The Script and James Morrison Live in Leeds

It almost feels like there isn’t a year goes by when Irish rockers The Script aren’t out on tour. In fact, as we arrive at Leeds First Direct Bank Arena where the band are performing on their UK arena tour, there comes the realisation that it has in fact only been a few months since we last saw the band when they were supporting pop superstars Take That on their Summer stadium tour.

However, while the band aren’t playing to the same size crowds they played to on that Summer run, the fact that they are still an arena band, even if tonight’s date isn’t a sellout, shows the connection they have with their fans, something frontman Danny O’Donoghue references when talking about their memories of their early Leeds gigs.

Opening for The Script on this tour is singer-songwriter James Morrison who doesn’t need to go to too much trouble to win the crowd over. Easy on the ear, songs like “Precious Love” and “Wonderful World” fill the arena and, singing back every word, The Script must have been hanging around backstage safe in the knowledge that this was going to be a very vocal crowd.

As for the headliners, they know how to put on a big rock show. At 8.45 the curtain drops to reveal the band in front of huge video screens. Frontman Danny is immediately front and centre on a thrust into the crowd where is stays for not just the opening two numbers “Hall of Fame” and “Man in the Arena” but the majority of the set.

The star of the show, O’Donoghue, is in fine voice while his bandmates deliver another consummate lesson in stadium-sized Irish rock anthems. Belting out crowd-pleasers like “Rain” and “If You Could See Me Now”, the latter emotionally dedicated to former bandmate Mark Sheehan, O’Donoghue has this Leeds crowd in the palm of his hand. Departing to the nosebleed seats midway through the first half of the set, O’Donoghue performs “Never Seen Anything Quite Like You” with the help of a shy young fan named Lincoln leaving him with an incredible lifelong memory.

Besides the frontman’s rock star performance, The Script know how to put on a big rock show as well. This one is no different with pyrotechnics, singalongs on the barrier, huge video screens and an impressive drone light show, the Irish band match their big songs with an equally pumped up rock show.

Just over ninety minutes after taking to the stage, the band bow out with “Breakeven” and, having already referenced a lot of memorable gigs and nights in this Yorkshire city, the band headed off stage have added another one to the list.