(Credits: Jimi Herrington)
Thu 26 June 2025 13:02, UK
Despite an appeal, The Leadmill, one of Sheffield’s most iconic venues, will be closing its doors later this month. The venue will reopen under a new name and new management, but not before Miles Kane delivers a huge send off.
In the run-up to the closure, The Leadmill announced a number of shows would be taking place in the spaces last month. In a bid to see the venue out with a bang and stay true to their indie rock roots, bands such as The K’s, Dinosaur Pile-Up and local legend Richard Hawley have performed shows. Kane will be the final performer at The Leadmill, with a gig set to take place on June 27th.
In an exclusive interview with Far Out, Kane spoke about how sad he was that the venue was closing its doors, but also how honoured he was to be the one closing them. A mix of emotions came through, as he was excited to play the show but also sorry that the show was even happening.
“What an honour as well, you know, I wanna give Sheffield a good send off, give The Leadmill a good send off. I can’t wait mate,” he said, before reflecting on the previous shows he’s played there in the past, adding, “It’s served me well. In 20 years, that venue is a place I’ve always gone to, you know, I feel honoured and grateful […] Yeah, let’s have a good night.”
Kane also spoke about the importance of small venues across the board, not just The Leadmill. He admitted that confidence is built in these spaces and that he wouldn’t be able to perform the way he does today without them, noting, “You start in the rehearsal room, then you go to a pub, then you go to a little club or an open mic night, there’s all these little [places] when you start from nothing. They’re little sort of steps, aren’t they?”
Kane reflected, “When you first reach The Leadmill step, you’re like ‘This is fucking massive’, you know what I mean?”
He continued, “A lot of cities have these iconic venues, but that is probably the one for Sheffield, in the zone we’re in, the indie rock ‘n’ roll zone, you know? The Leadmill, when you first do that, it’s a bit of a statement really.”
Despite being from Wirral, Kane has developed a strong connection with the city of Sheffield, not only because of the shows he’s played here but also the friendships he’s made with locals such as Alex Turner. “Your cities had my back since day one,” he said, “So I’m at your mercy, mate.”
Miles Kane is set to perform at The Leadmill on June 27th. His new album, Sunlight in the Shadows, produced by Dan Auerbach, is set for release in October.
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