This TwiTrip had a difficult action to follow. The culmination of my last Twitter-fuelled journey - to Blackpool - concerned a transvestite musical act. Hopefully, Leeds was up to the challenge.
As with all of the prior adventures, zero was planned. I was to spin up at Leeds station, rope questions in to the Twittersphere, and wait for for tips to be dismissed at my profile. Then I would do only as I was told. You can see how it played out here ... and subsequent you"ll find what the great people of Twitter helped me find.
The Twitter tipsIt has turn TwiTrip convention to convey the day"s events with a small train-time trivia. As I set off from King"s Cross, whizzed by snow-covered Peterborough and headed for Leeds, I requested a small appealing contribution to keep me entertained. The Twitterers delivered. I was sensitive by kateigray that the tripe case in Kirkgate marketplace was the initial on the internet; by Seven_Arts that Jimmy Saville lived in Roundhay Park; and by MatMurray that he once saw a lady tumble over in the Leeds City Markets, after that a circuitously dog attempted to mountain her. Not all anything insubstantial is combined equal.
Ready to go at Leeds hire Then I was there, posing similar to a destroyed traveller in front of the station. And I was hungry. The host roared loudly, and there seemed a near-unanimous recommendation. According to BigLittleThings, LeedsGrub, and tenderbranston, the majority appropriate sarnie in locale was to be found at Pickles Potter. It seemed dangerous to omit the sandwich recommendation of any one who traded as "tenderbranston", so I duly plodded in to the locale centre and assimilated a reserve stretching out of the doorway and in to the Queens Arcade - this was obviously a renouned choice. Inside, they done me a thing of beauty: slices of red-centred beef assimilated in gastronomic wedlock with a hunk of smoked cheese, a wholegrain bap, and a small kind of marmalade. A really great begin indeed.
All eyes sealed listening to a forty-part motet at Opera North Next up, I requested a small informative tips ... a far-reaching subtract that was answered by scores of tips. I was majority intrigued by Marc_Leeds" idea of a "forty-part motet" at Opera North in the Grand Theatre. The designation is housed in an public room on the top levels of the Grade II-listed Grand Theatre on New Briggate, and comprises 40 audio speakers organised around the room, each personification an particular square of Thomas Tallis" Spem in Alium. The outcome was extraordinary. In dark midday light filtered by stained-glass windows on all sides, people were flapping in and out, settling on benches inner from all 40 speakers, and shutting their eyes to listen. I assimilated them, and - utterly literally - became surrounded by music. Have a attend for yourself below.
I indispensable to refuel, and took the recommendation of amandeep86 and loveleedsmore by snapping to the Opposite Cafe mount in the Victoria Arcade, where a nifty barista done me a coffee surfaced with a pleasing swirling foam motif. It powered me onwards, to the noble tiled gymnasium of the Leeds Art Gallery, as endorsed by djdavedanger and leedslibraries, who had tweeted at me from their offices inside the building.
Having tasted the informative offerings of a integrate of Leeds blockbusters, I longed for something a small off-grid. Luluartist came up with the goods, directing me to Project Space Leeds, a erotically appealing venue on the belligerent construction of a newly-built retard on the banks of the canals south of the sight station. Inside the industrial, high-ceilinged space, the work of internal artists was displayed on meagre walls - Matthew Shelton"s square was a collage of drawings on pieces of paper found sparse opposite the city, together with certificates of achievement, selling lists, and ASBOs. Inventive.
First pint of the day at Whitelocks It was Friday, and it was 5pm. I had small preference but to go to the pub. Tonypreece destined me to Whitelocks, the oldest beer hall in Leeds, initial licenced in 1715. It took me half an hour to find it. The beer hall is dark down a small alley heading off Briggate, accessed by a blink-and-you"ll-miss-it opening in in in in between a Carphone Warehouse and a bend of Northern Rock. Once located, underneath a illuminated lighting device and a fug of cigarette fume wafting from the smokers congregated outside, it was superb; a sentimental ye olde beer hall of discriminating coronet pumps, stained potion and a dissonance of post-work chatter.
More Friday night drinks at The North Bar Onwards. More pubs. Jccgardner, lindseyhampton and steererscott aided my crawl, indicating me towards The North Bar, home to a beautiful throng and some-more beers than you could shake up a heavy drinker at. I opted for a tasty pint of Roosters, brewed only north of the city in Knaresborough, prior to relocating on to my subsequent stop. Mostly due to the name, and Talullah and guyatkinson"s recommendation, I headed to smart bar A Nation of Shopkeepers, where the difficult doorway process refused opening to those wearing sportswear, pirates, whim dress, large groups, jefforys (anyone?), and grouchy faces. A mostly tyro throng were mostly drunk, congested on to tanned hide sofas underneath catchy projections as electro song beeped around the room.
My go through indispensable lining, and foodiesarah and ecalpemosgreen endorsed Nash"s as the glorious fish and chips in the city ... perfect. A hulk pile of cod coated in thick beat and pillowed by corpulent chips basted in salt and vinegar. Yes and some-more yes.
Fuelled by tasty carbs and tainted fat, I headed for Headingley for my last stop of the day. Tips had been drifting in about the Brudenell Social Club given the TwiTrip was voiced - one tipster, djthedutchess, described it as a "gorgeous, shabby, ubercool ex operative men"s bar in Hyde Park". The rope personification that night, The Eureka Machines, had beheld the Twitter noise, and invited me along, too, magnify their small punk stone socks. The venue was superb; on a suburban backstreet in the Hyde Park area, where a village beer hall hosts live song in a flat low-ceilinged side room. I additionally managed to snap my prime print of the day only outside, as an immaculately-Mohawked internal loitered nearby the entrance.
The Eureka Machines on theatre And the Eureka Machines did the business, blustering out punk to an adoring internal throng as front man Chris Catalyst burst jokes in in in in between songs. Their last series even came with a splendidly drenched intro that you can provide your ears to here:
From antique polyphony in a Grade II-listed construction to a punk gig in an old operative men"s bar ... an additional finish to an additional glorious TwiTrip. Thanks for all your help.
• Benji stayed at the Quebecs Hotel (doubles £89 per night together with breakfast and VAT; +44 (0)113 244 8989; theetoncollection.com/quebecs), as endorsed by LoveLeedsMore and tonypreece, that has stand in bedrooms from £89 BB. East Coast"s trains work approach up to each half hour in in in between London and Leeds. Advance returns, requisitioned online, begin from £26 Standard Class or £94 First Class. Times and fares additionally on 08457 225225 or by on vacation any staffed station
• All photographs by Benji Lanyado
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