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To be invited to headline the last ever show at The Leadmill, a club with nearly half a century of music history written over its walls, is no ordinary privilege. It’s a vocation. A vocation which requires not so much a show, but a moment. For a club that has charted the cultural map of Sheffield and brought numerous musicians up through the years, only someone who can offer up swagger and truth needs to apply. Miles Kane didn’t so much match the spec as blow the roof off and then burn the blueprints.

Miles Kane was ready to take the stage for his momentous farewell at The Leadmill, and the energy in the room was already surging, from the two standout support acts, Creeping Jean and Tom Rowley, who delivered performances that perfectly set the tone for Kane’s performance.

Creeping Jean, the Brighton-based five-piece, brought a swaggering blend of retro rock and modern grit to the Leadmill stage. With their debut album When’s The Blowout earning critical praise and radio play across BBC Radio 1, 6 Music, and Radio X, the band arrived with momentum, and they didn’t waste a second of it. Their set was a tight, groove-heavy showcase of fuzzy riffs, soulful vocals, and infectious energy. Their songs had the crowd swaying and stomping in equal measure, their sound landing somewhere between vintage psychedelia and gritty garage rock. It was a performance that felt both nostalgic and fresh, exactly the kind of act The Leadmill has championed for decades.

Then came Tom Rowley, stepping out from the shadows of his work with Arctic Monkeys and Milburn to deliver a solo set that was raw, intimate, and quietly powerful. Known for his guitar wizardry and stage presence, Rowley stripped things back, offering a more personal glimpse into his artistry. His set was a mix of new material and reimagined favourites, delivered with a quiet confidence that held the room in rapt attention. There was a sense of homecoming in his performance. Rowley, a Sheffield native, was playing one last time at a venue that helped shape his musical journey.

Together, Creeping Jean and Tom Rowley didn’t just warm up the crowd, they honoured The Leadmill’s legacy. They reminded everyone why this venue has mattered for so long, how it’s where new voices are heard, where local legends return, and where the music has always come first.

Once Miles Kane commanded the stage and kicked off with “Rearrange,” it was unmistakable that this performance would defy all expectations of a typical Miles show. He was a man on a mission in the best possible sense. Every note, every lyric, every stage swagger pulsed with purpose, with intent. The energy was unbridled, but never out of control; theatrical, but earthed. Setting standards like Inhaler, with its dark, tension-racked new intro, and Kingcrawler finding their mark, while Love Is Cruel, the filmic lead single from his forthcoming album Sunlight in the Shadows, emanated a strong intensity.

But aside from the setlist, it was the atmosphere that took the night to another level. A feeling of reverence within the crowd, a shared knowledge that this was not the closing of a concert. This was the last rites for an institution we adored. And Kane preached the sermon. The hall was thick with emotion: friends danced through the grief, sustained by the raw energy of being witness to something special. Strangers were a congregation. Pint glasses rattled with chants. Everything was loud, tangible, alive.

Having seen Miles many, many times, I can say with certainty, this was a top-shelf performance. He’s one of the greatest showmen of his time, charismatic, commanding, absolutely livewired. And in my opinion, he’s not always getting the kudos he deserves. His records are solid, often fantastic. But live? Live is where you discover the real Miles Kane. You discover that the stage is where he breathes fire. That this is a man who gives everything, every single time.

There were rumours of a pre-concert Alex Turner appearance. It never happened. But in truth, Miles didn’t need anyone else. He took up that space alone, brazenly, bravely and made the night historic.

The ultimate one-two punch of Don’t Forget Who You Are and Come Closer wasn’t goodbye, it was exhale. A room full of thank yous. A city hearing. And an artist walking away, having done the unthinkable: the perfect goodbye.

This was not a concert. This was a reckoning. A celebration. A raucous, beautiful goodbye to our beautiful, musical haunt, The Leadmill.

(Now, I’m off to sob! More photos to follow next week.)

Setlist

REARRANGE
TROUBLED SON
BETTER THAN THAT
ONE MAN BAND
INHALER(NEW INTRO)
THE WONDER LOVE IS CRUEL
CRY ON THE GUITAR
KINGCRAWLER
LOADED
SUNLIGHT IN THE SHADOWS BLAME ON SUMMERTIME
NOTHING EVER GOOD ENOUGH
COLOUR OF THE TRAP NEVER TAKING ME ALIVE
COUP DE GRACE
DON’T FORGET
COME CLOSER