Yungblud rocks Leeds Arena on Idols world tour – review

Words and photos by DAVE LAWRENCE

YUNGBLUD’S hugely anticipated Idols World Tour visited Leeds last night (Friday) where the Yorkshire-born artist delivered a mesmerising show fusing emotion and energy into a stunning performance.

While the headliner himself was on terrific form, both the supporting bands – The Molotovs and The Warning – played scintillating sets that contributed to an unforgettable evening.

Doncaster born Yungblud – real name Dominic Harrison – strutted on stage to join his band, wearing low slung, gravity-defying leather trousers, waistcoat and dark shades and launched into the anthemic Hello Heaven, Hello, sweeping the audience along on a wave of athleticism, pulsating beats and impassioned vocals.

Yungblud performing at Leeds Arena on 17 April 2026.

During the song several cannons detonated covering the audience in white confetti as Yungblud, with arms outstretched in a Christ-like pose, welcomed his followers into his world.

His acrobatic leaps excited the crowd and in mid-song the waistcoat and shades were discarded before he climbed on to the drum riser, drenching himself with a bottle of water and faced the backscreen where the cameras showed an ecstatic audience gazing at him.

The singer continued to command the stage during The Funeral with rock-star flair turned up to the max. Sadly, the third number, Idols Pt.1 , was halted in mid-flow with Yungblud taking the band off stage while staff dealt with a medical emergency in the crowd.

The band returned 20 minutes later continuing the show with Lovesick Lullaby.

Yungblud performing at Leeds Arena on 17 April 2026.

The sheer physicality of Yungblud’s stage presence – a fusion of prime era Jagger and Iggy Pop (primarily the latter) – was, at times, exhausting to watch and he probably needed the occasional short interludes to thank the audience and express his love for them to catch his breath.

The writing collaboration with Aerosmith, My Only Angel, featured the deployment of flame throwers warming the broiling audience even further. As is now the norm, during fleabag, an audience member – Charlie from Hartlepool – was invited up on stage to play guitar during the number.

The keyboard-driven Black Sabbath ballad Changes, which Yungblud memorably covered at the final Sabbath concert at Villa Park last July offered everyone some relief from the foot-to-the-floor tempo with its sombre, reflective lyrics.

Ghosts had the singer channelling Roger Daltrey with his mic-swinging as he stampeded around the stage before Zombie and Suburban Requiem.

Yungblud performing at Leeds Arena on 17 April 2026.

Earlier in the evening Monterrey’s The Warning delivered a hard-rocking performance that set the audience up nicely for the main act. The band, comprised of sisters Daniela, Paulina and Alejandra Villarreal Vélez were, frankly, terrific with Ritual, Kerosene and Disciple being stand-out songs. They will be headlining venues of this size themselves before too long.

The Molotovs, fresh from an energetic set at Stockton Calling earlier this month opened proceedings. Teenage siblings Matt and Issey Cartlidge on guitar and bass – with drums from Noah Riley – offered an exciting mix of mod and punk. They have great stage presence; tons of attitude; and a bunch of memorable tunes on their debut album, Wasted On Youth. Catch them if you get the chance.