Thomas Dolby

Thomas Dolby plays O2 Academy Leeds on 24 May 2026. Known for weaving synths, funk touches and cinematic moods into sharp pop writing, he first broke through in the early 80s with The Golden Age of Wireless and The Flat Earth. On stage today, he moves between those early songs and later chapters from Aliens Ate My Buick to A Map of the Floating City, shifting from sleek electronics to warmer textures with ease. You’ll hear singles like She Blinded Me with Science and Hyperactive! next to deep cuts and reworked arrangements, punctuated by stories that link studios, film scores and side trips into audio tech.

Opening the night, Martin McAloon performs the songs of Prefab Sprout. A stripped setup puts the melodies and wordplay at the front, tracing a path through a catalogue that helped shape UK art-pop. It’s an intimate counterpoint to Dolby’s electronic palette and sets the tone for an evening centered on songwriting detail and pop craft at O2 Academy Leeds, Leeds.