Leeds musician King Zepha returns home from 30-date European tour for album launch party at Smokestack

Leeds-based singer, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer King Zepha - real name Sam Thornton - is returning home after a massive 30-date European tour to host a special album launch party at Smokestack in Leeds.

The tour saw Sam and his band travel across Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Poland, celebrating the release of his latest record, The Return of King Zepha.

Reflecting on the tour, Sam noted that taking his music abroad delivered several unexpected highlights, including a memorable stop in Gdańsk.

Speaking to the Yorkshire Evening Post upon his return, Sam revealed: "The crowds were fantastic and very enthusiastic - Amsterdam BeatClub, The Dublin Castle in Camden, and the Fulford Arms in York stood out in particular.

“But I was stunned to see several people in the audience singing along to my original songs when we played in Gdańsk a few weeks ago, despite the fact that we've never performed in Poland before."

Touring internationally wasn't without its steep learning curves, however.

When asked for advice he could share with other local artists preparing for life on the road, Thornton offered a practical lesson learned the hard way: "Read the small print in your breakdown cover," Sam advised.

"We had an incident where our vehicle broke down in South Wales and, despite having 'national' cover, they were only willing to tow us to a garage within three miles of where we stopped - which was closed as it was a Sunday morning!"

The homecoming performance on November 7 marks an eager return to Lower Briggate bar and live room Smokestack, a venue that played a key role in the band's formative years.

"Smokestack is the perfect venue for this event," Sam said. "We hosted some of our most memorable gigs there in the early days of the band, but we haven't played there for nearly a decade."

Comparing venues across the UK, Sam noted that Newcastle’s Cluny 2 was one of the most beautiful spaces on the tour circuit, suggesting that the closest equivalent in Leeds would be Seven Arts if paired with standing space and a beefy sound system.

For the Smokestack return, long-time fans and new listeners can expect an expanded setup and a tightly honed setlist shaped by months on the road: "Our Leeds gig promises to be an extra special night, with our biggest and best lineup to date," Sam assured.

"We've introduced quite a few new songs to our set from our latest album, and they're sounding super-tight now since we've done so many gigs."

Tickets for King Zepha’s album launch party at Smokestack on November 7 2026 (doors 7.30pm) cost £12 in advance and are available via Eventbrite or through King Zepha’s official website.