Mystery Jets @ The Leadmill
By Daniel Rose
Always at the center of Sheffield’s thriving music scene, on Monday The Leadmill took a moment to look back on its 35 year hold this iconic venue has had on the city. Sheffield rock ‘n’ roll royalty like Jarvis Cocker was in attendance to see BBC Radio 6 Music pay tribute with a flurry of live bands.
Tickets for the event were made available for nothing with organisers ensuring that 75% of attendees would be local. With queues winding round the derelict streets the state of exciting was palpable to say the least.
Sheffield music royalty Jarvis Cocker. Credit – Sheffield Telegraph
The festivities kicked off with Pulp’s Jarvis Cocker unveiling a plaque outside the venue and crowds were soon ushered inside for the main event. BBC 6 Music’s Steve Lamacq introduced Sheffield locals Slow Club who dazzled the audience with their pop melodies with lead singer Rebecca Taylor thanking The Leadmill “for giving me a place to try to kiss boys for 28 years”.
With the event blaring out of radios up and down the country, local antidotes could be heard on the radio over the buzz of the crowd. Headline act Mystery Jets ended proceedings with a full set consisting of new songs as well as also sharing their memories with the audience. After a fair amount of lager and some truly electric live music the crowds spilled out onto the streets after another memorable night at The Leadmill.
So what’s your favorite Leadmill memory? We were out and about Monday night and asked a few of you:
Ian Taylor, 41, told us, “I don’t think I have a favourite. I saw Pulp here in ’93 with Elastica, that was pretty special. It’s been a hub of alternative music for most of my life, it was a second home for me as a teenager. Yes, it’s a special place.”
“Some great times, some even better music”
Maggie Wetherall, 33, said, “I met my finance right here. Some great times, some even better music. I don’t envisage a day that Leadmill won’t be here.”
John Mowatt, 38, added, “I saw Joe Strummer here, that was class. I’ve here for ages now but I’m from Lincoln, I came to Sheffield to meet a girl and after coming here I never went back. This place is the reason I moved.”
“Lets face it, great music, cheap drinks, what more can you ask for!”
Luck McCorey, 20, told us, “I trying to start a band up, and seeing what The Leadmill for new bands it gives you something to aim at. They give a platform for new music and that’s great for new artists. Lets face it, great music, cheap drinks, what more can you ask for!”
So Happy Birthday to The Leadmill, and here’s to another 35 years!
When in Sheffield 