The emotional weight of Dermot Kennedy’s music has always demanded a setting that feels both grand and deeply intimate. On June 2nd, 2026, the Irish singer-songwriter brought exactly that to the First Direct Arena in Leeds, transforming the massive indoor space into a striking, cinematic woodland for a night of pure vocal power and vulnerability. This stunning arena performance comes hot on the heels of his incredible set at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend, proving once again why he remains one of the most compelling live acts of his generation.
Opening the evening were fellow Irish breakout stars Amble. The six-piece ensemble filled the stage with an organic array of acoustic and electric guitars, banjo, and a stompbox, immediately establishing a warm connection with the crowd. Recalling their previous trip to the city, the band praised Leeds for always being a “fucking incredible crowd” before delivering a flawless set rooted in rich, gimmick-free vocal harmonies. A major highlight came when they treated the audience to a brand-new, unreleased track—marking Leeds as the very first crowd to ever hear it live. After a stripped-back, three-man performance of their requested track “Mary,” the rest of the band returned to the stage for “Of Land and Sea,” a moving song about missing home that built into a high-energy, banjo-driven crescendo, leaving the arena echoing with roaring applause.
When it was time for the main event, Dermot Kennedy made a dramatic entrance, appearing high atop a towering rock structure built into an immersive forest stage set. He launched straight into “Honest” and “Wasted,” before the unmistakable opening chords of “Outnumbered” drew an ecstatic cheer from the packed arena. The production design throughout the night was a visual triumph. During “Refuge,” a gentle blue light washed over the trees before bleeding into a brilliant sunset orange as the room clapped along. For “Lost,” the stage fell completely black save for a single white spotlight on Kennedy, while hand-written lyrics scrolled across the massive video backdrops.
The emotional peak of the first act arrived with an achingly beautiful rendition of “An Evening I Won’t Forget.” Shrouded in dim light that barely caught the edges of the forest trees, Kennedy walked through his onstage woodland, hand pressed tightly to his chest. As the lights shifted from stark white to deep purple, a piercing violin solo cut through the arena, matching the raw, cracking power of his vocals. He followed this by climbing back up the rocky peak for “All My Friends,” performing amidst a sea of blue lights and orange fireflies dancing across the screen.
Before diving into “After Rain,” Kennedy shared a poignant moment of reflection with the crowd, remembering when he used to play the song in rooms of just 20 people. Urging the entire arena to sing the iconic “you won’t go lonely” refrain, the venue exploded into a high-energy celebration, with Kennedy jumping across the stage under flashing orange lights before a long, extended guitar and violin outro brought the song to a breathtaking close.
The narrative shifted as a motivational story, narrated by a female voice, flashed across the screen. Kennedy then transitioned to an intimate B-stage set up in the middle of the arena floor, revealing to the crowd that the voice note belonged to his mother. On the B-stage, he delivered moving, stripped-back performances of “Happiness” and “Let Me In.” For “Endless,” he was joined by just a keyboardist and violinist, explaining the frustration of wanting to help someone you love when they are struggling and simply hoping your presence is enough. He then asked the entire room to raise their phones for “The Weight of the Woods,” transforming the arena into a brilliant, house-lit spectacle overlaid with a stunning bokeh effect on the video walls, before playing a hauntingly foggy, spotlight-lit version of “Stockholm.”
Returning to the main A-stage, the energy surged back to a stadium-level roar. Drums kicked in and the full band illuminated the rocky landscape under flashing spotlights for “Turnstile,” backed by imagery of striking church ruins. Kennedy knelt on stage, leading the crowd through a massive singalong of “Better Days,” before unleashing the fiery orange lights and explosive rhythm of “Power Over Me”—the exact high-octane moment the crowd had been waiting for.
After taking a moment to introduce his phenomenal backing band, Kennedy closed out the triumphant night with a deeply resonant performance of “Funeral.” It was a masterfully paced show that beautifully balanced massive arena anthems with quiet, devastating honesty. If you missed this unforgettable night or want to see how it compared to his recent festival appearances, you can catch our full coverage of his spectacular set at the BBC Big Weekend.
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