Gallery: The Lilacs Live in Leeds
Image Credit: Daniel Brown (@danbrowncreative on Instagram)
Often, a crowd will only have as much fun as it seems the band themselves are having. For the sold-out pack of souls huddled into the student union of Leeds Beckett University on the final day of a gloomy January 2026, this was no issue at all. For Wigan-based indie-rockers, The Lilacs, took to the stage, faces emblazoned with pure passion and instruments endowed with fervent joy.
On the first leg of their completely sold-out ‘395 (To Forever)’ tour, the modern-day cult-heroes of the north rallied a crowd of all ages and persuasions to see them deliver their signature brand of down to earth, feel-good guitar anthems. Harking back to the 2000s glory days of ‘sticky floor’ indie rock, The Lilacs deal exclusively in ‘belters’ which adoring fans can’t help but clamour for endlessly, and, on this special night in Leeds, The Lilacs lads pulled out all the stops. Beaming crowd work, infectious guitar hooks and classic northern charm was sprinkled in amongst fan favourites such as ‘Vicarage Road’, ‘You’re Not That Daft’ and ‘Sticky Dancefloors’ to deliver a performance worthy of any sold-out crowd.
With more tour dates lined up, festival slots booked and a rowdy pack of fans behind them, 2026 is shaping up to be a stellar year for the ever-endearing Lilacs.
Words and Photography by Daniel Brown
