Futuresound launches two new UK concert series

Independent UK promoter Futuresound is celebrating the launch of two new Yorkshire concert series, which pulled in a combined 30,000 fans this summer.

The Leeds-based company debuted Live at York Museum Gardens and Live at Kirkstall Abbey at the end of July.

The team transformed York Museum Gardens into a 4,000-cap live music venue for sold out concerts by acts including Jack Savoretti and a two-night homecoming residency from Shed Seven, before switching to Leeds for headline gigs by Madness and Embrace at Kirkstall Abbey.

The latter also saw the introduction of the 4,500-cap Kirkstall Abbey Comedy Festival, which featured the likes of Katherine Ryan, Ross Noble and Maisie Adam.

“Our whole team feels immensely proud of what we’ve achieved over those few weeks in July with establishing these two new concert series at Kirkstall Abbey and York Museum Gardens,” says Futuresound Group’s head of live Andy Smith. “We are a Leeds business with Yorkshire at the heart of what we do, so to see these two beautiful sites come alive with music, comedy and thousands of fans over six nights was an incredible thing.

Futuresound also attracted 20,000 music fans to Shropshire for its Live at Ludlow Castle series from 25-28 July

“We’re hugely grateful to the custodians of both sites for their trust, as well as our brilliant production, artist liaison, bar, security, catering and all the teams for all they do to make these events a reality. Futuresound is a proudly independent promoter with the communities we live and work in at the forefront of our mind, so we are very excited to see what we can bring to these sites next.”

Futuresound, which presents hundreds of gigs annually in Leeds and the Yorkshire region, also attracted 20,000 music fans to its Live at Ludlow Castle series from 25-28 July. Established in 2023, the run sold out all four nights for the second year in a row, with headliners including James, Elbow, Madness and Anne-Marie.

The concerts followed an earlier announcement that the castle and Futuresound, founded by Ludlow-raised Colin Oliver, had agreed a five-year deal to continue programming live music at the historic Shropshire site.

“Working with the Ludlow Castle team to establish the Live at Ludlow Castle series in my hometown has been one of the great privileges of my career, so the opportunity to commit to the long-term viability and success of live-music in the town is something we just couldn’t pass up,” adds Oliver.

“We have had an incredible welcome from Ludlow over the last two years and a great reception to the shows from local people and businesses. We are very excited to be working with the custodians of Ludlow Castle for many years to come.”

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