BRUCE Springsteen has made a special request to play the Leeds Arena this summer, six weeks ahead of its official opening in September.

The American rock veteran and his E Street Band will give the 13,500-seat venue an impromptu road test on July 24 in a one-off performance as part of his Wrecking Ball tour.

Tickets for The Boss’s first indoor British show since his 2007 arena tour – and his first Leeds concert since Roundhay Park in 1985 – go on sale at £65 on Friday at 9am.

They will be available online at leeds-arena.com or in person from the Leeds Arena pop-up box office at Leeds Town Hall; booking is limited to six tickets per person and booking fees may apply.

Reflecting on being approached by Springsteen’s people, Leeds Arena director Tony Watson says: “We’re delighted that all of our stakeholders’ hard work in building a world-class arena in Leeds has attracted the attention of an international superstar such as Bruce Springsteen.

“The team is ecstatic that an artist of this sheer calibre will be providing all of us with, what is effectively, a big dress rehearsal for the arena for its opening season.

“Springsteen has always expressed a love of performing in the UK and, from what I understand, any opportunity to put Leeds Arena through its paces was too much to resist. We’re more than happy to take orders from The Boss on this occasion.”

Councillor Keith Wakefield, Leader of Leeds City Council, says: “This is an unexpected but very welcome announcement. To hear that the arena’s appeal is such that the advance actually came from Bruce Springsteen’s people is incredibly exciting.

“Leeds has waited a long time to welcome him back since his legendary 1985 Roundhay Park concert. It also means this amazing new arena will make its mark on the city’s cultural landscape far earlier than originally anticipated.”

The council will hand over the arena to SMG on schedule towards the end of March. “It’s then up to them to fit it out to their requirements and open it on a date of their choice,” says Coun Wakefield. “Personally I’m delighted at the prospect of a world-famous rock icon such as Bruce Springsteen performing there and am looking forward to him helping us put Leeds Arena firmly on the map.”

SMG will be staging more than 140 events each year at the Leeds Arena, where the opening season will be launched by Sir Elton John’s concert on September 4; his only indoor British stage show confirmed for 2013.

Leeds band Kaiser Chiefs, comedian Micky Flanagan, opera singer Andrea Bocelli and waltzing violinist Andre Rieu are signed up for shows too.