‘Our sound man had Kurt Cobain against the wall’: iconic Leeds gig pub ‘reopens’
Kurt Cobain reportedly slept on the sofa, which had been signed by scores of bands. Oasis famously played to no audience at all. For more than a decade, the Duchess of York in Leeds was a mainstay of the northern gig circuit. Before it closed in 2000, it hosted Nirvana, Pulp, Blur, Manic Street Preachers, the Verve and Coldplay on their respective paths to the top.
Today, the site in Vicar Lane hosts a clothes shop. But the venue is being partially, a showcase for interactive art projects. Pints will be served beneath a mock-up of the old Duchess sign. The walls will be covered in gig flyers, photos from gigs, posters and quotes from former punters.
