Sheffield Leadmill: Music returns to venue after six-month gap

The Sheffield venue will reopen on Monday, with socially distanced events planned for student freshers coming to the city

Live music is returning to Sheffield's Leadmill venue for the first time in six months in a bid to raise funds for the industry.

A gig by South Yorkshire group Alvarez Kings on Saturday is thought to be the first to be live-streamed online in the venue's 40-year history.

Online ticket sales will go towards a national Save Our Venues campaign.

The venue will reopen on Monday at a reduced capacity with social distancing measures in place.

All events will be seated, with temperature checks on the door and audience members asked not to sing or raise their voices.

The venue had to close in March due to the pandemic and has rescheduled or cancelled more than 120 events.

A charity auction selling a guitar owned by Alex Turner from the Sheffield band Arctic Monkeys raised £138,544 for independent music venues including the Leadmill.

Scottish band Twin Atlantic were the last group to play at the venue before it closed for lockdown in March

Sam Feeley, a promoter for the venue, said the "uncertainty carries on" for music venues, with fundraising events vital for survival.

"We still don't find out about the arts council government grants until early October, so we won't know what position we're going to be in until then," he said.

"I think this is possibly the first live-streamed gig we've ever had here and it'll be the first time we've had live music back on the stage in six months."

Alvarez Kings will play an online gig at 21:00 BST, with tickets available for £5, £10 or £15

Paul Thompson, who plays bass for Alvarez Kings, said: "It's the grassroots venues that are suffering the most at the minute and we've been an advocate for the Save Our Venues campaign.

"We thought, let's stream it online, do a full show with the full band, six cameras and a lighting show so visually it will look like a proper gig."

The Leadmill opened in 1980, holds about 900 people and has hosted performances by artists including Pulp, Coldplay, Stone Roses and Oasis.

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