Yorkshire’s legendary house music brand, Love to be… is embarking on a major UK tour in partnership with Academy Music Group (AMG), which touches down on home-turf at the O2 Academy Sheffield on Saturday 6 February 2027 for the venue’s long-awaited re-opening.

Already lined up for this re-opening event is Defected’s very own First Lady, Sam Divine, with many more to be announced.

Co-founded in 1994 by Tony Walker at Sheffield’s renowned Music Factory, Love to be… has spent over 30 years shaping UK club culture. From Frankie Knuckles, Masters At Work and Basement Jaxx, to Claptone, Sam Divine and Sonny Fodera, the brand has consistently united house music royalty with rising artists performing alongside the biggest names in global dance music.

Today with Tony Walker and Director Marc Dennis at the helm, Love to be… stands for heritage and innovation, bridging generations on the dancefloor with the same passion that fuelled the early years.

Like Love to be…, the history of O2 Academy Sheffield is synonymous with the city’s music scene.  Originally opened in 1968 as the infamous Top Rank Suite, the venue hosted some iconic and now legendary gigs from The Police, The Clash, Joy Division and David Bowie, before rebranding to dance institution the Roxy Disco, to become one of the region’s biggest nightspots in the eighties and nineties.

Following the temporary closure of O2 Academy Sheffield in 2023 for substantial remedial works, the mirror ball is hoisted up once again for the reopening, and who better than Love to be… to be one of the first to bring the venue back to life and put its new L-Acoustics K3 loudspeaker system through its paces.

Be the first and sign-up for tickets here via Skiddle before they go on sale on Wednesday 28 October at 9am.