Interview Steve Hoyland
The Leeds Academy's general manager of his passion for our city
Interview: Steve Hoyland
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“I first loved Leeds way back in the early eighties when I came to my very first gig - Duran Duran at the Old Queen’s Hall with my dad. Since then I’ve always thought of Leeds as a really happening place to be, and associated the city with fun and music.
The next time I was aware of Leeds was as a student coming here to go clubbing when the north was the place to be for dance music and raving. I used to love the Chaos nights, The Warehouse, and the raves in the Corn Exchange. It was a real party city - for a while Manchester was the northern clubbing city but now Leeds has taken back that crown. It’s definitely a buzzing place, with a thriving nightlife and a music scene is often ahead of London.
Leeds is such an influential music city, but there really wasn’t the venue to allow big acts to come and play here. Now there is, and it’s so great that big acts like Duffy now have somewhere to add to their tours, and the Academy has the capacity and the facilities to be a platform for almost anyone. And there’s such a strong following here - it’s the fifth best city for Academy sales in the country.
I love that the city centre is so concentrated- it means that on a night out you’re not forever getting taxis everywhere, and that you’re only a few minutes from the countryside. Leeds is great for shopping - better than London - I love the Victoria Quarter. The Victorian architecture is so beautiful all over the city - like the Academy building, it’s the classical foundations overlaid with a modern twist. Leeds has such a good vibe, and with the history, the nightlife, the music - it’s got everything.”
Steve Hoyland is the general manager of Leeds Academy, 55 Cookridge Street, LS2 3AW, 0113 242 7272
Posted on Thursday 12th April 2001
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