Leftlion April 2025 Issue 182 by LeftLion

DISCOVERY DAYS

From Media to Games, Esports, Events, and Music – if you’re serious about a job in the Creative industries, you need Confetti.

Our College-level Discovery Days are not your typical Open event. Expect an immersive and interactive experience designed to show you what life as a Confetti student is like, and what you can expect if you score a place with us.

See you there.

Book on to a Discovery Day

Credits

Commun-Al Alan Gilby (alan.gilby@leftlion.co.uk)

Editorial & Marketing Assistant Caradoc Gayer (caradoc.gayer@leftlion.co.uk)

Fashion Editor

Addie Kenogbon-Harley (fashion@leftlion.co.uk)

Screen Co-Editor Autumn Parker (screen@leftlion.co.uk)

Food Co-Editor Julia Head (food@leftlion.co.uk)

Editor-in-Chief Jared Wilson (jared.wilson@leftlion.co.uk)

Music Co-Editor Phil Taylor (music@leftlion.co.uk)

Stage Co-Editor Ian C. Douglas (ian@leftlion.co.uk)

Screen Co-Editor Sofia Jones (screen@leftlion.co.uk)

Food Co-Editor Lucy Campion (food@leftlion.co.uk)

Art Co-Editor Charlotte Pimm-Smith (art@leftlion.co.uk)

Editor Sophie Gargett (sophie.gargett@leftlion.co.uk)

Music Co-Editor Karl Blakesley (music@leftlion.co.uk)

Stage Co-Editor Dom Henry (dom.henry@leftlion.co.uk)

Literature Editor Andrew Tucker (literature@leftlion.co.uk)

Photography Co-Editor Dani Bacon (photography@leftlion.co.uk)

Art Co-Editor Benjamin Kay (art@leftlion.co.uk)

Kieran Lister

Frances Danylec

Gail Webb

Editorial Interns

Emma Hornsby

Matthew Blaney

Writers Julian McDougall

Natalie Owen

Dani Bacon

Nadia Whittome

Lawrence Poole

Aurora Amaryllis

Thomas Gensler

Talia Robinson

Lewis Oxley

Robert Nieri

Chris Towers

Photographers

Fabrice Gagos

Tom Platinum Morley

Shannon Shumaker

Marta Lupa-Wyszowska

Natural Environment Research

Council (NERC) for Cision

Lauren Freestone

Sandra Bartley

Edward Jean-Jacques

Calum Smith

Head Designer Natalie Owen (natalie.owen@leftlion.co.uk)

Environment Editor Adam Pickering (environment@leftlion.co.uk)

History Editor CJ DeBarra (history@leftlion.co.uk)

Community Editor Rose Mason (community@leftlion.co.uk)

Photography Co-Editor Sam Tariq (photography@leftlion.co.uk)

Distribution Dom Martinovs

Phil Howcroft

Louisa Mae

Bongo’s Bingo

Chris Frost

Jayne Jackson

Paul Edmondson

Roger Stirland

Banda Scalino

Illustrators

Emily Catherine

Jim Brown

Rebecca Appleyard

Charlotte Thomson-Morley

123RF

Sofia Jones edits the screen section of LeftLion. She grew up in Nottingham but studied at the University of Leeds and Freie Universität Berlin. Whilst she was living in Berlin she loved walking across the city, sitting by a canal or at a späti. After learning some German in Berlin, she took evening classes at Nottingham Trent University, though she’s a bit rusty now…

Sofia loves the interviewing and research side of her work at LeftLion, especially when she can meet people in person and have a good chinwag. She hopes to keep improving her craft and meeting more interesting people.

123 Learning, 35A Creative, Aaron Murray, Alan Underwood, Alex McFarlane, Alison Gove-Humphries, Alison Hedley, Alison Knox, Anamenti, Andrew Cooper, Anne Johnson, Ant Haywood, Audrey & Lizzy & Margot, BadGrammar MakesMeSic, Barbara Morgan, Ben Martin Saxophone, Ben Stewart, Big Bob McPlop, Cat Kearney, Cerys Gibson, Chris Jarvis, Chris Underwood, Claire Foss, Clare Foyle, Colin Tucker, Cyra Golijani-Moghaddam, Dan Hemmings, David Knight, Dominic Morrow, Donna Rowe-Merriman, Eden PR, Erika Diaz Petersen, Fallowed, F C and E Ledger, Gemma Barfoot, Graye Wilde, Half Moon Holistics, Harry Sutcliffe, Harry Turner, Hayley Howard, Heather Oliver, Holden Johnson, Holly's Merry Moggies, Ian Carroll, Ian Phillips, Ian Storey, Ian Yanson, James Place, James Verran, Jane Dodge, Janine Lees, Jean Forsey, John Haslam, John Hess, John Holmes, John Kelsey, John & Jackie Scruton, Jonathan Day, Joshua Heathcote, Julian Bower, Julian McDougall, Justyn Roberts, Kay Gilby, Kaye Brennan, Kayzi, Kiki Dee the Cat, Lawrence Poole, Laura Wilson, Leigh Woosey, Lilian Greenwood, Livi & Jacob Nieri, Louise Duffield, Louise Obuchowski, Marc Weaver, Mark, Mark Barratt, Mark Bond, Mark Dickson, Mark Gasson, Mark Jacobs, Matthew Riches & Justin Clark, MC, Mike Carter, Miri Debah, Monica White, Nic, Nick Palmer, Nigel Cooke, Nigel King, NottingJam Orchestra, Paul, Paul Boast, Pearl Quick, Philip Renshaw, Rachel Ayrton, Rachel Morton, Raphael Achache, Richard Donovan, Richard Goodwin, Rob Arthur, Robert Wyles, Rose Harvey, Roy Manterfield, Russell Brown, Ruth Hoyland, Saara Maqbool, Sally Longford, Sam Hudson, Sam Stiling, Sandra Pink, Sarah Manton, Selectadisc, Simon Evans, The Sparrows’ Nest, Steve Benton, Steve Holland, Steve Lyon, Steve Wallace, Sue Barsby, The Edgar Family, TeaBag, Tom Huggon, Tracey Newton, Vanessa Shaw, Will Horton, Wonderbee PR, Richard Donovan.

seeing your name (or the name of your band, small business, loved one, pet etc) in this mag every month? It only

drinking,

Nottingham Arena Turns 25

Arena Turns 25

As the Motorpoint Arena celebrates its 25th birthday, we look through the stories from 25 of their seminal gigs…

By the Willows

Nadia on… Youth Violence

Nottingham East MP Nadia Whittome discusses some of the causes and solutions to the rising issue of knife crime within youth culture.

Soul Survivor

Tiswas, Selectadisc and the Bali Hai Room: DJ Jonathan Woodliffe recounts his time spinning records at The Palais in halcyon days of the 1970s…

Practically Magic

By the Willows

From wartorn homelands to a village green in England, Chris Towers recounts a match between Attenborough Development Team and Red Sea FC, a football team largely made up of refugees.

Back to the 80s

We take a walk down memory lane to hear about Bonington Gallery’s new exhibition which chronicles 80s Nottingham fashion, clubbing, and music.

Nice Tea Meet You

Practically Magic Nature, rituals, misconceptions and community: ahead of BeltaneFestival we hear from the organisers of this month’s Nottingham Pagan Market.

Nature, rituals, misconceptions and community: ahead of BeltaneFestival we hear from the organisers of this month’s Nottingham Pagan Market.

Asking For It

Over at the National Justice Museum, Jayne Jackson’s new photography exhibition explores the issue of victim blaming in sexual and genderbased violence through a historical lens.

Bromley House Library

We went to explore Nottingham’s secret library, finding a treasure trove of history that will delight bibliophiles and history nerds.

Hello LeftLion readers, and welcome to April. The spring is here, the sun is out (at the time of writing at least) and we can finally begin to shed the sluggishness of winter. I don’t know about you, but with a bit of warmth on the skin I am looking forward to some serious photosynthesising - garden pottering, Arboretum wanders and summer festival planning.

This month we had too much great content to fit into a regular sized issue, so we had to go big - Nottingham, you’re doing too much awesome stuff. I very much enjoyed hearing about the tea parties that charity Re-Engage are organising for isolated elderly people in the community (accompanied by a brilliant illustration from Rebecca Appleyard) on p. 39, and venturing into the nooks and crannies of Nottingham’s secret library, Bromley House on p. 32. My thoughts were also spurred by a fascinating chat I had with the founders of Sneinton Market’s upcoming Beltane Market about the beliefs and misconceptions around Paganism, which you can read on p.24.

Nice Tea Meet You

We learn about Re-Engage, the national charity who are supporting isolated elderly people to make new connections through delightful tea parties.

Community Cornerstone

We hear about the new Corner Cafe at Hyson Green’s New Art Exchange, which offers social community events and delicious ethnically diverse dishes.

The Reel Deal

Forget Cannes and Sundance, the Beeston Film Festival returns this month with a huge range of work from international and local filmmakers.

Of course we also have some landmark birthdays to celebrate - with The Palais’ centenary and Motorpoint Arena reaching a merry old age of 25 - both venues that have brought international stars, and some unexpected icons, to our little spot on this planet. While uncovering some of this history at LeftLion HQ, we’ve been wondering just how many people in Nottingham exist because of romance blossoming at venues like these, only to discover, rather coincidentally, that our Designer Natalie’s grandparents met at The Palais 75 years ago. You can hear from her 93 year-old grandmother Edna Owen on page 7.

Elsewhere in the mag we have exhibitions, football, art, literature, and film, plus a load of events to brighten up your week. If someone tells you there’s nowt happening in Notts, tell them they need to get out more. This city sings, if you’re willing to hear its tune. Until next month,

100 Years of The Palais

From a prison to PRYZM, we take a look through a century of dancing, drinking, entertainment and glamour at Nottingham’s The Palais de Danse…

Nottingham

Being Frank

We chat to songwriting master, touring machine, festival season staple Frank Turner ahead of his Rock City show.

100 Years of The Palais

From a prison to PRYZM, we take a look through

century of dancing,

entertainment and glamour at Nottingham’s The Palais de Danse…

Nadia on… Youth Violence

Being Frank

We chat to songwriting master, touring machine, festival season staple Frank Turner ahead of his Rock City show.

“What’s the point of sisters?” “To hit you in the nuts”

“I’ll do the doing, you do the worrying.”

“Chana masala? That sounds like something from The Lion King.”

"Someone's nicked mi' blueberries"

[Two young lads on the bus talking about love] "Ah fam she's started calling my mum her mum-in-law now"

"Mate she just straight up whistled in my face.... then left"

Pick Six

Record Store Day takes place on Saturday 12 April this year, so we put some questions to Tom Towle, the boss of Running Circle Records on Freckingham Street…

“It's like crack cocaine. Once you start with the gardening…”

“It’s the only drink that makes me either sleepy… or a bitch”

"I recognise you - didn't I beat you up at school once? Twice?" [inaudible reply from other male] "Three times?!"

Asking tall people to reach the high shelves is sort of a compliment, but asking short people to reach the low shelves seems like an insult.

Movie: Washed By The Moon (2018)

An ethereal celebration of Albanian polyphonic singing, the film documents the resilience of tradition in the face of inevitable change. Singers from across three generations explain their spiritual connection to their songs. Created by local director and music producer Dan Shutt and shot beautifully by Isaac Eastgate. I helped to organise a screening and performance at Rough Trade after its release! The film is available to stream online, and there will be a screening soon at We Make Our Way on Sneinton Market.

Book: The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K Le Guin

My favourite read of late, The Lathe of Heaven follows ‘George Orr’, a draftsman and addict whose dreams have the ability to alter reality. Orr enlists the help of a psychiatrist to try to gain control of his dreams, and from there the story becomes a tangled web of possibilities and realities. Le Guin’s poetic writing style makes it an enjoyable read, and although it’s quite sci-fi I think anyone could enjoy this book.

Album: KinkajousNothing Will Disappear

“A whirling dreamland of electronic orchestrations and instrumental sensibility” Nothing Will Disappear is the third studio album from Londonbased four-piece instrumental outfit Kinkajous. Over the years they’ve developed a fascinating and refreshing sound that intersects electronic, jazz and classical music. This album was released on our inhouse record label Running Circle Records and marks our tenth vinyl release, a huge milestone and a cherished work of art.

Local hero: Pete Woosh

Known widely for his involvement with soundsystem and record label DiY, Pete was a remarkable and influential character who brought communities together through music and magic. I was fortunate enough to be able to contribute to a few recording projects and events for Pete’s ‘52 Card Trick’, a fund raising project based on music and natural medicine, recordings can be found on the Spirit Wrestlers bandcamp page. Woosh opened my eyes (and ears) to things I’d never previously considered and my memories of him are cherished.

Notts spot: Swing Dash

DJ Studios and a Social Radio

DJ Studios and a Social Radio Community near Sneinton Market, Swingdash is a great place to enjoy and share music. With self-service live streaming from their studios in Roden House and the quality events they host, Swing Dash helps to keep the local music scene fun and accessible. I believe the minds behind Swing Dash are opening a venue soon ‘Movers’, so keep an eye out for that.

Community near Sneinton Market, Swingdash is a great place to enjoy and share music. With self-service live streaming from their studios in Roden House and the quality events they host, Swing Dash helps to keep the local music scene fun and accessible. I believe the minds behind Swing Dash are opening a venue soon ‘Movers’, so keep an eye out for that.

Notts meal: Little Brick House

The number one nourishment spot in my opinion. Serving divine food, natural wines and top-tier vibes, you really can’t go wrong. A nice place to enjoy good music too, look out for ‘Little Bricks Lates’, a monthly night where the best local record selectors play well into the evening. The owners deserve a special mention too, Katharina and Joakim their passion and character are what make this place so special. J’adore!

Local hero: Pete Woosh

words: Dani Bacon

Nottingham’s Historic Gem

Discover the Malt Cross, a historic Victorian music hall in Nottingham’s heart.

Perfect for a cosy meal, a relaxed drink, or live entertainment. Enjoy seasonal dishes, craft ales, and vibrant events. Hire private rooms or the entire venue for special occasions, including weddings. Visit today!

Poets Corner

By the Willow Trees

Did you per chance to dream that you would play football by the willow trees, in England. Their branches, swaying besides a cricket square where red leather balls are stroked with willow, before rolling across the lush green lawn?

That you would no longer sit in the shade, in a land of mangrove trees with their knots of spidery roots but sit with apple trees and ferns, as horses clip clopped by cottages, along stony village lanes?

Did you stop to imagine that you would play just here, far from the Red Sea in shirts, as bright as the brightest oranges, locking arms with your brothers on an autumn day of leaves crunching soft under heavy feet?

That you would play where sheets of morning dew glisten on grasses in late autumn sun. Pounding the lush fields, plentiful with rain in a place far from the dusty earth and arid lands of places you once knew?

Turn to page 35 to read the article on which this poem is based

How did you meet your husband, John?

we met at the palais

This month's cover, illustrated by our designer Natalie Owen, draws inspiration from the generations of dance at The Palais. Adding a personal touch, Natalie spoke to her grandma, Edna Owen, about how her grandparents first met there.

How did you meet your husband, John?

In 1950, The Palais hosted a popular event called Peter Fielding and His Music Tea Dances, held every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 3 PM to 5 PM. Peter Fielding was the conductor of the orchestra at the Palais. He came to the Palais in 1950 for four years with a brief year in Leeds before coming back to the Palais in 1956 when it was transformed into the Sherwood Rooms where he stayed.

My friend and I could usually be found either dancing on the floor or sitting upstairs on the balcony, chatting away. Peter Fielding had a habit of greeting guests personally, and one day, he approached me with a particular observation. Pointing toward the dance floor, he told me he thought a certain man - John Owen - would be a good match for me.

At the time, I was quite shy and rarely spoke much, but the moment I met John, we instantly clicked. That evening, he walked me home, and from then on, we regularly met up to go dancing at The Palais.

We had many years of happy memories, going on holiday together to Bulgaria was a favourite memory of mine, we danced a lot there as well.

What kind of events were there at the Palais? The Palais hosted ballroom dance competitions and festive Christmas parties. John and I loved watching the competitions together - they were absolutely wonderful! Though we never participated, we thoroughly enjoyed admiring the couples as they gracefully danced across the floor in their stunning outfits.

I met John while wearing my beautiful yellow dress, a favorite of mine. I still miss wearing it. The music at The Palais was simply incredible, creating an atmosphere unlike any other. I never had the food at the Palais, but they did serve food. I would mainly have the cocktails! John would buy me different cocktails while we were there.

What was John like?

Torvill and Dean

We’re going. Lizzie Baxter got us our tickets. They could sell the whole tour in Nottingham if they wanted to. Forty years ago, when they did the tour with the Bolero and got perfect 6.0s they did a put-up ice stadium on the Forest and we went with our mother. It’ll be fantastic, they’ll get a standing ovation. Of course it was a slower paced danceall the world champions copied them but they went the other way and started on their knees so the time didn’t start until the ice skates were on the ice. It was absolutely perfect.

The Palais

We went to a school reunion there, which was a long time ago. Nottingham prison was there before. Our Auntie Marjorie and Uncle Frank met there. Two months later he was called up to go to war, but he came back. Of course, they’re doing discos for the older generation now - 3 til 9, what a good idea. When someone else had it, they took all the panelling out and it was gorgeous. It’s got a sprung floor, and it’s only one of four places in Nottingham to have one. We’ll have to go back.

City Centre Walled Gardens

We’ve never been to Bromley House Library, we’re not sure where it is. But we know a few people who are members. Mr Simpson is a member, and [staff member] George is one. They do interesting talks there, don’t they? They’re not the only place in the city with a walled garden though - the cathedral has one, and Freeth, Cartwright and Dickens, the solicitors had one, and Paul Smith. It’s a bit like rhubarb all over againwe had a man in the shop say he’d been to the last rhubarb farm in the country. We said, ‘Don’t you believe it, there’s loads of them.’

My first impression of John was that he was a very sexy man! He was a few years older than me. I was in my mid-20s when we met, and he was in his late 20s.

John was born in Ukraine and arrived in the UK after enduring the hardships of World War II. He had been a prisoner of war and, tragically, never knew if his sister survived. At 15 years old, he was captured by Nazi German soldiers and torn from his mum. He was forced to do slave labour for them or be shot. During his time at the German camp he was rescued by American soldiers, he continued to work for them as a chef, they paid him well. When the war ended, he was given the choice to relocate to either the UK or Canada. He chose Nottingham. He did intend to go back to Ukraine but he found out that his mum had sadly died so never returned.

John was born in Ukraine and arrived in UK after enduring the hardships of World War II. He had been a prisoner of war and, tragically, never knew if his sister survived. At 15 years old, he was captured by Nazi German soldiers and torn from his mum. He was forced to do slave labour for them or be shot. During his time at the German camp he was rescued by American soldiers, he continued to work for them as a chef, they paid him well. When the war ended, he was given the choice to relocate to either the UK or Canada. He chose Nottingham. He did intend to go back to Ukraine but he found out that his mum had sadly died so never returned.

Determined to build a new life, John worked tirelessly in local factories, saving his hard-earned money to enjoy nights out dancing, most often at The Palais.

How did your relationship develop from thereon in?

After many afternoons and evenings spent dancing, we decided to take the next step and moved in together. We settled into a house in Clifton, where we built our life and raised our four children; Laureena, Maria, Sandra, and John, whom we called Little John. Life was busy but fulfilling.

One day, John came home with an unexpected surprise - he had bought us a new house in Bakersfield. We packed up and moved, starting a new chapter there. We've lived in that house ever since, and to this day, I still call it home.

Tell us about your long marriage to John, what kind of man was he?

He had a hard life before coming to the UK, being taken from his parents like that must have impacted his mental health but he made sure it seemed like it didn’t faze him. He was such a hard worker and loved his family very much. He did a lot for his family including myself. John passed away in 2014.

Though we never attended the Christmas parties at The Palais, John and I had our own tradition - we always celebrated at the Ukrainian club in Nottingham.

What kind of dances were you doing at the time? Did you have to learn them beforehand?

Oh yes, I had to learn them before going dancing! John and I danced together as a couple, doing all sorts of styles, including the Rumba, Mambo, and Foxtrot. My mum, who was a wonderful dancer, taught me the Charleston. I was so happy to learn from her.

What kind of dances were you doing at the time? Did you have to learn them beforehand? Oh yes, I had to learn them before going dancing! John and I danced together as a couple, doing all sorts of styles, including the Rumba, Mambo, and Foxtrot. My mum, who was a wonderful dancer, taught the Charleston. I was so happy to learn from her.

When was the last time you went to the Palais? Are you happy to hear it’s been re-opened and renamed back to The Palais? The last time we went to the Palais was before our children were born. I'm 93 years old now, so it’s been a long time since I’ve been back! I’m thrilled to hear that it’s back to the good old days of the Palais name. I remember dancing there well and will always remember those days.

When was the last time you went to the Palais? Are you happy to hear it’s been re-opened and renamed back to The Palais?

The last time we went to the Palais was before our children were born. I'm 93 years old now, so it’s been a long time since I’ve been back! I’m thrilled to hear that it’s back to the good old days of the Palais name. I remember dancing there well and will always remember those days.

words: Chris Towers

Nadia on...

youth violence

The recent spate of knife crime in Nottingham has shaken our communities, leaving families devastated and residents anxious about their safety. Last month, I met with community leaders, campaigners, and residents to take a stand and send a clear message to the public: our city needs to commit to lasting change when it comes to tackling youth violence. Behind every headline are human lives. First and foremost, knife crime is a tragedy for its victims. Too many lives have been lost to it, while survivors are left with life-changing injuries and trauma. In the end, friends and families are left to pick up the pieces, struggling to comprehend how such violence found its way into their world. It goes without saying that they all deserve justice.

Then, there are the young people carrying weapons. The saddest reality is how many of those caught with knives are teenagers making life-altering decisions in moments of fear. Many carry them out of a misplaced sense of protection, while others see violence as a means of survival in a society that offers them few opportunities. Punitive measures alone are not breaking this vicious cycle, and we need meaningful intervention that provides young people with security and aspirations that deter them from violence in the first place.

Despite our city's challenges, Nottingham is home to incredible grassroots organisations tackling youth violence. In my constituency, the work of Marcellus Baz at Switch Up – which uses sport, mentoring and non-formal education to steer young people away from crime and towards positive futures – has transformed the lives of many. Marcellus builds trust by using his own lived experience. Community organisers like him show what can be achieved when we invest in local organisations.

The journey that ends in a young person committing serious violence is often a long one, which is why we need even earlier interventions into root causes. These are inequality, poverty, and social exclusion. Studies show that children exposed to poverty and trauma are more likely to offend as adults, and it has been widely documented that areas with high levels of deprivation often see higher levels of violence, not because of inherent “criminality” but because of a lack of economic opportunity and robust support systems. Over a decade of Tory austerity brought about cuts to schools, youth services and mentorship programmes, which have contributed to an environment in which young people are growing up in rising

poverty, experiencing abuse and neglect, as well as difficulties at school.

No child should grow up in poverty, yet too many families are struggling to make ends meet. If we are serious about ending knife crime, we must support families on the breadline, lift children out of destitution, and recommit to funding family services. The closure of 1,416 Sure Start centres by the Tories –an ambitious, large-scale early years programme introduced by the last Labour government, which aimed at improving the life chances of children, particularly those growing up in poverty – has had a huge impact on youth crime. Research shows that access to a nearby Sure Start centre between ages 0 and 4 significantly reduced youth crime that resulted in convictions or custodial sentences, while living within 2.5 kilometres of a Sure Start centre reduced the share of 16-year-olds who had ever received a criminal conviction by 13%.

iF we want young peopLe to put down KniVes, we must aLso oFFer them reaL aLternatiVes - seCurity and opportunities that aLLow them to FuLFiL their potentiaL and buiLd a better Future

If we want young people to put down knives, we must also offer them real alternatives - security and opportunities that allow them to fulfil their potential and build a better future. Young people deserve to feel safe in their communities and be proud of where they live. It is the government’s responsibility to create the conditions for them to lead happy, meaningful lives, starting with proper investment in education, training, and job creation, ensuring that every young person has a pathway to personal fulfilment. Local councils play a crucial role in funding vital youth services, yet after fourteen years of Tory cuts, many of these services have been stripped back or lost entirely. Restoring and expanding this funding is essential.

We can also look to cities like Glasgow, which have employed a whole-community, public-health approach to reducing knife crime rather than only viewing it as a policing challenge. In 2006, Scottish authorities took the decision to form

Scotland’s Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) to tackle Glasgow’s violence. From the outset, the VRU maintained that violence is always preventable, not inevitable. By diagnosing violent behaviour much like any other “disease”, the VRU analysed the causes, examined what works and developed solutions, such as focusing on life skills and getting young people to communicate, negotiate and compromise with each other without resorting to violence. As a result, behaviours gradually changed, and some of the long-established gangs began to break up. The results have been profound. Emergency hospital admissions for assault fell by 55% within a decade, and there was a 65% decrease in crimes of handling offensive weapons.

The Labour government has made some positive commitments to tackling knife crime with the introduction of Young Futures Hubs – safe spaces where young people can access training, mental health support and employment opportunities. This is exactly the kind of intervention needed to prevent violence. The nationwide roll-out of these is urgently necessary, as stated by the Children’s and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition.

There also needs to be more support for trauma – for victims, families, friends and communities experiencing the collective trauma of knife crime, which is compounded after every incidence of violence. The youth services must be traumainformed, and this approach is also necessary in schools and colleges.

Ultimately, the long-term solution to knife crime must be rooted in racial and economic justice. Inequality is a driving force behind youth violence, which is why our government cannot allow the rich getting richer at the expense of everyone else. Last year, Oxfam found that UK billionaires’ wealth increased by £35m a day to £182bn. This is with the backdrop of the UK’s wealth gap growing by 50% in eight years. Meanwhile, public services have been stripped to the bone. A fairer tax system - one that ensures those with the broadest shoulders contribute their fair share - would provide the funding needed to rebuild these essential services and give young people the support, stability, and opportunities they deserve. Investing in our communities doesn’t just help those at risk of being drawn into violence - it makes society safer, stronger, and more just for us all.

words: Nadia Whittome photo: Fabrice Gagos

Pale Blue Dot

This month the avid stargazers of Notts can experience a new perspective of life on earth over at Mansfield Palace Theatre. Featuring audio soundscapes and stunning visuals, Gaia is a vast, breathtaking replica of planet Earth by artist Luke Jerram Aiming to get to the core of this installation, we spoke to Luke about public collaboration, merging science with art and what it takes to create on such a large scale….

Gaia takes inspiration from early photographs of Earth taken during Apollo space missions in the late 60s and early 70s. What was the thinking behind reinventing this perspective as an immersive artwork?

Created from 120dpi detailed NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface, Gaia provides the opportunity to see our planet, floating in three dimensions. The installation aims to create a sense of the Overview Effect, which was first described by author Frank White in 1987. Common features of the experience for astronauts are a feeling of awe for the planet, a profound understanding of the interconnection of all life, and a renewed sense of responsibility for taking care of the environment.

I wanted to make the artwork seem as authentic and realistic as possible to give the public the opportunity to see how our planet looks from space. For most people, this will be their most intimate, personal and closest encounter they will ever have with the whole of our planet.

The installation features an audio soundscape that focuses on the local pride, heritage and rich natural habitats specific to Mansfield. What do you hope visitors feel when they experience Gaia, and what sort of reception have you had in other cities?

I hope visitors to Gaia get to see the Earth as if from space: an incredibly beautiful and precious place. An ecosystem we urgently need to look after – our only home. I also hope that by involving local creatives to respond to Gaia there is a more localised celebration of culture and environment.

Your work is often a collision between art, science and engineering - all areas that each involve lots of creative thinking. When making your work, how do these elements influence each other? Do you ever have grand ideas that simply can’t be executed, or does the engineering come first?

Working with festivals, museums and institutions, most of the artworks I create are made by commission and created in collaboration with a range of specialists. I enjoy learning the language of different fabrication and engineering processes, then supporting my collaborators to push the limits of their skills, whether that’s in glass blowing; carpentry; or even hot air balloon manufacturing. I like to think that it’s through collaboration that anything is possible.

i enjoy the unexpeCted outComes oF an artworK when i LeaVe spaCe For others to be pL ayFuL and CreatiVe whiLe CeLebrating the LoCaL CuLture oF a pL aCe

People may recognise your work from the Play Me, I’m Yours street pianos, which have been installed in seventy cities worldwide since 2008. Like this, much of your work blends public and private spaces, involving participation from audiences. Why is this idea of public collaboration and element of play important to you?

Gaia also acts as a venue, with local hosts creating their own programme of events to take place beneath the artwork. These might include: space or environmentally themed science events; music or performance arts events etc. Like many of my other artworks such as Museum of the Moon, Play Me, I’m Yours and Withdrawn, Gaia provides opportunities for collaboration and the creative input of others. I enjoy the unexpected outcomes of an artwork when I leave space for others to be playful and creative while celebrating the local culture of a place.

Gaia is a breathtaking six-metre replica of Earth, while one of your previous artworks, Park and Slide, saw a giant

water slide installed in Bristol City Centre. What draws you to working on such a large scale, and what are the challenges that come with it?

The process of creating new artworks can be exciting, but often arduous and frustrating at times. There are so many hurdles to jump; things that can go wrong along the way and problems to be solved to make an artwork come into being. What I’ve learned along the way, is that it’s the artworks which inspire wonderment and provide the opportunity to bring people together which seem to be most valued.

How does being colour-blind inform your approach to making art?

My ongoing research and artwork which explore the edges of perception are fuelled by the fact that I am colour-blind.

You’ve been working as an artist over four decades and your work has been shown at over 900 exhibitions around the world. What advice would you give to creatives that are looking to make a full-time career out of art?

Play by your own rules.

Finally, we’re lucky to be able to experience Gaia in Mansfield on Earth Day on April 22. Is there any environmental message that would you like people to take away from their experience of Gaia?

Gaia was made to communicate a sense of the fragility of our planet. Halfway through the Earth’s sixth mass extinction, we urgently need to wake up and change our behaviour. Society needs to quickly make the changes necessary to prevent runaway Climate Change.

Gaia by Luke Jerram is displayed at Mansfield Palace Theatre from 22 -27 April. Reserve your free ticket at mansfield.gov.uk/palacetheatre

interview: Sophie Gargett

A 100-YEAR HISTORY OF THE PALAIS DE DANSE

From a prison to PRYZM, we take a look through a century of dancing, drinking, entertainment and glamour at Nottingham’s The Palais de Danse

Originally opened on 24 April 1925, The Palais de Danse was built on the site of Nottingham's original prison, known back then as the ‘House of Correction’. The prison had existed since 1610 and stood for almost three centuries, but by the end of the 19th century it had grown too small to accommodate the growing number of criminals in Nottingham. The last prisoners left the site in 1891 and were transferred to the new Nottingham prison. The building was then demolished in 1900 to make way for King Edward Street, a new road which linked Lower Parliament Street to St Anns Well Road.

The venue was originally a dance hall and billiard saloon. The dancing area was considered to be one of the finest of its kind outside London and its exterior architectural features were distinctive, particularly the large ornate globe on the top of the building and the frieze of dancers over the entrance; both of which still stand there to this day. The architects were Alfred John Thraves and Henry Hardwick Dawson, who had a history of designing dozens of fancy cinemas across the region. The contractors were W. and J. Simons and the first venue manager was a chap called Finlay Thayer.

The dancing area was considered To be one of The finesT of iTs kind ouTside London and iTs exTerior archiTecTuraL feaTures were disTincTive, parTicuL arLy The L arge ornaTe gLobe on The Top of The buiLding and The frieze of dancers over The enTrance; boTh of which sTiLL sTand There To This day

The Palais de Danse hosted dancing in the evening and daily afternoon tea dances, as well as private hire every Tuesday and Friday. Tea dances were elegant social events of the time that came about as an extension of the British afternoon tea tradition and were a popular way for the wealthy to entertain their friends. Live orchestras and small bands would play light classical music and the resident house band was named the Syd Reubens Savannahs.

Punters would wear floaty dresses, smart trousers and shirts and comfortable heels, so they could showcase their moves to popular dances such as the Argentine Tango and the Charleston. In the 1920s dancing was considered to be the nation’s number one pastime. Refreshments on offer would include tea, coffee, champagne and punch, alongside cakes, pastries, sandwiches and fruits.

In a 1998 interview with the Nottingham Post, William Sunderland, then aged 87, reflected on his time working as a 14-year-old page boy at the venue from 1925-27, saying "I earned more in tips in a night than my father could earn in a week. It was very thrilling to work there because all the notables from the area used to come. The crowd used to go barmy. We had a fountain in the middle of the dance floor and they used to splash everyone."

In the 1930s, alongside the tea dances the venue also hosted well-known tap dancers such as Eve Fulton and Carre and Carlotta, who came over from Australia. From the 1930s to the 1950s it also became the ballroom of choice for big local employers to hire and host their annual staff ball. It was also used as an exhibition space on occasion, for the likes of the annual Nottingham Engineering Exhibition, featuring models of locomotives, aeroplanes and boats.

From the late 1960s onwards, as popular music changed, the venue started to attract bands of the era for gigs at the venue. These included Episode Six (24 March 1966), The Move (21 Dec 1967), Slade (28 Oct 1971), Thin Lizzy (27 April 1972), Status Quo (2 May 1972), Wizard (23 Sept 1973) and The Clash (12 May 1977). The Clash gig was part of their White Riot Tour with The Aggravators & Subway Sect supporting. The show opened with Joe Strummer changing the words from London’s Burning to “Nottingham’s Burning” and then ending their seventeen song set with the same track.

In the late 1970s the venue became famous for its Jazz Funk and Northern Soul all dayers with DJ Jonathan and Colin Curtis among those playing. The downstairs bar was rebranded as the Bali Hai Room and included a revolving dance floor among its many attractions. On 22 August 1977 the venue held the official convention for Elvis’ British fan club. This event was scheduled well in advance, but took on a special resonance when Elvis died of a heart attack a few days before it. Mourning fans from across the country crammed into the streets outside as well as inside the venue and there are photos of people dancing in his honour on the nearby traffic islands.

Moving into the 1980s, the venue still accommodated gigs from major bands such as Level 42 (16 Nov 1980), Hanoi Rocks (17 Oct 1983), New Order (4 June 1984) and WASP (25 Sept 1984). However, once Rock City opened down the road in 1980 the club changed and became very much a nightclub-first venue.

In June 1986 ownership of the club was taken over by Mecca Leisure and the venue was closed for three months and given a £1million ‘luxury’ refit. Manager Chris Shaw told the Nottingham Post at the time that “It has been changed from a ballroom into a hi-tech nightclub.” The main club was renamed ‘Ritzy’, an 80s slang term meaning expensive and stylish. The downstairs bar was renamed Central Park, presumably after the famous New York hangout. Special guests at the opening night on 9 September 1986 included Eastenders star Nick Berry, 1980s TV Robin Hood Jason Connery (also son of Sean) and that year’s Miss Nottingham Jacqui Brookes.

For the next few years the venue went more mainstream than ever. Going through their event archives there was definitely a concentration on getting both famous people and beauty contestants at the venue - presumably to keep up the glamour hinted at by the new name.

In September 1987, for Ritzy’s first birthday, the guests were singer Rick Astley, who was top of the charts at the time with Never Gonna Give You Up and Mandy Smith, a model who was famous for being the underage girlfriend of Rolling Stone Bill Wyman. The venue also booked in daytime ‘family-friendly’ appearances from kids tv stars of the time such as Wacaday star Timmy Mallett and Going Live’s Phillip Schofield (who came complete with Gordon The Gopher).

On Saturday 11 February 1989 the club had a major moment on national television. The Hitman and Her was a show that ran from 1988-1992 on ITV's Night Network. Its hosts were Pete Waterman and Michaela Strachan. Waterman (aka the Hitman) was a well-known music producer in the 1980s and as one third of the famous Stock Aitkan and Waterman partnership he helped launch the music careers of Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Bananarama and more. Strachan (aka Her) was an upcoming presenter transitioning between 80s kids TV shows like Wide Awake Club to presenting nature shows like The Really Wild Show and BBC’s Countryfile and Springwatch

The entire episode is still available to watch on Youtube and begins with Waterman driving a van into a Loughborough car dealership and leaving with a Ferrari to head to the venue. We then move over to an hour of footage filmed directly at the nightclub with long music sections featuring punters dancing to the pop tunes of the era. This is occasionally broken up by the duo getting on the mic and interviewing clubbers and DJs and running competitions and games. The best part comes about 28 minutes in when a group of smartly-dressed, but clearly very drunk men are challenged to sing Great Balls of Fire karaoke to the entire club. The second guy can’t remember the words, so they give him a lyrics sheet. He then channels his inner Alan Partridge and shouts the words down the microphone, almost deafening half the venue’s punters in the process.

It’s hard to explain the relevance of a show like this in the modern era, but in the days before streaming or Sky and with just four terrestrial TV channels, it would have been the talk of the whole city for weeks. Despite its late night slot, The Hitman and Her was attracting around 27 million viewers per episode. The show also visited the club a second time on Saturday 19 February 1992, towards the end of its TV run.

Punters would wear floaty dresses, smart trousers and shirts and comfortable heels, so they could showcase their moves to PoPular dances such as the argentine tango and the charleston

In 1998, after twelve years as Ritzy, the club was bought out by The Rank Organisation. They gave it a £2.5million refurb, which included winching a new updated version of the Globe onto the top of the building. They also decided to rename the club back to The Palais

However, the old name didn’t stick as long this time around and in 2005 its ownership changed hands once again. It was taken over by the Deltic Group and rebranded as Oceana. This was the name of a chain of nightclubs they ran, with others in Southampton, Plymouth, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Kingston, Watford and Leeds. However, this name was particularly confusing in Nottingham as there was a rival nightclub called Ocean operating down the road on Greyfriar Gate (formerly Barry Noble’s Astoria and The Sherwood Rooms).

The same group retained its ownership until recent times (although they’d rebranded the company as Rekom UK). In 2016 they rebranded the venue as PRYZM following an £800,000 investment. Again this was part of a chain of generically named clubs, two of which are still running in Brighton and Kingston to this day - albeit under new ownership. However, their Notts branch was underwhelming and troublesome from the beginning and never really recovered from a 2019 incident where four people were stabbed outside. Then covid hit and in February 2024 Rekom UK went into administration. The doors were shut and many thought it was forever.

However, in September 2024 the club re-opened once more under the ownership of DHP Family. DHP Family is run by Nottingham’s long-standing Akins family, who have a history of successful venues in this town from the 1970’s Victoria Club, to Rock City, Rescue Rooms, Stealth, Bodega and more.

Managing Director George Akins said: “This venue was always a rival back in the early days of Rock City. But it’s a beautiful building and with such a lot of local heritage we couldn’t let the opportunity go by without taking it on and seeing if we can restore it to its former glory. It’s by no means been an easy project just to get the doors back open, but we’re really pleased to bring back The Palais de Danse to the city just in time to celebrate its centenary.”

Here’s to another 100 years of dancing and revelry!

Sources: This article was put together thanks to archive material from newspapers.com, the Nottingham Post, flashbak.com and setlist.fm.

words: Jared Wilson illustrations: Natalie Owen

Soul Survivor

Jonathan (aka Jonathan Woodliffe) has a long history of DJing in Nottingham. To many his name is synonymous to many with the early days of Rock City, but before that he cut his teeth as a DJ at The Palais. We asked Jonathan about his experiences of the Palais back in those halcyon days of the 1970s…

Can you tell us about your early life in Nottingham and how you first became a DJ?

I was born and bought up in Burton Joyce and started going to the Palais as a teenager in the 1970s. In the main room they had a DJ and house band called Tristram Shandy, who played cover versions of big pop records of the time. I wasn't into pop music, so I'd go downstairs to the Bali Hai Room, which was set up like the set from the musical South Pacific The frontage of it had bamboo cut in half and along the top there was like an awning that came over. Inside there were wicker chairs and tables. It didn't look like any other club and had a revolving dance floor. There was a DJ called John Black who used to work at Selectadisc and he would play a few Northern soul records downstairs on a Saturday night. I first went along just to dance.

Ah good old Selectadisc. Is that where you first started buying records?

Yeah, I vaguely remember going to the Selectadisc store on Arkwright Street and then they moved the store over to Bridlesmith Gate. The shop was over two floors; downstairs there were albums and upstairs were singles. I think that was where my love of Northern soul music and purchasing records began.

How did it progress from there?

Well, I started going to other nights too including a Northern Soul night at the old Britannia Boat Club on the side of the River Trent. There were some kids from my school, Gedling comprehensive, who were regulars there and Monday nights were always a big night. It was there I met a DJ called Andy Lee, who is sadly no longer with us. Andy and I became really good friends. He was at college and had access to a car, so together we made trips to Northern Soul all nighters outside of the city at places like Sheffield, Cleethorpes and Wigan. We also went to record shops there and were able to buy more records, some of which we sold off back home at a profit. Andy also started taking them to John Black who would play them at the Palais. Then John got ill one day and Andy was asked if he wanted to cover his set. Then Andy eventually asked me if I wanted to get involved too…

How much do you remember about your first night of DJing to a crowd?

It was sometime in 1976 or 1977 and was the most nervewracking thing I've ever done. I was a confident person around people, but to go and stand in the Bali Hai Room at the Palais and play in front of a crowd was something else!

At that time there was no art of mixing involved in DJing. Instead you went on the microphone and introduced the records like you would now as a radio DJ. You’d also take requests from people and say stuff like “this record goes out to so and so…” before you played the record. It was a real baptism of fire for me, I was sweating and shaking while I played. However, the adrenaline kicked in, and eventually I realised I could do this.

The manager of the venue around this time was Mike Knight, who became synonymous with The Palais (and its subsequent rebrands) for decades. What are your memories of him?

He was part of the fixtures and fittings of the place and you always knew he was in the room. He’d probably only been there for a decade back then, but he already had a big presence. He was also canny at the business end and was always looking for ways to get things into the venue and make money on the bar, even if it wasn’t something he was involved in putting on.

the baLi hai room was set up LiKe the set From the musiCaL south paCiFiC. the Frontage oF it had bamboo Cut in haLF and aLong the top there was LiKe an awning that Came oVer. inside there were wiCKer Chairs and tabLes. it didn't LooK LiKe any other CLub and had a re VoLVing danCe FLoor

Tell us about some of the all-dayers you used to run back in the day? They sound pretty legendary… Well, it started as an extension of what Andy Lee and I had been doing, but when more people wanted to come we had to get a bigger vehicle than his dad’s car. So I started organising coach trips outside of Nottingham. I was DJing at The Palais on a Monday night and I'd let them know that we’d have a coach going up to Wigan Casino that weekend. Lots of people started to put their name down and pay a deposit. We all met at the Salutation Inn on Maid Marian Way, which was always the meeting point for coaches as the roads there had a layby you could park the coaches in. There were other people doing this in other cities all over the country too. So eventually I started hiring The Palais on

Sundays and booking in some big DJs so other people would come to us. Sunday was a day they were normally closed on, so getting 1000 people into the venue, and sometimes it was more than that, was big business.

What other memorable gigs were there in your time at the Palais? Acts like The Clash and Hanoi Rocks played there around then. Did you go to any of those?

There were lots of bands on, but I wasn’t really into that music so I barely went to any. But a big event I remember was when Tiswas brought a show. This was one of the most popular things on TV at the time and Bob Carolgees and Chris Tarrant were there. They also had this guy called the Phantom Flan Flinger who would basically run around the crowd with paper plates with shaving foam on them and put them in people’s faces. I remember people trying to wrestle him and unmask him, but he was pretty strong and nobody managed it.

The event was the most chaotic thing I've ever seen. No-one carried around cameras back then and obviously there were no mobile phones, so the pictures from it are only etched in the minds of those who were there. The most memorable thing was that the guy who ran The Palais merch stall came up with the bright idea of selling ‘Silly String’, which was a big thing back then. It was an aerosol spray that shot out this brightly coloured sticky stuff that just stuck to everything. He said he’d bought 2000 tins and I think it sold well. People sprayed it everywhere around the venue. As you can guess Mick Knight was furious and had to hire in a lot of extra cleaners. Six months later the lighting rig and the carpets were all still covered in the stuff.

When did you leave the Palais and what did you do after..? I DJed there until about 1980, when I got offered the slot of being a resident at the Camelot Club on Bridlesmith Gate. I did that for a year and then a chap called Paul Mason came down and told me about the plans he had for starting club nights at Rock City, which up to then had just been a gig venue. I followed him over and became the resident DJ, spending much of the 1980s and 1990s there. Lots of stories for another time. Then in the mid 00s I moved with my wife to County Durham. I helped launch a festival called Hardwick Festival up there, which has been going for 13 years now. You should come along this August; we’ve got Scissor Sisters, The Pet Shop Boys and Olly Murs playing this year. Obviously, I still DJ whenever I get a chance too.

thepalais.co.uk

interview: Jared Wilson

photo: Louisa Mae

Full House

A decade since they burst onto the scene, Bongo’s Bingo has led the way to reinventing the classic number game - bringing danceoffs, rave intervals, and audience challenges to provide a whole lot more fun and chaos than the traditional format. Now moving to a new home at The Palais on Lower Parliament Street, we spoke to host Adam Apple to find out what it’s like to call the numbers and manage the mayhem.

How would you describe a night out at Bongo’s Bingo? The one word that I’d use to sort of sum it up would be: inclusive. It’s no drama, there’s no hustle and bustle of clubs. You get that club atmosphere without actually having to go to one. It’s friendly with a hint of chaos and you get all walks of life. Every demographic comes - I’ve seen tables of 19-year-old girls celebrating birthdays and they’ve brought their 90-yearold gran.

There’s lots of audience participation, with various challenges and prizes given out throughout the night. What kind of things get the best reception when playing, and what do you hope to see from the audience?

I think it depends on us as hosts. I’ve done 80s themed shows where I’ve gone out and I’ve understood the brief. You don’t think the 80s were that long ago, but we are in 2025 and you’re like, ‘Oh wow, it really was.’ You can’t expect to walk out there onto a stage and have everyone up dancing all the time but generally that is what happens regardless. A round in, two rounds in, everyone has had a drink and it’s a good time. People tend to just let loose and lose their inhibitions and go, ‘Yeah, this is a night to remember.’

Could you take us back to your first show back in August 2021, and talk us through how you were feeling when you stepped out onto the stage for the first time?

My first show was in Sheffield, but I was watching (founder) Jonny Bongo do the Liverpool shows to see how it was done. That man knows how to hold a crowd. So obviously I was quite nervous going into my first show. We have a rules video before the show, so everyone knows how to play, but back then we just spoke the rules. So obviously, a couple of weeks before I’m in my bedroom going over lines trying to make sure I’ve got it right. I turn up to the Sheffield 02 and honestly, I hear the roar of the crowd before I go on and I had to go and be sick. I was so nervous, but the second you get out there, there is no buzz like it in the world. I have never had a job like this, I will never ever have a job like this again and I am planning on staying in it for as long as I can.

Whilst false calls and hecklers are inevitable, how do you find grilling those audience members and what’s your go to response?

Ah - I love it. There's a couple of go-to lines and you can sort of bring current events into things a little bit, but it depends on the person. Every show is different. Every show brings a different crowd. So, you don’t go personal, you try to go as generic as possible just to prove your point and move on. Nine times out of ten someone’s turned up and they want the smoke. It’s just about playing along, making sure it’s safe and we can all still have a laugh. That’s the main thing.

it’s FriendLy with a hint oF Chaos and you get aLL waLKs oF LiFe. i’ Ve seen tabLes oF 19-year-oLd girLs CeLebrating birthdays and they’ Ve brought their 90-year-oLd gran

It’s frIendly wIth a hInt of chaos and you get all walks of lIfe. I’ve seen tables of 19-year-old gIrls celebratIng bIrthdays and they’ve brought theIr 90-year-old gran

Bongo’s Bingo is now pretty much in every major city in the UK. When you’re travelling to different UK cities do you feel the need to cater your shows to the city you're playing in? Again, it depends on the host. We tend to change our shows regularly regardless just because even if we aren’t doing it to the same crowd, it does become a little bit stale for us. We tend to throw little bits in that we either steal from each other, or that we will dedicate a couple of days to it throughout the week to make sure that we have something special for the weekend. I always try to make sure that I play at least a couple of tunes from bands/artists from that area. Like Scotland for example, I cannot go anywhere in Scotland and not finish on the song Loch Lomond. It is illegal to play anything else.

How do Nottingham audiences compare with the audiences you get in other cities?

I think typically the British are just up for a laugh. They are there to have a good time and let their hair down and that’s it. One thing I will say about Nottingham is that I have never had a

single bit of trouble. Everyone is very pally pally after the show, wanting a picture and to shake hands and say thank you for a good night. Don’t get me wrong though in the same token, they are absolutely mental but in the best way possible.

With the likes of Craig David and The Vengaboys making appearances at some of your shows, who have been some of your favourite guests to have on stage?

I mean watching Craig David was a bit of a childhood dream so that was great. Bongo’s 10th birthday has just been at the Liverpool Exhibition Centre on Saturday, and I am telling you- the Cheeky Girls, there is nothing like them. They were unbelievable. I stood up before anyone else. I was trying to get a standing ovation going. I was thinking this is unreal.

You’ve just started at the Palais, which turns 100 years old this April. What are your thoughts on being part of this historic venue?

It’s a massive moment. I have not seen the venue yet but I have seen photos. It’s a gorgeous venue. I am hoping that the energy from Rock City and the same crowd come along because it would be a great sort of christening for me to be there with that same type of audience. I just want to do it justice.

Last but most definitely not least what is your best advice for winning a dance-off?

Just be confident and be sure of yourself but don’t cross the line because the crowd can turn. The best possible thing you can do is just straight off the bat try and get the crowd on side. It doesn’t matter how good a dancer you are, if the crowd doesn’t like you then you will not win.

Last but most definitely not least what is your best advice for winning a dance-off?

Bongo’s Bingo takes place at Rock City on Friday 18 April, and at The Palais on Saturday 5, Saturday 12, and Friday 25 April, with more dates to book in May. To book a ticket, head to their website below.

bongosbingo.co.uk

interview: Matthew Blaney photos: Bongo's Bingo

NOTTS SHOTS

Want to have your work featured in Notts Shots? Send your high-res photos from around the city (including your full name and best web link) to photography@leftlion.co.uk or tag #nottsshots on Instagram.

You've beaked my interest

Lauren Freestone

Light Night Spikes

Sandra Bartley @Sandrabphotography

Urban Autumn Phil Howcroft

Fuel StopSam T

Inconvenience Store Dani Bacon @danibacon_

Paved with gold Edward Jean-Jacques

Shooting arrows and stars Calum Smith @calumsmith0308

The Lord of Milan revisited

words: Robert Nieri

Back in 2016 Author Robert Nieri released a book The Lord of Milan about Herbert Kilpin, the 19th century Notts-born butcher’s son who emigrated to Italy and went on to found AC Milan football club. A crew from LeftLion joined him out there for its release and ended up making an award-winning film too. Here he updates us on what’s happened since, including a reburial for Herbert and another influx of Italian visitors to Nottingham…

Eighteen years ago I read an article in the Nottingham Evening Post about an unknown local hero Herbert Kilpin, a Victorian textile worker and amateur footballer who emigrated to Italy as part of the booming lace trade of the time. Once out there, in 1899 he founded and captained one of the all-time great European football clubs, AC Milan.

The irony of Kilpin being integral to the seven-time European champions while not being good enough to play for Forest or County back home was not lost on me and led to the writing of a book of historical fiction The Lord of Milan about Herbert’s story in the context of the turbulent Italian history of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

An interview with LeftLion editor-in-chief Jared Wilson in the soon-to-be opened Kilpin bar led to a LeftLion film crew joining me for the launch of the book at AC Milan’s HQ in October 2016 on the centenary of Herbert’s death.

Together we watched Herbert’s team beat fierce historic rivals Juventus in the San Siro for the first time in four years and careered around the roads of Milan to film the obsessions of Luigi, Enrico and Pierangelo; three ultra-dedicated fans, before returning to Nottingham to record their pilgrimage to their hero’s birthplace. They were the guests of honour at the unveiling of a heritage plaque at 129 Mansfield Road in the presence of Herbert’s sole surviving descendant: great grandniece Helen Stirland, and riding a special Kilpin bus to Herbert’s childhood haunt at the Forest Recreation ground for a kickaround in the colours of Milan.

A year of riding a wave with LeftLion culminated in the documentary film The Lord of Milan receiving two awards at the Milan International Film Festival in October 2017 (red carpet and all), before it was back to the day job. If you’d like to watch that film, LeftLion have very kindly made it free for all to view on Youtube since.

If there was one lesson I learned from the experience, from piecing together Herbert’s story and meeting so many impassioned and interesting people along the way, it’s that you can achieve your end goal, despite the fact that almost all resources and influence seems increasingly concentrated in the hands of a powerful few. This is especially so in the world of football, where the sport of the masses has been monetised and priced out of reach of many. At the elite level, games are now

tourist destinations and players are required to fit more and more games and tournaments into a season that never seems to end.

In 2022 Herbert’s team won another league title, in Italy known as the scudetto, under Stefano Pioli. But the path of the true fan never runs smooth. In 2024, despised city rivals Inter Milan won the scudetto: Internazionale were the derivative team formed from the ranks of Milan after a schism within the club in 1908 when non-Italians were temporarily banned from playing in the domestic championship. It’s never great for a Milan fan when Inter win the title, but on 22 April 2024 Inter won their twentieth scudetto against Milan. This meant they now have one more title than Milan, entitling the upstart club to be first to display two stars on their jersey.

the ordinary Fans who spend a signiFiCant part oF their disposabLe inCome FoLLowing their team around europe and on oCCasion Further aFieLd Comprise the priCeLess spirit oF the CLub that Cannot be bought

This season promised to be an auspicious one – December 2024 marked the 125th anniversary of the club and Herbert’s remains were moved across Milan’s famous Monumental Cemetery from an unassuming vault to the crypt of the Famedio (aka the Hall of Fame). The club invited Helen Stirland and her husband Roger as guests of honour to witness the final laying to rest of her posthumously-famous ancestor.

Milan looked set to qualify automatically for the last sixteen of the reconfigured Champions League but managed to lose away to Dinamo Zagreb and then over two legs to the Dutch club Feyenoord. At the time of writing, they sit mid-table and look unlikely to qualify for next season’s competition. Unfortunately for them, Inter sit at the top of the table. However, the true fans know this is all the light and shade of following your club and that you can never change your allegiance because your football team is an important part of your identity, of your culture.

Banda Scalino are a group of Milan fans who have experienced all the highs and lows: from the pain of Istanbul (losing the Champions League final of 2005 to Liverpool on penalties after having led 3-0 at half time) to the redemption of Athens two years later against the same opposition when Milan reclaimed the European title for the seventh time.

This March, to celebrate the birthday of Mattia, the Banda of Merry Men (and Women) decided to visit Nottingham in homage to Kilpin. Like other dedicated fans around the world, they have a different perspective to private equity specialists who seek to monetise the vast goodwill associated with the storied clubs of Europe. Where business will enhance branding with new colour combinations for second and third strips, Banda Scalino holds fast to those red and black stripes Herbert bequeathed to his team: “We will be a team of devils. Our colours will be red like fire and black like the fear we will invoke in our opponents.”

The ordinary fans who spend a significant part of their disposable income following their team around Europe and on occasion further afield comprise the priceless spirit of the club that cannot be bought. Stefano of Banda Scalino acknowledged that man for man the current crop of Milan players probably constitute a more talented group that the 2022 title winners, but that squad had the likes of local legend Paolo Maldini in their corner who as Sporting Director was on hand to offer wise counsel at crucial times of the season to players who had not experienced being on the cusp of winning a scudetto. Maldini has gone, and a current senior advisor to the club is Zlatan Ibrahimović, also a former Milan player but less discernibly Milan “DOC”, having played for eight other clubs during his professional career, including for Inter and Juventus.

Banda Scalino laments a perceived bias towards Inter in their city: Milan has more AC Milan than Inter fans but institutions like the Mayor’s office have named more places after people connected with Inter. Although finally Herbert’s remains have been laid to rest in the Famedio, so far only a small roundabout outside the club’s offices has been named after its founder. Years ago there was talk of a new street in Nottingham being named after Kilpin: perhaps this might still happen, to honour a prophet in his home town?

The Lord Of Milan is available to watch for free via Youtube. lordofmilan.com

photos: Roger Stirland, Banda Scalino and Lord of Milan film

Practically Magic

interview: Sophie Gargett illustration: Charlotte Thomson-Morley

After a long winter it’s easy to see why our ancestors created rituals and festivals to celebrate the coming of spring. With the Pagan festival of Beltane on the horizon, the Nottingham Pagan Market returns to Sneinton Market later this month with a Beltane special. With live music, independent makers, dance, talks, guerrilla theatre, and more, we spoke to organisers Esme Knight and Dee Miller to find out what to expect and discover why more people are turning to Paganism to find a spiritual connection…

You have the Beltane Market coming up on Saturday 26 April. For anyone unaware of the festival Beltane, can you tell us a bit about it?

Esme: Beltane is traditionally held in late April or early May and is rooted in what we know today as ‘May Day’. There are many old practices tied to agriculture and the land, but most are related to fertility, as the land awakens and begins to show budding new life. Today, we get a Bank Holiday and a reason to celebrate the start of the summer months, but those old traditions still poke through in symbols such as the maypole, the bale fire, welcoming the sun …not to mention the saucy side of Beltane!

Can you give us a brief rundown of what Paganism is for anyone who doesn’t know?

Esme: Basically, Paganism can be defined as an indigenous nature-based spirituality of any culture. Today, Paganism in the UK is centred around a divine connection to nature, sacred ritual practices, and community. Many people may have heard of Wicca; a survival/revival tradition which is about a hundred years old, but there are many spiritual paths and magical practices that come under the umbrella term, Pagan.

Dee: For Christians in Roman times, and for centuries afterwards, Pagans would have been people with older belief systems centred on pantheons of gods and goddesses. People who engaged in the old Greek, Roman, and Egyptian religions were called Pagans. Africans and Europeans who followed tribal belief systems were Pagans. People who practised Buddhism, Hinduism, Shinto, and other Eastern religions were, and are, also considered Pagans.

How did this change to seeing a revival of interest in recent centuries?

Dee: Around the time of the Renaissance - four hundred years ago - more people began to learn about the old Greek, Roman, and Egyptian religions. That knowledge became part of an emergent, more sophisticated Western culture, with art and literature that was rich in Pagan themes, although the culture remained Christian.

By the nineteenth century, many people from Christian backgrounds were looking for an alternative to traditional Christian worldviews, so neo-Paganism started to take shape. This isn’t just one belief system - it’s everything from Wicca, the practice of modern witchcraft, to Odinists and Hellenists renewing the worship of the old pantheons.

If Paganism promotes a spirituality of connection with the world rather than separation from it, then maybe more of us can find the will to act differently and plan a better future

Esme: In the 1930s, Gerald Gardiner had the biggest impact on the modern revival of Paganism and Witchcraft with his collection of reworked traditions and mythology that we now recognise as Wicca. This was then built upon by witches such as Doreen Valiente, Janet & Stewart Farrah, Lois Bourne, Patricia Crowther, John Bellham-Payne and many more.

During the 80s and 90s there was a break away from the rigidity and secrecy of Wicca into other spiritual paths and pantheons, that were less about the ‘mysteries’ and more about spirituality and lifestyle. This is what is now being encouraged into this next generation, that Paganism is meant to be the embodiment of free will, and creating one’s own unique blended faith is celebrated; not blindly following, but evolving.

There is a strong respect for nature within Paganism, what do you think it can teach us about how modern society can work with nature?

Esme: If I could distill it down to one thing, it would be that the reason most Pagans share such an affinity with nature is because we see ourselves as nature. Where we come from and what we will return to, is all around us, has always been, and will always be, part of us. There is no separation between the atoms that make up a human and those that make up a tree, or a building, or a bird.

Dee: I hope this doesn’t come across as too serious, but I think the Abrahamic religions, especially Christianity, have played a role in where we find ourselves today in terms of our relationship with the planet. There has been an attitude of dominance and an insistence on never-ending growth: ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth’ - that may have sounded like a good plan 2000 years ago, but we’ve taken it too far.

Also perhaps the most harmful message in Abrahamic religions is that the material world is corrupt and ultimately it doesn’t matter, because it’s the world that we will go to after death that is consequential.

Whether your outlook is Pagan or not, we are one species among many and our actions are leading to mass extinctions. We are part of an interdependent web of planet-wide ecosystems and we have upset the balance.

Do people generally have a lot of misconceptions about Paganism?

Esme: Generally, yes, although I think less than even ten years ago. I'd like to say that it is because of the spread of the movement, and the general culture of acceptance that our society is moving towards, but I imagine it's just as much to do with TV and pop culture, no longer depicting the "witch" always as the villain.

Dee: Well, if someone’s only information about Paganism is coming from Sabrina the Teenage Witch or The Wicker Man (both great pieces of entertainment!) then we might have an issue. No, Pagans do not go around making human sacrifices. At least not as far as I know (laughs).

There seems to be a strong element of mindful ritual in Paganism - something I think has been lost a little for many agnostics and atheists. What does this practice involve and how does it benefit your daily life?

Esme: Ritual can be as simple as making a pot of tea, or watering your plants, it doesn't have to be complicated or grandiose. Where most Pagan group rituals centre around the marking of the seasons and feeling connected to nature, they include visually symbolic actions to convey the intent of the ritual, and bring the right energy to the rite, personal rituals can be whatever you need them to be.

When you are mindful about the little things, it filters down into your life. Like, buying local organic seasonal vegetables, or making gifts for loved ones. In any spirituality, ritual teaches discipline that can be applied however you need it. If you do small daily rituals, you are taking time for yourself, steadying your mind and fixing your purpose.

How big is the Pagan community in Nottingham, and how would you recommend people get involved? Do you have regular meet-ups and what would they entail?

Esme: The Pagan community here is definitely in the thousands, though I couldn't give you an exact number. What I can attest to is that at the last Pagan Pride UK festival held in 2018, we had 4500 people from all over the UK, and even visitors from Europe and across the globe, which is a sight to behold - I can tell you!

There are a few well established 'moots' in Nottingham, which are gatherings that involve socializing, eating, and sharing information. I'd recommend anyone searching for a community start with Nottingham Pagan Network (you can find them on Facebook). They hold their own monthly gathering and can point folks in the direction of other interest groups.

Tell us some of the highlights of previous Pagan markets…

Dee: The highlight of every Pagan Market we’ve organised has been the sense of community. MinorOak started doing Pagan Markets because Ni Claydon, who was our Artist-in-Residence, suggested that we put on an event for Pagans. Even the first one, which took place inside MinorOak with just eleven makers in 2019, was a real joy to host. So many people asked when we were going to do another one. And the market was well supported by an absolutely lovely group of people, so of course we wanted to do it again.

Covid hit in 2020 and the Pagan Market moved into the Avenues. That’s when the vision we still have started to take shape. We had Pagan Markets in the autumns of 2021 and 2022 and the spring of 2023, each bigger and better attended than the last. In Autumn 2023, Esme, the founder of Pagan Pride, became the Pagan organiser. Esme’s hard work, knowledge, and creativity have boosted the market to a new level; it has more than doubled in size in the past year and we have more going on than ever before.

What have you got planned for the day this year?

Esme: We have expanded so much since last Beltane by bringing in the new performance spaces at ‘The Steps’ (Freckingham St.) and the Sneinton Market Square last Samhain. Opening up these spaces means we can offer a more diverse program of entertainment and showcase more performers.

We’ve got live music, storytelling bards, talks and workshops from local authors and practitioners, dancers, Nottingham Shakespeare Co, mummers, Schuggies Ceilidh, and Drakonica’s ritual fire show to close - as well as Robin Hood! It’s going to be packed.

Each year, we have more and more artists and performers wanting to be involvedthis is the most exciting part for me. That people from within the Pagan community want to contribute to their own community, to be seen, to feel part of something bigger, and I welcome them all. There’s nothing worse than feeling cut off or alone from lack of community.

So to the Pagans and Heathens of Nottingham and beyond: we are here, we see you, your spiritual path and lifestyle are valid, and you are always welcome in our spaces.

Dee: There will be over eighty traders with everything from profiteroles to skull candles, from handmade jewellery to spell boxes, and from crystals to mushroom growing kits.

The Pagan Market is a place where people can make connections, experience art, music, and theatre, hear stories, explore myth, nature, and spirituality, find beautiful, meaningful things, and collect memories. Imagine the sound of drums drawing closer; a scene from Shakespeare taking shape around you; a dance with fire; a haunting song; a flute in the distance; a chance to drink something brewed a few meters away and then dance in the afternoon.

There are many paths through the Avenues, and when they’re seeded with interesting people, things, and happenings, with places to rest and talk and superb food and drink from our local businesses - places like Neon Raptor, Blend, Luisa’s Vegan Chocolate, Breadmill Bakery, and Redsmith Gin - they lend themselves to hours of discovery and delight. And they provide a place for Pagans to meet and connect and be entirely themselves.

Nottingham Pagan Market takes place on Saturday 26 April in Sneinton Market Avenues.

Q @Nottingham_Pagan_Market

25 Years of Nottingham Arena

words: Jared Wilson photos: Dom Henry, Robert Day and Marcus Holdsworth

From Beyonce to Bieber and Dolly Parton to the Dalai Lama, Nottingham Arena has brought some of the world’s most famous people into our city. As the Arena celebrates its 25th birthday, we look through the stories from 25 of their seminal gigs…

Queen Elizabeth II

31 July 2002

No, not the band with Brian May on guitar! Although they played here a few times with both Paul Rodgers (2008) and Adam Lambert (2015 and 2017) covering Freddie on vocals. The actual Queen herself, HRH Queen Elizabeth II, came over with the Duke of Edinburgh to give the centre its royal seal of approval. A keen fan of ice skating in her youth she hung out with Torvill and Dean and took part in a gala involving the greatest lineup of ice-skating talent ever assembled in this country.

Coldplay

8 October 2002

A couple of years before this gig, Coldplay were playing 100-capacity venues including Nottingham’s Bodega. However, their ascendence was sharp and a couple of years later they were playing Madison Square Garden in New York. This Nottingham appearance caught them in a sweet spot as part of their A Rush of Blood To The Head Tour. They played seventeen songs, including an encore of Clocks, In My Place and Life is for Living

Oasis

10-11 November 2002

Oasis have played twice at the Arena in both 2002 and 2006. This first appearance was a two-nighter as part of their Heathen Chemistry tour. Each night they played identical sets of eighteen songs, starting with Hello and ending with an encore of Force of Nature, Don't Look Back in Anger, Some Might Say and a cover of The Who's My Generation Wonderwall was not part of the set. Both Gallagher brothers were present - although Liam was experiencing some vocal issues. In the days before ‘dynamic pricing’ tickets were a snip at £28.

Radiohead

29 November 2003

This wasn’t Radiohead’s first Nottingham gig, but it’s the last time they played in the city and it’s unlikely they will do so again. They previously played Rock City touring The Bends in 1995 and unbelievably at a pub called The Imperial on St James’ Street in 1992, more recently known as ICON. However this gig, part of their Hail To The Thief tour, was peak Radiohead. It featured 25 songs and two encores. They finally left the stage with Everything In Its Right Place

The White Stripes

23 January 2004

It was big news when Jack and Meg White came to town in 2004. Assumed by many at the time to be husband and wife, they blasted through a set of 25 songs including Fell In Love With A Girl, Jolene and I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself. Support came from fellow Detroit alt-country band Blanche. I was at this gig, reviewing it for LeftLion, and can remember wondering how just two people could fill such a big room with that level of energy and noise.

Justin Timberlake

19 May 2007

From his origins as a fresh-faced Disney Club TV presenter and the teenage boyfriend of Britney Spears, by the time he played Nottingham Justin Timberlake had split from NSYNC and become one of the world’s biggest music artists in his own right. As part of his FutureSex/ LoveShow tour, he played nineteen songs including Cry Me A River, Rock Your Body and NSYNC’s Gone. He left the stage to (Another Song) All Over Again alongside a chorus of maniacal worshipping fans.

Beyonce

6 June 2007

Imagine if Beyonce came to Nottingham now? They’d have to close most of the NG1 postcode off just to accommodate her entourage, wardrobe and security. Yet back in the early days of the millennium she played here twice! Her 2007 gig was part of The Beyoncé Experience tour and featured a gruelling thirty songs, starting with Crazy In Love and featuring a ten song Destiny’s Child medley half way through. She then came back on 20 November 2009 as part of her I Am… world tour, playing a more restrained 27 songs ending on Single Ladies

Foo Fighters 14 November 2007

Another gig I'm proud to say I was at myself. Like many people who were teenagers in the 90s I was a massive Nirvana fan and took a passing, if slightly dismissive, interest in seeing Dave’s new band. This gig changed that. Still one of the best live gigs I've ever seen, they played 22 songs, starting with Let It Die and ending with Best Of You. Perhaps the most memorable bit however was the middle section, where the band walked from the main stage to a second more intimate circular stage in the middle of the Arena and played eight songs, including Everlong, all acoustic and unplugged.

Dalai Lama 24-28 May 2008

Yes, that guy who runs worldwide Tibetan Buddhism! He came to stay in Notts for a whole week once, offering up five days of seminars focused on 'Bringing Meaning to Our Lives' and 'Investigating the Nature of Reality' to over 37,000 total attendees. Tenzin Gyatso is actually the 14th Dalai Lama, but unless you were alive in 1933 you won’t remember any of those who came before him. Perhaps unsurprisingly, our request for an interview was turned down, but he did speak to BBC Nottingham’s Sarah Julian and said he’d like to come back one day.

Dolly Parton

1 July 2008

Tennessee-born singer, songwriter, actor and philanthropist Dolly Parton has actually played at Nottingham Arena three times, with subsequent appearances in 2011 and 2014. However, this first appearance was notable as part of her Backwoods Barbie tour, during which unfounded rumours of her death started to circulate after a moment of silence for her at a Tennessee high school football game. Dolly dispelled the rumours with a statement that she almost had a heart attack when she heard the news. Our Nottingham sources also tell us she only left her palatial tour bus twice, once for the gig and the other to get her nails done in town.

Metallica

25 February 2009

This appearance from the seminal American metal band is officially the biggest attendance at a Nottingham Arena event ever, pulling a total crowd of 10,337. Part of their World Magnetic tour, Metallica played a total of eighteen songs, including Master of Puppets, One and the live debut of The Judas Kiss. They ended their ‘official’ set with crowd-pleasers Nothing Else Matters and Enter Sandman, but then came back for an encore featuring two covers (Breadfan by Budgie and Helpless by Diamond Head) before a final bow to Seek and Destroy

The Killers

3 March 2009

Probably the most famous thing to come out of Las Vegas since deserts and gambling, Brandon Flowers and his band played in Nottingham as part of their Day & Age tour. Many who were there will remember them playing their first song Human, with the house lights on so they could see and interact with the crowd. All in all, they played a twenty-song set including Mr Brightside and a cover of Joy Division’s Shadowplay, exiting the stage to When You Were Young

Arctic Monkeys

22 November 2009

This was actually the sixth of seven appearances from Alex Turner and the gang in Nottingham, with the first two at The Old Angel (2004 and 2005) and the next three at Rock City, all in early 2006. However, it was their first gig in the city when the whole world knew who they were following that seminal Glastonbury headline appearance in 2007. They were touring Humbug and played eighteen songs, starting with Dance Little Liar and ending the encore with 505. They also came back to the venue on their Suck It And See tour in October 2011.

Whitney Houston

14 April 2010

Commonly referred to as ‘The Voice’, New Jerseyborn Whitney Houston remains one of the world’s best-selling artists of all time, selling over 220 million records in the era when people still bought music. She came to Nottingham as part of her Nothin' But Love world tour and played a set of twenty songs, including covers of The Isley Brothers, George Benson, Chaka Khan and Annie Lennox. She ended it with that Dolly Parton cover she made her own I Will Always Love You. Less than two years after her appearance she died in her Beverley Hills home, due to coronary artery disease.

Lady Gaga

27 May 2010

Lady Gaga (aka Stefani Germanotta) stopped off in Nottingham right in the middle of her mammoth 100+ date The Monster Ball tour. The nineteen-song setlist was mainly songs from her debut album The Fame - including Pokerface - but in the middle she also did a cover of Ben E King’s Stand By Me. This was actually her second appearance at the venue as back in January 2009 she’d played a seven-song set here as the support act on The Pussycat Dolls' Doll Domination Tour.

Justin Bieber

24 March 2011

The Canadian singer and former teen idol sparked a global craze in the late 2000s, basically doing to a generation of teenage girls what catnip does to moggies. This was the first of two gigs performed at the Arena, this one as part of his My World tour. He played the early hits like My Time and Baby, but the fifteen-song set was also notable for covers such as Michael Jackson’s Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' and Aerosmith’s Walk This Way. He came back again two years later, on 2 March 2013, on his Believe tour with nineteen songs, this time all his own.

TNA Impact Wrestling

26 January 2012

The biggest names in world wrestling have made dozens of appearances at the Arena over the years, including WWE Live as recently as last month. However, this event was particularly notable for two reasons; firstly I was there with ringside seats (don’t judge me) and secondly so was Hulk Hogan. The appearance of the Hulkster was completely unannounced beforehand and he came out to his 80s theme music Eye of the Tiger, hi-fiving as many of the crowd as he could. I can still feel a tingle in my hand thirteen years on.

One Direction

20 March & 16 April 2013

One Direction played at the Arena four times in total. Their first two appearances were in March 2011 as part of the X-Factor Live tour, with them performing on a bill with Matt Cardle, Katie Waissel and Wagner, amongst others. But their 2013 dates were in their own right as part of their Take Me Home tour. Each night they played identical 21-song sets starting with Up All Night and ending with What Makes You Beautiful. In between were covers of One Way or Another by Blondie and Teenage Dirtbag by Wheatus.

Ed Sheeran

31 October 2012

You might not realise it, but Ed Sheeran has quite a history in Nottingham. This was the first of five appearances from him at the Arena, following two earlier ones in 2011 at Rock City. Not only that, but Nottingham’s DHP Family were his tour promoters at the time, so it made sense that this would be his first ever Arena gig. It was touring his + album, but he would come back for two-night stints in October 2014 for X and April 2017 for ÷

Jake Bugg

20 February 2014

Our Jake has made it into this ‘Top 25’ list ahead of three appearances by his idol Bob Dylan. But this gig was notable as he was the first Nottingham music act to command enough public attention to be able to fill our biggest venue. At this point he had two albums under his belt, his eponymous debut and the follow-up Shangri La. His nineteen-song set ended with Lightning Bolt, which was hummed all the way home by a happy home city crowd.

Elton John

24 June 2014

You might not know it, but Elton has played in Nottingham a whopping eight times! He was the opening act at the Royal Concert Hall in November 1982 (for a two night stint) and then came back for the same in 1985. However, then followed seventeen years with no Rocketman, until the Arena was born that is. He played here in Nov 2002, June 2005 and June 2006. But his last appearance in 2014 was a 26song epic full of all the bangers and sadly destined to be his final Notts appearance, as he’s now retired from touring.

The Prodigy

24 November 2015

Liam Howlett and the band have made four appearances at Nottingham Arena between 2005 and 2018. Each time it’s like a massive lively rave with the best light effects you’ll see this side of bonfire night. However this appearance, their penultimate for now, was part of their The Day Is My Enemy tour and was notable because the first song of the encore was Ibiza, featuring a guest live appearance from local legend, of Sleaford Mods fame, vocalist Jason Williamson.

Pet Shop Boys

22 June 2017

Quite simply The Pet Shop Boys are one of the best live acts I have ever seen, despite the actual band being just two ageing blokes. This show was part of their 83-date Super tour and for the first time in years they had a full band with them. The visuals started with a stark black and white video game aesthetic and ended with multi-coloured balloons everywhere. 23 songs including all the classics like It’s a Sin, West End Girls, Go West and Domino Dancing. They came back in 2024 for their Dreamworld tour too.

Sleaford Mods

27 November 2021

Jason Williamson must have got a taste for the Arena from the Prodigy gig, because almost six years to the day he was back at the venue headlining it with his own band. I’m not going to list how many gigs Sleaford Mods have played in Nottingham as it would take up this whole magazine, but going from playing The Angel to the Arena in a decade is quite something. Their 23-song Arena set ended with crowd-pleasers like Tied Up In Nottz, Jobseeker and Tweet Tweet Tweet

Kylie

30 May 2025

We started with HRH Elizabeth II, so it seems only right that we end with the Australian Queen of Pop herself, Kylie Minogue. She first played at the Arena on 4 & 5 October 2014 as part of her Kiss Me Once tour. She then came back on 20 September 2018 for a whopping 28-song set. She’s back once again on 30 May and we hope that will be her crowning glory. Congratulations to those of you who have secured your tickets!

Sources: setlist.fm, songkick, overallmag.com, wikipedia and leftlion.co.uk

motorpointarenanottingham.com

Were you at these or any other Nottingham Arena events? Do you have photos? Nottingham Arena are asking for public contributions of photography for their People’s Picture Project. They’ve commissioned artist Helen Marshall to make a mosaic from 3000 crowd-sourced photos from the venue. If you’d like your memories to be part of it visit tinyurl.com/arenapics

Asking for it

interview: Emma Hornsby photos: Jayne Jackson

Documentary photographer Jayne Jackson’s award-winning exhibition Asking For It examines the pervasive issue of victim blaming in sexual and gender-based violence through a historical lens. Ahead of its installation at Nottingham’s National Justice Museum, we spoke to Jayne about the personal, political, and emotional layers of the work, highlighting the urgent need to shift societal perceptions and better support survivors of sexual violence.

Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and the kind of art you create?

I'm a documentary photographer and activist increasingly engaged with social issues, using photography to drive positive change. Much of my work focuses on breaking stereotypes, advocating for greater visibility in areas such as boys in ballet, and addressing issues like victim-blaming in cases of sexual assault and violence against women and girls. I also champion the importance of creative arts in education. Ultimately, my work is about empowerment - giving a voice to those who need it most.

Where did the initial inspiration for the ‘Asking for It’ series come from?

quite right, intentionally prompting the viewer to question them. I love that people spend a long time in the exhibition, engaging not only with the stories but also with the technical aspects of the photographs. This creates a space where people can process an emotionally complex issue in a way that isn’t overwhelming.

We assume the people in the photos are models… What can you tell me about the other people involved in the process?

I’m often asked this question, and there are two answers: a short one and a complex one. The short answer is that I read a newspaper report about a young woman whose underwear was repeatedly held up in court as evidence against her, leading to her alleged rapist’s acquittal. She later took her own life. As a mother of two daughters and as a woman, I was horrified that, even now, victim blaming remains so entrenched in our justice system. The story haunted me, and I knew I had to address this issue through my work.

Most of the people in the project are models, though many had a personal reason for wanting to be involved. This issue affects everyone, and the line between models, actors, and survivors blurs because the stories they portray are universal.

One participant, Rio, was a serving police officer who had already made her story public. We incorporated that into the project in a way that empowered her, allowing her to transition into activism after being let down by the legal system.

For many survivors, seeing their experiences reflected in art provides validation, closure, and a sense of activism when legal justice isn’t an option.

The more complex answer is that, like many women and men, I’ve experienced harassment and have encountered stories of sexual assault and victim-blaming throughout my life. I reached a point where I felt that if my art wasn’t making an impact, it was merely aesthetics. As compelling as purely aesthetic photography can be, my priority is to create work that drives meaningful change.

For many survivors, seeing their experiences reflected in art provides validation, closure, and a sense of activism when legal justice isn’t an option

How has it been exploring such a relevant and current issue from a historical perspective?

I’m so glad I took this approach because it highlights how victim blaming is an inherited societal issue - it has always been there, just in different forms. When you look at it through a historical lens, it becomes obvious how the narratives have shifted but the fundamental injustice remains.

For example, growing up, I often heard the phrase ‘red shoes, no knickers’. Historically, red has been a symbol of sexualization and shame - think of The Scarlet Letter or the social rule that women shouldn’t wear red to weddings. When working with the National Justice Museum and speaking with survivors, one woman shared that she was never allowed to wear red because her abusive partner saw it as ‘inviting male attention’. Even years after making the initial work - that moment made me realise the depths of how, even in modern contexts, women’s choices continue to be policed and judged. The myths may change, but the way we police women’s behaviour has not changed enough not - and that must change.

Can you tell me about the process of dating the photos? I used heritage photography techniques, ensuring that the methods aligned with what would have been used at the time. I worked with wet plate collodion processes, medium-format cameras, and period-specific film types. Each image contains subtle clues that something isn’t

What message are you hoping people will take from these photos?

What message you hoping people will take from these photos?

Victim blaming is ingrained in our society from childhood. These biases become subconscious and affect decision-making, particularly for jury members in sexual assault cases. By prompting people to recognise and reframe these patterns for themselves, we can dismantle harmful narratives and encourage more empathetic responses to victims.

One thing I didn’t anticipate was the profound impact on survivors. I’ve had people in their seventies tell me, after spending time with the exhibition, “I get it now - it was never my fault.” Seeing that weight lift from a person's shoulders is the single most powerful outcome of this work. I can't express that in words.

What are your thoughts on ‘Asking for It’ being displayed in the National Justice Museum?

I am absolutely thrilled that the National Justice Museum is hosting this exhibition. Their team has been incredible - passionate, dedicated, and deeply engaged with the project’s mission.

The museum’s involvement has led to incredible community collaborations, including bystander intervention workshops with young people and a wonderful creative writing project with survivors, coled with poet Leanne Moden. The museum is not only presenting this community work alongside my original series, and offering interactive features for the public to engage with, they are also creating a virtual reality version of the exhibition. This in itself is exciting, to ensure the message reaches an even wider audience and can be used for further educational outreach and societal impact.

I would very much like to extend heartfelt thanks to everyone at The National Justice Museum, Leanne Moden and the women and team at Broxtowe Women's Project.

Be sure to catch Jayne Jackson’s Asking for It at the National Justice Museum between Monday 31 MarchSunday 13 July 2025.

interview: Emma Hornsby photos: Jayne Jackson

Lost in the Stacks

Every city has their hidden gems, for those who are curious enough to seek them out. Just off the Market Square, Nottingham boasts its very own secret library in a preserved Georgian townhouse. A cornucopia of local history, volumes of fiction and non-fiction, and one of the only walled gardens left in the city, Bromley House Library is a bibliophile’s dream waiting to be explored…

A voice crackles through the intercom, and invites me inside a set of double doors, located in an entranceway on Angel Row. The doors click open, and I walk through them to an echoey white corridor, where a stone staircase winds upwards. Feeling a bit like Lucy discovering Narnia, I climb the stairs and find, not Jack Woltz’s office from The Godfather, but a warmly lit room, with bookshelves reaching the ceiling and a spiral staircase extending to an overhanging balcony. I’m here for a tour of Bromley House Library: one of Nottingham’s best kept secrets.

A voice crackles through the intercom, and invites me inside a set of double located in an entranceway Row. The doors click open, and I walk them to an echoey white corridor, stone staircase winds upwards. a bit like Lucy discovering Narnia, I climb the and find, not Jack Woltz’s office from Godfather, but a warmly lit room, with bookshelves reaching the ceiling and a spiral staircase extending to an overhanging balcony. I’m here for a tour of Bromley House Library: one of Nottingham’s best kept secrets.

Once my other fellow visitors have arrived, we’re taken to a room where our friendly tour guide tells us about the building’s history. It was first built in 1752, as a townhouse for banker George Smith, we learn, before a revamp in 1821 as a subscription library.

Next he takes us through the many other rooms, which often feel like microcosms of Nottingham history. One shares its name with the George Green Library at the Uni of Notts; we’re told that the man himself, a mathematics pioneer and namesake of Green’s Windmill in Sneinton, was a member of Bromley House in its early days. Another is named after Ellen Harrington: a librarian here in the 1960s and by legend the first woman in Notts to hold a driving license. Each space is clean, colourful, cosy and packed with tomes of all kinds, from fiction to philosophy; nothing less than paradise for bibliophiles like myself.

I later speak to library director Clare Brown. “We sometimes get some elderly people who’ve lived in Nottingham all their lives and never visited here, saying ‘I thought it wasn’t for the likes of me’,” she explains. “Then they come in, and see that the books are the same as those at a public library. It’s not somewhere outside of normal life. It’s just a rather beautiful bit of the world, here in Nottingham, where lots of normal people do normal things.”

Most of the library members are people over the age 55, Clare says, but anyone can buy a membership, which are sold at discounted prices for 18-25 year olds and people on means tested benefits. For anyone who can't, however, the tours, which the team have held since 2023, provide an alternative way of seeing the library. “We’re keen to make sure that, however people want to access and enjoy the building, we’ll offer them different ways of doing it,” says Clare.

Later in the tour our guide ushers into an attic, and shows us what was the first photographic studio in the Midlands. It was set up around 1840 to demonstrate the potential of daguerreotype: a type of copper plate that was central to the earliest forms of photography. A few rooms later, he points out a brass Meridian line, made in 1827. By absorbing the midday sun through a precisely set hole, it told people the local time before standard time existed. I wait for him to say, “and this is the time machine, first of its kind.”

Soon after, the tour finishes in a wide room near the entrance where we’re told about some of the most notable books kept at the library.

They have special collections linked to an array of quirky and unexpected folks, including the former personal library of the late Notts writer Alan Sillitoe, and works belonging to the interestingly named British Sundial Society. The staff tell us that they don’t know what this society does (other than look at sundials) but they’re happy to keep its books safe all the same.

“Of course some people aren’t here for the books,” Clare tells me later. “They just like the fact that it’s a Georgian building, that was built for a very wealthy family, and now is a working library for a couple thousand members. The fact we’ve got a garden is important too: we’ve got one of only two walled gardens left in the city centre. That’s a precious resource in the city. It’s another strand of our appeal to some people, and we do have a very keen band of gardening volunteers who come in with our regular gardener a few hours a week. They’ll do everything, sweeping up leaves, planting, cleaning, really hard work.”

it’s hard to thinK oF another pL aCe with as many weLL-Kept Fragments oF history as bromLey house; throughout the tour i’ Ve had that enduring FeeLing oF priViLege, LiKe i’ Ve been Let in on seCrets re VeaLed to onLy a

Chosen Few

It’s hard to thInk of another place wIth as many well-kept fragments of hIstory as Bromley house; throughout the tour I’ve had that endurIng feelIng of prIvIlege, lIke I’ve Been let In on secrets revealed to only a chosen few

After the tour, I head downstairs to take a look around that garden, walking past a marble bust of an anonymous man, and into the open air. I’m struck by the tall garden walls which provide this wonderful sense of secrecy and, feeling like I’m in a fantasy novel, I admire the wellkept greenery and tall trees. Back in 2021, the Bromley House team said on their website that this could well be one of the best maintained 18th century gardens in the country; you can certainly believe it when you take a look for yourself.

It’s hard to think of another place with as many well-kept fragments of history as Bromley House; throughout the tour I’ve had that enduring feeling of privilege, like I’ve been let in on secrets revealed to only a chosen few. It’s a rare location: both in its status as a financially stable library that’s avoided the widely publicised ‘death’ of such places, and vault of historical treasures: highly specific tidbits and artefacts that you’d struggle to find elsewhere.

Nevertheless, if you want to ensure that Bromley House continues to be as available to visitors as it is now, and fancy yourself part of that chosen few, go discover its secrets for yourself….

Head to the Bromley House Library to check out their range of literary events and talks, or to book onto one of their regular ninety minute tours.

bromleyhouse.org

words: Caradoc Gayer photos: Dani Bacon

Non-Electric Six

In an increasingly technology-driven era in football, Julian McDougall harks back to the halcyon days of the printed matchday programme and a long-forgotten 1980s football tournament Notts County took part in…

This season Notts County FC made the decision to stop publishing a matchday programme. This was financially rational (albeit in the context of the most financially irrational industry on the planet), but psychologically challenging for those of us who feel like we never went to a match if we don’t have the programme.

I am sure I am not the only supporter who was sent to the programme box by this occurrence, in a vortex of chronological preservation and nostalgic overload. But for this ‘programme completist’, it presented the cultural documentation of an event which I had completely forgotten I ever experienced. Read on ..

A question for Notts fans of Jimmy Sirrell era vintage – where were you on 23 May 1982? Or – a pub quiz question – for which short lived tournament was Notts County among a small group of competitors?

Without Google, I am confidently predicting wrong answers to both. Perhaps 1980s supporters’ minds will go to memorable victories from the ‘Magpies Magic’ VHS collection, against the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, Spurs and, of course, Forest. And for the pub quiz, it is highly likely to be the Anglo Italian Cup that springs to mind. But no. It was … The Soccer Six.

Here is my hypothesis - the programme I have kept is the only evidence that the Soccer Six ever happened. The French postmodern philosopher Jean Baudrillard famously hypothesised that The

Gulf War ‘ never happened’. This was a widely misunderstood idea. What he was suggesting is that this was the first military campaign to take place in the age of ‘hyper-reality’, where we can no longer easily distinguish events from media images, or simulacra, to use his terminology.

But this wasn’t how it went with the Soccer Six. Instead, it was a tournament ‘lost in time, like tears in rain’. Hardly anyone remembers it, and I had forgotten it, until I happened across the programme. And now I do remember, a bizarre day, notable for my Dad’s furious incapability to find the NEC, just outside of Birmingham, accessible entirely on major roads from Beeston. As a result, for years of childhood I thought of the NEC as a kind of Bermuda Triangle reference point, hidden in a maze of country lanes. Then I moved to Birmingham and found it to be a massive site by the airport.

But .. back to the Soccer Six. Notts were rubbish at this indoor format and went out after two games without scoring a goal, hammered 6-0 by Birmingham City, who went on to beat local rival Wolves and losing 2-0 to Derby. It was, in that first year, an all-Midlands competition. Who knows if the all West Midlands final was anything to do with local advantage for West over East, I can’t remember enough to say. Our team was the classic Sirrell line up (well, six of them, at any one time) – Mick Leonard, Trevor Christie, Killer, Pedro, Iain MacCulloch. But they clearly found the transition to the format too great a leap. Which brings me to why unearthing history in this way makes the whole thing more bizarre.

Reading the programme, it seems that the Football League at the time saw this as being like the T20 format for cricket, as a response to dwindling attendances, Here is Jack Dunnett, Notts chairman and President of the League at the time: “The Football League’s new infant is – I can promise you – a form of football that will delight the purist and excite the enthusiast.” And here’s Graham Kelly, the League secretary at the time: “It is an undeniable fact of football life that in the eighties the traditional outdoor game does not attract anything like the numbers of spectators it used to. There was only one valid way to discover what sort of game would attract the fans. Ask them! ‘Soccer Six’ was invented to fill the void.”

Seriously, WTF??!! I suppose Murdoch’s money and the Premier League were not foreseen by the authorities, in fairness, and neither did I foresee English cricket becoming a franchise of an Indian tournament, as is now happening. But – really, I mean, really – were any of Notts’ older fans reading this part of this consultation, did any of us call for a six-a-side indoor tournament, are we now wishing that we were watching The Pies at the Motorpoint Arena instead of at Meadow Lane??

The Soccer Six tournament lasted until 1991. Notts only featured once. I was apparently there. And it is fair to say that the failure of the format to blow the outdoor game away and become a kind of ‘Hundred’ for football was just as well. Because Notts were abysmal at it.

Julian McDougall

words & photo:

Julian McDougall

By the Willows

Refugee Roots a local charity helping refugees build friendships and find a place to call home recently sponsored the Red Sea FC, a team largely made up of refugees whose goal is to ‘bring together sport-loving youth from all over the globe.’ The team made up of members of the refugee and migrant communities that have recently arrived to Nottingham and consider this city their second home entered the development league and proudly wear the kit sponsored by Refugee Roots. At the game where the team premiered wearing their new kits, volunteer befriender and language teacher Dr Christopher Towers, a poet, academic and football lover who also has a particular passion for football poetry and written collections such as Hinterlands made sure he wasn’t on the bench for this game and came to experience it all.

It was an overcast but dry morning in Attenborough when The Red Sea came to the local football ground, a village green where the red ball and cricket whites appear in summer. The only relevance the ‘Red Sea’ has to the village, and it’s somewhat tenuous, is that it’s a waterway and Attenborough has experienced its share of flooding, with the ground behind a flood wall. The wall was erected after the floods of two or more decades ago. That apart, the famous river and the small village could not be further apart, in every sense. ‘Red Sea FC’, played an Attenborough Development Team in the Nottinghamshire Senior League Cup. Their team, I was told, adopted the name of the Red Sea to reflect the many nations who share the shores of the Middle Eastern waterway.

Red sea’s vibrant shirts shone brightly under the grey skies as this team, founded in 2018, made its way on to the field. There are many nations represented in the squad - Eritrea, Sudan and more. They are very open to players from other countries, not only those that sit by the Red Sea.

The players warmed up with nimble feet, dancing between cones in pass and move sequences as the kick-off approached. The ground is flanked by tall willow trees and thick hedges, and the village church can be seen with its spire overlooking the fields. Attenborough is an affluent, elegant village with a landscape in all probability very different to what these players knew, growing up in places surrounding the Red Sea. The green grass of an English village, replacing surfaces of other hues and textures.

The sides kicked off, Attenborough in a ‘Chelsea’ blue and the Red Sea side looking resplendent, not only in orange shirts but black shorts and starched white socks. The Red Sea team, whose home ground is Vernon Park, the other side of the city, went a goal down quite early on and whilst they found the net in the first half, trailed 3-1 at the interval. The score seemed cruel on the Red Sea team, who were playing nicely with balls to feet, but only for a

third home side goal on the stroke of the interval. Whilst winning is nice, the management stressed how joyful it is for the team to be playing in a league, and this joy seemed to spread through the team. They played with great athleticism, and I watched in awe at their speed of thought and play, moving rather quicker than I, as I crunched late autumn leaves round pitch side, looking for an angle for photos. The management of the Red Sea team stressed how much the players want to participate in the league just as they wished to participate in wider society. With their refugee status assured they are keen to play their part, all holding down jobs and bringing a richness to the country as vibrant as their shirts.

the pL ayers oF red sea FC wiLL aLL haVe their stories oF their journeys to these shores. i wouLd not imagine that they enVisaged that suCh journeys wouLd Lead them to a ViLL age green in engL and, pL aying FootbaLL under moist autumnaL sKies

The players of red sea fC will all have Their sTories of Their journeys To These shores. i would noT imagine ThaT They envisaged ThaT suCh journeys would lead Them To a village green in england, playing fooTball under moisT auTumnal skies

The second half saw The Red Sea team pull a goal back with a very clean strike into the Attenborough netting and I heard an Attenborough player cry ‘we are still leading’ as touches of anxiety entered the home side's mindset. And whilst white and brown benches, usually occupied by cricket lovers, lay empty, there were cries of encouragement from the dugout. Red Sea were stroking the ball around, down the middle and wide to the flanks and this cup game seemed in the balance. But Attenborough rallied to score two more goals to progress to the next round with a 5-2 final score. Red Sea had

played well but the home side provided more clinical finishing even if the quality of Red Sea’s approach play was good.

The game is a learning curve and Red Sea showed grace and style in their play - but it seems there was and is a wider learning. The players of Red Sea FC will all have their stories of their journeys to these shores. I would not imagine that they envisaged that such journeys would lead them to a village green in England, playing football under moist autumnal skies, and participating in a league of teams from a midlands city. All this whilst church bells rang and cars emerged from gravel drives from houses with patios and water features. Attenborough were gracious in their victory and their coach dignified. His warmth to these newcomers to the village and country, noticeable.

Home can mean so many things, but it had resonance this day. These players were playing as the away side today but in a curious sense seemed ‘at home’ with their newly found league status and I felt ‘at home’ watching them. Attenborough may be a long way from the Red Sea itself, but these players seem bonded, unified in another country from their birth. It was exemplified by warm hugs and smiles. There was a grace and poise in their play and attitude. They are on a journey together and football is playing its part, and in this quiet village in Nottinghamshire they appeared to take another step.

Refugee Roots Charity is raising funds and giving a gift to new regular donors who sign up. Gifts to donors range from their recipe book ‘The Sharing Table’, ‘A Place to Belong Tea Towel’ and a copy of Christopher Towers’ latest collection of poems ‘Return to the Hinterlands’.

Turn to page 9 to read an accompanying poem written by Christopher Towers.

the LoVers

words: Benjamin Kay

years apart, the exhibition depicts LGBTQIA+ couples alongside a slideshow of images and

New Art Exchange presents The Lovers, an exhibition of photographic works by Sunil Gupta and Charan Singh. Bringing together two collections of photographs taken forty years apart, the exhibition depicts LGBTQIA+ couples alongside a slideshow of images and a vitrine of publications featuring Gupta’s work.

Upon entering the pastel-lilac gallery, you are met with intimate portraits - pairs of eyes gazing back at you. Sunil Gupta’s Lovers: Ten Years On (1984/85) consists of black-and-white portraits of couples in their homes. Framed to include personal objects, the photographs reveal as much through surroundings as through expressions - sometimes smiling, sometimes defiant. The poignancy lies in the couples’ presence together, embracing, holding hands, sharing their love with the photographer.

Gupta describes taking these photographs at a time “when people had to survive in the UK under a government that had a very intensely homophobic policy towards them.” Yet, despite this, the images show that “people still were able to form relationships. That this physical formation of communities was important to do the groundwork for gay liberation.”

the contrast between portraits and

the Contrast between priVate, domestiC portraits and pubLiC marChes highLights the ongoing Fight For equaLity.

lovers marks four decades of photographic

whiLe the LoVers marKs Four deCades oF photographiC worK, the struggLe For true aCCeptanCe Continues

photographs contrast with large, full-colour prints on brightly painted walls. This

Beyond these 28 portraits, you encounter Lovers, Revisited (2023/24), co-produced by Gupta and his husband, Charan Singh. Smaller, intimate black-and-white photographs contrast with large, full-colour prints on brightly painted walls. This ‘Wizard of Oz’ effect marks a transformation - black and white gives way to a world bursting with colour. The subjects appear more at ease, more liberated. As Gupta and Singh note, “The pictures are no longer located just within a small geography of West London but are international. Gay is now queer, encompassing a range of ages, genders and sexualities.”

political struggles of the queer community. These changes are further explored

By revisiting the portrait format - and in some cases even the same individuals, photographed forty years apart - The Lovers invites reflection on the evolving sociopolitical struggles of the queer community. These changes are further explored through a slideshow documenting early public activism. “Pride marches before corporate sponsors and their logos,” as Gupta describes them.

For over a decade, he photographed these demonstrations, including protests against Clause 28 - a law that prohibited the ‘promotion of homosexuality’ and remained in place until 2000. The contrast between private, domestic portraits and public marches highlights the ongoing fight for equality.

While marks four decades of photographic work, the struggle for true

While The Lovers marks four decades of photographic work, the struggle for true acceptance continues. New Art Exchange presents all 28 original photographs

artworKs

Print Is Dead came about during the creation of my final project for my Graphic Design Masters back in 2018 at NTU. I’d been working as a Graphic Designer for a while after I originally graduated from my degree, but realised I missed creating art. This is what inspired the business I run today!

the song inspiring this pieCe in partiCuL ar is so hauntingLy beautiFuL, whiCh is something i try to add to my worK – a Certain beauty in darKness

particular so is something – a

creative collaborations. The song inspiring this

This piece is called The Mermaid and the Sailor and was created to celebrate the launch of Hannah Rose Platt’s album Deathbed Confessions. I have worked with Hannah on much of her album artwork and merchandise over the years. Both of us pay close attention to folklore and storytelling in our art, making us the perfect match for these creative collaborations. The song inspiring this piece in particular is so hauntingly beautiful, which is something I try to add to my work – a certain beauty in darkness.

When making my art I always start with a rough sketch on paper before working digitally with Procreate and Photoshop. I consider myself a

together for only the second time. “The timing of this exhibition goes beyond a celebration of the original series milestone to act as a reminder of the past and the ongoing struggle for visibility for LGBTQIA+ communities, particularly in a time when the UK grows less safe for queer people.” The exhibition’s curation is careful and subtle, inviting viewers to repeatedly engage with the images while considering the political and social climate in which they were made.

the political and social climate in which they were made.

What will a project like this look like in another forty years? For Charan Singh, the journey will always continue. “It is about illuminating everyday negotiations, the silent defiance, and the bold affirmation of self that queer people embody in a society that oscillates between acceptance and hostility.”

as resistance.” Yet, through its deeply human approach to representation, the

The Lovers captures the challenges faced by the queer community, a community to which both photographers belong. Singh reflects that his work is “informed by my own journey through the very same spaces marked by both struggle as well as resistance.” Yet, through its deeply human approach to representation, the exhibition transcends time, society, law, and politics. In the privileged moments you spend with these photographs, all that remains from them is love.

Head down to New Art Exchange to see The Lovers until Saturday 3 May. nae.org.uk

Focussing on mythology, magic and the macabre, for this month’s Artworks we hear from graphic designer and artist Elyssa Long, aka Print Is Dead

graphic designer first and foremost, so I ‘design’ my illustration first to make sure I have an idea of the composition. I then move to Procreate and work on the simple line work and block colour before moving onto fine details and final touchups in Photoshop. Most of my illustrations can take anywhere from 50 – 100 hours depending on the level of complexity.

the level of complexity.

I have many inspirations for my art, but one of my favourite artists is Albrecht Durer. The dark beauty and level of detail of his Renaissance engravings and pen drawings are something I have always aspired to achieve with my own drawings. Another artist I admire is William Turner, though my own work is nothing like his style of painting, I find the beautiful and moody colour palettes in his paintings to be very appealing and similar to my own. I am also inspired by nature, mythology, folklore, vintage vibes and a lot of heavy metal!

I run a gothic arts market with ‘Minifi’s Oddities’ called the Dark Arts Market which is coming to The Level at NTU 19 – 20 July. It’s a wonderful mix of artists and creators, ranging from traditional art to taxidermy and tarot. There’s nothing else like it in Nottingham so it’s worth a visit!

Catch Print is Dead at the Nottingham Pagan Market for Beltane on Saturday 26 April at Sneinton Market Avenues.

baCK to the 80s

Following the launch night of a new exhibition ‘Nottingham Subcultural Fashion in the 1980s’ which will be at the Bonington Gallery until Saturday 10 May, Fashion Editor Addie Kenogbon-Harley, takes a walk down memory lane of 1980s Nottingham, with exhibition co-curators Tom Godfrey, and Dr Katherine Townsend.

Picture the scene, Nottingham Greyhound Stadium and Rock City have just opened, Nottingham Forest F.C has just won its second UEFA Champions League in Madrid, Notts County F.C has been promoted to the First Division under Neil Warnock, and the iconic Royal Hotel has opened its doors on Wollaton Street to guests for the first time.

This is Nottingham in the 1980s. An era fuelled by creativity and a fierce love for its thriving independent scene.

Its fashion, nightlife and music scene formed the heartbeat of the city, birthing a range of captivating subcultures, and helping to put Nottingham on the map as a place that marched to the beat of its own drum.

It’s an era which is currently being celebrated in a new exhibition at Bonington Gallery, with the aim of connecting people to the spirit of 1980s Nottingham. The exhibition follows an open call for materials from locals who lived through the decade, to create an archive that will help preserve what is considered by many to be a pivotal moment in the city's cultural history.

It features a selection of garments, fashion magazines, photos and archive material from the period, offering a glimpse into Nottingham’s underground scene, and marking a celebration of the talented designers whose iconic looks influenced a generation - not just here in Nottingham, but across the nation.

“It's such an exciting story for Nottingham,” said Tom Godrey, Director of Bonington Gallery. “I've always been really drawn to interesting things happening outside of London, and not just things that look at London and try to emulate it.”

“I think it's something that has the potential to bring back a community of people who all hung out together in the ‘80s, but maybe haven't had an excuse to congregate around something since,” he adds. “So there's definitely a nostalgic sense in all of this, but what people have said to me is, ‘Wow, I just thought that was just normal life, and now seeing it like this, I can really see how special and unique it was.’ And I think that's what you can do with an art exhibition. You can almost put a frame around it.”

Following the expansion of Paul Smith’s first store on Byard Lane to locations in London, Paris and Tokyo in the 70s, a new wave of independent labels were bucking the trend of moving to London, and unlike many fashion brands of the time, were remaining to true their rebellious Nottingham roots.

The city became a breeding ground for young creative talent, with many graduates from Trent Polytechnic (now Nottingham Trent University) going on to launch their own fashion ventures, and helping foster the city’s creative network.

These included the likes of G-Force, known for its eye-catching iron sculptural signage and distinctive styles that were worn by celebrities around the world, including Cher, Stereo MC's and Eric Cantona, or Olto (now One BC in Sneinton) whose conceptual looks and legendary fashion shows and parties are still talked about by many today.

perhaps the most eye-opening pieces displayed are the wealth of real life pictures which offer a through the window snapshot into what it was like to party, socialise and live in Nottingham through the decade, with gravity defying hair, bold make-up and grunge-fuelled looks

Meanwhile, Vaughan & Franks who did make the move to London having been stocked in Browns, Paul Smith, Jones, Whistles and Liberty, eventually made the move back to Nottingham, where their shop on Heathcoat Street built a loyal local flamboyant fan base.

Dr Katherine Townsend who co-curated the exhibition alongside Tom, knows first hand the impact of Nottingham’s fashion scene during that period. Back in the 80s, through brands such as Katsu and Cocky’s Shed together with friends and colleagues Sue Watton and Dawn Foxall, she helped create a range of captivating looks which defined an era.

Walking through the exhibition paints a picture of the bold individuality of those living in Nottingham during that period, with different styles all coming together in one place - highlighting the ethos of the time, where people could be themselves free of judgement, where skinheads could be seen with ravers and vibrant dressers with those who favoured dark grunge-y tones.

Visitors will see looks and styles of yesteryear ranging from a bold velvet zebra print cropped biker jacket, to tie-dyed denim, bold printed knits to tasselled leather jackets. But, perhaps the most eye-opening pieces displayed are the wealth of real life pictures which

offer a through the window snapshot into what it was like to party, socialise and live in Nottingham through the decade, with gravity defying hair, bold make-up and grunge-fuelled looks.

Pictures from The Garage Club which launched in the autumn of 1983 and had the tagline “where hipcats meet hub-cats” show the impact Nottingham’s nightlife had on the city, with music and fashion so often walking hand in hand. Taken by Bryn Jones for Brian Selby who owned The Garage, they illustrate the coming together of the city’s subcultures around a common theme of a love for great music and good times, and a range of music genres including pop, funk, electro and House.

It’s something that was widely covered in Nottingham’s own independent alternative style publications of the time Despatch, Relay and Débris, which regularly featured vibrant photos from nights out at The Garage as well as fashion shoots from local and international designers.

Reflecting on how 1980s Nottingham compared to now, Katherine adds,“It was a lot more individual then. I do think people were able to take more risks. It wasn't easy, but I think that's changed a bit. The relationships people had with clothing was different too. They didn't have as many clothes. We had doubles of photos from The Garage of people wearing the same things on different weeks, but in a different way.”

Over the years, many have considered Nottingham to be the creative hub of the East Midlands, and that was never more apparent as in the 80s, when teenagers from places such as Derby would travel to Nottingham to get their hands on eye-catching garms they couldn’t find in their own cities.

She says, “There's been a lot about London and 1980s fashion, but there hasn't been a lot about Nottingham. We wanted to put the record straight for Nottingham. To say, this happened in cities all over the country in the 80s, and actually Nottingham was right in the centre of the country, but was one of perhaps the most vibrant. And, there's a lot of people here who aren’t known, but they're known locally, and people are still very fond of those labels.”

Visit the LeftLion website to read an extended version of this article. Catch the exhibition at Bonington Gallery, Dryden St. To find out more, visit their website.

boningtongallery.co.uk

words: Addie Kenogbon-Harley photos: Paul Edmondson

words: Frances Danylec illustration: Rebecca Appleyard

No one is immune to loneliness, and in fact, around 1020,000 older people in Nottinghamshire are affected by loneliness according to the Loneliness and Social Isolation in Older People report (2016). Writer France Danylec travelled to Hucknall to meet Re-Engage, a national charity supporting isolated people aged 75 and over to make new connections; solving the social problem in a most delightful way.

We all remember the social isolation of the pandemic, but for many older people not being able to get out and see others is a relentless reality. Family moving further away can shrink our social circles. Age-related disability can prevent us from driving or make it difficult to get public transport, further limiting our opportunities to expand those circles. The World Health Organisation (WHO) have called loneliness a global concern with an impact on health comparable to other risk factors, such as smoking, obesity and physical inactivity.

Founded in 1965, Re-engage offers befriending phone calls, activity groups and tea parties as a relaxed way of helping people to keep their social connections in later life. Each month, a small team of Hucknall-based volunteers provide a welcoming tea party for six guests at an accessible venue. They offer guests a lift there too, removing the transport barrier. Rowena, who has been volunteering for over a year now, tells me she enjoys the chatter in the car as much as at the tea party itself. “They always ask how my house move is going!” she smiles. “I wanted to volunteer, but couldn’t commit to it every week. Once a month is really manageable”. Re-engage also covers the cost of the food and petrol, meaning volunteers aren’t left out of pocket.

“There was a group a few years ago, but it closed because of the pandemic,” says volunteer Marta. “We re-opened it in December 2023, starting with just two guests. We have Christmas themed tea parties at that time of year and in the summer we’re usually outside in the garden enjoying the sunshine!”

of topics – everything from dancing

As the conversation and laughter moves naturally around a huge array of topics – everything from dancing to dogs – I notice how rare it is that people come together like this. So often in life we only socialise with people who have similar interests or experiences to us, that we know through work, a course or a hobby. But at the tea party, there’s the opportunity to talk to fascinating people from all walks of life. “It gives you a window into a different world,” Marta tells me. “It gives me a lot, because the guests have some amazing stories! They are all lovely people. And now we have two younger volunteers taking their Duke of Edinburgh Award too, so it brings all generations together”.

The impact of the tea parties goes beyond the people present, too.

have been coming since the start,

As today’s guests start to arrive, they’re greeted with a warm chorus of hellos, a hot cuppa and an impressive array of sandwiches, fruit, delicate cupcakes and home-made treats. Some members have been coming since the start, others are new today, but the relaxed atmosphere helps everyone to feel at home quickly. People ask after others that can’t make it today and pick up from conversations from previous parties too. How’s your course going? How are the grandkids? It’s clear that friendships form easily here.

“It’s my second time coming here,” says Frances, one of the guests. “I enjoy it. I wasn’t used to talking to anybody, but once I start, I’m alright!” she laughs. Frances and I chat about her rich life, including her time working as a machinist for clothing brand Viyella, which she started when she left school at just fourteen. She has never stopped learning though, and says she keeps her mind active with crossword puzzles. “It’s surprising how you learn from them, you think ‘I never knew that!’”

Frances’ daughter Jill said: "The tea parties are a great idea, to bring together people who may be isolated. I'm so grateful to Re-engage and particularly to the volunteers who give up their time for activities like this. I am my mum's only carer, she sees very few other people so this is a lovely thing for her to do. It helps me too, as for that afternoon I get a break whilst knowing she is happy and taken care of, and enjoying lots of cake!" To passersby, the tea parties might just look like cake and laughter. To the volunteers, guests and their family – it’s clear that health and social benefits go far beyond this.

There are several ways to get involved with the Re-engage as a host, volunteer or as a guest. Offer to be a host if you have a large room with a downstairs toilet, offer half a day a month of your time to help out as a volunteer, or join as a guest if you are age 75 and over. Visit the website below for more info.

reengage.org.uk

Being Frank

interview: photo:

There are many ways to describe musician Frank Turner: a songwriting master, a touring machine, a festival season staple. Now back with his latest album, Undefeated, he embarks on the UK leg of his tour this month, with a much-anticipated, sold-out stop at the legendary Rock City. We caught up with him to discuss Undefeated, his affiliation with Nottingham, his creative processes and where he finds his inspirations…

Hi Frank – firstly, let’s talk about Nottingham. You’ve played here a lot: two shows last year and an upcoming one for the Undefeated Tour on 6th April. What does the city mean to you?

I love Nottingham. The main thing for me is Rock City. It’s the only venue I have tattooed on my arm, and I played my 2000th show there back in 2016. It’s an amazing place to be around!

How do you turn your vast and diverse catalogue into a tour-ready selection? Is there any fear over missing fan-favourites out?

Well, everyone’s going to miss something out. I spend an unhealthy amount of time thinking about set lists and gigs and tours and what to play. Sometimes I’ll take requests by email.

I love Nottingham. The main thing for me is Rock City. It’s the only venue I have tattooed on my arm, and I played my 2000th show there back in 2016. It’s an amazing place to be around!

I’ve heard it’s your favourite venue. What makes it so special to you?

It’s a great space, great PA. The people who run it and the attitude is amazing. Not many people do it like that. It has an amazing reputation and a DIY attitude, I would say. The stage too, the mechanics behind it. It’s run differently and the people behind it know what they are doing and have turned it into an amazing space.

I love Nottingham. The main thing for me is Rock City. It’s the only venue I have tattooed on my arm, and I played my 2000th show there back in 2016. It’s an amazing place to be around!

Well, everyone’s going to miss something out. I spend an unhealthy amount of time thinking about set lists and gigs and tours and what to play. Sometimes I’ll take requests by email.

Normally, if it’s an album tour, I’ll play things off that album first and foremost. It’s never really the same every night though. Every show is different. It’s amazing though, to have these “play it or get killed” songs, that people need to hear at shows. For me it's Recovery and Get Better. Some people come to see me at every show at a place, others every three to five years - so it’s hard really to pick what’s best for everyone.

How do you see your older work, for example Sleep is for the Week? I’ve heard you say live that it was written when you were at a very different point in your life, but do those songs hold up for you personally?

I love Nottingham. The main thing for me is Rock City. It’s the only venue I have tattooed on my arm, and I played my 2000th show there back in 2016. It’s an amazing place to be around!

I agree, it’s a really special place for live music. You’ve played smaller venues here too including Saltbox last year for your successful world record attempt for the greatest number of gigs played in 24 hours. How was that whole experience?

Brutal and gruelling - something I’m filing under “extremely glad I did it and glad I don’t have to do it again!” Nottingham wasn’t too bad as it was in the first half. We had cabs from place to place too. It was fun - I don’t want to be gloomy, but it was hard work. Guinness World Records originally wanted a huge amount of money to cover it, but it was a charity thing raising money for small venues, so giving to this big corporation didn’t feel right and we said no. However, it’ll be in the next Guinness Book of World Records, so it’ll be all official soon.

I mean there’s so much that goes into it - each album is a snapshot of a period of time. Sleep is for the Week is me at 24/25, and it has this naivety that I don’t have any more. Not to say that I don’t like it, but it’s different - I’m different. I mean I had no idea when I released that album that anyone would listen to it, let alone that eighteen years later we’d be having a conversation about it now - it’s crazy to me.

In April, you embark on the UK leg of the Undefeated tour. How did Undefeated come to fruition as an album?

So how do you write songs and has this process changed over the years? Every song is different, I don’t really have a set process and that’s never changed. Like for On My Way from Undefeated, we did about nine different versions and arrangements, then decided to have it just me and the guitar. But other tracks I know what I want straight away, like No Thank You for the Music - I knew it would have that sound.

What are your big musical influences at the minute?

In April, you embark on the UK leg of the Undefeated tour. How did Undefeated come to fruition as an album?

I try to low-level write all the time. Over the pandemic, I had a bunch of songs I was pleased with and decided to produce it myself. That was different. We decided to record it at my house, which was an experience too. It feels like a pretty natural record to me. There’s a new drummer, too. We’ve been doing it on tour for a while now but it’s amazing to play live. The band is adaptive so the songs can be punk if they need to be punk or folk if they need to be folk - they’re really good.

What are your big musical influences at the minute?

Well, I listen to entire catalogues of songwriters, bordering on obsession. Once I learnt every ABBA song just because I liked the chord structures! Man, I love Nick Cave too - he’s just incredible. I listened to every song of his in chronological order recently. I was a fan for a while then it became just obsessive. I’m not pretentious but I really like to study songwriters.

And finally, what are your influences that maybe aren’t musical? Not to sound pretentious but I really love poetry - 20th Century modernism, Larkin etc. It all seeps its way into my work, too. The song Undefeated, most of it comes from a book by Carl Jung, it’s all just in there and you can see it if you’ve read the book. It just leaks into the song.

Frank Turner plays Rock City on Sunday 6 April

interview: Thomas Gensler photo: Shannon Shumaker

If you’re from Nottingham and want to get added to our list of music writers, or get your tunes reviewed, hit

Divorce Drive to Goldenhammer (Album)

Armed with a live reputation that perked the ears and demanded the attention of music lovers everywhere, Divorce’s debut has finally arrived. Produced by Catherine Marks (boygenius, Wolf Alice), the album has a warmth at the centre that sits undimmed and welcoming as the squalling, genreswapping music atop swirls and shifts. As the album unfurls, the band’s mission statement becomes clearer and it’s obvious that they are not simply content to revel in the catchy. Instead they chase ideas. Thematically, the album is imbued with a tension between emotional optimism and vulnerability. Similarly, the warmth and hope that emanate from these songs are reflective of their hometown; a city in which so much beauty shines, even in the mundane. This is one Nottingham can be proud of.

(Kieran Lister)

Dead Mint

Dead Mint (Album)

Coming from dark and stormy origins, Dead Mint demonstrate their unrestrained ability to create a melting pot of heavy, fuzzy and furious music on their first LP. The fusion of genres makes this a debut to admire, from heavy psych, bluesy rock-n-roll to 60s-inspired garage. The psychedelic elements are felt on opening number Songlines with riffs that growl and hum; transporting you to a wilderness depicting a landscape of urban decay. Towards the end of the album, Bulwell Bogs plays on the picturesque ugliness of a wilderness and undergoing a two-minute Tolkeinesque metamorphosis from a modern-day Mordor to something rather pleasant. This debut is a nod to all that is rich and descriptive in music. The intensity with which it is presented provides a shot in the arm that gives us the energy to truly appreciate the phenomenon of rock-n-roll. (Lewis Oxley)

Sam Oakley bedroom (EP)

A former Future Sound of Nottingham finalist, producer Sam Oakley moved to a small one-bedroom flat in East Asia with just a £10 microphone and laptop in hand. Out of that confined space has emerged bedroom, detailing six months of Sam’s life filled with heartbreak, uncertainty and summer romance. Dreamy opener bored begins with a superb sample of So Here We Are by Bloc Party, before Notts hip-hop mainstays Exchecker join Sam for the sunshine-tinged beats of adVice. Written on a balcony in Vietnam, blush beams through riff-tastic guitar work, which then leads into the chilled sounds and soaring strings of sweet. There’s nostalgic doo-wop on earworm pluto before the uplifting finale of the title track. Overall a fantastic shortplayer from Sam. (Karl Blakesley)

Drew Thomas

Gemini (Single)

Top class storytelling meets powerful, regenerated rock in Gemini. Here, Drew does what he does best: producing powerful, soaring emotive rock based on personal experience and it’s a blast from start to end. The track opens with buzzy guitar before the ominous chugging riffs take over and all is revealed. Drew’s voice is packed with snarl and fervour as he tells it how it is – a classic tale of relationship trauma and finding realisation and strength, and he leads us through it with confidence. Drew has been selected to appear at YNOT Festival - a very well-deserved booking for one of our city’s most hard-working and honest artists. (Phil Taylor)

Green Grango

DTTR (Single)

A five-minute salvo of prevailing, euphoric psychedelia, Green Grango barrels through plenty of pedal action with DTTR. Self-described as a "one-man Odyssey", there’s no doubt that his bluesy fuzz can’t take you on a journey through tonal transcendence. His guitar ladened with the ritualistic electronics of a wah-pedal; the hazy echoes of belligerent reverb are defiant of time and space. It’s a track equally as disciplined as it is hedonistic. Green Grango attempts to envelop the expanse of noise with a languid lilt to his vocals, yet this becomes wayward for the guitar string soliloquy. Deftly intricate and textured in depth, this latest single is one hell of a trip! (Talia Robinson)

THU.01.MAY.25

panic shack

THE BODEGA

THU.01.MAY.25

Gig Guide

THU.15.MAY.25

Lowkey

RESCUE ROOMS

FRI.16.MAY.25

TUE.03.JUN.25

Shonen Knife

RESCUE ROOMS

WED.04.JUN.25

MON.07.JUL.25

DZ Deathrays + Battlesnake

THE BODEGA

TUE.08.JUL.25

Personal Trainer

THU.22.MAY.25SUN.25.MAY.25

Bearded Theory Festival

w/ Iggy Pop, Manic Street Preachers, The Sisters Of Mercy & More! DERBYSHIRE

CATTON HALL

MJ Lenderman

SAT.31.MAY.25

ROCK CITY

Father John Misty

MON.23.JUN.25

ROCK CITY

Splendour Festival

RESCUE ROOMS

FRI.02.MAY.25

Melin Melyn

THE BODEGA

FRI.02.MAY.25

Rich(ard) Dawson

METRONOME

SAT.03.MAY.25

DVNE

RESCUE ROOMS

SUN.04.MAY.25

Soda Blonde

THE BODEGA

TUE.06.MAY.25

Ashley Henry

THE BODEGA

WED.07.MAY.25

Death Valley Girls

THE BODEGA

WED.07.MAY.25

The Waterboys

FRI.09.MAY.25

Amber Run ROCK

FRI.09.MAY.25

Ben Brown

THE BODEGA

SAT.10.MAY.25

Decapitated

RESCUE ROOMS

SAT.10.MAY.25

Empyre THE BODEGA

Crash Test Dummies

RESCUE ROOMS

FRI.16.MAY.25

Freak Slug

THE BODEGA

SAT.17.MAY.25

Hyphen

THE BODEGA

SUN.18.MAY.25

Jon Gomm

RESCUE ROOMS

MON.19.MAY.25

Amistat

RESCUE ROOMS

THU.22.MAY.25SUN.25.MAY.25

Bearded Theory Festival

w/ Iggy Pop, Manic Street Preachers, Paul Heaton & more DERBYSHIRE CATTON HALL

TUE.27.MAY.25

Prima Queen

RESCUE ROOMS

THU.29.MAY.25

Andrew Cushin

RESCUE ROOMS

FRI.30.MAY.25

We Are Scientists

RESCUE ROOMS

SAT.31.MAY.25

MJ Lenderman

ROCK CITY

The Get Up Kids

RESCUE ROOMS

THU.05.JUN.25

Sam Kelly

THE BODEGA

SAT.07.JUN.25

Foxing

RESCUE ROOMS

MON.09.JUN.25

Jadu Heart

RESCUE ROOMS

MON.16.JUN.25

Bright Eyes

ROCK CITY

TUE.17.JUN.25

Natty

THE BODEGA

MON.23.JUN.25

Father John Misty

ROCK CITY

THU.26.JUN.25

Great Gable

THE BODEGA

FRI.27.JUN.25

The Devil Makes Three

RESCUE ROOMS

WED.02.JUL.25

Pentagram

RESCUE ROOMS

SAT.05.JUL.25

Cyan Kicks

ROCK CITY (BETA)

Catbite

THE BODEGA

MON.14.JUL.25

GEL + anxious + Chastity

RESCUE ROOMS

SAT.19.JUL.25SUN.20.JUL.25

Splendour Festival

w/ Bloc Party, Kaiser Chiefs, Travis & more WOLLATON PARK

WED.13.AUG.25

Alan Sparhawk (of Low)

RESCUE ROOMS

SAT.23.AUG.25

Arboretum Beer Festival

ARBORETUM GARDEN BAR & BANDSTAND

SUN.24.AUG.25

The Foolhardy Folk Festival with Beans On Toast

ARBORETUM GARDEN BAR & BANDSTAND

MON.25.AUG.25

Michael Shannon & Jason Narducy

RESCUE ROOMS

THU.11.SEP.25

Black Country, New Road ROCK

Foolhardy Folk Festival with Beans on Toast

SUN.24.AUG.25

ARBORETUM GARDEN BAR & BANDSTAND

THU.13.NOV.25

English Teacher ROCK

screen

tThe reel Deel

words: photos:

words: Sofia Jones

photos: Chris Frost

Forget Cannes and Sundance, the Beeston Film Festival returns this month right on your doorstep! Featuring a huge range of work from international and local filmmakers, we spoke to festival director, John Currie, to hear all about the ethos behind this annual event and find out what attendees and filmmakers can expect from this year's festival.

“The film industry is something that can feel a bit distant,” John Currie tells me. “We’re typically consumers of the film industry, but I wanted the community to go beyond that and get a bit more involved.” If you wanted to boil down and brew the essence of Beeston’s Film Festival, that sentence wouldn’t be a bad start. The short film festival is all about the fun of watching and making films being accessible to the community - now, naturally, that community is Beestonians, but John was eager to remind us, “All you have to do is get the tram and you’re there, there’s Beeston, there’s The Arc!”

John created the festival in 2014 because, as he described in a NottsTV interview, he “saw a gap in the market”. At that time in Beeston, there wasn’t a cinema, let alone a film festival. Fast forward to over ten years later, Beeston boasts the Arc Cinema and a well-established film festival - that ‘gap in the market’ seems to have been well and truly filled. More than having simply plugged a hole though, the festival fosters a real community spirit and encourages a good old-fashioned enjoyment of films.

Something that struck me when speaking to John is his liveliness and the sense that there is a playfulness to the festival. “We’re not a high-brow film festival, and I’m not being critical of that. We don’t try and pretend that we’re going to have some deep and profound conversations about the role of film in society,” he explains. This sense of fun is played out in the award ceremonies at the end of each festival, The B’Oscars. Audience members and filmmakers alike get dressed up, enjoy a bit of fizz, and walk down the red carpet to see which of the films shown will receive an accolade.

“I’m going to encourage everyone to dress up excessively and to celebrate the filmmakers by having a bit of fun”, promises John.

Of course a little of the B’Oscars is tongue-in-cheek, but there’s also a genuine sense of celebration and, by making a night of it for everyone, they lift up those special films that do stand out. This is part of a marked sincerity in how the festival honours filmmakers who want to showcase their work at the festival.

Another element of this is the venue. In its infancy, the festival took place in a well-loved Beeston pub, the White Lion, but when the Arc Cinema opened in 2021, the festival soon moved in. Moving to the Arc helped them to “elevate the experience” for filmmakers, something the festival aims for each year. “We’re committed to projecting the films as best we can. We started with a very basic system, and now we’ve got 4K surround sound and leather reclining seats,” John chuckles, proud of the Arc’s professional set-up.

The plush screening at the Arc isn’t all though, all filmmakers who submit their work to the festival go through the review process, which totals a dizzying number of screen hours. “We review their films properly. This year we had thousands of films submitted and the team did 3749 reviews.” John previously posted on their social media that, “Many hours have been spent deliberating on the final selection. No AI system could ever harness the humanity this team brings to the table. The answers from the selection team are not some derived, homogenous output from a soulless algorithm, instead, it's the judgment of many genuine film fans.”

The plush screening at the Arc isn’t all though, all filmmakers who submit their work to the festival go through the review process, which totals a dizzying number of screen hours. “We review their films properly. year we had thousands of films submitted and the team did 3749 reviews.” John previously posted on their social media that, “Many hours have been spent deliberating on the final selection. No AI system could ever harness the humanity this team brings to the table. The answers from the selection team are not some derived, homogenous output from a soulless algorithm, instead, it's the judgment of many genuine film fans.”

There is a clear emphasis on authentic process, which applies both for the filmmakers who submit their films, but also the selection team who are, as John says, “Beestonians, and a few honorary Beestonians, who decide what is going to be the best for the Beeston public.”

As well as their selection team, the festival has an international jury made up of experts from the industry who will determine which films should win. The jury members are a true representation of the international community coming from Belgium, France, Greece, Germany, Iran, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Ethiopia. In a political climate which seems to pit us against each other, I was interested in what John thought was important in continuing to create an international community: “Often the media is divisive, but if you go to any short film festival, you get a sense of our shared humanity. It’s full of compassion, full of empathy, and yes diversity. We’re very proud of that fact.”

Often the media is divisive, but if you go to any short film festival, you get a sense of our shared humanity. It’s full of compassion, full of empathy, and yes diversity. We’re very proud of that fact

Not only is the jury international, but the films are too as they come from filmmakers across the world. There are also different categories such as ‘African Voices’, ‘Women’s Voices’, ‘Pride’, and ‘East Midlands Focus’.

“Film festivals can often focus on genre. I’ve always loved the idea of being able to say let’s enjoy the full panoply of drama, comedy, non-fiction,” John describes. By placing films into some of these categories, different genres and styles can be grouped together which allows an audience to see the films’ shared similarities rather than just their differences. By extension, allowing the audience to see, in John’s words, “Our common sense of shared humanity, how we cry, how we love, how we worry about the world, how we worry about each other.”

John does not shy away from politics either, explaining that their team discussed whether they should accept films from Russia and Israel. They ultimately decided that it was important to “be open to assessing films from any country” because “filmmakers don’t drop bombs”. But they keep the ethos close at hand that, if anything “worked against their values as a team”, or if it “supported genocide or ethnic-cleansing” then it would be immediately disallowed.

Beeston Film Festival seems to find that careful balance of both enjoying the playfulness and joy of cinema whilst being committed to exploring important messages. It creates a strong bond with the international film community whilst refusing to forget the community it has at home just a tram-ride away.

The Beeston Film Festival takes place between 24-27 April at The Arc Cinema in Beeston. Head to their website to see the full programme of films being shown.

beestonfilm.com

Community Cornerstone

Opened at the end of February 2025, the Corner Café is a brand new rejuvenation of the coffee and food spot attached to the New Art Exchange, the UK’s largest gallery dedicated to contemporary visual arts from the Global Ethnic Majority. With a lack of community-led food, drink and social spaces present in the Hyson Green area, the NAE team sought to provide that, enlisting community on everything about the venue, from the decor, to the food, to the events. We popped down to see the colourful results.

It’s a bright, sunny day when I cross the Forest Recreation Ground to the New Art Exchange: an art gallery situated on the fringes of Hyson Green. I’m here to see the brand new iteration of its adjoining café, now called the Corner Café. Until now I’ve purely associated this spot with the gallery, knowing it in my mind as just ‘the café at NAE’: a place to sit for a quick brew after checking out the exhibition just a few yards away. But when I enter it’s clear that it’s now a place to be enjoyed for its own sake. The new interior, consisting of orange furnishing, patterned lampshades and hanging art with tasteful touches of horticulture, is quite unlike anything I’ve seen before.

“We knew we needed a revamp,” says Adam Roe, Executive Director at NAE. “But the question was always ‘what would work best?’ The clear message was consultation with communities in the area, to understand what they wanted. It was also key that this project should fit under the umbrella of ‘citizen led’, as that’s a big part of who we are and what we do.”

We see ourselves as a hub where people can come enjoy different cultures but we also see this as an opportunity: our role is draw people across the city to Hyson Green and counteract that stigma about it, an unfair one to honest

In Hyson Green there have been very few successful attempts to create a proper, independent, community-driven ‘third-space’ for food and drink, but the NAE team found that there was a powerful desire for one when they reached locals, receiving lots of input as to what the ideal interior design for such a place would look like. The next step was to hire a local sustainable architecture firm; Adam and the team decided to partner with From the Ground Up, a firm led by local Will Harvey.

“We predominantly work in participatory design which is why this project was so good for us,” says Will. “We generate methods of co-designing with people, and the design at the end is so much stronger as a result. If people have got some sort of co-ownership they’re much more likely to help maintain the end product, as opposed to having had no input in the journey.”

Hyson Green is the most ethnically and culturally diverse neighbourhood in Nottingham, a fact that’s always been central to the business approach of the New Art Exchange. Perhaps unsurprisingly, but importantly, the team found once work started on the cafe that an approach integrating the surrounding cultural diversity would remain important, from the food and drink that they would be serving there, to the events that they would be hosting.

“The bigger vision for us is how we can draw in opportunity from the rest of our community,” says Peter Sharratt, who is Operations Manager at the Corner Café. “It’s multifold. We see ourselves as a hub where people can come enjoy different

cultures but we also see this as an opportunity: our role is draw people across the city to Hyson Green and counteract that stigma about it - an unfair one to be honest, and hopefully our aim, in the long term is the growth of Hyson Green by providing some interesting offers for food and entertainment, so maybe we can do our part for changing the fortunes of the area.”

Since the Café opened at the end of February 2025, the result of these plans and discussions has been a pretty delicious and affordable menu encompassing flavoursome flatbreads and fresh, revitalizing rice bowls, each dish kept below ten pounds. After finishing my conversation with the team I treat myself to a light daal-based rice bowl, which serves as a great addition to the unseasonably sunny weather.

The team is continuing to think about the needs of locals. Members of the Baitul Jabbar Mosque across the street, for example, frequent the café looking for good strong espresso, which the team is always ready to provide.

Events held at the Corner Café are also intended as a demonstration of Hyson Green’s cultural diversity, from the regular Friday Night Socials, set to include live music, and the pay-what-you-can community cafés. On each of these occasions, the spotlight will turn to a different ethnic community, of which there are many underrepresented in Nottingham, says Olga Andrade, Marketing Manager at NAE. “The whole point of Friday night socials is to give a platform for grassroots local talent, but also cultural exchange: connecting with different communities from Nottingham, giving them a chance to showcase their culture to other people.” says Olga, “It’s all about opportunities and visibility. This Friday we’re removing all the furniture, and it will purely become a space for the Brazilian Cultural Centre to do a dance workshop and live music, open to everyone.”

Openness, the team say, is the key quality they’re aiming for, as they continue to run the Corner Café. They hope that when folks wander down Gregory Boulevard they’ll feel all-the-more welcome to come inside and discover a fresh new space, in between work and home.

It’s a great opportunity that they’ve capitalised on, I say, in that the lack hitherto of these kinds of spaces in Hyson Green has intensified the desire for them all the more. They agree: “If we work with our community and people who exist around us and with us to make things better; giving that mandate of decision making, we think it’s more constructive than going: ‘this is what you need,” says Adam Roe, “It’s such a big part of everything that we do.”

Visit the Corner Cafe at New Art Exchange at 41 Gregory Boulevard, NG7 6BE. While you’re at it, check out their latest exhibition ‘The Lovers’ by Sunil Gupta & Charan Singh on until 3 May. Read our review on page 37.

nae.org.uk

words: Caradoc Gayer photos: Tom Platinum Morley

L iterature

speaKing his mind

interview: Aurora Amaryllis

Professor of Health Humanities at the University of Nottingham, Dr Paul Crawford is back with a new mystery novel, The Wonders of Doctor Bent. Aurora Amaryllis speaks to Paul about how his passion for creative writing converges with his experience researching institutional mental health.

Your new novel, The Wonders of Doctor Bent, was published on 18 March. Can you tell us what it is about?

Sure, the worlds of Jason Hemp, an English lecturer, and Dr Bent, the unlikely Medical Director of high-security psychiatric hospital Foston Hall, come together in a dark tale of murder, revenge and abandonment.

Attempting to track down his twin brother’s killer, Jason finds his life unravelling in unexpected and frightening ways, whilst visionary Dr Bent, controversially, attempts to reform Foston Hall into a more humane, less prisonlike place, all while facing his own mental health challenges.

What kind of journey have you had as author leading up to writing The Wonders of Doctor Bent?

The Wonders of Doctor Bent is my second novel. My first novel, Nothing Purple, Nothing Black came out 23 years ago and had great reviews and a film option with British film producer, Jack Emery, until his production company, The Drama House, folded after serious illness. Thankfully, he finally recovered but the silver screen moment for the book slipped away. I licked my wounds by writing more and more non-fiction in my academic career at The University of Nottingham, becoming Professor of Health Humanities at The Institute of Mental Health. About four years ago, I decided to turn back to creative writing, inspired by my research supporting recovery from mental trauma, and penned The Wonders of Doctor Bent

Before all this, my ambition to be a writer, came aged eleven when all new boys starting at St Philips Grammar School in Edgbaston, Birmingham, received a copy of The Hobbit by former pupil, J.R.R. Tolkien. I devoured that book as quickly as any dragon would, and thought it astonishing that words could generate another world in my mind. I was hooked.

How has your life in Nottingham featured in the novel?

The novel is set largely in Nottingham and the wider Midlands. Foston Hall bears some resemblance to Rampton Hospital, which treats psychiatric patients who are a grave and immediate risk to the public. Jason Hemp works at the fictional Nottingham East University, a new institution that competes to lure valuable overseas students by copying the architecture of the more established University of Nottingham, even including its lake.

What modern day dilemmas does The Wonders of Doctor Bent resonate with?

The fiction delves into the controversial matter of whether those who commit terrible acts with diminished responsibility due to serious mental illness, such as paranoid schizophrenia, should be treated or punished. Furthermore, through the actions of Foston Hall’s gothic, wounded healer, Dr Bent, whether high-secure hospitals should be more comfortable and creative environments albeit with safety of the public in mind.

The novel was written before the devastating attacks by Valdo Calocane on our students, Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, and other members of the public. This awful

event has understandably generated a lot of anger and soulsearching. Debates have been reignited about how the public are better protected and those with such serious mental health challenges are treated.

If there was one thing for readers to take away from these moral debates going on in your novel, what would you hope that would be?

That society strikes the right balance between properly supporting and punishing people with serious mental disorders to reduce the risk of calamitous events occurring. Also, how books, and creativity more broadly, really can save lives. They saved mine.

Would you mind sharing how books have saved your life?

As a student at Bristol University, I struggled with depression. I ended up standing on Clifton Suspension with the darkest thoughts. Fortunately, I got to walk off the bridge and get on with building a life. I left university early, turned to books, to writing, to reading, and this helped my mental state. Eventually, my passion for books led me to complete a PhD on William Golding at The University of Birmingham, supporting the development of my academic work investigating the ways that the creative arts can promote mental wellbeing.

in a great deaL oF engLish Literature, the personaL struggLes oF the author are CLoaKed or disguised. in writing the noVeL, it heLped enormousLy to haVe experienCed depression and the pain oF bereaVement

Have your own personal struggles with mental health come through in this novel?

There is no pure separation between the life of authors and the fiction they write. Writing draws on the author’s experiences, what they have seen, heard, felt, and then imagined. In a great deal of English literature, the personal struggles of the author are cloaked or disguised. In writing the novel, it helped enormously to have experienced depression and the pain of bereavement. But the novel is not a memoir.

Is there anyone you’d like to acknowledge - in your life and writing?

Yes, Heather Nelson, who worked as a counsellor at The University of Nottingham, and who put me together again like a piece of Kintsugi when I tragically lost most of my family. And my new, chosen family and friends.

The Wonders of Doctor Bent is available at Amazon, Waterstones, WHSmith, Foyles, Cranthorpe Millner and all good bookshops.

w @ProfessorPaulC1

What gives your voice its rhythm? Ages back / At six years old I wrote a sort of poem / Which was a twist on Anastacia's hit, / And went: 'I’m not that kind of boy, because / I hate the name Malfoy.' Less relevant, / Now that the world has moved on from / The turn of the millennium, but fine. /

I wrote, but poetry still made me cringe. / There’s that sincere unguardedness about / That spoken verse, which makes your stomach clench. / It seems to hold your soul out from your chest, / Much more than if you fling your shirt away. /

Except, five years ago, I flipped the script— / I read ‘The Ode Less Travelled’ - Stephen Fry / Convinced me that iambic metre was / The beat, aortic, in the English language / Which, alternating weak and strong like this / Just ‘fits the human breath,’ says Stephen Fry. /

And he’s spot on, in that once you begin / To tune your ear you hear it everywhere, / From bus stops to Obama’s speeches, like / They said this day would never come.’ We have / A language built on stress, on rise and sink, / Iambic rhythm lifts an empty phrase — / A roving pulse, a heartbeat in the mouth. / Although if you’re inspired to try, reader / Be warned, this column makes a poor attempt. /

@andrewtuckerleavis

illustration: Jim Brown words: Andrew Tucker Leavis

Reasons to be Cheerful

words: Matthew Blaney

The news is normally negative, but here are some nice things that have happened in Notts this month.

Broad Marsh

The latest news in a saga that seemed set to rival the construction of the Sagrada Familia, the sale of the Broad Marsh site has finally been approved, with plans to develop 20,000 square metres of retail, office and community space, along with a new NHS Centre, and the demolition of the college on Maid Marian Way and NCP's car park. While half of the site was previously demolished and transformed into the Green Heart Park, Council Leader Neghat Khan is confident that the buyer should be confirmed and the deal finalised in the coming weeks.

Mobo Award

Nothing quite beats the feeling of seeing one of Nottingham’s own receive much deserved recognition for their contribution to the global music scene. The genre-smashing sister duo ALT BLK ERA, Nyrobi (21) and Chaya (17), received their first MOBO for the Best Alternative Music Act back in Feb. With a sound that is entirely their own, Notts has produced yet another generation of gifted musicians who can’t help but tear down boundaries. Following on from collaborations with Wheatus and appearances at Glastonbury, Download Festival, and Reading and Leeds, the sky is the limit for West Bridgford’s very own.

Nottingham Pub gigs

There is nothing quite like friendly competition with our neighbouring cities, but when it comes to pub grub mixed with live music, Nottingham is one of the leading contenders for the top spot according to new research from PRS for Music and the British Beer and Pub Association. Surpassing Sheffield, Manchester, and Liverpool, Nottingham has recently been ranked as the 3rd best location for live music in pubs across the entire UK. With only Belfast and our Midland counterparts over in Birmingham, claiming 1st and 2nd, there is no doubt that Nottingham is the place to be for a good old fashioned pub gig.

Toliet Humour

Something made you laugh in the lavs?

Send your funniest quips to editorial@leftlion.co.uk

Guess the answer to this Notts themed riddle…

My first is a girl

But not she

My second a friend Of muppet Ernie

My third is to slay

My fourth is a code You’ll find my old house

TRUTH

THE CASE OF Bill's Mother's

As we all know, the English language is full of a range of quirky sayings and idioms which upon reflection, generally seem a bit odd when you break them down: Why bake a cake if you’re not even going to eat it? Who makes their bed just to ruin it by lying in it? And why do we consider the rain as being right? These are just a few of my burning questions I propose to the English language. However, the one saying which I find to be the most thought provoking comes from Nottingham itself. Or more specifically, that black cloud which seems to hang rather ominously over Bill’s mother’s.

A deep dive into the darkest corners of sub-reddits and facebook groups just to uncover the identity behind Bill and his poor mother, who I can only assume has not been able to put a wash on in years, has led me to several conclusions. The origins seem to date back to a royal named George who was once the prince of Wales who resided on a farm by the side of the river Trent. In a local inn nearby (close by the ‘Half Penny Bridge’ by Wilford) a group of miners went for a postmine pint and as they were leaving/stumbling out of the venue, one of the miners noticed a rather dark cloud heading towards them and stated that they would be in for some rather ‘inclement weather.’ The young miner was then a victim of light-hearted teasing (or bullying in the work place) as one of his coworkers began to mock him for his advanced use of the English language. Whilst he attempted to modify his statement, he couldn't quite remember the name of the royal who owned the farm by the river Trent, and so suddenly announced that ‘it was looking a bit black over Bill’s Mother’s.’

Another claim to ownership comes all the way from Sneinton as it is believed that there was once a scrap yard belonging to Bill’s mother. Once the wastage piled up to a certain point, Bill’s mother would burn the excess waste, causing a cloud of smoke to rise above the scrap yard, leaving the residents of Sneinton unable to hang out their ‘tighty whities.’

Some say that ‘Bill’ is a reference to William Shakespeare whose mother, Mary Arden, lived in Stratford-upon-Avon. Others across The Midlands believe the smart money to be on Kaiser Wilhelm II (colloquially referred to as ‘Kaiser Bill’) as whenever there was a storm coming from the East, people would say that it’s looking black over Bill’s Mother’s.

Last month’s answer: The Bodega

Whether the drunken miners said it first or Bill’s Mother’s scrap yard seems like the most plausible origin story, I think we should all take a moment to thank Bill’s Mother, whoever she may be, for never taking a day off as we can surely crown her as being the midland’s most reliable weatherwoman.

words: Matthew Blaney

Tied In Knots Presents

When: Wed 2 April

Where: The Chapel

How Much: Free Entry

Looking for a mid week mood boost? The energetic art rock ska punk four piece Moon Bullet will be headlining The Chapel above The Angel Microbrewery as part of this monthly music showcase. This time in collaboration with In The Clouds, a team of young promoters and producers will bring to the stage local talent including, alt rockers Stone Black Witches with their signature fuzzy sound, indie rock outlet The Albions and ethereal singer songwriter Ellie Stainsby, plus performances by Beatknots Vocal Academy.

When: Fri 4 - Sat 5 April

Where: Nottingham Castle How Much: £11

Hopefully coinciding with some warm Springtime weather, Nottingham Castle have announced a fun new festival in their grounds, featuring street food, live music, a selection of local ciders and 100+ beers from over ten local breweries. Intended as a celebration of the thriving independent brewing scene in Notts, and taking place in-and-around the Castle’s bandstand, this will be a great outing if you’re someone looking forward to the simple joys of beer and good food, as moresuch summer festivals approach on the horizon.

Animal Farm

When: Wed 2 April - Sat 12 April

Where: Nottingham Playhouse How Much: From £14

Marking the 80th anniversary of George Orwell’s legendary political fable, the Nottingham Playhouse is hosting a fresh new interpretation of the story, adapted by Tatty Henessy and led by director Amy Leach. The team reinvent the tale of exploited animals rebelling against a farmer, and dealing with the fallout, through immersive staging, top notch acting and explorations of decaying idealism and greed’s allure. Don’t miss this if you’re a fan of the Playhouse’s ever astronomical standard of theatre-making.

Bongo’s Bingo

When: 5, 12 & 25 April

Where: The Palais How Much: £20

The Palais are looking to the future this month in hosting some of the most energetic and outthere events that you can imagine. One-such will be Bongo’s Bingo: branded “the definitive bingo experience”, the party revitalizes the game sometimes stereotyped as an activity for care homes, with such unhinged additions as dance-offs, rave intervals, audience participation, and prizes including karaoke machines and Henry Hoovers. Aimed at adults of all ages, this occasion isn’t one you’ll forget in a hurry. Read our interview with host Adam Apple on page 18.

Girlband!

When: Thu 3 April

Where: The Grove How Much: £13.20

Local rockers Girlband! will be playing a gig in memory of their friend, the celebrated Nottingham-born artist Sarah Cunningham who passed away in London in November. The gig will raise funds for Rainforest Trust UK’s project: 'Safeguard Spectacular Biodiversity in the Crown Jewel of Papua’, an environmental cause that was close to Sarah’s heart. Sarah was a talented artist who created nature landscapes. She held a studio at Backlit for several years and contributed artwork, including a cover, to LeftLion We miss her.

Megson

When: Fri 4 April

Where: Metronome How Much: £5-20

Megson are a folk duo comprised of husband and wife duo Debs Hanna (vocals, whistle, piano, accordion) and Stu Hanna (guitar, mandola, banjo). They’ve released a whopping thirteen studio albums over their twenty-year musical career and have been described as “the most original duo on the British folk scene” by The Guardian. Four times nominated in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and double winners of the Spiral Earth Awards, this is your chance to see them in Notts.

Strip

When: Sun 6 April

Where: Broadway Cinema How Much: £25

Not content with serving up high quality stand-up every Saturday at Metronome, Just The Tonic have recently branched out into a monthly ‘deluxe’ offering at Broadway. The Comic Strip Presents… was a seminal 1980s sitcom that helped break the careers of Ade Edmondson, Rik Mayall, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, Keith Allen, Robbie Coltrane and Alexei Sayle. At this event they’ll be showing four episodes of it, plus a Q&A with its creator Peter Richardson and co-star Nigel Planer. Comedian and podcaster Robin Ince is on interview duties.

Turner & The Sleeping Souls When: Sun 6 April

Where: Rock City How Much: £36.50

Folk-punk rocker and allround cultural phenomenon Frank Turner returns to Rock City this month, both touring his 2024 album Undefeated and celebrating the tenth anniversary of his 2014 record Positive Songs for Negative People. If you’re unaware of Turner’s work, he could well be a positive revitalization for your life, if you’re in need of one; as one of the UK’s most prolific songwriters, he’s played over 2900 shows in twenty years. Read our interview with Frank on page 40.

Castle Beer Fest

Comic

Presents...

Frank

best oF the month

Chicago

When: Mon 7 - Sat 12 April

Where: Theatre Royal

How Much: £22- £55

The classic 70s musical takes over the Theatre Royal this month, this time starring Janette Manrara of Strictly Come Dancing fame. Set in the eponymous city back in the 1920s, Chicago tells the story of nightclub dancer Roxie Hart, who after killing her onthe-side lover seeks to avoid conviction with help of lawyer Billy Flynn. Featuring all of the expected, legendary show tunes like All that Jazz and Razzle Dazzle, this show promises one of the most transporting nights at the theatre possible.

Crime Club

When: Thu 10 April

Where: National Justice Museum

How Much: £12-14

Real crimes. Real stories. Real evidence. The last executions to take place in Nottingham occurred in the 1920's but not all of those who met the noose in the city were from the city. Discover their crimes and how execution itself ended in Nottingham. Take your seat in the famous Victorian Civil Courtroom at the National Justice Museum and watch the action unfold. The March instalment of this event sold out quickly, so don’t hang around. A free drink is included in the ticket price.

The Russian Detective When: Tue 8 April

Where: Five Leaves Bookshop How Much: £4.50 (£20 with book)

This month, Five Leaves hosts Nottingham Trent’s own Associate Professor of Illustration Carol Adlam to talk about her 2024 graphic novel The Russian Detective. Following the exploits of journalist and magician Charlie Fox, it is a succinct example of how Carol brings to life women’s stories, lost in history. Carol will explain the inventive illustrative techniques she employed while making the story. Whether you’re an illustrator yourself, or someone with a passing interest in the beauty of graphic novels, this is bound to be an interesting occasion.

When: Sat 12 April

Where: National Ice Centre How much: £5.50-11

Celebrate 25 years of the National Ice Centre with the ultimate Easter family day out. 25 activities are available to celebrate the venue’s 25th anniversary, all activities are free after purchasing a public skating ticket. Glide into the fun with skating taster sessions, explore an array of off-ice activities, including arts & crafts, outdoor games, Easter egg hunts and adrenalinefilled sports. Read our top 25 moments at the Arena on pages 23-25.

Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds

When: Thu 10 April

Where: Motorpoint Arena

How much: From £48.75

US composer Jeff Wayne’s acclaimed musical adaptation of War of the Worlds will come to Nottingham this month, showcased in as spectacular a format as possible at Motorpoint Arena. Featuring some compelling holographic additions to the production, such as vocals from Enter Shikari’s Rou Reynolds and Liam Neeson as the protagonist (known only as ‘the journalist’) and many immersive special effects, the show’s current tour marks 130 years since the seminal sci-fi story was published.

& Juliet

When: Mon 14 - Sat 19 April

Where: Theatre Royal

How Much: £30.50-57.50

Ever wondered what would have happened if Juliet hadn’t ended it all over Romeo? In this reimagining of the Shakespeare classic, she ditches her famous ending for a fresh beginning and a second chance at life and love. This highly acclaimed, fiveyear-old musical is heading to Nottingham after a rip-roaring run in London’s West End. With a soundtrack stacked with pop anthems from the likes of Britney Spears and Kelly Clarkson, the Olivier Award winning musical is guaranteed to uplift. The cast includes Jay McGuiness, the winner of Strictly Come Dancing 2015, as Shakespeare.

Gorilla Burger

When: Thu 10 April

Where: Malt Cross

How Much: £3-5

A night of ‘theatre karaoke’ organised by local improv experts Miss Imp on the second Thursday of each month. The event is halfway between a workshop and a show. Anyone is welcome and you can either get involved or just sit back with a beer and watch. It might sound like a nerve-wracking experience, but it’s a very supportive environment and a good option if you want to build up your confidence. Plus it’s a chance to visit the lush Victorian music

Cross.

When: Thu 17 April

Where: Corner Café, New Art Exchange

How Much: Free (reservations necessary)

New Art Exchange’s recently opened Corner Café will host one of their many forthcoming community food events this month, intended to connect the culturally diverse folks of Hyson Green, and those beyond who fancy checking out the North fringe of the city. They’ll be serving up a delicious plant based menu inspired by Cuban cuisine, operating on a pay-what-youcan basis. The atmosphere inside the cafe is distinctively warm and welcoming - read our coverage on page 46.

hall The Malt

Easter Family Fun Day

Community Café: Cuban Inspired

best oF the month

Phat Bass Therapy

When: Sat 19 April, 7pm-midnight

Where: Fisher Gate Point

How Much: £1-£6

Since forming last year music collective The Full Blast All Stars have performed gigs at JT Soar, The Carousel and The Chapel. Now they’re turning their attention to Fisher Gate Point to put on a night of breakbeat/ dnb/bassline, complete with live drums and percussion, an interactive light show and a huge bass rig. Dancing away your problems sounds not only less expensive than regular therapy, but also more fun than the real thing.

Wobble & the

When: Thu 24 April

Where: Metronome

How Much: £24

Legendary bass player Jah Wobble visits Notts this month, accompanied by his long-time band Invaders of the Heart. A former member of Public Image Ltd, Jah Wobble (aka John Wardle) has also featured on music with the likes of U2, Sinead O’Connor and Bjork. He’s also one of the most self-assured artists and charismatic personalities you’ll find in UK music: a great choice for cutting a rug on what could otherwise be any other Thursday night.

Northern Soul Club

When: Sunday 20 April

Where: The Palais

How Much: £11

One highlight from the stacked events calendar featured at The Palais, will be the Northern Soul Nights, which are set to revive some of the fondest, nostalgic memories for longtime Nottingham nighthawks. Featuring all-vinyl DJ sets from Alex Gallagher, Amy Hodkin, Rob Smith and Willow, these nights will take you right back to the legendary all-dayers that populated the Midlands and North from the 70s on, characterised by US soul and iconic dance styles that were subsequently passed on through generations.

Torvill and Dean:

Our Last Dance

When: Wed 23 - Thu 24 April

Where: Nottingham Arena

How Much: Sold Out

What this duo did for the profile of the city at the 1984 Winter Olympics was unparalleled. After fifty years of skating together they’re calling it a day. The bad news: when the news broke last year that ice skating duo Torvill and Dean were planning one final Nottingham show, tickets sold out quickly. The good news: they sold so well that two additional dates in July were added (and tickets for those are still available at the time of writing). A well deserved swansong for two true heroes, honestly the whole venue might not be here if it wasn’t for them.

Film Festival

When: Thu 24 - Sun 27 April

Where: Arc Cinema How Much: Free - £5

Now eleven years old, Beeston film festival returns this month, showcasing a diverse range of cinematic works encompassing drama, horror, science fiction, fantasy, animation and non fiction, from around the globe. With the addition of state-ofthe-art facilities at The Arc Cinema, the event promises to be a celebratory occasion well-and-truly putting Beeston on the cinematic map. For more information check out our interview on page 44!

When: Mon 28 - Wed 30 April

Where: Nottingham Playhouse How Much: £31.50

This is bound to be a special one: to close out April, one of the most iconic and sometimes controversial names in UK comedy, Stewart Lee performs at the Nottingham Playhouse. His brand new show, featuring his trademark deadpan absurdism and topical metahumour, sees him share the stage with a ‘tough-talking werewolf comedian from the dark forests of the subconscious who hates humanity.’ To find out if Lee can unleash his inner man-wulf to take on his comedy arch-nemesis Ricky Gervais, head along to watch for yourself.

Macbeth: David Tennant and Cush Jumbo

When: Wed 23 April

Where: Savoy Cinema

How Much: £11-18

A powerful new production of Macbeth, starring acclaimed actors David Tennant and Cush Jumbo and filmed at the Donmar Warehouse in London will be screened this month at Savoy Cinema. Backed up by a five star review in The Guardian, this is top notch theatre-making made for remote viewing in the cinema. The result, other reviews say, is an immersive experience packed with intricate sound design and cinematography, definitely a worthwhile watch.

When: Tue 29 April - Sat 3 May

Where: Theatre Royal How Much: £20-46

A spine-tingling theatre experience created by Jeremy Dyson (The League of Gentlemen) and Andy Nyman (co-creator of Derren Brown’s stage and tv shows). Professor Goodman is out to debunk the paranormal, by investigating three hauntings; as recounted by a night-watchman, a teenage boy and a businessman awaiting his first child. However, he soon finds himself both irrational and running out of explanations. This tour stars well-known faces like Dan Tetsell, Clive Mantle, David Cardy and Eddie Loodmer-Elliott. Are you feeling brave enough to book?

Jah

Invaders of the Heart

Beeston

Stewart Lee vs The Man-Wulf

Ghost Stories