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Queens of the Stone Age stormed Don Valley Bowl with two headline nights at Rock N Roll Circus. Isobel O’Mahony caught bassist Michael Shuman backstage, before Ash Birch delivers the full review of a thunderous, riff-fuelled Sheff takeover.
44: ELECTROPHONIQUE DREAMS
Songwriter James Leesley revives the legacy of the legendary Studio Electrophonique with a dreamy, cinematic debut album. We hear how literature and local history helped to shape his sound.
50: HORSEPLAY
Ex-Blinders frontman Thomas Haywood saddles up with new band Whitehorse, blending punchy lyrics, heavy bass and shimmering guitars. Ruby Deakin chats about beginnings, their debut single and what’s next for one of the city’s rising acts.
56: THEN & NOW
Art scene OG Joe Scarborough reflects on six decades of painting the city’s people, pubs and streets as he takes Exposed around his final exhibition at the Showroom.
60: PLAYING IT BY EAR
Comedian Chris Addison swaps satire for sonatas, bringing wit, stories and “wall-to-wall tunes” to the Crucible in a playful guide to the history of chamber music.
GAFFERS
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Isobel O'Mahony, Rosie Brennan, Ruby Deakin, Jasmine Steele, Mark Perkins
THE BUSINESS STUFF
Exposed is published monthly by Blind Mice Media Ltd Unit 1b, 2 Kelham square Kelham Riverside Sheffield S3 8SD
TURN ON THE LIGHTS AGAIN! SHOT BY @LILI_TAKESFLICKIS
When one of the biggest names in electronic music picks your city to kick off a summer of shows celebrating grassroots venues, you know it’s a moment. Fred Again turned FORGE Warehouse into a sweaty fever dream of a gig, playing a set containing unreleased material and one hell of a curveball: a surprise appearance from Amy Taylor of Amyl and The Sniffers. SOME night, that.
CITY VIEWS
STORIES FROM THE HEART OF THE STEEL CITY
ROSIE BRENNAN
Growing up in Grenoside in the early 2000s, one of the more northern parts of Sheffield, I always felt I’d lived slightly ‘out of the way’. Anything ‘interesting’ was at least a 30-minute drive away, as I’d grown up in a relatively small, quiet village with one corner shop, a few pubs, a butcher’s and a woodland – quite separate from the city centre.
Many of my childhood memories were spent in Grenoside woods, on long Sunday afternoon walks and bike rides with my family, or sledging down Top Side hills in winter, when the snow in Grenoside felt like a scene straight out of Narnia.
Between the ages of about eight and 13 (2012–17), there was one place in the city that, for some reason, felt like the greatest place on earth – Meadowhall. A Saturday afternoon there with friends (after being dropped off by someone’s mum, or braving the first parent-less tram journey), buying matching necklaces at Claire’s, smelly gel pens that would definitely not last, Lush bath bombs with aromas so pungent they felt like a straight-up nostril punch, and eating far too many American candies pretty much sums up the nostalgia of my ‘tweenage’ years in Sheffield.
One of my best friends growing up lived in Wincobank, within walking distance of Meadowhall, and I had never envied a human more than I did aged 13, aching to have what felt like a metropolis of random tat at my fingertips.
I resented where I was from for a long time, particularly when I started Notre Dame High School. Probably as posh as you can get without being private, much of the school’s population came from surrounding areas like Fulwood, Millhouses and Ecclesall. There were probably about ten people from Grenoside, a demographic mostly made up of myself and my siblings.
For people like me who didn’t live near school, we had the privilege of boarding bright green buses for an hour-long journey ending in Chapeltown. It felt like about 80% of my secondary school memories involved the journey to or from school – water fights in summer, hours spent sharing headphones, awkwardness over unspoken seating plans, and the sheer terror of making eye contact with a Year 11 on the back seat.
I hated being so far away from what I perceived at the time to be the ‘good parts’ of Sheffield – the
massive parks, the gentrified coffee shops, the houses that casually had balconies attached to their bedrooms. When it came time to choose a university, I wasn’t fussy but had one condition –anywhere but home.
I’d grown sick of being a minimum of half an hour away from anything interesting or ‘nice’ and eventually just got sick of the city itself. I never understood why people loved it so much. ‘There’s nothing here,’ I’d tell myself repeatedly, before deciding to move to Newcastle for uni, thinking something ‘bigger and better’ would give me what I’d always been missing.
MOVING BACK TO GRENOSIDE AFTER TWO BUSY YEARS IN NEWCASTLE, I FINALLY APPRECIATED BEING ‘OUT OF THE WAY’. BEING NEAR-ISH TO THE CITY CENTRE, BUT NOT RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT."
I lived there for two years and rarely found myself missing home. After deciding to do a placement year before finishing my degree, I applied to hundreds of positions in London – somewhere I deemed even bigger, and therefore even better.
After what felt like an infinite amount of rejection, I landed an internship at home in Sheffield. The idea of moving back dramatically felt like some kind of prison sentence, especially after two years of independence and university fun.
At the same time, my best friend was moving back after changing her mind about university in London. A part of me thought she was completely insane for choosing Sheffield over London. She’s always loved everything about Sheffield, and I never quite understood why – until this past year.
Moving back to Grenoside after two busy years in Newcastle, I finally appreciated being ‘out of the way’. Being near-ish to the city centre, but not right in the middle of it, and being able to have quiet walks in the woods the day after a rather heavy night out, helped me love home again.
Coming back at the same time as my friend, she – without necessarily meaning to – taught me to love the city I was born in, to the point where now I can’t believe I ever used to think ‘there’s just nothing here’. Music, art, food, drink, culture – it’s all here, I just didn’t want to look hard enough.
Now preparing to go back to Newcastle for my final year, I find myself not wanting to leave. Being a student is strange in that sense – you have two homes, and neither feels quite completely like home, because as soon as you’re in one, you miss the other. And I’ll miss my home here more than I’d like to admit.
A SLICE OF CULTURE
Kelham Island’s newest creative night is bringing together three of life’s finest pleasures – pizza, art and cocktails – under one roof in a new monthly social.
Isabellas, already known for its tasty Italian scran, recently launched PAC: Pizza – Art – Cocktail, a monthly event where the city’s vibrant art scene meets top-quality food and drink.
The idea came to chef and art collector Toto after chatting with Sheffield artist Kieran Flynn, who’d been putting on successful art shows such as I Love What You’ve Done With The Place in local venues like Two&Six Micropub on Snig Hill. “I thought, if they can do an exhibition in a micropub, we can do it here at Isabellas and add our own spin,” says Toto.
During the opening night, which took place on 21 August, diners enjoyed their pick of any pizza from the menu, a specially created cocktail inspired by one of the featured artists and took home a pizza box transformed into a piece of art. Each one is decorated by chosen artist and includes a piece of their work inside – at the cost of just £20 for the pizza, box and print or £30 with a bespoke cocktail included. “You open it up and there’s the print – it’s something you get to take home and keep,” says Toto.
PAC isn’t a one-off – each month will bring a fresh lineup of artists and cocktails, with the next event on 28 September featuring Tom J Newell, Suzi Kemp, William Exley and Emily Redfearn – an exclusive Roar Artist Agency showcase. “The plan is to make this a space that celebrates Sheffield’s art scene, culture, good food – and hopefully more beyond that,” Toto says.
There’ll be a chilled trip-hop soundtrack to set the mood on the night, and the art will stay on display as pop-up exhibition after the event – with all sales going directly to the artists.
In a nutshell:
PAC: Pizza – Art – Cocktails 28 September
Isabellas, 17 Alma Street, Kelham Island
Instagram: @isabellas_ sheffield
Illuminate the Gardens
7-9 NOVEMBER // SHEFFIELD BOTANICAL GARDENS // @ILLUMINATE.THE.GARDENS
After eight years and seven dazzling events, Illuminate the Gardens will light up Sheffield’s skies for the final time this autumn. Ahead of the grand finale, we caught up with Event’s Collective’s Events Manager, Ellie Murphy, to get the lowdown on what to expect – and why this beloved Bonfire Night staple is bowing out.
“It’s definitely going to be emotional,” Ellie admits. “Every year already is, to be honest –we always tear up during the main fireworks display. But this time will be something else. I think there’ll be a few more tears – not just from me and Bob [Worm, Events Collective founder], but the team and probably some of the crowd as well. It’s the end of an era.”
Since its debut in 2017, Illuminate the Gardens has become a true Sheffield institution. Combining a spectacular light trail, mesmerising fireworks, local food and drink, and familyfriendly entertainment, it reimagined Bonfire Night into a magical weekend experience in the heart of the city. This year, from 7–9 November, the Botanical Gardens will host its
final hurrah – a kind of ‘greatest hits’ version of the event, with all the best-loved features and a few fresh surprises.
“We normally run with a theme, but this year we’ve left it wide open,” says Ellie. “We’ve said to our artists, go wild. We’ve commissioned new pieces, and we don’t even know what some of them will be yet – it’s exciting for us too. But there’ll definitely be some nods to years gone by.”
Visitors can expect the usual twin fireworks shows – a quieter early-evening display for children and people with sensory sensitivities, followed by the high-impact main event. There’s also the now wellestablished quiet zone, a more recent addition that’s proven hugely popular for guests who need a moment of calm amidst the colour and crowds.
The lower gardens trail, introduced last year, will return with a new theme, helping to ease footfall while offering a fresh perspective on the space. And of course, the full complement of food traders, fairground rides, bars and interactive installations will be back. “It’s always had that Sheffield Food Festival feel,”
Ellie says. “We’ve got mulled wine, local beers, hot chocolates with a splash of Baileys if you fancy, and great food – vegan, veggie, you name it.”
And while it’s undoubtedly a family-friendly event, there’s plenty for grown-ups too. “The Modular Moods tent is always a crazy, fun cocktail bar,” Ellie adds. “If you want to come down and start your night here before heading into town, it’s perfect. It’s got such a good vibe – and that’s not just down to what we do, it’s the crowd, the atmosphere, the camaraderie on site.”
The first Illuminate in 2017 sold out fast, catching the team slightly off-guard. “We had no idea it would grow the way it did,” Ellie recalls. “We didn’t know how much people would love a light show like this – but they did. And it just built from there. The community have been behind us from day one, and we’re so grateful.”
So why stop now? The reasons are mainly logistical. While the Botanical Gardens have provided a stunning backdrop, the limitations are becoming harder to work around. “We’ve outgrown the venue, really,” Ellie says. “Accessibility’s been a big challenge. We offer carer tickets, but we just can’t provide
accessible parking, and that’s something we feel strongly about. We’ve looked into shuttle buses and other solutions, but they’re just not realistic without pushing up ticket prices – and we’ve always tried to keep it affordable.”
Despite the challenges, the team’s relationship with the council and the Gardens staff has been a respectful and collaborative one. “The council told us they wouldn’t feel comfortable letting any other organiser do what we’ve done here,” Ellie notes. “That means a lot.”
As for what comes next, the future is open. “It might not be the end forever,” Ellie hints. “We could pop up again – maybe in Sheffield, maybe somewhere new. But for now, it’s time for a break, to reflect on what we’ve achieved. We’ve taken Bonfire Night to another level. We’re not just fireworks and a bonfire – we’re the whole shebang.”
If this truly is the final bow, expect Illuminate the Gardens to go out in style. The team have one last story to tell – and every light, as Ellie puts it, tells a story.
enjoy summer at the barn at whirlow hall farm
Tucked away just off Ecclesall road sits a countryside oasis, just minutes away from the city centre. Come and enjoy tasty homemade cakes served with a cracking cup of coffee or tea on our beautiful outdoor terrace while you let the little one’s enjoy our fantastic childrens playground.
Or come for a spot of lunch and enjoy some wonderfully prepared local produce. We have a regularly changing specials board, or lighter deli items and fresh salads. Maybe come and join us for our lively bistro nights and sample a glass of Whirlow Wine paired with fresh, local ingredients.
the barn at whirlow
Whirlow Lane, Sheffield, S11 9QF W. www.whirlowhallfarm.org
E: thebarnbookings@whirlowhallfarm.org
We are open 9am–4:30pm, Wednesday to Sunday.
WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBOURHOOD
COOL STUFF!
Wandering into Cool Stuff Vintage feels a bit like stepping into the attic of the most interesting person you know. There are treasures tucked into every corner of the former Butcher and Catch restaurant on Whitham Road, now home to Broomhill’s newest vintage destination.
Even our notoriously hard-to-please photographer had to admit – within minutes of walking through the doors – that this was his new favourite shop in Sheffield. High praise, indeed, and it’s no surprise as the shop is bursting with curated collections of vintage homewares, art, clothes, books, handmade goods and ephemera you didn’t know you needed until you spotted it in one of the vintage kitchen nooks or art-filled alcoves.
Owners Taylor and Samuel OgleTimson have transformed the space –along with Taylor’s dad, Eric, who flew in from Florida to help launch the venture – into a warm, welcoming curiosity shop where everything feels like it’s had a life before.
“We do have loads of vintage clothes,” Taylor explains, “but essentially, we’re kind of a one-stop vintage shop. We don’t specialise in one thing. It’s curated, yeah –but fun. There’s a bit of everything.” She’s not joking. One room leads to another, and another, and suddenly you’ve gone from flicking through fashion to leafing through old paperbacks, eyeing up reworked art prints, and wondering whether you need an old typewriter or a 1980s jigsaw (the answer is probably yes).
But this isn’t a random jumble of bits.
“We are incredibly picky,” says Sam. “We’ve got several sources, from local contacts to house clearances. But it all gets filtered. Every single piece is chosen.” That curation includes creativity too –there are handmade tote bags stitched from salvaged fabrics, collage kits made from discarded books, and vintage artwork reimagined with new overlays and graphic details.
At the heart of it all is a focus on sustainability and second-hand culture. “It’s about keeping everything in circulation,” says Taylor, “but with a fun new twist.” Eric agrees: “It’s about repurposing – giving things new life. There’s a whole world of collage, craft and creative reuse that can grow from this.”
That ethos was born in Jacksonville, Florida, where Taylor’s parents run the original Cool Stuff Vintage from a converted Pepsi bottling warehouse. When the couple caught wind that Butcher and Catch was relocating, they jumped on the opportunity. “A space like this in Broomhill? You don’t pass it up,” says Sam. “It’s rare.”
The transformation has been a family affair. “My dad flew over for a long weekend to help us look at a few potential spots,” says Taylor. “But this
one stood out straight away. He loved it.” Eric’s decades of vintage-hunting experience shaped the new shop’s layout and stock. “There’s always someone for everything,” he laughs, recalling a Sheffield customer who picked up vintage handkerchiefs for wedding decor and another who snapped up a 1965 boiler manual for her plumber husband.
“You never know what people are looking for. That’s the joy.”
Taylor and Sam both studied archaeology in Sheffield and stuck around long after their degrees finished.
“It’s a sticky city,” Sam jokes. “You just can’t seem to leave.” Before opening Cool Stuff Vintage, Sam launched Trixie’s Pantry, a zero-waste refill shop just around the corner. It’s still running, and yes – Trixie the dog is also the unofficial mascot at Cool Stuff, occasionally shouting at customers when she’s had enough of shop life.
Though the shop has only been open a month, the response has already been overwhelmingly positive. “We’ve got regulars already,” says Taylor. “People come in, check out the new stock, hang around, have a chat. It’s great.” New stock comes in every day, with the layout constantly changing. “If a piece sells,” explains Sam, “the whole area might
need rearranging. You’ve got to keep the space feeling alive.”
Looking ahead to autumn, they’re planning to bring out “a massive collection of vintage jumpers” and have big hopes for community workshops and art events, many inspired by what Eric and Cristina already run in Florida. “We did a back-to-school collage event at the Jacksonville shop,” says Eric. “Kids could decorate their composition books with old papers and ephemera. Free, fun and totally unique. We want to bring that here too.”
It’s clear Cool Stuff Vintage is more than a shop. It’s a creative space, a community hub, a treasure trove of stories – and a love letter to second-hand life, told in fabric scraps and retro prints. As Sam puts it, “There’s something new to discover every time. Even for us.”
And if you happen to spot a frog figurine or a tea chest that speaks to you? Best to grab it while you can. Because in a place like this, nothing stays on the shelf for long.
COVER: QOTSA
ROCK ROYALTY
Queens of the Stone Age blew away Don Valley Bowl with not one, but two unforgettable headline sets at Rock N Roll Circus last month. Exposed’s Isobel O’Mahony grabbed a chat with bassist Michael Shuman just before they took to the main stage – and proved that when it comes to wild, riffheavy rock there are no better ringmasters to call on.
From the catacombs of Paris to Don Valley Bowl in S9, Queens of the Stone Age brought the desert heat – and the Steel City brought the love last month…
Back in February, a series of cryptic posters stirred excitement across Sheffield – and when the announcement dropped that Homme and co. will be playing their first live show around these parts since 2011, local fans were all in. In fact, demand was so strong a second night had to be added.
“I think the UK has kind of been our second home and we spent a lot of time there,” Mikey tells me. “We spend a lot of time going through Heathrow Airport.
“We’re always excited to do shows out here –that’s probably where our biggest fan base is – and we try to do UK tours as much as possible. There are a lot more pints – in the air and on the floor and on each other.
“We did a Finsbury Park show that was kind of similar to this and that was a big deal for us, so it felt like this was a similar thing.”
This was supposedly the band’s first visit to Sheffield since Mikey joined in 2011, but it wasn’t his first time in the city – though the memories were a little blurry.
“I just remember having a really good curry and going out for drinks with this band that opened for us and then showing us around. I’ve played Sheffield with my other band... or maybe we haven’t. But it was a great show, of course.”
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Naturally, the age-old Sheffield question then came up – had he tried Henderson’s Relish while visiting? Unfortunately, his answer may dismay a few local diehards.
“No. I mean, maybe I have and I just don’t remember. I don’t think that was a highlight for me. Sorry about that.”
The show itself, though, will almost certainly turn out to be one. It marks the end of their wild seven-week The End is Nero tour.
“It’s really nice to go out with a bang in Sheffield. I was excited that we got to add a second date – that’s exciting that so many people want to come and see us.
“It’s rare that we get to do these things where we get to curate our own mini festival. It’s not just a show with one support, but with so many great bands that I love.”
True to form, the line-up for Rock N Roll Circus doesn't disappoint – with each act handpicked by the headliners.
“I was excited to see it come together,” says Mikey. “Starting with the Viagra Boys, who we’ve toured with and are one of my favourite bands right now. So Good, who were touring with us at the time – they’re the best.
“That band Bug Club, who I specifically requested to be on because I’ve been listening to their tunes – I think
they’re great. And Demob Happy, who I supported with my solo thing – really great guys. To see these bands on the list and be like, yes, them, them – it was really great.”
Queens of the Stone Age have a reputation for putting on a wild show – one-part sonic mayhem, one-part theatrical spectacle. While Rock N Roll Circus will be a first for the band, Mikey says the setup reminds him of a Halloween home show they once did.
“We had, again, maybe three or four supports and outside in the parking lot, we had one of the craziest haunted houses – where you have to actually sign a form that says, like, any injuries or full panic attacks, because they can touch you, they can grab you.
“We had some great burlesque dancers from a place called Jumbo, which is a famous burlesque club in LA.
“So it’s kind of similar, I guess. But our drummer is afraid of clowns, so I’m not sure actually if it worked out too well.”
On the complete other end of the performance spectrum, the band recently released their concert film and live album Alive in the Catacombs, recorded beneath the streets of Paris in front of the city’s famous skeletal remains.
“I’ve been in the band for about 20 years and Josh has been talking about
it since then, and every couple of years he’d bring it up and I’d be like, okay, or whatever.
“We kept asking and it was really like the Parisian government and the tourist agency that kept saying no. Maybe there were some new appointed officials that agreed to it, but we were the first to do a performance down there like that – so it’s pretty special. I guess the point is persistence is key.
“It can get a little mundane playing the same kind of clubs, the same arenas, over and over again and being in a sterile box. We try to mix it up as much as possible –to keep us excited and to keep our fans on their toes.”
Comparing the mindset of going into the Sheffield shows with the haunting atmosphere of a Catacombs gig, he explains that it was “the complete opposite” for one pretty obvious reason.
“Number one: there were six million people watching – but they’re dead. So this was alive people watching us, and I think our set was completely different, as it would be.
“This is like end-of-the-tour party time, whereas the other thing was a much more emotional experience. I hope there aren't too many tears – but if the clowns are crying, I’m okay with that. I’ve made clowns cry many times.”
QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE @ DON VALLEY BOWL
WORDS: ASH BIRCH // PHOTOGRAPHY: RAPH POUR-HASHEMI & JACOB FLANNERY
Yaaasss, Queens!
It’s a Wednesday night under the big top as the circus rolls into town. The now wellestablished five-day fest, Rock n Roll Circus, has gone big this year, kicking things off with a two-night residency from legends (and our future mayor?): Queens of the Stone Age.
Support on night one comes from the equally brilliant Viagra Boys and Fat Dog, and things really kick into gear with the barely-contained chaos of the Swedes. The notorious sports fans confusingly proclaim it’s their first time in Sheffield – despite the fact I definitely saw them at The Foundry in 2022 – before shouting out ’90s SWFC fullback (and fellow Swede) Roland Nilsson, though they mistake him for an ice hockey player. Unhinged and fitting.
Following Viagra Boys, Fat Dog absolutely go off at the Electric Carousel stage. Sweaty, running circle pits get us right
in the mood for QOTSA – but honestly, they’re a hard act to top.
Josh Homme and his Queens take to the stage at 9pm for a two-hour tour de force through their back catalogue.
It’s worth saying – I reckon Josh Homme has got some kind of witch’s curse over everyone. Somehow, he appeals to indie kids and metalheads without losing any credibility, still being really fucking cool, looking like he’d beat you in a fight, and seeming like an all-round good egg. It doesn’t seem fair. What
devilry is this?
Anyway, tonight they start big – launching into You Think 'I Ain’t Worth a Dollar, but I Feel Like a Millionaire', 'No One Knows', and 'Burn the Witch'.
An epic three-song opener. Josh inevitably has the audience in the palm of his hand. Throughout the set he peppers in praise for the people of Sheffield and asks for our votes when he runs for the city’s highest office. He can easily count on thousands in this crowd.
The set continues to hit the
band’s high notes, with a couple of new ones thrown into the mix, before they get to 'Emotion Sickness', where Josh halts the song after spotting a “RIP Mark Lanegan” flag. The band then launch into 'Hanging Tree' –which Lanegan sang on – as a tribute.
From there on out, it kicks up another gear – an epic, crowdcontributing 'Make It Wit Chu', a breakneck 'Go With the Flow', and a massive, pummelling 'Song for the Dead' to close. The circus had well and truly arrived in town.
HIDDEN GEM
SHEFFIELD SPEAKEASY!
As hidden gems go, you don’t get much more inconspicuous than quirky new wine hangout, Not Open; Don’t Come!
Playfully mocking the pretentious wine-bar craze sweeping urban hotspots, the secretive bar is located above the Old Shoe in Orchard Square and leans into all the stereotypes of a pretentious wine bar, with a speakeasy-style “call-to-get-in” policy, a covert entrance, and a hand-picked selection of over two dozen wines served by the glass.
Despite the faux-exclusivity, the bar interior, which was designed by Emily Croft, has a relaxed, comfy vibe with home-inspired decor to match. The bottles are served out of household fridges, the bar is modelled on a kitchen island, and the sofas and lounge chairs make it feel like you’re having a casual glass in a mate’s loft.
Owner Mike Pomranz, a former Brooklynbased drinks journalist and co-owner of The Old Shoe, ventured into the trendy world of wine with the aim of making it friendly to all: “I knew jack shit about wine - except that I loved following my tongue, trying new, incredible, crazy things. But so many potential wine lovers struggle to break through that barrier.”
In keeping with the irony of the place, the door is mysteriously hard to find. Walking along Orchard Street behind the Old Shoe, you’ll spot the bright red wall marking the fire entrance, scrawled with graffiti and the bar’s phone number.
“Our entrance was already a fire exit, so why not lean into it?” explained Mike. “For a loft party, you need to know who to call to let you in. For us, you’re all our friends; the number is there on the door. It might seem silly, but everyone is welcome!”
Joining the team is current wine buyer for the Old Shoe, Rachel Hendry. She’ll be keeping the selection fresh and modern, introducing new bottles catering to all tastes and preferences. To keep things simple, all glasses are sold at just three price points, making sure customers can focus less on cost and more on trying something new.
“Our list prioritises playfulness, whether that’s a soft and sweet Moscato d’Asti that tastes like candied peaches or a Blanc de Pinot Noir that rivals the complex whites of Burgundy but made in Wales,” said Rachel. “We’re working to buy wines with personality that have something to say and hopefully introduce people to different flavours and new favourites in the process.”
Not Open; Don’t Come on Orchard Street is open to the public Thursday night till 1am then Friday and Saturday until 2am. For the most up-to-date info, visit their minimalist website: www. nodc.co.uk
Set to open on Wellington Street, the restaurant is a personal project for Jack Wakelin and Tom ‘Ronnie’ Aronica, taking inspiration from Ronnie’s Sicilian heritage for what will become their first city centre venture.
“It’s been in our heads for a while,” says Ronnie. “Over time I gradually started cooking more Italian food, but never really had the balls to completely go for it. But we always had the thought that we wanted to do a proper Italian restaurant – or our idea of one.”
The roots of Maria reach back to Ronnie’s childhood summers spent with family. “My dad’s Sicilian. Me and my sister used to go and spend the whole summer there, and I think that’s pretty much where my love of food comes from,” he explains. “All my happy memories are around the table – chaos, food everywhere, people everywhere. It feels more me. Italian food is really simple, so you can’t hide. You just need good ingredients and to cook with honesty.”
The restaurant is inspired by Italian trattorias and southern European cooking, and is named after Ronnie’s grandmother, whose influence
can be felt through the venue’s ethos. The brand identity has been built by Sheffield-based design agency Peter & Paul, directly from her handwritten signature, with family photos and memories woven into the design. “She knows about it and thinks it’s weird,” laughs Ronnie. “But she’s proud of what we’re doing.”
Later this year, the award-winning team behind Bench, The Pearl at Park Hill and Bench La Cave are set to open an all-new, authentic Italian restaurant –Maria – in Sheffield’s Heart of the City development.
Jack adds that bringing the project to the Heart of the City felt like the right move: “We’ve had this concept for a year or two now, and it’s great to finally find a place for it in Sheffield city centre. The council have done an amazing job with the development – we love to see the centre beginning to thrive again. We’re in good company alongside friends at Leah’s Yard, Cambridge Street Collective, Marmadukes and Kapital, and are really excited to be part of this little pocket of independents.”
With typical Italian hospitality, Maria will be a restaurant for everyone and any occasion, featuring a galley kitchen running the length of
one wall with counter seating, creating a fully open, lively space for around 46 covers. Rocket Design have begun work transforming the space across from the new HSBC, in the unit next to what was Henry’s Wine Bar.
The menu will feature dishes that can be enjoyed on their own or shared amongst friends and families. Guests can expect nods towards classics as well as more contemporary offerings, with a classic Italian structure to the menu – antipasti, pastas, fish, meat, sides and desserts – but with Ronnie’s twist, keeping dishes seasonal and using the best British produce where possible.
Drinks will be given just as much attention, with Jack promising: “The drinks programme is going to be Italian influenced – really strong aperitivo, a digestivo section with some creativity and a super-sized amaro list.
But also, importantly, a great glass of wine or a £5 negroni.”
For Ronnie and Jack, Maria is as much about personal storytelling as it is about food. “We’re not just opening another restaurant,” says Ronnie. “This one’s in my bones.”
Maria is set to open later this year on Wellington Street in Sheffield’s Heart of the City. Keep up to date via Instagram @trattoria_ maria.
Tucked between the office blocks on Queen Street, the historic Three Cranes Hotel is stirring to life once again. Having stood as a pub or inn since the late 18th century, the building is now home to a set of sleek serviced apartments, with a cosy, locally stocked bar aiming to reconnect with its Sheffield roots.
The transformation has been spearheaded by new owner James Hanotu, who took over the site earlier this year. Though the building underwent an £850,000 refurbishment in 2021, becoming a boutique hotel post-lockdown, it’s since evolved further into a selfservice apartment model to meet shifting demands and streamline operations.
James brings a unique background to the role – one that started far from the world of hospitality. “I used to work as a research manager at the university,” he says. “Masters, PhD, lecturing, the whole lot. I’m a chemical engineer by training, but I just got bored. I’d pushed the limits of my research and there wasn’t much new to explore.”
A chance conversation with his landlord – a property developer – prompted a shift in direction. One construction company and several serviced accommodation ventures later, James found himself drawn to the Three Cranes.
“I still play with the idea of it being a boutique hotel,” he adds.
“The finish, the quality – it still feels like one. But functionally, the self-check-in system just works better for guests.”
Though the serviced apartments now cater largely to professionals and business travellers, it’s the ground-floor bar that holds real promise for the local crowd. That’s where Eve Mukerjee steps in.
Having worked in Sheffield’s pubs since she moved from Whitby at 18, Eve recently took the reins as bar manager. With a background that includes a seven-year stint at The Washington and a clear passion for one-to-one hospitality, she’s eager to bring some buzz back to the once-loved watering hole.
“Most of the guests are from out of town,” she says, “so I wanted to make sure the bar gives them a proper Sheffield welcome.” That welcome includes pints from Thornbridge Brewery, local gins, quality affordable wines, and cheese boards from Porter Brook Deli. Local rums and further collaborations are also in the works.
Beyond the hotel crowd, she’s hoping to draw in after-work drinkers and nostalgic walk-
ins – those who remember the pub’s rock ‘n’ roll heyday or the pre-gig pints before nights at the Boardwalk.
“A lady came in recently who used to drink here in the early 2000s,” Eve recalls. “She told me stories about standing on the tables and kicking bar stools over! Maybe not quite that extreme, but that’s the sort of energy I’d love to revive.”
As the city centre continues to reshape itself, James is keen to ensure the Three Cranes doesn’t get left behind.
“This place has always been a part of Sheffield,” he says. “There are plenty of Three Cranes around the country – but this is the only Three Cranes Hotel. It belongs here. It’s important to keep it alive.”
Whether you’re a traveller seeking boutique comfort or a local longing for a proper pint with some character, their doors are open, and the Cranes are flying again.
You’ll find the Three Cranes at 74 Queen Street. For updates and more info, follow them on Instagram @ threecraneshotel.
HALF-PINTS, FULL CHEERS
Twice the fun, twice the size – but still half the pint. Sheffield’s Half-Pint Marathon returns this September for its 10th anniversary, serving up indie beer across 26 venues and raising money for Sheffield Mind.
So, what’s it all about?
Sheffield’s Half-Pint Marathon is an annual celebration of indie beer, organised by True North Brew Co.
It’s a fun way to explore the city’s craft beer scene at local pubs, bars and breweries – all while raising money for charity.
This year, 25p from each half pint will go towards supporting local mental health charity Sheffield Mind.
A total of 26 pubs, taprooms and bars will take part, including True North favourites like Forum and The Riverside.
To mark the milestone year, True North have teamed up with Sheffield beer experts Abbeydale Brewery, who will supply two specially selected beers – one cask and one keg – available in every venue.
Local brewery Saint Mars of the Desert will also join in, serving a one-off creation exclusive to their venue.
When is it?
The event runs throughout September, giving you plenty of time to visit as many venues as you like.
Whether you’re aiming for the half marathon at 13 venues or going all in for the full at 26, you can collect a stamp at each stop. Once complete, show your finished stamp map at any venue to claim a limited-edition 10th anniversary illustrated print.
How
do I get involved?
Simply visit one of the participating venues to collect your card and start collecting stamps. Maps and info sheets will be available from all participating venues after 1 September. Follow @ sheffhalfpint for more info.
GOING GREEN
Sheffield Vegan Festival is set to return next month for a one-stop celebration of delicious food, inspirational talks and sustainably-minded shopping. Taking place at Sheffield College’s City Campus on Granville Road, the event will feature over 60 stalls offering plantbased food from across the globe, as well as vegan beauty brands, eco-conscious fashion and ethically-sourced artisan goodies.
Whether you’re an experienced plant-eater, a newly-turned vegan or just looking to introduce more plantbased food into your diet, this animalfree extravaganza has something for everyone
Vegan Events UK have been providing communities with the ultimate plantbased day out since 2017, championing ethical practices and supporting small family-run businesses across the country.
The festival will also feature talks from experts on vegan cooking, nutrition tips and living a cruelty-free lifestyle. You can even treat yourself to a VIP ticket for £15, offering a fast-tracked entry and a goodie bag of vegan food, samples and discounts.
Sheffield Vegan Festival will take place on 12 October at Sheffield College’s City Campus, from 10.30am-4.30pm. For more info, visit veganeventsuk.shop. Tickets (£5 and free for u16s) are available via Eventbrite.
Raising the
Tucked inside the striking Blenheim Reach building, just slightly set back from the bustle of Ecclesall Road, BistroBar is a welcoming new addition to Sheffield’s foodie scene – brought to life by Cherise Hatfield, a business owner whose lifelong passion for cooking has finally found its home.
The venue opened in November and boasts a sleek self-serve wine machine – the first of its kind in the city –alongside a New York-style pizza oven working behind the scenes, both reflecting Cherise’s attention to detail and love for great food and drink.
“I’ve always loved cooking,” Cherise says, sat in the beautifully styled space that she designed herself. “Every time I went to a restaurant I’d be thinking: I could do this… or I’d want to try that. It was always teasing me in the back of my mind.”
Her journey into hospitality began early. “When I left school, my dad asked me what I wanted to do, what I really enjoyed. I didn’t know. He said, ‘Well, you love cooking.’”
Following her dad’s advice, Cherise went into catering when she was 19 and was due to go to Rick Stein’s restaurant in Padstow to gain more experience. “I got invited to go down – but I’d had a bad experience in a kitchen, and it
just broke my heart.”
That experience, and the toxic kitchen culture she encountered, pushed her in a different direction. She built a number of successful businesses – including a salon, nail studio and two nurseries, with the salon and nail studio housed in the same building as BistroBar – but food never really left her. After years of travelling and experimenting at home, the dream returned stronger than ever.
The result is BistroBar: a warm, stylish and intimate bar and restaurant that works just as well for coffee and a chat as it does for cocktails, sharing plates or their signature pizza. “We say it’s small but mighty. It’s got something for everyone,” she says. “People come in for great coffee, or they’ll sit at the bar with cocktails and small plates. We’ve held private events too –it’s the perfect size for that. I just wanted to make something with a great vibe.”
Central to the menu is NY-style pizza – something surprisingly rare in the city. “Everyone does Neapolitan, but
I wanted something different. I went to Miami Slice, in Miami, and I thought, this is it. We worked on our recipe for weeks, proofing the dough for 48 hours. Everything’s made in-house, and we also use the dough to make pittas and focaccia too.”
Elsewhere on the menu you'll find everything from Mediterranean salads to small plates packed with flavour and hearty sharing boards, all set at very reasonable prices. “Some people don’t just want pizza – they want meat dishes, they want salads, they want sharing plates. We’re really customer-led. If someone asks for something – like pasta dishes – we’ll add it to the specials.” They’ve recently started a bottomless brunch, featuring pizza and the option to upgrade to cocktails. “It’s been really popular,” she adds. “We want it to be fun.”
Cherise is clear that it’s not just about the food. It’s about the people too. “I’m really proud of my staff. They love this place. They come up with ideas, they really care. It’s not just a job – they live and breathe it.
I always want a family culture in any business I run. We help each other out – no one’s above doing the pot wash. That’s the vibe I wanted to create – fun, respectful and kind.”
That warmth is felt throughout the space, from the soft interior tones to the relaxed layout that invites you to settle in, no matter what time of day it is. “We’re open from 10am Tuesday to Saturday,” she says. “Between 12 and 4 we get lunch visitors, then in the evening it’s more cocktails, full meals, date nights – it's a perfect spot for all occasions.”
Running a restaurant in such a competitive area isn’t without challenges, but she sees the other venues on Ecclesall Road as an opportunity more than a threat. “It’s a tough industry and we’ve not got loads of passing
trade, so we’ve got to work hard to get people in. We’re big on social media and we try to keep it fresh. I think what helps is that we’re doing something different.”
Looking ahead, there are plans to grow the events side of the business, with private bookings already proving popular. “We’re thinking maybe once a week we’ll host private parties, especially Sundays or Mondays. And next summer I’d love to have a barbecue setup outside – big charcoal grills, made to order. That would be a dream.”
The passion that fuels BistroBar is undeniable. For Cherise, this isn’t just a business – it’s the realisation of something deeply personal. “It’s always been in me, from being 19. It’s just taken a different route to get here,” she says. “Now I just want people to come in, feel welcome, eat well and leave happy. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
BistroBar 861 Ecclesall Road, S11 8TH @bistrobar.uk
BALLROOM BLITZ
TRUE NORTH UP THE GEARS WITH REVIVAL OF PICTURE HOUSE BASEMENT UNDERWAY
Since closing its doors in March, the basement venue of beloved Sheffield landmark Abbeydale Picture House is beginning to show signs of life. The newly dubbed Abbeydale Ballroom, revived by independent Sheffield hospitality group True North Brew Co., will be a thriving social hub for the community, aiming to open its doors this autumn.
The Picture House renovation plans are certainly bold, and with just a short timeframe to complete the project, it’s all hands on deck. Entering Stage One of the makeover, the previous home of Picture House Social is set to boast pool, sports and entertainment events as well as food and drink.
Abbeydale Ballroom will connect multiple spaces within the Grade II listed building, including the former ballroom and shuffleboard court, the central room, the bar, diner, and the terrace area. Renovation will restore and highlight some of the building’s original features and details while adding vibrant, modern designs into the mix.
The basement remodelling is the first part of a large-scale renovation of the historic cinema building taking place over the coming years, with the venue set to host live music, comedy, festivals and art events when complete. The transformed Ballroom will also aim to support local businesses, attracting customers to explore other destinations in the surrounding area.
Kane Yeardley, owner of True North, said: “Abbeydale Ballroom is the first space we’ll reopen, and it’s going to set the tone for everything that follows within Abbeydale Picture House. It’s ambitious, but we’re all in.”
To achieve their biggest project so far, True North is collaborating with previous occupants CADS (Creative Arts
Development Space), as well as heritage experts and local architects to preserve the authenticity of the space.
True North Brew Co. have a host of much-loved local venues attached to their name, including Kelham’s Riverside pub, the Forum, The Broadfield pub and the Punch Bowl. The Picture House will add another location to their map of local destinations, and they tell us that customers can expect the same independent, community feel when doors open.
“This is where it really begins,” Kane added.
Abbeydale Ballroom will open its doors in Autumn 2025.
A DRAM GOOD TIME!
Seven Hills Whisky Festival returns to Sheffield – bigger, bolder and packed with over 350 whiskies...
Following the sell-out success of its 2024 debut, the Seven Hills Whisky Festival is returning to Sheffield this autumn – and organisers are promising an even more spirited celebration.
Taking place at The Steamworks on Saturday 18 October 2025, the festival will showcase more than 350 whiskies from 44 distilleries and independent bottlers around the world, with highlights spanning Scottish classics, small-batch American expressions and rare releases from Ireland and Japan.
Among the big names confirmed for this year’s event are Lagavulin, Caol Ila, The Dalmore and GlenAllachie, alongside premium American labels like Sazerac, Rittenhouse and Woodford Reserve. Sheffield’s own contribution will be marked by the Lindores x Mitchells Wines 90th Anniversary Exclusive Cask – a special local release that’s expected to draw serious attention from collectors and enthusiasts alike.
Each ticket includes a Glencairn
tasting glass to take home, a ‘Dream Dram’ token – redeemable for a sample of ultra-premium whisky worth £200 or more – and a highball made with mixers from Franklin & Sons. There’ll also be live entertainment, with Sheffield’s Steel Rivers String Band rounding off each session.
Food will be supplied by some of Sheffield’s top street food vendors, with vegetarian options on offer. New for 2025 is the addition of Forge Coffee Roasters as official coffee partner – providing both caffeine breaks and the option of a warming Irish coffee between tastings.
Festival-goers can also deepen their knowledge with a programme of bookable masterclasses led by industry experts. Topics will range from whiskymaking heritage to advanced tasting techniques, with early booking advised.
Last year’s standout pour was a dram of The Singleton of Glen Ord 40-YearOld – retailing at £3,200 – and organisers are promising even more exceptional Dream Drams this time round.
The event is split into two sessions –12pm to 4pm and 6pm to 9.30pm – with tickets already on sale and expected to sell out quickly.
Get tickets and more info at www. sevenhillswhiskyfestival.co.uk.
seven hills whisky fest Where: the steamworks Socials: @seven.hills.whisky.festival Tickets: sevenhillswhiskyfestival.co.uk
OPEN FROM 4PM MON -THUR AND MIDDAY FRI - SUN
FULWOOD
ROAD, BROOMHILL, SHEFFIELD
saturday 16 aug 2025
melvins & redd kross
£30.00, Doors 7:00pm sunday 17 aug 2025
souls of mischief
£28.00, Doors 7:30pm
tUESDAY 26 aug 2025
THE LEMONHEADS
£25.00, Doors 7:30pm thursday 28 aug 2025 martha wainwright
£33.00, Doors 7:30pm
saturday 6 sept 2025 the bootleg beatles
£30.00, Doors 7:00pm
SATURDAY 13 sept 2025 antarctic monkeys
£20.00, Doors 7:00pm
saturday 20 sept 2025 corella
£18.00, Doors 7:30pm
FRIDAY 26 SEPT 2025
CODY PENNINGTON COUNTRY SHOW
£24.00, Doors 7:30pm
SATURDAY 27 sept 2025 float along festival
£38.00, Doors 12:00pm
MONDAY 29 SEPT 2025
RED RUM CLUB
£20.00, Doors 7:30pm
friday 3 OCT 2025 mat hook
£12.50, Doors 6:30pm
WEDNESDAY 8 OCT 2025
VISTAS
£16.00, Doors 7:30pm
FRIDAY 10 OCT 2025
NEW MODEL ARMY
£27.50, Doors 7:30pm wednesday 15 oct 2025 panic shack
£18.00, Doors 7:00pm
FRIDAY 17 OCT 2025
THE WEDDING PRESENT
£30.00, Doors 7:30pm
SUNDAY 19 OCT 2025
NEWDAD
£18.50, Doors 7:00pm
monday 20 oct 2025
new dawn fades
a play about joy divison & manchester
£22.50, Doors 7:00pm
friday 24 oct 2025
remember monday
£22.50, Doors 7:00pm
saturday 25 OCT 2025
spacey jane
£28.50, Doors 7:30pm
tuesday 28 oct 2025
rianne downey
£15.00, Doors 7:00pm
wednesday 29 oct 2025
footprints jazz club: moses yoofee trio
£18.50, Doors 7:30pm
thursday 30 oct 2025
the enemy
£28.00, Doors 7:30pm
friday 31 oct 2025
sananda maitreya
£40.00, Doors 7:30pm
monday 3 nov 2025 rory
£25.00, Doors 7:00pm
saturday 8 nov 2025
ibibio sound machine
£25.00, Doors 7:00pm
thursday 13 nov 2025
halina rice
£17.50, Doors 7:30pm
friday 14 nov 2025
Craig charles
funk & soul house party
£19.00, Doors 7:00pm
saturday 22 nov 2025
amble
£22.50, Doors 7:30pm
sunday 23 nov 2025
ash
£27.00, Doors 7:00pm
thursday 27 nov 2025
cast
£35.00, Doors 7:30pm
friday 28 nov 2025
beth mccarthy
£19.00, Doors 7:00pm
friday 29 nov 2025
COLDPLACE
£24.00, Doors 7:30pm
all shows open to the public (14+ unless stated otherwise) tickets available from foundrysu.com box office: 0114 222 8777
monday 1 dec 2025
wheatus
£27.50, Doors 7:30pm
thursday 4 dec 2025
inspiral carpets
£28.50, Doors 7:30pm
friday 5 dec 2025 bad manners
£27.50, Doors 7:30pm
SATURDAY 6 dec 2025
808 state ex:el live
£30.00, Doors 7:00pm
wednesday 10 dec 2025
the slow readers club
£27.50, Doors 7:30pm
friday 12 dec 2025
the clause
£15.00, Doors 7:30pm
friday 12 dec 2025
indiepalooza
£26.00, Doors 7:00pm
saturday 7 feb 202
the lilacs
£14.00, Doors 7:00pm
friday 27 feb 2026
elvana
£29.50, Doors 7:00pm
saturday 21 mar 2026
uk foo fighters
£20.00, Doors 7:00pm
saturday 7 mar 2026
the feeling
£35.00, Doors 7:30pm
saturday 25 april 2026
the britpop hour with marc burrows
£18.00, Doors 6:30pm
saturday 25 april 2026
one night in nashville
£24.00, Doors 7:30pm
friday 1 may 2026
just radiohead
£17.50, Doors 7:00pm
saturday 2 may 2026
the smiths ltd
£20.00, Doors 7:00pm
foundry, sheffield students’ union western bank, s10 2tg foundrysu.com - foundry@sheffield.ac.uk @foundrysheffield scan for tickets
REMEMBER
Sheffield Performance Venues Unveil Show-Stopping Autumn/Winter 2025 Programme…
If Sheffield knows one thing, it’s how to put on a show. From legendary nights at the Octagon to spine-tingling recitals in Firth Hall and inspiring theatre performances in the Drama Studio, this city has always known the power of live performance to bring people together. And this autumn/ winter, Sheffield Performance Venues are keeping that tradition alive with a season featuring two curated strands – Concerts and Enable US –stacked with new sounds, bold theatre and nostalgia-soaked gigs. We took a closer look at what’s in the pipeline…
CONCERTS:
BOUNDARIES PUSHED, AND TRADITIONS REIMAGINED
This season’s Concerts programme spans the globe and tears through genres – a carefully curated series that refuses to sit in a single box. Electronic innovator Mark Fell teams up with South Korean cellist Okkyung Lee for a night of glitchy textures and visceral
cello, while Ustad Noor Bakhsh introduces Sheffield to the raw, hypnotic sound of the Balochi benju (a kind of zither unlike anything else you’ll hear this year).
For folk fans, Welsh harpist Cerys Hafana is pulling her country’s traditions into fresh, exciting shapes. She’s joined in the programme by the high-octane quartet Flook, while Heidi Talbot and Boo Hewerdine bring a strippedback warmth that feels tailormade for autumn evenings. Moving into the colder months, seasonal festive folk with A Winter Union will bring the year to a close.
Modern Jazz takes centre stage with the Laura Jurd Quintet, while the Gould Piano Trio and pianist Charles Owen deliver the kind of worldclass classical performances that anchor the programme. And for those who like their music on the meditative side, the collaboration with Music in the Round focuses on Élaine Radigue’s slow-burning works – performed on organ, harp, violin and double bass.
Plus, enjoy international collaborations with Arsen Petrosyan, Mehdi Rostami and Adib Rostami, the forwardthinking Gamelan of Ensemble Nist Nah, and the post-punk energy of Avalanche Kaito.
And it wouldn’t be the University’s Concerts series without their own musicians stepping up. The University Symphony Orchestra, Wind Orchestra, and Chamber Choir will all take their turn in the spotlight.
ENABLE US: SHEFFIELD’S HOME FOR BOLD, NEW THEATRE
If the Concerts programme is about sonic adventure, the Enable US strand is about being a platform for bold, contemporary performance –and Sheffield is all the better for it.
The ever-provocative Jérôme Bel brings mischievous deconstructions of what theatre can be, while Bad Immigrant dives into stories of identity and belonging with raw, personal honesty and a healthy dose of humour. Birdwatching, Shed
Stories and Into the Light all bring fresh perspectives on the world we live in, identity and belonging, while Funk as Puck combines circus, anarchy, satire and politics.
And here’s the kicker: while Sheffield’s no stranger to music and theatre, Enable US is the only space in the city consistently offering dance, physical theatre and circus. It’s work that pushes, provokes and connects – the kind of shows that leave you buzzing with questions long after the lights go down.
THE OCTAGON: A STAGE WITH STORIES
And then there’s the Octagon – the crown jewel of Sheffield Performance Venues and a space dripping with history.
For decades, it’s been where Sheffielders came of age musically – ask anyone who’s lived here over the last 40 years and they’ll have a memory: Pulp tearing up the stage in their hometown, the sheer chaos of Oasis at their peak or Nirvana thrashing their way into legend. It’s the room where generations
of students and locals have sweated shoulder-to-shoulder, knowing they were part of something special.
This year, the Octagon is proving it’s still the beating heart of the city’s live scene. Indie icons Suede headline with their timeless swagger, while Doves bring their atmospheric anthems north. Sheffield’s own Heaven 17 will turn the dial back to synthpop glory days, and the Everly Pregnant Brothers continue to bring their unique brand of South Yorkshire satire.
There’s a new wave bubbling too: rising stars CMAT and James Marriott, fresh indie favourites English Teacher and Alessi Rose, along with cult names like The Royston Club and The Dualers, all add fresh energy to the bill. Meanwhile, The Signatures: Northern Soul Live promises a dancefloor-ready celebration of a genre that’s never gone out of style.
Comedy fans are well catered for, with Alan Davies bringing his latest tour and a festive blowout featuring Sam Campbell, Lucy Beaumont, Rhys James and Sarah Keyworth coming
AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR
CORPORATION // 10 SEP // £22.50
And So I Watch You From Afar bring their fierce, euphoric post-rock to Sheffield – expect noise, energy and emotional heft from a band with global cult status and relentless DIY spirit. corporation.org.uk
LOWKEY
YELLOW ARCH STUDIOS // 10 SEP // £18
The highly-rated rapper returns to Sheff with his sharp, politically charged flows. Known for his Fire in the Booth freestyles, expect a powerful set tackling injustice with lyrical precision. yellowarch.com
WINTER GARDENS
HALLAMSHIRE HOTEL // 12 SEPT // £10
Despite their deceptively ‘Sheffield’ name, Brighton quartet Winter Gardens are heading to the Hallamshire Hotel for a night of post-punk, gothy shoegaze bliss. Since forming in 2017, the band have supported huge names including Echo & The Bunnymen, Gary Numan and Pale Blue Eyes. fatsoma.com
this Christmas. The laughs will continue into the new year with podcast star Shane Todd and BAFTA and British Comedy Award-winning Irish stand-up
Aisling Bea. For something more cerebral, Professor Alice Roberts delivers a lectureperformance on empire and domination, while Off the Shelf returns with another citywide celebration of ideas and storytelling.
And because Sheffield loves a good tribute night, there’s plenty to belt along to – from Man in the Mirror (a celebration of Michael Jackson) to the Sheffield Beatles Project, giving a local twist to timeless classics.
MAKE SOME MEMORIES
So, whether you’re catching a world-class pianist in Firth Hall, a daring new piece of dance at Enable US or belting out indie anthems shoulder-to-shoulder in the Octagon, one thing’s clear: Sheffield still knows how to put on a show.
Full listings and tickets: performancevenues.group. shef.ac.uk/whats-on
THE BURNING HELL
SIDNEY & MATILDA // 13 SEP // £14
The inimitable dynamic duo bring their witty, genre-hopping storytelling to Sidney & Matilda. Expect sharp lyrics, surreal characters and offbeat charm, with support from Canadian indie artist Jon Mckiel. sidneyandmatilda.com
FLOAT ALONG
VARIOUS VENUES // 27 SEP // £27-£41
Float Along is back with its biggest lineup yet. Over 40 artists will play across eight venues, celebrating alternative music and emerging talent. Headliners include spoken-word indie artist Antony Szmierek, post-punk duo Big Special and psych-pop explorer Jane Weaver. floatalong.co.uk
PINS
YELLOW ARCH // 28 SEPT // £13
Manchester trio PINS return to Sheffield to mark 10 years of Wild Nights – their fierce, grunge-tinged second album. Expect raw energy, sharp hooks and swaggering, no-nonsense guitar rock. yellowarch.com
Dreams
Named after a modest but influential DIY recording studio that helped launch some of Sheffield’s biggest musical talents, James Leesley’s solo project Studio Electrophonique is a piece of pure Steel City goodness. He brings together the charming history of this hidden powerhouse with his own original material, carrying on its legacy with his songwriting techniques that feel straight out of the 80s.
James’s self-titled debut album will hit the shelves on 26 September, featuring a booklet with stills from his dynamically-shot music videos. Hot on the heels of the release, he’ll be on the road as part of a nationwide tour with The Divine Comedy, who share his love for honest, witty songwriting that feels distinctly human. Ahead of what promises to be an exciting few months, Ruby Deakin sat down with James to talk about his brand-new material, the influences shaping his dreamy, cinematic sound, and what we can expect from the upcoming tour.
Growing up in Handsworth, James had no idea that he was just around the corner from a small DIY studio that would be so integral to his musical future, walking past it each day on his way to school. From the brilliant mind of Ken Patten who sadly passed away in 1990, Studio Electrophonique was where it was all going on, nurturing bands like Pulp, ABC and The Human League in their early days, all from the backroom of a semi-detached house. After realising his personal ties to the studio, James embarked on a journey of discovery with friend Jamie Taylor, digging through Sheffield archives and knocking on doors in the estate, documenting and filming Ken Patten’s remarkable story.
It was around this time that James was also in search of a new name for his solo work. Sharing many of Ken’s DIY songwriting techniques and hands-on creativity, carrying the torch of his work in the studio’s name seemed the perfect way to keep his spirit alive.
“It felt like I’d started in a different era doing analogue DIY tape recordings, even before I knew about Ken’s way of working,” James said. “It’s good for making creative decisions and just getting things down and moving on,
especially if you’re quite indecisive. So, when I looked back at all the innovative ways Ken worked with tape, it just really married nicely. It was an organic way of taking on that baton.”
Sheffield is at the heart of everything James makes, and the new album has the city running all the way through it – even the cover design is lifted from its industrial past. After obsessing over fine details, James and his team decided on Granby Elephant as their cover font, which was released in 1930 by Sheffield’s Stephenson Blake type foundry – the last active type foundry in Britain. “Those little Sheffield touches were so crucial to the whole package, without being too overt,” said James.
As such, it goes without saying that community spirit plays a big role in James’s work. Having been here all his life, he grows increasingly fond of the city every time he tries to step away.
“Like in a lot of DIY scenes, we realise that if we don’t all get together, share everything and help each other, none of us are going to have anything,” said James. “Recently I’ve noticed that there’s more of an arm around everybody’s shoulder in Sheffield. It doesn’t matter where you’re from, what your history’s been, what bands you’ve been in –everyone’s just like, let’s stick together now.”
A big moment in James’s journey came when he got the seal of approval from so-called “Mr Sheffield” himself, Richard Hawley: “He was the first person to give me the justification that this new project is decent enough to pursue.”
James recalled driving around Sheffield at night in the old days, listening to tape versions of Hawley’s recordings after growing up with his music. It wasn’t long before James was on his radar, and, just as Ken Patten would
in the days of Studio Electrophonique, he offered up his studio for James to try out some demos and test out his gear. “He said, just come round and have a full day. He just left me up there with my sandwiches, playing guitar and making tape recordings. That was a really big gesture, it gave me a big boost.”
The inspiration for James’s material comes from many different places, turning away from music alone to find moments that ignite his imagination: “I started drifting into literature and poetry and cinema, and I realised I was getting the same feelings of inspiration from them as I was from music,” he said. “It
could be a line from a book or the feeling you get from a certain scene in a film, a moment that makes you feel really inspired or moved in some way. Those are the moments I’m trying to collect and put into my form, which is music.”
James named American short story writer Lydia Davis as one of his biggest influences, making sure he always keeps one of her books knocking around:
“Short stories are parallel to songs in a way – they’re like snapshots or scenes. You don’t have to say it all, but you can distil it down. I really enjoy minimalism and not having too much fluff around things – you just get to the bones of it.”
He describes many of the songs on his new album as “mini soundtracks”, capturing small-scale, intimate stories of relationships and day-to-day experiences and transforming them into stylish, dreamy, cinematic scenes through music. His love for 60s’ and 70s’ French cinema shaped his approach, inspired by the artistic styles of names like Jean-Pierre Melville and Alan Resnais.
“It was an aesthetic that was in my mind when writing these songs, thinking
oh, you could imagine this sound going with that sort of style. It’s one of those drivers that gets me in the mood to write songs.”
One such soundscape exploring the beauty of the mundane is the first single off the new record, David and Jayne. James discussed how the musical characters that appear in many of his songs almost create themselves, emerging from his own experiences but placed at a slight distance, giving him a new angle to work with.
Set at the British seaside, David and Jayne recounts a weekend away for a couple that ends up being less glamorous than first hoped. Their plans don’t quite line up, the water’s too cold, and they’re just too tired to make decisions: “It’s playing into their story, their journey, it’s like a chapter in their relationship.”
James is set to take an exciting new step in his musical journey, touring with The Divine Comedy this autumn. The band’s frontman, Neil Hannon, had landed upon the music video for David and Jayne, and before long James was signing up to accompany the group as
they travel between some of the UK’s most exciting music venues – including Sheffield City Hall on 16 October.
“I thought he might enjoy those characters and the Britishness of it and the humour, and then he emailed the label asking if I wanted to do the full tour!” said James. “It’s like the dream tour for this stage that I’m at. I was ready to do a small-scale DIY tour. I couldn’t have asked for a better thing.”
James hopes to share his love for Sheffield and the honest emotion of his music with audiences on the tour. He closed our conversation by adding: “If somebody can feel moved or inspired or really enjoy something or be terribly sad about it but in the best way possible –that’s the goal really.”
James’s self-titled album Studio Electrophonique will be out on 26 September. He’ll be making his Sheffield City Hall debut on 16 October as part of a tour with The Divine Comedy – tickets are selling fast, and can be found at: www. thedivinecomedy.com
SHEFFIELD’S EXCITING LIVE MUSIC COLLAB POWERED BY EXPOSED AND JOE GREEN
EACH MONTH, WE INVITE LOCAL ARTISTS TO GREENY’S REHEARSAL SPACE TO LAY DOWN A STRIPPED-BACK LIVE SESSION. ONE TAKE. NO DO-OVERS. THIS MONTH FEATURES THE GENREHOPPING, SOULSOAKED SOUNDS OF GOLDIVOX – A SHEFFIELD OUTFIT BLENDING JAZZ, FUNK AND VINTAGE GROOVES WITH A MODERN FLAIR.
GOLDIVOX
As it happens, this session was a little different behind the scenes. Owing to a childcare mix-up, the interview featured an unexpected guest appearance from my daughter Annie, who had no intention of sitting quietly on the sidelines. Fortunately, Joe Newman (keys) and Lindy Surtees (vocals) were generous with their time and took the extra questions in stride –including a deep-dive into everyone’s favourite dinosaur. (Joe’s apologetic offer of “T-Rex” was met with disdain at its basicness, while Lindy’s
“Triceratops” proved a more popular choice before things spiralled into mythology.)
Despite the slightly chaotic set-up, the pair spoke in depth about the band’s formation, collaborative style and upcoming releases – all with the same laidback charisma they bring to the stage.
Goldivox’s Red Light Session featured two tracks – a cover of Joe Cocker’s 'The Letter' and original tune 'Rescue Me'. The session saw them link up with Greeny on drums. “He’s quite a rocky drummer, really,” Joe explained. “Our parts are
probably a bit lighter.” Despite the stylistic shift, it clicked. “The recording came out really well,” he said. “We chose two tunes we thought might suit, and it did.”
The band’s sound is hard to pin down in one genre, and that’s by design. “There’s bits of funk, bits of jazz, bits of disco, bits of all kinds of persuasions,” Lindy said. “But I think that’s because of where we both come from. We’ve had lots of different disciplines.”
Joe, who’s been involved in the Sheffield music scene for over 20 years, cut his teeth
in a number of projects and spent time working at local institution Rich Tone Music. He’s previously recorded with Reverend and the Makers and has always leaned towards vintage, cinematic sounds. “I was making these kind of loungy instrumentals,” he said. “Fender Rhodes, Hammond organ – quite blaxploitation. I wanted to make music that sounded like it was from the early ’70s.”
Lindy’s background is equally eclectic. “I’ve been in all sorts,” she said. “I started off doing folk gigs on my own
with a guitar, then moved into hip-hop and funk bands, always really into improvisation. That’s my thing.”
The pair met while backing another artist, Ash Gray, and found an instant connection during a soundcheck. “As she started singing, I thought, I need to get in on this... I went over on keyboard, started playing this bluesy thing. These young girls who were waiting for the gig just started walking toward the stage with their mouths open. That’s when I thought: there’s something here.”
From there, the project grew organically. “A lot of the lyrics come in the moment,” Lindy explained. “Often the first things I come out with are what sticks.” The studio
project gradually turned into a full band as they recruited players and started gigging. “I was layering it up so it could be played live,” said Joe. “It weren’t too complicated, not too many layers.”
They’ve since built a welldrilled live outfit and recently adapted their set for a more upbeat, festival-friendly vibe.
“We’ve got loads of downbeat kind of ballads at 60 BPM that feel like we should be playing in a cocktail bar,” Joe said. “So we’ve built a party set too.” That includes a cover of 'I Feel Love' by Donna Summer, which has fast become a crowd-pleaser.
“We’ve played it twice now,” he said. “Both times we’ve ended up doing it again for an encore. Just give ’em what they want.”
WE’VE GOT LOADS OF DOWNBEAT KIND OF BALLADS AT 60 BPM THAT FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD BE PLAYING IN A COCKTAIL BAR"
With a growing rep on the local live circuit, Goldivox are gearing up for a busy autumn, including a slot at Castlegate Festival on 20 September. The big news, though, is their debut album, which is due in October.
“It’s been mostly recorded now,” said Joe. “We’ve just got the finishing touches to go.”
Whether it’s adapting a set for a festival crowd or fielding a serious dinosaur debate from a nine-year-old, Joe and Lindy meet each curveball with ease. Goldivox thrive in the moment – and their Red Light Session is a perfect showcase of that.
Watch the full session now over on the Exposed Instagram channel (@ expmagsheff).
HORSE POWER
Sheffield’s got some big new players on the music scene. Ex-The Blinders frontman Thomas Haywood returned to his home county from Manchester a little over a year ago and rounded up a stellar group of lads for his next adventure. Tom, along with Bobby Glaister, John McCullagh, Nathan Keeble and James Keith, forms Whitehorse – a dynamic new collaboration blending deep bass, mellow guitars and punchy lyrics.
Their new track 'Red Riptide' is released on 2 September, with the band next performing at Float Along Festival on 27 September alongside the likes of Big Special, Jane Weaver and Antony Szmierek. Exposed’s Ruby Deakin sat down with lead vocalist Tom to discuss getting started in Sheffield, their musical journey so far and plans for the future.
What’s it like being back in the South Yorkshire music scene? How does it compare to creating a new band in Manchester?
You’re a little bit more on your own, in a way – I think because of the nature of how we’ve approached it with the band. But then once you begin to make an impression on the people who are putting gigs on, that’s when it becomes really cool and you realise how much is actually going on in Sheffield. It doesn’t really take long for people to start throwing some weight your way.
It does feel like starting again, and I can only see that as a good thing – to be able to get the ball rolling off your own back. It’s your own merits, then. It’s what you are now, as opposed to anything you were riding before, which is always good for the self-esteem.
You played at Yellow Arch and Sidney & Matilda recently – how have local giggoers reacted to the new project?
We’re kind of playing to full rooms already and we’ve not really even been a band for nine months, so it’s cool. There’s not actually that many Blinders fans knocking about in those crowds, but the ones that are, we’re hugely grateful to. The pressure is good – to have to build that up again.
You can be quite connected to the music community here, it goes without saying, just because of the nature of
the gaff. I think it reflects more on the kind of people that come to this place. Being from Donny, when you hear that Yorkshire accent again, it’s like a strong drink – it’s a good feeling.
How was it getting this new project off the ground?
We moved pretty fast after a period of inactivity. I was wandering around various woods, just not really knowing who I was or what I was doing – but I definitely had that burning desire to get going. I think I went into this knowing that I had to surround myself with lads who could think quickly and be accepting of needing to stay true to that initial idea. I think personally I have this issue with honesty, which is natural for anyone who writes and sings – you can start resenting yourself and not being truthful. You don’t do it on purpose; you just get so wrapped up in various pressures. So this time it had to be straight up. I got the lads in –who I mostly knew individually – and it just started to spin. You just kind of stand back sometimes and wonder: how did five people like this manage to get something together this way and make it happen the way it’s happened? Call it fate, call it a stroke of luck, or just call it the way it’s always got to be.
How do you approach this new material, and how do songs come together?
I don’t really even know what the process is, really. I print off words and, in a structured way, we all sit down and I kind of walk them through it. Then they almost put it together as a composition. And very quickly, after those initial runs, it gets really exciting.
I think knowing who you are and what you are is so important – especially nowadays. It’s easy to get caught up in not being that. So that would essentially be the foundation for what this is. And don’t be afraid to be a bit neurotic at times – to cover that up would be a serious injustice to yourself.
Tell us about your new single, 'Red Riptide'. You describe the track as being about determination and staying true to your own vision. What was the process of creating this one?
What you’re hearing is the first time we actually went through it together. Everything that’s coming out at the moment and over the next few months was recorded in this really tight week where we just grafted and live recorded. We overlaid very little, and we wanted it to be that way – because you can’t really hide behind anything.
It’s probably the heaviest we go at the moment. It was something I had an idea for a long time ago – as I have with most of these songs. Quite a number of the songs we’re currently doing I’ve been sat on, and I even tried a couple of them with The Blinders. It just didn’t work because we were being pulled away from our initial idea. So we went back to them.
I think 'Red Riptide' is essentially about not disturbing that clear path and flow. The idea of a stream and water has come into a lot of our stuff – like the name Whitehorse is like how waves look like white horses. That was a cool little thing. Also, Dylan Thomas died after being in a pub called the White Horse Tavern. So we thought: we’re having that.
What do you hope to explore going forward?
We’ve got so many ideas. I’ve never been in a place as freeing as this. Anything you hear over the next six months will be from that first batch – leading to, hopefully, a longer release. We know there’s certain hoops you’ve got to jump through, and we’re hoping to jump through them soon and share more.
We’ve got a lot of ideas already for that second batch, and we’re really excited to use the studio for a longer time in different ways. We’ve never had so many doors to choose from. So we’re writing all the time –hundreds of songs. It’s crazy, actually. Whitehorse play Float Along Festival in Sheffield on 28 Sept.Follow @ whitehorsebanduk for more.
IT DOES FEEL LIKE STARTING AGAIN, AND I CAN ONLY SEE THAT AS A GOOD THING – TO BE ABLE TO GET THE BALL ROLLING OFF YOUR OWN BACK.”
SOFAR, SO GOOD
OK. Listen up. Across Sheffield, secret music gigs are happening every month. You don’t find out the location until the day before, and you don’t know who’s on until you walk through the door. These mystery gigs have actually been taking place here since 2014 – and they’re still going strong. Intrigued? We were too – so we sent our music sleuth, Mark Perkins, to dig deeper...
“Find Ben Eckersley,” they told me. “Ask him about Sofar Sounds. He might just tell you their secrets…”
In reality, Ben wasn’t hard to track down. He’s a well-known Sheffield musician and has been part of the city’s music scene for years. He’s also the guy behind the Sheffield Beatles Project. A few years ago, he took over organising Sofar Sounds here, so I asked him for some background.
“It all started out in London in 2009, when a group of friends were fed up of going to bad gigs where people were talking, ignoring the support acts, and filming on their phones instead of listening,” Ben explained. “They thought, surely we could do something better than this. They started putting on shows in their own house, for people who genuinely wanted to hear the music. The idea wasn’t particularly unusual or original, but they did it well, and established the principle that you could come to a gig, be up close, feel involved and be part of the night. The idea caught on, they gave it a name, and two years later, the concept had spread to such an extent that there were shows in Paris, New York and LA, all going under the name of Sofar Sounds. Sofar is simply a contraction of the words Songs From A Room.”
At its peak, Sofar was in almost 500 cities around the world — but lockdown
hit hard. The number of cities is now increasing again, and places like Leeds and Manchester have restarted recently. In Sheffield, it’s just one team, although some cities have more, and they try to put on one show a month, usually in the middle of the week.
What do you think makes a Sofar gig different from other gigs?
The mystery is certainly part of it. You buy a ticket without knowing where the gig is or who’s playing – and people like that. Keeping the line-up secret does make Sofar gigs work really well for a couple of reasons. It’s great for the musicians. They don’t have to do tons of promotion, just to end up getting three men and a dog to show up on a Wednesday night. The fact that it’s a Sofar gig attracts people by itself. We live in a world where there’s so much choice, and I think audiences like to have something that’s curated for them. As Sofar has
expanded and people have given it a try, we’ve gained a reputation. They now trust us to put on an entertaining evening.
And the venues you choose are a bit different too, aren’t they?
We try to stage shows in unusual places – sometimes places where they don’t normally put music gigs on – and I think audiences enjoy the element of discovery. We’ve staged shows in offices, museums, people’s front rooms and even a barber’s shop on Division Street. Each gig has a unique character, which helps you remember it. One of my favourites was when we used the Kelham Island Museum Engine Hall, and the acts performed in front of the towering River Don Engine. Some people would have had no idea that that place existed until they came to our show, and for me, it was an unforgettable night.
How long has the Sheffield Sofar team been putting on gigs?
We’ve just completed 11 years. The first Sheffield Sofar gig was staged by Gina Walters in July 2014, in the terraced house where she was living at the time. Tom Osland took it over from Gina, and I picked it up from him. I must admit I was a bit sceptical at first. I dismissed it as some sort of American-branded thing, but when I went along, I realised that Sofar’s great strength is how non-
corporate it all is.
There are certain constraints that the Sofar organisation imposes, but beyond the overall secrecy, they let us curators do what we see fit. There are some people who like to come to every show, and they know roughly what to expect. We always have the incomparable Johnny Douglas as our compere, for example, but each city puts their own spin on it. The best thing Sofar provides us with is a network of cities across the country and even the world, where we can share ideas and artists.
Some of our best Sofar experiences have been when we’ve had an email from another country from someone saying, ‘I’m going to be in your city. Can I do a
gig?’ We had a duo from Singapore called Dot.Gif, who were in Sheffield for a few days, as they were here for DocFest. If I’d been a regular promoter, and put on a poster, ‘We’ve got an electronic duo from Singapore coming over here to play. Come and see them,’ we’d be back to the ‘three men and a dog’ situation. But because it was a Sofar gig, they were able to play in front of a decent-sized, appreciative audience – and they were absolutely amazing.
How do you and the team go about setting up a gig?
It starts off with us finding a venue and setting a date – that’s the hardest part – and we go on from there. As a quick aside, if anyone reading this fancies hosting a gig, please do get in touch.
When we have a date, we look at the artists who’ve contacted us, and see who’s available. We like to go for a mix, and always try to include someone local, then look further afield for the other acts. We’ll generally have three acts on, but it’s important to emphasise that there are no headliners. Everyone receives the same fee.
We’ve had operatic baritones, serious trad folk music, electro jazz, indie rock and rappers. There’s always a chance you’ll hear something you’re not keen on – but after five songs, there’ll be someone different on. I can’t think of many other situations where you’d go to a gig and hear such a variety of genres in one evening.
What are you planning for the future?
We want to keep building our audiences, find exciting new venues, and maybe stage more gigs in a year than we currently do. We haven’t done any livingroom gigs for a while, so I’d like to do a few of those. There’s nothing so good as what I think of as a classic Sofar gig – a tightly packed room, everyone sitting on the floor, and completely unplugged. We recently achieved a long-held ambition by staging our first rooftop gig – so maybe more of those would be good.
We always want to have more volunteers, and in particular we’d like anyone with an interest in photography and especially filming to join us. The artists always like to be able to share videos of their performances, but we need a team of people for that. We’d also always welcome people with ideas for venues to get in touch. Anyone can contact us by email at sheffield@sofarcurators.com
If you fancy joining for a show, you can get tickets at sofarsounds.com and keep an eye on Instagram @ sheffieldsofar to see what we’ve been up to.
MAKING WAVES
Summer might be on the way out, but if you like your kicks to come with a splash of water, the fun’s not done yet. Sheffield Cable Waterski & Aqua Park at Rother Valley is keeping the good vibes going every weekend through September – and they’ve just added a brandnew slide with a mega slip ’n’ slide run-off at the bottom. It’s basically the stuff of childhood dreams (and, let’s be honest, adult ones too).
The Aqua Park is already a beast: think inflatables, trampolines, climbing walls and plenty of ways to launch yourself into the water with style but the new slide cranks the energy up another notch, making close of summer sessions the perfect way to squeeze every last drop out of the sunshine.
Got kids with birthdays coming up? For older kids (7+ years), you can swap the soft play for something way more memorable. The park runs party packages where kids can bounce, slide and splash their way across the course before heading to a reserved area for food and celebrations. Everything’s sorted for you, with wetsuits and buoyancy aids included.
And it’s not just for the little ‘uns. If you’re looking for a corporate do with a difference, or just fancy rounding up your mates, you can book sessions for groups, then wind down lakeside with a pint or a coffee in their bar and café. It’s active, it’s social and it’s guaranteed to get everyone talking long after they’ve dried off.
Late summer fun? Sorted.
Get booked in at sheffieldcablewaterski.com.
Between now and the middle of September, head up the stairs at the Showroom Workstation and you’ll arrive in a room decked out in Sheffield – its streets, pubs, workplaces and characters – all captured in oil and watercolour by one of the city’s most cherished artists. Then & Now gathers together nearly 60 years of Joe Scarborough’s work, from
Joe Scarborough is in what he calls “semi-retirement”, though the energy with which he takes me from canvas to canvas suggests no waning enthusiasm for his work. Each piece is both a story and a stage, and as we move through the room he is tour guide and raconteur – a glint in the eye and brimming with tales ranging from sit-downs with Lowry (“we didn’t discuss art techniques – he just told me to get a good accountant!”) to his early seafaring aspirations (“I wanted to be Sheffield’s greatest maritime painter! We’re 90 minutes from the sea, so I thought, ‘Surely everyone wants a ship in their house? … Big mistake!’”).
Once he realised nautical scenes could be a tough sell, the ships soon gave way to tram stops, back streets, working men’s clubs and factories –scenes that resonated instantly with local people and have continued to do so for decades. In Then & Now there are residential backdrops in Crookes that, if you took away the multitude of flat caps, look much the same today, and paintings of bustling travelling fairs that reveal new subplots each time you revisit them – a heated boxing match in the middle, gleeful couples navigating the dodgems nearby, a shifty-looking
character in a long overcoat, the crowd’s varied expressions throughout. He often disrupts visual balance on purpose, just enough to make the eye linger. “If you upset it by putting too much on one side, it makes you look twice,” he explains.
“You then have your audience.”
As we stand before a mural of 1960s Sheffield crowded with figures edging around double-decker trams, he points out how his characters don’t shrink with distance. “At the end of that 100 yards, people apparently are smaller. No, they’re not – they’re still six foot tall. Don’t paint them the same size.” It’s a rule that gives his pictures their busy, flattened depth, where everyone matters equally no matter where they stand.
Joe was born in Pitsmoor and went to Pye Bank School, a fortress-like building high up in S3 in a city known at the time rife with strikes and riots. His early working life included almost six years down the pit at Thorpe Hesley Colliery, an experience that left him with an acute awareness of colour. Emerging from the dark into daylight, he remembers the grass not as green but as “green light, green velvet – even the colours of the buildings stood out”. That vividness would later become a hallmark of his work, especially the reds that his old
teacher would often berate him for using far too liberally.
The exhibition also showcases his more recent experiments with watercolour, a medium he found unexpectedly difficult. Oils, he says, allow you to “roll into it and make changes easily. Watercolour demands precision from the first brushstroke –“no faffing about” – and mistakes mean scrapping the paper entirely.
Fitting to the exhibition’s location, cinemas feature heavily in his paintings, a nod to his time working as a doorman, complete with what he fondly calls “a corker of a uniform”. Elsewhere, tiled pubs like The Ship Inn are rendered in careful detail, preserving buildings that might otherwise slip from memory.
Sheffield’s working life is everywhere in his art – from shop floors to the bustle of town on a Friday. Joe delights in depicting people going to and from their shifts. To him, that movement is a sign they’re “doing what you’re supposed to do”, with weekends reserved for play. He recalls watching factory girls arm-in-arm walking up and down West Street after work, a simple image he’s returned to many times.
As we finish our walk, Joe glances around the room, decades of his career hanging side by side. “It’s done me well,” he says with a proud smile, and I get the impression this refers to more than just a career in painting – he’s nodding affectionately to the city itself and the local characters that have always been both his subject and his audience.
Then & Now is at Showroom Workstation until 19 Sept, open to the public Mon-Fri, 9-5.30pm.
Q&A
From Pitsmoor lad to accomplished painter producing over 800 artworks, Joe reflects on six decades of painting Sheffield.
Looking around the Then & Now exhibition – your final collection – what emotions are you feeling seeing your life’s work gathered in one space? I would say joy, satisfaction and sadness. Joy that my work is admired by so many people, satisfaction that I stuck it out for over half a century and sadness that it’s now finally over.
You’ve painted Sheffield for over 60 years – from the steelworks and street corners to the parks and pubs. Which scenes or characters have meant the most to you over the years, and why?
I use a cast of characters like a film director and some of them have been working with me for many years. Keep an eye out for Inspector Simmonite, Moira Sissons and Neville Edward Willis.
The show includes everything from your earliest oil paintings to your latest watercolours. How did your approach or mindset shift over time when working with these two mediums?
I’d only ever dabbled with watercolour until this last collection, which was brought on by necessity. Painting in oil can be taxing but watercolours are a little more gentle on body and soul.
Are there any pieces in this exhibition that stand out as personal favourites or carry particularly strong memories for you?
I love The Phantom of the Opera as a book, a stage play, a soundtrack and the film starring Gerard Butler, so I just had to commit it to canvas.
Many of your characters reappear across your paintings, almost like companions over the decades. Were any of them inspired by real people? Or are they more like an extended version of yourself?
Most of my cast of characters are based on real people. One of them was based on my dear departed friend Tony Capstick, but I won’t tell you which one.
You’ve described your work as showing “the world as it appears” to you. How has that world – or how you see it – changed since your early days painting maritime scenes?
I used to work down the pit and every day I emerged from the darkness into the countryside, I saw the world in vivid, bright colours. The world is still as bright to me today as it was then, just a little more troubled and complex.
What’s one key lesson you’ve learned through a lifetime of painting and storytelling through art?
Try and accept people for who they are, as most of them are unlikely to change.
The exhibition also includes new original watercolours. What inspired this return to smaller, more intimate works at this stage in your career?
As I mentioned before, some of it was necessity, but I’m also aware that much of my work has become unaffordable to the working-class people I painted for and who supported me all my career, so I hope that if someone does want to own an “Original Joe” the prices will more fit their pocket.
You’ve had an extraordinary journey in art – from Pitsmoor to this final showcase. What advice would you give to the next generation of young artists in Sheffield who want to follow in your footsteps?
Making a living as an artist is 90% commerce, 9% art and 1% ego – and you won’t make it without that 1%.Of your work, be proud, loud and let them know that you’re here.
PLAYING IT BY EAR
Best known for The Thick of It, Mock the Week and countless sharp-witted comedy turns, Chris Addison brings his passion for classical music to the Crucible stage in an evening that promises to be anything but traditional. Exposed's Jasmine Steele Went to find out more...
You’re known for your work in comedy and TV – what sparked your enthusiasm for classical music, and when did that love begin?
You know, that’s right from my childhood. There are certain pieces of classical music that take me right back to being a tiny kid. My mum and dad have always loved it – and my gran. She grew up in Vienna and was surrounded by it, so she passed it on to her kids. I just remember my dad playing chamber music at enormous volumes through the house – there was no escaping it. I was brought up with no notion that it might be different from other music, that it was difficult or only for people with qualifications or whatever. It was just natural.
Was chamber music always on your radar, or did you stumble across it later in life?
Yeah, definitely. It’s a funny one, isn’t it? When you think of classical music, you think of a conductor and an orchestra –something massive – or you see an opera. But we sort of forget about chamber music. My dad loved to play it, so I grew up with Beethoven, violin sonatas, Haydn. I think people assume we don’t come across it often, but it’s all over TV and film soundtracks.
Can you remember the first classical piece that properly gave you goosebumps?
That’s a brilliant question. I can remember the first piece I ever heard – my mum had a 7-inch of Mozart’s Eine kleine Nachtmusik. When I was older, I discovered the Czech composer Dvořák, and he wrote this piano quintet – the middle movement is really short and fast. It’s a lovely tune and quite a giddy piece of music. I remember playing it over and over again. To this day, I still think, 'I’ll
use it somewhere, I’ll put it in something' – but I’ve no idea what.
How would you describe this show to someone who thinks classical music isn’t really ‘for them’?
Wall-to-wall banging tunes. It’s just really good music. I’d say it’s a good introduction. It’ll be a really fun show with some of the most insanely talented musicians playing some of the best music ever written. I think it’s really important that people know it’s for everybody.
And it’s not anyone’s fault who’s going, “Oh, classical music just isn’t for me.” It’s no one’s fault but the people who make it feel like that. There’s plenty of gatekeeperism. It has an image of being posh, difficult, or like you need to know something. All you have to know is – do you like a good tune? Because we’re going to be playing a ton of those.
You’ve called the history of chamber music “sometimes bizarre” – can you give us a sneak preview of one of the more unexpected or strange stories you’ll be sharing on the night?
We’re still nailing it down! We have the brilliant Ensemble 360, who are amazing musicians, but it’s about finding the pieces of music that fit with their forces and what they like to play.
I strongly suspect we’ll end up talking
about how Handel and Bach got blinded by the same man. We might also hear about Ethel Smyth, who was an incredible composer in the early 20th century. She composed the suffragette anthem, but one thing that held her back was critics calling her music too masculine. She used to compose under E.M. Smith so they didn’t know she was a woman.
There are some good stories along the way – whittling it down into an evening’s entertainment is the challenge.
On that note, you’re taking us through music from Bach to Steve Reich – how did you go about curating a programme that spans centuries but still hangs together?
I think the easiest way to do it is probably the most obvious – start at the beginning and go on from there. It’s all about how music develops, and it’s really interesting because I think we take a lot of it for granted.
Like Mozart’s clarinet was a complete novelty back in the day – so for him it must have been like writing a piece of chamber music for a vocoder or some brand-new instrument. There are people who do that now. Towards the end of the programme, I’m almost certain we’ll feature music from Anna Meredith, a young Scottish composer.
What’s great about Anna is that she’s completely within the idea of what chamber music is, but she also lives in the 21st century. So I think the best way of telling this story is to start with someone who invented it – then look at everyone else who developed it. We’ll take it right through to the present day and see how it’s changed along the way.
Classical concerts often come with a certain formality – how does this show break away from that?
Well, it’s got a narrator – I’ll be doing some blabber in between pieces, which is not normal. But the whole Music in the Round vibe is to break all of that stuff down. One of the ways they do it is by putting the musicians right in the centre of everything, with the audience around them.
It gives you a real sense of being with a bunch of people. Rather than everybody facing in the same direction, trying to avoid the head in front of them and get the best view, you’re aware of everyone else’s reactions – it feels more informal, more intimate, and more connected to the music.
One of the things that makes classical music feel so formal is the separation between musicians and audience. If you go to see an orchestra in a big old symphony hall, then you do feel a bit cut off – like they’re over there, we’re over
here. With this show and with Ensemble 360’s shows, that barrier’s gone.
Music in the Round are brilliant at making classical music accessible –how important is that mission to you personally?
I think it’s really important, especially as culture has somehow been cut off from a massive number of people who I think would really like it.
I remember about 30 years ago, I was at a comedy club in Manchester called The Frog and Bucket. Back in the day, the audience were known to be quite tasty – not the easiest crowd. One night, someone was doing crowd work and picked on a student who said she studied opera. She stood up in front of everyone and sang a piece – and that spit-andsawdust club, which is normally rowdy as hell, fell completely silent. You could hear a pin drop. Everyone was watching in total concentration, and when she finished, they went crazy.
So when you finally sit and hear chamber music – in a space that doesn’t feel threatening, where you’re not judged or feeling out of place – you’re free to listen. Tickets are £5 for under-35s, so it’s really a great opportunity.
How does it feel to be performing at the Crucible Theatre – have you been before?
When I was a kid, I used to sing in Sheffield with the Hallé Orchestra. My school would occasionally provide boys’ choirs for the Hallé when they needed them – usually for pieces by Benjamin Britten. My earliest memory is coming and singing classical music there, so it feels only appropriate to return.
Chris Addison’s Incomplete Guide to Chamber Music comes to the Crucible Theatre on 10 October. Tickets, available from sheffieldtheatres.co.uk, range from £14 to £28 – or just £5 for under-35s and students.
RIPPLES
BLOC PROJECTS // 5-13 SEPT // £12-£14
Stand and Be Counted return with a gripping true story of identity, surveillance and resistance. One man’s life is upended by a letter, a van and a system built on suspicion. Urgent, powerful theatre from the UK’s first Company of Sanctuary. blocprojects.co.uk
DANCING AT LUGHNASA
CRUCIBLE // 13 SEPT-4 OCT // £12-£14
Brian Friel’s Dancing at Lughnasa follows five sisters in 1930s Donegal, their lives shaped by duty and expectation. As modern influences intrude, they’re carried into a tide of change in this moving, multi-award-winning drama of memory and transformation. sheffieldtheatres.co.uk
FAR GONE
PLAYHOUSE // 17-20 SEPT // £12-£14
Inspired by John Rwothomack’s own childhood, Far Gone follows Okumu’s journey from innocence to child soldier after an attack by the Lord’s Resistance Army. Blending humour, poetry and physical theatre, this powerful one-man play returns to tour worldwide. sheffieldtheatres.co.uk
THE MIDNIGHT BELL
LYCEUM // 23-27 SEPT // £15-£40
Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures returns with The Midnight Bell – a dark, dance-theatre dive into 1930s Soho, inspired by Patrick Hamilton’s tales of longing, heartbreak and fleeting hope in London’s fog-shrouded pubs. sheffieldtheatres.co.uk
SENSORIA FESTIVAL
VARIOUS VENUES // 2-5 OCT // PRICES RANGE
Sensoria is the UK’s festival of film and music. The event presents a unique mix of live performances, film screenings, installations, and exhibitions plus music and film industry activity at venues across the city. Highlights this year an exclusive Cabaret Voltaire anniversary show at FORGE Warehouse. sensoria.org.uk
Sheffield’s National Videogame Museum took centre stage at the World Expo in Osaka this summer, showcasing the UK’s innovative, inclusive approach to gaming – and proving that our city’s creativity belongs on the global stage.
Earlier this summer, Sheffield’s gaming excellence went global. The team at the National Videogame Museum (NVM) were invited to the World Expo in Osaka by the Department for Business and Trade, bringing a Northern spark to one of the world’s tech powerhouses.
Japan is synonymous with video game culture, so presenting the new interactive exhibition Videogames Transforming Lives was no small honour. For John O’Shea, NVM’s Creative Director, the invitation was a proud moment.
“Sheffield sometimes doesn’t always champion just how good we are,” he said. “Our museum might in some ways be a little under the radar, but this is an example where we’re bringing talent from Sheffield and showcasing it internationally.”
O’Shea added: “Japan is kind of a spiritual home of video games. It’s a privilege, but also a responsibility, to be showcasing UK video games there.
“With this exhibition, we want to show that video games are now a fundamental part of culture. They can enrich lives, bring people together – and our museum exists to celebrate video games for everyone.”
The exhibit focuses on inclusion and accessibility, with one standout example being an adapted version of Minecraft developed by Oxfordshire-based charity SpecialEffect. Using EyeMine software,
players with physical disabilities can control the game using only eye movements – thanks to small infrared cameras that track where they’re looking and translate that into in-game actions.
Micheal Nealson, a Technical Specialist at SpecialEffect, recalled the software’s rapid impact: “When we first launched it, we weren’t too sure how many people were going to use it. Literally before we came into work the next day, we had an email – from Japan, I believe – from someone who had already downloaded it and started playing.”
SpecialEffect’s work is transformative, not just for gaming, but for quality of life.
“We go into school each week, join sports teams, do the nativity play... and for people with severe physical disabilities, they’ve traditionally had to sit on the sidelines. Minecraft is really special – you can create whatever you want, however you want. We’ve seen some beautiful
expressions of who that person actually is inside.”
For the charity, taking that expression to the World Expo was a major milestone. “It was a huge honour,” said Nealson. “We’re relatively well known in the UK, but this was our first time getting to go to that part of the world. Hopefully, we can interact with people, let them know we exist – and that there’s no need to suffer in silence.”
Back in Sheffield, the NVM continues to emphasise the UK’s gaming heritage – and why it’s worth preserving. O’Shea explains:
“You couldn’t have an appreciation of cinema if you weren’t able to watch historic films. We wouldn’t have a successful art scene if artists couldn’t see historic works. Video games have a short history, but in 50 years, there’ve been hundreds of thousands of games and innovations. When you come to the museum, it’s like getting a kaleidoscopic look at that history – and being embedded within it.”
The museum is running an interactive exhibit, Make It! Play It!, throughout the summer, inviting visitors to design their own games – or simply enjoy a bit of creative Lego building.
With the NVM now making global waves, there’s never been a better time to see what Sheffield has to offer. Find out what’s on at thenvm. org, and discover SpecialEffect’s work at specialeffect.org.uk.
How did you first get into photography?
EMMA LEDWITH
A MONTHLY LOOK AT THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE PICTURES – SHEFFIELD’S PHOTOGRAPHERS ON THEIR CREATIVE JOURNEYS, WHAT DRIVES THEIR WORK AND HOW THE CITY SHAPES THEIR LENS.
I used to work in a very soul-destroying office, which meant my creative side lay dormant for far too long. At the time I was living in Manchester and found a photography A-level course at the local college, so I decided to do that as a way to keep the madness at bay. I didn’t realise at the time, but it completely changed the course of my life. It pushed me out of my comfort zone, taught me how to see light, and how to view the world in a completely different way. Following this I began photographing events and weddings and eventually quit my awful job to become a fulltime photographer in 2012.
How do you feel your style has evolved since starting out?
It’s constantly evolving! I didn’t really have a clue when I first started out and felt like a massive imposter. Photography takes practice, and over time you naturally find your own style. People
skills have played a big role in developing my portrait work, as I like my style to have a certain feel that’s both authentic and creative. This can only be achieved when someone feels relaxed and safe enough to express themselves however they want.
I’ve found self-portraits really useful for this, as they give you a greater understanding of how a person feels when a camera is pointing at them. For some people it’s an easy process, but for others it can bring up all kinds of emotions – and I want to be sensitive to that. Visually, I go through obvious phases when experimenting with cameras or film, but three constants that continue to evolve are good light, shadows and plenty of colour.
Your work predominantly focuses on portraiture – what do you think drew you to this particular style of photography?
I’m naturally curious about people, and I wanted
to produce images I had more creative control over. It happened quite naturally, which is always a good sign.
You’ve shot many of the city’s creatives – does that sort of collaboration spark new ideas for you?
Sheffield is packed full of creatives, we’re so lucky here. The best collaborations come from a meeting of ideas. If someone sends me a brief that allows me to stretch my imagination and push myself a little further than usual, it sparks something internally.
We loved the Franz shot used on the cover of a past Exposed issue, but what’s your favourite shot to date and why?
Funnily enough that shoot was a bit of a disaster! We were initially on the rooftop of his studio – not the brightest idea on a windy day. This resulted in some of my equipment blowing over
the side of the building and crashing to the ground a few storeys below. I was not as cool and collected as Franz looks in that photo.
My favourite photo changes with every shoot I do. The current session I’m editing has my new favourite in it! One of my all-time favourites is a self-portrait from a few years ago. I was in the middle of a really busy period, and editing was starting to drive me a bit crazy. I decided to fill my flat with balloons and take some selfportraits for a break – as you do. It turned out to be a ridiculous amount of fun and a good way to switch my brain to something more creative. My neighbours in the flat opposite saw some sights that week, and I was genuinely sad to see those balloons deflate.
When are you happiest behind a camera? When the person on the other side of it is happy and relaxed too. That makes for a winning combination, and good things always come from it. I also love the change in seasons and the different light and colours that come with them. And if you stick me in a field of flowers at golden hour, I’m guaranteed to be having a good time.
What advice would you give to budding photographers?
Cut out the noise from social media as best you can – it’ll really help you develop your own style. Inspiration is everywhere in other forms –nature, art, films – so find the thing that sparks your own creativity and ideas. You don’t need the most expensive camera and loads of fancy equipment either; my favourite camera cost £35 and is currently held together with tape. Work with whatever budget you have and build your skills from there.
YOU DON’T NEED THE MOST EXPENSIVE CAMERA AND LOADS OF FANCY EQUIPMENT; MY FAVOURITE CAMERA COST £35 AND IS CURRENTLY HELD TOGETHER WITH TAPE.
Finding a good bunch of creative pals is priceless. They’ll always encourage your ideas and weirdness, be practice models for you, understand the highs and lows, and help refill your creative cup when it’s running empty. Lastly, I started photography later in life compared to many others. A new creative path can begin whenever you want it to, so don’t be afraid to try something new – you never know where it may lead.
@emledportraits
MUSIC SCHOOL
Winner of the 2022 Women’s Prize for Playwriting, Karis Kelly’s Consumed blends biting wit with magical realism to explore Northern Irish family ties, generational trauma and the question of how we break cycles of violence – we spoke to the writer to find out more ahead of opening night.
How would you describe Consumed?
Consumed is a pitch black comedy, which starts as a domestic, kitchen-sink drama, transforming itself into a surreal piece of magical realism. Eileen, Gilly, Jenny and Muireann are reunited for Eileen’s 90th birthday party in the family home in Bangor, Northern Ireland.
Through the reunion of these four women across four generations, the story explores the divisions within families, the trauma passed down through the generations in the North of Ireland, as well as attitudes towards violence and mental health.
Can you discuss the development process? What inspired you to write this type of story?
Consumed was written within the confines of lockdown after I was diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. It took me until my 30s to understand what was going on, but essentially, OCD can serve as a mechanism of control when you feel powerless. I decided to investigate where my OCD had originated, and I started by looking at my ancestry. Northern Ireland has one of the highest prevalence of OCD in Europe, with 20% of the
population on anti-anxiety meds. I’d also battled with an eating disorder in the past and discovered that this can be yet another way to gain a sense of control. Through my research, I went on an interesting journey around Northern Irish transgenerational trauma; how that has impacted on my mental health today, and what is passed down through genes.
Consumed is a product of this research – showing how the four generations of women experience this trauma, which is all brought to the fore through a 90th birthday party.
The play also looks at the change in the genes that occurs due to starvation and the longranging effect of conflict across generations. When I first wrote the play five years ago, what I was exploring felt distant and nebulous. Now, it feels more pertinent than ever. Ultimately the play urges us to consider – how do we end cycles of violence? How do we find hope amidst repeated trauma, and more importantly, how do we find our ways back to each other? l.
Consumed won the Women’s Prize for Playwriting in 2022. What did that achievement mean to you?
The world! When I won the award, I had been seriously
considering quitting writing and retraining. It was in the depths of lockdown where the government was telling ballerinas to retrain in tech. Winning the award was the boost of validation I needed, right at the time I needed it the most. It has opened so many doors for me, and honestly, elevated my career immeasurably. I’d been writing for 14 years, but self-producing, so this is my first professional production, which feels incredible, and very pivotal for my career.
The play includes a lot of dark humour. Why was that important to you in telling this story?
It’s how Northern Irish people function. I think the darkest humour arises out of trauma as a coping mechanism. My mum always says “You’ve got to laugh, haven’t you?”, and I think the rest of that sentence probably goes “otherwise you’ll cry!” People in the North are so quick-witted and hilarious and love to “sleg” each other (tease) and that’ll usually be done in a playful, funny fashion, so you have to keep your wits about you. So to be authentic to Northern Ireland, although the play handles quite dark subject matter, it was always going to be done with dark humour and
parts they laugh at, where they feel uncomfortable, and where they’re moved. I can’t wait to be in amongst the audience experiencing it with them. It’ll be a huge learning curve for me, as this’ll be the largest scale audience I’ve ever had my work in front of!
What do you hope audiences take away from Consumed?
I hope they laugh, I hope they’re moved, I hope all the mothers and daughters in the room feel seen and validated. The characters are all incredibly cruel to each other, but who hasn’t been cruel to a family member? I hope that it sparks conversations around trauma and addiction and mental ill health. I hope that it leads people to research transgenerational trauma. Perhaps they’ll be able to better make sense of themselves!
plenty of wit too!
What did you hope to illuminate about intergenerational family dynamics in the play?
That repression and not talking about things doesn’t mean those difficult feelings go away, they just get buried within us and passed down to the next generation. Famed psychiatrist Gabor Maté says “children swim in their parent’s subconscious”. The body really keeps the score, and that trauma comes out in obsessive and addictive behaviours and mental ill health.
The main aim of this play was to encourage people to feel all the difficult feelings and talk. We have to feel it to heal it, after all. The North has a real knack of turning away from anything related to the troubles, or wanting to face difficult truths. It was a coping mechanism, which was needed to survive, but now is the time to look at the thing we all refuse to look at. We have to confront what’s going on if we want to heal it.
What are you most looking forward to bringing this show on tour around the UK?
I just can’t wait to see the audience response. I write plays for the audience. I’m so looking forward to discovering the
What is your relationship to Paines Plough?
Funnily enough, I interned for Paines Plough during uni back in 2008, as I hugely admired them as a company, so this is a real full circle moment. I couldn’t ask for a better company to launch my professional career. The talent that they’ve showcased over the years - I feel I am in incredible company. It’
Do you have any local links to any of the venues where Consumed will perform?
My very religious Irish godmother lives in Guildford, I’ve been joking that I hope she continues to speak to me after seeing Consumed. She doesn’t like swearing, so she’s in for a nasty surprise! Caoimhe Farren, who plays Jenny lives in Birmingham, so is looking forward to performing on her home turf when in Coventry. I was also learning Irish this year, online and a number of the participants were from Sheffield, so I’m hoping to have a little Irish class reunion at one of the shows.
Consumed runs at the Playhouse from 24 Sep to 11 Oct. Tickets and more info available from sheffieldtheatres.co.uk
OPEN TO ALL
Sheffield’s creatives, take note – this month, Kelham Studio is throwing open its doors for the first-ever Kelham Open Day: a hands-on, interactive showcase built to spark real connections in the community, not just swap business cards.
Founded in March 2023 by Joey O’Connell, Chris Ogden and George Oliver, Kelham®️ has quickly become one of Sheffield’s leading full-service production agencies – combining creative production, equipment hire and a purpose-built studio to support freelancers, production companies, brands and beyond.
“Our studio has been the cornerstone for many productions, hosting the BBC, Channel 4, Paramount Plus, as well as talent like Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler and Bring Me The Horizon,” says Ogden. “Alongside this, we’ve welcomed a range of private events, parties and workshops.”
“The Kelham®️ Open Day is an exciting opportunity for us to open the doors to brands, agencies and creatives looking to network,” adds O’Connell. “It’s not just about showing off the studio – we want people to experience the equipment, the facilities and the team behind Kelham®️.”
The event is open to creatives at every stage and aims to foster new collaborations in an increasingly crossdisciplinary world. As Joey explains: “We want to get creatives across the city together in a relaxed, social environment. This industry, whether you’re freelance or
part of a small team, can feel isolating –so we want to help unite Sheffield’s evergrowing talent.”
“One way we’re supporting that community is through accessible equipment hire,” says Oliver. “We offer a wide range of cameras, lighting, lenses and more to lower the barriers to production.”
Attendees can expect more than a tour. The team are transforming the studio into a creative playground – with AI green screen demonstrations, full car rig setups and an FPV drone simulator thanks to Steel City Drones. Coffee will flow all day, pizza comes courtesy of B’Reyt Dough and drinks from Freddie’s, the hard iced tea brand, will keep everyone refreshed. DJ Yarni will be spinning vinyl throughout, and every guest receives a free Kelham®️-branded T-shirt.
Big industry names are backing it, too. Kit specialists CVP and manufacturer Sony are attending, giving guests the chance to get hands-on with some of the best gear in the business.
But as impressive as the set-up sounds, the heart of the event lies in building genuine, face-to-face connections. The organisers see sharing a slice of pizza
and a coffee as a more organic way of developing relationships – something that’s getting lost in the social media age. Kelham®️ Productions is also looking for up-and-coming creatives keen to get into video production and photography. “Sheffield is packed full of talent,” says Joey. “Our goal is to create a platform where they can develop and grow.”
That emphasis on grassroots connection is key. Whether it’s working with local students, giving them live client briefs or championing Sheffield as a creative hub to rival Manchester or Leeds, the team are driven by a deeper mission.
“We feel it’s our role and responsibility in the city to provide a platform for aspiring creatives,” Joey adds. “There’s no real space or brand pulling people together in a way that truly serves the industry. So we’re doing it ourselves.
“Sheffield's creative scene is understated. There’s so much talent here, but it’s like a little secret. You’ve got to be here to know what’s really going on.”
Kelham Open Day takes place on 12 September, 2–9pm at Kelham Studio (Effingham Road). Tickets are free –register via www.kelham.com.
