review though. Getting in and out once the music started wasn't easy as you weren't permitted to go in during a song and had to wait in a sort of stair area until the right moment. That's OK in a more formal setting but when in any sort of rock and roll environment things like visiting the toilets or bar became quite a process. I'm not trying to say endless bladder trips are all that matters, but even a single trip to get a drink or whatever was a little awkward. Once seated it was a lot easier just to stay there. And the bar itself. Goodness me - despite the friendly approach of the staff the sheer level of mediocrity in the way it was run was startling. Very badly organised, a poor selection of drinks of any kind, and an apparently universal lack of basic knowledge of how to use the till. I went to the bar twice and on both occasions the staff present were unable to work the till in any way bar making it emit one long complaining bleep. Much discussion took place, and then calculators were used to total my bill up and a key used to open the till to get change. Amazing. Having said that it's a decent enough place and superbly situated for those using public transport as it's slap bang next to the bus station. And there's The Wardrobe next door for a sneaky nightcap on the way home...

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.

It's interesting this place has been open in Leeds so long yet we don't have anything similar (as I…read morewrite this I just notice Michael B's review, down the side of my page, says the same thing haha). Normally we copy each other's good stuff so it is surprising. The multi floor, multi purpose concept is good and they have some good ales on tap - I enjoyed the Saltaire triple chocoholic stout. Dough Boys pizza was very nice - base a little crispy for me but great value at £3 a slice - practically a quarter of a pizza and 2 for 1 slices in the early evening which is an incredible bargain. Good range of toppings - I just missed out on the sausage fest which sounded great but really enjoyed the brie and caramelised onion option. The rooftop bar is super cute - it's not exactly panoramic views but the space itself is delightful with snugs and deckchairs.

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.

It's an ok venue, but the sound is bad often, the security are arseholes, the place lacks soul and…read morethe drinks are crap. Maybe it's an OK place for gigs but not for club nights, but I guess thats how they make money. Again I was not very happy with my treatment I experienced by the security staff. They shoud take a few tips from the guys who do security at Sela Bar and Smokestack. Would not come here again unless an artist I was REALLY desperate to see live played here. The place just sucks. I have attended a gig and while I was in a conversation with the artist the security staff were really pushing and annoying me to get out and when I attended their Propaganda night the security are just so rude. It's basically just a pile in as much as possible like cattle job. For students who don't give a toss this place is acceptable, but not for the rest of us.

What used to be Town and Country in Leeds has had a facelift and is now part of the Acedemy chain…read morewhich can found all over the country. I saw Spiritualized here recently and thought the place was well set out and there were enough bars to prevent major queues. The beer was Ok too although real ale fans won't have too much to choose from - typically high music venue prices. The sound was pretty good but when the volume went up it felt rather muddy. The Ducth venues have this sewn up as they are so well designed - in the UK we like a box shaped room with a stage at one end so the acoustics are rarely right. All in all for a larger sized venue this is a good place and if your favourite band are playing here you'll find the experience satisfying.

This is not a bar. It's an institution…read more 22 years old this year, the Blues Bar is a much-loved, treasured part of Harrogate's social scene. There's live music every night of the week and during the day, a relaxed chilled out atmosphere to enjoy some grub and a cuppa or even sample some of the fine lagers on offer via both tap and bottle. Some of the very best local bands feature on the latest listings, while the likes of Jools Holland and Van Morrison have graced the place in its long history in music. Who else do you need to give the place a seal of approval? Me, you say? Well, it's got it.

I only popped in for an afternoon drink but I liked the place, good atmosphere ,good coffee, great…read moremusic and real ale to boot. The prices seemed very good for it's location. Wish I had the chance to spend an evening there to sample food and live music. It was Betty's or The Blues. The Blues won. I just wish we had something like it in Warrington.

I have been trying to think of a way to put this without sounding too harsh, but it is just not…read morepossible. Oracle actually makes me feel sick and scrunch up my face in disbelief. It is a bar / restaurant / night club on the waterfront of the river that unfortunately, like so many other bars and clubs, is a cattle market parading around falsely as a sophisticated night out. On a busy night, it is like drowning in a pond of glow stick fluid while bright orange practically naked women pout at you like delirious tropical fish from all angles (see photo of 'sexy santas'). Meanwhile the lazily produced monotonous drones of music repeatedly flick you in the face like an annoying little brother, provoking a tiresome and frustrating headache. Oblivious to any of this, it oozes with pretense, and goes about it's not-even-tactful patriarchal ways as grinning goofy men swagger around trying to look cool and control what's hopefully hidden in their trousers. The only valid reason for going here would be for comedy value, if you can stomach it.

So, Oracle has reopened during the day and I for one was very happy about this…read more If ever anyone would ask me where to go for a burger in Leeds i would have previously not hesitated in recommending this place. The menu however has now changed! And I'm not happy. The speciality here used the be their almighty burgers and the selection was fab,it has been cut down now to a very minimal selection on the menu. :-( My friend and I went for lunch last week and I was surprised to see 2/3 tables of people in there- all eating. As it's down Brewery Wharf it's pretty tucked away so some days I have been in and no other customers have been in the place. This makes the bar space a cavernous and very cold place. The bar is nice and airy, very light with the floor to ceiling windows and features lots of 'bling' style decor touches. Anyway, back to lunch. We were greeted cheerily and seated wherever we wanted. She explained the 'burger lunch special' only featured skinny fries and not wedges or sweet potatoes as says on the usual menu. Other than that its a very good deal. We ordered and sat back to people watch. There seems to be more staff here than is necessary and no-one doing too much. The manager was doing paperwork in one of the booths and another male member of staff seemed to be doing very little except stomping around flexing his muscles. May suit the evening ambiance of this place but not at lunchtime love- I'm waiting to eat! The food came quite quickly and as we had sat opposite the kitchen hatch we saw it was all freshly prepared. We'd ordered the BBQ Ranch burger, the chicken bacon & avocado burger and some cheesy garlic bread. The garlic bread was lovely- very soft ciabatta and cheesy cheese- not overly garlicky so very nice. The burgers were well presented and the portion of fries were HUGE! My chicken burger was minced chicken- a strange consistency really and the guacamole didn't really do much for it. Overall it was OK but I left about a third of it. The ranch burger was nicer, large fresh onion rings and a sweet BBQ sauce provided with it were a great addition. The fries were nice and crisp and overall it was a pleasant lunch. A couple of things let this place down- The dodgy background music The excess of staff doing little to nothing The coldness in the place I wouldn't say I'd now rave about the burgers there but it's going to be one of them places to keep in the back of my mind if I want a filling burger lunch.