We might not have the Arena just yet, but the big stars are coming back to Leeds:


YEP tonight:
Pop legend set to rock the park
EXCLUSIVE
BY CHRIS MURPHY
POP sensation Robbie Williams is heading to Leeds for a mammoth gig in Roundhay Park.
The former Take That heartthrob – one of the biggest recording artists on the planet – has confirmed one date in Leeds, but could play for up to three nights, to around 90,000 fans a time, as part of his world tour next September.
It is set to be the park's biggest ever rock event. It is eight years since 50,000 flocked to Roundhay to see U2. Global superstars like Madonna, the Rolling Stones, Genesis, Bruce Springsteen and Michael Jackson have all performed there in the past.
Now the 31-year-old from Stoke – who has sold 40 million solo albums worldwide – is set to put Leeds back on the international stage as part of his biggest ever live tour.
Tickets
It was announced this morning that Robbie will start in South Africa and travel through 13 different countries playing to more than 1.6 million people. Roundhay is one of just three venues on the UK leg – along with Hampden Park, Glasgow and the new Wembley Stadium.
The confirmed Roundhay Park concert is scheduled for Saturday September 9. Subscribers to Robbie's Inner Sanctum club on robbiewilliams.com have the first chance to grab tickets before they go on general sale a week on Saturday.
Robbie's new Intensive Care album is the second biggest seller of the year, and entered the charts at number one in 18 countries. It is the fourth fastest selling album since records began.
Seven of Robbie's eight albums have hit top spot in the UK and he has bagged a record 15 Brit Awards. Now his most famous hits like Angels, Rock DJ and Let Me Entertain You are heading to North Leeds.
In 2003 Robbie played three outdoor gigs at Knebworth to a record total of 375,000 people. He last performed in Leeds at the V98 Festival in Temple Newsam.
Those wishing to buy tickets from Saturday, November 19 should call the credit call hotline on 0870 060 0199, Ticketmaster on 0871 230 8230 or log on to www.gigsandtours.com
chris.murphy
@ypn.co.uk

It's been the 'talk of town' at work, loads of people in our office were straight on the website andd bought up 4 tickets each (I think they said at £50 a ticket). Sounds like it'll be a good concert (two nights now) but a bit out of my price range.

It's been the 'talk of town' at work, loads of people in our office were straight on the website andd bought up 4 tickets each (I think they said at £50 a ticket). Sounds like it'll be a good concert (two nights now) but a bit out of my price range.

its great news, I remember sitting on my fathers shoulders at the top of Hill 60 listening to Joe Jackson and then the Stones way back in the mid 1980s. Also snuck in at the end when they opened the gates for both Michael Jackson's Bad Tour, and Madonnas Blonde Ambition tour around 1990. The park is a perfect setting for such a huge concert, natural amphitheatre and all, and its a real shame its been 8 years since the U2 Pop Mart tour of 1997 (and they were also there for Zooropa in 1993).

These events are a huge boon to Leeds, may cause temporary road and traffic logistical problems, but I reckon a couple of night will bring a huge amount of cash to the city. My parents live next to Canal Gardens, so I'll be back home and sat in the garden listening to Robbie that weekend!

its great news, I remember sitting on my fathers shoulders at the top of Hill 60 listening to Joe Jackson and then the Stones way back in the mid 1980s. Also snuck in at the end when they opened the gates for both Michael Jackson's Bad Tour, and Madonnas Blonde Ambition tour around 1990. The park is a perfect setting for such a huge concert, natural amphitheatre and all, and its a real shame its been 8 years since the U2 Pop Mart tour of 1997 (and they were also there for Zooropa in 1993).

These events are a huge boon to Leeds, may cause temporary road and traffic logistical problems, but I reckon a couple of night will bring a huge amount of cash to the city. My parents live next to Canal Gardens, so I'll be back home and sat in the garden listening to Robbie that weekend!

First night nearly sold out in 24 hours from the fan club only. Second night announced today with the possibility of a third night... Tickets on sale to the General Public next week.

Great news, L No.1 can add those 270,00 Robbie fans to the Leeds population statistics in the next Leeds vs Manc battle :)

Obviously

Great news, L No.1 can add those 270,00 Robbie fans to the Leeds population statistics in the next Leeds vs Manc battle :)

That's one statistic you're welcome to. :)

i didn't even think this thread was even worth my time and effort to write this but seen as no one would do it for me... anyway, this is the most ridiculous thread, it isn't worth the time of day. it should of been given a quick mention in 'official leeds thread 4' and that would of been the end of it. as now i'm probably going to stir up a fuss and everyman and his dog will be posting on it.

i didn't even think this thread was even worth my time and effort to write this but seen as no one would do it for me... anyway, this is the most ridiculous thread, it isn't worth the time of day. it should of been given a quick mention in 'official leeds thread 4' and that would of been the end of it. as now i'm probably going to stir up a fuss and everyman and his dog will be posting on it.

I can see where you're coming from, it's a load of old tosh! But if proof were ever needed of the catchment area of Leeds vis a vis an Arena here we are........... :)

i didn't even think this thread was even worth my time and effort to write this but seen as no one would do it for me... anyway, this is the most ridiculous thread, it isn't worth the time of day. it should of been given a quick mention in 'official leeds thread 4' and that would of been the end of it. as now i'm probably going to stir up a fuss and everyman and his dog will be posting on it.

tsk tsk Alexi. I think this is great news for Leeds, okay, not on par with West Point or Criterion Place starting construction, however it elevates the reputation of the city and will have numerous excellent financial benefits. Perhaps it shouldn't be a single thread, but hey ho, I've seen more pointless threads started in my time.

i didn't even think this thread was even worth my time and effort to write this but seen as no one would do it for me... anyway, this is the most ridiculous thread, it isn't worth the time of day. it should of been given a quick mention in 'official leeds thread 4' and that would of been the end of it. as now i'm probably going to stir up a fuss and everyman and his dog will be posting on it.


I started this thread because any news which helps to support the Leeds Arena project and lifts the national profile of this city should be highlighted on this forum, and this thread is designed to do exactly that.

Perhaps if you read the Yorkshire Evening Posts major feature from last weeks paper, you will understand where I am coming from and realise why it is so important:



[I]Stop talking, start building our Arena
THAT Robbie Williams is to play Leeds next year might not impress everyone in the city but sales of 50,000 tickets in 24 hours should be screaming to councillors of the need to cut the talking and start the building of a top-flight concert arena.
Fans of the massively popular star spent £2.1 million in just a day to secure tickets for the September concert. How much more might they have spent had they not been forced to plan for spending a soggy autumnal Saturday in Roundhay Park? And how many other crowd pullers turn up their noses, turn on their heels and bypass Leeds when learning the only available space for them is a public park, exposed to elements and with notoriously poor acoustics.
Leeds is missing out abysmally on the prestige and profitable end of the entertainment market. The city has fallen woefully behind its neighbours in providing purpose-built concert halls adaptable to every conceivable performing art. It loses out on the commercial opportunities top stars bring – by offering only a muddy field and make-shift stage.
But it seems councillors just can't drag themselves away from the comfort zone of prevarication. Having employed consultants – with the help of Yorkshire Forward – to chew over the pros and cons of giving Leeds the facilities it needs, they've arrived at the conclusion there need to be more consultants, chewing over – with the help of Yorkshire Forward – more pros and cons before they can look to dragging the city kicking and screaming into the 21st century.
So still Leeds is no further forward and council and development agency together look like Yorkshire Backward.
Leeds City Council's deputy leader, Coun Andrew Carter, has said the new consultancy work is necessary to go into more detail on how an arena could actually be delivered.
He says this was a project many councillors were extremely enthusiastic about – but were keen to get it absolutely right.
That attention to detail would be admirable under normal circumstances. But since a Leeds Arena has been talked about for around 30 years, these are hardly normal circumstances.
And when talking and feasibility studying leads only to more talking and feasibility studying, the project starts to acquire a distinct sniff of Supertram... doomed to run off the rails into oblivion after consultants, advisers and experts have collected fat fees for more talking.

Perhaps if you read the Yorkshire Evening Posts major feature from last weeks paper...

THAT Robbie Williams is to play Leeds next year might not impress everyone in the city

Blimey, a newspaper that doesn't automatically kiss every celebrity's arse...