He Caught Our Full Attention: Tom Grennan Live at Leeds First Direct Bank Arena

On Thursday the 19^th of September, Tom Grennan stopped off in Leeds for the penultimate show of his UK and Ireland tour in support of his fourth studio album – Everywhere I Went Led Me to Where I Didn’t Want To Be (2025).   

Tom Grennan is no stranger to Leeds First Direct Bank Arena. After his headline show in    March 2023, he returned to the arena to showcase his brand-new album, and he did not disappoint. The show encompassed his growth as an artist – not only through his new music, but his ability to connect with the audience – and highlighted his true showmanship in performance.  

Opening the show was Scottish country-pop princess Rianne Downey. Although a slightly more mellow vibe from the main act, her sparkly waistcoat and flares lit up the stage as she entertained the crowd by bringing some country to Leeds. Downey paid homage to her home of Scotland through her original music, as well as performing a cover of ‘Will We Talk’ by Sam Fender. 

By the end of her performance, Downey had successfully captured the audience through her strong vocals and authenticity – she seemed at home performing in arenas despite starting out busking on the Scottish streets. Rianne Downey is one to watch and keep on your radar, and she returns to Leeds on the 25^th of October for two sold-out in-store gigs at Crash Records.  

The second support (and first Tom) of the night was Tom Walker, and in all honesty, this was one of the best support slots I’ve seen as an avid gig-goer. In comparison with Downey’s stripped-back and intimate style of performance, Tom Walker performed to the arena like it was his own headline show.  

Walker’s performance seemed almost effortless in the way he managed to grab the attention of the crowd. In the space of his 45-minute set, he had shown both the slower, emotional sides of his discography as well as some upbeat and more energetic performances. With the crowd recognising some of his bigger hits like ‘Just You and I’ and ‘Leave a Light on,’ Tom Walker was the perfect set up in time for the main act of the night.  

The arena was packed and ready for Tom Grennan’s arrival. As he stepped out on stage, the energy of the crowd that had been built up by both support acts absolutely exploded. Grennan opened the show with one of his latest hits, ‘Full Attention,’ with every word amplified by the audience singing back to him. Songs ‘Higher’ and ‘All These Nights’ followed, and the power of the crowd stayed strong throughout the performances.  

The singer-songwriter successfully intertwined songs both new and old into his setlist, giving fans the ultimate showcase of his new album, as well as performing some of his older and more well-known hits. After performing crowd-pleasers ‘Don’t Break the Heart’ and ‘Crown Your Love’, the vocalist then sang newly-released ‘Certified’ and went on to call himself a “certified pop star,” telling the crowd, “We’re going pop star tonight.”  

As someone who attended Tom Grennan’s previous show at Leeds First Direct Bank Arena, I noticed how much he has solidified his image as an artist to become his own showman. The simplistic stage setup, which included spotlights and large letters spelling out ‘Grennan’, was enough to draw in the audience but showed that the sole focus was on the music, band and backing singers – nothing too fancy or distracting. The fact that this was his second show at the arena in the space of two years shows that he has really found his place and solidified his fanbase.  

Full energy took over in what I am going to call the dance section of the show. Grennan performed his upbeat hits, including ‘How Does it Feel’, ‘Lionheart’ and ‘All Goes Wrong’, and the arena erupted into one big party. Pyro and confetti added to the already electric atmosphere as the frontman ran around the stage, interacting with fans, his band and backing singers. 

Before closing the show with ‘Little Bit of Love,’ the star sprinted from the stage to arrive inside the stands of the arena, providing an intimate performance of ‘I Won’t Miss a Thing.’ Being up close with an artist is not something you expect when having seats, especially in an arena. However, Tom ensured that the fans sitting up at the top felt they had the best view in the house. 

Tom Grennan’s pop star status was certainly proven throughout his show. Not only were his captivating vocals a standout feature of his performance, but his ability to keep the audience close and deliver a concert that felt personal despite performing to thousands shows how his spot in the UK music scene is cemented.  

The crowd was filled with people of all ages, from young children to adults, all immersed in the same music. There’s no surprise that Grennan achieved his third number one with this album, as he proves himself to be the pop star he says he is.

Words by Grace Moore