Iconic Sheffield venue The Leadmill closes its doors following poignant final performance from Miles Kane!

For nearly half a decade, The Leadmill has served as a vital organ keeping Sheffield’s iconic music scene alive. The building that became the Leadmill is no stranger to change and adaptation. Once a derelict flour mill, it became the Esquire in the 1960s, putting on a host of legendary acts, including Jimi Hendrix, and the Small Faces. It was in the ‘80s, however, when the venue would reach its fabled status, becoming The Leadmill. The rest is history; it quickly became an esteemed nightclub, the red neon lights mounted to the redbrick wall a veritable promise of a bountiful night-out. It was more than that, however.

As a venue, it helped define the Sheffield scene, forging musical giants such as Richard Hawley, the Arctic Monkeys, and Pulp. In spite of its status, the past few years have seen a period of turbulence for the club, hard-fought disputes with the building owner forcing its doors to close in what the club’s management call an “extermination” of their well-earned reputation.

Photo Credit: Charlie Barclay Harris

Last weekend has saw the last events at the Leadmill, thus marking it as historical three days in Sheffield history. Friday night saw Miles Kane take the stage to perform the last gig at The Leadmill, bidding a rock ‘n’ rolling farewell to one of the most important places in British music history. 

There was an electricity in the air, a buzzing of excitement even before Miles Kane took the stage. The dimming of lights saw this energy erupt into an explosion of cheers, screams, claps and jumping around. Kane and his band strutted towards their instruments, backed by an Oasis soundtrack. Donned in a groovy leopard print shirt, armed with his classic Gibson ES-335, he certainly looked the part. Wasting no time, they launched into ‘Troubled Son’, controlling the inferno of passion that was the crowd. Taking minimal breaks, Kane and his band performed a phenomenal set that the diverse crowd of all ages thoroughly enjoyed, not a single face unaffected by the wave of joy orchestrated by the music.

Favourites of the set included ‘Rearrange’, ‘Come Closer’, and finally ‘Don’t Forget Who You Are’, which the crowd took over singing at one point, Kane looking on proudly. He decorated the lineup with new tracks, set to be included on his upcoming album ‘Sunlight in the Shadows’ due for release in October. 

A testament to The Leadmill’s years of experience, the sound was brilliant, described as “impeccable” by one member of the audience. Each song cut through the roar of elation clear and crisp, giving the fans the ideal show. Towards the end, Kane gave a few words of appreciation to Sheffield, and The Leadmill itself, everybody in the room understanding the importance of that night.

Photo Credit: Charlie Barclay Harris

Upon leaving the stage, the audience remained, dancing to the soundtrack of Frank Sinatra’s ‘My Way’. The talk of the toilets, dancefloors, bars and smoking area was all positive, the fans all suitably impressed. Upon leaving the Leadmill, the queue had already began growing for the final club night, excited youngsters illuminated by the red neon. 

Richard Hawley has likened The Leadmill to the Hacienda of Manchester, and the Cavern Club of Liverpool, inextricably interwoven into British musical history, which became so prominent in the latter two decades of the 20^th Century. Seeing it close is a monumental blow to Sheffield nightlife, affecting locals of all ages.

Nevertheless, Miles Kane gave us the perfect send-off, going down in history as the last person to take the stage upon which so many legends - and even more memories - were forged.