(Credits: Far Out / The Leadmill)
After a long appeal, it was confirmed in May 2025 that the iconic Sheffield venue, The Leadmill, would be forced to close its doors. Music lovers of the city need not worry, as the space will reopen as another music venue, just with a new name (which will likely be Electric Sheffield) and under new management. While it’s good we will keep getting to watch bands in that historic room, it will be sad to look at the Sheffield skyline and not see that iconic red neon light lit up.
If you’ve never visited the Leadmill, you’ve really missed out. It’s a gorgeous venue, one that has music and community built into its walls, and that goes from being a music venue to a nightclub at the drop of a hat, proudly flaunting what Arctic Monkeys wrote about: dirty dancefloors and dreams of naughtiness.
Arctic Monkeys, alongside a number of other great artists, have stepped onto that Sheffield stage and delivered killer gigs. When you walk into the main room, the entrance has the names of all the different people who have played there over the years written on its walls, which include some names you might have never heard of, and the names of the biggest rock stars in the world.
In light of the venue closing, it only seems right that we champion the Leadmill and some of these great artists who have played there. So, here’s our definitive list of the five best artists who have played at the Leadmill.
The best artists to ever play at The Leadmill
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