LeftLion Magazine - August 2022 - Issue 150

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Credits

Supporters These people #SupportLeftLion

Alan Gilby AL = CL alan.gilby@leftlion.co.uk

Ashley Carter Editor ashley.carter@leftlion.co.uk

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

George White Assistant Editor george.white@leftlion.co.uk

Curtis Powell Head of Video and Photography curtis.powell@leftlion.co.uk

Lizzy O’Riordan Editorial Assistant lizzy.oriordan@leftlion.co.uk

Adam Pickering Partnerships Manager adam.pickering@leftlion.co.uk

Thi Cordell Marketing Assistant thi.cordell@leftlion.co.uk

Tom Errington Web Developer tom.errington@leftlion.co.uk

Addie Kenogbon Fashion Editor addie.kenogbon@leftlion.co.uk

Elliot Farnsworth Music Co-Editor elliot.farnsworth@leftlion.co.uk

Katie Lyle Music Co-Editor katie.lyle@leftlion.co.uk

Jamie Morris Screen Editor jamie.morris@leftlion.co.uk

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

George Dunbar Art Co-Editor george.dunbar@leftlion.co.uk

Cover Ana Caspāo Sub-Editor Lauren Carter-Cooke Writers Dani Bacon Bassey Matthew Benton-Smith Kieran Burt Ni Claydon Sam Nahirny Georgianna Scurfield Bridie Squires Jonathan Trolley Yasmin Turner Nadia Whittome

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

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

Marta Tavares Art Co-Editor marta.tavares@leftlion.co.uk

Photographers Chloe Allen Alice Ashley Jade Bramley Perm Ghattaura Vahid Gold Tom Hetherington Nigel King Nathan Langman Chris Large Harry Livingstone Michael Pedersen Ella Qureshi Amaal Said Georgianna Scurfield Studio Anicca Charlotte Jopling Frazer Varney Curt Walsh

Al Draper, Alan Phelan, Alison Gove-Humphries, Alison Harviek, Alison Hedley, Alison Knox, Alison Wale, Anamenti, Andrew Cooper, Anne Jennings, Ankunda, Annie Rodgers, Ant Haywood, Anthony Blane, Ashley Cooper, Bad Squiddo Games, Barbara Morgan, Barrie the Lurcher, Ben & Jack, Ben Lester, Ben Lucas, Betty Rose Bakes, Bridgette Shilton, Caroline Le Sueur, Chloe Langley, Chris Rogers, Claire Henson, Claire Warren, Clare Foyle, D Lawson, Dan Lyons, David Dowling, David Knight, Diane Lane, Dick Watson, Donna Rowe-Merriman, Eddie, Eden PR, Ellen O'Hara, Emily Poxon, Erika Diaz Petersen, Felicity Whittle, Frances & Garry Bryan, Friday Club Presents, Gursehaj Singh Bhattal, Hayley Howard, Heather Hodkinson, Heather Oliver, Helena Tyce, Ian Storey, Ian Yanson, In memory of Anna Novak (Bradford and Scoraig), In memory of Jenny Smith, Ivy House Environmental, James Medd, James Place, James Wright, Jane Dodge, Jayne Holmes, Jayne Paul William & Pirate Jack, Jed Southgate, Jenni Harding, John Haslam, John Hess, Jon Blyth, Joshua Heathcote, Julian Bower, Kate Newton, Kath Pyer, Kathleen Dunham, Kay Gilby, Kaye Brennan, Kiki Dee the Cat, Livi & Jacob Nieri, Liz Knott, Lizzy and Margot, Luke and Flo, Marc Weaver, Maria Brambles, Mark, Mark Barratt, Mark Gasson, Martin, Matthew Riches, Matt Turpin, Matthew Riches, Max Sherwin, Mighty Lightweights, MinorOak Coworking, Monica White, Nick G (real living wage rocks), Nicola Baumber, Nigel Cooke, Nigel King, Nikki Williams, NottingJam Orchestra, Oliver Ward, Paul Boast, Paul Woodall, Rachel Ayrton, Rachel Hancorn, Rachel Hanemann, Rachel Morton, Raphael Achache, Richard Barclay, Richard Goodwin, roastinghouse.co.uk, Rob Arthur, Ron Mure, Ros Evans, Roy Manterfield, Russell Brown, Ruth Parry, Sam Hudson, Sam Nahirny, Sarah Manton, Simon Evans, Siobhán Cannon-Brownlie, Spicer, Stephanie Larman, Steve Lyon, Steve Riordan, Steve Stickley Storyteller, Steve Wallace, Stuart Jones, Sue Barsby, Sue Reader, The Sultan, Tim Foster, Tom Markkanen, Tracey Newton, Tracey Underwood , Tracy Lowe, Wolfgang Buttress

Fancy seeing your name (or the name of your band, small business, loved one, pet etc) in this mag every month? It only costs a fiver and the money supports this magazine.

Plus you get all kinds of other treats too.

Daniela Loffreda Food Editor food@leftlion.co.uk

Fabrice Gagos Photography Editor fabrice.gagos@leftlion.co.uk

Illustrators Chester Carr Fiona Carr Pete Gray Kate Sharp Intern Gemma Cockrell Charlotte Tomlinson Editorial Illustrations Emily Catherine

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Featured Contributor Jonathan Trolley ​​These LeftLion lot have taken an entire issue to pat themselves on the back, but they always forget about the little guy. I’ve lugged that bloody magazine around town for the best part of two decades. I’ve been dragged up and down every dirty side street in this city more times than I can count, being passed around like the clap in Freshers week. Come rain, snow or shine, I was there, keeping my mouth shut and getting on with business.

Where’s my ticker-tape parade?

This job will take you from arsehole to breakfast if you let it. I’ve been tipped over, rammed into the back of slow walkers and lost more wheels than I can remember. You name it, I’ve done it. And always without complaint.

Always with a smile on my face.

You probably think those magazines just magically appear every month, don’t you? Well, it’s me. It’s always been me.

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@leftlion

@leftlionmagazine

Contents 42

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Eds Together Jared Wilson, Bridie Squires and Ashley Carter - three of LeftLion’s five editors - sit down to discuss the history of the mag

The Next Generation We take our 150th issue to explore some of the names we’ll be talking about in another 150 issues’ time

The Hunt for Gilby’s Gold To celebrate issue #150, we’ve got over £700 of goodies for whoever is brave enough to join the quest for Gilby’s Gold…

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Nadia on… the Strikes Regular LeftLion columnist and MP for Nottingham East, Nadia Whittome, explores the importance of supporting strike action

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Zine on the Scene Jade Bramley of the Queer Notts zine explains why, for a city of our size, Nottingham doesn’t do enough to celebrate its LGBT+ scene

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Agony Ash We’ve finally been able to get our all-seeing, all-knowing Editor to use a little of his wisdom to help solve your issues

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Chester Draws We chat to concept artist Chester Carr, the NTU graduate who has worked on the likes of Overlord and Spider-Man: Far From Home

150 Moments Nineteen years. Five editors. Several unsuccessful lawsuits. This is the story of LeftLion’s 150 issues in 150 moments.

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Bringing Home the Bacon Jusep Moreno’s new documentary, When Pigs Escape, tells the tale of a family of hogs that escaped from a Notts farm

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Folk That Noise Notts folk artist James McAllister - aka Beans on Toast - spills the, erm, beans on the Foolhardy Folk Festival

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All Said and Done We sit down with Saad Eddine Said, the new CEO and Artistic Director of the New Art Exchange, to hear about his plans for the future

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Maki Your Mouth Water Co-founder Rachel Thacker tells us all about Uramaki Sushi - the Nottsbased sushi delivery service getting top reviews No Scrubs We catch up with Brooke Skelton of retro clothing giants COW to figure out why everyone’s dressing like it’s 1999

Editorial

“The very fact you’re holding this in your hands is a personal triumph for us,” wrote Jared Wilson in Autumn of 2004, “and hopefully for the city of Nottingham.” Tony Blair had just announced his intention to step down as Prime Minister, Channel 4 aired its first ever episode of The Simpsons and Brian Clough had sadly departed us to criticise God’s finishing ability. Jared was writing in the inaugural editorial of LeftLion’s very first issue, and delivered a sentiment it feels right to echo here, 150 issues later. Both the “us” and “Nottingham'' he referenced have changed – original founders Al and Jared are still running things here, but some of our current team were still in nappies when the first mags hit the streets, and the Nottingham of issue one is an entirely different place to the Nottingham of issue 150.

I’ve been Editor for 39 of the last 150 issues of LeftLion and, at its worst, this job can feel a bit like being trapped in the grooves of a Now That’s What I Call Nottingham vinyl playing interminably in some broken old jukebox. ‘Robin Hood, Jake Bugg.’ The needle jumps. ‘Broadmarsh, eyesore.’ But special landmark issues like this give us a chance to stick our heads above the parapet of our monthly mag cycle and take stock of just how much this city has changed over the past two decades. It was pretty wild to go through all of the back issues (for our 150 Moments that Made LeftLion article on page 36) and see just how much the landscape – both physical and cultural – has metamorphosised. It’s a city constantly evolving and improving, with fresh ideas, projects and talent flourishing in each and every corner.

I sat down with Jared and my predecessor, Bridie Squires, to reminisce about our various reigns as Editor of LeftLion on page

16, where Jared explained why the mag was still going in an age where print as a medium has been declared dead more times than anyone can count, and similar publications in cities much bigger than Notts are long gone. The answer was multi-faceted, but part of it lies in the type of city Nottingham is: we’re big, but familiar.

We’re creative, but grounded. We’re great, but not arrogant about it.

But the main reason is because people still like reading us and, if it wasn’t for you all, we’d have fallen at one of the dozen or so hurdles, be they recessions, pandemics or whatever else the gods have thrown at us along the way. That, and the endless stream of incredibly talented writers, photographers, illustrators, weirdos and creatives that help us create an eclectic magazine of oddities every month. From the four editors that came before me, including the great Al Needham and Ali Emm, the countless people that have worked in the office throughout the years, the dozens of section editors and hundreds of contributors, this magazine lives and breathes because of you. So thanks for that.

We’re all going to enjoy a pint or two in celebration of LeftLion reaching its 150th issue, and I sincerely hope you do the same.

Until the next one.

Ashley Carter, Editor ashley.carter@leftlion.co.uk

LeftLion Magazine is fully recyclable and compostable. Our paper is recycled or made with FSC® certified (C015932) sources, and printed using renewable energy.

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Going Underground Our mole on the ground isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty to bring you the Notts stories you might have missed... illustrations: Kate Sharp

Big Woop I get that they’re proud and all that, but the LeftLion lot are carrying on like they’ve cured cancer with the amount of ballwashing going on in this issue. I’m not against raising a glass to celebrate 150 issues (and am grateful for the job after those clickbait merchants let me go), but rein it in a bit, eh? Let’s get back to trying to figure out who owns Notts’ best looking cat or whatever it is you do every month.

Henry’s Fifth Is there anyone in Notts more shameless than Caroline Henry?

Nottinghamshire Police’s NCC made an absolute tit of herself after getting caught speeding five times in just twelve weeks, picking up a £2,450 fine for exceeding the limit in both her Mercedes and a Lexus. At time of writing she’s still clinging on to her job like a limpet up a whale’s arse, and it’s not like she can do the honourable thing and resign. Day late and a dollar short for that. For the love of god just disappear, will you?

Last Resort Now this is proper news. Some booze hound had himself a oneman protest outside a hotel after staff wouldn’t let him into his room following a night on the town. Lying down in front of the venue, the drunkard caused a right stink until exasperated hotel staff had to call the police to move him on. Turns out he was outside the wrong hotel the entire time. Legend.

We’ve decided to give you weirdos a break for this month, and shine a light on the goofy things we say instead…

George, to himself: “Here goes sausage rol l number two.”

r’s hoeve “Can w d Jared: to cast Wil trying est to the ase Wild Wg room ple meetin stop.” ho do Nat: “Wink you h t you op Gun?” are, T

got Nat: “So you’ve ell nits and you sm of garlic.”

Ash: “N are you at, what sid Israel? on: Palestine e or Nat: “Is” are you rael… wait, footba talking abo ll?” ut

*Geor guitar ge plays air Ash: “G* actuall eorge, that Georg y hurt to wa rock ane: “Well that’stch.” d roll m ate.”

t benefipiss What Ash: “ it serve to ?” would t of a child in fron

Adam brave : “I’m ei Ow, or very ther very brok I think I’v stupid… . en m y tooe just th.”

Jared: “I’m leaving now and I won’t be back for t two some time.” ’ve just go Curtis: “I y noodles.

Ash: “Have you m forks in at else is murdered someone?”

Jesus. Whhappen today?” going to Lizz reallyy: “I had a g in expe disappo request r i Ash: “I’m y Tom Jones.” d ay w ience the nting b hen I Delilah ot one e s th o is m w th e Co ent t her Ash: “W Nat: “Is cat?” o k i e e Crispo get the K s hat does with th at?” .”

Al: “Bla tand for?”

Ash: “Wh know, the Ash: “B ck.”

Nat: “You the cat.” doesn’t lack song withat’s New start w Ash: “If you could a K.” Ash: “Wh ” ith interview anyone Al: “No Pussycat?h.” .” a e in the world who Nat: “Y .” o would it be?”

Ash: “N Charlotte: “Steve-O.”

OVERHEARD: ILLUSTRATED

illustration: Pete Gray

To celebrate all of the weird and wonderful things you lot come out with, artist Pete Gray took it upon himself to turn some of the best-ever Overheard in Notts quotes into illustrations.

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It's LeftLion's 150th issue.

As you know, you can get pearl, ruby, and platinum anniversaries, but the 150th Anniversary is called sesquicentennial. So happy sasquatch-type-word issue to LeftLion!

Nottingham’s most opinionated grocers on...

150 Issues of LeftLion It’s fantastic. We all had a lot more hair when you first started this. What is it – nearly twenty years ago now? Very well done to you all. We are very proud to have featured in over 100 of those issues. Are you having a party to celebrate?

If so, we’ll come. You should host it at the Bath Inn. That’s near your office and they have the most fantastic hanging baskets.

Jesse Lingard We don’t follow football that closely, but we heard about this.

We had a woman in the shop who was telling us about it.

Isn’t he being paid an awful lot of money? She thought that it might breed discontentment among the other players. It's great news that they’ve been promoted to the first division, but it’s a shame they’ve not been able to keep the team together that got them there.

words: Dani Bacon

Last Ever Episode of Neighbours Who cares about that? They’ve only ever had two famous people in it, right? We’re glad to see it go, to be honest. We’d also be very happy to see them take Emmerdale, Eastenders and Coronation Street away with it. They should just show repeats of The Likely Lads and M*A*S*H instead of all of them. We’d be delighted to see that.

City sTYLIN’

at the Cattle Market interview and photo: Georgianna Scurfield I’m the Managing Director at the Cattle Market. I’ve worked here since 1979.

Back then there were two markets, a Monday market which was fatstock day when farmers would bring their livestock in, and Saturday which was the market open for the general public.

Farming is an interesting trade because farmers work on their own an awful lot, and I think that makes it a little different. Coming to the Cattle Market was often their only social meeting of the week. We had the Cattle Market Tavern back then, which they would go into before and after the auction took place.

The Saturday auction had a completely different atmosphere and it was incredibly busy. If I wanted to walk from one building to another it was like a football crowd, you had to wind your way round. It was part of the fabric of Nottingham. A fascinating mix of auctions and stalls and all sorts of stuff going on.

It was very sad to say goodbye to the livestock auction back in 1993. I liked the farmers I dealt with. In the end, it’s something that had been going on for over a hundred years, and there was a certain amount of responsibility that meant you didn’t want to be the one who closed it. But it had to happen and I think everybody knew that, so there was no bitterness. It’s still sad and it’s a job I enjoyed doing. Sometimes I say to people I’m a little bit of a fraud because I get paid for something I’d probably do for free.

Phil Poyser leftlion.co.uk/issue150

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Pick Six

In celebration of our 150th issue, this month we’ve tasked office daddy, shoeless wonder and LeftLion cofounder Al Gilby with picking a few of his favourite things…

Spotted Ilkeston Town Put her litter tray outside hopefully she'll smell her way home West Bridgford Community (and Surrounding Areas) Bug of the day. Anyone know what this weird chap is please Spotted in Netherfield How about collect your dog's shizney ?

Sneinton Community Hub It's only 1 cup but the writings on the wall Spotted Ilkeston Town How many people have been fined for not parking within the lines of a car park please? I didn't know this was even a thing until today.

Burton Joyce Village I would if looked after her for you but felix is a very horny 6 month old puppy lol Sherwood in Nottingham Community Group Get an old football, fill it with concrete and leave it a tempting distance from your gate Nottingham UK Community Group Hi does anyone know of any Parkour lessons in nottingham?

My 6 yr old really wants to learn!

Ideally in a gym not leaping of buildings just yet Spotted Ilkeston Town How did the pets of Ilkeston survive before Facebook?

Book Growing up, I was fascinated by the future and technology. 2001: A Space Odyssey gripped me; could technology really become intelligent like HAL (probably), and would we really be travelling the universe in my lifetime (no)?

I still love this genre, even if I don’t spend much time reading novels any more.

Holiday Destination Western Isles of Scotland, all the way. I don’t travel much, but that part of Scotland is stunning, and some of the most fun driving and exploring I’ve experienced. The accessible wilderness is probably what appeals most. It’s so vast, quiet and beautiful - but there’s always somewhere close to get a whisky.

Song It has to be Nancy with the Laughing Face by Frank Sinatra, which literally brought me to tears when my father-in-law sent me a link to it the day after my namesake daughter was born - soppy, I know.

I actually listen to endless hard-to-pin-the-genredown EDM by the likes of Modeselektor, Max Cooper and Rival Consoles, which is basically the soundtrack of my brain.

Notts Spot I’m an ardent Forest fan (thanks Dad and Gerry).

Growing up, the likes of Stuart Pearce, Des Walker and Stan Collymore were my heroes (and I’m not a hero kind of person). There is nothing like being at a packed-out City Ground, something I’ve struggled to do recently - and it looks like that struggle will continue now, for all the best reasons.

Film I really don’t have a favourite film. Generally, if it's the end of the world apocalypse, I like it.

However, based on the fact it gets watched every year without fail in our house due to my wife's obsession, I have to go for Snakes on a Plane - utterly terrible, but so bad it’s good (maybe).

Meal I always end up at sandwiches for my favourite food. Not long ago I had an ‘Indian spiced’ egg, poppadom and mango chutney sandwich at the Harley Cafe (Welbeck Estate), and it was the best sarnie I have ever had by a mile, so that gets my vote.

Sherwood in Nottingham Community Group Pregnancy pillow. Litter locker with bags. Wine glasses. Portable coffe machine. Vintage hip flask. Ninja smoothie maker.

Sherwood in Nottingham Community Group Looking for recommendations for drumming lessons . Obviously my neighbours will be cheering at this !

WHATS HAPPENING IN HUCKNALL AND SURROUNDING AREAS Has Hucknall got a Banksy?

Spotted: Stapleford To the person that received my amazon order yestarday. As you have my garden incinerator I will be dumping all the rubbish on your drive so you can burn it

Sherwood in Nottingham Community Group Whagwan everyone, so I’m looking for a wedding DJ for 3rd September. Appreciate its short notice but we have been let down.

Understandable the ladies in this group will be upset I’m getting married but try and look past that Spotted: Stapleford Lost tortoise Sandiacre. Please keep an eye out Spotted: Hucknall Frendship often ends in love, but love in frendship-never.

West Bridgford (and Surrounding Areas) It's Tom cruise- he won't leave me alone. I've told him Tom I'm not interested!

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Nadia on... the Strikes words: Nadia Whittome photo: Fabrice Gagos

June saw the biggest rail strike in thirty years, as more than 40,000 workers walked out in a dispute over pay, jobs and terms and conditions. Hot on their heels, other trade unions in a wide range of industries and sectors are now voting to reject pay offers and go on strike themselves.

Bobbers Mill and Forest Fields, more than one in three children already live in poverty - far above the national average. These strikes aim to prevent people becoming poorer. If you support “levelling up” our city, supporting striking workers should be part of this.

I was proud to join the rail strike picket lines in June, and I’ll be at every picket line in Nottingham I can this summer. I’m going to use this column to explain why.

In arguing against the strikes, the Government has claimed that pay rises will make inflation worse. But inflation isn’t being driven by wage increases - since the financial crisis of 2008, wages have stagnated. Calling for an increase now, as bills rise and living standards fall, is only fair.

First of all, I’m a Labour MP - the clue is in the name. The Labour Party was set up by trade unions in this country to represent the interests of working class people. I view myself as a representative of the labour movement and will always do what I can to support trade unionists - from raising their demands in Parliament, to standing with them on picket lines, to donating part of my MP’s salary to strike funds.

This is because I believe in the power of workers to collectively change society - and history proves it’s possible. So many of the rights and protections we have are thanks to workers organising through trade unions. Before their existence, it was common for people to work fourteen to eighteen hours a day for poverty wages in unsafe workplaces. From working class people being able to vote, to health and safety laws, to better pay and the weekend, trade unions have played an essential role in making our lives better.

Striking workers are leading the way for all workers - showing to employers that workers will not be made to pay the cost of soaring inflation And the unique power of trade unions continues to this day. Our society only runs because of workers doing their jobs. Companies make profit because of workers doing their jobs. So when workers go on strike, they are tipping the balance of power - away from exploitative bosses and rich shareholders, towards themselves. It is an extremely effective way of securing change.

This current round of strikes is particularly important because of the cost of living crisis. Without jobs where pay is keeping up with inflation, poverty and inequality will soar. In some areas of Nottingham, like Hyson Green,

I’m a Labour MP - the clue is in the name. The Labour Party was set up by trade unions in this country to represent the interests of working class people But can these employers afford to pay higher wages? Many of the companies where industrial action is taking place are obscenely wealthy.

The railways, for example, made £500 million profit last year, even when fares and passengers were at an all-time low. We should be taking money away from executives and shareholders, not working people who are struggling to make ends meet.

And what about other workers who are not going on strike? Will the strikes make a difference to them? More and more people are being inspired to fight for a better deal in their own workplaces. The Trades Union Congress said enquiries into trade union membership on its website have soared by 700%.

Striking workers are leading the way for all workers - showing employers that workers will not be made to pay the cost of soaring inflation. If they can win decent pay rises, it will put pressure on other employers to do the same..

So if you’re not in a union already, join one. If you are and you want to organise for better pay, approach your local rep to discuss how. Together we can win the pay we deserve, and I hope to see many of you supporting the picket lines this summer.

nadiawhittome.org

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Notts Shots

At full stretch Chloe Allen - @capture_bychloe

On the road again Frazer Varney - @imjustfrazer

Want to have your work featured? Send your high-res photos from around the city, including your full name and best web link, to photography@leftlion.co.uk

Can I eat it?

Alice Ashley - aliceashley.co.uk 14

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I think we forgot the ventriloquist Ella Qureshi

Stay focused lads Nathan Langman - @_meadowman2

Chin music Perm Ghattaura - @pics_by_perm

Hockley’s Angels Tom Hetherington - @shotbytomh

Alexa… shuffle Ennio Morricone Tom Hetherington - @shotbytomh leftlion.co.uk/issue150

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words: Jared Wilson, Bridie Squires and Ashley Carter photos: Nigel King

Eds together Between them, Jared Wilson, Bridie Squires and Ashley Carter have been Editor for 89 of LeftLion’s 150 issues (alongside Al Needham, 27 issues between 2009-2013, and Ali Emm, 34 issues between 2013-2017). To celebrate us reaching our landmark release, the three sat down to reminisce about their time holding the LeftLion reins…

What was your proudest moment as Editor?

Bridie: Definitely when we did the treasure hunt. It was the best day. We buried a box of treasure at Stonebridge City Farm…

Ash: It’s so funny that you actually buried it.

Bridie: I know! That was the best part. It was really simple - we made a treasure map with clues to all these locations around the city and put it in the magazine. I think one of the clues is still up in the Fox & Grapes. I was worried no one would do it, but someone completed it the day after the mag came out. At that point I was like, shit, we should have made it harder!

Jared: I’m most proud of the fact it’s still going. If I think back to issue one, we printed 8,000 copies, got those delivered back to our flat in a van and had to work out how we distributed them all from there. But just seeing what that many magazines looked like in your hallway was pretty cool.

Ash: You’ve got a much different perspective on all of this… You started the whole thing and have watched it change and grow over the years…

Jared: It's probably not something I will be able to leave behind and go on to other things, I think that's fair to say.

But at the same time I guess I kind of have left it behind; hopefully I'm not that in your face, Ash! Ash: Mine is a weird one that’s probably more personal, but it was that first online-only magazine we did at the beginning of lockdown. I remember having conversations with everyone about whether we should just stop making the mag for a bit, and everything was really confusing and fragmented. But that was the closest team I’ve ever been part of. Everyone just channelled that weird nervous energy into making the magazine, and the support we got from all of the contributors was insane - I remember my wife’s sister even chipped in with an article. Even though we never had a physical magazine, it was the most satisfying one to make.

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Jared, as one of the founders of LeftLion, how involved are you with running the magazine nowadays?

Jared: I think it varies. The truth is I’m not very involved with the creative decisions in the magazine nowadays.

There's 150 issues, for over 100 of those I've read it cover to cover before it goes to press. For the last few years I haven't done that, which makes it more pleasurable to sit down and read it after. I still get involved editorially here and there, but it works well because I have contacts from ten years ago and you guys know more current stuff; so there's a synergy and we cover different areas. In my role now, I have to be hands-off because I don't have the time.

I need to concentrate on helping to run the business.

When you look at other media in this town, The Post was a newspaper back when we started, rather than the internet atrocity it is now. We’ve changed, but there is a recognisable identity that runs through it all There are lots of creative cities without a creative magazine, why do you think LeftLion works in Nottingham?

Bridie: People get their bang for their buck with LeftLion - even though it's free - just with how in-depth the articles are and the level of quality (if I do say so myself!), whereas a lot of magazines in other cities probably aren't as in-depth or as good quality. We're constantly giving people a platform, and also evolving all the time.

Ash: I only really noticed that recently when I was going back through all of the archives. Every editor has put their own stamp on the mag…

Jared: Everyone has their own personality, too. Like Ash, the way I hear you tease people in the office - if it was anyone else it would probably be a HR issue…

Ash: True.

Bridie: I can be a perfectionist, and I remember Jared saying that not every magazine will be your best and that was a reality check. Having to bang them out every month, it can be relentless and I was astonished at how volunteers came through every time. I was an anxious wreck every month!

Ash: Look at this issue: the cover was meant to be a Great Gatsby-style photoshoot but I got COVID and had to cancel everything. I sent an SOS email out to our illustrators asking if anyone could put this together in five days and Ana Caspão, who has never illustrated for us before, absolutely smashed it. Sorry, back to the question…

Jared: There are other cities with decent magazines, but probably none that lasted as long as us. Sheffield's isn't bad, but we are a special case. Print media tends to die because the owners strangle it to get more money. That's why NME and the Independent newspaper died. Al [Gilby] and I started this, and we think of ourselves as custodians rather than owners. We don't strangle the magazine for profit and we do other things to make our living.

That’s a boring business answer, but that's how it works.

Secondly, there's something unique about Nottingham we aren't North or South and it's a good size and scene to maintain a magazine, compared to somewhere like Manchester. A lot of it goes back to the people who make it what it is - the contributors. Hopefully it'll keep going forever. When you look at other media in this town, The Post was a newspaper back when we started, rather than the internet atrocity it is now. We’ve changed, but there is a recognisable identity that runs through it all.

What is the LeftLion identity?

Jared: Counter-culture, I guess. We're a bit liberal, and left-leaning politically, but we haven't been particularly party political, at least until we gave Nadia Whittome a column! When this all started, the Xylophone Man was someone that everyone I knew talked about and traditional media never covered. That was the most popular article we did. It resonated. Traditional media just won't understand it or cover it. What we're not trying to do is clickbait or appeal to the lowest common denominator, we're print first and we want to continue that. I don't think we need to be any more dominant in the city than we are now, I’m really pleased with the readership we have.

That’s my favourite thing about being free. We’ve got no responsibility to listen to people who just moan for the sake of it… I can just say ‘Thanks for your feedback, but please stop reading LeftLion’ and we don’t lose anything What was it that first attracted you to LeftLion?

Bridie: A job advert! Obviously I used to read the magazine, but getting that initial apprenticeship changed my life. I'd been working at a casino, a call centre, then as a support worker, but my hours were cut - so when I saw the advert for Editorial Apprentice it was like the mothership was calling. I was always writing poetry and loved English. I remember going to Confetti for the interview and I was sweating and shaking. I wrote a poem to include in my presentation and it was nuts.

I don't think there are many opportunities like that in Nottingham. It was a wild move but I'm glad it happened.

Jared: I remember that. You were very intense! But you’d written us a letter in the Nottingham dialect and you applied at a time when we were becoming more professional as an organisation. For the first ten years it was more of an elaborate hobby.

Ash: I remember LeftLion being one of the first things I saw when I moved to Nottingham in 2010. I went to Broadway Cinema during my first weekend here and was blown away that there was a cinema that let you drink alcohol, and that it had this wild magazine that was free.

I just emailed Ali Emm, who was Screen Editor at the time, and told her I’d helped run my uni newspaper and wanted to carry on writing if she’d have me. I remember penning my first ever film review and spending about six hours making sure every word was perfect. I used to be obsessed like that! One of the first interviews I did was with a comedian called Tony Hawks. It was just a throwaway phone thing for a short online piece, but I went to Waterstones and bought every book he’d written, watched hours of YouTube videos about him and pulled an all-nighter reading everything I could like a true psychopath. I never really thought I’d have an opportunity to be Editor - it wasn’t something I’d even considered.

Jared: I don’t think we’d met for quite a while, but I remember reading your articles and thinking you had a lot of warmth and humour. We knew Bridie wanted to pursue other opportunities and we had a chat about who would be best for the role and your name came up.

Ash: I’d literally just finished a Masters in Documentary Journalism. I thought I’d just carry on making films…

Jared: We saved you from a life of making serious documentaries…

What’s an interview you’ve done for the magazine that made a big impact on you?

Ash: Can I have two? My first was in 2010 when I’d only been writing for a couple of months. I got asked to interview a guy who reviewed toilets in Nottingham and it was amongst the most surreal afternoons of my life.

It made me realise how goofy you were allowed to be at LeftLion. The second was when Derry [Shillitto] and I got Emilio Estevez for the Screen Podcast. The whole thing was so involved and ridiculous - we basically had to blag our way into an event by pretending we were

proper journalists and spent an entire morning being humiliated by news organisations and celebrities just so we could grab five minutes with Billy the Kid himself. We kept sneaking off to hide in a cupboard and record more of the podcast, so it was like a running diary of the day.

Very little has made me laugh more.

Jared: Shane Meadows was a big one early on. Then Xylophone Man and Donovan Whycliffe. In terms of interviews other people have done for the magazine, James Walker did some great ones. We got the last ever interview with Alan Sillitoe, as well as a remarkable one with Ray Gosling. Al Needham finally interviewing Sue Pollard was a big moment! We’ve spoken to so many cool people: The Prodigy, Alan Moore and Kasper Schmeichel - in fact, I’ve still got his gloves!

Bridie: I really like the community ones, like Louise Cooke at Sharewear and Louise Evans at Nottingham Community Wardrobe. Benjamin Zepheniah stuck with me as well, and Jason Williamson. I look back on some interviews and just cringe, though. I get so starstruck.

Jason was a good interview on paper, but I was so awkward during it…

Ash: There’s nothing worse in the world. I remember interviewing Robert Lindsay and thinking that the fact we were both from Ilkeston would just blow him away and lay the foundations for a beautiful conversation. He literally couldn’t have cared less.

Bridie: It’s so funny to transcribe other people’s interviews and hear how awkward they can go. I remember Hazel [Ward - former LeftLion legend] had one with Alan Davies.

Ash: I remember Ali Emm having a stinker with Samantha Morton too…

What's your favourite section or feature in the magazine?

Ash: That’s easy for me - the Out of Time history articles.

I’m obsessed with finding these enormous moments in history - literally days where the entire course of history changed - and finding there was just some bloke from Sneinton there watching it. The fact that there was a former Notts postman fighting against Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse at the Little Big Horn makes absolutely no sense to me. It blows my mind.

Bridie: I really liked bringing the Snap Notts feature in where we teamed up a poet and a photographer and sent them to a location. I was really proud of that. Everyone went about it so differently, the variety of stuff that was produced was nice - I think the two forms marry up well.

I also love Day In The Life, I'm glad we started that.

Ash: Yeah that’s still going strong…

Bridie: It started off with A Toilet Attendant in Notts.

That summed up LeftLion for me. It's like, yeah, we interview celebrities, but it's also about giving a voice to the average Joe on the street. It's a bit like Humans of New York - a rip off of that! Everyone on the street has a story. I find it fascinating.

Jared: I’ve got to say Overheard in Notts. As you get older, you sadly laugh out loud less, but that genuinely still makes me laugh. If people are reading this, it’s important for you to know that they are real comments - we don’t make them up!

Ash: So many people ask about that. I wish we were that funny.

Bridie: I remember someone heard a guy saying ‘Overheard in Notts is all made up’ and it made it into Overheard in Notts! There’s a Facebook group that people contribute them to.

Jared: There you go, readers. Join the Facebook group and see for yourself.

Bridie: It’s private! Funny people only, sorry.

What are some of the changes you made to the magazine during your time as editor?

Bridie: I brought in the centre-spread poster, which the cover artist used to do. I liked it because it gave the mag a bit of breathing space. I liked doing themes, too. We didn’t do many…

Ash: That’s the backbone of the whole process now.

Bridie: I think it’s nice having something to work around.

Some sort of focus.

Ash: And it really helps you reach out into those hidden pockets of Notts that otherwise you might miss, or it helps you look at familiar people in a different context.

Sometimes the themes work really well, and sometimes they don’t. I loved doing the recent mythology issue, where we reimagined all of these Notts people as ancient gods, but literally no one agreed that it was good. I’ve never seen so many blank faces when I was explaining

Jared Wilson 27 Issues 2004 - 2009

Bridie Squires 22 Issues 2017 - 2019

ashley carter 39 Issues 2019 - present leftlion.co.uk/issue150 17

it, but I was sure that if I could just get it down on paper people would realise that it was in fact a stroke of genius.

Turns out it was even more baffling in reality as it was conceptually. Ah well. Swing and a miss.

Bridie: That’s one of the hard things about being in a continual mag cycle - you don’t really have the mental space to step back and look at your own ideas.

Ash: Sometimes you don’t realise an idea is stupid until you’re looking at the physical mag for the first time, and then it’s too late. In terms of changes, I think the biggest one I made was introducing the regular sections at the back of the magazine, which was actually our old Assistant Editor Emily Thursfield’s idea. We noticed that we’d sometimes go three or four months without having any content on one subject, like film or poetry, so that helped make sure we were always covering them. It also helped give a bit more autonomy to the section editors, as they each had their own page to focus on each month.

What’s the hardest part of the job?

Bridie: Like Ash just said - it’s those month after month deadlines. It’s all-consuming. I did manage to do other things but it takes over your whole life. I understand that, with LeftLion being what it is, it’s not possible to pay contributors but I used to panic each month not knowing whether we would have enough content. But we always did. I know people take the piss out of saying ‘we’ll pay you in exposure’ but when you’re young it’s great to say you’ve been published.

Ash: I wrote for LeftLion for free for eight years before I became Editor. I loved having the freedom to write whatever I wanted in my own voice for an audience. That doesn’t happen often.

Bridie: Yeah, there are always a lot of people who want to contribute, so it always comes together.

Ash: I remember talking to you during my handover, and asking what happens when there’s no content or contributors, and you just shrugging and saying “It always just works itself out.” It made me panic so much, but you were 100% right. For me, the hardest part comes just after you’ve finished a mag. My mood always dips because this one thing has been your whole life for the past month, and then it’s just gone.

Jared: It’s like a comedown.

Bridie: It really is. I used to be so pernickety about proofreading and then as soon as the mags came back I’d open them up and immediately see a mistake.

Jared: I just don’t want to know where there's mistakes.

You need a period of time before anyone points them out.

Ash: The inbox is another one. Before this job I used to

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hate the idea of not replying to people, but it’s literally impossible. I’ve just had to accept the fact that I’m always going to have about 1,000 unread emails at any given point. I feel like I’ve hacked a path through the jungle, turned my back and it’s just overgrown again.

Jared: It's intense. I wish we could pay all our contributors, but financially there's no way we could do that and stay afloat. I justify that by saying we're upfront about it. If people don't want to contribute under those rules, they don't need to. It's just one of those things.

LeftLion is such a big part of your life. There were less mags when I was doing it, but it wasn't my day job. It was a group of friends, it was my social life. It becomes part of your identity.

Our first Day in the Life feature focused on A Toilet Attendant in Notts. That summed up LeftLion for me. It’s like, yeah, we interview celebrities, but it’s also about giving a voice to the average Joe on the street What’s your favourite cover?

Bridie: I like our 100th issue. And any cover Leosaysays does - he's just amazing, the level of detail that goes into it. He's a lovely human being as well.

Ash: Leosaysays is incredible. There are a few artists like him that have done multiple covers - Raphael Achache is another one. They put so much character and detail into them. The level of talent is insane. I think my favourite was one of Raph’s - the gaming issue. Partly because I managed to get my little nephew on the front cover, and partly because the whole LeftLion team were reimagined as iconic video game characters. I loved being Donkey Kong!

Jared: It might not be my favourite cover aesthetically, but the one I was most involved in was the Rock City one where we got 500 musicians together for one photoshoot. It looks like it's photoshopped, but it's not. We got David Baird, who at that point was NME Photographer of the Year, to take the photo. There are people on that now who are pretty big. There's a Sleaford

Mods song about the event actually.

Ash: That must have been a ball-ache to organise.

Jared: It was a stupid thing to do really!

What's the angriest letter or message you have received from a reader?

Jared: I've been punched a couple of times!

Ash: To be honest, that’s my favourite thing about being free. We’ve got no responsibility to listen to people who just moan for the sake of it. Obviously constructive criticism is good, but a lot of the time I can just reply saying ‘Thanks for your feedback, but please stop reading LeftLion’ and we don’t lose anything. When I used to write film reviews I’d always get emails complaining that my opinion about a film didn’t match up with theirs, and it always baffled me. It’s such an odd thing to pick up a free magazine, think ‘this doesn’t exactly represent how I feel!’ and then send an email to complain. If that’s the case, just write down exactly what you want to read, and then read it. Cut out the middleman.

Jared: There's been a couple of times where people who smoked too much weed read into things too much.

They're dead sure you're sending them a message, when you don’t even know them.

Bridie: We got some grief on socials after a critical review of Mowgli went up with the headline ‘Sheer Con’.

Ash: That’s a great headline to be fair.

Bridie: People were accusing us of doing it for the headline but that was just the reviewer’s opinion. And I've had some hate mail once, just some sexist shit. It wasn't angry, but wasn't very nice.

Have any of you ever struggled with imposter syndrome and can it affect you having such a responsibility for a beloved publication?

Ash: Yep. Bridie: Yes, in a word. I struggled in the beginning. It’s such a responsibility and it can feel really lonely.

Ash: Yeah, when things go wrong there’s no one else to blame and you’ve just got to take your medicine.

Jared: I’d say yes too, but probably in a different way to you. The times I get it is when I walk into the office and there’s all this buzz and I’m a bit out of the loop. I wouldn't be able to run this now, so it's important to step back and let other people do it. I get why you'd feel that way but you all did it, you all made it your own and did different things with it. It's like chucking someone in a river and knowing they can swim. You’re sure they won’t drown, but it just takes them a little time to figure that out.

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the next

GENERATION

We may be 150 issues and almost two decades into this whole LeftLion thing, but that doesn’t mean we’re anywhere close to finishing up. So, to prove we’re still hip and with it, we’re highlighting some of the names we reckon we’ll all be talking about in another 150 issues’ time…

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interview: George White photo: Vahid Gold

From posting comedic videos on Twitter to starring in one of the most popular comedies on TV, Our Flag Means Death, Newark-born Nathan Foad has had one hell of a story so far. We chat to the writer, actor and producer about working with Taika Waititi, his new show, Newark, Newark, and how he plans to build an entertainment empire…

nathan foad screen How did you come to join the Our Flag Means Death cast, and how did you feel when you were offered the role of Lucius?

Honestly, it’s the maddest thing that’s ever happened to me. I got a scholarship to drama school, but I didn’t love it and decided I wasn’t going to act any more, and instead worked as a comedy writer for years and I still do, that’s my main thing. But eventually I started making these Twitter videos. It’s so tragic, really, because it was just me seeking attention from strangers on the internet - but then, aren’t we all?

Anyway, one day I started to get all this traction. A couple of them went viral, and Taika Waititi started following me. He DM’d me a couple of times to say he loved my work and I thought that was really cool, but never thought anything would come of it.

Then in lockdown, I heard about this show called Our Flag Means Death, which Taika was working on.

I didn’t think I’d have the chance to get involved, though - I didn’t have an acting agent or anything. But in November 2020, my writing agent got in touch to say they booked me a self-tape. It was peak lockdown, I looked awful, and I cut up an old shirt and made it into a sort of pirate outfit. I sent off the tape and two weeks later I got the call to say I’d got the part. It was definitely an odd way in, but I think I’ve always done things in a roundabout way - so it was actually quite in-keeping with the rest of my career.

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You mentioned Taika Waititi there, who obviously plays a major role on the show as a director, producer and star. What is he like to work with?

I’m a big fan of his work - I think Boy and Hunt for the Wilderpeople are such incredible films - so I was definitely nervous to meet him. You like to believe that famous people don’t have an aura, but it was mad when I found myself in a rehearsal room on the Warner Brothers lot and Taika walked in - he has such a presence. I’ve never met anyone like him before.

When he’s directing and acting, it’s like trying to work with a Catherine wheel because he’s firing off in all directions - which is great, it keeps you on your toes.

I’m a cartoonishly ambitious person, and I always have been. Over the next ten, fifteen years, I want to continue to build a brand The wider cast is also packed with incredible talent.

How much have you learned from working on the show?

It sounds so X Factor and lame, but I have learned to be braver in my choices. I can’t watch my performances in the first couple of episodes because I can see how rigid I am, and how strictly I’m sticking to the script, while everyone else was improvising and trying stuff out. I felt like there were rules to stick to, but the thing about comedy is that it’s found in moments of spontaneity and breaking the rules. So I learned to trust my instincts, and I actually began to take risks.

Our Flag has now been renewed for a second season how have you found the audience reaction so far?

It’s truly insane. I’d anticipated that people would like the show, especially with such a stellar cast, but I wasn’t anticipating the fervour and absolute devotion that people have to it. I mean, I grew up on Tumblr

and Twitter and MySpace, so I totally understand how fandom works. I just wasn’t expecting to be on the receiving end of it. The fact that fans are able to see so much of themselves in the show is so special.

You’re not only smashing it in front of the camera, but you’ve been working hard behind it, with the show that you created, Newark, Newark, recently coming to Gold. What does that project mean to you?

Newark, Newark was a dream come true. I’ve been working as a comedy writer for the past nine years, but this was the first show that I ever got officially optioned by a production company. It’s been this weird constant in my life. It’s been in development with a different channel, it’s been through different iterations. But it’s also been the best experience of my life, the most creatively and professionally rewarding thing I’ve ever done.

How did you find growing up in Newark?

I’ve had an ever-evolving journey with Newark. I think I initially had the classic archetypal journey for a young person growing up in a small town - it can feel stifling and you don’t really appreciate all the lovely things it has to offer. But as I got older and more mature, I realised that it is such a beautiful place, and I obviously love it because I wrote a TV show about it. I do wish I could go back and tell my teenage self that one day you’ll be able to see this town for how amazing it really is.

Finally, what do you hope to have achieved in, say, ten years’ time?

A demented amount. I’m a cartoonishly ambitious person, and I always have been. Over the next ten, fifteen years, I want to continue to build a brand. I’m really inspired by writers who have created a sort of universe within which their characters live - people like Tina Fey and Michaela Coel, who have made several shows that are all part of the same world. I find it really incredible when people can create such varied work, but it’s still all in their voice. So, yeah, I’d love to create a big empire of my own.

Newark, Newark is available to watch on NOW @nathan_foad

words: George White photo: Harry Livingstone

JORDEN MYRIE screen From hard-hitting dramas to genre-blending comedies, Jorden Myrie has already achieved an impressive amount since studying at The Television Workshop - but, after being named as one of Screen International’s Stars of Tomorrow, he’s only just getting started…

It’s always nice when other people do your work for you, isn’t it? Luckily, that’s exactly what Screen International did for us. You see, they recently released their picks for 2022’s Stars of Tomorrow, spotlighting the most exciting talent in the world of film and TV, just in time for our issue spotlighting the most exciting talent in the world of Nottingham.

On that list was Jorden Myrie, a Television Workshop graduate who has already picked up major roles in ITV dramas like Stephen and BBC Three headliners like Mood. Don’t mind if we do.

All witty remarks aside, though, Myrie truly is on his way to big things. Joining the likes of Erin Kellyman and Aisling Loftus in receiving a Star of Tomorrow nod, the lad from Bolton - who has “a lot of love for Nottingham” after spending many of his formative years here - follows the path of big names who have gone on to bag roles in Star Wars movies and Marvel projects.

Despite the prestige of this praise, however, he’s certainly not resting on his laurels. “I don’t try to

think too much about that side of things,” Myrie tells LeftLion. “It’s definitely an honour to be selected for it, and I was ecstatic when I found out, but I can’t get too stuck in it - because at the end of the day, I’ve still got to work really hard to get to where I want to be.”

I want to do this for

the rest of my life, I’m really passionate about it This determination is undoubtedly admirable. While only in the early stages of his career, Myrie has already achieved what a lot of actors dream of - picking up key roles in shorts, TV shows and a feature film. He’s worked alongside household names like Steve Coogan and Nina Sosanya, and in Mood, he bagged a major part in one of BBC Three’s flagship series as they made their long-awaited return to the small screen. “Mood was such a fun project to be a part of,” Myrie muses.

“I remember getting the script and instantly loving it. Nicole Leckie wrote an amazing story that really reflects the world we’re in today, and the diversity of the UK that’s not always seen. It was so fun and fresh, but also touching and heartfelt.”

Mood’s genre-blending mix of comedy and drama is a theme that runs through Myrie’s career so far - with Screw, a prison-set Channel 4 series led

by Derry Girls’ Jamie-Lee O'Donnell, also boasting depth and complexity. While Myrie claims he doesn’t “lean towards anything in particular” when choosing projects, he admits that “versatility is what really excites me about acting.” Being able to explore different styles and approaches is what he “enjoys most”, he adds, and in these two shows, he displays a natural ability to provide both smile-inducing moments of humour and hard-hitting beats of emotion.

So, with a clear knack for delivering drama, comedy and everything in between, Myrie has the world of film and TV at his feet. But what does he hope to achieve in the future? Where does he see himself in ten years’ time? “That’s a big question!” he laughs. “I obviously want to do this for the rest of my life, I’m really passionate about it. But honestly, I’m trying to live in the moment and not think too much about what the future could hold.” Whatever it has in store, we imagine he’ll have no trouble justifying that ‘Star’ title going forward - whether he’s focused on the praise or not.

Mood is now available to watch on BBC iPlayer @jordenmyrie

BEKA is a singer-songwriter on the rise with Notts in her roots, earning an astounding level of critical acclaim at such an early stage in her career.

With a vulnerable and meaningful sound, which is also incredibly uplifting and bright, her music seems to blossom release after release…

BEKA’s stage presence is airy and bright, as she engages her audience with a relaxed honesty. Often adorned with a cup of tea, she regularly indulges in musical interludes, where she explains the meaning behind much of her tunes and addresses the crowd with heartfelt stories that allow you to feel as though she is a best friend opening their heart to you.

After collaborating with pop duo HONNE on their acclaimed singles Crying Over You and Location Unknown, the proud Nottingham artist released an outstanding debut of solo material, featuring an aura and lyricism that represents her truly elegant and loveable personality.

She recently stunned the audience at Wollaton Park during Splendour Festival, where she opened up on the meaning of her recent single Your Skin, a song with an important and empowering message to love yourself for who you are.

beka With the recent announcement of her upcoming tour, BEKA will be heading to The Bodega for what is sure to be a truly magical performance on Sunday 16 October.

We can’t wait to hear more of her music and see where she goes next, after the impressive success she has already accomplished. @bekaontoast

Derry Shillitto From humble beginnings right here on the LeftLion Screen Podcast, where his exploits included interviewing the likes of Nick Frost and Emilio Estevez (which was more of a justified stalking than a traditional interview), Shillitto has been making waves as the co-host of the No Blacks, No Irish podcast, which he co-hosts with Jah Digga. We expect big things from the producer, filmmaker, podcaster and Irish rogue over the next few years. @derryshillitto leftlion.co.uk/issue150

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interview: George White

Nottingham and the NFL have hardly gone handin-hand over the years - but with the University of Nottingham graduate Ayo Oyelola recently joining the Jacksonville Jaguars, they do now.

We catch up with the defensive back ahead of the 2022/23 season…

Ayo Oyelola

sport

Nottingham is synonymous with sporting greats in the worlds of football (see Viv Anderson), ice skating (see Torvill and Dean), cricket (see Stuart Broad) and golf (see Lee Westwood). But one area we’re not exactly famous for is American Football. Yet thanks to Ayo Oyelola, the University of Nottingham law graduate turned NFL player, that might all be about to change.

That's because the 23-year-old has just signed for the Jacksonville Jaguars, one of the most well-established franchises on American soil, making him one of this country’s trailblazers in a sport that is soaring in popularity on this side of the Atlantic. “My initial reaction was one of pure emotion, because it's a moment I've been dreaming of for a very long time,” reflects Oyelola on receiving the offer to join the club.

“But then that quickly faded because I realised there's work to do. That initial disbelief quickly turned into gratitude and a determination to keep working.”

This relentless work ethic is a theme throughout our conversation with the defensive back, with Oyelola believing that his drive is what will ensure he becomes “the best NFL player I can be”. “I feel I have the perseverance and the intelligence and the athleticism to become the best version of me - and I'm pretty sure that’s going to be a really good level,” he explains.

It’s certainly difficult to argue with that, with Oyelola’s passion almost inspiring me to put down my bag of

Doritos and do some crunches (they’re Flamin’ Hot Doritos, though, so it’d be a sin not to finish them).

And it is this passion, he says, that anyone sitting at home wanting to become a star should strive for. “The way to make it happen is an unbelievable amount of hard work,” he says. “I think a lot of people say that they’ll put that in because they love sports, but that doesn't mean they’ll enjoy being a professional athlete, because it's a lot of pressure and it requires a lot of sacrifices.”

Yet if you’re willing to make those sacrifices and put in that work, you shouldn’t be put off going for the big time - especially if you hail from our part of the world, with the future star describing Nottingham as “one of the best places” for American football in the country, thanks to the state-of-the-art facilities at the University of Nottingham.

I think a lot of people say that they’ll put in the hard work because they love sports, but that doesn’t mean they’ll enjoy being a professional athlete, because it’s a lot of pressure and it requires a lot of sacrifices In fact, Ayelola’s mission is quite the opposite of putting people off getting into sports. By running training sessions at his old sixth form, doing talks for school kids and even chatting to LeftLion (engaging with the media is something that “doesn't come naturally” to the understated pro), he is hoping to use his platform to boost the popularity of American Football even further here in the UK, and open the door for people who “want to do the unconventional”.

“I think inspiring others is a massive motivator for me, not just in terms of taking up football, but just encouraging people to be dreamers,” he muses.

“That's definitely what gets me going. I was called crazy a couple of times for following this path, so I've got a lot of compassion for others who are called crazy for their goals, and that’s why I want to tell them what I'm doing and show them what they can achieve.”

And if progress doesn’t happen instantly for you, keep pushing until it does - as even a player who can attract the eye of scouts in America’s top sides doesn’t always hit the ground running. After stints at both Chelsea Football Club and Dagenham & Redbridge as a teenager, Oyelola found himself moving from football (UK) to football (US) when he was at university, with the Jag admitting it “wasn’t a seamless transition” from one to the other. “I'm very impatient, especially when it comes to sports,” he laughs. “I’m used to picking things up very naturally and that didn’t happen straight away, which annoyed me - and it still does to this day, I have a lot to learn. So I had to teach myself to be patient and believe in what I was doing. If you're truly passionate about it, though, it's not really a problem.” There’s that ‘passion’ thing again, driving him at every moment.

With the Jaguars flying across the Atlantic for a game at Wembley Stadium later this year, Oyelola will be hoping he can inspire others in-person with his presence on the field - going toe-to-toe with the Denver Broncos in front of a home crowd. Whether his breakthrough into the first team comes this October or not, however, we think his aim to become a “pretty good” footballer is all but guaranteed and with an unbreakable love for the game and an unrelenting drive to succeed, we expect even higher levels than that.

Tickets to see the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley are now available at jaguars.co.uk/wembley2022 @aypexx leftlion.co.uk/issue150

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words: Adam Pickering

Kedijah

Eaves-O’Connor

environment

Starting off as a geography student, Kedijah Eaves-O'Connor quickly shifted to environmental science upon learning more about the scary reality of climate change.

Now the young activist is committed to sustainability and getting more people of colour involved in the environmental sector…

Have you always been interested in the natural world?

It has fascinated me my whole life. We used to go to the Peak District and Devon a lot when I was younger, so I've always loved being in nature. Of course, when you're younger, you don't really hear as much about climate change, you just appreciate it for what it is.

What started your journey into working on environmental issues?

I studied geography, then started learning about the danger that our beautiful planet is in - that’s when I decided that I really wanted to do this as a career. So I moved to environmental science and, because I liked the nitty gritty of that, I went on to do a Masters degree in Environmental Leadership and Management. I wanted to use that knowledge that I had about the basics - soil, water - and put that into practice through leadership.

You work at Students Organising for Sustainability now. Tell us about that…

SOS was created by the National Union of Students back in 2019, and we've been an independent charity since then. We work on a range of programmes, projects and campaigns that kind of push forward climate justice - we really want to get students involved in sustainability and to get them leading on it. We also want to embed sustainability in all kinds of courses and degrees, and also in adult learning and early years as well. I work on a project called Green Impact, where we speak to different organisations and build them a toolkit of actions they can complete.

And you’re a Youth Trustee at Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust (NWT). How did that come about?

I was looking for a trusteeship, then I came across NWT and I thought it was perfect because I love nature, wildlife, the environment - and the role encapsulated all that. I get to work with another Youth Trustee and we run a youth forum, hearing ideas from young people across Nottinghamshire that we can put into action, which is great. Also, diversity is something that's really important to me, and within NWT that's something that I'm continuing to push.

The sector is the second least diverse in the UK, after farming, so I’d like to try to change that Environmental issues are often seen as a white/ middle class space. What would you say to that stereotype?

Looking at Extinction Rebellion and similar things, it's very in your face - you see people getting arrested and, as a black person or a person of colour, that can put you off. I think there are so many other ways to get involved where you'll still be able to make a big difference. If you're already really passionate about the environment,

then consider doing that as a career - I think that's something that people and people of colour should strive for. We can take part in climate justice groups that are more about coming together, bringing ideas to the table and influencing others. It doesn’t have to be that stereotype of being radical.

If people can’t drop everything and go into the sector full-time, what else can they do?

Follow environmental groups on social media - there are loads of ideas being shared, or try veganism or vegetarianism maybe once or twice a week, reducing your waste and trying to recycle, reducing your emissions by walking where you can and taking public transport. There are loads of practical things we can all do, but it's also about what governments can do, and putting pressure on them.

What are your hopes for the future?

I’d like to create an organisation to encourage more people of colour to get involved in the environment. The sector is the second-least diverse in the UK, after farming, so I’d like to try to change that, and grow more cohesion between everyone. All voices need to be heard to get the climate action and sustainability we need. @sosukcharity

Grace cordell podcast Twenty-eight year old Grace Cordell is on the way to making quite a name for herself. The Nottingham-based creative has trained professionally in acting and directing, working with companies like Hampstead Theatre, RADA and our own Nottingham Playhouse, as well as creating a monthly true crime podcast.

As writer and host of REDRUM, Grace has achieved over half a million downloads, is listed in Spotify’s top twenty true crime podcasts in the United Kingdom, and has been featured in Crime Monthly magazine. Her focus on the victims, rather than the perpetrators, of crime makes REDRUM truly unique, with its aim to channel the narrative back into the right hands, winning praise from listeners.

Appointing Grace as one of its first New Associates, Nottingham’s rural touring theatre company New Perspective has been instrumental in providing Grace with development opportunities, industry contacts and artistic collaboration, which have been critical to her current success.

In the future, this rising star aims to work alongside groundbreaking writers like Miriam Battye and Chris Bush, hoping to produce work that comments on the world we live in today by directing and acting in regional theatres, working on new writing, and continuing to host REDRUM. So, if you haven’t already, sit down and check out her work - it’d be criminal not to. @redrumtruecrime

midnight rodeo Self-described as a ‘six piece spaghetti western psych pop band’, Midnight Rodeo are making some of the very best music coming out of Nottingham right now. And with a sound that’s dreamy, catchy and full of Americana vibes, we’d put money on the fact that they’ll be making it big sometime soon. Serving up a 1970s aesthetic with a modern sound, it’s well worth checking out their two singles Shootout Sunday and Now You’re Gone. @midnightrodeoband leftlion.co.uk/issue150

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interview: George Dunbar and Marta Tavares

We had the pleasure of visiting artist Katharina Fitz’s Nottingham art studio to speak to her about her motivations, ideas and art practice.

Having already exhibited in Nottingham and across the globe, we can only wonder how the grinding, crunching cogs of her work will turn in the next ten years…

katharina fitz

art

Katharina Fitz grew up in Austria, but moved to Nottingham in her adulthood, where she began her artistic career. For the past two years, she has worked at Nottingham Trent University as a ceramics technician, and is currently working freelance for Real Creative Futures - based at the New Art Exchange - as a creative and professional mentor.

“I never really consciously decided to become an artist,” she admits when asked about making the step into the creative industry. “I just slowly grew into it out of a necessity for engaging with my surroundings.”

Conducting the interview in her Nottingham art studio gives us a strong sense for how she builds her practice - the space is filled with lots of curious sculptural objects and industrial materials that show the experimental and hands-on approach of her work. She explains that she especially loves materials associated with industrial environments because “they are non-decorative places that radiate something intriguing and honest, and that really interests me.”

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and fixing together. This process is at the core of much of Fitz’s work; she creates her art in a way that is embodied within the finished pieces themselves.

Many sculptural works we see in her studio are an assemblage of the sculptural materials combined with the tools and devices that were used to create them.

She explains that it is like an unintentional staging of objects and tools with the always apparent traces of the labour involved that speaks of time and process.

Over the past decade, Fitz’s work has changed dramatically, from completely different mediums and techniques and subjects

However, her practice has not always been this way. Over the past decade, Fitz’s work has changed dramatically, from completely different mediums and techniques and subjects. In fact, she started out by using photographs to make her art. “I began taking street photographs in my early twenties but never really considered my work as art,” she muses. “But after releasing my first photo series Fitz also has a special love for the built environment and called Dornbirn Houses in 2012, which was about my the city; she loves the architecture, the structures and the processes that take place in urban settings. “I think about the hometown Dornbirn, I moved from documentary to conceptual photography and became aware of the experience of how we see and live in places, around objects and all the historical and industrial processes that come with medium's potential to open up conversations and interpretations in different ways. I became interested that,” she explains. in the multiple meanings and feelings I was able to convey through images, and that felt very liberating It is not just the physical form of the city, though, but the and exciting to me.” experience of the places they form. She especially likes scenes that have a “raw, practical, and unembellished She tells us that a particular feature she loves in the atmosphere”. We get a strong impression of this from her English urban landscape is chimney pots. After taking own space, which is raw, practical and unembellished. photographs of these types of elements, she started making her own chimneys and other objects through Fitz’s practice involves a remarkably varied amount of mould-making and casting. It was at this point, materials. She typically uses industrial materials such as however, that she realised she was "more interested plaster, clay, steel, wood and latex, and puts them through in the language between the moulds, the models and a fascinating process of turning, scraping, baking, cutting leftlion.co.uk/issue150

the casts and its relationship with the finished object."

We ask her what and who inspires her the most, and she explains that she is currently “obsessed with the work of Gary Kuehn”. “He speaks a visual and conceptual language that makes me feel at home,” she continues. “I admire Phyllida Barlow's boldness and high sensitivity to materials, and when the making gets tough, I always find Tim Ingold's or Emma Cocker's writings a great way to find my way back into the studio.”

In 2019 she had a solo show called When Seams Become Audible, which she tells us is one of her biggest professional achievements. The opportunity to do this show was the result of winning the One Thoresby Street production award, as part of the New Art Exchange Open in the same year. “This was right after graduating, which was an important confidence boost at the time and helped me to keep my practice going,” she explains. “I couldn't have asked for a better space to exhibit in, and during a six-week long residency, I managed to get my most ambitious installation done and ready for the opening. We managed to open the exhibition right between the first and the second lockdown and I was very grateful for the support from One Thoresby Street to make it happen during challenging times."

Fitz shows us that much of the work in her studio space is brand new, and has been created for an upcoming solo exhibition in August at Beam Editions art gallery in Nottingham. Visiting this space is like capturing a moment in a photograph during a neverending process of experimentation and creation. This gives her work a vitality and interest that is deeply intriguing and instils a sense of unpredictability that means no one can truly know what she will be doing ten years from now - but whatever it is promises to be groundbreaking.

Katharina Fitz has an upcoming solo exhibition at Beam Gallery, which will open on Friday 19 August. She will also be publishing a book with the Beam Editions publishing house at the Gallery @katharina_fitz

Georgianna Scurfield screen Now we’re not trying to pull the wool over your eyes here, and are happy to admit that Miss Scurfield used to work right here at LeftLion. In fact, she co-directed The Lord of Milan, our feature film about Herbert Kilpin and the founding of Italian football giants AC Milan. You can still see her name knocking around the mag with our City Stylin’ feature. But nepotism aside, it’s hard to find another young documentary maker in the city with a reputation that’s growing quite as quickly as hers.

Scurfield’s work has an unabashedly light, friendly and warm touch to it, which invites viewers into the world she’s creating like an old friend asking you round for a cuppa. It’s clear her subjects trust her, and the projects she’s created are all the better for it. Having been awarded a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant to document the story of Nottingham’s historic Cattle Market (including a short film), we can’t wait to see what she comes up with… @georgiscurfield

tin-tin ho

altblkera

Tin-Tin Ho is technically from London but, as she’s studying medicine at the University of Nottingham, we’re claiming her as one of our own. And for good reason: the 23-year-old table tennis star has already bagged multiple national titles, two Commonwealth silver medals and was part of Great Britain’s 2020 Olympic team. Impressive doesn’t begin to cover it…

Teen sister duo whose artistry shreds through boundaries of sound and vision, their eclecticallyinspired work is unapologetic in its disregard for societal standards. Lyrics battle relationships with aggression and feist, while the screech of strings, intrusive percussion, and their rock-rap vocal mix-up pummels senses relentlessly. @altblkera

@tintin.ho

Entering the Nottingham music scene this year, Divorce is made up of four talented Nottingham musicians. We’re expecting big things…

dan ottewell As the youngest artist to ever sell out a major Nottingham venue when he launched his debut EP last month, Dan Ottewell is already making a name for himself locally and further afield. Influences include Billy Bragg, Frank Turner and Ferocious Dog – the latter’s Dan Booth and Luke Wheatley even handled production on Ottewell’s EP. @dan_ottewell_music

divorce

Nottingham newcomers Divorce have entered the local scene this year with a bang, presenting two fierce new singles that have set the tone for what is sure to be a hugely successful musical venture.

Signed by Hand In Hive, the band are formed of Kasper Sandstrom, Felix Mackenzie-Barrow, Tiger Cohen-Towell and Adam Peter-Smith, successful musicians in their own independent right and members of bands hot on the Notts music scene: Megatrain and Do Nothing. The four-piece manage to combine their individual sounds to create a high-octane, grungy, post-punk influenced style truly recognisable as their own.

Opening 2022 with their debut single Services, this heavily infectious indie, alt-rock influenced tune made a mark as a band to be reckoned with, earning a huge amount of support from listeners and press. They followed suit with their second single, Pretty, which utilises contrasts of harmonic and brash vocals, combined with stunning production and grunge guitar. Everything about Divorce is detailed and recognisable, with their videos attentive to the meaning of their music, alongside their fashion Tiger’s in particular.

kim thompson Set to headline The Bodega on Friday 28 October as part of their twelve-date Autumn tour, and following their sold out Chameleon show, this live performance is one to catch. @divorcehq

Local artist Kim Thompson, who is better known by her Instagram name @kim_a_tron, creates eye-catching illustrations and paintings that have recently been displayed at the Double Take event at Broadway Cinema. She has also expanded on her digital female-focused designs to venture into the world of sculpture, as part of The World Reimagined, a new art project that has recently been featured on Vogue’s website. @kim_a_tron leftlion.co.uk/issue150

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interview: Lizzy O’Riordan photo: Amaal Said

hanna flint literature After graduating from the University of Nottingham, Hanna Flint has gone from strengthto-strength as a film journalist, working at publications like Empire, Time Out and The Guardian.

Now we catch up with her about her debut book, Strong Female Character…

In September you’re going to be releasing your debut book Strong Female Character. Can you tell us a bit about that?

So, as a film critic and writer and someone who basically grew up watching movies, I felt inspired to look at how what we watch on screen influences us.

There were a lot of film topics that I wanted to cover, but at the same time I thought I could tie that into quite a cool memoir. So, instead of it being just about my life, it combines the two.

I think for so many of us, films help us process life.

Is that something you relate to?

Absolutely. I don’t think there’s a day that goes by where I don’t make a film reference, and I certainly think that films help us better understand ourselves.

For example, there’s a chapter in the book about motherhood, and I remember watching Ladybird for the first time and thinking, ‘that is exactly us,’ about me and my mum. Cinema can provide a way to communicate how you’re feeling, as any form of art does. It definitely feels like so much of what I’ve

watched has taught me, or inspired me, or influenced me in some way.

Wimbledon and seeing Ons Jabeur, who is Tunisian. It matters so much.

Both positively and negatively…

Yes. I think, especially as a millennial, there’s certain representations and images and dialogues that we’ve seen that have had a positive and negative impact on the way that we navigate the world. You can enjoy cinema but recognise what’s good and bad about it, and I hope this book does that. Hopefully it’s a bit of a manifesto on how we can improve and achieve more, and try to represent as many voices as we can, so then we can understand not just ourselves but other people.

Obviously, the other massive theme in the book is womanhood. Why was this so important to you?

I did a BBC Inside Cinema video essay about the Strong Female Character, and I had to think about what the trope meant. Is it about literally being strong all the time? I certainly don’t think that, and I hope my last chapter (named after the book), shows that strength is being vulnerable. It was important for me to ask what it actually means to be a Strong Female Character.

This interview is for LeftLion’s 150th edition, where the theme is celebration. One of the major themes in the book is you learning to celebrate your Tunisian background…

It is, and it’s been an up-and-down journey, especially because I’m mixed and I don’t have that connection to my culture. There’s this weird thing where you don’t want to be defined by your identity, but you want to feel part of it as a whole. My big thing is that I want to go to Tunisia, I was meant to go before the lockdown, and that’s still something I want to do.

But the best way for me to feel that connection now is through cooking and cinema, or even watching

And finally, since we’re focusing this section of the magazine on the ‘Next Generation’, what are your hopes for the future?

In the material sense, I’d love to someday buy a flat.

Having my own property and autonomy is one of the few arbitrary goals I’d love to achieve. But I suppose, selfishly, I just want to find more contentment and, as someone who’s quite anxious and has imposter syndrome, I want to be able to enjoy my own successes more.

Strong Female Character will be released on Thursday 29 September through Footnote Press @hannainesflint

Growing up in Nottingham, Tom Gamble started karting when he was just seven years old, winning the European Rotax Winter Cup and the British Kartmasters GP Plate twice, and finishing second in the British Championship, before moving to cars when he was fourteen.

He won his first title in this new lane at fifteen, taking home the highly-competitive Ginetta Junior Championship, and went on to race in BRDC British Formula 3 - where he finished an impressive fifth. In 2018, he won the McLaren Autosport BRDC award, and was offered the opportunity to test a McLaren Formula 1 car at his favourite circuit, Silverstone.

Yet a year later, he switched to endurance racing - and things really took off, with Gamble getting the chance to compete in the Blancpain Sprint series before racing in the 2020 European Le Mans with the United Autosports LMP3 team, who won the championship after claiming three of five wins. Stepping up to LMP2 in 2021, the top class in the series, his team claimed four podiums and a win to become vice champions.

In the same year, he raced in the World Endurance Championship and competed in his first 24 Hours of Le Mans, a race we expect him to win one day (no pressure, though, obviously).

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tom gamble While he’s achieved a vast amount for a driver who is still only twenty, don’t expect Gamble to slow down any time soon - the Nottingham lad is continuing in LMP2 with United Autosports, who are currently sitting at P4 in the championship, and is picking up plaudits wherever he goes. All in all, it seems a safe bet to say he’s on course for continued success. @TomGamble23

nathan langman We’re lucky enough to have Nathan Langman regularly grace our pages with stunning shots of the city and playful photos of the characters living in it. Making use of natural lighting to masterfully frame his work, and putting himself out on the streets to ensure he never misses a thing (he once ran up Market Street to grab an amusing pic of three guys shifting a big old fridge through town), he’s capturing the charm of Notts like few others. @_meadowman2

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Suzie ford

words: Addie Kenogbon photo: Natalie Owen

ford & guy

Fashion Combining stunning silhouettes, sustainable fabric and eye-catching graphics, Nottingham fashion brand Ford & Guy may be relatively new on the scene, but they’re already proving to be ones to watch with their designs already being worn by some big names and top social media influencers with a huge following, such as Astrid Zeegen.

We catch up with owner Suzanne (Suzie) Ford to find out more about her iconic designs…

How did Ford & Guy come about?

I launched Ford & Guy during lockdown in 2020 but I’ve been sewing for as long as I can remember. I’ve always loved textiles and have photos of me designing and drafting my own patterns at twelve. Not long after, at sixteen, I got my own sewing machine and it evolved from there. Before launching Ford & Guy, my career path has involved studying undergrad and a PHD in biology at Oxford University and then going into research and virology in Australia and America, before coming back to the UK to train as a psychotherapist.

It was when I returned to the UK and moved to Nottingham that I had the time to start the business in lockdown, and I remember putting my first thing on Etsy and it selling, and that was a great feeling. And the brand has just grown from there.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

A lot of it has been inspired by artists. So, my Squiggles collection was inspired by this piece of art that I sit in front of every Thursday when I’m a therapist with my clients. It’s called Mother and Child by Picasso. It’s not a very well-known piece, so it’s quite hard to get hold

of, but it’s got this fascinating line drawing of a mother and a child breastfeeding. There are all these lovely squiggles all around it. They capture this amazing attunement and love, and it makes you feel warm, happy feelings that you can’t really put into words, and I just loved the expression of it. So, I started playing around with my version of that feeling, and that’s where the squiggle pieces came from.

What would you say makes Ford & Guy so special?

Aside from the sustainability, I’d say the unique designs and their fun and playful nature is what makes my pieces really special. Also, being able to know who’s made each piece is great, especially because, even though a lot of sustainable companies can say that they’re sustainable, it’s sometimes quite hard to tell if it’s greenwashing. So, I limit myself to what I know is okay and, because I’m making it and dying it myself, I cut out so much of the supply chain that can often lack transparency. I like to make sure I’m as sustainable as I can be, so make sure that if I’m dyeing something, I’ll reuse that dye several times or use less water and make it concentrated.

I’d say the designs also make it so special as I don’t make many of each design, so they’re all unique. It’s made to order too, unless I’ve got a market on, and I currently go up to size 22 with a view to going up to sizes in the thirties soon.

What are your favourite pieces in your collection?

I always say my favourite pieces are the current pieces I’m working on, but I think the purple and green top and dress combo is something I’m really loving at the moment. I also really love the remnant pieces that I make. They take me a little while, but when I finish a remnant piece, it feels more precious somehow because it took so long. The denim patchwork jacket, for example, is super intricate.

What have been your highlights to date?

A personal highlight, which maybe wouldn’t be on everyone’s bucket list, is being at a market and someone coming up to you and saying, ‘I saw you on so-and-so’s profile and I made sure to get here because I found out you were here’, and then them putting in orders for a bunch of stock. That just makes my day.

That kind of feedback is so wonderful as it’s a real personal journey for me. With Ford & Guy, I feel like I’m revisiting my inner child and rediscovering who I am, so to have someone mirror that in me is fantastic.

I’ll always love the customer-to-customer relationship, and getting to experience that will always be my highlight. That might not be bells and whistles and awards or anything, but that’s just really special to me.

What are your plans for the future?

Since I was a kid, my dream has been to have my own shop. It’s really romantic in my head but I just have this picture of having a little store with all the products in the front with really unique shapes and patterns and gorgeous pieces. And then in the back, a massive work table where I’m able to sew and do workshops as well.

I would like the shop to have studio space and within that it’d be really important to be able to sell not only my products but also items from other local artists because it’s such a friendly community in Nottingham, and I think everyone would benefit from having a space. I’d also like to sell sustainable haberdashery and fabrics as, at the moment, that’s quite hard to come by unless you shop online - but that means you don’t get to feel or touch the fabric. And, if you’re a sewer, it’s important to see how it drapes. So, that’s the dream and where I really want to be. Whether it comes to fruition or not, we’ll have to wait and see - but I really hope it does, as things have been going really well. fordandguy.co.uk @fordandguy

Roughly a year ago, we at LeftLion reckoned this newcomer was worth chatting to after signing on to HBO series The Gilded Age. Since then, though, Tom Blyth has only become more worthy of hogging the spotlight…

He’s stepped into the stacked leather boots of one of the most notorious outlaws ever in Billy the Kid. He’s joined British legends Peter Capaldi and Simon Russell Beale in the critically-acclaimed Benediction.

He’s set to take a starring role in one of the most popular franchises of this century in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. All in all, it’s safe to say Tom Blyth is having a pretty good time at the moment.

From training at The Television Workshop to starring in HBO shows and big-budget movies by the age of just 27, the lad from Woodthorpe is carving out quite the career, establishing himself as a magnetic presence who can walk a fine line between charming and sinister, likeable and unnerving. In just over a decade, Blyth has already come a long way since taking up the mantle of ‘feral child’ in the Russell Crowe-led Robin Hood, and he doesn’t look like stopping any time soon.

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tom blyth Next year, the former Bilborough College student will be lining up alongside West Side Story’s breakout star Rachel Zegler in the much-anticipated Hunger Games prequel, and despite the utterly insane amount of talent littered throughout the cast - which also includes Peter Dinklage, Jason Schwartzman and Hunter Schafer - we expect Blyth to steal the show. @tomblyth

goodgoodbye This experimental jazz pop group may not have released many tunes so far, but what they have produced has already made a big impression.

With their feelgood track I Feel You Like regularly featuring on BBC Radio 1’s Chillest Show, which has helped to kickstart the careers of rising talents like Beabadoobee and Griff, expect these to be soaring to stardom themselves in no time. @goodgoodbyeband

hollie betts art Highly commended by The Young Creative Awards in 2021, and winner of the 2022 Visual Arts Category, Hollie Betts is already making a splash in the Nottingham arts scene at just 22. Using predominantly figurative oil painting, the young artist's work is preoccupied with the relationship between technology and nature, regularly using the motifs of house plants and phones within her paintings. Graduating from Nottingham Trent this year, we’ll be keeping an eye on Betts’ career! @holliebettsart

alice bayes Seeing environmental movements split between older activist groups, and radicals that can scare off regular people, 23-year-old secondary school maths teacher Alice co-founded Climate Action Nottingham in 2020 to offer a more youthful and inclusive space - and successfully lobbied Nottingham City Council to support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill. @alice_bayes

luke radford Filmmaker Luke Radford has been steadily making a name for himself over the past few years, and you might recognise his name from Soul Boy, the BBC documentary about a teenager in care who found a home in Nottingham’s Northern Soul scene - which he made in collaboration with the equally talented Toby Curson. @lukeradford_

Charlotte Bainbridge This up-and-coming Notts creative only recently graduated from art school in our city, but has already curated the Street Art Festival at Surface Gallery. She has described her work as ‘abstract and surreal artwork and self-portrait photography’, and you can check out her impressive talent for yourself at Surface until Saturday 13 August. @charlottejeanbainbridge

Bringing his unique sound from Ningbo to Nottingham, Guohan is quickly establishing himself as one of the most exciting producers not just in the city, but in the country…

guohan

Now residing in our very own city of caves, cobs and ducks, producer Guohan originates from China’s historical city of Ningbo (after which that bridge near QMC was named). His homeland’s injection of mythical and natural sounds now sits atop more recognisable influences, consistently transcending listeners into a floating hypnosis.

Linking up with Pete Beardworth and Tom Towle back in 2019, the trio’s eponymous Three Body EP was dropped, bringing to the table futuristic combinations of natural and synthetic instrumentation. Continuing his manoeuvres through similar fields, a year later Guohan released his debut LP, Lost Sound Book. Released on Nottingham’s own Running Circle label, it offers a journey from sunrise in the valleys of South Asia, to sunset over Dixy Chicken on Alfreton Road.

A sense of lost and refound is a persistent feature to Guohan’s urban soundscape, one that continues to ride deep into his latest EP – City of the Sun and Moon, released in June 2022 on Singapore-based, underground electronic music label, Darker Than Wax.

indy kiemel- greene

As co-founder at Running Circle and co-lead of Chinese label Meridian Sounds, Guohan has surrounded his own roots with diverse sources of sound, adding a new dimension to Nottingham’s music scene. @guohan.z

It seems like a lifetime ago since we spoke to then fourteen-year-old Indy Kiemel-Greene - the conservationist, naturalist and photographer a - way back in 2019. Since then, he’s gone on to even bigger and better things, bagging the RSPB’s President’s Award in 2021 in recognition for his volunteer work. Now, at the ripe old age of seventeen, Indy’s showing no signs of slowing his activism down, and is right at the forefront of the fight to conserve Britain’s natural wildlife. @greeneindy leftlion.co.uk/issue150

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H

AGONY ASH In an act of benevolence to rival Father Christmas himself, our glorious leader and Editor, Ashley Carter, has decided to celebrate our 150th issue by helping you lot out. Offering something far more valuable than toys and presents, he’s bestowing some of his worldly wisdom* by helping the readers of LeftLion with some of the problems submitted through our social media channels. You’re welcome.

words: Ashley Carter photo: Natalie Owen 34

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*Not only is Ashley not a trained medical professional, he’s an actual idiot who shouldn’t even be allowed to run a magazine. If you are struggling with a real problem, don’t follow his advice, talk to someone who can help

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Sorry if you're lo oking fo serious r joke pr on oble she’s ch e. I've been with eating o my wife ms, but I've got n a for six y me. I sa bloke an w ears and d she's a lways off texts on her ph I think anythin on g to me with me and clea lately. S e from another not sure rly does he hasn what to n 't said 't w do becau se I reall ant me to know y love h so I'm Nath er.

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MC MC, what you’r e describing as a problem I’m existence. No hearing as the time wasters, zenith of no endless grou the dream. Yo p chats, no dram ur time is your a. You’re living own, which is You will find fri a rare thing in ends and, no do this day and ag ubt, a girlfriend time of your lif e. , and will look e with the mist back on this y eyes of a man he had it. who didn’t know how good

n't. I'm I really, really do have a baby and g kids is to vin s ha nt of wa t y gh all ou re ally, but the th So, my husband tu en d have ev e an m it ve er ing to lea r to just get ov terrified he's go n't know whethe do I e. m to ird so gross and we ake him happy… a baby just to m Anonymous

actual living u can’t create an u dopey idiot. Yo yo or a second t by ca ba a a t ve ge ha to d Obviously don’t . Tell your husban nt me gu ar an oid person just to av kids. wife who wants

I want to do some thing creative with my life but am too also don't know wh scared to fail. I ere to start. I don't really know what Ash, but I'm in a ca I'm asking, Agony reer that I don't wa nt to be in and wa different like makin nt to do something g TV or writing scr ipts.

Chris

Firstly N ath here now , yes, we were lo , aren’t w o e? Secon king for joke pro conside r the am d blems. B ly, have oun ut we’re you ever sure you s don’t fin t of effort your wife is p topped to d out ab for? Not utting in out her hers. Sh affair? W to make e’s doing stop bein hose ben tha g efit is th clearly c so selfish and sta t for you, mate. at M ares abo rt appre ut ciating th aybe you should about th e side sh you enough to n e wife th e’s gettin ot want at you to fi g. nd out

. I don't I graduate life after me throughout a y m h it t to do wnough to sustain care about. 't idea wha e I have no ing interesting uck in a job I don find anythd I dread being st career an cal culture CV itor at a lo d E f o le the ro rest you in Can I inte ? e magazin

What should on e do if one's colle ague is awful at point where it is their job, to the making one rath er irritated?

Anon If this is someon e from LeftLion I’m legit going to Come say it to my be furious. face you punk. If it isn’t, I’d sugges some questiona t planting ble pornography on their work co telling the boss. mputer and Problem solved.

urder an I m How c er

Cart Emily

ith way w d get a ther an

it?

my bro

d he’ll

t

x the ne ggest it u s ly t h .

Just lig for you re of it take ca

an gether u’re to o y e tim

Chris, you will fail.

Most people fail. In fact, everyone fails at anything on the - no one is good first try. Life is endle ss misery, chaos an can control is wheth d failure. All you er you want to giv e it a crack or not. Th happen is you’ll ma e worst that can ke a complete horse ’s ass of yourself, ris and have to re-tra k financial ruin in for a less intere sting job in your for does sound pretty ties. Actually, that awful. I dunno ma te. Leave me out of this one.

and both read d for Brexit te vo th getting bo s, r seventie rents, but it's e both in thei t they're my pa ar e s ou us nt ab re ca it be pa sh y h em M bvs I love th ey talk so muc O th l. finally e ai ey us M th ca ly d be ai the D ate them an talk to them uc to ed ly er nt rd I feel l ge ha ra d to harder an but in gene st of it. I try ve ght direction, and all the re lo ri s e to nt th er ra in rd ig m ep ha im as a st d it's getting ris, which w her apart an rt fu turned on Bo d an r ifting furthe like we're dr . them it e wants Brex to be in. No on e ac d pl un h so ug u to This is a em’ makes yo in Alice, truly. e ‘educate th ur heart I hear your pa g phrases lik in at. I know yo us , th t gh ou ou ab , th k in tly th rs nts are a Fi re s. ve pa nt ha pare so I’d -y. Secondly, pous asshole, a little Stalin rrected f of co r e m ou a bit of a pom vi co u ha place, but yo have your be bold to suggest a it must be to is in the right ls. I’m going e how weird ta in ni : ag ge em Im n . th rn ow stubbo t of your O reverse on that came ou op the old UN igate st dr , in as d tm an by something ris er Ch tmas dinn s , Alice - next tood. Perhap mpf over Chris strategy here bit misunders from Mein Ka a es st ag ng ju lli ss as ta pa w en l w read a fe by out-m och Powel , just maybe, about how En t ever dress. Maybe ck conversations ther way, don’ Ja Ei . on ng ni ki U in ll th fu a of in ay w up ur ck yo even ro und to bring them ro them you can t. ou ns pa is tell me how th

Alice

Trying my best to figure out wh y I exist and if an and the boys ha y of my friends ve hit up a coup like me. Me le of places and up to us, but th a few people ha e truth is I ain't ve had to face no leader of the ga situation like th ng. So how do I at? I don't deal deal with a with it, you see, have, I ain't a m I flee, and that's an to take accoun the trouble I t for what's happ one day, I may fa en ed to me and th ce some heavy lif erefore, ting. I'd try to sw Carter but I don't ing you round m know if anyone y way Ash would believe an ything good of m e anyway.

Billy You sound like a good egg to me, Billy. Your friends cares if they don’t probably like yo ? For 750,000 ye u. And who ars, man after ma it all led to you, n had son after Billy. That’s no co son, and inc idence. The reck all my friend, an oning is coming d the best any of for us us can do is act king. accordingly. You’v e got this,

leftlion.co.uk/issue150

35

2004 We’ve arrived 2

1

2005 WE’RE IN COLOUR

We chat to Whycliffe for an article that continues to be amongst our most read every year

5 Al Needham guest edits his first issue. One article carries the headline ‘Dance Like Twats!’

4 3

16

The very first print edition of LeftLion is birthed in the Autumn of 2004. With Shane Meadows on the cover, a tribute to the recently departed Brian Clough and an Anne Frank joke, we really hit the ground running

20

17

The late, great Xylophone Man graces our cover for the first time

21

24

New editor

A big one: an entire issue dedicated (and featuring the words of) Alan Sillitoe

al needham

22

Al Needham takes over as Editor, as founding Editor Jared Wilson goes “poncing off around the world for a bit.”

Issue 22 also features the first of our 8,000 articles about David Bartram, the infamous Fish Man

23 The first appearance from The Thompsons, Notts’ most opinionated greengrocers

41 Our featured contributor for the month is a certain Rebecca Gove-Humphries, soon to be wife of co-founder Al Gilby… #NepotismSchmepotism

42

43 44

We trumpet the arrival of Mimm

We dedicate no less than fifteen pages to Notts’ music scene, including a chaotic cover featuring pretty much everyone

45 36

18

A Richer Sounds advert offers a tiny portable DVD player for the cut price of £60. What were we thinking

2008 The launch of our new tech advice column Sorry, I Don’t Speak Geek

We got nominated as ‘Ambassadors to Nottingham’ by the BBC. Hell yes

leftlion.co.uk/issue150

Interviews include Alistair McGowan in a smart turtleneck and Richard Herring dressed as Jesus Christ

Football is the name of the game, with interviews including Mark Crossley and then County manager Martin ‘Mad Dog’ Allen

2012 The official ‘LeftLion Baby’ arrives, as Noah Wilding-Emm is pronounced as “the result of a side-project between Screen Editor Ali Emm and LeftLion reviewer Harry Wilding’. Noah is in his late forties now

19

25 A GTA-inspired cover that looks as mustard now as it did then

Rock City’s 30th birthday and our first chat with documentary legend Jeanie Finlay

2011

We celebrate our fourth birthday with a photo of Britney’s bald bonce, a chat with Shaun Ryder and an article that uses the f-word three times.

How things change

38 39

Our knickers are positively in a twist about the smoking ban

We caught up with Notts’ own Hollywood star Samantha Morton who, if memory serves, was a bit of a grumpy gus

26

37

We chat to up-and-coming actress Vicky McClure, who didn’t do too badly for herself…

We lament the death of Trent FM

40 48

Our first ever chat with young whippersnapper Jake Bugg

Forest legend Andy Reid joins us for the first time

Comic book legend Alan Moore graces us with a chat about his career

49

47 46 We somehow got hold of Derren Brown, another one that put us on the pay-no-mind list recently

We have a natter with the great Jon Ronson and our long-running feature, ‘A Canadian in New Basford’, signs off for the final time

2013

50

51

Shane Meadows is back, and we herald the arrival of the Creative Quarter

OUR 50TH ISSUE

6

We deep dive into the 2005 Election results. It’s clear we’re already running out of steam

Carlton scrapper Carl Froch appears on our cover

We chat to Noel Fielding back when he was a comedian

LeftLion reaches its zenith during an interview with Toadfish from Neighbours

2009

27

Our first ever Christmas issue featured interviews with Dizzee Rascal and The Prodigy

15 14

Issue 9 was a ‘Radio Special’, following hot on the heels of our Penny Farthingthemed mag. Inside we interviewed comedian Ed Byrne, who turned us down for a chat in 2021. How quickly they forget

9

7

2007

2006

8

We ask the question ‘Is Nottingham the new Amsterdam?’

No, it turns out.

No it isn’t.

Our lead article is an interview with onehit handjobs Orson, of No Tomorrow fame

13 We proudly announce the arrival of our brand new website which, judging by the screenshots, looks better than our current one

Issue 11 sees us unironically use the headline ‘Bo Selecta!’

12

29 A big issue for interviews, with Adrian Edmondson, Joe Dempsie and Chris Miles all dropping in for a chinwag

30

An early Overheard in Notts prototype emerges with the less snappilytitled Nottingham Things People Have Said on the LeftLion Forum

28

We interview British comedy legend Armand Ianucci and future Premier League winner Kasper Schmeichel

36

35

Our interview with actor Mark Addy - who had just played Friar Tuck in Ridley Scott’s cack Robin Hood inexplicably appears under the headline “The Deep, Fat Friar”. That’s cold lads. Very cold

Way back in 2009 we predicted a 2018 World Cup bid, with Notts as a potential host city. We can’t remember exactly, but are fairly certain it happened

52

150

Mathew Horne drops in to promote his Oscar-winning big screen debut, Lesbian Vampire Killers

2010

34 Former escort Rebecca Dakin gave us the lowdown on her tell-all book The Girlfriend Experience

Rikki Marr’s iconic ‘Byron Clough’ cover It’s the launch of Notts TV

The digital version of this issue has a missing page, so we can only assume we did something messed up that later had to be wiped from the internet

31

150 moments

Our Credit Crunch special focussed on life during a recession.

Thank god that’s over

11

53

10

33

The founders of Notts institution JT Soar sit down for a chat

32

A perspicacious one-liner predicts the rise of future Editor Ali Emm, calling her “LeftLion’s Guardian Angel,” and claiming that without her, “you would probably be reading a beer mat instead of Nottingham’s skillest publication.”

54

150 issues. Nineteen years. Five editors.

Countless contributors. Several unsuccesful lawsuits. Hundreds of thousands of magazines across hundreds of venues.

This is the story of LeftLion’s 150 issues in 150 moments

not out leftlion.co.uk/issue150

37

Playwright and Sneintonian Stephen Lowe talks all about legendary author and Eastwoodian DH Lawrence

Guest writers The Dilettante Gazette dive into the inspirational story of George Africanus, a former African slave turned wealthy and influential citizen who became a pioneer in Nottingham during the eighteenth century

78

79

2017 We highlight a little local brand called DoNotts the Nottingham Doughnut Company - any ideas if they became successful?

80

Tourettes hero Jess Thom smashes stereotypes with a frank and insightful interview

77 We print a record number of LeftLions, reaching 12,000 for the first time

Our UNESCO spiel pays dividends, as Nottingham is named a City of Literature

We round out a terrible year with a terrific issue, which includes the likes of Major Labia and Sheku KannehMason

81

74

A year after switching to a monthly mag, we’re still going strong showing miracles can happen…

73

A certain Bella Ramsey sits down for a chat. Call us crazy, but we’re expecting big things…

This boozy bonanza brings in Black Iris, Totally Brewed and the Robin Hood Beer Festival

Church of the Cosmic Skull’s religion is the focus of ‘In Focus’ - six years later, the cult has only grown in size and stature

82

Columnist Rich Crouch predicts catastrophe for Fawaz’s Forest in the 2015/16 season.

How times have changed…

72

WE’RE TEN!

55

New editor

ALI EMM

64

Ferocious Dog sit down for a chinwag

We spotlight Nottingham’s greatest ever exports - on a tea towel

Nice

2015 63 Special guest columnist Paul Kaye writes all about his love of punk

57

2014

Juga-Naut - rapper, chef, unit - talks us through the Notts accent

69

68 Nottingham’s influence on iconic grunge band Nirvana is revealed

67

66

WE’RE monthly!

65

Our own take on the nativity heads up this Christmas issue, featuring Carl Froch as Joseph and Dale Winton as the Virgin Mary

56 leftlion.co.uk/issue150

We celebrate Nottingham becoming the first ever City of Football

84

NTU graduate and Toast of London star Matt Berry recalls laughing at a weightlifter who got dropped by his own bar

We tell the story of Sławomir Rawicz, the refugee who escaped the tyranny of an authoritarian Russian regime after being tortured by an interrogator “who made Mr Blonde in Reservoir Dogs look like Walter the Softy”

71 We mark ten years of LeftLion with a bumper birthday special, featuring the likes of Su Pollard, Samantha Morton and Jon Burgerman. Most importantly, though, we’re treated to a rare written appearance from our overlord Alan Gilby, who pens an emotional editorial for us to enjoy

83

70

A screenfocused issue shines the spotlight on Broadway, Scalarama and Nottingham-based filmmaker Jeanie Finlay

38

85

NG:She talk us through their mission to spread awareness of the impact of domestic abuse

150 moments

2016

87

86 Michael Holyk, the man behind many a Jake Bugg music video, spills the beans from behind the scenes

76

75

In the first of two (yes, two) Featured Contributor appearances (we still don’t know how she managed it), the Editorial Assistant formerly known as Elizabeth O’Riordan talks about her adoration for Wes Anderson and, um, Woody Allen. Look, it was a different time…

We make the claim that Nottingham deserves to become a UNESCO City of Literature

58

Olympic legends Torvill and Dean chat to us

The first ever monthly edition of LeftLion hits venues across Nottingham, following a Kickstarter campaign which raised over £11,000 in total - and we haven’t looked back since

62 A 64-page behemoth of an issue makes its way around Notts

59

60

61 Big names take over the issue, including Stuart Pearce, Sleaford Mods and Ross Noble

“The road out of town is patchy with heat-haze that wafts from the tarmac” - NTU’s Rory Waterman gives his poetic take on Brexit

88

200 Degrees make their LeftLion debut. The popular coffee brand now fly the flag for Nottingham across the country

Then Director of City of Literature Sandeep Mahal guest edits for a big poetry-focused special

94 It’s goodbye Lace Market and hello Sneinton as we get ready to relocate to the Avenues

89

It’s our big Lord of Milan special, as we release our award-winning documentary on Mansfield Road’s Herbert Kilpin, who basically created AC Milan - the iconic Italian football club who recently won their nineteenth league title

93 Two Notts institutions collide as Mark Latham, former Editor of Games Workshop’s White Dwarf magazine, joins us for a chat

95

Curtis Powell - then Editorial Assistant, now Head of Video and Photography - gets a proper welcome as Featured Contributor

97

98

2018

99 We round off double figures with a focus on viral sensations LadBaby and Charity Shop Sue

Wayne Burrows - long-time writer of our ‘Advertising Sectioned’ column - signs off from LeftLion with a psychedelic, Sneinton-based cover

92

Another long-running feature of the mag, ‘Street Tales’, comes to a close

100

150 moments 96

Natalie Owen becomes Head Designer - and almost sixty issues later, she’s still here. She must have the patience of a saint…

The big one. 100 magazines.

A century of issues. And how better to mark the occasion than by inviting all of Notts’ biggest names to join us? Bugg, Mods, Buttress, Normal, McClure, Dempsie - the list of local talent goes on. And if that wasn’t enough, we also treat you to a poster of every cover so far. Don’t say we’re not nice to you lot.

91 90

New editor

bridie squires

Ashley Carter steps in as Screen Editor, pledging to use his new role to peddle his passion for Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe

150

OUR 100TH ISSUE

150 issues. Nineteen years. Five editors.

Countless contributors. Several unsuccesful lawsuits. Hundreds of thousands of magazines across hundreds of venues.

This is the story of LeftLion’s 150 issues in 150 moments

not out leftlion.co.uk/issue150

39

104 ‘Under Cover Artist’ first appears, featuring multimedia artist Nicholas Wright.

With October arriving, we create our own set of Notts tarot cards

We explore Notts history of protest, from the Luddites to antiTrump

106 105 103

107

108

We research Giuseppe Garibaldi - the freedom fighter that inspired Nottingham Forest

What’s more synonymous with Sneinton Market than skateboarding?

Nothing, that’s right. Well, 105 marks the Skateboarding Special and we learn more about the thriving sport with a little help from Skate Nottingham, Non Stop Sports and an anonymous skateboard instructor in Notts. It doesn’t get more comprehensive than that

Christmas is here and so is our first ‘Overheard in Notts’ book

Nottingham East MP Nadia Whittome establishes her first monthly column, talking about the climate crisis, extinction rebellion and the need for structural change

109

You don’t associate Nottingham with wrestling, but we find out its history anyway

130

As June rolls in Honey Williams creates a striking Windrush inspired cover

With a cover from Moan Zine, the magazine dives into sex work and desire. Fun fact: this poster is still up outside Blend in Sneinton Market because we lost the keys to the frame.

110 102

2019

The Goose is Loose cartoon is born. Alongside our staple feature City Stylin’

150 moments The photo section is renamed ‘Notts Shots’, acting as a permanent feature for you Nottingham photographers. Providing a space for talents including Alice Ashley, Nathan Langman, Matthew Petley, Tom Haslam, Nigel King and many more, it’s something we’re proper proud of

New editor

ashley carter

111 101

COVID-19 makes April 2020 our first ever onlineonly issue

112

LeftLion returns to physical print and chats to independent businesses about opening after lockdown

Our second virtual issue looks at the city in lockdown, alongside what it’s like to be an NHS worker during a time of crisis. An empty ‘Overheard in Notts’ captures the sense of isolation behind this weird bit of recent history

125

lockdown takes

128 Enraged by the murder of George Floyd, we capture Nottingham in protest

127

126

Still unable to go outside, we take a look at our sister cities across the world

leftlion online

Ahead of Fighting With My Family, actor Nick Frost makes an appearance in LeftLion

We run out of ideas, so 116 features the history of Nottingham alleyways

113

117 Jonny Owen chats his 2015 Nottingham Forest documentary I Believe In Miracles

116

114 We catch up with Game of Thrones actress and Television Workshop graduate Bella Ramsey. Feels like we’ve been here before

40

129

leftlion.co.uk/issue150

115

2020

124

Nottingham Contemporary celebrates their tenth anniversary

‘Object Walk’ is introduced, bringing items from the National Justice Museum to the hands of Nottingham people. Kicking it off is artist and woodworker Martin Somerville from By Our Hands We Make Our Way, investigating three handcarved soap figures

It’s not only in Harry Potter we meet an actual Quidditch player in Nottingham

Editor Ashley Carter’s dreams come true with a special history edition

In a special music edition, we look at the best of the local scene

121

123 Our first ever comedy-themed issue features Nottingham Comedy Festival, Scott Bennett, Vikki Stone, a guy called Sam Clarke dressed as a clown and Editor Ashley Carter interviewing fellow Ilkeston success story Robert Lindsay

118

119

122

As The Bodega turns twenty, we look at the acts that made them an indie institution

Featuring the grottiest Santa-focused cover in history, we introduce the first ever year in review, looking at Nottingham’s TV, music, sport, art and theatre in 2019

120

131

2021

Looking around our local area, we consider the gentrification of Sneinton Market

132

Things get biblical with our Seven Deadly Sins edition, and we look at the gruesome story behind the hit show Landscapers

Over in the print mag, George White chats to Bill Bailey, while in the same month taking over the LeftLion Screen Podcast - iconic.

141

Rock City turns forty.

Framework turns twenty. We look at their very different contributions

We publish your love letters to Notts

133

2022

Our Head of Video and Photography, Curtis Powell, shoots his first ever LeftLion cover, and to make things better it’s of Sleaford Mods’ Jason Williamson, who talks staying angry, being vocal and (of course) Iggy Pop’s parrot

134 Our generationsthemed mag covers everything from birth to death.

Who says we don’t get deep...

136 We say farethee-well to Emily Thursfield, our long-serving Assistant Editor, and the only person who seems able to successfully communicate with Ashley

143

142

140

135

What to put in a wellbeing issue?

An in-depth look into mangastyle dildos, obviously

137

The mythology issue. We try to explain the concept to a lot of people… but to no avail

148 We’re getting pretty consistent with this monthly theme thing. And now we’re talking all about fear - a good dinner party conversation.

We only went and talked to Sir Paul Smith

With a stellar cover from Design Assistant Fiona Carr, 144 is about all things science

We expand to twenty new supermarkets, and GW becomes Assistant Editor. Smashing it.

(He didn’t write these last two entries, honest)

146

147

Fairy tales, the moon, dungeon masters - it’s all things magic this month

150

It’s the food and drink edition and we all try our best to get free food

138

150

145 We let our egos get the better of us and do a full office photoshoot for the fashion edition. Plus, we visit the last lacemaker in Notts, investigate the city’s obsession with sneakers and interview Omid Djalili - the last one isn’t theme-related, we just loved him in The Mummy

OUR 150TH ISSUE

149

139

We try to interview Kevin Costner.

He ignores us

144

Nottingham Forest achieve something pretty big, so our sports edition celebrates the Reds. We also get our Editorial Assistant, Lizzy O’Riordan, to go wrestling.

Why? Because Ash and George thought it would be funny, that’s why.

And here we are: 150 delicious issues celebrating the very best of Nottingham culture, plus a load of other weird, unusual and often irrelevant stuff along the way.

Celebrating the past, present and future of Notts talent, this landmark issue is a bit more self-effacing than usual, but I’m sure you’ll let us off just this once. If not, what are you going to do? We’re free.

Here’s to 150 more.

150 issues. Nineteen years. Five editors.

Countless contributors. Several unsuccesful lawsuits. Hundreds of thousands of magazines across hundreds of venues.

This is the story of LeftLion’s 150 issues in 150 moments

not out leftlion.co.uk/issue150

41

For the last few months we’ve been greasing palms all over town in order to put together a chest full of Notts goodies worth over £700 for one lucky reader to win, all in celebration of us reaching the milestone of 150 issues. But no sooner had we bagged the last prize, that no-good, low-down lily-livered wrong ‘un Al ‘Gator’ Gilby broke into LeftLion HQ and pinched the whole lot. Now, we need your help to track him down. Do you have what it takes?

Win a Chest of Notts Prizes Worth Over £700 • A group escape room voucher for Escapologic

• A six-course taster menu for two at Sans Patrie

• A £20 voucher for Five Leaves Book Shop

• A £20 Blend voucher

• A three-month coffee subscription from Stewarts of Trent Bridge

• Four tickets to any non-tour Saturday show at Just the Tonic

• Free play for four people at The Dice Cup

• A meal for two at Ottimo

• A £25 Treat Kitchen voucher

• A £20 White Rose voucher

42

leftlion.co.uk/issue150

• Two cinema tickets and two pizzas from Broadway Cinema

• A metre of pizza from Oscar and Rosie’s

• A £20 Good Human Coffee voucher

• A £20 voucher for Luisa’s Vegan Chocolate

• A £15 Shop Zero voucher

• Two x 18 holes and cocktails at Lost City Adventure Golf

• Complimentary Menu Rapido deal for two at Bar Iberico

• A £30 voucher for Wild Clothing

• Two annual passes for Nottingham Castle • A hatchet throwing session for two at Hatchet Harry’s

How it Works So here’s the deal: you need to track down Al ‘Gator’ Gilby and find out where he’s got to with that giant chest of prizes. Your journey will take you around Nottingham, so be prepared for a little bit of walking, and maybe even a bit of talking.

You won’t need anything other than your brain, some patience, occasional access to the internet and the sort of tools you can find on most smartphones.

Each step of your quest will bring a new puzzle or challenge, which you’ll have to solve to reach the next stage. If you make it all the way to finding ‘Gator’ Gilby, you’re in with a shot of winning that big chest of prizes.

The Hunt for Gilby’s Gold will run from Friday 5 August to Sunday 14 August. Any person or team that completes the trail in that time is entered into a draw, and one overall winner will be chosen on Monday 15 August to win the entire chest of prizes worth over £700.

If you get stuck at any time, you can email treasurehunt@leftlion.co.uk for clues - but don’t expect answers.

Gilby left this first puzzle behind after he broke in. Here are your first steps: Solve the puzzle to reveal an eight-letter key word (that might be jumbled up at first) Keep an eye on LeftLion’s social media accounts for the next puzzle, which will be available on the launch day: Friday 5 August. You’ll need the key word to access it. facebook: /leftlion

twitter: @leftlion

instagram: @leftlionmagazine

Good luck!

Puzzle one This month’s cover artist, first name Ana

Old Big Head’s middle name

Number of leaves at this indie bookshop

Notts music festival, Hockley...

Lionesses’ Notts-born keeper, first name Mary

Mr Carr, artist interviewed on page 53

Sad animal with a cheese problem for Agony Ash

Alan Sillitoe’s protagonist, first name Arthur

leftlion.co.uk/issue150

43

FOOD AND DRINK

maki your mouth water

words: Charlotte Tomlinson

We speak to the co-founder of Nottingham-based sushi brand Uramaki Sushi, Rachel Thacker, about what makes their brand unique, and the innovative ways they make sure you get the best quality, fresh sushi directly to you…

With beginnings dating back to the height of lockdown in the dystopian-like year that was 2020, Rachel Thacker, alongside her husband Paul, decided to launch Uramaki following a tricky start to the pandemic. The plan was for Paul to produce the sushi while Rachel marketed and set up the website, and wait and see what happened next.

Since then, the brand has massively evolved to become the overwhelming success that it is today. Unique flavours, mouth-watering fish and vegan boxes, this local sushi company has given everybody an opportunity to try out some high-end delicious food. Uramaki describes its dedicated, professional chefs as “demonstrating expertise and a true passion for Japanese flavours” - which is exactly what sushi lovers everywhere want to hear.

Rachel explains how the company continues to grow and has stayed strong since the start, describing the pandemic as “an opportunity to see us as something new on the market and try out a new delivery service.”

boxes to be fully recyclable, even down to the soy sauce bottles being a recyclable plastic.”

Uramaki’s local dropbox initiative means that thanks to their brand new and sustainable packaging you can arrive home from work and be able to enjoy cooled, fresh sushi whatever the time of the day. If you live within a fifteen-mile radius of Nottingham, the team will deliver to your doorstep directly - you don’t even have to be in to collect or sign for it. Instead, it will be able to sit outside and stay fresh and ready to eat.

If you couldn’t think of any more ways that this company could be eco-conscious, their ice packs placed in every delivery box are reusable and the wool can be reused for picnic baskets too.

We wanted the sushi to be able to travel nationwide, but the challenge was how can we deliver sushi in cool packaging that stayed perfect in transit I want to know more about how Uramaki ensures they are staying sustainable with such fabulous, luxury-looking packaging, and Rachel is quick to clarify how important this is to their brand making sure everything is fully recyclable was “in the forefront of their mind” when designing the boxes alongside the UoN students.

“We don’t use the plastic that usually comes with sushi; we decided against this as we wanted the

There are three ways to try this posh sushi, all delivered in sustainable packaging. You can order to a pickup point or farm shop if you live in a more rural area, you can try out the local delivery and drop box option if you live within a fifteen-mile radius, or you can have the box delivered by courier nationwide, automatically put into a chilled, sturdy box looking just as perfect as it was when its journey began.

Moving forward and continuing to be successful is important to Rachel and the company. She tells me that husband Paul has plenty of ideas in his head to evolve the brand - and that he is excited to get to work on them. More products are to come, she ensures me, with possible sushi masterclass boxes on the cards.

Restaurant-standard sushi in the comfort of your own home is the way Rachel decides to sum up the company. It is unique: an independent local business that offers delivery far and wide if needs be, and is one to keep your eye on if you’re a fan of sushi. uramaki.co.uk

food for thought

Recently working with University of Nottingham students at the Food Innovation Centre, Rachel further explains how bright young minds supported the company with developing a design package. “We wanted the sushi to be able to travel nationwide, but the challenge was how can we deliver sushi in cool packaging that stayed perfect in transit - now we have overcome that boundary by leaps and bounds, with the way our beautiful

boxes are presented, with labelled soy sauce bottles and pots of ginger and wasabi.”

44 44leftlion.co.uk/issue150

To Visit The Beeston Social

To Nosh Raspberry Ripple - V-Ice Screams

To Sup Cali Orange - No 91 Juice Bar

It has its own cinema. It has its own Doughnotts. And now Beeston boasts this swanky new spot, with the Social offering top notch food, refreshing drinks and a cracking choice of retro games. @thebeestonsocial

Cool off this summer with a raspberry ripple from vegan trailblazers V-Ice Screams. Sure, vegan alternatives always claim to ‘taste like the real thing’ but, trust us, this tastes just like the real thing. @vicescreams

Forget jetting off to California, walk on over to Mansfield Road and you can get some healthy, sun-drenched deliciousness without having to leave our glorious city. @no91_juicebar

Since it's been a touch warm lately, my thoughts have turned to ice cream, and some of the best in Notts can be found in Yumi Ice Cream Parlour.

Quite rightly a legend in Hyson Green, this venue is well worth a special trip, especially since it’s only a couple of minutes from the city centre by tram.

After a great deal of debate, because the menu is so vast and colourful, I settled on a falooda with a cherry ice cream top, and three scoops of candyfloss, pistachio kulfi and pan masala on the side. All were generously portioned with the unmistakable taste of actual ingredients used in the making.

food review: Mowgli Street life - it’s the only life I know. So, naturally, Mowgli seemed the perfect fit for an outdoor meal on a warm summer’s evening. Offering an extensive, almost overwhelming, choice of Indian street food - from yoghurt chat bombs (or yoghurt cat bombs, if you’re French) to picnic potato curry - this understated little venue on the corner of Stoney Street has become something of a Hockley institution, and, from the moment our food hits the table, it’s easy to see why.

After some lengthy deliberation, we’ve opted for tea steeped chickpeas and mowgli paneer, with a side order of bread and more bread (roti bread and puri bread, to be precise) for dipping purposes. And, despite looking scrumptious as all hell, I have to admit I was initially underwhelmed with the portion sizes. Coming in small, metallic pots, were these options going to be enough to satisfy a hungry boy like myself?

Get That Cake As the ancient proverb goes, when it’s time to celebrate, you gotta get that cake. And luckily us Notts lot have plenty of mouth-watering options to choose from. So why not use our 150th issue as an excuse to try out a sweet treat or five? Here are some of our favourites…

The Everything Stack Cake Clemie’s Vegan Cakes It’d be a sin for us to not shout out Clemie’s - and this Stack Cake really is everything you’d hope for, combining millionaire shortbread, cookies and more to create an arteryclogging classic.

FOOD AND DRINK

food review: Yumi

@clemievegancake Victoria Sponge Homemade Cafe If everything sounds a little much, you can take a more understated approach with Homemade - their Victoria Sponge is simple, but incredibly effective. And by effective, we mean delicious as hell. @homemadecafe

I started with the falooda, which offered a rose flavour that's sweet without tipping over into perfumey, and it matches with the rest of the pudding, though the cherry has the advantage of matching the pink colour.

Of the three scoops of ice cream, the candyfloss (in a tasteful purple colour) was perfectly functional - in any other place it would be the star of the show, but the quality at Yumi is so much greater than other dessert counters.

The pan masala is a taste I haven't tried before, but spice haters need not fear - this is the gentle, comforting flavour you put in a chai when you're feeling a bit poorly. The effect in an ice cream is both cooling and cosy at the same time.

Which leaves the pistachio kulfi, always the last to melt like the most faithful guard in the shield wall. I'm happy to say that, unlike a lot of corner shop kulfi, this maintains the slightly bitter savoury quality of real pistachio that balances the sweetness into something more complicated.

If these picks aren’t your vibe, there are all the regular flavours you'd expect from any good ice cream parlour, and many you'll be pleased you tried. With Yumi about to celebrate its thirteenth birthday, why wait to check them out?

Ni Claydon facebook.com/yuminottingham 116 Radford Rd, NG7 5FW

Yes, as it turns out. In fact, describing myself as ‘satisfied’ by the end of this meal would be something of an understatement. While the portions may not look much to the naked eye, they are surprisingly filling once you start to dig in, especially when you factor in the tear-inducingly tasty bread selection.

The chickpea curry is delightful, offering an aromatic mix of spices that is painfully moreish. Yet the star of the night is undoubtedly the paneer. Each little chunk of cheese is like a drop of heaven, and is saturated in sweet yet spicy tomatoey sauce, creating a flavour combination that is hard to beat.

Sure, the price of the meal does creep up on you - it’s easy to add little extra bits before remembering you actually have to pay for them - but it’s well worth it. Offering top notch food in top notch surroundings, I can’t wait to (jungle) book my next visit.

George White

mowglistreetfood.com 1 Stoney St, Nottingham, NG1 1LG

Ice Cream Cake The Pudding Pantry We know some of you will be whining like a toddler because you want to celebrate with ice cream instead of cake. Well, thanks to The Pudding Pantry, you can do both. Happy now? @thepuddingpantry

Strawberry, Vanilla & Almond Cake Tough Mary’s Bakehouse Keep things healthy and bag one of your five-a-day with this delightfully rich vanilla and almond cake, topped with freshly-cut strawberries. See? Healthy. @toughmarysbakehouse

Guinness Cake The Bakehouse

To Follow Nottingham Street Food Club Can’t be arsed to choose dinner? Let Nottingham Street Food Club do the hard work for you. Bringing together the finest dishes from across the globe, these lot always have something new to offer. @nottsstreetfood

Want your Nottingham foodie business featured in the mag?

Fancy writing for us?

Email us at editorial@leftlion.co.uk

Prefer to celebrate big moments with a frosty pint?

You can do that and stuff your face with sweetness, all thanks to this work of art - combining Guinness with chocolate and salted caramel. @thebakehousenotts

words: Daniela Loffreda illustrations: Natalie Owen leftlion.co.uk/issue150 4545

BREWERIES

LIVE MUSIC

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BANG THE ELEPHANT BREW YORK CASTLE ROCK GWEILO MARDY BUM NAVIGATION NEON RAPTOR THORNBRIDGE TOTALLY BREWED VOCATION

& MANY MORE TBA

46

leftlion.co.uk/issue150

MARIACHI TEQUILA DEAD MANS UKE AKA NOEL GALLAGHER DEEP DOWN BRASS THE OUTRIDERS

& MORE TBA

DJS ~ STREET FOOD & MUCH MORE STILL TO BE ANNOUNCED...

never ending trends It’s safe to say the world has seen its fair share of trends in the almost twenty years that have passed since LeftLion first launched. But it’s fascinating to see how many of these have made a reappearance already. So much so that walking down the high street today and seeing some of the trends people are rocking, you could almost be forgiven for thinking you were back in 2003.

Nottingham’s fashion scene has seen so much change over the past two decades, with a number of openings that have served to cement our city as the fashion capital of the East Midlands I, for one, have been enjoying the hit of nostalgia from seeing many of these trends back on the high street, as well as the new ways in which people are harnessing them, but it’s certainly got me thinking about what trends from the 2020s will make a comeback in years to come. And whether one day the fashion trend cycle will become so rapid that trends no longer exist, and we just end up picking our favourite styles from each era and rocking them however and whenever we want. I’d certainly be all for it.

Nottingham’s fashion scene too has seen so much change over the past two decades, with a number of openings that have served to cement our city as the fashion capital of the East Midlands.

Why do you think Y2K fashion is having such a moment right now?

To be honest, I think social media - and especially TikTok - has a massive part to play in that. I studied fashion at university and so I’m familiar with the pattern of a resurgence of trends every ten years, and this is in-keeping with that. I think it also helps that a lot of the famous icons from the Y2K era are still around now, so I think people also find that quite inspiring.

I grew up during the noughties and I just remember how so much of the fashion from that era was slated. Although I’m sometimes left wondering how some of those styles have come back, I think it’s pretty cool to see how people are pulling those looks off today.

What sorts of Y2K pieces do you currently stock at COW? We’ve currently got a lot of strappy tops and velvet crop tops in. Some have lace detailing on so they’re a little bit revealing. We do also have our resident seamstress upstairs and she reworks many of our Ralph Lauren shirts into high-neck halter tie tops, which were very popular in the early noughties too. We have a lot of vest tops and varsity tops in the menswear section as well.

Sportswear was pretty big back then, so we have lots of retro sportswear from Carhart, lots of baggy low-waist pieces, as well as long cargo shorts and heaps of cool patterned button-up shirts. We stock authentic Y2K pieces, so people like to come and visit us to find those one-off items that make them a little different but still follow the trend.

Are there any new ways you’re seeing people wear these Y2K trends, or new ways you’re styling them for a different take on them?

We’ll often see that with the strappy tops that we’ve got in, for example - especially the velvet and lace ones people have been putting them underneath oversized shirts and patterned skirts to make really cool fresh looks that are a little different. And because we get such a mixture of customers of all ages too, it’s great to see the different ways they style their pieces. We get your proper vintage hunters who have a very eclectic style, but then they buy the Y2K pieces and wear them in a completely different way too.

Are you seeing more younger people,who maybe weren’t around when Y2K fashion was a thing, shopping the trend now, or is it more millennials and older shoppers that were here during the first wave of the trend?

It’s a bit of a mix. We’re getting lots of millennials, but a lot of younger people are also really drawn to the trends too. You do get millennials buying the odd pieces, but they style it differently. They’re still gravitating towards those looks but putting a different spin on it probably because they’re infusing it with their own style, which has no doubt changed a lot since they were first wearing the trends twenty years ago, when they first came out.

What is it that you think makes Y2K fashion so appealing?

When you look at pictures from the noughties, many of the styles worn feature quite exposed looks, as I feel they arrived at a time when people were really coming into their sexuality. So you have your low-waisted jeans with midriff on show and exposed shoulders. And I think, for some people, that might be what’s appealing, getting a chance to capture that vibe.

When you look at pictures from the noughties, many of the styles worn feature quite exposed looks, as I feel they arrived at a time when people were really coming into their sexuality COW arrived in Nottingham nine years ago, so has no doubt seen its fair share of trends come and go, but given the short lifespan of many trends, how do you keep up but still stay sustainable?

Our seamstress helps us recycle a lot of our clothes. So, for example, we had a bunch of skirts that were out on the shopfloor for quite a while, and she’s been reworking them into fresh new pieces as we don’t want to get rid of them.

Although we do, of course, keep up with trends, not all of our pieces follow them. A lot of the things we sell are timeless, such as our vintage denim jackets and shirts.

We do have a lot of unique pieces and we try to have a mixture of people working here of different sizes because we want to cater to everyone.

Any predictions for what the next big trend to watch will be?

I’ve been seeing a lot of futuristic styles with shinier materials which have been surprisingly popular, so I think that will be big. But I do think we’ve only just touched the surface with the sustainability of fashion, and this is a trend I think will only hopefully get even bigger, as more people start to realise the impact of fast fashion on the environment. That’s definitely going to be an even bigger topic over the next ten or twenty years.

If you’ve been inspired to jump on the Y2K bandwagon again or for the first time, visit COW Nottingham on George Street in Hockley or head over to their Instagram page

@cownottingham

the look

It's also inspiring to see the many changes that have taken place within this world over the past twenty years as people become more environmentally conscious about their clothing choices, and it’s something I can’t wait to see evolving more over the coming years.

Looking around today, you may have spotted that many Y2K trends are going through a bit of a resurgence and, while it only seems like yesterday when these styles were first introduced, many of them have found their way back into the limelight. We catch up with Brooke Skelton, supervisor of retro giants COW Nottingham, to find out more about the cyclical nature of fashion and why, twenty years later, these trends are back and here to stay…

Until then, I’ll be certainly dusting out some of my old noughties pieces and rocking them like it's 2003 again. @goldust_looks

words: Addie Kenogbon

fashion

words: Addie Kenogbon photos: Chloe Allen

no scrubs

To Visit Bubble Vintage

To Wear 2000s Vibes

If you’ve not checked out this relatively new vintage treasure on Exchange Walk in Nottingham City Centre then be sure to check it out. It’s full of great vintage women’s and men’s pieces, with prices starting at £3. @bubblenottingham

Take it right back to the early noughties and hop on the Y2K bandwagon. Whether it’s baggy jeans and cargo shorts or baby tees, halter tops and low rise cuts, why not recapture all the energy of two decades ago?

To Follow Nottingham College Fashion Want to be ahead of who might be the next fashion rising star of the next two decades? Why not give Nottingham College Fashion a follow for a sneak peak at some of the great talent here 4747 leftlion.co.uk/issue150 in our city?

literature

Zine on the Scene

interview: Lizzy O’Riordan photo: Jade Bramley

in with the new With a surprisingly small amount of queer venues in Nottingham, it might be easy to believe that we don’t have a thriving LGBT+ scene. But according to one local zine creator, the Nottingham queer community is thriving and in desparate need of celebration. In light of this, we catch up with Jade Bramley, the creative behind Queer Notts, to chat the vibrancy of queer creatives and their latest zine based around the queer Nottingham music scene…

You’ve just released the second Queer Notts zine. Can you tell me about your inspiration?

Nottingham doesn’t have that many specifically generated queer venues, unlike other cities of a similar size, and because of that I feel like a lot of queer individuals and communities don’t get the shine or the spotlight that they deserve. The zine was actually my final project at uni where I created the first issue based around my group of friends and their house, they called it the Gay Goblin Garden and it was an event space that was really safe for everyone. So I thought they deserved a spotlight and then the zine has grown from there - but that’s really the point of it, to celebrate Nottingham’s queer community.

It’s great timing because the 150th issue of LeftLion is all about celebrating Nottingham. Why do you think it’s so important to celebrate queer voices?

I think because we have so few spaces, lots of queer people move out of Nottingham onto bigger cities, which is such a shame because I think the community we have here is so special. Especially in the creative quarter, there is so much talent and it would be a shame if they all moved to cities with a focus on queer districts and venues because they didn’t feel valued here. So hopefully letting them know that Nottingham does appreciate the value they add to our culture will encourage them to stay.

You mention that the second zine centres around music. How has the process of creating that been?

It’s a little bit different because the first issue was focused on one group of friends, whereas this one is more looking at individuals across the Nottingham music scene. So, it was a lot more important to me to get a diverse pick of people; for example, there are bands, DJs and solo artists. There’s a huge range of talent and also identities in there and that was important for me, because I do think that you can unintentionally just reproduce what’s in your bubble which is the opposite of what this zine aims to do.

I’m making queer content for queer people to enjoy and that in itself is political That sounds amazing. Do you have any ideas for future issues yet?

I haven’t contacted anyone yet but the next issue is going to be about alternative drag, and I think the one after that will be focused on queer football fans because that’s something I’m interested in learning more about.

And finally, where can people pick up a copy?

You can go to Instagram and message me and then I’ll post one free of charge. But if you want to get it at a physical location, there are going to be copies behind the bar at The Bodega, Rough Trade, JT Soar and the Contemporary. But there will be more locations pinned on my Instagram too! @queernotts_zine

Short stories

I think it’s inherently political to celebrate queer voices, when those voices have so long been sidelined…

There definitely is politics to it, and when stuff comes up I do include it. For example, in the next issue - which is about queer musicians - I try to include a bit of queer history where I talk about the homophobic response to the disco music in the seventies and eighties. Also, though anyone can read it, my zine really is intended for a queer audience. I’m making queer content for queer

people to enjoy and that in itself is political, to target specifically queer people.

To Do Five Leaves Book Club: The Book of Form and Emptiness Winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2022, Ruth Ozeki’s The Book of Form and Emptiness has been making waves everywhere. Join Five Leaves this August for a book club discussion.

Weds 24 Aug, Five Leaves 48leftlion.co.uk/issue150 Bookshop 48

To Read Where The Crawdads Sing

To Follow Nottingham Writers’ Studio

Having recently taken over the big screen, why not read Delia Owens’ bestseller in its original form? A tale of coming-of-age, murder and false accusations set in North Carolina, this is well worth checking out.

So, you’re a writer, but struggling with writer's block? Head over to the Nottingham Writers’ Studio Instagram for regular prompts under their #writeNWS hashtag. @nottswritersstudio

Don’t get me wrong, I can appreciate a ‘classic’ piece of literature.

Hemingway, Austen, Dickens, I’ve loved books from them all.

But, inspired by this magazine's celebration of the new, I feel that it’s only right to offer up some fresh voices, and to remind you of the limitations of the established canon.

Because, while most of the books in the western canon do have great plots, they are also packed with stereotypes of (often) women and (even more often) non-white characters. This isn’t to say that I think these books should be eradicated, but I do encourage you to approach them critically.

If you read Robinson Crusoe, for example, why not follow it up with J.M.Coetzee’s Foe, the response novel that considers the former's attitude to marginalised people. Or if you’re considering Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, then may I suggest Jean Rhys’ Wide Sargasso Sea, written from the perspective of ‘the madwoman in the attic’ and re-evaluating Mr Rochester's dehumanisation of his creole bride.

At its best, literature is a tool for empathy, one which has the magical ability to make us a visitor in somebody else’s interior world And if response novels aren’t your thing, then we are lucky enough to have a whole host of authors writing today that offer diverse perspectives for you to chew on. Take Angie Thomas’ The Hate You Give, the teen novel documenting police racial bias. Or Crying in H Mart, the story about grief from a distinctly Korean lens. Or maybe TikTok sensation Heartstopper, the LGBT+ graphic novel about first love.

Whatever you choose, the point is that I think it’s important to read voices that are different from your own. Because, at its best, literature is a tool for empathy, one which has the magical ability to make us a visitor in somebody else’s interior world. But this only works if we have the thought to open up that very first page.

words: Lizzy O’Riordan

one of the boys

Literature

words: Lizzy O’Riordan photos: Michael Pedersen

In 2018, poet Michael Pedersen set off on a trip across the Scottish Highlands with one of his best friends Scott Hutchison - founder of the indie rock band Frightened Rabbit. But after the sudden passing of the latter, Pedersen found himself surrounded by grief as he sat down to write his next book. Unable to write poetry, though, he poured himself into journals, and what emerged was Boy Friends, the touching new release chronicling his life through the lens of male friendships. Ahead of his event at Waterstones on Tuesday 9 August, we catch up with the author about his process and inspiration…

“I very much see it as a love letter to friendship,” Michael Pedersen says when I ask him to describe his new book, Boy Friends, published by Faber last month. “To friends here, there and elsewhere, the friends we don’t nearly see enough, the friendships that have expired out of our social orbit somehow, and to those that have left this world in a more temporal sense.”

As we speak ahead of his event at Nottingham’s Waterstones, he muses that his new work is “a love letter, a paean, a sort of poetic song to friendships.” To all the male friendships that have shaped him, but to one friend in particular - his closest friend Scott Hutchison, who he lost in 2018 shortly after their trip to the Scottish Highlands.

Written in Curfew Tower (Cushendall, Ireland), the book started as diary entries, an extended brainstorming session for his new poetry collection. But before long, fuelled by grief and a desire to reflect on his recently-passed friend, it became a project in its own right, morphing into a book about male friendship, looking back on the relationships that moulded him and which have defined the ways he relates to others and the world. “Thinking about the parts of myself that would be missing if I weren’t friends with Scott caused me to put the microscope on where bits of myself had come from,” he says, “and in a big part they came from all these friendships.

“I think it’s such a special thing to spend time honouring your friends,” Michael adds. “We carry our friendships with us for so long, and we spend our time nostalgically thinking about friends that punctuated our lives when we were really young. And I just don’t think there’s enough space within literature, especially that’s dedicated to celebrating these seminal incredible friendships.

So, hopefully this book is a gentle romantic call to action to see friendships in that perspective.”

Told from a specifically male perspective (hence the title Boy Friends), the book also chronicles the

difficulties of making male friendships, especially as a self-described sensitive boy growing up in working-class Edinburgh. “I grew up with a big sister and no male siblings,” he tells me, “and I was certainly envious of female friendships. I saw them as being more sentient. They were hugging, having sleepovers and linking arms, and I saw this friendship that I wanted to bring into my world.

But I made a mess of it quite a lot of times, being too emotionally expressive for these young male friendships, and so a lot of my earlier thoughts about friendships come from that place, an early male emotional frustration.”

I hadn’t intended to be grieving someone and I found myself unable to write poetry in the way I used to Yet, despite the bumpy road in navigating male friendships, they became some of the most defining experiences of Michael’s life, as the book expresses by tracking his friendships all the way from high school to the present day - bumping into characters like Daniel, Rowley and Sparrow along the way, all of whom made an indelible impact on the writer. Even those who he doesn’t speak to anymore, he is keen to celebrate, because “they were these beautiful ephemeral trips, each one was like a long holiday with that person. Just because it didn’t transgress into us being lifelong friends, doesn’t mean they were failures.”

Penned in prose, Boy Friends is formed of perfectly poetic sentences, as would be expected from the author of collections like Oyster (2017) and Play With Me (2013), and I ask Michael how much his work as a poet informed his writing here. “I sort of started writing the book accidentally,” he admits.

“I hadn’t intended to be grieving someone and I found myself unable to write poetry in the way I used to. So I wrote this big bit of prose to pull

poems from, almost like a research document on friendship. I always thought it would be parcels of writing turned into poems because that’s all I'd ever written, and the fact that it kept going as a book took me by surprise.”

The outcome of this process results in a book that has been described by many as poetic prose, which holds the richness of a poem but the narrative of a story. Michael jokes that each line is like an actor, auditioning to be a poem, and continuing the metaphor reiterates that “it was really a dress rehearsal for a poetry collection, but then the dress rehearsal became very much its own thing.

It became a stubborn opponent.” The change in direction forces the work to be more vulnerable, he adds. “The next stage with poetry would be to add in some metaphors, take away some of the more direct sentences, turn it into something that’s less specific and more ruminative. So it would have come with many more masks if I'd written it into poetry. This is full of genuine diary entries.”

A beautiful piece of work, Boy Friends honours the friendship between Michael and Scott deeply, alongside all the other ‘boy friends’ that preceded that friendship. Hoping to open up a wider discussion, Michael says that he’s already been met with a positive response from readers wanting to share their stories of friendship. As we wrap up this interview, he comments that “I didn’t want to write a book that people couldn’t project their life into. I was hoping that, with each friend I discussed, people would be thinking about a friend that they had. So I’m happy that it felt active and it felt collaborative, and that the book is starting the conversation that I wanted it to start. That shows me it has value in that sense.”

Michael Pedersen will be coming to Nottingham’s Waterstones on Tuesday 9 August. His book Boy Friends is available to buy at most bookstores or through Faber @ScribePedersen

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words: Emily Giddings photos: Paul Smith

before our time July was a traumatic month for environmentalists; as the UK hit temperatures not widely predicted until 2050, it felt like fastforwarding to a grim future. So I want to slow down, look back, and take solace.

As well as having young, forceful voices in the Nottingham Youth Climate Assembly right now, we also have a rich, often noisy local history to draw strength from one which has helped position our city as a climate leader, with the country’s most ambitious emissions reduction target.

Notts has helped raise what is now a mainstream, global climate movement. Let’s keep it going There are those who've fought long and quietly for our parks, natural areas, ancient allotments and other community spaces. People like Paul Swift - resident litter-picking womble, wildlife watcher, and historian at Woodthorpe Grange Park (currently celebrating its centenary). For decades, Paul, and several familial generations before him, have voluntarily nurtured the park, and he's one among many doing such work.

At the noisier end there’s the likes of the brave early Ratcliffe-on-Soar protesters who were unwillingly embroiled in, and subsequently exposed, the infamous "Spy Cops" scandal. This followed a pre-emptive 2009 raid - then the largest ever on environmental activists - which saw 114 arrested for allegedly planning actions to highlight the dangers of the power station’s fossil fuel emissions. A dark spell, but efforts that must be honoured.

There’s the pioneering Nottingham Green Festival, which has now been running for over thirty years and will return on Sunday 11 September, with its various composite crews including Veggies Catering (founded 1984) and Sumac Centre - all rooted in the peace, animal rights, and environmental movements. Regular folk all over the county now rally to protect trees and wildlife, replant our landscapes, and grow their own food.

Whatever lies ahead, our local legacy in amplifying science and pushing leaders towards action is undeniable - we’d be in a far worse place without them. Notts has helped raise what is now a mainstream, global climate movement, and any hope we have is wrapped up in that. Let’s keep it going.

ENVIRONMENT

bright young things

Young people can often feel like their voices get lost when it comes to climate change, but movements like Fridays For Future have made their mark on policy shifts in recent years. Likewise, Nottingham Youth Climate Assembly looks to make sure that our local youth are informed and heard about how our city takes on the challenge. Twenty-year-old writer Emily Giddings gives us the lowdown…

Citizens’ assemblies involve regular people coming together to form a jury of sorts, in a bid to find solutions to big issues through learning, deliberation and co-operative decisionmaking; through this process, they’re guided by a team of impartial experts and facilitators. They’ve been used to gather the perspectives of the wider public on many thorny issues, from climate change to the Irish abortion rights referendum.

Few assemblies have represented primarily younger people’s voices on climate change - but as we’ve done little to bring about this crisis, and have the most to lose, our voices are arguably the most important. Nottingham Youth Climate Assembly (NYCA), focused on fifteen to eighteen-year-olds, addresses this gap, something that I believe to be important.

Naturally therefore, I head down to see what it’s all about.

NYCA takes place over a weekend at the University of Nottingham’s Monica Partridge Building - a stunning piece of architecture boasting generous natural light, soft pine walls and long glass windows, a modern design intended to promote connectivity and sustainability. As I speed past along a wall of all-female portraits exhibiting some of University of Nottingham’s most notable alumni, I know I’m in the right place.

I’m just in time to take a seat and listen to proposals for a new green Broadmarsh area; the fruits of a workshop run by architects/designers Will Harvey and Ryan Boultbee. After exploring the recent grassroots demand for green spaces at the heart of Notts, they let the room’s own imaginations run wild. Participant Joe explains the importance of “moving away from materialistic views and shifting our values toward nature” through his designs.

Another speaker with a vision for what’s been dubbed Nottingham’s “Green Quarter” is Chair of Nottingham Good Food Partnership, Penney Poyzer. She laments our broken food system, and offers various ways in which we could fix it: illegalising edible food waste (as France did in 2016) and boosting access to horticultural courses, which are currently unavailable in Notts.

A young person shares her experience of working in a supermarket, miserably throwing away edible surplus.

Another confirms the education gap around things like food cultivation, seed sovereignty and waste. They feel many people, including governments, seem oblivious to the danger; Youth MP Meghan is shocked that some of her own school mates claim climate change “isn’t a big deal”. She feels we’re not taught “in a way that expresses how important it is that we solve it”, a sentiment reflected by facilitator (and young working teacher) Alice Bayes. Not all young people have time to carry out independent research, and filling this educational gap shouldn’t be a child's responsibility.

Scarlett Westbrook, author of the English Climate Emergency Education Act, would agree. After opening her

GCSE geography paper to an unnerving question asking her to list the benefits of climate change, the then-sixteen-yearold joined campaigning organisation Teach the Future. The bill’s sponsored by Nottingham’s own Nadia Whittome, who leads a session on influencing policy.

Nadia explains what a true Green New Deal might look like, and commends our success as young people - our demonstrating, protesting and school strikes “struck the system”. I ask Nadia, only 25 herself and still Baby of the House, how we make politics more accessible for under-eighteens. She says the political world shouldn’t be intimidating or alienating, as politicians are mostly “deeply unimpressive, mediocre people” - winning a collective giggle. She emphasises that we have huge influence, and advises us to collectivise.

A young person shares her experience of working in a supermarket, miserably throwing away edible surplus Professor Lucelia Rodrigues tells a group looking at transport and planning that if the COP26 pledges are followed, we can potentially mitigate global temperature increase to 1.8 degrees celsius, but notes that ambitions count for little if they don’t become a reality, and policy isn’t moving fast enough. She says Nottingham is practically implementing change towards our Carbon Neutral Nottingham 2028 ambition, though, and seeing the city’s progress is inspiring; our per capita emissions have dropped by 52% since 2005, the highest reduction in the UK. But globally we’re nowhere near on track for carbon neutrality (which counts the fuel we burn and the energy we use directly), let alone net zero (which also counts anything we buy, use, or consume) by 2050, which the International Panel on Climate Change says is essential if we’re to stand a chance of halting cataclysmic changes.

By the end of the weekend, a mass of post-it notes, doodles, posters and forums were condensed into a powerful, four-themed manifesto, which includes calls for more government action, for the council to “listen” to young people by creating a new “Youth Climate Committee”, and involve them in local decision-making that impacts their futures. They want policy to champion accessibility, stronger community bonds, socio-economic justice, inclusion, climate education, and rewilding.

These tenacious teens have said their piece and made their demands for a rapid and inclusive response to climate change clear. Now it’s just up to the adults to listen. nottinghamclimateassembly.co.uk

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The

Screen Podcast news | reviews | interviews Nottingham's take on all things film

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interview: Kieran Burt illustration: Chester Carr

SCREEN

chester draws

Since graduating from Nottingham Trent University back in 2014, concept artist Chester Carr has gone on to work on the likes of Spider-Man: Far From Home and Overlord, as well as directing his own short films - including Death of the Primate, a winner at this year’s Nottingham International Film Festival.

Kieran Burt hears all about his artistic process, plans for the future and much more…

How did you get into working as a concept artist?

I always made films as a kid and loved making all the props and costumes. I later studied Design for Film and TV at Nottingham Trent University and really just found myself in a world where I felt like I belonged. I spent a lot of time developing my skills, but I was lucky enough to be studying when YouTube and the internet were creating huge communities of artists, so there was a limitless resource at my fingertips. I still had to put in many hours of work, but I learned all sorts of tips and tricks online. Since then, digital education has come a long way, and almost everything you need to learn to be a concept artist is available virtually.

It’s a great privilege to be able to work on beloved franchises - I’ve been working on a big Lucasfilm project for the last two years and I’ve been having a lot of fun What's your process for designing a piece?

It usually starts with the Production Designer gathering a lot of references and giving me a brief that describes their vision. That can either be very detailed or very vague, depending on how much they have thought about it. But usually you will work through the brief with them, making changes and tweaks until it matches their vision.

In terms of the technical process, I always start with a 3D software called Blender. It's great for very sketchy 3D modelling - more of an artist's tool than an architect's tool. I then render out some images and paint over them in Photoshop.

There are heaps of tutorials online going through the various different approaches, but most concept artists work like that these days. There are, of course, some of the old-school guys who

are just incredible painters, and I'm always in awe of them.

What's your favourite piece that you've drawn?

Hmm, that's a tricky one. I think I tend to like the work that takes the shortest time - when all the pieces just fall into place. But really, the work of a concept artist isn't so much about the artwork you are producing, but rather the end goal, which is the film itself. I had a lot of fun on Overlord, which turned out to be quite a good film.

storyboards and so on. So there are certainly similarities, at least on the small scale projects I have directed. But generally, directing is more about getting other people to help you achieve your vision, guiding their talents to help you tell a story, meaning it's also a very different role. The main similarity is holding a clear vision in your head and, by whatever means, turning it into a tangible product.

You've worked on some high profile projects like Spider-Man and Eternals. What's that like?

It's a great privilege to be able to work on beloved franchises. Depending on the job, I usually prefer working with smaller teams - but I've been working on a big Lucasfilm project for the last two years and I've been having a lot of fun.

I think greed is an inherent trait in all humans - it’s a survival mechanism. Some are better at controlling it than others, but all the world’s problems start with greed in some form or another.

I've not seen much concept art, nor am I familiar with many artists’ names. Do you think concept artists get enough recognition for the work they do? If not, what do you think can be done to improve that?

I think it depends on what circles you move in.

The internet is so huge these days that there are whole bubble communities with their own celebrities and influencers. This is definitely true of concept artists - ArtStation [an app showcasing the work of artists across the globe] is huge. But really, concept art is part of a greater process, a team effort, and I think there are hundreds of film workers who don't get recognised for their work, so it's not any different for concept artists.

Both of your films so far feature the theme of greed. Was this intentional or coincidental?

I think greed is an inherent trait in all humans - it's a survival mechanism. Some are better at controlling it than others, but all the world's problems start with greed in some form or another. It's an interesting thing to explore, for sure, but I wouldn't say it's something that I sit down with the intention to write about. I just think it's something that I reach, because I want to tell stories that put characters in difficult moral situations. Seeing how they react to something as basic as greed is something I think most people can relate to in some form or other.

How is the process of directing different to creating concept art? Are there any similarities?

I write and direct in a very visual way. I'm a visual thinker, I guess, so I always start with references, and sometimes I'll develop those into mood boards, or even finished concepts, while developing the story. I also find my concept art skillset very useful in planning out shot choices,

Can we expect more from you as a director?

Yes, I'm currently writing my third short film, which I hope to take into production later this year. In fact, I've also got a number of feature scripts that I'm chipping away at whenever I find the time. @chestbearman leftlion.co.uk/issue150 53

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SCREEN

bringing home the bacon

interview: Yasmin Turner

top work

We chat to filmmaker Jusep Moreno about his documentary When Pigs Escape, which tells the true story of Matilda the pig and her babies, who were rescued from the woods after escaping from a Nottinghamshire farm…

What inspired you to make this film?

The inspiration to make this documentary came from Matilda’s actions – the fact that she escaped from a farm and sought shelter in the woods before giving birth to her piglets. Many other animals that find their way out of farms are brought back and nobody ever hears about them, but Matilda’s tale came to the attention of the right people, and I wanted to amplify her story by creating a record of it.

Looking at the bigger picture, I also wanted to make a documentary about pigs, because the general public don’t have an opportunity to get to know them. Most people only interact with pigs when they eat them, and the only glimpse we catch of them while still alive is either in farms or in trucks on the way to the slaughterhouse. By making this documentary, I wanted to give people an opportunity to connect with pigs and offer an alternative perspective of them and their lives.

I am sure some people will be dismissive of the film, but I also hope the documentary can open the eyes – and the hearts – of many others

How do you think audiences will react to the overall message of the documentary?

I expect a wide variety of reactions, because I think this film raises a lot of questions and it doesn’t necessarily give all the answers. I want the documentary to encourage people to think about what they have seen and how that relates to our individual lives and the disastrous situation that pigs find themselves in. So, I am very interested to hear viewers’ thoughts after watching it, and the conversations that we may have as a result.

Also, because of the nature of the documentary - which could be reduced to an animal rights one - different people will inevitably have very contrasting responses.

I am sure some people will be dismissive of it, but I also hope the documentary can open the eyes – and the hearts – of many others.

What can audiences expect from the screening and Q&A in August at Bonington Theatre?

I hope everyone attending will have a great time and leave inspired by the story of Matilda. The screening will also be followed by a Q&A with myself and members from both sanctuaries, so everyone will have a chance to ask their questions about the film and the new life of Matilda and her piglets. Finally, by attending the premiere at Bonington Theatre, attendees will help to support the work of the two sanctuaries that were involved in Matilda’s rescue, as all the money from ticket sales will go directly to them.

When Pigs Escape will be screened at Bonington Theatre on Saturday 6 August and at Broadway Cinema on Sunday 4 September

Short reels

Throughout When Pigs Escape, there are many moments of silence – perhaps as an opportunity for contemplation. Was this deliberate?

Absolutely. A large part of the documentary is “silent” in the sense that we don’t have a narrator talking to the audience. The idea behind this was to place the focus on the pigs, who then fill that gap with their voices. I wanted people to look at them and to listen to them, as opposed to having a narrator become the centre of attention by telling us about what we are seeing. I find it more interesting if I give the viewers the opportunity

to come up with their own thoughts as they engage with the pigs as directly as possible.

To Do West Side Story - The Luna Cinema Missed Steven Spielberg’s Oscarnominated take on this 1961 classic?

Catch up in the best way possible sat out in the sun, watching on a big screen in Wollaton Park (sun not guaranteed).

Fri 26 Aug, Wollaton Hall

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To Remember Inglourious Basterds

To Follow A-Z Alternative Posters

Tarantino might have grabbed the headlines for August 2009’s Inglourious Basterds since, you know, it’s his film - but there’s a bit of Notts influence in there too, with NTU graduate Steve Summersgill working his magic as 2nd Unit Art Director.

LeftLion writer Jeremy Arblaster is also a talented graphic designer, it turns out - creating gorgeous alternative posters for films ranging from The Green Knight to Spencer. Check out his work on Insta. @az_filmposters

When discovering the next generation of big and small screen talent in Nottingham, you rarely have to look further than The Television Workshop. Over the past couple of decades, they’ve helped to kickstart the careers of everyone from Vicky McClure to Jack O’Connell, Aisling Loftus to Samantha Morton. Heck, we even shamelessly nabbed one of their Stars of Tomorrow, Jorden Myrie, to spotlight as one of our stars of tomorrow (that’s on page 23, by the way).

And despite the challenges of the past couple of years, they are still working hard to spotlight a new wave of potential stars.

In July, the Workshop put together Sin, a short film festival featuring five twelveminute movies created by over-sixteens at the Workshop - and the range and depth of ability at the organisation continues to astound.

When discovering the next generation of big and small screen talent in Nottingham, you rarely have to look further than The Television Workshop Each film boasted that distinctive blend of bleak, impactful drama and dry, witty humour that feels proper Notts, and so many of the actors nailed a distinctive style that is bound to make casting directors’ lives a whole lot easier.

If you don’t believe the ramblings of this unqualified nobody, though - and to be fair, why would you? - I have a certain Shane Meadows to back me up. “I loved the event,” the legendary director tells LeftLion on a warm, sun-drenched evening at Broadway Cinema. “It was a really strong showing and I love the fact the ideas are coming from the students. There's an enormous amount of talent here.”

What was ultimately a night of celebration did start with a warning, though. Like for many organisations right now, nothing is guaranteed. After cuts to their funding, the Workshop is in need of the city’s support - otherwise, the next Vicky McClure or Jack O’Connell might not find a way into the industry, and Nottingham will lose a real gem in its screen scene. So if you can, please help to secure the future of this Notts institution - and launch the careers of a whole new wave of local legends.

Find out more about how you can help The Television Workshop by visiting their website thetelevisionworkshop.co.uk

words: George White

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MUSIC

interview: Katie Lyle photo: Curt Walsh

folk that noise

Having risen to prominence in the British folk scene, James McAllister, otherwise known as Beans on Toast, is one of the most respected artists around - known for his lyricism centring around drugs, politics and love.

But now the singer is taking on a role as event organiser of the Foolhardy Folk Festival, coming to Nottingham Arboretum in August. Before it gets going, we catch up with the singer about summer vibes, going back to simplicity, and his love for festivals…

For the second year running, the stage is set for the Nottingham Arboretum to host the Foolhardy Folk Festival as Nottingham looks forward to boasting another day of great live music and good vibes. And if there’s one person who is more excited than anyone else, it’s organiser Jay McAllister aka Beans on Toast, who comments that, “It was so much fun last year.

On stage, off stage, it was just a whole collection of photos of people smiling, and I think that’s the mission.”

At the moment my general rule of thumb for gigs is, it’s all my positive songs This year’s festival is already hotting up, with the Essex-based artist describing it as “a beautiful day of music, trees and revelry” with “music from a bandstand in the middle of the Arboretum, including some bands that are used to being acoustic and some rock and roll bands playing a calmer, more folky set.”

upcoming vibrations

Pitched as an afternoon of good company, nice music and a beautiful setting (all for an affordable price), McAllister asserts that Nottingham’s the perfect place for it. “Obviously, I’m not from there,” he says, “but I have a slight sort of spiritual connection with the place and it’s central, isn’t it?” Expanding on his ‘spiritual connection’ with the area, Beans explains, “My parents both grew up in London in the sixties and then moved to Essex, but my mum’s best friend moved to Nottingham and they're as close as family.

We used to come up a lot, spend a lot of time in

Sherwood Forest, at the Major Oak and stuff like that, so I knew the city really well.”

Going on to talk about the festival musically, Beans says, “I’ll sort of open up proceedings with a solo set of Beans on Toast classics from throughout the ages, then I’ll also be playing a set with my new band, playing songs that’ll lead more towards the new album. At the moment my general rule of thumb for gigs is, it’s all my positive songs,” he says. “Look, I know the world is a difficult place, I’m not an idiot, but I think you hear enough about that left, right and centre, so I find it really refreshing to stand on stage and say, I think life’s beautiful and I think we’re really lucky to be here, let’s not be defeatist about the problems that face us. This doesn’t have to be the end of humanity, it could be the beginning!”

It’s been a big summer for Beans; leading up to this festival, he has had performances at Glastonbury and Y-Not, to name just a couple. “I love festivals. I really, really do. I’ve been going to them since I was a kid, so it really is in my blood, and I think at all of the gigs I’ve done so far this year there’s been a real magic in the air,” he says. “Just getting up on stage, everybody wants that relief. It’s just been an absolute dream to be standing up and to be conducting those sorts of emotions, and I’ll be doing that every weekend right up until the Foolhardy Folk Festival - so I’ll have even more practise by then! I’d like to think that from doing it for years I’ll be able to use that and spin it into my own event, but my main trick for the festival is to not over-complicate it. There’ll be some nice food options, some drinks, and what I’m trying to do with Foolhardy is almost take things back to the core

of a gathering - and that, I think, is what made it so beautiful last year, and that’s what we’re going to try and conjure up again.”

Giving us an insight into what to expect, he divulges that “I’ve invited some of my favourite bands on the planet to come and play and I’m lucky enough to call them friends. I mean, Will Varley’s one of my all-time favourites, he’s a real timeless songwriter. She Drew the Gun, they’re like anarchist, political, almost indie/ pop/soul, so they’re really excited about doing a bit of a different show for people as well. As is very similar with Holy Moly & The Crackers, who are from Newcastle - they’re kind of foot stomping, dancing folk.

I know people go to festivals for different reasons but I go for the music, and so I’ve pulled in a bunch of favours to get that right “So, I’ve got music from around the country, which is nice, as well as some local acts in Georgie who’s from Nottingham. So that’s really the core. I know people go to festivals for different reasons but I go for the music, and so I’ve pulled in a bunch of favours to get that right and host it all in a beautiful setting.”

The Foolhardy Folk Festival is taking place on Sunday 28 August at the Arboretum @beans.on.toast

To Go Synesthesia

To Listen The Enemy by Lizzie Esau

To Follow Betseyb

Group drawing session in response to live music created by Josh Marchant, using his harp and harmonising vocals, and Amber Frost, playing the cello and sounds from her studies into endangered bird species.

Materials provided; techniques shared.

Saturday 6 August, 7.30pm. The Carousel

Emerging artist Lizzie Esau has released her fresh new indie rock tune The Enemy. Already receiving huge success so far, the Newcastle singer-songwriter puts this out as her second single of the year to continue her collaboration with Nottingham producer Steve Grainger, all recorded in Metronome’s Studio 1. @lizzieesau

Straight out of winning Nusic’s Future Sound of Nottingham, singer-songwriter Betsey B opened the stage of Splendour Festival at the end of last month with a stunning vocal performance, and we think she has plenty of success to follow. @betseyb

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Fang Jr Death and December (EP) Local electronica artist, Fang Jr, recently released this new EP containing four tracks, and it is not one to miss. With a recent launch party at the Chameleon Arts Café, this has certainly gone down a treat; electronica fan or not. With a blend of well-produced beats and soft, airy vocals, this album has been released ready to enjoy during a wonderful British summer - Fang Jr provides tunes that are made to be soaked in while the wind blows through your hair as you’re out in the open. Lush! Matthew Benton-Smith

MUSIC

MUSIC Reviews

Diluting The Stream There’s more space for albums on my phone than a sound system in my bedroom; discovering new artists is easier than chewing on baked beans; and my mates can see what I’m listening to before I recognise the song myself. The ergonomics of music streaming services make things easy as pie for the listening lot. But how is our value of the artistry changing?

Back in the eighties, you’d do well if a tenner could fill your tote with records.

Nowadays, depending on your booze and boozer of choice, accessing nearly all music ever recorded works out at a cost equivalent to one pint per week.

While the big three labels are cashing in on hefty deals with Spotify and co, smaller artists are suffering This might seem like wicked news for the artist, who’s sure to get exposure on a platform where everyone’s invited, right? Well, as it is, music streaming services’ almost limitless offering of music results in over-saturation.

Excessively high supply decreases the perceived value. And while the big three labels are cashing in on hefty deals with Spotify and co., smaller artists are suffering.

While algorithms are sifting through new music on our behalf, how likely is an artist to get the million streams needed to make a living?

These services’ benefits are clear, and they’re not the only ones to blame for artists receiving an unfair slice of the pie. However, they don’t do enough to encourage listeners to think about where their money ends up.

To show your favourite artists some boosting support, cop a ticket for their next gig and consider signing up for alternative platforms such as Bandcamp, where listeners have more control over what the musicians receive.

Good Hustles Tornado (Single) As far as single names go, you'd be hard-pressed to find one as fitting as Tornado. An energetic whirlwind of guitar riffs and pop punkesque vocals, Good Hustles' latest release is the sort of high-octane tune that is designed to get people pumped during a packed gig at The Bodega. Following up their quality EP Apes with what is another fresh and catchy bit of music, to say these lot are having a good year would be an understatement. George White

Torn Sail Live 2022 (Album) Nine tracks from two live performances, presented in one album out now on digital format and a limited-edition CD release. Huw Costin, Henry Claude, John Thompson, Jim Baron and Jeff Davenport have once again given us a beautiful moment in time with their psychedelic alternative folk-rock sounds, and they deserve a much wider audience. No longer a best-kept secret, Torn Sail have produced a powerful live sound that is intensely moving throughout, with a paradox of mighty fragile vocals. Bassey

If you’re from Nottingham and want to get added to our music writers list, or get your tunes reviewed, hit us up at music@leftlion.co.uk

NUSIC BOX

Your new Notts music tip sheet, as compiled by Nusic’s Sam Nahirny. Want more? Check out the fortnightly podcasts and live sessions on the Nusic website.

Streaming services don’t do enough to encourage listeners to think about where their money ends up

words: Elliot Farnsworth

Act On This fella - real name Lewis - has already lived quite the few rock and roll years. From releasing a single with Jax Jones, as well as playing some of J’s legendary club nights, you’ve probably seen this dude as you made some regretful decisions on the floor of the SU or Unit 13. House bangers stacked on top of more than a little ‘could easily be playing main stage Ibiza’ lineups, AO is living his best life. And it’s only the beginning. @act.onuk

The Black White Hucknall-ian and proud, TBW are the chaotic, raucous guitar-fuelled bender that your ears have been salivating for. Only together for the best part of a year and already finding themselves on the Splendour lineup (terrified deer all round), these gents have got anthems piled on anthems and more than a bit of NG swag. It won’t be long until they’re selling out sweaty, broken-toilet venues around the globe. @black_white_uk

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UN D

When record temperatures put paid to our plans for a Great Gatsby-inspired cover shoot, we called on Ana Caspão to illustrate us all looking suave and sophisticated - and it’s safe to say she did not disappoint. We hear all about how she put together this proper swanky piece…

Tell us a bit about yourself...

My name is Ana Caspão, I was born in lovely Portugal and lived most of my life close to the beach. Even with this natural luxury, my usual habitat was in my room drawing relentlessly, something that was paired with a healthy dose of video games.

When I was about to hit young adulthood I decided to go study the arts and since then I haven't been quite the same. After many adventures, I now find myself in Nottingham hoping to explore more of the city and the UK. What was the biggest challenge you faced from creating this cover?

I knew it would be difficult to have so many people in one illustration and keep it cohesive. So I looked for inspiration from the work of Sterling Hundley and 1920s artists like Erté and George Barbiert. In the end, though, it was just a matter of taking a deep breath, trusting what you do and getting to work.

Tell us about some projects you’ve worked on in the past...

One of the standouts was with the institution Cineclube do Porto; they asked illustrators to draw something related to their film exhibitions. Some of my favourite drawings came from the unique experience of having to watch a film and finding out how to reflect the substance of it compellingly, especially to an audience that might be completely unaware of the specific director's work.

What have you got planned for the future?

I'm trying to find my place in the UK. It's very difficult coming to a new country without most of my family, old friendships, habits and especially the art community I loved to participate in. All in all, I know many drawings await me and it's one of those things the future will always have for me. So if I can share that with a community, the coming years will look bright!

Is there anything else you’d like to tell the LeftLion readers?

Life can be tough, but through art we can make it a bit easier for ourselves! anacaspao.com @anacaspao

all said and done

interview: Gemma Cockrell photo: Studio Anicca Charlotte Jopling

ART

ST TI R

R E

VER A CO

Formerly the Director of HOME Slough, Saad Eddine Said has built a career in the arts sector, having worked with many high-profile organisations and artists. He spoke to us about his aims within his new role as Artistic Director and CEO of the New Art Exchange in Nottingham…

How did you get involved with working in the arts?

I grew up in Morocco where I developed the City Takeovers, which took me all over the world working within communities, building networks of creatives around the idea of making change. Then I came to the UK five years ago. But I've always been fascinated by narratives, and how they can impact people's lives, and I was always interested in different art forms.

Your vision is to broaden diversity through conversation. How will you go about starting these conversations within your new role?

I think it's important to recognise the past, but we need to look forward to developing partnerships to catalyse change. The most powerful tool is the ability to lead a conversation. It’s about being open and inviting to conversations, whilst embracing that we want to change the landscape and face the challenges.

You have an ambition to build partnerships that can help society to become more inclusive. How do you aim to do this within Nottingham?

NAE is the biggest art centre in the UK that is dedicated to arts and community from the global ethnic majority.

We are privileged to be supported by stakeholders who believe in our mission. This comes with responsibility but also privilege. We have access to a stage where our voice can be heard, and we need to co-share this stage.

What do you see as the gallery’s role within the wider community?

If you look at the NAE as an asset, we have curated our vision from the community we are serving. Our aim is to tap into our community, and become an example of what a citizen-led gallery could look like. We understand the importance of going forward with this ambition.

You aim to reposition NAE as an asset for the wider community. How do you plan on achieving this?

I think we need to come back to the basics. That's what we're doing at the moment. How do you make a connection with NAE, how do you get an exhibition, an opportunity? I think these are key questions that are the centre of our conversations. We know that the community is changing, and we want to be a part of that.

How have recent events in the political scene impacted the arts and creative sectors?

It's been a full-on couple of years, hasn't it? I think it's offered an opportunity to stop, reflect, and reimagine.

We have the ability to shape society and the way we experience culture. We understand that we can only survive if we are together. It is frightening, but equally exciting. It will be key in reshaping how society looks for the next generations.

I think it’s important to recognise the past, but we need to look forward to developing partnerships to catalyse change What do you believe constitutes art, and how will you bring these views to the gallery?

I don't believe that my role is to define what art is. Instead, it is to explore what it means for the communities that we want to connect with, to be a bridge between the vision and it becoming a reality.

Definitions about art are subjective, and what matters is how I can work with people who feel undervalued, to define what it means to them.

What have you learnt from your past roles, and how will you bring this forward?

It’s a lot easier to speak than to listen. Very often, we think we come to spaces with the best answers and expertise, and what I've learnt in my career is the best thing we can do when we come to a space is to ask the right questions.

The new season at NAE is Reclaim. Could you tell me more about what this will bring to the gallery?

Reclaim is about bringing conversation, it is an invitation to creatives to reclaim the space. We have more than 50 creatives and communities taking part, which is fantastic. This is bringing larger conversations about reimagining what this space could look like if it was reclaimed. We've heard some fantastic visions that we have supported and it feels rejuvenating.

You also launched the Reside programme. What are you hoping this will achieve?

For us, Reside is about working with artists here at NAE, breaking boundaries between the walls of the venue and communities who may never walk in. This is something that we are really committed to going forward. We are hoping that more artists will take part, and that NAE will feel like a second home for them.

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What’s on?

MONDAY 1 AUGUST

FRIDAY 5 AUGUST

SUNDAY 7 AUGUST

THURSDAY 11 AUGUST

SUNDAY 14 AUGUST

�� Free Football and Cricket for

�� Storytelling Badge Making

�� Mark Harrison Band

�� High Noon

�� Sap Plants Pop Up Shop

�� Sunday Jazz: Ben Martin Band

�� Monsters & How to Make Them!

�� Short Stack

8-15 Year Olds Nottingham University Samworth Academy Free, 6pm

�� The Big Quiz Malt Cross 7.30pm

�� Cro-Mags

Rock City £20.25, 6.30pm

The Lion at Basford Free, 1.30pm

�� Bands in the Park: Carlton

Broadway Cinema £5 - £10, 10.30am A Children’s Writing Workshop

Nottingham Writers Studio £10, 11am

Rescue Rooms £17, 6.30pm

�� Blind Ambition + Q&A

Sessions The Harley Gallery & Portland Collection From £10, 10am

�� Friday Night Comedy

�� Top Gun Double Bill

�� An Evening with Lars

�� Family Clay Tile Making

Peggy’s Skylight £5 - £15, 7.30pm

�� Hands on Holidays - Summer

�� Anti-Flag

Peggy’s Skylight £8 - £10, 12pm

Brass Victoria Embankment Free, 2.30pm

TUESDAY 2 AUGUST

Broadway Cinema £5 - £10, 6pm

Rough Trade Free, 11am

Broadway Cinema £3.50, 5.30pm

�� Classic Board Game Club The Carousel Free, 7pm

MONDAY 15 AUGUST

Frederiksen Rescue Rooms £18.50, 6.30pm

�� Sourdough Starter Masterclass

�� An Evening with Julie Walker

�� Combichrist

Existentialist + Support The Chameleon £5 - £7, 7pm

�� Bryan Corbett Quintet

TUESDAY 16 AUGUST

WEDNESDAY 3 AUGUST

The Lion at Basford Free, 9pm

MONDAY 8 AUGUST

�� Paint Your Own Tealight Holder

�� Tom Davis & Friends

SATURDAY 6 AUGUST

The Bodega £13.75, 7pm

(Ages 4-11) Tiger Community Hub £5, 10am

�� How Poems Happen (Zoom) Nottingham Writers’ Studio 6.30pm

The Glee Club £15, 6.30pm

�� Messy Drink and Draw The Carousel £3, 7pm

�� Mannequin Death Squad + Fan Rights + Peach Head The Chameleon From £6, 7.30pm

�� Pub Quiz

The Lion at Basford £1, 8pm

THURSDAY 4 AUGUST

�� 100 Eggs for Ukraine Launch Party City Arts Free, 6pm

�� Open Air Theatre: Cinderella Wollaton Park £11 - £18, 6pm

�� Tom Davis & Friends The Glee Club £15, 6.30pm

�� Pots and Pints Rough Trade £27.50, 6.30pm

�� Cel Animation Workshop The Carousel £5, 7pm

�� Thom Whitworth’s ‘Funky Organ’ Quartet Peggy’s Skylight £6 - £12, 7pm

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Workshop The National Justice Museum Free, 10am

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The Glee Club £8 - £24, 7pm

�� Solana

�� Nightclubbing

Broadway Cinema £5 - £10, 8.15pm

�� The Outriders

Broadway Cinema £8 - £12, 5.15pm

�� Ithaca: Live + Signing Rough Trade Free, 6pm

�� Beyond Extinction +

�� Pink Siifu

Waterstones £5, 6.30pm

Peggy’s Skylight £6 - £12, 7pm The Carousel £6, 7pm

Malt Cross £24, 6.30pm

Rescue Rooms £20, 7pm

�� Intro to Beading (Ages 11-16) The Bead Shop £20, 10am

�� Campus On Camera

FRIDAY 12 AUGUST

Lakeside Arts £15 - £20, 10am

�� The Big Quiz

�� NAE Open Awards Ceremony

�� Pale Waves: Acoustic + Signing

Blue Camel Café £1 - £2, 10am

TUESDAY 9 AUGUST

�� Annie Jr.

WEDNESDAY 17 AUGUST

�� When Pigs Escape

Sessions The Harley Gallery & Portland Collection £10 - £12.50, 10am

�� Junior Detective

The National Justice Museum £9.95 - £10.95, 10am

�� Vegan Market

Bonington Theatre £10, 2pm

�� The Girls Bathroom Podcast Waterstones £20, 2pm

�� The Hundred: Trent Rockets Men v Birmingham Phoenix Trent Bridge Cricket Ground 2.30pm

�� Chicken Run

Broadway Cinema £3.90, 2.15pm

�� Saturday Night Comedy The Glee Club £10.25 - £18, 6.45pm

�� Tacoma Narrows Bridge

Malt Cross £5, 7.30pm

�� Hands on Holidays - Summer

�� Roy Claire Potter: Land Lay Moldbrest Primary Free, 6pm

�� Mall Grab: DJ Set +

New Art Exchange Free, 6pm

Nottingham Arts Theatre £6 - £27, 7pm

�� Trash Fic: The Return Rough Trade £3, 7pm

�� Errol Linton

Peggy’s Skylight £14 - £20, 7.30pm

SATURDAY 13 AUGUST

Motorpoint Arena Nottingham £28.92 - £68.40, 10.30am

�� 1525: Introduction to Zine Making Nottingham Contemporary Free, 5pm

�� Mo Heart

The Glee Club £15 - £25, 8pm

�� Sap Plants Pop Up Shop!

Rough Trade Free, 10am

THURSDAY 18 AUGUST

�� An Evening with Michael

�� Saturday Art Club New Art Exchange Free, 10.30am

Conversation + Signing Rough Trade £19, 6pm

�� Market Day

�� Psychedelic Porn Crumpets

�� The Pirates! In An Adventure

�� Benjamin Dean

Pedersen and Omar Musa Waterstones £5, 6.30pm

WEDNESDAY 10 AUGUST

The Carousel Free, 11am

Taking The Pledge: The Temperance Movement In Britain Djanogly Theatre £3, 1pm

�� The Addams Family

�� Zine Club

�� No Man’s Land

�� Crimson n Clover

�� Pub Quiz

�� HAWK (Work in Progress)

The Lion at Basford Free, 9pm

�� Paw Patrol Live!

Signing Rough Trade £12.50, 6pm

Disaster + Mountainscape + Din of Celestial Birds The Chameleon £5, 7pm Nottingham Playhouse £6, 7pm

Rough Trade £15.50, 6pm

The Carousel £3, 7pm The Lion at Basford £1, 8pm

With Scientists!

Broadway Cinema £3.90, 2.30pm The Bodega £16.88, 5pm

Nottingham Playhouse £10, 7.30pm

�� Florence Given: In

Rescue Rooms £13, 6.30pm Waterstones £5, 6.30pm

�� Cult Film Club: Rear Window Works Social £10, 6.30pm

�� The Great British Cheese Tasting Malt Cross £24, 6.45pm

FRIDAY 19 AUGUST

MONDAY 22 AUGUST

THURSDAY 25 AUGUST

SUNDAY 28 AUGUST

TUESDAY 30 AUGUST

�� Guns 2 Roses

�� Lauran Hibberd: Pub Quiz +

�� In the Beginning: Starting

�� Pat McCarthy Quartet

�� Film Club Takeover: Portrait

�� Fresh

�� Matt Ratcliffe’s ‘Unity’

�� Irish Folk Session

WEDNESDAY 31 AUGUST

Rock City £12.50, 6.30pm

�� The Groovy Cats Rough Trade £6, 7pm

�� Alice in Wonderland

Nottingham Arts Theatre £6 - £27, 7pm

�� Broadway’s Mystery Film

Live + Signing Rough Trade £13.50, 6pm The Bodega £11, 7pm

�� The Big Quiz Malt Cross £5, 7.30pm

Your Short Story Nottingham Writers’ Studio £12 - £15, 6.30pm Peggy’s Skylight £6 - £12, 7pm

FRIDAY 26 AUGUST

�� Linoprint Protest Workshop

Broadway Cinema £5, 8.15pm

TUESDAY 23 AUGUST

The National Justice Museum Free, 10am

SATURDAY 20 AUGUST

�� Hands on Holidays - Summer Sessions The Harley Gallery & Portland Collection £10 - £12.50, 10am

�� Chiyoda Ku + Indigos + Peach

�� Stitch and Bitch The Carousel Free, 2pm

�� Covet

�� Emily St. John Mandel in

Rock City £16, 6.30pm

Conversation Waterstones £5, 6.30pm

�� Joan As Police Woman

�� The Interrupters

Rescue Rooms £22.50, 6.30pm

�� One Night Only: Charity Fundraiser The Bodega £6.60, 6.30pm

�� The European

Rock City £24.50, 7pm

�� DIIV

Metronome £8.25 - £16.50, 7.30pm

WEDNESDAY 24 AUGUST

+ Hoggs Bison The Chameleon £7, 7pm

�� GNOD

MONDAY 29 AUGUST

�� Sean Paul + Special Guests

�� Bingo Loco

�� The Hundred: Trent Rockets

Rock City £17, 5.30pm

�� Nottingham Panthers vs

Rough Trade £16.50, 7pm

Nothing Nottingham Castle £10 - £16, 7pm

The Chapel £5, 9pm

Women v Welsh Fire Trent Bridge Cricket Ground 3.30pm

�� Free Football and Cricket for

Waterstones Free, 6.30pm

Motorpoint Arena Nottingham £44.13 - £105, 7pm

�� Messy Drink and Draw The Carousel £3, 7pm

�� Sinatra: Raw

�� The Hundred: Trent Rockets

Stranger + Mandibles JT Soar £10, 7.30pm

Men v Welsh Fire Trent Bridge Cricket Ground 7pm

�� The Billy Joel Songbook

Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall £22 - £32, 7.30pm

�� The Ocean

�� Pub Quiz

�� Cocktails and Crime: Rest in

�� John Carpenter’s They

Peace The National Justice Museum £23.95, 7.30pm

Rescue Rooms £15, 6.30pm

8-15 Year Olds Nottingham University Samworth Academy Free, 6pm

Discussing The Book of Form & Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki Five Leaves Bookshop Free, 7pm The Lion at Basford £1, 8pm

Dizzy Ink £25 - £25, 6pm

SATURDAY 27 AUGUST

�� Much Ado About

�� Sports Team: Live + Signing

�� Cages For Preachers + My-Hi

�� Introduction to Risograph

�� Trending Titles Book Club

�� Family Art Club

The Square £6 - £7, 11am

Festival In The World (This Is Just A Tribute) Rock City £17.63, 5pm

Signing Rough Trade £13.50, 6pm

�� Feminine HI-FI

Peggy’s Skylight £13 - £15, 7.30pm

SUNDAY 21 AUGUST

�� Japan Fest Retford

�� This Is Not The Greatest

�� The Lounge Society: Live +

�� Carioca Soul (Spirit of Brasil 66)

Rescue Rooms £20, 6.30pm

�� Five Leaves Book Group:

Peggy’s Skylight Free, 4pm

Primary Free, 2pm

�� Soccer Mommy

Sheffield Steelers - Pre-Season Game Motorpoint Arena Nottingham £10.40 - £22.80, 7pm

Championships 2022 Motorpoint Arena Nottingham £15.31 - £67.92, 7.30am

�� Sunday Jazz Jam

�� Family Art Club

+ Flytrap Rough Trade Free, 7pm

�� Perfume Genius

�� The European

The Lion at Basford Free, 3pm

Of A Lady On Fire Broadway Cinema £5, 7.45pm

The Bodega £13.20, 7pm

Championships 2022 Motorpoint Arena Nottingham £15.31 - £67.92, 7.30am

Primary Free, 2pm

featuring Shannon Reilly Peggy’s Skylight £8 - £10, 12pm

Rescue Rooms £15, 7.30pm Live Savoy Cinema £5 - £6.95, 8.30pm

Nottingham Playhouse £20, 7.30pm

�� Erasers + Yumah + Pale

�� Pub Quiz at The Lion at Basford The Lion at Basford £1, 8pm

FOR THE FULL RUNDOWN, VISIT LEFTLION.CO.UK/LISTINGS

ONGOING EVENTS �� Street Art Festival 2022 Surface Gallery Free, Until Sat 13 Aug

�� Identical

Nottingham Playhouse £10.50-£25.50, Until Sun 14 Aug

�� Eye To Eye: Selected Works from the Lambirth Collection Djanogly Art Gallery Free, Until Sun 28 Aug

�� 100 Eggs for Ukraine

City Arts Free, Thu 4 Aug - Thu 22 Sep

�� Spider’s Web

�� Night Must Fall

�� Fable Finders: Holiday Arts &

�� Spotted Dog Art Group

Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall £16 - £30, Tue 2 Aug - Sat 6 Aug Drama Club Nonsuch Studios 10am - 3pm Mon 8 Aug - Fri 12 Aug

�� Peter Valentine Exhibition Nottingham Society of Artists Free Tue 9 Aug - Sun 14 Aug

Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall £16-£30, Tue 9 Aug - Sat 13 Aug

�� Crewel Embroidery Workshop

�� IMARA Exhibition

�� Milkshake with Harleighblue

�� Theatre And Puppetry

The Harley Gallery & Portland Collection Thu 18 Aug - Fri 19 Aug

Exhibition Nottingham Society of Artists Free, Tue 16 Aug - Sun 21 Aug

The Carousel £3 10pm - 2am Fri 19 Aug - Sat 20 Aug

�� The Book of Mormon

�� Dinosaur World Live

Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall £18.50-£75 Wed 17 Aug - Sat 10 Sep

Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall £17.50 Mon 22 Aug - Wed 24 Aug

Nottingham Society of Artists Free Tue 23 Aug - Sun 28 Aug Summer School Lakeside Arts £125 10am - 4pm Mon 29 Aug - Fri 2 Sep

�� 4Sight Exhibition

Nottingham Society of Artists Free Tue 30 Aug - Sun 4 Sep

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BEST OF AUGUST Nottingham Riverside Festival When: Friday 5 - Sunday 7 August Where: Victoria Embankment How much: Free

The Hundred When: Saturday 6 – Friday 29 August Where: Trent Bridge How much: From £10

After two long years without this huge free event by the Trent, the Riverside Festival is set to return in the first weekend of August, celebrating summer with everything from fireworks to food. And as if that wasn’t enough, there will be live music on three separate stages, as well as dragon boat racing and paddle-boarding. Promising fun for all the family, this is well worth a visit.

Taking place at our famous Trent Bridge, Nottingham is set to host three days of top class cricket during the iconic Hundred tournament this month.

Guaranteeing some great days out, make sure you show your support to the Trent Rockets as they host the likes of Birmingham Phoenix and Welsh Fire as part of this prestigious sporting event.

Covet When: Saturday 20 August, 6.30pm Where: Rock City How much: £16

Nottingham Carnival When: Sunday 21 August Where: Victoria Embankment How much: Free

With an intimate gig at the Rock City Beta room later this month, the Californian band Covet are bringing their latest music to the city - including all the best tunes from their new album, Polaris.

Their unique sound was created in 2014 and takes inspiration from classic rock combined with math rock, promising a gig that alternative and indie fans are sure to love.

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Vibrant, exciting and bringing the community together, Nottingham Carnival is returning with live performances, parades, a funfair and much more - there really is something for everyone. With its origins dating back to 1970, this major event is set to be a high energy multicultural celebration drawing in huge crowds for a lively and unique day out.

Frenchie ‘Pup’ Up Café When: Saturday 13 August Where: Nonsuch Studios How much: From £9 If you love dogs, this one-day pop-up event is perfect for you.

Bring along your Frenchie and mingle with other dog lovers, with free treats, toys and puppuccinos on offer (for the pets, of course).

Already kicking up a fuss in the likes of The Tab and on BBC Radio 2, this is a unique pick that is soaring in popularity (notice how we resisted a pup pun there?

You’re welcome).

Rear Window Screening When: Thursday 18 August, 6.30pm Where: Works Social How much: £10 A classic Hitchcock film full of suspense - whether it be the first time or the tenth time you’ve seen it - Cult Film Club are hosting another one of their screening nights at Works Social for this timeless mystery thriller.

Watch Rear Window in front of a 100” screen, cosied up with plenty of drinks and snacks on offer. It’s a Thursday night out you won’t want to miss.

Arboretum Beer Festival When: Friday 26 – Saturday 27 August Where: Arboretum How much: From £11

Newark Festival When: Friday 26 - Monday 29 August Where: Newark How much: From £25

Real ale, local street food and live shows from top quality musicians and DJs - what more could you ask for on a Bank Holiday weekend? Returning for its second year, the Arboretum Beer Festival will be jam-packed with amazing entertainment and plenty of fun and games for you to enjoy - or if you fancy a more chill time, you can simply sit back and enjoy the sunshine with a beer in hand.

Over the August Bank Holiday weekend, the streets and venues of Newark will be filled with music, art, food, and family entertainment, including a freeentry multi-genre music festival on Saturday, an intimate concert featuring the vocal harmony group The Overtones at Newark Castle on Sunday, and a spectacular fireworks finale on Monday. Tickets for this event are available from the TicketMaster website and selected local shops in Newark.

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Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

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14

05

08

01

21

06

11

DIIV

+ SUPPORT DITZ

NICK MULVEY

BBC INTRODUCING

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MATT MALTESE

!!! (CHK CHK CHK)

SKEGGS

10

LET’S EAT GRANDMA

29 24 YOUNG CREATIVE AWARDS SHOWCASE

PORRIDGE RADIO

STELLA DONNELLY

LET SPIN

JOEY COLLINS

+ THE BUSHIDO CODE

16

TALES FROM A WEDDING PRESENT

18

MARTHA

+ SUPPORT BIGFATBIG

26

SORRY

Huntingdon Street, Nottingham NG1 1AP 64

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