LeftLion Magazine - March 2022 - Issue 145

#145 March 2022

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Credits

Supporters

Alan Gilby Coco ChanAl alan.gilby@leftlion.co.uk

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

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

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

Fiona Carr Design Assistant fiona.carr@leftlion.co.uk

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ekam Hundal Creative Digital Assistant ekam.hundal@leftlion.co.uk

Alex Stubbs Art Editor alex.stubbs@leftlion.co.uk

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

These people #SupportLeftLion 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, Bob Allison Âû, Bridgette Shilton, Carla Prestwich, Caroline Le Sueur, Cathryn Sharpe, 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, Erika Diaz Petersen, Felicity Whittle, Frances & Garry Bryan, Friday Club Presents, Hayley Howard, Heather Hodkinson, Heather Oliver, Helena Tyce, House of Pain Wrestling Academy, 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, Jason Jenkins, 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, Kemi, Livi & Jacob Nieri, Lizzy and Margot, Luke and Flo, Marc Weaver, Mark, Mark Barratt, Mark Gasson, Martin, Matthew Riches, Matt Turpin, Matthew Riches, Matthew Wilson, 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 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, Ruth Parry, Sam Hudson, Sam Nahirny, Sarah Manton, Simon Evans, Siobhán Cannon-Brownlie, Spicer, Steve Lyon, 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.

patreon.com/leftlion Rebecca Buck Stage Co-Editor rebecca.buck@leftlion.co.uk

Daniela Loffreda Food Editor food@leftlion.co.uk Cover Emmy Lupin Sub-Editor Lauren Carter-Cooke Intern Isabella Read Writers Dani Bacon Bassey Shaun Hoolan LoveCeCe

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

Tom Quigley Photography Co-Editor tom.quigley@leftlion.co.uk

Emilie Mendham Sam Nahirny Georgianna Scurfield Nadia Whittome Matthew Benton-Smith Nick Parkhouse Liam MacGregor-Hastie Photographers Lucie Nechanická Georgianna Scurfield David Reiss James Birtwhistle

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

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

Illustrators Emily Catherine Kasia Kozakiewicz Tracey Meek Kate Sharp Smugcomputer Illustration Editorial Illustrations Emily Catherine

Featured Contributor Isabella Read Isabella is currently studying at West Nottinghamshire College where she is doing A-levels in English Language, Media, and Business Studies. During her first year at college she has been influenced by many fashion journalists and editors such as Dame Anna Wintour, the Editor-in-Chief of Vogue since 1988. Focusing on getting the qualifications that are needed, she plans to go to Nottingham Trent University to study Fashion Communication and Promotion. She enjoys spending her free time with friends and family, and grabbing a bite to eat in one of Nottingham’s many nice restaurants.

You can read Isabella’s article on Nottingham sneaker culture on page 20

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Contents 16

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Clothes for Change

Can You Kick It?

I Didn’t Ask For It

Addie Kenogbon talks to Grace Walker of White Rose, the Notts powerhouse that revolutionised recycled fashion in the city

They say you can tell a lot about a person from their shoes, so we decided to explore the importance of sneaker culture in Notts

Lucie Nechanická’s photobook project highlights the victim blaming culture that weighs on sexual assault victims

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A Personal Shopper in Notts

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The Sound of Style

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Vogues Gallery

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Talking Funny

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The Empress’ New Clothes

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Wardrobe Malfunction

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The Last Lace Maker

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More Than She Seams

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Don’t know your bouffant from your blouson? Your peplum from your pin tuck? Our Personal Shopper in Notts has got you covered We decided to get all sartorially indulgent and donned our best clobber for a proper fancy LeftLion photoshoot The incomparable Kitty Tray on the evolution of fashion in drag culture, and the importance of a good baby doll dress The lace industry once fuelled the entire city, but now just one traditional manufacturer is left standing: Cluny Lace Known for using bold prints and bright colours, Rebekah Peters is becoming a key figure in Notts’ preloved fashion scene

Editorial

How do some of Nottingham’s most iconic bands and singers figure out what to wear to make an impression on stage?

We chat to award-winning stand-up comedian, presenter and actor Omid Djalili ahead of his appearance at Nottingham Playhouse Realising there was a problem with inclusivity in fashion, Notts designer Evie Ashwin set about creating clothes focused on accessibility

Green is the New Black

Emilie Mendham explores the ongoing issue of greenwashing and sustainability in our throwaway fashion culture

Object Walk

This month’s Object Walk sees us take one of Reggie Kray’s old prison shirts, which was a gift from Buzz Aldrin, out and about

I’ve always been fascinated by fashion and the way a simple pair of trousers or a statement jacket can transform an outfit into a wearable work of art. So, I’m really excited to be LeftLion’s new Fashion Editor and to be guest editing this month’s issue.

Clothes have the ability to do so much, whether it’s helping to tackle the climate crisis, or helping to make a stand against the patriarchy.

The clothes we wear can be a symbol of strength, faith, or even just a great way to connect people by letting you express your personality and creativity.

Nottingham is a city with bags of style, and it’s no surprise given the brilliant selection of clothes shops we have right on our doorstep. From designer brands like the Vivienne Westwood store at Flying Horse Walk to the eclectic mix of vintage and preloved stores in Hockley, such as COW, Braderie, Sue Ryder and White Rose - whose co-founder we caught up with on page 16.

In this month’s issue, we’re exploring all things fashion and how it ties into so many areas of life. From discussing the

slow fashion movement and how it can drive change (page 35) to hearing from our favourite Nottingham musicians about how they power-dress for the stage (page 26).

We’ll also be tackling hard-hitting issues during our interview with Lucie Nechanicka where she discusses her I Didn't Ask For It photo book (page 22). The project features pictures of women who have experienced harassment around Nottingham, and what they wore on the day of the incident.

It aims to show that experiencing harassment can happen anytime, anywhere and to anybody – regardless of what they’re wearing.

It's set to be a great issue, which hopefully inspires you and gets you thinking when next you reach for your favourite outfit.

Addie Kenogbon, Guest Editor addie.kenogbon@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...

up not I’m pets y r up sor “I’m te on Mssip.” a o d g y to brit cele

illustrations: Kate Sharp All Intents and Porpoises I was always told that Nottingham was one of the places in the UK that was furthest away from the sea. So you could have knocked me down with a feather when I got tipped off about this one. While enjoying an afternoon of fishing, anglers Craig and Matthew only went and spotted a porpoise chugging its way up the Trent. I don’t know if it’s global warming, a wrong turn or just a rogue dolphin on a mad one, but if the pair hadn’t filmed it, I doubt many people, this mole included, would have believed them.

“If I h betw ad to ch o e Bagh en a pin ose d t Sher ad and in a w have ood I’d pint in genu to th in ink a bout ely it.”

That’s Your Mane Present When Gladys Welch was born, Mickey Mouse didn’t exist, women couldn’t vote, the USA was only 48 states and the Queen was still a sparkle in George V’s eye. Celebrating her 101st birthday earlier last month, there was only one gift that animal-loving Gladys – who survived her workplace in Newark being bombed by the Luftwaffe - wanted: a visit from a little horse. Her care home arranged the surprise arrival of Puppy, a tiny falabella horse, as well as a campaign which saw almost 1,000 birthday cards arrive. Lovely stuff.

with hing noise t e d th nee at’s …

“Th ic, you music s e mu ake th ly.” e to m rtunat o unf

Grandad Theft Auto I don’t know what’s more mad about this one – the fact that a man in his eighties thought it was ok to drive without a licence or insurance, or the fact that he’s been doing it for seven decades.

After a tip off from a source in Bulwell, I was on the scene when the elderly chap, who had been bombing around in his Mini without a care in the world, was arrested outside Tesco Extra.

I heard him tell the officers that he’d been driving since he was twelve and had never had a problem before, but they weren’t having any of it.

Pick Six

This month we’ve tasked Shaun Hoolan of Wild Clothing with choosing a few of his favourite things…

Woman o “I bet I n the phone: could m ake a Haggis.”

Book The Ivy Look This is a little pocket book by Graham Marsh and Jo Gaul, is full of vintage ads and images of all things ivy/collegiate/preppy classic american style. It's a super little reference book for me.

“I’ve no t liked Ji m since h e got his my Carr ba messed up anyw rnet ay.”

“Would you rath er be a depressed human or a depressed fruit? ”

on: “Are to her s e talking ic r, e ’s n th a o M at m ight ing at th you look ou’re lucky he m y If cream? e got it.” where h tell you n’t.” o w o he Man: “N

“She’s n ot happ y with you for leaving that giant sh it full volu in the toilet.” me on t he bus

ons his “He reck l s Michae a w e m na s a w t he Owen bu ilippines Ph from the ing to y tr t s ju and me.” impress

Film The Wanderers I first saw this in 1981 when I was thirteen. It’s set in the Bronx in 1963 and is about an ItalianAmerican gang, The Wanderers, who are involved in territorial battles with other gangs. It has a great soundtrack and is set in a fabulous time period - early sixties USA is where I’m at.

Meal King Prawn Green Curry I had the most delicious Thai meal at The Barton Arms in Birmingham about four years ago. Just king prawn green curry with coconut rice - so simple but amazing flavours. It’s a beautiful Victorian place with loads of original features remaining.

Song Sick Pay This is impossible to answer, but one song that is always with me is Sick Pay by Richard Hawley, which is from his first solo album. This song is about love and having nothing but each other, but still getting by. It holds a lot of memories for me.

Holiday Amsterdam Any time spent in Amsterdam is good for me - a beautiful city for architecture, waterways, bridges, bicycle culture, so many great shops and bars. I could easily move there, I miss it so much.

Notts Spot Rough Trade & The Old Angel I’ve gone for two: Rough Trade for a gig and The Old Angel for drinks.

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The clothes you wear are a coat for your skin and your skin is a coat for your skeleton and your skeleton is a coat for your organs but with holes in…

SHOWER THOUGHTS words: Dani Bacon illustration: Fiona Carr

City

Nottingham’s most opinionated grocers on...

Well-Dressed People We saw a programme recently with Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood on and they looked great – both flamboyant and comfortable. Overall, the best dressed person we see at the moment is Keir Starmer. He’s always immaculate and his collars are sharp and amazing – he’ll win votes from that alone. Compared to him, the actual Prime Minister looks a right mess.

The Thompsons’ Style At work what we wear is practical and functional. We’re on our feet all day so it’s jeans, boots and sweatshirts. But we like dressing up when we go out. We were out for dinner recently wearing Paul Smith suits, and saw one of our customers. He couldn’t believe how smart we were. We buy new suits every time we go to a wedding. People think it’s normal for women, and that men should just drag their twenty-year-old suit out every time. What’s that about?

Dressing as Twins We always try to buy the same clothes as each other. All of the clothes in our wardrobes are exactly the same. Our sister bought us two t-shirts a couple of years ago. They were the same brand, but one was hooped and the other one was plain. So we told her we wouldn’t be wearing them. If people ever buy us clothes they need to buy us two that are exactly the same. She knew better the next time she bought us something.

sTYLIN’

at the Cattle Market interview and photo: Georgianna Scurfield

I’m Tony, I was born in 1952 and I’ve been working down here for the last sixteen or seventeen years. I used to have a warehouse here for fruit and veg. It got burnt in the fire a couple of years ago and we lost everything.

We actually watched the fire spread to every building around, it was heartbreaking. Just seeing everything you’ve put into your business go up in flames, it was awful.

There’s nothing we won’t do, as long as it’s within reason. We try to help everyone out, we try to look out for the individuals who’ve been with us right the way through. My customers come down, they know me by name, I know them, I know what they're having. A lot of the old dears come down and they’ve got no husbands and no support, that’s why we do Saturdays. There’s no profit in this but it’s nice, it’s like a family gettogether because they all give me grief and I give them grief. But that’s how it should be. Everybody looks after everybody… or should do.

People are getting greedy and mean nowadays, they’ve got no patience.

They don’t want to wait for anything, do they? You get some down here that are very very rude, and some that are so nice it’s unbelievable. But that’s life isn’t it.

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A Personal Shopper in Notts No one knows what a personal stylist is, or a colour consultant. Instead, I just say that my job is making women feel fantastic. I do personal shopping too, but it’s not just taking somebody shopping and getting paid for it like you might think, it’s about giving people the tools to know what suits them and why. That way they can become confident in the shop without me.

I think people think stylists are out of reach, and for people with lots of money, but that’s not true My journey started many years ago when I studied knitwear at Nottingham Trent. After that I worked as a manager at John Lewis for six years, during which time my dad passed away. That experience caused a real lightbulb moment for me, it made me reevaluate ‘what am I doing here?’ Soon after, a stylist job came up at John Lewis and I decided to apply. Instantly, people could see the difference in me, like a weight had been lifted off, and it quickly became my favourite job. In fact, I loved it so much that I used my bonus to train in London with the hopes of setting up my own business.

Nowadays, I’m totally independent. Nearly six years ago I set up on my own, which was the hardest and best decision I’ve ever made. I came home one day and said to my husband ‘I think I’ve just handed in my notice’ and that was it. Now my office is what my children’s playroom used to be, and it might sound weird but I feel like I’ve found my calling.

It’s a funny transition because you become your whole brand, and like any business I had to learn to do my own accounts and marketing. I also never really switch off, I go to bed with a notebook by my side. That being said, I still get butterflies every time

I meet a new client, because I find it so exciting.

I love getting to know my clients, and seeing the difference between when they first arrive and when they go. It’s great that this experience can bring out the best in them, and give them confidence.

There isn’t really a normal day because every client is so different and it’s all about figuring out what they want. But I do tend to take a three-pronged approach: colour, style type, and body shape. The client usually comes to my house around ten in the morning and I start by looking at colours with them, explaining the difference between colour categories and how they relate to skin tone and eye brightness. Then we’ll move onto the colour drapes, figuring out which colours suit them best, and they always leave with a keychain of colour swatches to bring shopping. Style is a bit more difficult. We go through the different style personalities, which are really helpful as a guide. For example, the ‘natural’ style personality values comfortable things, so we work toward finding clothes with movement.

Finally, we go into body shapes, and discuss what they want to focus on and what they don’t, a lot of it is about the drape or the fabric etc, and how that can change the way you look.

On average, I tend to see about three people a week, and one person usually takes up a whole day. Even after seeing them, I’m doing moodboards or sending reports, or tidying the studio back up. Before the pandemic I saw someone every day, but now it’s probably three a week. Things are starting to pick up again now though, which is brilliant, and we’re back in person rather than on Zoom!

I think people think stylists are out of reach, and for people with lots of money, but that’s not true.

Actually, it can save people money because it teaches you to be excited about what’s in your wardrobe. I think it’s a stereotype that my job is all about buying lots of new clothes, because actually it’s often helping people look at what they’ve got.

I don’t want to tell people to buy something that they don’t need, often it just takes a few new key pieces to refresh someone’s wardrobe. Fast fashion and sustainability are big issues, and I think lots of people are more cautious now about what they’re buying and why. Many people (myself included) turn to retail to feel better, but you can get that high from your own wardrobe.

I’ve worked with people from fourteen all the way to about ninety, but I think my average demographic is middle aged women, often who have kind of lost themselves. It can be heartbreaking actually, I always ask people to tell me three things they love about themselves and three things they don’t, and so often people can’t name one thing they like.

They need to be shown that they have so many good things. It’s a weird feeling being middle aged, people can stop noticing you’re even there. You see that in the way people walk, and how they dress themselves, it’s like they’ve lost their sense of self.

What I do is all about helping people get that back, and showing them what they already have.

I still get butterflies every time I meet a new client, because I find it so exciting I have a lot of special memories about this job, but I’ll always remember my first client because her feedback made me cry. She had just lost eight or nine stone in weight, and couldn’t see herself as a smaller person. She would sit in my studio with a massive jumper, and a lot of that process was showing her what she looked like now. She got in touch with me after and said it was a life-changing experience. I still get Christmas cards from her now actually, and we stay in touch. But that moment was so amazing for me.

illustration: Kasia Kozakiewicz

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Adapted & Directed by Set and Costume Designer BUNNY

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

Growing up, art was always my favourite school subject, but I believed for too long that it wasn’t really for me - a young woman of colour from a working class background who faced pressure to conform from inside my community as well as outside it. Sadly, it seems like not that much has changed: the Arts Council’s latest data suggests that only 11% of arts audiences were Black or from a minority ethnic background. It’s clear that diverse communities still experience real barriers to participation.

Attending Nottingham’s Mela, Europe’s oldest South Asian art festival, every year as a child was a formative experience. The Mela showed me that there are artists from all different backgrounds creating amazing work, and that people like me can find a home in the arts.

As a teenager, difficult life circumstances meant that I started to struggle. It was then that I became involved in Nottingham Contemporary’s youth group. This youth-led space allowed me to find my voice and see that my creativity and interests were also valid, but I’d also credit it with pushing me to finish my GCSEs. Nottingham has long been a home for creative industries. In the nineteenth century, our city became the centre of the global lace industry.

Today, we have the Creative Quarter, filled with creative and digital independents and start-ups. We have collectives like Surface, supporting early and mid-career artists, and FlyGirl, offering creative support to women of colour; ground-breaking arts spaces like the New Art Exchange and Backlit; one of the world's leading art and design schools at Nottingham Trent University; theatres such as Nottingham Playhouse and the Theatre Royal; and the BAFTA-winning Television Workshop which delivers drama training to hundreds

of children across the Midlands, and whose alumni includes the likes of Vicky McClure, Molly Windsor, Jack O’Connell and Joe Dempsie.

Our creative scene is one of the many reasons that I feel extremely proud to represent our beautiful city.

The access to art I had growing up here enriched my life in many ways. Art enables us to express ourselves. It can help us navigate complex issues and lead us to explore who we truly are. But sadly, due to the Government’s funding cuts, many young people from working class backgrounds don’t have the same opportunities to experience this joy as I had.

To re-imagine a wellfunded culture sector then is to envision art as a public good Last summer the then-Education Secretary Gavin Williamson announced a 50% funding cut for arts and design courses across Higher Education institutions in England, with the money saved put towards STEM subjects instead. Of course, technology and science are also important, but they should not be pitted against the arts.

The arts are not a luxurious indulgence, but an essential building block for a criticallyminded civil society. The fact that the sector has contributed £115.9 billion to the UK economy, employing 2.1 million people, makes this choice even harder to comprehend. Cuts to arts education will mean that employment in the cultural industry becomes even more inaccessible for many.

The pandemic has also had a devastating impact on the arts. Many arts venues have suffered financial difficulties, including the theatre industry, which estimates a £630 million loss in revenue. The House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee has argued that the pandemic presents the biggest threat to our cultural infrastructure in generations. But to safeguard our arts institutions in the long-term, we must look beyond quick fixes to mitigate the worst impacts of COVID. The whole funding model needs a re-think.

Some money for the arts comes from councils, but because of cuts from central government, many have reduced their funding. On a national level, the proportion of public money given to the arts is tiny – the National Campaign For the Arts suggests it is as little as £14 per person per year. This makes artists and venues dependent on corporate sponsors and secondary revenue streams, such as ticket sales, on-site hospitality, and venue hire. This market-driven approach to funding risks further narrowing the scope of the art that is being produced and who produces it.

To re-imagine a well-funded culture sector, then, is to envision art as a public good. The arts could give opportunities to people from all walks of life to explore their creativity, to forge new relationships and to find joy in discovering new perspectives.

At its best, art can simultaneously be comforting and challenging, pushing us beyond what we already know. This is what makes our cultural institutions so precious - and is why I am determined to fight for their protection. nadiawhittome.org

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Vogues Gallery With this being the fashion issue, and us lot being nothing if not self-indulgent, we decided to let our Head Designer and photographer extraordinaire Natalie Owen snap us wearing our Sunday best at our favourite Notts spots… photos: Natalie Owen George White - Assistant Editor Highfields Park

Curtis Powell - Head of Video and Photography Sneinton Avenues

Fiona Carr - Design Assistant Victoria Embankment 14

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Al Gilby - Director The City Ground

Ekam Hundal - Creative Digital Assistant Fisher Gate Point

Ashley - Editor Let aCarter little light in Stonebridge City Adam Farm Adam Pickering - Partnerships Manager The Park Tunnel

Jared Wilson - Editor-in-Chief Woodthorpe Park

Lizzy O’Riordan - Editorial Assistant Cobden Chambers

Addie Kenogbon - Fashion Editor Broadway Cinema leftlion.co.uk/issue145

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interview: Addie Kenogbon photo: Natalie Owen

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Clothes for Change Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few years, you’ll no doubt have spotted a number of White Rose shops peppering Nottingham’s high streets. We caught up with Commercial Director and Cofounder Grace Walker to find out how their popular shops are changing people’s perceptions of charity shops and preloved clothing, while helping to raise funds to transform lives through Aegis Trust…

If you pop into any White Rose store, you could be forgiven for mistaking it for your regular highstreet clothes shop. However, far from the fast-fashion giants that have dominated cities around the world for years, White Rose pride themselves on providing shoppers with great quality preloved pieces, coupled with a shopping experience reminiscent of traditional fashion retailers.

While studying at Nottingham Trent University in 2008 and as part of the Aegis Students’ Society, Grace Walker, White Rose’s Commercial Director, accompanied some of her fellow students on a visit to Rwanda to learn first-hand how the 1994 genocide had a cataclysmic effect on a whole nation. A part of the visit involved meeting survivors at the Kigali Genocide Memorial, which was run by the Aegis Trust. It was an experience Grace would never forget.

“A lot of the people we met there, including our tour guides and hosts, were students just like ourselves. They were the same age, but they had gone through very different experiences. When you meet people the same age as you that had lost very close members of their family in such a way, for me personally, I could barely comprehend it.

It was meeting those students with similar career aspirations to us that really brought it home in a different way.”

After hearing how passionate the Rwandan students were about the work Aegis’ Kigali Memorial Centre does, which includes listening to survivors and educating the younger generations while raising awareness of what happened in Rwanda in 1994, Grace knew she had to do something.

“Hearing those students tell us not to forget what we saw, as well as the changes Aegis is making in Rwanda and realising what happened there could happen anywhere, was hugely important.

However, it was also really personally challenging because you realise it was just ordinary people that committed the genocide and how fragile the human mind is.

“Coming back from that trip it was clear that we’d found a really meaningful cause,” she continues.

“Together with some of my fellow students, we spoke to Aegis’ CEO, Dr James Smith, who kindly gave us £2,000 to get us started, as well as some stock to sell from Rwanda. Really, without his support none of this would be possible.”

support and advisors and, in 2016, we branched out into Newark. We opened a few more shops in Nottingham, including WR4, which opened in 2017 and became a warehouse and a shop.”

2019 saw Grace and her team open the Market Square site just before COVID hit. “The Market Square store was a big step for us, and really helped to increase our profile again. However, the pandemic came just as we were expanding and building momentum, which forced our hand to launch online.

“Our online store was a really big success as it allowed us to reach even more people. The site also has an AI system which lets you scan an item of clothing you’re wearing, or you’ve found online, and upload the picture to the site. It’ll then pull up everything on the site that’s similar, making it even easier to find what you’re looking for.”

The team’s White Rose Outlet store is the latest to join the ever-expanding roster, after opening last year. Featuring the charity’s lower grade highstreet items, or pieces that are suitable for upcycling, the outlet is stocked with really affordable preloved items to make sustainable shopping even more accessible for all.

They say the secondhand fashion industry is going to overtake fast fashion by 2030, and will be twice the size There are now over thirteen White Rose stores across the country including Newark, Sheffield and Beeston, but the team have ambitions to launch more over the coming months, as well as to branch into other ventures such as kilo sales and rental programmes.

Recent years have seen the circular and slow fashion movements gain enormous traction, and Grace believes stores such as White Rose have an important part to play in that. They offer shoppers a viable and stylish alternative to fast fashion options, while giving them the opportunity to help raise funds for a very worthy cause.

Grace and fellow NTU student Angela Ford, who was also on that fateful trip to Rwanda, opened the first White Rose shop on Goosegate, at a site Grace lived above herself while she was a student.

Today, White Rose have come a long way, but Grace explains it wasn’t always plain sailing.

“They say the second-hand fashion industry is going to overtake fast fashion by 2030, and will be twice the size. As we know, the fashion industry and its production of clothing is one of the main contributors to the climate crisis, so the need for shops like White Rose and other charity and preloved stores, are really going to be the future.

And yes, people will no doubt still shop online, but I think for many, that need to feel, especially second-hand items, will never go away.”

“It was a slow start for the first five years. We opened that shop in 2009, then in 2011 we opened WR2 in Hockley on the corner. We faced many challenges as a young company learning to manage staff, recruit volunteers and buy stock.

Then gradually the charity brought in even more

There are many who will no doubt know of all the benefits of shopping preloved, but are unsure of where to start. Yet if inspiration is what you’re after, that’s certainly something the White Rose team provide by the bucket. You need only look at their mannequins and window displays, which

feature a regular rotation of impeccably-styled preloved outfits, to see how they’re changing the game for traditional charity shopping.

“For us, it’s about bringing to life those pieces that echo what they felt like when new. We’re always thinking, ‘How can we create that same experience for people to enjoy?’ But it’s also giving people the opportunity to be more creative, rather than just buying what’s on trend and having to dress like everyone else. With shops like ours, you can buy what’s trending, and put your own spin on it.”

It'd be difficult to speak to Grace and not get swept away by her infectious passion for Aegis Trust and White Rose. “The best thing about what we do is being able to help raise funds for the Trust and its Peace Education Programme,” she tells me. “We’re working hard to one day become Aegis’ main source of funding, and it’s through the amazing support of the whole Trust that we’ve been able to be where we are today.

“But that’s not all - over the years, it’s been great to be able to give opportunities to a whole range of people too. We have a lot of our store managers and assistant managers, who originally volunteered with us, and they’ve been given the space to use their creativity for good. We’ve also been able to tap into the Kickstarter scheme launched by the Government to give opportunities to over thirty young people who were hit by the COVID crisis and faced unemployment. We provided these young adults with job opportunities and training, with many of them securing permanent positions with us.”

If you’ve been inspired to support the cause, in addition to buying clothes in store or online, there are a number of ways you can help, Grace explains.

“We have lots of volunteer opportunities available, from working in stores to working on the sorting line or even helping to upload products on the online platform. We’d also love people to join our upcycling programme, particularly people that have a background in fashion.”

She continues, “In addition to donating clothes, you can also make a monetary donation over the till. Or, if you’re a company and you have excess stock, or are clearing out a warehouse with clothes, accessories, beauty products or end of line stock, then that could really help support us too.

“But, in its simplest form, just visiting our stores and keeping the Aegis message going by telling friends about the Trust and White Rose will make all the difference. For us at White Rose, we just sell clothes - unlike others, we don’t have to risk our lives to make a change, so we’re very lucky.”

White Rose stocks a wide selection of clothes for all genders and ages to raise funds for Aegis Trust.

It has shops across Nottingham including WR1, on Goosegate; WR2 on Broad Street; WR6 at the Old Market Square and the recently launched White Rose Outlet on Beastmarket Hill. You can also check out White Rose’s online store whiterosefashion.com

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CATEGORIES Animation & Digital Media / Creative Writing / Dance / Design & Architecture / Fashion & Textiles / Film / Graphic Design / Music / Photography / Theatre / Visual Arts

drag culture The Empress’ New Clothes Ditching high-heels and corsets for fluffy slippers and baby doll dresses, Kitty Tray has never been one to follow the usual trends in drag fashion. We catch up with Ashley Cross to talk sausage necklaces, how he goes about choosing what his drag alter-ego will wear, and why Kitty Tray refuses to be a dedicated follower of fashion…

Can you explain how you came up with Kitty Tray’s look?

When I first started drag I wanted to represent the best of British fashion. I looked toward people like Vivienne Westwood, and one of my dresses was basically a Union Jack that I'd made to look very vintage, as if it was hand-stitched together. But as the years have gone on I started to do the opposite to what was current. I'm always looking toward fashion and thinking, 'I don't want to do that - I want to do something different.' As a drag queen you want to make a statement, and about three years ago I saw this documentary about cross dressers in America. They're not drag queens - it doesn't matter what gender or sexuality cross-dressers are - but it was a group of people who dressed up as babies. That gave me a fascination with baby doll dresses, and a lot of my outfits now are based on that silhouette.

You said that Kitty’s look intentionally goes against drag fashion trends. Why is that?

I don't want to look the same. The fashion industry is a bit of a paradox - it says 'buy our brand, be individual, be your authentic self’. Then you walk down the street and half the people look exactly the same, because they're all buying the same clothes from the same places. So I tend to walk the other way because I want to look different. It's like in RuPaul's Drag Race - there's a conformity that you have to adhere to in order to be recognised. You're expected to look and act a certain way to fit into the competition. I have a hard time conforming – as a character, Kitty Tray is a bit post-punk eighties, she’s all about anarchy and having fun.

How has her fashion style changed over the years?

As a person, I hate jewellery, so Kitty has stopped wearing it too. I don't see the point in it, and every drag queen wears the same jewellery. But I saw someone in America who made a necklace that looked like a link of sausages, so if Kitty was going to wear jewellery it would be something absurd like that.

I started off sexualising Kitty, then went more clown-ish, but now I'm trying to make her a bit more sexual again. Showing cleavage, showing my legs, maybe showing my knickers a bit more. Drag is all about the extremes and emphasising the absurdity there's no point in having little boobs if you're a drag queen.

I guess as a form of expression it’s not known for its subtlety…

Not at all! Some drag queens have political messages in their fashion, some don't. But we always try to champion gender and sexuality.

Everything is changing all of the time, and things are, no pun intended, becoming more fluid.

It's all about education, isn't it?

One thing I've noticed as drag has become more popular is that people are getting more educated about how to treat a drag queen.

As a society we’re in the process of re-examining how women are treated by men, particularly after the #MeToo movement. Has that made an impact in the drag world?

It's not just men, as women can be quite rough with drag queens too. I’ve had my hair pulled, and people trying to grab my crotch or dry hump me. I had one bad situation when a guy tried to put his hand up my skirt. I stopped him in his tracks and asked him if that’s how he treated all women.

Drag is all about the extremes and emphasising the absurdity - there’s no point in having little boobs if you’re a drag queen When you’re appearing in huge, bombastic outfits and wigs, is it sometimes difficult for people to remember that you’re a person doing a job?

I think they can forget that, yes. I don't think I fully understand or know why. The incidents tend to be one-offs, but I generally think it's an alcohol

problem more than anything else. But some people definitely think that, if you're a drag queen, they’re allowed to touch you. Younger people are definitely better educated – I’ve done ten-year-olds’ birthdays and student nights, and they’re always more polite and respectful of the artform.

How much attention do you pay to what you wear when you’re not Kitty?

None! I hate buying clothes, and only do it when I need to. I'm the worst gay man you'll ever meet. I used to, but now I'll just go for jeans and shirts that I like.

Are the different iterations of Kitty Tray's fashion style extensions of how you, Ashley, feel at any given time?

No, not at all. Drag is a job, and it's a costume. It's slightly contradictory, I guess, because in drag you feel 100% your authentic self, but at the same time you're using and abusing it to get the best out of a performance. But at the end of the day I take the uniform off. Maybe we're over-contextualising what the outfits are - I do put thought into it, but now I do what I want, which is a benefit because I end up looking different to other drag queens. It's also a plus because other drag queens spend hours getting ready, whereas I just slip my boobs and a dress on and I'm ready to go!

Is there an element of practicality to your choices?

I'm about comedy – running around the stage and singing. I've done the pads and corset, but it's really uncomfortable. As a performer I'm ten times better in the outfit I choose. So maybe what I said before was bollocks… But I think fashion is bollocks a lot of the time! When I first started, I wore heels, but half-way through the night they'd start to hurt so I'd put a pair of fluffy slippers or crocs on. I used to get ripped to shreds for it, with people saying, 'That's not proper drag.' But recently a drag queen went on TV wearing crocs and all of a sudden, it's fashionable.

Do you think Kitty was ahead of the curve?

No, I'm just lazy! Fashion is about being unpopular - look at someone like Boy George.

He got ridiculed for the way he dressed before he became famous, then his music became popular and he was a fashion icon. The fashion industry itself makes changes too. Growing up, you knew that socks and sandals were an old men thing. But the fashion industry took it on and made it trendy, and now it's no big deal.

It happened with the bum bag too. When I was at school, I'd rather be beaten to death than wear one. Now you see people wearing them and don't bat an eye...

Exactly! It's like The Emperor's New Clothes - you just need a fashion house promoting it, or a celebrity or influencer wearing it, and everyone starts wearing it. Fashion is just politics. kittytray.com @kittytray

interview: Ashley Carter

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can you

kick it?

It’s hard to imagine a time when trainers weren’t everywhere you looked. For most of us, figuring out which sneakers to wear is just as, if not more important than, the rest of our outfit. But from an engineering breakthrough of fusing canvas and vulcanised rubber together in the early twentieth century to a multi-billion-dollar global business, the sneaker industry has taken over the world in a relatively short time. And Nottingham is no exception – walk down any high-street in the city and you’ll see multiple retailers flogging the latest creps, with queues forming outside some of the biggest brands before they open on most days. Footwear fan Isabella Read talks to some of Nottingham’s biggest sneaker heads to find out more about trainer culture in the city…

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words: Isabella Read illustrations: Emily Catherine

If you ask anyone around the world, they’ll tell you that comfort is usually a high-priority when it comes to choosing footwear. A highpriority maybe, but not the only concern, as style can often be just as important. When trainers moved from being traditionally used for athletic activities to becoming socially acceptable in other situations, we saw the advent of athleisure – a blending of the two priorities. Trainers were the new prime choice of footwear for all walks of life.

I’m obsessed with sneakers – the range of colours and styles can make or break an outfit, and even help individuals show off who they are, what they like and how much money they have. But I wanted to know why other people were obsessed, and how much Nottingham as a city embraced its sneaker culture. So I decided to chat to the people who know better than anyone…

The Seller

“The community in Nottingham is quite niche compared to other places like London and Manchester,” Lashon James, the twentyyear-old owner of sneaker brand store Sneakrverse in Bridlesmithgate, tells me.

“However, there is still a wide range of people with knowledge and a high interest in the sneaker game.” James set up Sneakrverse after graduating from NTU, having initially started reselling online after seeing his friends make a profit doing the same. “My friends used to enter raffles for shoes and when they won, I’d see some of the unique shoes which inspired me,” James continues. “I began to gain a deeper interest in the history and design of each shoe, as well as starting to re-sell to fund my own collection.”

The sneaker industry is predicted to reach a value of £85 billion by 202 And to collect trainers doesn’t always necessarily mean to wear them, as James explains, “I’d say around 90% of our customers buy to wear – some people have even worn the shoes out of the store. But the other 10% are the customers we supply the higher-end and more exclusive sneakers to, which they don’t ever want to wear because of their value. They tend to appreciate in value as they get rarer.” For an extreme example of this, you don’t have to look back any further than April of last year, when Sotheby’s sold Kanye West’s 2008 Nike Air Yeezy Grammy Prototype for £1.3 million.

“The future for sneakers is still growing,” James concludes. “Just this year we’ve started to see NFTs of original shoes being released

by Nike, a lot more limited releases helping in markets like my own as well as opening up to a newer growing market in the Metaverse for brands such as Nike and Jordan.”

The Restorer

As well as selling and reselling, there’s a growing market for sneaker restoration.

“The demand is very high,” Taz, owner of Sneaker Remix, explains. “I have restored trainers from the eighties and nineties, or clients’ favourite pairs from when they were teenagers that they never wanted to get rid of. Some trainers have sentimental value for people.”

Restoration, as Taz describes, is the process of “bringing your old trainers back to life, by cleaning them and repainting them with high quality leather/fabric dyes and giving them a make-over and a fresh look”. With clients all over the UK and around the world, he is benefitting from being ahead of the curve when it comes to sneaker restoration.

“I believe I'm the only person in Nottingham that offers restorations, and would say two or three years ago I was probably the only one in the Midlands,” he tells me. “It’s a fairly new thing - before people would just get rid of their trainers after they had their use out of them and there was nothing you could really do. But now people know that there is a place where you can go and take your favourite pair of old trainers and have them restored back to life.

“At the moment we are getting a lot of high-end brand trainers such as Gucci, Dior, Off-White and Prada,” he continues. “These trainers are expensive and clients want to take the best care of them so they are regularly coming back in for refurbishment.”

But despite the changing trends, some trainers are eternally admired, “The Jordan brand is always very popular for collectors.

It’s the go-to brand when it comes to footwear and street fashion, so we see a lot of Jordans coming in for restoration.”

The Academic

Social media made it easier for sellers to reach an audience, and for brands to gain traction. My own love for sneakers was definitely influenced by seeing people I looked up to wearing certain brands, and wanting to wear the same myself. I spoke to Naomi Braithwaite, a Senior Lecturer at the School of Art and Design at NTU and author of The History of Sneakers: From Commodity

to Cultural Icon, to find out just how sneakers became such a global phenomenon. With fashion becoming more of a statement of identity than a simple choice of footwear over time, it became easier for people to get pleasure from what they were wearing.

Describing the “post Michael Jordan'' era, Braithwaite explains how sneakers became more mainstream, citing the “power of Instagram” as a driving force behind the rise in popularity.

In The History of Sneakers: From Commodity to Cultural Icon, Braithwaite cites research by sociologist Yuniya Kawamura, who defines the phenomenon in three waves: the seventies, with the emergence of hip-hop and the underground sneaker culture (the era of the Adidas Samba); the release of Air Jordans in 1984, which led to the widescale commodification of sneakers, the cementing of their place as a status symbol and the beginnings of celebrity endorsement; and the third wave, which has taken place over roughly the last decade. This age was shaped by digital marketing, a growth in sneaker marketing and resell culture.

The community in Nottingham is quite niche compared to other places like London and Manchester As her article says, the sneaker industry is predicted to reach a value of £85 billion by 2026, so I find myself wondering whether any other type of footwear has been through such a drastic transformation. “Not to the same level,” Braithwaite explains, although makes the comparison with Dr. Martens, which have similarly evolved from function to fashion, whilst retaining their “connotations of rebellion”.

“Sneakers aren’t going to go away,” Braithwaite concludes, before predicting that the market will see “more evolutions towards sustainable approaches”. And to me, that’s a good sign. We all want to keep our planet in good shape, and the rise in popularity of sneaker restoration will help guarantee that, as the sneaker industry continues to grow, it can do so in a sustainable way.

It’s just as well - people will always want to spend money on trainers. At least, I will.

Sneakrverse, 52 Bridlesmith Gate, Nottingham NG1 2GP sneakrverse.com sneakerremix.com

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i didn’t ask for it 22

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Tired of the victim blaming narrative around sexual harrasment, photography student Lucie Nechanická created I Didn’t Ask For It - the photobook chronicling sexual harrasment in Nottingham. We chat to the budding photographer about breaking stereotypes, better sex education, and her process behind making the book…

You might remember a controversial Irish court case from 2018, in which defence lawyer Elizabeth O’Connell used a teenager’s underwear as evidence in a rape trial. Citing a ‘thong with a lace front’ as evidence of consent, O’Connell was met with a barrage of public outrage, the incident sparking a prominent online debate and a #ThisIsNotConsent social media campaign. Hardly an isolated incident, the conversation about clothing and consent has been ongoing for as long as many of us remember, without much apparent avail.

Within the context of our fashion issue, we decided to talk to Nottingham’s Lucie Nechanická about her new photobook I Didn’t Ask for It, the stirring project standing up against rape culture. First conceptualised in her photography degree, I Didn’t Ask for It chronicles the stories of ten women (including the author) and their experiences with sexual harrasment in the city of Nottingham. Pairing an interview with a set of pictures, the book captures each woman in the clothes they were harassed in at the time.

“The purpose was to demonstrate that experiencing harassment can happen anytime, anywhere and to anybody, and that the clothes or appearance of the women is irrelevant,” Lucie tells me. “I photographed and interviewed women who experienced sexual harassment in the area of Nottingham. I asked them to wear the same clothes they had worn on the day of the incident and photographed them at the location where it had taken place. By doing so I wanted them to reclaim that space.”

Let’s become more critical about the media around us.

Let’s stop supporting stuff that disrespects women and normalises violence against them Equally, this project is a way for Lucie to examine her own experiences with sexual harrasment, the first of which took place when she was fourteen and touched inappropriately by a stranger. “I was already conditioned to believe that such incidents were a normal part of women’s lives and to get used to it because it would likely happen again - and it did,” Lucie says, recalling the event. “Harassment I experienced later in my life ranged from catcalling and sex offers to groping. They usually resulted in the same outcome: I would quietly accept them and never discuss them with anyone. It was very similar with the women I interviewed. In a few cases I was the first person they shared their story with.”

Through the photobook, the young photographer aims to carve out a space for herself and other women to tell their stories, outwardly rejecting the unspoken rule of silence. In doing so, I Didn’t Ask For It aims to break stereotypes around sexual harrasment. “The photographs demonstrate that anyone can be a victim of sexual harassment, regardless of age, appearance, race, religion, lifestyle,” Lucie says. “I wanted to emphasise the plainness and ordinariness of the clothes.

They are clothes any of us would wear without suspecting that we might draw attention. This is not to say that women who wear more revealing clothes deserve unwanted attention. This is to break the stereotype that only women who dress ‘provocatively’ draw attention.”

There is a sense of intimacy to Lucie’s photography. For an artist that previously focused on the female nude, it’s telling that this is some of her most vulnerable work. With the camera capturing a scruffy pair of trainers, a favourite ring, a warm winter coat, you as the reader recognise yourself in these photographs, and in turn recognise the humanity of these women, who are telling a story about the objectification that stripped them of that.

I wanted to emphasise the plainness and ordinariness of the clothes. They are clothes any of us would wear without suspecting that we might draw attention While it’s impossible to pin down one singular cause of sexual harrasment, Lucie does point a finger at the contridictory messages around female sexuality. “There has always been this pressure on women to look attractive. As John Berger said in 1972: ‘Men look at women, women watch themselves being looked at.’ However, the same culture shames and victim blames women who looked sexy when they were assaulted. There is this strange virgin and slut paradox going on.”

I ask Lucie what she wants the photobook to achieve. “I would like people to start questioning the assumption that when women dress well, they do it to attract men. This is not to say that there is something wrong about wanting to look attractive and appeal to others, it is natural. But the presumption suggests that attracting men is the sole reason for women when they dress up. In my opinion, this is why men feel entitled to comment on women, because there is this assumption that her existence and her looks exist to please him.”

In the book, Lucie asks all her interviewees the same question - what would help resolve this? I echo the question back to her, asking her opinion on how we can move forward. “The women I interviewed mostly mentioned a better education in schools. In my opinion we need a better education in general, not just in schools. Our ideas, opinions and desires are mostly influenced and shaped by the culture and media.

Let’s become more critical about the media around us. Let’s stop supporting stuff that disrespects women and normalises violence against them. Let’s teach kids (but adults as well) to treat each other with respect. Let’s teach them about sex and consent. We need to normalise having a conversation about normal sex, not what we see in porn.”

On a finishing note, Lucie comments that “one of the most positive side effects of the project is that it made me more confident to speak up about this issue and discuss it.” Urging others to do the same, Lucie adds, “Read my book, share it with others and have a conversation with your friends and family on this topic. We need to talk more about why sexual harassment shouldn’t be tolerated.”

I Didn’t Ask For It is free to read online issuu.com/lucie.isback

words: Lizzy O’Riordan photos: Lucie Nechanická leftlion.co.uk/issue145

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words: Lizzy O’Riordan photo: Georgianna Scurfield

It probably isn’t too much of a stretch to say that lace put Nottingham on the map, the industry reaching its height in the 1890s. But today just one traditional lace manufacturer survives. Utilising the same Leavers machines used in the 1840s, Cluny Lace in Ilkeston has been run by a member of the Mason family for over three centuries. Lizzy O’Riordan visited the factory to talk to Kate Knight and learn more about their history, the intricate process of creating Leavers lace, and how it feels to be the last traditional lace maker in the UK… If you drive out towards the edge of Nottingham, you might find yourself in Ilkeston. With its biggest claim to fame coming as the birthplace of actor Robert Lindsay, it’s an unassuming place, making it hard for modern visitors to believe that this town was once a thriving area for British industry - home to coal, iron, and textile jobs alike. At its height in the 1890s, the lace industry employed over 25,000 people, mostly women - when the entire city’s population was a little over 200,000, exporting famous Nottingham lace all over Europe, North and South America, and as far away as Egypt and India. Now, like so many small towns in the Midlands and further north, it exists as a remnant of its past self; the once vibrant industrial buildings replaced with blocks of flats, fast food restaurants or bingo halls.

Turn on to Belper Street, though, and you’ll find something different. You’ll hear the faint murmur of machinery, then you’ll look up and see a tall brick factory.

Tucked away on a suburban street, you’ll find the last traditional lace maker in the UK - a business lost in time, Cluny Lace. Run by the Mason family since the 1730s, Cluny are some of the most important manufacturers left in Britain. Creating lace for fashion houses like Dolce & Gabbana, Alexander McQueen, Burberry, and Christian Dior, Cluny are famous for their Leavers lace - a delicate patterned lace made using a Leavers machine.

This area used to be full of lace-making factories, but slowly they disappeared, leaving only one behind. Still using the same machine as when they began, Cluny’s longevity lies in its commitment to traditional methods.

Their lace is produced by twisting the thread, resulting in a high-quality lace that won’t unravel when cut.

“Designed in 1814, and never bettered, we use the same machine now that you would have seen a hundred years ago,” says Kate Knight, Head of Sales and my tour guide for the day. “The lace we make is pretty unique. It's the best of the best quality you can get.”

The old Victorian machines are striking, loud enough to shake the building with their rhythmic, mesmeric chugging. Made of heavy metal, it’s surprising to see the daintiness of the lace they create, and there’s something beautiful in the juxtaposition. “Driving in in the morning, there's nothing better than to pull up outside and hear the building alive with the sound of machines running,” Kate says. “They've got a real metronomic, heartbeatlike quality to them. They make the building come alive - especially when they're running on all three floors. It feels like you're coming into a place with a history and a life of its own.”

It’s certainly sad to be the last one in Ilkeston, and if you then extend it to be the last ones in the UK, it’s a pretty sad demise for what was once an amazing industry Kate talks about the factory as though it was another person, and in many ways, it does feel like that. Having played such an important part in local history, its past is almost palpable from inside the building. “Within a generation ago, perhaps two generations ago, most people in Nottingham and the surrounding areas would have had some connection to lace,” Kate tells me.

“Working in a lace factory was a well-respected job.

There were even pubs in Ilkeston with rooms for Twist Hands only.

“In this town alone there were forty or fifty other manufacturers like us, all making lace and specialising in a Cluny style of lace local to this area. Ilkeston would have very much been known as a lace making hub,” Kate

says. So much so that in the height of the lace making industry, Cluny put blinds on their bottom floor windows so fellow lace makers wouldn’t peer in and steal their designs.

In many ways, Cluny is still thriving. Alongside working with the aforementioned fashion houses, their lace was also used on the Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding dress, and Princess Diana’s before that. But being the last ones left comes with a series of challenges. “As the other lacemakers go, so do all the other ancillary trades.

There’s no dye works left in this country to dye our lace; it now goes to France who support a very much diminished lace trade there as well,” Kate says. “It’s also a lonely position in that there's no one to talk with for advice. Often you could perhaps thrash out a solution to a problem, but we have to work all of that out by ourselves.

“It's certainly sad to be the last one in Ilkeston, and if you then extend it to be the last ones in the UK, it's a pretty sad demise for what was once an amazing industry,” she continues. “I like to think that in the future we'll still be here churning out our lace. Who knows? But that’s what we’d like, to still be making lace. That would be nice.”

Despite the uncertain future, there seems to be a strong sense of pride among the lace makers. “I think like most people who've worked here, the lace does get into your blood and into your skin somehow,” Kate muses. “We're not churning out plastic ducks or something that doesn't mean anything. It's a product that is the best of the best, and something that we're all proud of. We're just the latest in a long line of people making lace, and it's lovely to be able to make it in the same way that they did then.”

You can learn more about Cluny Lace at their website

clunylace.com

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interview: Addie Kenogbon photos: Natalie Owen illustration: Fiona Carr

More Than She Seams Nottingham is no stranger to creative talent, and 26-year-old Rebekah Peters is one business owner using her skills to show great style needn’t come at the expense of the Earth’s resources, as her bright patterned dresses, tops, trousers and tote bags are made using preloved bedsheets and curtains.

Her iconic creations feature bold prints and eyecatching colours, with show-stopping fluted sleeves and often a ruffled hemline too, all made

by Rebekah herself from her studio at Fisher Gate Point. We catch up with her to find out more…

Your creations are brilliant. Is your background in fashion?

I don’t have a design background, but I’ve always been interested in fashion and my nana used to be a seamstress, so it must run in the family. While studying for my Geography degree, I started selling a few vintage pieces on Depop on the side, which really took off.

Then, once I graduated, I started working at Hopkinson while still selling vintage blouses on the side. I made the decision to start making clothes and to run the business full-time. I had a few sewing lessons from a friend who’s a seamstress and helped me with the basics, and I also watched loads of YouTube tutorials. I started making handmade pieces just before lockdown from the spare room at home before getting the studio last July.

What made you decide to start making clothes from preloved bedsheets and curtains?

I’d say it all started with my grandad. To get him out and about, we always used to go round charity shops, and he’d point out different fabrics to me. In fact, he still loves getting involved with hunting great finds today.

While charity shopping, I used to see so many beautiful fabrics and think, ‘God, that’d look amazing if it was a dress or trousers.’ There was one particular day when I went into a charity shop and, in the back, they had piles of bedding and curtains that they were looking to chuck away. It really surprised me to see how much does get thrown away, because old bedsheets and curtains often have vintage patterns and colours. People can write them off as being old-fashioned without seeing their true potential. So I wanted to do my bit to stop so much waste by recycling and breathing new life into these vintage pieces and turning them into something new.

Where do you source your fabric these days?

In addition to buying from pre-loved and second-hand shops, I also order from a wholesaler of sixties and seventies deadstock fabric, and it’s great to think that these pieces that were made so many years ago aren’t going to be wasted. Instead, they’re being given a second chance. People nowadays quite like more plain, modern home furnishings which means these vintage bright curtains, for example, aren’t really going to be used as curtains anymore. So why not make them into something someone can wear?

You’ve got such a distinctive style to your pieces that if someone’s wearing one, you can instantly tell. How would you describe madeREBEKAHPETERS to those who aren’t familiar with your brands?

My collections feature lots of bright smock, maxi, midi and mini dresses which are quite loose-fitting. In summer, I love wearing loosefitting dresses and wearing what’s comfortable myself, so I channel that into the things I make. I have started doing matching belts and scrunchies too. The loose-fitting nature of my designs means they can fit a wide range of sizes.

I currently sell up to a size twenty but I’m hoping to do more sizes in the future by expanding my size range to size thirty, so it’s accessible for everyone.

It’s great to think that these pieces that were made so many years ago aren’t going to be wasted. Instead, they’re being given a second chance How do you want your clothes to make people feel when they wear them?

To lift their mood and make them feel happy and summery. Because each piece is unique, they’re all oneoffs as it’s rare that I’ll come across the same bed sheet and curtains twice, but with any of my pieces, I always hope it makes my customers feel great.

Do you do custom orders?

I’ve recently started doing custom dress orders where people can choose the fabric, the length and the size, as well as any extras like a belt, scrunchie or an added hem on the bottom. Custom orders are great because it means it cuts down on waste even further, as you’re creating something specifically for someone that they definitely want. It also puts the power back into the hands of my customers too.

What are your thoughts on the slow fashion movement and how does shopping with independents like yourself help?

The fashion industry is responsible for creating huge amounts of waste, with so much clothing ending up in landfill. Nowadays, we have such a throwaway culture with fast fashion being so instant and at your fingertips; people are able to buy cheap clothes quickly and easily and often get them delivered the next day. It’s scary to think so many clothes get simply chucked away when they don’t need to. Even if a button is missing on a shirt or it has a hole, that can be repaired.

What are your plans for the future?

At the minute, it’s just me that makes each piece, which I love. I have thought of stocking a physical store but, for now, I’m really enjoying being able to work for myself on my own terms. I do sometimes miss getting to chat with customers face-to-face, like when I worked in a clothes shop. So, over the coming months I’ll be doing more physical markets and festivals, and I’m looking forward to getting out there and meeting more people.

You can buy Rebekah’s creations through Depop, ASOS, Market Place, Etsy or at her website maderebekahpeters.co.uk leftlion.co.uk/issue145

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Ever since Mozart first donned silk stockings, the relationship between music and fashion has been symbiotically interlinked. Whether you’re a flapper or a rapper, a mod or a rocker, into goth, grunge, punk or rave music, the tunes you listen to can influence the way you dress, and vice versa. Deciding what to wear on stage, therefore, is sometimes just as important as getting your setlist song-perfect, or making sure your instruments are in tune. We caught up with some of Notts most iconic musicians to find out more about how they dress for the stage…

molly godber babe punch

How does what you wear play a part in getting you ready for the stage?

Stage outfits are so important because they almost transform you into a more powerful, theatrical version of yourself. It’s like creating a character - it gives you ten-times more confidence than you would have otherwise!

What's one of your favourite outfits for performing in?

We all have such different looks but I wear a lot of black - usually a diaphanous jumpsuit that gives me some movement and presence.

Describe your style in three words…

Witchy, comfortable and floaty.

@babe_punch

photo: James Birtwhistle

brother bill church of the cosmic skull How does what you wear play a part in getting you ready for the stage?

All elements of our regalia endow the wearer with total spiritual magnetism and charisma, especially the Cosmic Talisman and Sigil of Septagrammaton - available exclusively from our website…

What's one of your favourite outfits for performing in?

The Cosmic cloth must be white in colour and of the finest weave - this represents enlightenment, promotes chakral cleanliness, and strikes fear into the hearts of non-believers.

Describe your style in three words…

Not a cult.

cosmicskull.org

bone cult How does what you wear play a part in getting you ready for the stage?

Our masks are the most important part of our stage outfits and we wouldn’t play a show without them. It’s important because when the mask is on you stop being who you are in everyday life, and become anonymous.

So when we are playing a show it isn’t about who is wearing the mask anymore - we just become part of a visual experience.

What's one of your favourite outfits for performing in?

The masks are always to be worn with black jeans, black jacket - no exceptions. Footwear can be open to some variety of Dr. Martens or Nike Air Max (black only). We’ve experimented with some more punk-rock aesthetics in the past, for instance leather jackets by Killstar that were literally covered in studs. The sheer weight of the hundreds of studs made performing even more physical.

Describe your style in three words…

Urban. Obsidian. Monochromatic.

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tiger cohen divorce How does what you wear play a part in getting you ready for the stage?

I think I feel a certain regeneration when I alter my appearance for performing. I feel far away from myself, totally refreshed and new; I think the separation helps me to let go of insecurities. I think it gives me agency over how the audience will perceive me, plus a shameless outfit can evoke a bit of intrigue, I hope. That kind of control is something I’ve always admired in other performers, and fashion is always a part of a musician's persona, even if it's understated. I don’t tend to talk much on stage so my outfits are a big part of what I offer.

What's one of your favourite outfits for performing in?

I know it’s not really an outfit but I have these black cowboy boots that I love to wear on stage, they’re very pointy and perhaps teeter on the edge of uncool, but I think most of my outfits are like that; I tend to go for what I like rather than thinking about how it will fit with other clothes I own. I also have some red gogo boots that I am definitely going to wear on the upcoming Divorce UK tour, so if that interests you please buy tickets?

Describe your style in three words…

Impulsive, alt-country and camp.

@divorcehq

harleighblu How does what you wear play a part in getting you ready for the stage?

It plays a huge part in my confidence on stage - I very much put on a show and I want to feel worthy of all the eyes on me. I’m a live performer and I am known for my stage presence, so my style has a lot to do with how I feel when I play.

Every show is an excuse to wear the latest crazy piece I’ve found too - whether it's a giant Jamiroquai style fluffy hat or cow print platform boots. Whatever it is, it's usually funk inspired.

What's one of your favourite outfits for performing in?

The wilder the better. For my last show I wore thigh-high, seventies-style white cowboy boots, an American style denim hot pant playsuit and zebra print cowboy hat. My dreadlocks are blonde and about 33 inches long, which I think adds to the overall look. I felt like the funkadelic soulstress that I am that day!

Describe your style in three words…

Vintage, sassy and funky.

harleighblu.com

aeris houlihan

witch of the east

How does what you wear play a part in getting you ready for the stage?

I think the outfit is a key part for any performance artist. Whether that's going on stage or shooting a music video, it's an extension of how you want to present your art/music. I tend to think of a piece of art as a form in a large pitch black room. The more the creator does to help the viewers see the full form of their art the better. It's like giving viewers a torch but it can only be moved a bit at a time. The more you enhance the viewer's experience of taking in your art the more they can move that torch.

What's one of your favourite outfits for performing in?

It used to be a wedding dress that I dyed greyish. It's the one I wore in the music video Fools Paradise. Unfortunately, when I was put in prison abroad a family member threw it in the bin.

Having said that, I currently wear a big black cotton coat with a huge hood. I like the fact that no-one can see my face on stage anymore, hiding under a hood and appearing dramatic in the dark. I struggle with things like body dysmorphia so this can be a good way to circumvent that by taking certain elements out of the equation, allowing me to just focus on my performance. It seems to fit our aesthetic well.

Describe your style in three words…

To quote what people have said to me: scary, black, sermonic.

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Talking Funny He’s performed stand-up comedy all over the globe, starred in hit West End shows and has a filmography that includes The Mummy, Spy Game and being one of the last people to act with Oliver Reed in Gladiator. But as he enters his 26th year as a comedian, Omid Djalili has emerged from the pandemic as a changed man. We caught up with the award-winning stand-up ahead of his appearance at the Nottingham Playhouse to find out more…

The last time I saw you in a comedy theatre you weren’t on stage, but in the audience seeing Colin Quinn in London, just before the pandemic. How much has your attitude to comedy changed since then?

I think that was the last night out I had before everything got closed down! I was talking to Colin recently about the pandemic, how much it made us miss comedy and how we’ll never take it for granted again. You appreciate it more, the audience appreciates it more, and the last couple of years has made us more conscious adults – so it has all changed. I think about every single aspect of it now; my material, how I’m delivering it, what I’m wearing.

Is my beard too long? Are they going to get worried that I look like an Islamic fundamentalist? The desire and hunger from the audience for a really good night is the highest it’s ever been – they’ve watched comedy digitally and they understand that live comedy has a physiological impact on you. You can watch comedy on your phone and get distracted by something, but when you’re there, live and totally in the moment, there’s a symbiotic energy between the audience and performer that has been missing, so it’s a really exciting time getting back.

I’m in my 26th year of comedy and I feel like I’m only now finding my voice It's interesting you bring Colin Quinn up – that comedy voice takes years of perfecting. He’s been doing it for thirty-odd years, and is one of the most underrated comedians out there – I think [Quinn’s Netflix special] Red State, Blue State was a masterpiece. I’m in my 26th year of comedy and I feel like I’m only now finding my voice.

I thought you were great in Killing is Easy, the documentary about another of those American East Coast comedians, the late Patrice O’Neal. Are you a fan of that comedy scene in general?

I’m a fan of anyone who is completely authentic. We really get inside our own heads in Britain because the reviewers are so sharp, and the audiences have seen a lot of comedy. We get worried about how we’re coming across and don’t always put forward our most authentic selves. I appeared on Tough Crowd [a former American comedy panel show hosted by Colin Quinn] with Patrice, who I knew from the time he spent in London. We’d done loads of gigs together and I found him to be one of the most authentic people I’d ever met.

Authentic how?

Well on one occasion we were backstage at the Comedy Store and he was reading about the Holocaust, and he didn’t have a proper education on the subject. He said, “Omid, man… did you know all about what Hitler did to them Jews? It’s some messed up bullshit right here!” I was like, yes Patrice.

It’s called the Holocaust, have you never heard of it? And it’s not bullshit, this all actually happened.

“Omid are you kidding me? This is all true?” He couldn’t believe it, and was trying to educate himself, and that’s what I loved about him. He was so open and honest, like all of those Tough Crowd guys were.

I came from a theatre background before going into comedy, and I was always struck by the openness and honesty of comedians.

Is that comedian-level of honesty something that’s rare in entertainment?

In the theatre world if you’ve presented a final piece and people don’t like it, they’ll always lie and say, “Oh, you’ve done it again!” But with comedians, they’ll just tell you. Andre Vincent saw a show I was doing in 1996 and said, “Yeah the opening was good, but the middle bit was shit, and you’ve got to cut the last bit, that was bollocks.” I remember thinking, ‘Oh my god, they’re so honest!’ But I loved it.

stride when he was 58 or 59. I'm not quite there yet, but I'm getting there. You need to stick with it.

Omid Djalili: The Good Times Tour will be at Nottingham Playhouse on Saturday 5 March nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk

Having performed stand-up all over the world, do you have to adapt your act to suit different countries or cultures?

People like funny, but your approach has to be different. Most clever comedians will arrive in a new town or country a day before so they can settle, try out your material on people, maybe get some local references. Funny is funny, and by and large people laugh at the same thing. You know, that crowd we were both in when Colin Quinn was in London, that was a comedy-literate audience that had obviously seen a lot of comedy. You have to have seen a lot of comedy to appreciate Colin Quinn - he's a comedian’s comedian. Audiences that are comedy literate often sit back and relax a bit more.

I have noticed that post-pandemic audiences are becoming more American - there are more applause breaks, they appreciate it more and give you more as a result. Although now we're getting into January and February, British audiences are going back to their ‘come on, make me laugh fat boy’ ways.

You mentioned that you only now feel like you’re finding your voice. Did taking a forced break from stand-up during the pandemic help that process?

Definitely, but it's also age. We were all given time to reflect, and I've definitely reflected a lot. I looked back at some of my stuff during lockdown, and was very fortunate to be able to delve into my Persian heritage as I've been doing standup in the Persian language over Zoom.

I was going to be a guest on a Persian language comedy show and it went so well that I ended up being given my own show to host in Persian. I spent time looking back at old tapes of myself trying to see where I wasn't being authentic, and realised that the missing bit was doing stuff in the Persian language.

It sounds like people seeing you on this tour will be seeing a very different comedian than they might have done pre-COVID… Yes, I think they will. You're sometimes defined by the first thing people see you in. Certainly in comedy, one of the first things people saw me on was Live at the Apollo, which was a major show. I did the very first series, and a lot of people saw it both at the time and repeated afterwards. What people saw was a really overweight, mentally-ill person who didn't know what he was doing. Sometimes mental illness makes for great comedy, but the truth is I wasn't doing very well in life. You could see I wasn't well. So a lot of the time when people come up to me, they treat me with the respect that that set deserved, because it was mad.

But that was sixteen years ago, and I'm a very different person now and, I like to think, a better comedian. Like Colin Quinn again, he really hit his

interview: Ashley Carter leftlion.co.uk/issue145

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FOOD AND DRINK

BREWED TO BE WILD

words: George White

Just over two decades ago, an unlikely friendship between Castle Rock Brewery and the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust was formed. We chat to Erin McDaid, the Trust’s Head of Communications and Marketing, and Liv Auckland, Head of Brand and Communications at the Brewery, all about it…

Cast your mind back to 2001. Manchester United were cruising to another Premier League title.

S Club 7’s Don’t Stop Moving was taking over the air waves. And in our own city, a long-lasting relationship between Castle Rock Brewery and the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust was about to be born - although through pure fate, as it turns out.

collaborative beers. “A highlight has been our Screech Owl,” says Castle Rock’s Liv Auckland, “which was originally brewed as a one-off as part of the Adopt a Species campaign in 2008. That ended up becoming one of our permanent beers. To have something that's such an integral part of our portfolio come from this relationship is really special.”

us Notts folk to try. The new beer, called Into the Wild, is made with sustainably sourced coriander and orange peel, and will be introduced at a launch party at the Canalhouse on Wednesday 16 March.

Local artists were asked to design the label for this celebratory brew, in a quest to once again channel the “community feel” that runs through the Brewery.

“Honestly, it all started from a chance conversation,” admits Erin McDaid, Head of Communications and Marketing at the Trust. “I was meeting with one of our suppliers, and I mentioned that I wanted to bring together two of my passions - promoting wildlife and beer. They said they might know somebody that might be able to help with that, and they introduced me to Chris Holmes, the founder of Castle Rock Brewery. He was really flexible and very supportive from day one, so we decided to give it a go and it all grew from there.”

Having Sir David Attenborough pour one of our beers has got to be the highlight for the company

As well as offering an exciting new option for beer fans, it is hoped that Into the Wild will help to promote the need for environmental action, reminding us that we can all do our bit to protect the planet. “We now realise that to actually rise to environmental challenges, thousands more people have got to get involved,” Erin says. “Our whole strategy is about getting more people to realise what they can do - and this is just one of the ways that we’re able to do that.” Don’t Stop Moving may no longer be number one in the charts, and Manchester United aren’t the footballing force they once were, but one thing has remained constant since 2001 - the productive partnership between these two Nottingham institutions.

After initial plans were delayed due to COVID, the companies are now able to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of their partnership in the way they know best - with a tasty collaborative tipple for

Tickets for the Into the Wild launch party are now available online castlerockbrewery.co.uk

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food for thought

A chance encounter it may have been, but it is one that has proven more than fruitful over the years.

In the two decades since that initial meeting, the pair have worked together on countless projects to promote sustainability across the county - raising over £130,000 through a variety of fun and creative events. This has ranged from creating pollinator friendly planters to brewing a number of popular

Yet for all the memorable events from the past twenty one years, one particular moment stands out - a visit from Sir David Attenborough, who once took a trip to Attenborough Nature Reserve and stopped by a local Castle Rock pub for a pint. “Having him pour one of our beers has got to be a highlight for the company,” Liv admits. “That’s our favourite photo of all time.”

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New Business 13th Element

To Nosh Pancakes - Annie’s Burger Shack

To Sup Endless Summer - Black Iris

At long last, 13th Element have opened their restaurant to the public - and have been flooded with bookings ever since. Head on over to Castle Boulevard to check out their fancy news digs.

With Pancake Day landing in March this year, we’ve christened this Pancake Month - and these are some of the best around. They might be the Burger Shack, but their pancakes are on point.

Sure, it may be spring, but it’s never too early for an Endless Summer. Many people’s favourite Black Iris brew, this light IPA offers hints of pineapple and grapefruit for a refreshing hit of happiness.

@13thelement_

@anniesburgershacknotts

@blackirisbottleandtap

Wordsworth wrote an Ode to Duty, Schiller wrote an Ode to Joy, Keats wrote an Ode to Autumn. And in the spirit of the great poets, I dedicate this an Ode to Carrot Cake, both my favourite and objectively the best cake out there.

This food review centres around Homemade Cafe, home to Nottingham’s best carrot cake, and many other cakes for that matter. Based inside Forest Recreation Ground, Homemade is (in my humble opinion) a hot spot when it comes to baked goods. Serving freshly baked cakes every day, alongside brunch and lunch options, you can get your hands on the likes of sticky toffee and ginger cake, Biscoff cake, raspberry and lemon cake, and many more.

It’s worth noting that this fine establishment also serves a range of gluten free options, and in an unlikely turn of events, they are very good. Gone are the days of dry, slightly staletasting gluten free treats - these cakes are spongy, flavoursome, and appealing to even the gluten eaters among us. Quite an achievement.

FOOD REVIEW: PHO This writer’s trip to the newly-opened Pho restaurant nearly didn’t happen. With a booking for 7pm, I’m contacted a few hours before by Malachy, who lets me know they’re having trouble with the lighting. Ninety minutes before I’m supposed to sit down for my meal, the situation remains tense, with the power still not back on. Yet, in true Gen-Z fashion, I try to manifest the night into existence, driving into town in the hope that everything will be sorted in time. Thankfully, Malachy gets back to me at 6pm. My positive attitude has worked.

Full of dogs, park runners, and young families, the cafe always has a cheerful and pleasant vibe. The staff are friendly and chatty, and always willing to recommend their favourite bake. Will I be back? Only every week.

Lizzy O’Riordan

Food so good you can basically taste it through the screen. Vi-Va might not be the biggest restaurant in Nottingham, but their dishes are some of the best - and their Instagram shows it. @viva__streetfood

We’ve put together some of our favourite warm beverages that are perfect for freshening up your feed…

First up are spicy noodles with perfectlycooked This Isn’t Chicken pieces dashed throughout. Adding a hearty splash of sriracha sauce, I dig in with my chopsticks and instantly taste fragrant, full-bodied flavour.

The noodles are delicious, and there are thin slices of chilli to add a welcome hit of heat.

The highlight of the night, though, is the curry noodle soup, packed with delightful chunks of tofu. Each ladle of the stuff gets better than the last, with the spices and flavours combining to create a heavenly experience.

Thankfully, the deep bowl offers a hefty portion, which is very much appreciated - this is a dish that is well worth savouring.

Throughout the night, we’re looked after by attentive staff who check that we’re enjoying our meal and make every effort to ensure any allergies and intolerances are catered for, making the entire experience a properly pleasant one. So, will I be going back here as soon as possible? Oh, Pho sho’. George White

Want your Nottingham foodie business featured in the mag?

Fancy writing for us?

Email us at editorial@leftlion.co.uk

Mocha - Yolk.

If you’re out in Nottingham and fancy a mid-afternoon mocha, yolk. is the place to be. Presented in a vibrant yellow cup and saucer, the colourful china adds a fresh twist on this beloved beverage, making it the perfect comfort drink. @yolk.notts Latte - 200 Degrees This Nottingham-based franchise was once one of the city’s best-kept secrets - but their great tasting coffee and phenomenal latte art was too good to not rave about. Now you’ll find 200 Degrees pretty much everywhere, so you don’t have to worry about capturing some great shots wherever you are. @200degs Hot Chocolate - Blend Those looking for something a little less caffeinated needn’t search any further.

Blend’s hot chocolate is offered up in gorgeous green china, and there’s no better way to satisfy a craving for something sweet than with this family favourite. @blendnottingham Tea - White Rabbit How could we put together a list of Instagrammable drinks and not mention tea? What's considered the perfect colour of this quintessentially British drink has been debated for years across the country, but when you find it, it’s most certainly worth sharing with all your followers online. @white_rabbit_teahouse

words: Daniela Loffreda illustrations: Fiona Carr

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To Follow Vi-Va Street Food

Admit it, we’re all guilty of taking to Instagram to share a snap of our drinks with our followers. Is it uninteresting? Yes. Is it generic?

Absolutely. Will it stop us? Nope.

Espresso - Effy Espresso is a super elegant choice, and Effy don’t shy away from making theirs look the part. Served in a beautiful glass made by No Neutral, and placed on a Weka saucer, this stunning drink is certainly worth capturing to share with friends. @effynottingham

And thank flip it did, too - this is one of the finest dining experiences I’ve had in Nottingham. As I enter the sizable new space, I’m instantly impressed with the fresh decor and spacious layout. Still concerned by the ongoing pandemic, I’m not the most comfortable sitting close to strangers - but Pho refuses to pack you in, instead giving you plenty of room to relax and enjoy your meal.

Back to the point of this review though - the strength of Homemade’s carrot cake lies in its icing, which is the make or break factor when it comes to this particular pudding.

Homemade succeed in making some of the most delicious icing I’ve ever tasted, and they’re generous with it too, slathering a thick layer of buttercream on and in the cake. The sponge itself is warm, delicate, and tasty flawless every time I’ve had it. Finished with a garnish of walnuts, it’s a work of art.

HOT STUFF

FOOD AND DRINK

FOOD REVIEW: HOMEMADE CAFE

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BIG SPRING ENERGY Happy March!

Spring will be springing soon and with it, a fresh new energy will wash over us in the northern hemisphere.

Energy. It’s another buzz word, but what does it actually mean? Thinking back to science at school, energy is "the ability to do work”. All energy comes under two forms: potential (energy that is stored) and kinetic (energy that is in motion). In spirituality, we talk about the potential energy stored in the body, such as grief, and how we move it, such as being angry.

Our brains produce thoughts through electrochemical activity, and our emotional reactions change our electromagnetic field: the aura. It can be measured through the frequency it emits. Some people have a high frequency - a light, safe and fun energy - whereas some people have a low frequency - energy that feels sluggish, heavy and uncomfortable.

Have you ever met someone who fills you with feelings of love? They’ll be vibrating on a high frequency. If you ask them, they’ll tell you that they enjoy the little things in life and live in the present moment. Their positive energy is infectious and you want to be around them.

Now think of someone who is always in a bad mood; moaning and complaining continuously, and how exhausting, draining and awkward it can feel to be in their company. Their negative energy can literally ruin your day.

This is the transferring of energy and a reason why the information, people and things in your life make a difference to your emotional state. Don’t feel bad if you remove yourself from a situation that is bringing you down.

words: George White

As Vogue’s Emily Farra puts it, for all the fashion industry’s growing commitment to promoting accessibility on the basis of race, gender, sexuality and size, consideration for the disabled community is still “what’s missing in fashion’s inclusivity movement”. Yet Nottingham Trent University graduate Evie Ashwin is helping to correct this oversight, using her skills to make adaptive clothing so everyone can feel comfortable and confident in what they wear…

The world of fashion is truly oneof-a-kind, an often groundbreaking industry that attracts countless talented people with a whole range of exciting ideas. Yet, despite this, it is still lacking in accessibility for disabled people, with many struggling to find clothes that fit.

As designer Evie Ashwin explains, this is where inclusive clothing comes in.

Having handmade clothes to fit your exact measurements can help to make you feel more happy and relaxed Inclusive clothing is about “considering all body types, shapes and sizes from the initial design process through to the final product”, and is something that Evie has committed her time and skills to since studying Fashion Design at Nottingham Trent University.

After taking part in a project to create adaptive clothes - which are specially designed for people with a disability - she says she learnt

about the importance of ensuring the fashion industry is accessible to all, which was a key moment in her early career. “That really sparked my interest and made me open my eyes to how tunnel visioned fashion is and how exclusionary it can be.”

Evie gained national recognition for creating a stylish and adaptive range of men’s clothing, with each outfit being showcased by a model with a physical disability as part of Graduate Fashion Week back in 2019. This led to a scholarship with Nottingham Trent alumna and entrepreneur Linda Leaver, who Evie describes as “a pioneer and fundamental part of my journey”, as well as an award from the university.

Since graduating, she has continued her commitment to making the world of fashion a more openminded, accessible place, creating her own brand of women’s clothing, With Love Evie, to cater to all body types. Through a bespoke, personalised service, Evie is able to craft customised outfits to suit individual needs. “You can input your own personal measurements and I will hand draft a pattern just for you and your body shapes,” she explains. “It also means that if you have any adaptations or changes

WELLBEING

WARDROBE MALFUNCTION

you’d like to make I can do this too, making sure your clothes fit you perfectly.”

Evie's work centres around boosting people’s love for both themselves and what they wear. The mental benefits of inclusive fashion are as important as the physical, she believes, with her work not only helping to make people feel more comfortable, but also more confident. “If you do not feel 100% while wearing your clothes, they will either never leave your wardrobe as you may feel selfconscious or you will only wear them a couple of times as they are uncomfortable,” Evie muses. “Having hand-made clothes to fit your exact measurements can help to make you feel more happy and relaxed.”

With demand for her clothes soaring in 2021, Evie is clearly filling a gap that has been around for far too long - and the designer had to expand her brand over the course of last year to deal with the increased workload. In her words, “people want clothes which fit them perfectly”, and thanks to Evie’s skills and commitment, many more will be able to. withloveevie.co.uk

The low frequency will never serve your highest potential and will hinder you from enjoying life.

Now for this month’s Affirmation: I AM RELEASING ALL THAT DOES NOT SERVE ME Until next time my loves.

Be safe, no fear and stay blessed. @lovecelestene lovecelestene.com leftlion.co.uk/issue145

Love

CECE X traceymeek.com

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words: Emilie Mendham illustration: Smugcomputer Illustration

SO HOT RIGHT NOW Fashionable isn’t it, nature? Our once-maligned wilderness, with all that pesky flora and nuisance fauna, is suddenly en vogue. Saving the world is so hot right now.

Mainstream society’s shift towards caring about the broader ecosystem which it inhabits is to be celebrated, but I can’t shake the feeling it could all be temporary. Sustainability is too often treated as a fancy hat to be worn to jazz up our old outfits, tweaking the unjust system we inhabit in minor ways - a “moment”.

Political zeitgeists can turn on a dime.

The fragile Johnson Government’s pseudo-ambitious net zero targets could be ditched tomorrow by jostling leaders-in-waiting Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak, who’ve both ominously avoided mentioning the climate crisis, despite it being the most significant issue in their foreign affairs or economic policy briefs respectively.

Sustainability is too often treated as a fancy hat to be worn to jazz up our old outfits What’s needed is a long-term change of behaviour and mindset, and a move away from our culture of extraction and competition. We might learn from nature, which tends to organise from the bottom up - starting small and spreading outwards to form networks and ecosystems, eventually finding balance. Attempts to control nature and society from the top typically fail, or unintentionally destroy, due to their inflexibility and ignorance.

By recognising this pattern, and resetting our view to a more local and collaborative one, working outwards from there, we might have a hope. This is why I believe in community-led, place-based responses to reshaping society around nature - and why I fear that (often admirable) efforts led by the United Nations, our national governments, and an inequitable capitalist system, are doomed to failure.

words: Adam Pickering

Notts has made big strides towards sustainability and the fashion scene is no exemption. Fast fashion once dominated Notts high streets but after the downfall of many big chains, we’re looking more sustainable than ever.

Our last surviving chain stores are doing what they can to keep up with the latest trends, but the downside of that?

Greenwashing is all over Notts.

The phrase ‘greenwashing’ was coined back in 1986 but its relevance is on the rise, with fast fashion stores like Primark - known for its unethical labour practices and unsustainable processes - busy releasing “conscious” collections. They promise consumers new ranges with recycled materials that actually damage the earth just as much thanks to microplastics. And there is the more sinister form of greenwashing, with lots of green and neutral colour palettes - the likes of which we’ve seen on billboards across the city. They can also sway customers with phrases such as “organic”, “natural” and “eco”, and legally not have to provide any more evidence.

So, how can we avoid being greenwashed? The answer is simple: shop local and campaign for better.

When shopping, look at the materials in your clothes closely and search for certification when possible. Most clothes will be proud to display their certificates and they will also be fully traceable. There are always handy green flags to show which items are sustainable, from OEKOTex Made in Green labels tucked away inside clothing or a website page showing your garments’ history. It’s never a bad idea to message a business and ask them for transparency on their sustainable practices, and they should be happy to tell you!

It’s not all doom and gloom when it comes to being greenwashed, though. New legislation came into effect after lots of campaigning known as the ‘Green Claims Code’ in September 2021. This protects us from big corporations lying about their products or claiming ignorance to the full life cycle.

Our favourite way to shop eco for fashion in Nottingham is to shop second-hand or find stores that re-work their clothes for the modern day. Here are our favourites: Sue Ryder Vintage

Wild Clothing

Known for their beautiful window displays that change as often as the seasons, their stock is conveniently colour-coded, meaning you can sort through it at record speeds.

Wild Clothing is Nottingham’s longest-running independent clothing store. With an eclectic mix of vintage fashion finds, you’re always going to discover something to wear on their rails.

Cost: £ Style Type: Vintage

Cost: ££ Style Type: Vintage @suerydernottingham

wildclothing.co.uk

Relic x Hooked

Soul and Flare

It’s no secret that Hockley is full of must-have secondhand buys, but Relic x Hooked stepped into the Intu to take over the fast fashion dominated space, and they’ve done great. Hosting premium second-hand vintage stock, they managed to open another store in Birmingham because of their success.

Heading over to Sneinton Avenues, home of LeftLion, we have our neighbour Soul and Flare. With a passion for reducing waste at every opportunity, founder Gay Bennet uses her sewing skills to create beautiful upcycled vintage clothing. A full cycle type shop, Gay also offers repairs and alterations services.

Cost: £££ Style type: Premium vintage & streetwear

Cost: £££ Style Type: Vintage

@relicvintageuk

soulandflare.co.uk

White Rose

Adornment

Luckily, it’s never hard to shop sustainably and ethically in Nottingham thanks to the seven White Rose shops scattered all around the city centre and beyond. With a mixture of high end brands and high street names there is something for everyone.

If jewellery is your thing, Adornment will have the ethical version. Seen popping up at shows all over, you can sometimes see their stall at Sneinton Market on a Saturday. Selling reworked vintage jewellery, they transform them into modern pieces fit for everyday.

Cost: £ Style type: Modern

Cost: ££ Style Type: Vintage @whiteroseshops

@a.d.o.r.n.m.e.n.t

leftlion.co.uk/issue145

Seeds only grow in the right conditions, when their subtly unique needs are cared for. We must make communities in Nottingham and this shire, or wherever we set our roots, fertile grounds for change, and shine light on solutions that empower individuals.

Our leaders should, in the words of Bruce Lee, “be like water”.

With fast fashion brands now jumping on the environmental bandwagon, how can we really tell which clothes are actually sustainable? Emilie Mendham explores…

ENVIRONMENT

GREEN IS THE NEW BLACK

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SCREEN

The edge of more

interview: George White photo: David Reiss

Fresh from starring in Vigil, one of the BBC’s most popular series ever, and Munich: The Edge of War, one of Netflix’s most popular films of the last year, West Bridgford’s Anjli Mohindra chats to us about her love for Notts, her time at the Television Workshop and what’s next for her career…

Whether starring as Rani Chandra in popular Doctor Who spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures or supplying shocking twists as an unlikely villain in the BBC’s Bodyguard, chances are you’ll have seen Anjli Mohindra on your TV screen at some point over the last decade-and-a-bit. Since leaving Nottingham, the multi-talented actor has worked alongside the likes of Rob Lowe and Jodie Whittaker, featured in a movie by the award-winning Catherine Hardwicke, and lent her voice to the well-received Dragon Quest video game - making her one of the city’s most distinguished alumni in recent years.

Yet speaking to Anjli, you get the sense that, despite a string of incredible achievements - gaining over forty credits across film, TV and gaming in an impressively short period of time - her Nottingham roots are almost the greatest source of her pride. While the 32-year-old was born in London, she was raised in West Bridgford, and her time in the East Midlands helped to shape her into the person she is now. “I love Nottingham,” she says with certainty. “The people are spot on. With it being a city, there’s lots going on and the place is pretty multicultural, meaning us Notts folk are open-minded. I love that we say ‘ta’ to the bus driver - I miss that in London.”

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Outside of her personal life, Nottingham also played a key role in her love for - and subsequent success in - the screen industry. During her time in the fancier part of town (“West Bridgford is a lovely place to have been brought up,” she admits), Anjli joined The Television Workshop, the local institution responsible for kickstarting the career of stars ranging from Samantha Morton to Vicky McClure, gaining guidance and training that played a huge role in developing her skills and improving her mindset.

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“The ethos of the Workshop is something I carry with me - to be a team player, to be disciplined and, above all, to be instinctive,” she explains. “I feel I owe not only my career to that place, but also the social network I found there. I made friends for life - some who have gone on to direct and write too. It lost most of its funding a few years ago but, thanks to some incredibly generous industry donors, there are now

places available to people who might not otherwise be able to afford to go, but still have the talent.”

Channelling the spirit and instinctiveness that defines so many of the Workshop’s graduates, Anjli has gone from strength-to-strength since rocking up in small screen staple Coronation Street back in 2005.

Recently, she bagged a role in Munich: The Edge of War, which ranked at number one on Netflix when it came out - “I loved working on that film. Christian Schwochow, the director, is a big fan of improvisation - something we did at TV Workshop a lot - so it was great to be able to stretch that muscle whilst building the character and layering the scenes” - and gripped viewers with her run on Vigil, one of the most talkedabout TV series of last year. “It’s always a pleasant surprise when a show does that well,” Anjli admits.

“All of the ingredients can be exciting, from the cast to the writing and production team, but there’s no guarantee the audience will take to it. So when that happened on Vigil we were all over the moon.”

The ethos of the Television Workshop is something I carry with me - to be a team player, to be disciplined and, above all, to be instinctive Even with the overwhelming popularity of these recent projects, though, Anjli believes the best is yet to come, with upcoming Sky series The Lazarus Project (currently listed as Extinction on IMDb) promising to have “all the ingredients going for it”.

“Think James Bond meets Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind,” she teases. “It’s written by one of my favourite writers, Joe Barton, directed by an incredible human and artist in Marco Kreuzpaintner, and stars Paapa Essiedu, Tom Burke, Caroline Quentin and yours truly. I hope people enjoy it as much as we did making it.”

Not content with a blossoming on-screen career, Anjli has also turned her hand to writing. After creating the COVID-set short film People Under the Moon in 2020, she agreed to pen a new series centred around Princess Sophia Duleep Singh, the goddaughter of Queen Victoria who was a well-known suffragette and campaigner for women's rights. Singh’s “gobsmacking” life caught the attention of Anjli, who jumped at the chance to adapt the activist’s powerful biography, written by journalist Anita Anand back in 2015.

Pushing important political stories and messages is always at the forefront of the actor’s mind, with Anjli often taking to social media to hold the Government to account and promote women’s rights (“Thanks for noticing!” she says when I point this out). Possessing the true fighting spirit of us Notts lot, she is not one to take things quietly, a quality she both takes great pride in and actively channels into every aspect of her life - including her work in front of the camera.

“I do try my best to factor those things in. I try to figure out early on what a show or film is trying to say and weigh that up against the character and the strength of the writing. As I continue to evolve and grow I hope to be doing more and more projects with a powerful message,” she muses, adding that she aims to emulate the approach of the “inimitable” Maxine Peake in this regard.

As Anjli moves on to mirror her heroes and expand her horizons, one thing’s for certain - her love for Nottingham will remain as strong as ever. When asked what the future holds, she lists off exciting projects such as The Suspect, “a crime-thriller coming out on ITV”, and The Peripheral, “a post-apocalyptic sci-fi show coming to Amazon Prime”, but is quick to note that there will be “lots more writing in Notts cafés” too. Wherever she goes - be it on submarines, in outer space or across the Lincolnshire countryside - Anjli’s connection to our great city is sure to follow.

Munich: The Edge of War is now available to watch on Netflix @AnjMohindra

SCREEN

GAME ON

CLOTHES-MINDED Whenever a film comes out, there’s always talk about the acting and directing, there may be a bit of discourse around the cinematography, and every now and then someone might mention the score. Yet, more often than not, very little is made of the costume design. Unless clothing is a key focus of a movie - like in 2021’s Cruella, for example - costume designers are unlikely to get a second thought.

However, as Nottingham Trent University’s Totie Driver explains, each costume is a fundamental storytelling device in every film, regardless of genre, period or budget. “Costume designers are part of the key creative team who collaborate to create and visualise the world in which a story is told,” the Senior Lecturer in Stage and Screen Design explains. “We scrutinise a script and create unitations in relation to each scene, considering how much we want to give away, or whether we want to challenge the audience to make decisions for themselves.”

Costume design is a key storytelling device in its own right, whatever the project This is just as important for modern blockbusters like Fast and Furious as it is for intimate arthouse pieces like The Favourite, she continues. “Our role is to enhance every character and consider every detail. In a contemporary drama, for example, someone wearing sportswear could be interpreted in so many ways. We are considering what brand it might be, whether it’s worn for fashion or an activity, whether it will be worn in a stylised manner like in a Wes Anderson film, whether it has been worn down from work, or action, or weather, and so on.”

We catch up with Richard Barber and Gin Rai of Confetti to find out more about the world of esports, their new £5 million venue, Confetti X, and how you can get involved…

How would you describe esports to a novice?

Esports (or electronic sports) describes competitive video gaming – whether for fun between friends or between professional and highly-trained players, either individually or as teams. Professional esports players and teams at the height of their powers can earn millions in prize money playing in front of packed stadiums. Like professional athletes in traditional sports, professional players require high-end training facilities with consideration given to all areas of performance such as nutrition and sports psychology.

You’ve recently announced plans to build a new £5 million multi-event esports venue, Confetti X. Can you tell us a bit about that?

Part of Nottingham Trent University, Confetti X is an esports and content creation venue set to be fitted with the very best emerging and disruptive technologies available within the multidisciplinary creative technology industry. The key thing here is that Confetti X is to be a purpose-built space for top quality esports productions. The configurations for the spaces have been designed to industry standards as a baseline and innovations in mind to move with the rapidly evolving creative media industry.

Confetti X will also play host to a range of events and activities, including amateur and professional esports tournaments, with the institute set to leverage its strong links with industry to attract a range of esports teams, influencers and brands to its facilities. The 14,000 square-foot complex includes a 100-seater venue for audiences in-person, with purpose-built shoutcaster and analyst studios.

How much of an impact will it have in putting Nottingham on the esports map?

As well as being an education centre of excellence, we anticipate Confetti X will bring many events and new activities to the area – generating significant inward investment for the city.

As with traditional major sporting tournaments, esports can attract a significant volume of spectators and revenue from other regions and countries who may only be visiting that destination because of their interest in esports.

There were an estimated 42,000 attendees to live esports events in the UK in 2019 – including events such as the ESL One Birmingham 2019, which attracted tens of thousands of attendees alone to the city of Birmingham, as well as millions of viewers online.

Like the Red Bull Gaming Sphere, Confetti X will be a gaming and esports hub in the heart of Nottingham, offering the UK community cutting-edge technology, competitive events, and a turn-key venue for tournament organisers and content creators. Through industry leading esports production education, and through bringing many events and activities to the area, Confetti X will generate an economic impact for Nottingham, attracting new students and visitors, and providing the city with a strong opportunity to market to new demographics.

How would you encourage people to get involved in esports?

At Confetti we are raising awareness of esports and encouraging involvement through our curriculum with two courses, at college and degree level, devoted to learning about production technologies and processes used within grassroots to arena-grade, live esports events. As part of these courses we give our students access to cutting edge tech and expertise required for engagement and employment within the esports and live events sector.

Outside of our esports-devoted courses, we also encourage all students to get involved in esports through enrichment activities delivered each academic year. We draw on our strong links in industry to bring opportunities like Halo Clash Series and the Six Memevitational, to campus, and create ‘do it for real opportunities’, providing Confetti students insights and hands-on experience in industry.

While our esports students will be making the most of Confetti X, it will be accessible to all Confetti and NTU students, allowing everyone to find out more about esports and the cutting-edge technologies that underpin the industry.

To find out more about Confetti X and esports at Confetti, visit their website confetti.ac.uk/our-campus/confetti-x

words: George White

To Do Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

To Remember 300: Rise of an Empire

To Follow Marcus Rutherford

Relive one of the greatest films of all time as New Art Exchange screen Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon for free this month - a fitting event for a movie that puts the art in martial arts.

BAFTA champ and The Television Workshop graduate Jack O'Connell rocked up in 300: Rise of an Empire eight years ago this month, a film one critic described as “boring, numbing and unnecessary”. O’Well, you can’t win them all…

After starring in one of Amazon’s most expensive shows to date, The Wheel of Time, Nottingham’s Marcus Rutherford is a big name in the making. Drop him a follow to see what he gets up to next.

leftlion.co.uk/issue145

@LeftLionScreen

SHORT REELS

Far from focusing solely on old-timey fashion and bold statement pieces, costume design is a key storytelling device in its own right, whatever the project. So, when you’re next in the cinema admiring a film’s cinematography and quality of cast, pay some extra attention to the costumes there’s more going on there than you’d think…

@marcus_rudda

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Thurs 17 March, New Arts Exchange

MUSIC

RAVING THE WAY

interview: Lizzy O’Riordan

Emerging from Nottingham in the summer of 1989, the DiY Collective were one of the first house sound systems in the UK. Merging the anarchy of the free festival scene and the cultural and political anger of bands like Crass with the new, irresistible pulse of Acid House, they bridged the idealistic void left by the moral implosion of the commercial rave scene. Written by Harry Harrison, one of DiY’s founding members, Dreaming in Yellow traces their origins back to early formative experiences, describing in detail the seminal clubs, parties, festivals and records that forged the collective. Lizzy O’Riordan catches up with the author to find out more…

Your new book Dreaming in Yellow tells the story of DiY Sound System. For anyone unfamiliar, can you explain what DiY Sound System is?

Well, a sound system is a mobile set of boxes and amplifiers which can be set up anywhere in order to play music at high volume. In the late eighties, our collective emerged from Nottingham, playing dance music and taking the name DiY. We decided to buy our own sound system in 1990, becoming one of the first house sound systems in the UK, if not the world.

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This was at a time in the nineties where there was a lot of anti-rave legislation coming into place. How did DiY react to that?

As we moved from organising inner-city parties around Nottingham, we hooked up with a crew of progressive travellers at Glastonbury and started doing what were some of the very first free parties in the summer of 1990. All the Orbital parties and pay raves were obviously licensed events, but ours were totally outlawed. There was already legislation in place, such as the Public Order Act 1986, which had criminalised some forms of protest and the travellers’ ancient way of life, but the Government needed new powers to deal specifically with parties. The Criminal Justice Act, in particular, actually used the word ‘rave’ and criminalised them. We reacted by moving away from big free festivals to much smaller events in places like Derbyshire so we would not be busted, which worked brilliantly for a while. We were also instrumental in setting up ‘All Systems No’, which was an umbrella organisation to fight the Criminal Justice Bill before it became law. Between ourselves and the other systems, we organised demos and subsidised coaches to London events, printed tens of thousands of flyers and purchased a ‘kamikaze’ sound system so if it was confiscated by the police, no-one would lose their rig.

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In the description of the book, you say that DiY celebrates the ideology of ‘liberation through fun’.

Can you expand on that? Why is raving political?

We did an interview with Chumbawamba, the famous anarchist band, in 1994, and they asked me for a quote. I just came out with that and I’ve liked it ever since. Much like them, we rejected conventional politics. Some of the DiY founder members came from a background of following anarcho-punk bands

like Crass. They were overtly political and played beneath slogans like ‘There is No Authority but Yourself’. We agreed with much of what they said but they were very serious, very unfunky, and their music was never going to appeal to a wide cross-section of people. We thought that if you play house music to people and they had fun then it could become liberating, a political act filled with pleasure which might alter people's attitudes towards collectivism, freedom and politics in general. It worked a treat. A whole generation of people had the time of their lives but also began to think politically. As George Clinton said, “Free their mind and their ass will follow.”

I don’t think raving is inherently political, it depends where you do it. In a field at dawn for free is definitely political. In 1997 we were named by In the City as “the most dangerous people in the country”, not because of DiY’s physical threat, obviously, but because by doing things for free we were subverting the entire entertainment industry and providing radical new ways to combine party and protest.

I imagine that the underground nature of the Sound System made it all the more exciting. Can you describe what the atmosphere was like at its height?

The underground and illicit vibe was definitely part of the attraction. There was undeniably a huge buzz from evading the police, driving in convoy around country lanes at three in the morning and wondering if you were going to get arrested on the way out.

At some of our better parties and clubs, and at huge free festivals such as Castlemorton in 1992, the atmosphere was just unbelievable. We were veterans of the Hacienda and the Blackburn raves, and later parties all over the world, and nothing would ever match the sheer euphoria of being outside dancing with hundreds, or even thousands, of loved-up people.

What was it about the music and the vibe that attracted you?

For me, and the other core members and DJs within DiY, house music just seemed to appear from outer space at some point in 1988. As outlined in the book, Rick and I were lucky enough to have moved to Nottingham and we had Graeme Park playing house music at the Garage incredibly early. We attended a

night at Rock City called ‘Acid House Frenzy’ in 1988 and it changed our lives forever. We hadn’t even taken ecstasy at that point but the electronic music just blew us away. We had both liked soul, funk and hip-hop but acid house was just something else. The physical rhythm of the music and the way it was mixed seamlessly into something new, never-ending and revelatory just forced you onto the dancefloor.

The vibe was just amazing.

At our early parties there was just a crazy mix of people; black and white, gay and straight, students, clubbers, crusties, fashionistas. It was just mindblowing how that music just evaporated barriers.

Dreaming in Yellow is set to come out in March 2022. How did you find the process of writing this history?

Tortuous. I’ve harboured ambitions to be a writer since my teens but, boy, it’s a grind. I’ve written lots of magazine articles over the years but the book was over 90,000 words. I also did about fifteen interviews and endless research, so the process was just enormous and exhausting. I read on the internet somewhere that many writers employed the 1,000 word strategy, where you start by editing the previous day's work then just write a thousand words, or as close as you can get, and then just stop, go out, do whatever and forget about it. Repeat for three months and you have a book.

What can readers expect from the book?

Well, if they buy it they will find out - but essentially it’s a rip-roaring chronology of the nineties rave scene, written from the angle of a bunch of nonconformists who were at the heart of it. It covers the Year Zero of acid house, and the wonderful but slightly unhinged adventures of a crew of house purists from there on. It explains the visceral excitement of the huge events that marked the era, such as Castlemorton, and details the wild times of those days in full, glorious detail.

Dreaming in Yellow: The Story Of The DiY Soundsystem by Harry Harrison will be released by Velocity Press on Wednesday 23 March velocitypress.uk

MUSIC

MUSIC REVIEWS BRU-C Feat Wilkinson Paradise (Single) Nottingham’s own Bru-C returned to the scene with his latest single and has delivered once again. The release of Paradise is massive news for drum and bass fans who have been waiting for this collaboration with Wilkinson for a long time. Delivering a chilled out vibe, you can already picture the track being added to countless summer playlists, becoming the soundtrack for sitting with friends, enjoying a barbecue and a few drinks ready to catch some rays. And hearing the song belted out around the City Ground at half time only hammers home Bru-C’s Notts pride. Paradise is a true Bru-C banger. Matthew Benton-Smith

Good Hustles Apes (EP)

BEKA Thorn (Single)

Good Hustles’ new EP may have some of the nicest cover art of all time, but its tunes are still the absolute highlight. Offering a welcome hit of early noughties nostalgia, but with a fresh, forward-thinking energy, this is an incredibly impressive release that takes the listener on a real journey - from the high-tempo and properly catchy Hold On to the more chill, introspective Waking Up in Your Clothes. In short, Apes is ace (do people still say ace?). George White

Singer-songwriter Beka Prance’s 2021 single You Got was one of the best pop singles of the year. Now, new single Thorn finds BEKA in a more reflective mood, processing a family breakdown with a mixture of catharsis and hope. A genuinely unique voice soars over the sparse production, before opening up into an anthemic chorus with hints of a late-eighties Whitney-esque power ballad. With more than one million monthly Spotify listeners and already on the radar of BBC Introducing, it could be a big year for this rising star. Nick Parkhouse

Lajay Push Bike Vibes (Single)

Head Spin Wax Donor (EP)

If I ever wanted to have a push-up competition at a family picnic in the Arboretum, this would be the jam for the occasion. Simultaneous unchecked feel-good vibes and a hard AF hopscotching beat that’s destined for summertime convertible cruising - what’s not to like?

Skipping over a playful, nursery-rhyme type melody, Lajay delivers verses of bold and self-asserted confidence that’ll get the crowd going and the endorphins flowing. I’m loving the juxtaposition of positivity and tenacity from this promising Notts artist. Liam MacGregor-Hastie

Head Spin is the instrumental psychedelic project of Nottingham musician Andy Scoffin, with Wax Donor - a ten-minute track with lots of trippy grooves and soaring guitar solos - being their second release. However, the track has so much more and pulls on influences including funk, prog, dub and electronica - there is something for everyone here. Get out your air synths and play along as the fast moving bass lines, constant drum patterns and guitars take you on this spacey journey. 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.

@georgemarshmandj

SV When local legend Liati from The Elementz says you’re one of his hot tips, you know you’re on the right track. SV is already doing NG proud - hitting millions upon millions on YouTube, and that’s before you get to the industry love and respect he’s been receiving. As Drill and its family of genres continue to grow, it’s only a matter of time before SV is a household name. @dareal.sv

leftlion.co.uk/issue145

George Marshman Taking techno and tech house straight outta NG and into the ‘this dude could totally be world-famous on a boujjie jet’ levels of slickness.

We first heard George at local promoter Trippin’s nights at The Cell, and have since found ourselves listening to his Soundcloud on repeat.

Big boy tunes, with more than a hint of ‘okay, we like tech, but we also love disco’ to them.

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ART

one is the loneliest number

words: Alex Stubbs

As their time at the iconic location looks set to come to an end, Arts Editor Alex Stubbs explores the important creative hub that is One Thoresby Street…

One Thoresby Street has been steadily evolving for years. Since 2008, the studio, exhibition, and event space has played host to a diverse range of artists and creatives. Contemporary art, dance, and performance have coexisted happily within the building’s industrial spaces, often intertwining and collaborating with each other.

Run by three directors - Ellen Angus, Freddy Griffiths, Sophie Mackfall - and studio manager Adam Grainger, One Thoresby Street is a relatively small operation. Their roles emerged organically, the result of persistent and dedicated work: “We had all been involved in various aspects of what happened in the studio before.” After taking over the reins in 2021, the group “were keen to ensure that it continued to operate as a vital space for grassroots activity in the city”.

One Thoresby Street established itself by delivering absurdly brilliant art to the community and nurturing the next generation of artists. Home to over thirty studios, it championed a range of creatives, including sculptors, painters, and performance artists, as well as researchers, writers, and academics. “Space is one of the main things artists need to develop their practices, and it’s something we currently have an abundance of,” they explain, “so we’re always keen to find ways to give people room to experiment.” Music has also found a place here, with Wigflex City Festival spinning ravers into a frenzy of celebration and dance. Film events, talks, and workshops have proved that One Thoresby Street is not simply a space to rent; it’s an energetic hub of creativity supported by a thriving community.

up a range of dilemmas and possibilities,” they explain. “How do we continue to provide a structure of support, community building, and development without a permanent physical base?”

The situation at One Thoresby Street speaks to the bigger problem facing artist-led art spaces. With growing concerns surrounding funding and rent hikes, opportunities to establish new spaces are proving even more difficult. Fears have arisen over the construction of a major student accommodation site near Nottingham Train Station, and, coupled with recent similar developments in Sneinton and Hockley, space for artists is now at a premium.

One Thoresby Street established itself by delivering absurdly brilliant art to the community and nurturing the next generation of artists The folks at One Thoresby Street are all too aware of the need to remain flexible, ready at all times to take over the next derelict shop front or warehouse.

“One Thoresby Street’s strengths lie in its flexibility, spontaneity and the diversity of practices and skill sets represented in the studio community.” By focusing on alternative education, learning, and practice, the organisation remains in tune with what a sustainable arts ecology might look like.

audience and energy to the building over the past year,” the directors muse. That energy is bundled into a diverse package: thoughtful exhibitions like Tulani Hialo’s In My Defence and the ever popular Queerphoria event alongside studio artist Christos Gkenoudis are just two examples of many. Gasleak Mountain are proof that organisations do best when they collaborate and support other creatives.

It’s not all doom and gloom, though. Even as they know that the clock is ticking on their time at Thoresby Street, there is no sign that they’re slowing down. Currently on view is Sticking Ground, a group show initiated and curated by Sophie Giller, Sophie Goodchild, and Hannah Dinsdale, that commemorates the history of the building and those that have worked in it. As part of New Midland Group alongside Nottingham galleries Backlit and Primary, One Thoresby Street is helping to deliver Roo Dhissou and Sahjan Kooner’s (ASTRAL VILLAGE) slooooowwww over at Riverlights, Derby. The New Midland Group project establishes relationships between both artists and galleries and, as Thoresby Street sees it, it’s been an essential part of “reinvigorating creative practice given the relative quietness of the art world through the pandemic”.

For them, it’s all about looking to the future. “We want to look back and see this time as one that marked and celebrated our existence in the building over the past years,” they say, “and look forward with optimism to the futures we might create.” It seems the beautiful thing about their organisation is not the building they find themselves in, but the deeply important programme they’ve built over the past fourteen years.

Now, though, the future of the institution, at least at its current location, is precarious. “The potential lack of a premises to house the community throws

Gasleak Mountain, a collective of NTU graduates, have recently taken over the ground floor in One Thoresby Street. “Their programme has been really exciting and ambitious, and has brought a whole new

Nottingham Contemporary

The Carousel

Open Call

Five Bodies Series, Roots and Weeds: A Reading with Jason Allen-Paisant & Mina Gorji. ‘A series of free monthly talks and readings exploring creative-critical writing, hybrid methodologies and experimental thinking.’

Messy Drink & Draw. Hosted by Grace Calloway.

No art degree required. Equipment supplied, but feel free to bring your own pens and all of your friends.

Surface Gallery, Abstract. All artwork that is abstract or explores abstraction will be considered; entries that explore wider themes, genres, processes and methods are welcome.

Wednesday 2, 16, 30 March, 6pm. (Free)

Deadline for submission Friday 4 March

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BRUSH STROKES

Sticking Ground is on view Saturday 5 March at One Thoresby Street, 12 - 6pm

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Thursday 10 March, 7pm. Online (Free)

Emmy Lupin has illustrated for the likes of Adidas and SEGA, as well as clocking up her fair share of LeftLion doodles over the years with her bright, bold and stylish aesthetic. So when it came to deciding who should illustrate the cover of our fashion issue, the choice was unanimous...

Tell us a bit about yourself…

I’m a freelance illustrator from Nottingham, currently based in London but soon to be heading back to my hometown.

I studied advertising and worked in design agencies as an Account Manager for five years, running my business alongside that until it became the beast it is now. I’m lucky enough to have been working full-time as an illustrator for nearly two years. Hurrah! My clients include brands such as Adidas, Three, Stylist and SEGA - and happy to say LeftLion were one of my very first editorial projects way back when.

THE ROUNDUP

words: Alex Stubbs

Nottingham’s arts season is firmly underway, with exhibitions and events parading through the city’s eclectic mix of venues.

Here’s the roundup of what to expect in the month of March.

BACKLIT begins its year with Silk To Silicon, graphic design artist Sebasian Koseda’s exciting debut solo show. Delving into Nottingham’s industrial history, the exhibition marks a continuation of the gallery’s mission to champion upcoming artists. Automation, ethics, and the environment are explored here, alongside a programme of talks, screenings, and performances still to be announced.

Nottingham Contemporary continues the theme of the environment through its massive conceptual exhibition, Our Silver City, 2094.

All four gallery spaces have been curated by internationally recognised artists, including Grace Ndiritu - whose work is currently on display at British Art Show 9. A whole new imagined world awaits you inside, to be explored, devoured, and questioned.

Until Sunday 27 March

Until Monday 18 April backlit.org.uk

ART

OVER AR R C TI E S D T N U

nottinghamcontemporary.org

What was the inspiration behind the cover?

Using the iconic Broad Street as a catwalk, I included some influences from the articles within the magazine and went a bit wild with the rest. Drawing stylish people is one of my favourite things to do, so I imagined I was sitting with a coffee and people-watching - drawing all of the fab outfits as people walked past.

How does it compare with some other projects you’ve worked on?

I loved working on this, with absolute creative freedom and support from the LeftLion team. I love colour and pattern, and it features heavily in my work - so when I asked ‘is this too bright?’ and the answer was an absolute no, I knew we were on to a winner.

What was the biggest challenge that you faced in creating the piece?

Attempting to keep to a colour palette, and not use 10,000 different tones. I wanted the brickwork to be orange and pink, but then also use these colours as accents within the outfits. I needed to make sure the people popped, but so did the background. I think I found the balance eventually.

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

I’ve worked on quite a few nice publishing projects - book covers, and illustrated books. At the moment I’m working on a pretty big project with over seventy portraits of women in politics, so that’s a good one to get my teeth into! One of the stand-out projects was for Three UK in 2020, illustrating around eighty moments from lockdown, which went on to be a 120 foot sculpture. In two weeks. Wild.

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

Outside of my commission work I also sell prints, cards and other lovely bits on my shop. Feel free to stop by for a gander. emmylupin.com @emmylupinstudio

Nottingham Castle opens its gates to two new exhibitions. The LAB: 1968 - A Gateway for Change presents a look at the history of social movements, using the wave of uprisings ignited in 1968 as a catalyst for present day movements. Laura Knight and Caroline Walker: A Female Gaze reimagines the female gaze through two highly celebrated British women artists.

Until Saturday 12 March

The LAB: 1968 - A Gateway for Change is showing until Sunday 29 May; Laura Knight and Caroline Walker: A Female Gaze starts Saturday 19 March

boningtongallery.co.uk

nottinghamcastle.org.uk

Interested in art? Got a few things to say?

We’re looking for writers to cover Nottingham’s exhibitions, events, artists, and art-related news for this section.

For more information contact Alex Stubbs (alex.stubbs@leftlion.co.uk)

leftlion.co.uk/issue145

What have you got planned for the future?

Who knows?! I’d love to write and illustrate my own book one day. I’d also like to have a studio space where I can run workshops, and potentially a physical shop. But really I’m just taking every day as it comes at the moment.

Set up in 2015 to champion queer narratives, Karol Radziszewski’s QAI/GB-NGM transforms Bonington Gallery into an archival sanctuary of the Queer Archives Institute (QAI) project, a non-profit dedicated to the research, collection, and presentation of queer archives.

The queer history and culture of Nottingham is explored here too, as well as the artist’s own work.

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In celebration of our fashion issue, we take a look at the short, remarkable life of Katie Seymour, the Nottingham-born music hall star and pioneer of the world-famous skirt dance…

It might be hard for modern audiences to understand the importance of the music hall in Victorian times. Long before smartphones, the internet, television, films or even radio, it was the primary source of entertainment, providing brief moments of solace and joy in an otherwise arduous day of work. While we still have a strong theatre, live music and pantomime tradition in this country, they’re set against the myriad of other forms of entertainment, simply becoming one of a number of options. But they gave birth to the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Stan Laurel and a host of generational talents that would later go on to trailblaze the comedy motion picture industry. To a Victorian or early-Edwardian audience, the music hall was everything Like all forms of entertainment, the music hall went through various fads and phases, one of which swept across the burlesque and vaudeville halls during the last decade of the nineteenth century. Performed by dancers

using their arms to manipulate long, layered skirts to create a mesmeric motion of flowing fabric, the skirt dance became a sensation on both sides of the Atlantic.

With dresses made from over 300 feet of material, some of the most famous performers of the day dazzled and delighted audiences with the performance, inspiring those who saw it to imitate the dance, as Martie Fellom writes:

She picked up the dubious honour of being the first woman to be arrested in New York for speeding “Women everywhere were captivated by the movements of the long flowing gown worn by the professional dancers. Since a modest yet stylish dress was worn,

the society maiden could inconspicuously imitate the professional dancer and share some of the limelight.”

Not all who saw it were fans, made evident by one review from famed author George Bernard Shaw, who said, “It had been my miserable fate to see [a skirt dance] in the second act of some unspeakably dreary inanity at the West End, to interpolate a ‘skirt dance’ and spin out the unendurable by the intolerable.” Shaw’s curmudgeonly reception aside, the skirt dance was the music hall hit of the decade. And while the origins of the dance are still debated, an 1889 programme lists Katie Seymour as “The Original Skirt Dancer”.

Born in Nottingham in 1870, Katie Seymour was destined for a life on the stage. Her mother, a member of a noted family of actors, was a dancer trained in the Italian school, while her father was a successful music hall comedian and singer. She made her debut on the stage at just four-

now and then

Wheeler Gate, 1960 leftlion.co.uk/issue145 4242 leftlion.co.uk/issue145

Wheeler Gate, 2022

years-old, with her only training coming from a few steps taught by her mother. But her natural ability clearly shone through as, at the age of six, she was approached by talent manager F. B. Chatterton. For the next thirteen years she built up a reputation as one of the stars of the London stage, testament to which can be seen by surviving reviews that endlessly sing her praises. “She floats on in all the colours of the rainbow,” wrote one reviewer. “The dancing is extremely graceful, and its studied propriety would lift the hair even of the County Council.” A second described Seymour as “Exceedingly graceful, her chief characteristics are nimbleness, quickness and dexterity. Her feet are apparently electrical, so rapid is their movement.”

No dancer has ever established herself in the favour of a theatrical audience more rapidly than did Miss Katie Seymour Appearances in Joan of Arc, Robin Hood, Little Bo-Peep and countless other music hall productions saw her profile swell, leading to a visit to America in 1889, where the press was equally adoring. One reviewer described her hair as “streaming down her shoulders like rivers of gold”, while another gushed, “Dainty Katie Seymour

dances like a fairy or butterfly.” She followed her initial foray across the Atlantic with a subsequent trip that was even more successful, sharing top billing with James E. Sullivan in a revival of The Casino Girl at the famous Knickerbocker Theatre on Broadway. It was on this second visit to the States in 1901 that Seymour proved her feet weren’t the only fast thing about her, as she picked up the dubious honour of being the first woman to be arrested in New York for speeding.

On her return to England, Seymour seemed keen to give her opinion on the American dance scene, telling the press: “There are no American dancers except perhaps toe dancers and cake-walk style. Dancing is not cultivated there as it is here. I am very glad to be at home again.”

What made Seymour stand apart from her contemporaries, both in England and in America, was her individuality as a dancer. With little to no formal training, other than those initial steps picked up from her mother, she naturally developed an elegance and refined mastery of step dancing and ballet which, when combined with her lavish costumes, helped manifest the majestic, mesmerising skirt dance. “Seymour arranged her own dances,” Fellom wrote of the dancer. “She planned them while standing in front of a cheval glass. Music was the inspiration for steps.” As Seymour herself said, “The music gives me the idea.” Her intricate footwork was matched by a charming stage persona and a delicacy of

Object walk

foot that was exceedingly rare with trained words: dancers.Ashley One Carter fan described her movement as having “the lightness of a ilustration: Natalie Owen storm-tossed feather”, while another said: “Those who have had the fortune of seeing Miss Seymour’s lithe and elegant figure glide through some of her fantastical creations will at once acknowledge that she proves the superiority of English dancing.”

The surviving photos of Seymour present the very embodiment of style, grace and intricacy. The bombastic, grandiose garments worn for her famous skirt dances are bettered only by the expert handling of her posed body, diligently honed through years of disciplined practice and performance.

Seymour’s life was tragically cut short when she developed a renal infection while on a tour of South Africa with one of George Edwardes’ theatrical companies. Returning back to London, she died at a nursing home in Maida Vale on 7 September 1903. She was just 33 years old.

People flocked to her funeral – famous contemporaries and audience members alike – in order to pay their respects to the Nottingham-born dancer that, despite her short life, had enthralled them for almost two decades. As The Daily Telegraph wrote, “No dancer has ever established herself in the favour of a theatrical audience more rapidly than did Miss Katie Seymour. She is sprightliness, grace and agility personified.”

photos: Fiona Carr

We’ve teamed up with the National Justice Museum to put objects from the past into the hands of people in the present. This month, we took a Harrods shirt worn by East End gangster Reggie Kray while in HM Prison Nottingham to Ian Mahoney, Senior Lecturer in Criminology at Nottingham Trent University Alongside Ronnie, his twin brother, Reggie Kray ran an organised crime syndicate known as The Firm in the late fifties and sixties, before both were sentenced to life imprisonment for murder in 1969. Bouncing around the prison system, Reggie eventually ended up at HM Prison Nottingham in the nineties, where this shirt was gifted to him by none other than Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon.

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It’s a well-worn shirt, and the fact that it’s from Harrods suggests it belonged to someone from a more affluent background. I kind of want to smell it… that’s probably a terrible idea. I think this belonged to a man of medium build, and there’s a label inside that says ‘Nottingham 1998’.

The fact that this is in your collection suggests it belonged to someone high-profile. Someone who is going to capture the public imagination… someone involved in some sort of sexual or violent offending? Maybe even a serial murderer? Or perhaps a well-known event that occurred?

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I can’t imagine it was one of the Biggs’… is it one of the Krays’? Reggie?

That’s exciting! I’m holding Reggie Kray’s shirt – that’s not something I ever thought I’d say! Buzz Aldrin is a really weird connection. It’s interesting that there’s a hidden value to it, and that it ended up at the museum.

I wonder what he was trying to achieve by passing the shirt on to somebody. Was he giving it to someone he already knew, or exchanging it for a favour, especially with what we already know about the Krays and that gangland London culture that’s been serialised in the media.

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It’s really interesting to see the way in which something which is relatively mundane can attract value and interest because of who it is linked to; the fact that this was acquired by auction, and would presumably have had multiple people wanting to have it as a piece of memorabilia.

You get a feel for the human aspect – what their build was like, where they shopped, or where someone shopped for them. All of a sudden you’re not talking about this distant figure, you’re given that individuality – the aspect that is often missing from populist debates about crime and criminals. leftlion.co.uk/issue145

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WHAT’S ON? TUESDAY 1 MAR

FRIDAY 4 MAR

SUNDAY 6 MAR

FRIDAY 11 MAR

TUESDAY 15 MAR

🎵 Blazin' Fiddles Djanogly Theatre £20, 7.30pm - 9.30pm

🎵 Dirty Disco Sound System Malt Cross Free, 8.30pm

🎵 Flamenco 'el desborde' Peggy's Skylight £10 - £15, 5pm

😂 🎭 Relatively Speaking The Studio Theatre £8 - £6.50, 7.30pm - 9pm

🎭 The Freddie and Queen Experience Nottingham Arts Theatre £15 - £23, 8pm

🚲 Nottingham Panthers vs Manchester Storm Motorpoint Arena Nottingham £11.25 - £22.50, 7.30pm

🎵 The Ultimate Battle of the Bands Metronome Free, 7pm

🎵 Yonaka Rescue Rooms £18.50, 7.30pm 🔧 Skillshare - Broom Binding Primary Free, 6.30pm 🎵 The Clause The Bodega £8, 7pm

WEDNESDAY 2 MAR 🎵 Sad Boys Club The Bodega £9, 7pm 🎵 NTU Music Free Lunchtime Concert University Hall Free, 1pm - 1.30pm 🔧 Kitchen Dancing - Ultimate 80s & 90s Beeston Methodist Church £5 - £5.50, 7pm - 9pm 🎵 The Wailers Rock City £25, 6.30pm 🎵 Johnny Marr - Signing Rough Trade £15.50, 1pm 🎵 Niko B Rough Trade £12 - £13.50, 7pm

🎵 Nicolas Meier World Group Peggy's Skylight £10 - £15, 5pm ♫ Square One DNB Hidden Warehouse £16.50, 10am

SATURDAY 5 MAR 🎵 Casey Lowry The Bodega £10, 7pm 🎵 City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall £11.50 - £37.50, 7.30pm ♫ 👪 70's - 00's Reggae & Soul Throwback Party Sheriff Social Club £10, 9pm

🎵 Paul Carr's Stabat Mater and Saxophone Concerto Southwell Minster £5 - £18, 7.30pm

🎵 Nouvelle Vague The Level £27.50 - £30.25, 7pm 🎵 Böhmen The Chameleon £7, 7.30pm 🎨 Cabaret Liberte The Glee Club £12, 6.30pm

WEDNESDAY 9 MAR

♫ STFD Nottingham Disco Fiesta The Brickworks £7, 10pm

🎵 Sharp Little Bones featuring Tony Kofi Peggy's Skylight £12, 7pm

SUNDAY 6 MAR 🎵 Orchards The Bodega £8, 7pm 📣 The Guilty Feminist Live Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall £27.50, 8pm 😂 🎭 The Gilded Merkin Burlesque & Cabaret The Glee Club £18 - £20, 6pm

SATURDAY 12 MAR

TUESDAY 8 MAR

🎵 Tom Ollendorff Quartet Peggy's Skylight £10 - £15, 5pm

🎵 Fisherman's Friends Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall £27.50 - £36, 7.30pm

🎵 Ben Snow X Hidden Garmz Hidden Warehouse £5, 10pm

😂 Just The Tonic Comedy Club Metronome £6 - £13.50, 8pm

🎭 Botis Seva's BLKDOG Nottingham Playhouse £10.50 - £16.50, 7.30pm

🎵 Denuo and Katie Keddie Rough Trade Free, 6pm

😂 Al Murray The Pub Landlord Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall £30, 7.30pm

🎵 Kawala - Live & Signing Rough Trade £12.50 - £23.50, 6pm

🎵 Girls In Synthesis The Chameleon £8, 8pm

😂 An Evening with Alan McGee The Glee Club £15, 7.30pm

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🎲 The Big Quiz Malt Cross £5, 7.30pm

📣 Grace Ndiritu - Artist Talk Nottingham Contemporary Free, 6.30pm

THURSDAY 3 MAR

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MONDAY 7 MAR

🎥 Spirited Away Broadway Cinema £3.90, 12.30pm

🎵 Tom Odell Rock City £28.50, 6.30pm

🎵 Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard Rough Trade £10 - £22, 6pm

🎵 M Huncho Rock City £22.50, 7pm

🎵 Alfie Templeman Rescue Rooms £13, 6.30pm 🎵 Professor Green Rock City £22.50, 6.30pm 🎵 Peatbog Faeries Djanogly Theatre £20, 7.30pm 🎵 This Is The Kit The Glee Club £20, 7pm

THURSDAY 10 MAR 🎵 White Lies Rock City £25, 6.30pm 🎵 Cleopatrick Rescue Rooms £13, 6.30pm 🔧 Still there are seeds to be gathered... ONLINE Primary Free - £5, 6.30pm

🎵 Adam Ant - Antics Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall £40 - £45, 7.30pm 🔧 Silver Ring Making Workshop Malt Cross £85, 10am 🚲 Wood vs Conlan - World Championship Boxing Motorpoint Arena Nottingham £46.95 - £171.25, 4.30pm 🎵 Buzzcocks Rescue Rooms £20, 6.30pm

📣 Working as an Artist with Rebecca Smith - Online City Arts Free, 6pm 📣 Tim Peake Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall £27.50, 7.30pm

WEDNESDAY 16 MAR 🎵 Gong Rescue Rooms £18, 6.30pm 🎵 Langkamer The Chameleon £5, 7.30pm 🎵 Thomas Headon - Live & Signing Rough Trade £10 - £23.50, 6pm 📣 James Martin Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall £32 - £41, 7.30pm

THURSDAY 17 MAR 🎵 Eels Rock City £35, 6.30pm

SUNDAY 13 MAR

🎵 Walls Of Dada Rough Trade Free, 7pm

👪 The Undiscovered Island Djanogly Theatre £10 - £18, 10am - 4.15pm

🎨 Johanness Radebe Freedom Royal Concert Hall £29.50 - £85, 7.30pm

🎵 Palaye Royale Rock City £23.50, 7pm

🎵 Willie and the Bandits The Bodega £15, 7pm

MONDAY 14 MAR

FRIDAY 18 MAR

🎵 Stiff Little Fingers Rock City £22.50, 7pm

🎵 The Coral The Level £23.65, 7pm

🎥 The Beatles - Get Back, The Rooftop Concert Broadway Cinema £5 - £9.50, 8pm

🎵 Kiran Leonard JT Soar £10, 7.30pm

🎵 Cello on Fire Royal Concert Hall £10.50, 7.30pm 🎵 The Woodentops The Bodega £18, 7pm

🎵 Yanoland Presents Skaiwater, Jonjo Yano and more Rough Trade £8, 7pm 🎵 Paul Carrack Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall £40 - £44.50, 7.30pm

SATURDAY 19 MAR

MONDAY 21 MAR

THURSDAY 24 MAR

SUNDAY 27 MAR

WEDNESDAY 30 MAR

🎵 Gabrielle Aplin Rock City £20, 6.30pm

🎵 Stormzy Motorpoint Arena Nottingham £40.40 - £54.40, 6.30pm

🎵 De La Soul Rock City £29.50, 7pm

🎵 Warmduscher Metronome £16.50, 7pm

🎨 Emerge - art, music, street food, workshops, DJs and more Bentick Art Studio Free, 12pm

🎵 Frank Turner Metronome £22, 7pm

🎵 Heath Quarter & Daniel Tong: Romantic Tensions Djanogly Recital Hall £20, 7.30pm

🎵 Elliott Brood The Old Cold Store £13, 7.30pm

🎥 Rebel Dead Broadway Cinema £5 - £9.50, 8.30pm

😂 Aurie Styla The Glee Club £16, 7pm

🎵 Stereophonics Motorpoint Arena Nottingham £37.50 - £65, 6.30pm

🎵 Northern Soul Rough Trade Free, 2pm

🎵 Mas Y Mas Peggy's Skylight £10, 7pm

🎵 October Drift The Bodega £10, 7pm

🎵 John Power Rescue Rooms £17.50, 6.30pm

MONDAY 28 MAR

🎵 Wayward Sons Rescue Rooms £10, 7.30pm

🎨 The Art Trail with Michelle Reader - Online The Harley Gallery & Portland Collection Free, 12pm

🎵 Paste Rough Trade £7, 7pm

🎵 Molly Linen Rough Trade Free, 6.30pm

🎵 Ian Prowse and Amsterdam The Bodega £16, 7pm

🎵 Barrie - Live & Signing Rough Trade £13.50 - £25.50, 6pm

🎵 Everything Everything Rock City £22.50, 6.30pm

WEDNESDAY 23 MAR

SATURDAY 26 MAR

🎵 Ricky Warwick and the Fighting Hearts Rescue Rooms £18, 7.30pm

🎵 Musical Version of The War of The Worlds Motorpoint Arena Nottingham £50 - £72.50, 6.30pm

🎵 University Choir and Philharmonia St Mary's Church £16, 7.30pm

🎵 William the Conqueror The Bodega £11, 7pm

🎵 Warner E. Hodges Band The Old Cold Store £16 - £16, 7.30pm

👪 Pebble on the Beach Djanogly Theatre £8.50 - £9, 1pm - 1.45pm

🔧 Cyanotype Printing Social Session Malt Cross £15, 10am

🎵 Nottingham Philharmonic Orchestra - Spring Classics Albert Hall £5 - £20, 6.30pm

🎵 Unto Others Rescue Rooms £15, 6.30pm

🎵 Alessio Menconi Peggy's Skylight £12 - £17, 5pm

🎵 The Stranglers Rock City £32.50, 6pm

🎵 Boulet Brothers 'Dragula' Rescue Rooms £22.50, 7pm

🎵 Verdi Requiem Albert Hall £15, 7.30pm 🎵 97.5 Kemet FM 15th Anniversary Concert Nottingham Playhouse £21.50, 6pm 🎵 Dream Wife Rescue Rooms £14, 7.30pm ♫ Gladrags LGBTQ+ Rough Trade £10, 9pm

SUNDAY 20 MAR 🎵 The Chats Rock City £18, 7pm

🎵 Sam Fender Motorpoint Arena Nottingham £30 - £110, 7pm 😂 Dylan Moran Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall £27.50, 8pm

🎵 Killed A Fox Rough Trade Free, 7pm 🎵 Sick Joy The Bodega £8, 7pm

TUESDAY 22 MAR 🎵 Lynks The Bodega £10, 7pm

🎵 Window Kid Rescue Rooms £10, 6.30pm 🎵 Slowthai Rock City £45, 6.30pm 😂 Sarah Millican - Bobby Dazzler Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall £30, 8pm

FRIDAY 25 MAR

♫ Cirque Du Soul - Prosper Rock City £10 - £16, 10pm

TUESDAY 29 MAR 🎵 Eric Gales Rescue Rooms £23.50, 7pm 🎵 Royal Blood Motorpoint Arena Nottingham £32.58 - £43.88, 6.30pm 🎵 Killing Joke Rock City £32.50, 7pm

THURSDAY 31 MAR

🔧 Vegetal Matrix - Decolonial Botany Workshop Nottingham Contemporary Free, 4pm 😂 Reginald D Hunter - Bombe Shuffleur Nottingham Playhouse £24.50, 8pm

FOR THE FULL RUNDOWN, VISIT LEFTLION.CO.UK/LISTINGS

ONGOING EVENTS 🎨 Karol Radziszewski: QAI/ GB-NGM Bonington Gallery Free Tue 15 Feb - Sat 12 Mar

🎭 Cluedo Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall £18.50 - £40.50 Mon 28 Feb - Sat 5 Mar

🎨 A Voyage of Discovery The Harley Gallery & Portland Collection Free Tue 1 Mar - Mon 2 May

👪 Gangsta Granny Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall £12.50 - £26.50 Wed 9 Mar - Sun 13 Mar

♫ Action! Interactive Reggae Dancehall Experience Rescue Rooms £5 - £10 , 10.30pm - 3am Fri 25 Mar - Sat 26 Mar

🎩 The Eye as Witness: Recording the Holocaust Djanogly Art Gallery Free Tue 15 Feb - Sun 13 Mar

🎨 Witness The National Justice Museum £10.95 Tue 1 Mar - Thu 31 Mar

🎩 Editing DH Lawrence Weston Gallery Free Tue 1 Mar - Sun 29 May

🎨 🎩 Paul Matosic Djanogly Art Gallery Free Sat 12 Mar - Sun 1 May

🎩 Fragments of Darfur Djanogly Art Gallery Free Tue 15 Feb - Sun 13 Mar

🎥 Land-Ing: Looking Back to Look Foarr Wallner Gallery Free Tue 1 Mar - Sun 3 Apr

🎩 Museum Tour The Haunted Museum & Oddities Collection £8 - £8 , 11am - 6pm Tue 1 Mar - Thu 17 Jul

🎨 Exploring Line Nottingham Society of Artists Tue 22 Mar - Sun 27 Mar

🎩 Ancient Iraq: New Discoveries Djanogly Art Gallery Free Sat 26 Mar - Sun 19 Jun

🎨 Silk To Silicon Backlit Free Fri 25 Feb - Sun 27 Mar

🎨 Our Silver City 2094 Nottingham Contemporary Free Tue 1 Mar - Mon 18 Apr

🎩 Welbeck Abbey State Room Tours The Harley Gallery & Portland Collection £30 - £30 Tue 29 Mar - Sun 11 Sep

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BEST OF MARCH

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Cluedo When: Monday 28 February Saturday 5 March Where: Theatre Royal How much? £18.50-£40.50 Starring Michelle Collins as Miss Scarlett and Midsomer Murder’s Daniel Casey as Professor Plum, Cluedo is an exciting comedy thriller based on the hit 1985 film Clue and the classic board game loved by generations. Directed by Mark Bell, director of the award winning The Play That Goes Wrong, this brand new play promises a nostalgic, fun and thrilling evening of entertainment.

Dylan Moran: We Got This When: Sunday 2 March Where: Royal Concert Hall How much? £27.50 How can it be that you have spent a whole ten minutes staring at a banana? Why do you always do stuff like that?

Why do you never do the other really great things where it's much, much better? These, and many more, vitally important questions will be answered by one of the GOATs of British comedy, the incomparable Dylan Moran, when he visits in early March.

Gong When: Wednesday 16 March, 6.30pm Where: Rescue Rooms How much? £18 Blending a diverse combination of psychedelia, space rock, jazz, avant-garde, krautrock and surreal soundscapes, the ever-metamorphosing enigma that is Gong are bringing their uniquely weird sound to Rescue Rooms this month. On the back of their new album, Pulsing Signals, the current holders of the Gong flame continue to showcase beautiful and extraordinary music.

Collective Radical Quilt Making When: Friday 18 March Where: National Justice Museum How Much? Free Make it Yours are back at the National Justice Museum with creative sessions that are free to attend. In Collective Radical Quilt Making, you’re invited to join textile artist Nicki Dennett to create a bold and colourful collective quilt. Taking inspiration from the current Young People and Protest exhibition at NJM, you can explore a combination of embroidery, paints and stencils.

Ancient Iraq: New Discoveries When: From Saturday 26 March Where: Lakeside Arts, How Much? Free As the site of Ancient Mesopotamia and often referred to as the Cradle of Civilization, Iraq witnessed some of the world’s earliest examples of science, literature, and philosophy. Celebrating the incredibly rich history of the country, this British Museum touring exhibition marks the first time that the new Iraq field research will go on tour.

John Hegley When: Saturday 26 March, 7.30pm Where: Squire Performing Arts Centre How Much? £15 Dubbed ‘comedy’s poet laureate’ by The Independent, poet, comic, singer, songwriter and glasses-wearer John Hegley is bringing New and Selected Potatoes to Squire Performing Arts Centre this month. Featuring a combination of his greatest hits, golden oldies and some new material, the compilation show promises to showcase the true breadth of Hegley’s appeal.

Magic Goes Wrong When: Tuesday 29 March – Sunday 3 April 2022 Where: Royal Concert Hall How much? £27.50 A hapless gang of magicians are staging an evening of grand illusion to raise cash for charity. But as the magic turns to mayhem, accidents spiral out of control - and so does their fundraising target.

Raising the bar with their dare-devil stunts, jaw-dropping feats and irresistible comedy genius, Mischief's Magic Goes Wrong comes to Theatre Royal Nottingham direct from the West End.

F**KED UP When: Thursday 31 March, 7pm Where: Metronome How Much? £17.50 If you’ll excuse the language, Canadian hardcore punk group F**ked Up are bringing their unique, daring sound to Metronome as they travel across the Atlantic to embark on a wide-ranging 2022 UK tour. Celebrating a decade since the release of their popular studio album, David Comes to Life, expect to hear all of their greatest hits as well as some new material.

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