Freya Peters is a trainee journalist based in Sneinton, just a stone’s throw from the LeftLion offices. She loves telling human stories in her writing. As a kayak athlete, she finds the sporting world rich with stories of connection, resilience and self discovery. Freya is passionate about art, comedy and the local histories hidden in the city’s architecture. She has a background in geography and the charity sector, having worked in a refugee charity before her current role at Paddle UK.
Nick Fewings
Jade Martyn
Pete McKee
Nigel King
Rae Dowling
Anne Elcock
Amy Humphreys
Phil Howcroft
John Ashton
Claire Kerry
Jon Robson
Tom Platinum Morley
Liam Maxwell
Lux Gagos
Illustrators
Lily Keogh
Emily Catherine
John Ashton
Tom Camp
Nevaeha Yearwood
Veronica Nilsson
Iulia Matei
Amy Bunting
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headline
Shared
goals
Local football club Red Sea FC provides a welcoming found-family for refugees living in Nottingham. Founder Ezedin Osman talks about their shared journey of self-betterment.
Boo the bad guy
If you can imagine an off-the-wall movie event, Notts promoter Will Bailey probably imagined it first. He talks to us about providing unique cinematic entertainment in Notts.
Breakin’ Convention
As breakdance festival Breakin’ Convention returns to the Theatre Royal and Concert Hall, its founder Jonzi D talks about pushing the boundaries of Hip Hop.
Sow good
At the end of May, Notts city centre again celebrates our connection to nature for the Green Hustle festival. Festival co-director Adam Pickering, and other festival partners, talk about what to expect.
Out of Time
Two hotels once stood on Derby Road, and have since been lost to time. Here’s the odd roles that they played in Nottingham history.
Festival season
Can you feel it in the air? It’s time for big pints, big fields, and big speakers again. Here’s our guide to all the best festivals of this year held in-and-around Nottingham.
Greetings folks, and welcome to the May issue of LeftLion
At last it feels like spring has sprung and begun to wash away the worries of winter.
I’m writing this on the other side of a lovely weekend, inadvertently centred around Sneinton Market – a pint in the King Billy beer garden, a wander around the buzzing Beltane Pagan Market, and to top it off a delightful gig at The Grove – all without wearing a coat!
In keeping with this salubrious vibe, we’ve got a fabulous selection of upbeat articles for you this month, celebrating and shining a light on some of the wonderful things happening in the city.
Along with a run down of all the music festivals happening around our fair county on p.24-25, we’ve got the lowdown on everything happening at Green Hustle festival at the end of the month. Taking over the Market Square for one day only will be a huge range of talks, workshops, music, activities and more – growing shoots of
Life on the farm
Stonebridge City Farm is Nottingham’s only urban farm, welcoming as many as 160 volunteers each week. Their CEO, Rick Harrington talks about their role as a ‘third space’ and financial adversity.
Artworks
Iulia Matei is a regular contributing illustrator to LeftLion, and her latest project, PRF, is a dystopian graphic novel about punk rock fairies. She tells us more about it, plus her journey as an artist.
Processing the past
Made over nine years, My Granny is Changing is a picture book intended as a thematic tackling of dementia for children. Its creator, local artist Amy Bunting, tells the story behind the project.
Teenage Dream
In Nottingham Forest’s dynamic youth division, seventeen-year-old, Northern Ireland-born midfielder Kalum Thompson is shining bright. He talks to us about his journey into pro football.
sustainability, community and celebration. This is truly one of those events where Nottingham shines, and if you’ve ever thought about joining a community group you’re bound to find your clan here. Read more on p.18-19.
Elsewhere in this issue, I very much enjoyed reading about what some of our city’s creative movers and shakers are up to, from Iulia Matei’s graphic novel about punk rock fairies (p.28) and Amy Bunting’s touching picture book about her grandma’s dementia journey (p.30), and inspiring reflections on getting out and about from this month’s cover artist Heather Hodkinson (p.9).
As always, a big thank you to all of our talented writers, photographers and illustrators who help make this magazine a reality each month, and to our Patreon subscribers who help to keep us going. Big love and see you on the other side of May.
where's this?
Sophie Gargett
Last month: "A wander with Tumnus" Bromley House Library "Abstract streets"
Golden Era
Ahead of their Rescue Rooms
show this month, electronic-rock duo, local sisters ALT BLK ERA talk about their journey into musical stardom.
“Fish are so lucky that cats hate water. They’d be in big trouble otherwise.”
Onboard a train from Nottingham to Leeds: "Get your tickets, passes, and excuses please"
“What time is it?” At the same time “Twelve.” “Half one already?!”
“Daddy, thank you for *nearly* everything today.”
“In our day you used to get beaten to death but it’s frowned upon nowadays.”
Kid perched on a police car: “What’s he gonna say when he gets back? Get off my bonnet? Probleh!”
“How did she break both her legs?”
"I think you look good with a banjo."
“So you were born in Mansfield by accident…”
“Someone is going to deal with potholes! Finally…”
“She's always been a bit gobby”
"I've got to stop doing headstands in random pubs."
Pick Six
For this month’s Pick Six, we turn to political comedian and impressionist Matt Forde who brings his show Defying Calamity to the Theatre Royal on Sunday 31 May.
@mattfordecomedy
Nottingham’s most opinionated grocers on...
Derby Road
The Strathdon… where’s it gone? We used to drink at the Boston Bean Company underneath. It was a nice hotel! We’ve seen it boarded up but we know nothing about it. They’ve ruined Derby Road now though, haven’t they? There used to be four lanes going out but now there’s only two. There’s too much pavement. If you go to the top of Mansfield Road, near St Andrew’s, you’ve only got four foot of pavement, but up Derby Road you’ve got about forty foot.
Stonebridge City Farm
We used to deliver next door, which was charming, but we never saw any animals. It’s like White Post Farm, you don’t see any animals there either. We don’t want anything massive like giraffes and we don’t want cows, they’re dangerous. They’re the biggest killer animal in the countryside. They can kill more people than anyone. They’ll squeeze you in and then trample you!
Festivals
We don’t go to any, because one of us is allergic to wasps and one of us is allergic to colouring in food. So we don’t want any of that sort of business. And we can’t stand the summer. Well, we like the summer, but it’s too hot. The last time we stood for ages was to see the Pope in York. If there’s a strong wind the sound disappears. When the Heineken tent was on, which is now of course Splendour, Kirsty MacColl was there, and the stage was at the bottom where the pond is and the crowd was on the bank. That was acceptable.
The Goonies. This film has everything. Secret treasure. Gangsters. Booby traps. And a one-eyed pirate whose name sounds like a euphemism for a penis. I still listen to the soundtrack for a bit of nostalgic escapism. That weird sensation when you came out of the cinema as a kid, feeling like you were in the film and not just some oik. The Goonies made you want to take off on your bike and go exploring. Although I never found any pirate treasure in Colwick Woods.
Notts Spot
It’s got to be the City Ground. I was tempted to say Market Square or even my mum’s house. Possibly the chippy on Stoney Street. But come on – the City Ground is totally unique. You can still feel the spirit of Cloughie there. As a kid it felt massive but compared to modern stadiums you realise how intimate it is. An evening game under the lights, the waft of chips and beer (and piss). Heaven.
Album
Be Here Now by Oasis. People slag it off for being overblown, overlong and a damned racket. They’re all the reasons I love it. It’s where Oasis had to go. Bigger, louder, more mental. D’You Know What I Mean is pure agg, All Around the World is a sprawling brass section masterpiece and My Big Mouth is an unprovoked act of war on the eardrums. Stand By Me is so good even Halifax used it. What more do you want?
Personal hero
Hanny Anwar – he is the surgeon who saved my life by operating on me in 2023. I’d been diagnosed with chordoma, a rare form of spinal cancer. Not only did he do a superb job of removing the base of my spine, he said something I’ll never forget. Explaining that my cancer has a very high recurrence rate, he told me that they treat patients with recurring cancer who live for decades. “So it’s not a death sentence?” I asked. “No more than life is,” he replied.
Notts Pub
The Dragon. If you drink ale, you’re often served a pint of something so disgusting that Severn Trent would tell you is perfectly clean drinking water. But not at The Dragon. They look after their beer and they have cobs on the bar. It’s a cosy, friendly place and they have DJs who play music that’s actually good. And isn’t so loud YOU HAVE TO SHOUT AND SPRAY YOUR COB EVERYWHERE. So thank God for that.
Sports team Nottingham Forest. Supporting Forest is chaos. Getting promoted back to the Premier League was the single most euphoric moment of my life. Getting back into Europe felt like we’d fully arrived back in our rightful place. Nothing compares to a matchday at the City Ground. A few beers beforehand, Mull of Kintyre, watch Elliot Anderson be a genius, then off to The Dragon after. YOOOOU REEEEEEDDDDS!
Film
Poets Corner
City Symphony
Gloomy sky casts over the grey city. Red bricks glisten under orange streetlights. Sodden cobblestones grin with their broken teeth. Black bins laugh their guts out, proudly exhibiting pizza boxes, beer bottles, crisp packets, dated newspapers; a homeless hoodie here, a divorced white trainer there.
Cabinets of lights above. Some windows open, airing happiness with the blast of disco music, the smell of cooked curry.
Some curtains drawn, keeping indoors mysterious sexual liaisons or fierce domestic rows. There are also countless sleepless nights sitting by the shimmering screen.
Every day, I fall asleep to the refrain of the neighbour’s computer games and wake up at the beeping sound from bin lorries.
Hongwei Bao
Reasons to be
Cheerful
nottinghampoetryfestival.com
Cultural organisation Inspire: Culture, Learning and Libraries are this year celebrating their 10th birthday. Working on behalf of Nottinghamshire County Council, they’re a very hard working team in an era when libraries are sadly facing lots of adversity despite their importance. Throughout the year, Inspire delivers innumerable events, courses and activities this year helping people of all ages from across Nottinghamshire to read, learn, create, and connect with others. You can also find a copy of LeftLion magazine in every one of their libraries across Nottinghamshire.
Community action
Local institution Emmanuel House Support Centre – a non-profit who work as a vital resource for people sleeping rough in Nottingham – recently put out a call, revealing that they needed to raise £75k to ensure they could purchase their building and ensure their immediate future. Within just a few days, the Nottingham community more than rose to the occasion, an achievement that should make us all proud, demonstrating that when it comes to shared community causes Nottingham really does excel.
Getting the spotlight
Based on writer Paris Lees’ memoir about growing up Queer in Nottingham, What It Feels Like For A Girl was released via BBC Three in June last year, and received almost universal acclaim, becoming a big hit with audiences across the country. Wonderfully, it’s now been nominated for no less than five BAFTAs at the British Academy Television Awards, set to take place on 10 May – Best Limited Series, Best Writer, Best Leading Actor, Best Scripted Casting, and Most Memorable Moment (which is decided by public vote).
UNDERCOVER ARTIST
Our Green Hustle festival-inspired May cover is the work of artist Heather Hodkinson who, as well as helping to shape the visual identity of Green Hustle, has lent her talents to promote lots of other green initiatives around Notts. She talks to us about her love of collage and why it’s important to get out and about.
Tell us a bit about yourself…
I’m an artist, nature lover, gardener, wannabe poet and climate activist, and I’ve been involved in community events across Nottingham since I moved here to study art thirteen years ago. I grew up in a little village in Spain and my family still live there, but Nottingham has felt like home from the moment I arrived. I found my people and so many creative opportunities in this city. I’m always inspired by what’s going on, and I love that I feel like I know everyone, while still meeting amazing new people every week.
What is the story behind the cover?
Green Hustle Festival is on 30 May! I have volunteered and worked with Green Hustle since it started five years ago. I love how it brings together so many different groups to celebrate community and climate action in the centre of the city. I wanted to evoke the feeling of the festival and give an insight into this year’s programme, which includes a community dining table and veg stalls at Old Market Square, Lego and poetry by the library, and the sports and gardening at Nottingham College. This year the theme is Sow Good, which inspired my little leafy characters – the Sprouts.
What inspires you as an artist?
I grew up with scrapbooks and collage, sticking and gluing school books and the inside of my wardrobe. I used to pack kitchen scissors on flights as a child because I had a deep desire to collage on the plane (sorry mum for all the scissors lost to airport security!). Even though I work mainly digitally now, that cut-out, handmade style still shapes how I draw.
I’m really drawn to world-building and storytelling in art. I love medieval art with flat and wonky characters, and old mappa mundis which map the world through folklore. I love art that has lots of hidden details and you could spend hours exploring it with your eyes, like pieces by Hieronymus Bosch or Grayson Perry. I love playful illustrations with clever nods to societal stuff, like Notts mural artist FFWIH, and colourful wacky characters, like Bean Pig Puppets from Bristol.
And honestly, just spending time around other creatives at Green Hustle, coworking at the Carousel, or hanging out in Sneinton Market is what sparks ideas and pushes me to try new things.
Tell us about some things you’ve worked on in the past…
This past year I’ve worked on a lovely variety of projects. I made a bunch of illustrations for a small ice bath company and a wellbeing organisation, creating little assets they can use across their websites and marketing. I made a Christmas Market Map for the venue Movers, and I started illustrating my journey learning horticulture at St Ann’s Allotments. Last month I turned two of my illustrations into screen prints for the Green Hustle Festival. Look out for them on banners and volunteer t-shirts at the event! Outside of illustration I have also led creative workshops with young people for events like Light Night, Festival of Science and Curiosity, and Clifton Arts Festival. I love getting creative with young people because their ideas are always so wild, it inspires me to be more playful.
Do you have any tricks for getting started and staying inspired as a creative?
My top tip is to get out and get involved. Nottingham has so much on, and a lot of it is free, or low-cost. Open mic poetry nights, cosy gigs at The Grove, writing workshops, exhibition openings, even just wandering around looking at street art. Don’t feel you need to wait for someone to go with you, I go to loads of things on my own and they are very welcoming spaces.
Another big thing is letting yourself get bored. Go for a walk in the woods without music or podcasts and just let your thoughts drift. I get so many ideas when I’m moving, whether that’s cycling, running or walking. And take a sketchbook with you, but with no pressure to use it. Messy books with bad handwriting and half-formed sketches are the best.
If you could sit down and chat with any artist in your field, who would it be and what would you talk about?
Tove Jansson. She was a strong, independent woman, the creator of the Moomins, a writer, a painter and even a political cartoonist. She’s very inspired by nature too! I’d love to sit with her and ask about her world-building and how my art can speak confidently about the things I believe in. Is there anything else you’d like to tell the LeftLion readers?
Support independents, keep the arts alive, and tell your friends that you love them!
@heatherhodkinsonart
words: Caradoc Gayer
photo: Nick Fewing
Truly inspiring
Nadia on...
jury trials
SELL TEXT:
Labour MP for Nottingham East Nadia Whittome discusses the Government’s plans to remove the right for defendants to choose a jury trial.
In the early 13th century, in an effort to fund his expensive overseas wars, King John of England imposed taxes on his barons at a scale they had never seen before. When they couldn’t pay up, royal tax collectors showed little mercy, seizing their land and imprisoning them. Eventually, the barons demanded that he obey the law, and when he refused, they captured London in the summer of 1215 to force him to negotiate. The result of the negotiations is now known as the Magna Carta – the first document to put into writing the principle that the king and his government were not above the law. As well as addressing mandatory taxation and other issues, the Magna Carta enshrined in Clause 39 that “no free man shall be seized, imprisoned, dispossessed, outlawed, exiled or ruined in any way, nor in any way proceeded against, except by the lawful judgement of his peers and the law of the land.” This clause would ultimately give rise to the jury system, a right that has become a cornerstone of our democracy – and which the government is now seeking to restrict.
Last December, the Justice Secretary announced plans to remove the right for defendants to choose a jury trial for crimes carrying a likely sentence of up to three years and in cases that can be dealt with by either a magistrates’ court or a Crown Court. The government claims that this will reduce the backlog of cases in the Crown Courts, which in recent years has reached a record 80,000. When these proposals were presented to Parliament in the Courts and Tribunals Bill in March, I voted against them because I believe them to be fundamentally undemocratic and unjust, with dangerous consequences for people and our society.
It is undeniable that the courts’ backlog has created a crisis, with both complainants and defendants waiting far too long for justice to be served. We can only fix this
problem by addressing what caused it in the first place: long-term, systemic underfunding, which has led to court closures and buildings falling into disrepair; legal aid cuts; limits on how many days courts can sit; a critical shortage of qualified court interpreters; failures in prisoner transport provided by private contractors and a lack of capacity in the legal profession.
There has been widespread pushback against proposals to restrict jury trials as a solution to the courts’ backlog.
In March, more than 3,200 lawyers wrote to the Prime Minister to say there is no evidence that the plans will
Jury triaLs are a saFeguard against the ConCentration oF power. when this saFeguard is remoVed, e Ven For more “minor” oFFenCes, the risK oF misCarriages oF JustiCe ine VitabLy inCreases, undermining Fairness and pubLiC trust in our CriminaL JustiCe system
solve unprecedented delays. Using the government’s own figures, the Institute for Government’s analysis predicts only 1.5-2.5% of crown court time will be saved through judge-only trials. More recently, Geoffrey Robertson KC, the founder of Keir Starmer’s barristers’ chambers, described the restriction of jury trials as a “betrayal of the values for which Labour purports to stand” and called the proposals a “cure worse than the disease”.
Jury trials are a safeguard against the concentration of power. When this safeguard is removed, even for more ‘minor’ offences, the risk of miscarriages of justice inevitably increases, undermining fairness and public trust in our criminal justice system. I also disagree with the framing of offences carrying three-year sentences as ‘minor’, when we’re talking about something as serious as depriving a person of their liberty. A wrongful conviction
and imprisonment can ruin a person’s life.
Judges and magistrates, however diligent, will have their own biases affecting their decisions and are not representative of the public at large. While members of a jury will also carry biases, collectively, these are more likely to be addressed. David Lammy’s own review into the criminal justice system found that jury trials were one of the few parts of the system that are statistically free from racial bias. As Tyrone Steele, the Deputy Legal Director at the cross-party charity Justice, writes in Tribune, “In an age when trust in institutions is brittle, the jury remains one of the few places where ordinary citizens can see, and shape, the law in action.”
I am also deeply troubled by the government’s instrumentalisation of victims of sexual violence to justify these proposals. 13,000 people are waiting for their cases to be heard, with many facing delays of several years. Every single one of them deserves swift justice, but victims’ suffering must not be used to legitimise a reform that will not deliver this. In March, thirty organisations representing victims of violence against women and girls wrote to the Justice Secretary, urging him to drop the plans as they are “deeply concerned that the curtailment of jury trials risks unfair outcomes that undermine justice for everyone”. I was moved by Charlotte Nichols’ powerful speech in Parliament, where she spoke about her own experiences of the criminal justice system as a victim of rape and accused the government of using rape victims as a ‘cudgel’ to drive through changes that will not benefit them.
The courts’ backlog is a crisis that must urgently be addressed, but the government is proposing the wrong solution entirely. I welcome its decision to lift the cap on court sitting days; the announcement of a £92 million investment in criminal legal aid after years of Tory neglect; and the further £2.785 billion settlement for courts and tribunals for 2026/27. I also welcome the over £1 billion as part of the Violence Against Women and Girls strategy, allocated to victims of domestic abuse to access support and rebuild their lives.
However, the Law Society is clear that this investment
words: Nadia Whittome photo: Lux Gagos
OLDEN E RA G THE
In 2022, sister duo and Notts natives Nyrobi and Chaya Becket-Messam emerged onto the local music scene as electronic-rock act ALT BLK ERA. Since then, they’ve gone from strength to strength, from winning a MOBO award in 2024 to touring late last year with drum and bass band Pendulum. It’s been a while since we’ve caught up with Nyrobi and Chaya, so they set aside time to walk us through their crazy journey to this point.
Last time we spoke, you were about to release your debut album Rave Immortal . How has life been since then? Any highlights?
Nyrobi: It’s been hectic in the best way. We’ve done so much, been to so many countries, and we’re really grateful.
Chaya: My highlight was definitely Jools Holland. It was our debut TV performance, and we used to watch Jools Holland so it felt very surreal.
Nyrobi: I feel like people wouldn’t expect this – when we started performing in Notts it was at Rough Trade, The Angel, and The Bodega – but when we announced that our May show would be at Rescue Rooms there was a feeling of accomplishment. It was the one stage we’ve never performed on, and we’ve seen some of our favourite bands there, so it felt like a level up moment.
Tell us a bit more about your early days singing together. Is your family musical?
Chaya: In our house we’ve always had music on, so we’ve sung together for as long as I can remember. Our one chore when we were younger was to do the washing up. It was a twenty minute job, so we’d play karaoke and experiment with our voices and harmonies. We also got to know each other’s voices so well. It would take like three hours to get done but it was really productive.
Nyrobi: We didn’t realise it, but that would fundamentally make us better singers. When we’re singing live for instance, I’ll just get a feeling that Chay’s going to do a certain run and can join her on the harmony. It’s kind of freaky, but I just get a sensation.
You’ve released two singles this year – Tissues and Lost in the Back of my Mind – which, along with 2025’s Okay (Cyber Racing) , will be on your next EP Our World – out 22 May. How do you feel your sound is evolving from Rave Immortal ?
Chaya: We’re actually writing our second album, which is a continuation of Rave Immortal, but in this time period we wanted to release a little project that came about very authentically – about how we’re feeling about the state of the world.
Nyrobi: Every song is like a stage of grief that we’ve covered in five tracks. It was really reactive. We have pushed ourselves genre-wise and sonically. We don’t really do an ALT BLK ERA style – we just go with the flow, instead of
being rigid about it.
Tell us a bit more about that songwriting approach… Nyrobi: Chaya is always going to be good at writing a melody. Unusually, we start with the first verse. I love a verse. But we don’t go into the studio to write – we write at home and figure out the overall vibe, and how we want the instruments to sound, so when we go to the studio we’re pretty much just recording.
Chaya: I think that whenever we go to a gig, we get inspired, and are up until 3am writing songs. But most of the time, it’s in our bedroom.
Nyrobi: Any time we come across someone creative – they don’t have to be musical – who really shines, owning their personality and vision – when you can feel the strength radiating off them – it doesn’t make us want to be like them, but to shine ourselves.
any time we Come aCross someone CreatiVe – they don’t haVe to be musiCaL –who reaLLy shines, owning their personaLity and Vision – when you Can FeeL the strength radiating oFF them – it doesn’t maKe us want to be LiKe them, but to shine ourseLVes
Last year you toured with drum and bass legends Pendulum. What was it like to be in Europe, and on the bill with such a huge act?
Chaya: We’ve had people say we are like if girls did Pendulum. So when we got that email asking if we’d like to support we were just freaking out.
Nyrobi: I think the best thing about the tour was the fans – they completely got us. There are quite a few people that maybe don’t get the genre-blend of rock and drum n’ bass, but we were going into rooms where thousands of people were instantly like, ‘Hell yeah. We know what you’re about, open the pit – let’s go’.
Nyrobi, you talk quite openly about being a touring musician with a chronic health condition. Have you managed to prioritise your needs over the demands of your work?
Nyrobi: I think the thing I’ve learnt the most is to rely on other people. On a personality level, I’m very much, ‘No I want to do it myself’. I’m hands-on – not someone who wants to watch other people unload the van when I’m thinking I’m super strong – I can help. But I’ve learnt I don’t have to feel ashamed or awkward. I’m really fortunate to have a team – the band, management and my sister. They go the extra mile to make sure I’m physically and emotionally okay, which is phenomenal.
On 30 May, you’ve got a Rescue Rooms show with St Agnes and Notts band Luna & The Limeslices. What made these acts your choice of support?
Nyrobi: I went to a Luna & The Limeslices show with our drummer. Chaya wasn’t with us, but from the first guitar strum I was like ‘Chaya would absolutely love this’. So I facetimed her and filmed it. It’s a grungy emo, indie vibe, but heavy as well. So I was excited that they were down to play.
Chaya: Nyrobi came home, and was like ‘Chaya, Luna & The Limeslices are so good’. And I said ‘Well we need them as a support then don’t we?’
Nottingham has such a blossoming music scene and if you dig a little bit there’s something for everyone. After playing big venues across the country, how does playing in Notts feel nowadays?
Nyrobi: It’s not just the artists, but also the Nottingham community. There’s a level of openness and willingness to listen to something that you might not typically listen to. When we first came on the scene, the amount of people who came up to us and said, ‘I’m an 80s rock fan’, or ‘I only listen to dad rock but I love you guys’... I think we’ve thrived because of how encouraging the Nottingham scene has been.
Chaya: We haven’t performed in Nottingham for about a year. So playing here does feel different – like a homecoming.
Nyrobi: It can feel emotional. Seeing people in the audience who have seen you perform in front of five people and still show up just as excited – it’s almost like seeing old friends.
ALT BLK ERA plays at Rescue Rooms on Saturday 30 May. You can listen to an extended, podcast version of this interview at leftlion.co.uk.
@altblkera
interview: Sophie Gargett photo: Liam Maxwell
Breakin' Free
brings Hip Hop to Notts - founders allFounded by Jonzi D, Hip Hop dance festival Breakin’ Convention returns to the Theatre Royal and Concert Hall this month. Bringing together world-class artists such as Ivan Michael Blackstock – a visionary creative behind choreography for Beyoncé - and local voices from rapper and spoken word performer Jah Digga to Hyson Green’s Take1Dance studio, in a celebration of dance, music and storytelling. Ahead of what’s guaranteed to be a boundary pushing celebration of one of the most exciting art forms to watch, Jonzi talks to us about challenging preconceptions about where Hip Hop belongs…
First question, just how excited are you to bring back Breakin’ Convention to Nottingham?
Very excited because Nottingham always kills it! Nottingham has been central to some of the developments of Hip Hop culture since the very beginning.
In our previous chats you’ve likened Breakin’ Convention to Notts’ Robin Hood philosophy – bringing Hip Hop into spaces traditionally reserved for the privileged. Does the idea still guide breaking convention today?
It has changed a little bit because the concept of peace, love, unity and having fun is something that I really want to subscribe to. So ultimately, my take is that the audience I expect are people who understand it, who love Hip Hop. This is an opportunity for you to come to a space like this and get real Hip Hop culture and values. But equally, it's important that the people who don't know about Hip Hop culture can attend the events – so they can demystify some of the negative imagery that we get in the media; I'd like to think that we're countering that.
more varied perceptions of what Hip Hop can be. I blame the systems that present this one dimensional image of what it is. I think events like Breakin’ Convention are able to show a lot more sides of what Hip Hop is, because it's not even like we’re presenting ‘the other side’. There are many sides… How do you preserve Hip Hop's authenticity while presenting it on stages that weren't necessarily initially built for it?
Interesting… by asking that question you are already assuming that these stages aren't built for Hip Hop. I don’t think that’s the case. I think these places were built for dance, theatre, music; all of these things. Yes, they’ve been dominated by more classical art forms, but that’s not to say they weren’t built for what we are doing! I like to think we’re doing exactly what these spaces are built for…
i thinK one oF the beautiFuL things about breaKin’ ConVention is that we're trying to present a Lot more Varied perCeptions oF what hip hop Can be
Talk to me more about challenging the understanding of how and where Hip Hop is displayed…
I think one of the beautiful things about Breakin’ Convention is that we're trying to present a lot
What have you learned about Hip Hop by taking Breakin’ Convention beyond major cities?
I’ve definitely learnt that Hip Hop is everywhere! I almost see Hip Hop as a ‘gas’ – in whichever environment it can make its own space. I’ve been all over the country and there's always been people who’ve shared their passion for it.
Have you seen Breakin' Convention change people’s sense of possibility for the genre?
Most definitely, I think communities that have typically been dismissed as not necessarily being ‘real art’, these communities and artists have been able to discover their voice and revel in their own unique creativity here at Breakin’ Convention!
If your early years were about breaking conventions, and building a platform, what are the next years about?
I think that building a platform is a constant. Fundamentally Breakin’ Convention is a platform. I think we'll all continue developing our art, through our professional development work, for example, ‘Open Art Surgery’ and ‘Back To The Lab’. These schemes are designed to help people find ways to use Hip Hop in the theatre space.
What do you think of The Royal Concert Hall as a venue?
It’s absolutely spectacular! I really love The Royal Concert Hall. I think it’s beautiful. Of all the venues we come to, it’s one of the biggest! I’m so happy when we fill it out!
How do you feel Breakin’ Convention translates in such a classic old building? And considering Hip Hop grew outside of these institutions, does it leave you conscious of protecting its originality?
Good question. I think it suits it perfectly! Hip Hop is abou not losing its rawness or its cool. It’s like when people talk about ‘street dance’, I do worry about the way these terms create assumptions about the form. How can Hip Hop only exist on the streets? I’m questioning that narrative! I think when we associate Hip Hop with the ‘streets’ maybe it's become a word that's been used to suggest something about the social position in which Hip Hop exists; it speaks more to its socio-economic association. This is a high level of graphic art. I think in that sense, Hip Hop culture is pushing the boundaries and the potential of this. I want us to claim the universe! Breakin’ Convention comes to the Royal concert Hall on Friday 15 - Saturday 16 May. Tickets start from £11 and are available on at trch.co.uk.
interview: Reuben Moynihan-Case photos: Paul Hampartsoumian
Shared Goals
Red Sea FC are a hardworking local football team. Founded in 2019, they provide a welcoming found-family and shared cause for refugees living in Nottingham. Freya Peters heads to the Forest Rec to meet founder Ezedin Osman to find out what motivates him and how the players are finding community far away from home…
It’s a crisp Sunday morning. Football boots slide across the astroturf at the Forest Recreation Ground. Shouts in Arabic, Trigrinya, and English fill the air. I am here to watch the training session of a football club with a difference, and to meet a man with a vision.
Red Sea FC was founded by Ezedin Osman, the recent men's football ‘Coach of the Year’ at the Nottinghamshire FA Grassroots Football Awards.
Ezedin founded the team in 2019 to deliver a positive message about refugees and asylum seekers, while providing a space for them to feel at home and make friends in an unfamiliar place. He aimed to create the kind of support network he wished had been available to him when, ten years ago, he came to the UK, as a refugee from Eritrea.
The club’s motto is ‘home away from home’, reflecting Ezedin’s hopes that it will combat the isolation that comes with being forced to flee your homeland.
“I think having this environment is really good,” he says. “It means a lot for the newcomers. Imagine them leaving their families, people that they love, their parents. When they come here, when they find somebody from their place, somebody who speaks their language – they feel like they belong somewhere, so that loneliness will be gone”
The players echo that sentiment. “The community is very nice, and the atmosphere, the vibes, everything. I really like it so much,” says Sudanese striker Hussein Muhammed. “It's refreshing to be here among people from my country, and of course the British people”
The camaraderie among the players is palpable. They are laughing, celebrating each other’s goals, and the only time anybody seems to stop running is to check on fellow team members who have slipped.
When Ezedin founded this team in 2019 there were only eight players. There are now more than seventy – the number attending training sessions each week is restricted by the capacity of the pitch, rather than the number of players available.
Last season, Ezedin coached and managed the team through a successful run in the local league. This season, they are taking a break from the league to focus on becoming financially self-sufficient, but the team is still undefeated so far in their friendly matches. Ezedin has earned respect, not just from Nottinghamshire FA, but also from his players. Sudanese striker Saif Musa describes Ezedin as his “role model” and midfielder Abdulah Musa says “He's a good man. He's helped people a lot”.
Managing the team is a far cry from Ezedin’s corporate day job as project manager. However, he feels that some of the skills carry over: “It's something like my hobby to bring people together. Coaching is not even my thing. I'm not even into football. I don't even watch football, but, because I'm a project manager, I have the ability to bring people together and I have the ability to organize people.”
these guys Came here not Just to haVe Fun, or to enJoy the uK weather. they Came here beCause they were ForCed to, but they Can Contribute
“This is quite an important thing to me,” he continues. “Refugees, asylum seekers – I speak for their voice. We are saying by action that we are here, we can contribute, we can do something, we can be part of this environment. These guys came here not just to have fun, or to enjoy the UK weather. They came here because they were forced to, but they can contribute. And they are quite young people that have a future ahead of them. They are all into full time jobs now.”
Last season the team was sponsored by the charity Refugee Roots. Now that momentum is growing, Ezedin has plans to become self-sufficient – something he views as essential in resisting narratives that refugees are here to take advantage of the system.
“We need to create an environment where we can generate our own incomes and we don't have to depend on any external body, because we want to show that we can depend on ourselves,” he says. “We don't want to be a burden on the system or a burden on people, so we just want to be self-reliant. That's why the guys are getting into full-time jobs and I’m asking them to contribute on a regular basis.”
“So I think the narrative at the moment, or the understanding that people have, is these guys coming to this country just want to depend on the system – live on benefits with the mindset that we always wait for handouts. We want to create an impression that we don’t want handouts. We want an environment where we can progress, develop, and depend on ourselves. So whoever wants to support us, they can show us the path and the way.”
The message is pertinent, as the far right continue to stoke fear and spread misinformation about refugees. The dangers of this rhetoric are not lost on Ezedin.
“I think now the environment is quite hostile to be honest – for no reason at all. These guys are not culprits, they are not murderers, they just fled their home countries, war and conflict. All they want here is peace of mind – freedom to live, study, live their dreams, work and support their families.” He hopes that football can spread a message of inclusion to the local community. “Whether you like it or not, we are here, but we don't want to be a burden to the system.”
Ezedin has big plans for the future of Red Sea FC. As the club continues to grow, he wants to look towards securing corporate sponsorship rather than rely on charity support. He’d like to turn the club into an academy and welcome in the wider migrant community in Nottingham, as well as locals born here. He wants the football club to become “a place where an English guy comes to and feels at home and feels that he belongs. A place where a migrant comes here and finds somebody who speaks their language, or behaves in the way that they do back home.”
Green Hustle Festivals, the team behind the event are this month putting on the most expansive and exploratory edition yet. With the theme of ‘Sow Good’, Green Hustle CIC Co-Director and LeftLion Environment Editor Adam Pickering guides us through how the crew hopes to seed a sustainable and thriving Notts
or the over 5,000 tree Aspley People’s Forest. We’ve also picked a lorry-load of litter and done fancy creative and planty things at our Wilford Street Wildlife Ramp.
The whole festival was co-created with our brilliant partners It’s In Nottingham, Experian, E.ON Next, Savoy Systems, Nottingham College, and Nottingham City Council, via walkshops and pop-ups at Hockley Hustle and Young Hustlers last October. From all these inputs, we developed the theme of ‘Sow Good’ and invited open applications for activities – we’ve just about managed to cram all of them in!
on offer at our main Old Market Square community kitchen, and completely free activities. It’s also designed with accessibility in mind, featuring level access sites set on a wheelable route around the city.
Firstly, why are we theming it Sow Good? Because it’s all about seeds – a million mini revolutions and what we can achieve when we nurture our own and others’ potential… If a seed’s a start, and we’re here to make an impact and make our community stronger, then our festival’s a whole packet of potential. And you’re in it, innit.
Before (and after) the big day..
Green Hustle Festival comes around just once a year, but we’re at it year-round, supported by many hundreds of volunteers over the last six years. Collectively we’ve planted 10,000 local trees, like the now skyfaring 1,000 tree Hustle Holt Miyawaki Forest at Woodthorpe Park,
what peopLe are saying...
you CouLd CaLL it a FestiVaL oF Fe – the things we do, and how we Can do them better when we get together
dam piCKering - FestiVaL Co-direCtor
It takes a city to make it, and there are loads of opportunities to get involved in creating the festival with us in May. You can get crafty with our decor team 5-8pm at the People's Hall on May 14 and 23, and Tuesdays at Fishergate Point May 5, 19 and 26. Or, you could help stitch together our Slow Fashion catwalk upcycling sessions, whilst learning to repair and glow up your own wardrobe, at 5-9pm at Fisher Gate Point on 5, 14, 19, and 26 May. All occasions are free to join.
At the Festival: Sow Good on Saturday 30 May…
After five previous Green Hustle Festivals, starting online in 2020 and moving up through Sneinton Market Avenues and the square, we wanted to switch this one up and explore even more of the city – especially all the nice new green bits near the train station. So we’re spreading out – shift over duck. Here’s where you’ll find us.
For me, this is what it’s aLL about - peopLe Coming together, sharing sKiLLs, supporting one another and Creating something reaL. we are not Just CooKing meaLs, we are buiLding ConneCtion, ConFidenCe and hope. mutsa maKaKa - shiF ting your mindset
Old Market Square
Still our main squeeze, slab square’s going to look a lot less slabby on 30 May. Food (growing and eating), slow fashion and family fun is the vibe.
Expect a very long dining table for everyone to gather round, fantastic creative installations, circus, puppets, plenty of crafty activities, and a lot of green things to see, do and learn. We’re bringing new life to the fountain where there’ll be a huge live art billboard, a pop-up forest school from Woodland Trust, and the Sherwood Forest Trust. There’s also a bespoke garden by GrowNotts, populated by pro propagators from local community gardens
It’s all about getting together, sowing, growing and sharing the good stuff – there’ll be pay-as-you-feel food at the Community Kitchen served by Shifting Your Mindset and DISHED, a new refreshments stall coming from the wonderful Pulp Friction, a lot of nice foody treats to buy like Veggies and Abeyo Ethiopia, and locally made goodies.
There’ll be a brand new ‘geodome’, where you can get stuck into science, learning and wellbeing activities. Alternatively, you can get creative alongside our Listen Inn and Action Cafe, where you’ll find a tonne of local groups you can get involved with – such as getting yourself a damn good listening to with Resolve Notts. Of course, we’ll also host all the big local nature and community action crews you’d expect, including Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, Green Guardians, Clean Champions, and more. There’ll also be plenty of artists, musicians and creatives sharing their talent.
Sussex Street, Nottingham Central Library, The Green Heart and beyond
You might think that’s plenty to get your teeth into –it’s not even the half of it. We’re sprout‘n’ about town, creating a whole tour of the city’s finest new green spaces with lots of fun popping up along the route.
Sussex Street, Nottingham College, or the Tramline
spot – the area’s so new it doesn’t really have a welltrodden name – will be a space for getting moving. It’ll be singing with city gardening, community performances, and sport including the likes of The Pythian Club and Switch Up. Skate Nottingham will be offering skate lessons (including a girls-only one to start the day) and skate-ramp building.
We’ll be teaming up with Art Fest for live mural painting all over the place, and there’ll be parades, pop-ups and ‘oh wow!’ moments galore. Sussex Street is also one of the spots (alongside Old Market Square) where you can check out the amazing Slow Fashion Catwalk.
Of course this new route also takes in the Green Heart, which is a little festival of urban nature in itself, but you’ll find the literary action in the adjacent Nottingham Central Library. Try your hand at some poetry, practice your writing, and imagine a new world into life. Beyond and between all that, there’s Nottingham’s amazing street art, Bridlesmith Gate’s ‘bee highway’, and several satellite events like GOBS artist gathering, a full-day creative programme of workshops and performance taking place at New Art Exchange in Hyson Green, and an exhibition at Backlit from interior design students exploring sustainable materials.
That’s not all we have on show, but if we were able to tell you everything going on in a thousand words it wouldn’t be much of a festival. Take your pick – your programme is yours to make, and there’s plenty to make your day.
Whoever said that tackling the climate and nature crisis and putting the power to make change back into regular folks’ hands had to be miserable was wrong –we only do it with love, joy and creativity.
Green Hustle Festival: Sow Good takes place from 11am6pm on Saturday 30 May. Activities are free and you don’t need a ticket. For more info visit their website or follow them on socials @greenhustlefest
greenhustle.co.uk
we’re buiLding an interaCtiVe garden instaLLation whiCh wiLL home Loads oF nottingham’s amazing Community gardensyou name it, we’LL be there maKing it greener, maKing it better.
JaCK harris - grow notts
we’LL be LooKing to do some engagement with young peopLe and their FamiLies on the day – some sports, some Fun games, but most important is to bring positiVe Vibes to the Community.
ben rosser - the pythian CLub
NOTTS SHOTS
Want to have your work featured in Notts Shots? Send your high-res photos from around the city (including your full name and best web link) to photography@leftlion.co.uk or tag #nottsshots on Instagram.
Daffodil Island by John Ashton
Beauty in the darkness by Anne Elcock
Between Two Columns by Amy Humphreys @itsdisposablefilm
Take Flight by Amy Humphreys @itsdisposablefilm
Re-cycle by Jon Robson @henkyrobson
Fire in the sky by Claire Kerry
Contre Jour Exchange by Phil Howcroft @phil_howcroft_nottingham
Explore a
Saturday 23 May – Sunday 31 May, 11am-5pm
Tickets £6.50
Highfields Park, NG7 2RD
Also available: SEND sessions, Baby session, Grown-ups only session, and Guided Tour.
Out of time: a tale of two hotels
words: CJ De Barra illustration: John Ashton
Two hotels once stood on Derby Road, and played roles in some unusual Nottingham history – one facilitated a dramatic confrontation featuring local suffragettes, the other housed a ‘mini Scotland’. Here’s the hidden history in those now-innocuous locations.
For many years, Derby Road has been a lively drinking trail into the city centre, and today it’s still home to many pubs and shops. It was, however, once known for its hotels, two of the best-known being the Albert and the Strathdon. Often confused with each other, there is a common misconception that the Albert Hotel previously stood on the site where the Strathedon Hotel is today, when in fact one opened as the other shut.
The Albert
It’s unclear when the Albert Hotel actually opened, but Brewster sessions (annual meetings to arrange licensing) held in1886, hint that it was around that time. Mr Howitt – landlord at the Albert Hotel – objected to a license being sought for a ‘house’ known as the Old Three Horse Shoes. Although it had operated as a coffee shop for some time, the house wanted a full licence to sell more than beer and caffeine, which would place pressure on Howitt’s hotel. He highlighted that when he bought the vacant lot from the corporation, he had been assured there would be no other beer houses for 99 years in the vicinity. This had successfully seen the end of two – the Leopard and the Struggler.
There were, by 1886, at least ten, which must have meant competition was intense. Howitt had spent £7,000 on a hotel, possibly linked to his arrest in 1891 for illicit afterhours drinking and gambling in the bar. He was caught when a policeman looked in the window and saw a group of men playing cards. Although they argued that they had been discussing a famous London case, before one of
them offered to show how to play the game of baccarat, the judge was not convinced. Howitt was fined £10 and his license was endorsed.
The hotel was in a convenient location for music halls and theatres – especially the Albert Hall, where many performances were held. This is possibly why it was used as a safe space for suffragette Miss Annie Kenney, when a rally she was holding at the hall on Circus Street faced a riot. A crowd of men and youths stormed in through the back entrance, letting off fireworks and revolvers while hurling abuse and missiles at the women, who bravely held their ground.
the extensiVe design Leaned heaViLy into a sCottish theme, Creating a shooting Lodge-inspired bar that had rustiC Logs on the waLLs and CeiLing and a giant muraL oF a stag in the gLens
Local organiser, Miss Marsh, said the women had escaped through the back entrance to the Albert Hotel, where they waited for a policeman to call them a taxi. Although this proved almost impossible due to the angry crowds.
The hotel was a growing business, which recorded just four members of staff living on the premises in 1921. By 1939, this had almost doubled to include maids, housekeepers, cooks and bartenders.
The brewery transformed this corner of Derby Road into a mini Scotland, with renovations totalling £400,000 across eight stories, one restaurant, function rooms, four bars, and 64 bedrooms. The extensive design leaned heavily into a Scottish theme, creating a shooting lodge-inspired bar that had rustic logs on the walls and ceiling and a giant mural of a stag in the glens. The downstairs bar was turned into a cottage for the occasion with bullseye windows and a thatched roof.
Finally, a Scottish-themed menu of toasted cheese sandwiches was added, including a ‘Strathdon Sassenach’ , a haggis and cheese toastie. The Scottish theme was gone by 1986, in favour of ‘real American Kitsch’ as the bar facing Wollaton Street became a Boston Bean Company American bar, complete with New Orleans-style jazz Sundays. This appears to have been a chain of American-style hotel restaurants with branches in Newcastle and Edinburgh, serving Boston clam chowder and New England pate. It had a series of themed bars, including Captain’s Locker, but its last name was Bar 44, which can still be seen on the side of the building today.
The hotel was popular for weddings and conferences, but by the late 1990s, it was showing signs of slowing down. It was reported that Thistle sold a third of its underperforming hotels, including the Strathdon, to Pamco, a subsidiary of the Lehman Brothers, to be managed by former Thistle Chief Executive Robert Peel under Peel Hotels.
A decision was made to demolish the Albert Hotel in the late 1960s amid a time of great change in Nottingham. In keeping with the ideas at the time including ‘all in the name of progress’, and modernity, it became the site of IBM offices by the end of summer 1970.
Before it was demolished, emotional locals turned up to the auctions to save treasures from the hotel, including its baby piano. One woman, a former member of staff, sentimentally bought the old typewriter she had typed all the correspondence on for 25 years.
The Strathdon
The Strathdon Hotel still stands today. A more non-descript and modernist facade than the Albert, it has admittedly seen better days. It was opened in 1970 under Thistle Hotels, a subsidiary of Scottish and Newcastle Brewery, by a very special guest – Miss Dorothy Adams, a 67-year-old spinster who had worked at the Albert Hotel for 57 years, but hadn’t missed so much as a day of work since she joined in 1918. She was invited by the manager, Alastair Appleton, to open the Strathdon.
It’s unclear when it officially closed, but it appears to have been in 2020, as it was listed as empty by 2021. It suffered extensive damage when a fire broke out in a stairwell in August 2021 and remains closed in 2026. Sadly, both hotels join a long list, including the Black Boy Hotel on Long Row, which have closed, but not been forgotten.
2026 Music Festivals
words: Marta Tavares
You can feel it starting... The evenings are lighter and the first warm weekends spark everybody into optimism, and suddenly someone shares a lineup in a group chat and writes, ‘We have to go!’
Across Nottinghamshire and the wider east midlands, 2026 is shaping up to be another packed one. Big-name headliners, grassroots weekends, city takeovers and quieter escapes all sit side-by-side. If you want to start planning your festival season soon, here are some suggestions...
BEARDED THEORY
When: 20–24 May
Where: Catton Park, Derbyshire
How much: £264.95 (camping)
Bearded Theory has built its reputation on refusing to sit neatly in one genre, and this year continues that approach. The Pixies, Garbage, CMAT and Kae Tempest sit alongside The Damned in a lineup that swings from indie to punk to spoken word without hesitation.
Despite its size, it still manages to feel relatively unpressured. You can actually move between stages without plotting it like a military operation, and the crowd tends to lean more into community than chaos. There’s also a strong familyfriendly side to it, with space for activities and a welcoming atmosphere that sets it apart from the more relentless weekends on the circuit.
DOT TO DOT
When: 24 May
Where: Various venues, Nottingham
How much: From £35
Dot to Dot turns Nottingham city centre into a moving map. You’re constantly checking timings, hopping between venues and trying to work out how far you can realistically walk between sets without missing the start.
The lineup is built around acts who are either emerging or just under-the-mainstream-radar
– Lambrini Girls, NewDad, Mandy, Indiana – profoundly cool, international artists who often feel like they’re on the verge of something very big. There’s also an outstanding local lineup, which this year includes Archy & The Astronauts, Emidora, Leah Wilcox, Chloe Rodgers, The Harbours and much more.
It's a fast and slightly chaotic introduction to loads of artists who may well not have heard of, which isn’t designed for comfort – but that’s exactly why it works.
GLASTONBUDGET BOILER ROOM
When: 21–24 May
Where: Turnpost Farm, Loughborough
How much: £55-£161.65
Glastonbudget is exactly what it says on the tin. A full weekend of tribute acts covering everyone from U2 to Avril Lavigne, delivered with surprising attention to detail and zero pretence.
There’s something quite freeing about it. No clashes, no agonising over who to see – just hit after hit, sung back by a crowd who are fully in on the joke.
It’s also one of the more accessible weekends financially, which makes it a popular choice for groups who want the festival experience without the full festival cost.
When: 26 June
Where: Colwick Park
How much: £60.50–£66
Boiler Room bringing its legendary live format to Nottingham feels like a statement. Known for its close-quarters, high-intensity dance music sets, this is less about watching from a distance and more about being inside the experience.
Overmono, Joy Orbison, Bakey and Giggs sit across a lineup blending electronic music and UK rap which guarantees an experience to remember
It’s designed to be immersive and slightly overwhelming – and more often than not, to hopefully go viral online – sound from all directions, no real escape routes, and a crowd fully locked into the music.
LOST IN THE HILLS
When: 8–9 May
Where: Watts Russell Arms, Peak District National Park
How much: £40-£68
Festival season opens in one of its more unusual corners. Lost in the Hills is tucked deep into the Peak District, surrounded by limestone valleys, winding rivers and the kind of landscape that makes you briefly forget your phone exists.
It’s deliberately small-scale – more of a gathering than festival in the traditional sense. The programme leans towards experimental, folk and electronic music, with artists like Haiku Salut and Mara Simpson shaping a 2026 bill which feels curated rather than stacked.
There’s no real rush here. You drift between sets, sit on grass that isn’t already flattened by thousands of people, and ease yourself into the summer ahead. A quiet start, but a memorable one.
photos: Rae Dowling, Nigel King
SPLENDOUR
When: 18–19 July
Where: Wollaton Park
How much: £85.60–£133.75
Splendour remains Nottingham’s biggest homegrown festival. It’s a familiar mix by now –big indie names, legacy acts, local heroes, and a crowd spanning generations.
The Wombats, Primal Scream, Snow Patrol and Editors headline a lineup designed to cater for both local families and party starters in the fields of Wollaton Park. As ever there’s a great local line-up, including the yet-to-be determined Future Sounds of Nottingham winners, ALT BLK ERA, JayaHadADream, and Divorce.
What makes Splendour work is balance and convenience. It’s large but still feels like a community day out, with the locality meaning you don’t have far to go when it’s all over.
Boho sits somewhere between festival and retreat. Smaller crowds, more curated programming, and a setting that leans heavily into comfort as much as music.
Utah Saints and The Dub Pistols provide the soundtrack, but there’s just as much focus on workshops, wellness and downtime. It’s a slower pace – but that’s the appeal.
When: 2–5 July
Where: Kirklington, Nottinghamshire
How much: £42–£190.05
Set around lakes and open fields, Gate to Southwell is a shift in pace. Folk, roots and acoustic music dominate, with The Proclaimers and Richard Thompson among the headliners and countless other artists from all over the world (including some leftfield acts which admirably stretch the definition of ‘folk’).
GATE TO SOUTHWELL WATERFRONT
It’s a festival that encourages you to slow down. People bring chairs, stay in one spot for hours, and treat it more like a long weekend away than a series of sets to chase.
This is an international festival which also has a strong community feel, with workshops and informal sessions running alongside the main programme.
When: 7 June
RADFEST
When: 4 July
Where: Canalhouse, Nottingham
How much: £11
Waterfront Festival is one of Nottingham’s most dependable summer days out. Brought to us by stalwart Notts promoter I’m Not From London, catch over forty acts across one site, all in aid of charity (Mermaids and Emmanual House), set against the backdrop of the canal.
It’s busy in a relaxed way – people drifting in and out, catching half a set here and discovering a new band there, whilst enjoying one of the best beer gardens in Notts. Alongside a visit from the darkly romantic DSM IV, who are headlining alongside Dura Mater, Gangsta Picnic, check out Baddy Issues, Hurtsfall, Slugfut, Whisky Stain, Pretty Windows, Float and lots more.
Of course, even at this size, a festival isn’t a festival without a bit of dressing up. This year’s costume theme is ‘adventure’, which can be taken in lots of creative ways – so dig out your safari gear, binoculars, and Indiana Jones togs.
SOUTHWELL MUSIC FESTIVAL
When: 28–31 August
Where: Various venues, Southwell
How much: Tickets on sale 18 May
Southwell closes the season in a completely different register. No fields, no camping, just a series of performances across historic buildings in the town.
With Notts’ own classical pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason as Artist-in-Residence, the programme spans classical, choral and operatic works. It’s a quieter finish to the summer, but a fitting one – a reminder that festivals don’t all look the same.
Where: Wharf Lane Recreation
Ground, Radcliffe on Trent
How much: £8.60–£37.60
Radfest sits at the opposite end of the spectrum to Download. One day, low cost, and firmly rooted in the local area.
The lineup focuses on smaller and emerging acts like Blu Syrup and Dorothy Ella, but the real appeal is the atmosphere – easy-going, familiar, and refreshingly uncommercial.
There’s no real pressure here. You turn up, wander around, catch some music, and leave without needing a recovery day.
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE PRIDE & TRANS PRIDE
When: 20 June (Trans Pride) & 25 July (Pride)
Where: Nottingham city centre & Sneinton Market
How much: Free
Pride is one of the most significant days in Nottingham’s calendar – a march through the city followed by a full day of celebration at Sneinton Market.
Trans Pride in June brings its own programme of protest, performance and community-led events, creating space for visibility and solidarity.
Together, they sit firmly as both cultural events and political moments – as much about being heard as being celebrated.
...GET BOOKING
From Peak District fields to city streets, late-night DJ sets to afternoon folk sessions, festival season in 2026 is as varied as it’s ever been. With both Y Not and Download sold out already, now is the time to snap up your tickets for your festival of choice.
All that’s left is to decide where you’re going first and hope you remembered to book the days off – because summer isn’t going to wait for your boss to approve it.
Life on the farm
Stonebridge City Farm is Nottingham’s only urban farm, located just around the corner from Sneinton Market. Home to piglets, goats, sheep, cows, turtles, and more, it’s also a rich community hub which welcomes 160 volunteers a week and hosts an impressive array of events. There’s also been recent news about an uncertain financial future for the farm – recently established CEO Rick Harrington tells us more, and reflects on what makes this space special.
Tell us about the farm’s current financial situation…
In the three years before I joined, the farm recorded significant, consecutive losses, so our immediate priority was to stabilise the finances – something we have achieved with the support of our community. With a more business-focused approach, we are now investing in a new shop and cabins to create more reliable, year-round income. This will reduce our dependence on factors like weather and seasonal footfall while strengthening our long-term resilience. Challenges remain, but we are in a stronger position with a clearer plan to secure the farm’s future.
You have mentioned that you are more than just a visitor attraction. What else does the farm offer to the city?
The farm offers more than access to nature. It provides a consistent, open space where people can spend time without pressure or expectation. Regular contact with others, alongside simple, shared activity, supports wellbeing in a practical way. It creates opportunities for informal learning, volunteering and skill-building, particularly for those who are not well served by traditional settings. As a free, accessible space, it acts as part of the city’s social infrastructure, offering connection, routine and a sense of belonging in an area where options are limited.
purpose across generations. Many of our volunteers have learning difficulties, or are neurodiverse and rely on the consistency and structure the farm provides. Losing this safe space would place costs for care onto local authorities, estimated at more than £500,000.
Can you highlight some other examples of the benefits that the farm brings to your volunteers?
Stonebridge provides, and often restores, routine and structure. Many people who volunteer with us are out of work, managing long-term conditions or recovering from periods of instability. Stonebridge provides low-pressure social contact. Not everyone can walk into a therapy room. Many can walk into a barn, garden or café. Shared activity reduces social intensity. You talk side by side rather than face to face. It’s important for people with anxiety, trauma histories or low confidence. For volunteers, we see improved confidence, reduced social withdrawal, gradual return to work pathways, improved daily functioning, reduced isolation, informal peer support, and cross-generational contact.
t he Farm o FF ers more than a CC ess to nature. i t pro V ides a C onsistent, open spa C e where peop L e C an spend time without pressure or expe C tation
The UK is currently experiencing a mental health crisis. What is the impact on local communities when ‘safe spaces’ close?
The closure of public spaces such as post offices, banks, Sure Start centres, pubs, and community centres has left fewer places where people can safely connect with others. These were everyday environments where conversation and relationships happened without effort or cost. We are social beings, and when shared spaces disappear, particularly in poorer areas, people are left with nowhere to go. The result is increased isolation, which contributes to depression, anxiety, higher crime, and rising suicide rates. Some places may still be free, but that does not mean they feel safe enough for people to use.
Would you introduce an entrance fee?
We won’t charge as it’s not what we are about.
The farm exists for people. We welcome donations, and like many organisations in our position, securing consistent funding can be challenging. Local authority funding is often structured around specific service outcomes, which don’t always align neatly with how the farm is traditionally perceived as a ‘visitor attraction’. We have local people who visit every day… We want people to be able to turn up and belong.
Why is the farm vital for volunteers?
For younger volunteers, the farm is their safe place, often where they first learn what safety feels like. It is where trust, self-worth and confidence are built, sometimes in ways not possible elsewhere.
Older volunteers are often motivated by giving something back, creating a shared sense of
Stonebridge has some beautiful gardens, can you talk a bit about why this is important for the local environment?
Stonebridge supports the environment through what we do every day. We grow vegetables, produce our own honey on site with zero food miles, and we do it without using pesticides. Our planting is set up to support pollinators, and we regularly see bees, butterflies and other insects using the space. We compost what we can and reuse materials, and through plant sales and gardening workshops people take that knowledge and confidence back home, which spreads the impact beyond the farm.
This is local, practical environmental work rather than something that sits in headline carbon figures. We are providing accessible green space in a dense urban area, supporting biodiversity, and reconnecting people with food, nature and the seasons. It is small scale, but it builds the habits and awareness that environmental change depends on, without losing the openness that makes it work.
What can the people of Nottingham do to help the farm?
People can visit, bring others and use our café and shop. Advocate locally, talk about the farm, write to councillors, volunteer. Survival is not sustainability. Short-term cash keeps doors open. Investment builds a viable model. Becoming a Friend of the Farm or setting up a small monthly donation. Businesses can sponsor, donate skills or hold CSR team days. We are investing in revenue-generating assets so we are less exposed to shocks.
If you want to help guarantee the future of one of Nottingham’s safe spaces, head to the Stonebridge website to donate and see what’s coming up. stonebridgecityfarm.com
interview: Danielle Boaler illustration: Tom Camp
artworks
For this month’s artworks, illustrator and regular LeftLion contributor Iulia Matei shares the concept behind her new graphic novel PRF (Punk Rock Fairies) and why we need independent art now more than ever.
My comic is called PRF, which stands for Punk Rock Fairies. It’s a dystopic fusion of punk and fantasy, and is the story of a mother called Rox and her daughter Pip, who has a mutation. Because of this, they must flee the authoritarian regime that is hunting them down. Together, they have to navigate being unwelcome in
The Boy with a Leg Named Brian
Later this month Sheffield-based cartoonist and painter Pete McKee brings his exhibition The Boy With A Leg Named Brian to Metronome, along with an evening of music from his northern-tinged comedy ukulele band, The Everly Pregnant Brothers. We had a chat with Pete to find out what to expect...
What made you decide to bring the exhibition on tour? The show ran for a year in Sheffield and the exhibition tells the story of my childhood and teenage years; the toys, mates, music and culture. It's a childhood that I think a lot of people would identify with from my era and I didn’t want the Sheffield run to be the end of it. I wanted people from other places and communities to see it and experience it too.
You’ve said before that you’ve got a lot of love for Nottingham from your previous pop-up exhibitions here. Do you think the two cities share a similar heritage?
Definitely. Well, for starters it’s a city that has two football teams so there’s that inter-city rivalry as well. But both Nottingham and Sheffield have strong working class roots of heavy industry and council estates; which gives them a similar DNA. Music plays a big part too.
their own society, relying on the people around them and trusting that goodness still exists.
The aesthetic was inspired by some earlier pieces I created, where I wanted to fuse the fantastical and delicate beauty of fairies with a more industrial, hard-edged setting. From there, it was a relatively short leap toward punk, as music is in general a big presence in my life. I was going to name it something else, but I've been referring to it as PRF for so long that it stuck.
The process for the comic is very hands on! I’m using ink on A3 paper, to really try to capture a lot of detail and focus on the DIY aspect that punk is so revered for. I wanted to keep the bulk of the artwork being done by hand as a kind of response to AI. That said, everything is shaded digitally because I was scared of not having ctr+z on that, but I sometimes break from that and have paintings or paper collages that pepper the comic. I’ve also created mini-zine sketchbooks and even some handmade earrings, again to keep that human aspect. The comic also features posters from Nottingham bands like Rights for Flies or Cheap Dirty Horse. I reached out to them and they agreed to be in the comic which is so cool! Nottingham has an incredible music scene, it would be a crime not to highlight it.
I’m originally from Bucharest in Romania, and I’ve lived in Nottingham for about seven years now, moving here after uni. I couldn’t really imagine being anywhere else now and Notts very much feels like
the exhibition teLLs the story oF my ChiLdhood - the toys, mates, musiC and CuLture - it's a ChiLdhood that i thinK a Lot oF peopLe wouLd identiFy with From my era
Sheffield sits near to Nottingham, Manchester and Leeds and bands don’t come to Sheffield as much as they used to, so you’ve always have to choose where to go gig-wise. I really like Nottingham though - it's a great city.
Do you think routes into culture for the working-class are fading?
That’s very much the consensus. Being in bands, or
home. It has everything I could need: gigs, culture, a really cool energy and a great scene with a will to create.
I studied animation at university, but before that I was drawing mostly for myself, faffing about! While uni was interesting, I’ve found the best training for me has always just been to sit down and do it. Whether it’s doing studies of art I love, or practising new techniques, you never know how you feel about something until it’s on the page in front of you.
maKe it For the saKe oF it. maKe it For others, e Ven iF it’s Just your Friends. maKe the thing when you FeeL LiKe a Fraud. the worLd has too muCh poLished, optimised, aLgorithmapproVed garbage art
An artist I really love is Peter Polach, whose work inspired the first pieces I drew that eventually led to PRF. When it comes to comics specifically, I adore Tank Girl. I find the chaos and style of that world really cool.
The comic launches in May after the Kickstarter ends. After that, I’ll be exhibiting at Inkblot, which is a comic festival happening at The Vat & Fiddle! It’s always just such a lovely place to be. The organisers put a lot of work into making it a place for everyone and a celebration of all things comics and art. I’m grateful to be involved with it.
If there is something that you want to make, please, I’m begging you, do it. Make it for the sake of it. Make it for others, even if it’s just your friends. Make the thing when you feel like a fraud. The world has too much polished, optimised, algorithm-approved, garbage art that lines the pockets of millionaires and bleeds the world dry. We need independent art now more than ever.
Head to Inkblot Festival at the Vat & Fiddle on Saturday 30 May to check out Iulia’s work and many more artists.
@iulia.jpg
even playing football, is not as accessible now. You’ve got to pay subs and attend organised sessions that can only happen from the ground up. On the flipside, whenever I see bands interviewed they always speak with a posher ‘middle England’ accent. Nobody sings with an accent anymore.
This is a very personal exhibition. Is it your most honest work to date?
Definitely. It’s much more introspective than previous ones. The first section deals with my mum, who died when I was only seven. It was quite therapeutic being able to dive into an element of personal grief. It’s only when you get older that you can try and grasp grief, especially from childhood. You’ll also be performing with the Everly Pregnant Brothers - your comedy folk band. Do you think humour has helped in processing grief?
In our family we have this phrase called ‘the luck of the McKees’ - there’s always something going off, but we laugh about it in the end. Everyone who’s grown up skint has had bad luck sometime; it’s how you deal with it. If you don’t laugh, you’ll cry - as the saying goes. Humour was always big in our house. My dad loved Laurel and Hardy and The Two Ronnies. That fed up into both art as well as music. My work has always had elements of humour and pathos. You’ll either have a tear in your eye or a good old chuckle. With the Brothers, it’s pure laughs and it's great to be able to come for an hour and a half and enjoy yourself. As long as we’re enjoying ourselves, everyone else should too.
The Boy With A Leg Named Brian comes to Nottingham on Saturday 23 May at Metronome. Head to leftlion.co.uk for an extended version of this interview.
A recent exhibition at Hucknall Library showcased the nine year artistic process behind My Granny Is Changing – a children’s picture book dealing with dementia, created by artist and graphic designer Amy Bunting. Based on Amy’s own experience of navigating her gran Olive’s dementia, we talk to Amy about her creative process and how her story could help families talk more openly about dementia with young children.
Dementia is often a hushed subject matter... What was the moment or conversation which made you realise that this story had to be told for children?
When we found out that my gran had vascular dementia, I realised that my own understanding was exceptionally limited until it was literally part of our everyday lives. I thought dementia was a type of Alzheimer's. As I investigated it, I found out that dementia is the overarching umbrella. It's that feeling of not knowing what's going on. So, I was working through, processing it, feeling helpless, but also trying to do what's best for my grandma.
I've always had a passion for children's picture books. I did illustration at university, and I think children's picture books are incredible because they're able to put across complex information and break it down in an accessible way. All those things happened slowly together, and that's what gave me the drive of ‘there's an area where I can help, and it is speaking to children about dementia’.
You dedicated this book to your wonderful gran, Olive Bunting. Are there any specific 'Olive-isms' or personality traits of hers that readers can find hidden within the character in the book?
Some of her Olive-isms come straight from my memories. Like how she always had a scarf with this little round metal thing on it (I still don’t know what it’s called!), her locket, plus these huge gold glasses that got bigger the more I drew her. There’s a dinner scene in the book where everyone’s got gravy except Gran, because she never liked it. Later, as dementia took hold, she forgot, and started eating gravy: something I really wanted to show but had to lose due to its storytelling.
Little moments from her care home days are tucked in too, like the bear on her nightie. Blankets were a big thing for her – she always had a knitted one on her lap. There’s the bakery box with elephant’s feet and apple turnovers, ice buns and chocolate mice that she’d buy for me and my sister. These little things make the Olive-isms feel real in the story.
If Olive could see this book today, what do you think she would be most proud of?
Honestly, I just think she would be incredibly proud of me. I have so many memories of just sitting with
a board on my knee and drawing whenever I was at my gran's. She would always be checking what I was doing, and having a look. And she was always so uplifting. I always felt really good showing her what I'd drawn. I think she'd just be most proud that I'd drawn all of this!
Writing about a loved one can be a form of catharsis. Did the process of creating My Granny Is Changing change the way you personally remember or relate to your grandmother?
We lost my gran in 2015. When I first started working on this book about a year after, I couldn't draw her without crying. Immediately after we'd lost her, all I could remember was the version of my gran that had dementia. She was so different and frail. It was very emotionally draining. But again, it was that drive of ‘I want to help people!’ So it was a catharsis and personal remembering.
i on Ly rea L ised upon opening the F inished story that it he L ped me F u LLy pro C ess my grie F. i C an draw my grandma now and J ust F ee L J oy! i t's brought me ba CK to who she was be F ore a LL o F this
At that early stage, I was working on the main memories that I had in the front of my mind. I only realised upon opening the finished story that it helped me fully process my grief. I can draw my grandma now and just feel joy! It's brought me back to who she was before all of this – it feels like I've made something good out of bad.
How did you find the balance between being honest about the changing aspects of dementia while still keeping the story hopeful and accessible for a young audience?
That was very much on my mind in the early years. I knew immediately that I didn't want to end it with the ending we'd just gone through, because I wasn't trying to write a book about how to deal with bereavement and grief. There are amazing children's picture books out there that deal specifically with loss, and that wasn't the area I wanted to focus on.
I’d done an illustration degree at Nottingham Trent University many years prior, but they also do these great short courses. I really enjoy working with people in illustration – it makes my creativity just feel bigger. We worked through the story and narrative, and I got the ending: ‘no matter how much she changes we will always love Granny’. The idea was that no matter what happens, love is still there. I held on to that because that was the emotional balance in keeping it accessible, and hopeful enough for it to not be too overwhelming a story. You also illustrated and designed the book. How did you go about visually representing the concept of change in a children’s book (without making it scary)?
At the start, I found it quite hard, because like I said, I was too close to the loss of my gran and her experiencing dementia. But I went to a summer art school in Cambridge in 2023 and I got to focus on it, for the first time, solidly without any work in the way. This helped me to really dig into the visual representation – asking the character some questions and answering them as if I was Granny.
I tried to do the changes between pre-dementia and post-dementia quite subtly. Some of it is a change in clothing to sort of signify less of her control over her own image. There are bits where I flatten her hair a little and her hair is not as big. She always had this little quiff going on, and she loses this. I tried to change her physical demeanour. In the later pictures, she's not actively hugging, she's being hugged. She's got the blanket over her, so she becomes less active in the images.
What do you hope readers will take away from My Granny Is Changing?
That they're not alone, others have been through this too, and that people are there for you. I tried to pick the bits of my gran's dementia journey that were very universal so that people could see in it their own experiences. I want them to know they're not alone in it.
My Granny is Changing is available now on Crowdfunder. £1 from every book sold supports Teesside Dementia Link Services.
It’s been a turbulent year at Nottingham Forest FC. While prospects of Premier League survival have become brighter and the dream of European silverware more enchanting, in all the uncertainty there is one definite; the club has some serious talent waiting in the wings.
We paid a visit to the Nigel Doughty Academy to check in with the latest academy lads. The club has boasted some fine academy graduates over the last decade including Ryan Yates, Brennan Johnson and Matty Cash. So don’t be surprised if a certain Kalum Thompson is next to join that list! Now aged seventeen, Thompson crossed the Irish Sea last summer to join the Reds from Linfield. Like a duck to water the youngster has quickly marked himself as one of the most exciting prospects in youth football
Tell us about the kind of player you are…
I’m an attacking midfielder who loves to have the ball in tight spaces. I'd say I'm very good technically and always know where I’m going to play the ball next. I’ve got a cutting edge in goals and assists, at the start of this season especially I was able to chip in with a lot. But, it's equally important for me to be involved in the other side of the game. I can press and I’m very versatile in my positions. I’m a hard worker as well!
You’ve had a breakout season for the B Team and were nominated for PL2 Player of the Month in December. What does that recognition mean to you?
To get that recognition it means a lot! Not everyone sees the hard work that you put in just to get here. Coming from Northern Ireland, in a part time environment, it was a bit scary at first going full time at Forest. You never know how you're going to settle and the extent of the change but it’s all been positive. I've been working hard in the gym trying to prepare my body for under-21 and even men’s football. You’re only seventeen, but you’re already getting recognition and attention online. How do you stay grounded when social media can amplify both praise and criticism?
I’m very close to my family and they keep me humble. Since I was a little kid my parents tried to make sure I wasn’t getting too high with the highs and too low, whenever I was low. I’ve always been used to playing football, but back home it's not on the same scale as it is here in England so I’ve been used to not getting much attention. Now it's something I’m trying to take in my stride.
Have you had any exposure to firstteam training yet? If so, what did that teach you?
I’ve trained with them a few times,
under different managers. I’ve had two or three sessions with each manager and each time it’s taught me something different! The main thing I would say is that you always need to be prepared for what you’re going to be asked to do, and the standard is very elite. For me, as a midfielder I always need to know where my next ball is going because that’s the constant wavelength the first team operates on. It was just top! The standard and level of information you’re given is something that I’ve not been used to before coming over here and I just try to take it on board as much as I can because it’s such an experience!
Coming F rom n orthern i re L and, in a part time en V ironment, it was a bit s C ary C oming into a F u LL time en V ironment at Forest. you ne V er K now how you're going to sett L e and the extent o F the C hange but it’s a LL been positi V e
Is there anyone in the first team who’s particularly good with helping young players find their feet in the men’s game?
The Club Captain, Ryan Yates. He’s just an inspiration to everyone! Through his career and his personality - he helps every boy coming up. Another is James McAtee. He's very nice to me when I come up and I rate him very highly as a footballer as an attacking midfielder. It's good that someone I look up to is able to give me feedback! You’ve moved over from Northern Ireland to Nottingham. How have you found the city so far? What do you enjoy outside of football?
It’s been lovely. I live in West Bridgford, which is a nice area. I’ve been into the city centre a couple of times and especially in the summertime it’s really nice. At the minute I like padel, I started with a few of the boys in the U18s. Especially now with the sun coming back out I might start golf again, although you don’t want to know my handicap. I just play for enjoyment, haha!
nottinghamforest.co.uk
Baking (hosted by I Like It Bakery), Soups & Sauces, Chutneys & Jams, Festive Baking
Boo the Bad Guy
Will Bailey is a Nottingham film and events promoter, producing just about anything you could imagine (and a few things which only he could imagine), from Stars In Their Eyes all-dayers to so-bad-it’s-good movies screened at the Notts Bad Movie Club. His latest venture – Boo the Bad Guy – is a new multi-activity celebration of cult cinema, taking place in multiple venues which, more often than not, aren’t cinemas. He tells us more about it, while also reminiscing on past moments of movie magic he’s brought to Notts… What drew you to cult and ‘so-bad-it’s-good’ films, and why do you think audiences love them?
I’ve been into films all my life. Me and my friends would do the Kevin Smith all-dayer – watch Kevin Smith films all day. During lockdown, we streamed loads of bad movies, and it's never as fun to watch an Oscar worthy film with friends – it’s not what I want from the group cinema experience. Bad films are so much fun because we can cheer and shout out the lines.
When I was at uni, there was a screening of Withnail and I, and everyone was trying to drink along with the film. Rocky Horror is another amazing cinema experience. It works – anything that gets you singing, or is quotable.
What makes Boo the Bad Guy distinct as a filmscreening event?
I wanted to come up with a name that sums up what I do. I want you to boo the bad guy and if we’re watching The Room - why not throw spoons at the screen. It's not about bad movies – it's about whatever works. It doesn’t always work, and sometimes doesn't land with an audience. It's given me more scope to try different things – I'm all about screening films in venues that aren’t cinemas.
I like this idea of people in a cabaret style environment, eating hot dogs. I want to upscale those Kevin Smith all-dayers. Those nights with five mates sitting on the sofa are what I’ve tried to do – people are looking for more for their money.
Your events are more than just film screenings – there are interviews, and lots of other fun additions. How did you realise that audiences want an interactive experience? They’ve got the film on DVD, at home. But I’m trying to turn the DVD special features, or the trivia part of IMDB, into a real-life event.
I'm not just looking for the most famous person in the film. I want to find someone who swept the floors, and hear their story. Quite often, they're like, ‘Are you
sure that you wanna speak to me?’ Sometimes, I get to interview the director – I video it and play it before the film. I layer it with a raffle, and some games. It’s like a mad, poor man’s Butlin’s show!
You track down cast and crew for recorded intros. What’s been the most surreal or memorable response you’ve had?
One that really got me; I remember being sat on a bus receiving a video from Brian Blessed. Plus Stephen Fry was pleased to talk about being a judge in Spice World: The Movie – he was flattered that someone remembered him in the film.
i 'm trying to ma K e the d V d spe C ia L F eatures or the tri V ia part o F imd b into a rea L- L i F e e V ent
How do you choose which films to screen, and what makes something the ‘right’ kind of bad?
A lot of what I do depends on whether I can add an interesting spin. I don't want to say, ‘here's the DVD, let’s screen this’. With Tammy and the T-Rex, I’d been chatting to the director, so I set up an interview. It made the event more interesting. Wayne's World has a nostalgia for it. Ace Ventura would be a lot of fun. Sharknado is one of those films that they knew was rubbish. There's a difference between cheap films, and a director trying to make it good, but it turns out bad. Troll 2 wanted to be good, but everything went unfathomably wrong. Everyone who read the script was American, but the director was Italian.
On Monday 18 May you’re screening Troll 2 at the Savoy. Tell us about that.
I've been screening Troll 2 for years in Nottingham. I've done it in the Broadway lounge and at The Maze. Notts Bad Movie Club screened Troll 2 and Mac and Me. I contacted the cast and crew, and about six people sent me videos. The main actor, George Hardy, is a dentist – he went down to be a bit part and ended up getting the starring role. He lives in Alabama, and they made a documentary about him. We chat on WhatsApp – I've been trying to get him
over to the UK, but haven't been able to because he's a very good dentist.
Chatting to him made him howl with laughter at the fact that he was in the film. He made it and then forgot about it. Years later, he found out it existed, and both he and Darren Ewing watched it for the first time on a VHS that they rented from a video shop.
You made the leap into full-time promotion. What were the biggest risks, and has it paid off as you hoped?
It's scary. I've been a promoter for twenty years. I like to think of myself as a DIY promoter. I book bands I like – that I wanna see. If I’m lucky, I make money. This is year three of being freelance. Year one was scary. Year two was the best year so far. I’m a creative person who has to come up with ideas, or I make no money.
Your work spans cinema, music, comedy, and even wrestling. How do you juggle so many different projects?
I've always been good at juggling. The life of the promoter is Facebook, email, WhatsApp, and carrier pigeons. It's a case of spinning those plates. I just love it. I don't know how I juggle it. You'd have to ask my wife!
Where do you want to take Boo the Bad Guy next? Bigger venues, bigger guests, or something completely unexpected?
I’m sure there will be something completely unexpected. I enjoy putting things on sale, and people not knowing what they're going to be.
I've tried to get Brian Blessed to Nottingham – I'd love to get someone of that calibre to speak to me. I'm keen to keep creating these unique nights out that people can't get elsewhere – at a Vue or an Odeon. As long as I'm enjoying it, then the audience will enjoy it.
The next Boo The Bad Guy screening is of Troll 2, at The Savoy, on Monday 18 May. Tickets are available from the Savoy Cinema website.
interview: Emily Davies photo: Dan Lord illustration: Nevaeha Yearwood
public Domain
We secured a ticket for Public’s sell-out lasagne night in April, which saw local foodies gather at the coffee shop after hours for a taste of Public’s take on two Italian classics…
Independent coffee shop and bakery Public landed in Nottingham in 2024, opening its fourth East Midlands store on Lower Pavement. Unlike most places that launch with a bang and naturally quieten down over time, Public is still one of the most popular destinations for coffee or brunch in the city centre, with people queuing out of the door at peak times.
From the decadent stuffed croissants and extravagant iced drinks to the Scandi-style interior and iconic wall of plants, Public feels like a trendy Soho coffee shop. It’s easy to see why it appeals to students seeking a cool spot to catch up over matcha.
Given the hype surrounding the Nottingham store, it was only a matter of time before Public brought
its after hours dining events to the city. These evenings are already a regular fixture at their Loughborough store, so news that they were coming to Nottingham was always going to attract plenty of interest.
Tickets for the inaugural pasta night were £23, which included lasagne and tiramisu, with drinks, starters and sides available to buy on the night. The lasagne had a distinctly homemade feel - hearty, comforting and generously portioned - and that was part of its charm. Unlike the perfectly presented dishes you’ll find at Nottingham’s best Italian restaurants (if you haven’t tried La Storia and Bar Gigi yet, you’re missing out), this dinner wasn’t trying to compete with the city’s finest Italian cooking. It was simply very good food for a very fair price, served in a relaxed and welcoming setting. There was something refreshing about the simplicity of the evening. No curated plating or daring flavours, just proper, good-for-the-soul comfort food. The lasagne portion was big enough for us to skip the sides, but I saw many people happily tucking into freshly baked focaccia.
From the KitChen
with stephane Luiggi, owner & CheF at FrenCh LiVing
What is your earliest memory of loving food and cooking?
Mum frying steak in butter, then wiping the pan with fresh bread. So unhealthy but scrumptious.
What person has been the biggest influence in your cooking and why?
Mum again, who always found time for varied, balanced and well-seasoned meals.
Describe your venue in three words... Franco-French, homely, true.
What’s the best-selling item on your current menu and why?
Steak-frites, made from the onglet cut, daily changing sauce, and the best twicecooked fries.
What’s your personal favourite item on your current menu and why?
Our signature dish: Chevreuil aux Myrtilles. Just seared, melt-in-mouth venison medallions, with sweet blueberry and red wine sauce, and gratin dauphinois to die for!
What /where was the best meal you have ever cooked?
A pièce montée (croquembouche) made for a wedding reception. 125 choux filled with Grand Marnier crème patissière, constructed with sticky caramel into a pyramid, transported at a crawling pace to the wedding venue!
What was the best meal you have ever eaten? And who cooked it?
New year’s day in 1977 Paris with oysters, foie gras, scallops, roast lamb, cheeses, bûche cake, coffee, liqueurs. Lunch ended at 9pm! My elderly cousin Alice was the host/chef.
Other than your own place, where do you eat out in Notts?
Kayal in Hockley. Refined, authentic Keralan cuisine served with kindness. Who are your five ideal dinner party guests? And what’s on the menu? Napoleon, John Lennon, Johan Cruyff, Jacques Brel, and Dad. Corsican lamb à-la-stretta.
Find French Living at 27 King St, Nottingham NG1 2AY. frenchliving.co.uk
The tiramisu was a crowd-pleaser in its own right. Heavy on cream but light on coffee, it was delicious and tasted that much sweeter knowing my sleep wasn’t at risk from a 8pm caffeine hit. Despite telling myself to savour every bite, it went down too smoothly and I finished my dessert in record time.
The highlight of the evening for me, however, was the atmosphere. Public after hours has a softer, calmer, more intimate feel. Even though it was a fully booked event, I didn’t feel rushed or hurried out of the door, a stark contrast to Public during the day where you are conscious of hogging a table for too long as it’s always busy. Conversation flowed easily and so did the drinks. The staff team was friendly and attentive, allowing diners to move through the meal at their own pace.
Hopefully this is the start of many after hours events at Public. I know I’ll be fighting for tickets to the next one!
Visit Public at 11 Low Pavement, Nottingham NG1 7DQ.
Qourpublic.co.uk
t he L asagne had a distin C t Ly homemade F ee Lhearty, C om F orting and generous Ly portioned - and that was part o F its C harm
LiFe behind bars
with isad ‘happy’ habiboViC, generaL manager at 400 rabbits
Tell us something interesting about your bar…
We’re probably the only bar in Nottingham to have been shouted out by Jimmy Fallon. Other than that, we definitely have the biggest range of tequila and mezcal in the whole city!
What's the best thing about your job?
Probably the chaos. You can go from zero to 100 in no time at all. You meet some great people in a bar like 400, so if you haven’t come down already – you’re missing out!
What's your best selling drink?
The Tommys Margarita. A lovely blend of tequila, lime and agave. On a hot day it’s an absolute thirst quencher.
What's your most expensive drink?
Clasa Azul Reposado at £19.50 a shot. Pretty tasty stuff. Cocktail wise, we’d be talking a Mai Dead Rabbit at £10. Tequila, almond, mezcal and lime all mashed together into fresh goodness.
Describe your bar or pub in three words?
Truly an institution.
What's your personal favourite tipple?
Nothing like a cool frosty pint of Lucky Buddha at our sister bar, Loose Ends, with a cheeky little shot of calvados on the side!
Who's the most famous person you've had drinking in your place?
Ed Sheeran! But in my heart, the most famous person who’s drank at 400 Rabbits is Vicky Pattison.
How would you persuade someone who's never visited your bar to entice them in? Community, good booze, and just a good laugh is what we’re all about. We’re the kind of bar that becomes what you need it to be on the night – a date spot, a hang out, a party. It’s pretty neat like that.
words & photos: Lucy Campion
SAT.16.MAY.26
RESCUE
Blue October
WED.03.JUN.26
ROCK CITY
THU.18.JUN.26
All Them Witches THE PALAIS
THU.07.MAY.26
The Wonder Stuff
ROCK CITY
SAT.09.MAY.26
Haggard Cat
RESCUE ROOMS
SUN.10.MAY.26
Dodgy
RESCUE ROOMS
SUN.10.MAY.26
Laura Cox BODEGA
MON.11.MAY.26
Suburban Legends
BODEGA
WED.13.MAY.26
Psychonaut + Cobra The Impaler
RESCUE ROOMS
THU.14.MAY.26
Colm R. McGuinness
BODEGA
SAT.16.MAY.26
GANS
RESCUE ROOMS
SAT.16.MAY.26
Worldpeace
DMT+ The Femcels BODEGA
MON.18.MAY.26
Beth Hart
ROYAL CONCERT HALL
TUE.19.MAY.26
Thomas Dolby THE PALAIS
Gig Guide
WED.20.MAY.26
Jack Broadbent
SQUIRE PERFORMING ARTS
CENTRE
FRI.22.MAY.26
We Lost The Sea
RESCUE ROOMS
SAT.23.MAY.26
Weatherday
BODEGA
MON.25.MAY.26
Seafret
RESCUE ROOMS
TUE.26.MAY.26
BIIRD
RESCUE ROOMS
TUE.26.MAY.26
Dead Pony
ROCK CITY (BETA)
WED.27.MAY.26
Spear of Destiny
RESCUE ROOMS
FRI.29.MAY.26
Wolfsbane
RESCUE ROOMS
SAT.30.MAY.26
ALT BLK ERA
RESCUE ROOMS
SUN.31.MAY.26
Los Campesinos!
RESCUE ROOMS
SUN.31.MAY.26
SUGAR
ROCK CITY
TUE.02.JUN.26
The Story So Far
ROCK CITY
WED.03.JUN.26
Blue October
ROCK CITY
WED.03.JUN.26
Joe Carnall Jnr
BODEGA
FRI.05.JUN.26
DEADLETTER
RESCUE ROOMS
SAT.06.JUN.26
Headsticks
BODEGA
THU.11.JUN.26 Voivod & Midnight
RESCUE ROOMS
FRI.12.JUN.26
The Milk
BODEGA
THU.18.JUN.26 All Them Witches
THE PALAIS
SAT.20.JUN.26
Archy & the Astronauts
BODEGA
SAT.27.JUN.26
Raging Speedhorn + Mastiff
ROCK CITY (BETA)
SUN.28.JUN.26
The March Violets
BODEGA
TUE.30.JUN.26
The Dirty Nil
BODEGA
TUE.07.JUL.26
Vandoliers
BODEGA
WED.08.JUL.26
Sumo Cyco
BODEGA
SUN.12.JUL.26
Bat Sabbath
ROCK CITY (BETA)
MON.13.JUL.26
A Thousand Horses
BODEGA
MON.13.JUL.26
Dead Pioneers + Petrol Girls
RESCUE ROOMS
FRI.17.JUL.26
Crash of Rhinos
BODEGA
SAT.18.JUL.26
Smoove & Turrell
BODEGA
SAT.18.JUL.26
SUN.19.JUL.26
Splendour Festival
WOLLATON PARK
TUE.18.AUG.26
The Flatliners
RESCUE ROOMS
FRI.28.AUG.26
Earl Sweatshirt & MIKE
ROCK CITY
SUN.30.AUG.26
Foolhardy Folk Festival
ARBORETUM GARDEN BAR & BANDSTAND
Model/Actriz
TUE.08.SEP.26
SUN.12.JUL.26
Local Loser
LIE / ALONE (Single)
On the surface, LIE and its B-side ALONE seem to be worlds apart. The first is a loud, explosive rock ballad. The sharp grittiness of its intro cuts through listeners' ears beautifully, as the fiery lead guitar, booming drums and chaotic distortion transports them to a dark, underground punk show. The lyrics are reflective and deeply real as they capture the artist's struggle between truth and lies. ALONE is its opposite, a quiet acoustic track allowing every word its moment. LOCAL LOSER’S vocals here are magical, echoey, and wistful; miles apart from the raucous energy of those in LIE. Yet both tracks do have something in common: a bold, raw representation of the queer experience – the rage, frustration, and drive for something different. LOCAL LOSER’S songs have it all. These singles are their record debut, after they performed live at Billy Bootleggers in 2025, but they seem already poised to become a one-in-a-million artist. (Max Christian)
Origin One & Snowy
Jah Bless (Single)
Leah Wilcox Hollywood (Single)
There’s something deeply and knowingly playful about Leah Wilcox’s latest release Hollywood, which revels in a shift toward maximalist folk-pop. Still drenched in 70s influences, Hollywood sees Wilcox self-assured and ambitious as she reels off entries from her glamorous to-do list. Musically, the song is entertainingly restless, trying on sounds like so many outfits as it flits from glam-rock guitars to a ukulele – from marching drums to layered vocal harmonies. There’s a CMAT-like energy in how the song rattles around within the confines of its runtime, but it’s a credit to Leah that none of the myriad ideas ever become a distraction, with the song retaining cohesion that could easily have been lost. This is a fun, fierce Americana infused romp. "You try and stop me and you just watch what happens", she sings. With this evidence, who would want to? (Kieran Lister)
Grime veteran Snowy has been busy of late. As well as featuring on Sleaford Mods’ latest album and producing new tracks with Truth, Snowy has taken the time to create a boundary-pushing fusion of jungle and grime with Nottingham producer Origin One. Jah Bless is a deep and contemplative piece delivering a dexterous and effortless blend of both artists’ styles with fast-paced faith-based lyrics offering a take on self-love, appreciation and divine protection. Driven by a heavy dub bassline, the piece rolls through meditative breaks and tripped-out piano-led textures for a reviving study on genres, lifting the listener into other dimensions. (Rachel Imms)
Pict Without Warning (Single)
Book of Churches
Book of Churches (Album)
Book of Churches is the solo project of Divorce’s co-lead-vocalist, Felix Mackenzie-Barrow – a rare talent, with the ability to say a lot with very minimal song structures. Felix invites you to explore the recesses of his mind with some wonderfully meaningful lyrics embracing a dreamlike disconnect from the complications of everyday life. The opening track, Song for a Stranger, is contemplative, likewise All The Good Things, with its gentle banjo, which delicately revisits memories of previous relationships. Two songs about flying, North Atlantic Ocean and Catalpa in the Sky, add emphasis to the blurred timeline experienced while travelling, as does I Lean. The Quiet Was A Heron is about discomfort after witnessing the shooting of such a lovely creature, before Stones In Your Bag highlights the pleasures of togetherness, sublimely concluding a remarkable album. (Claire Spencer)
Five-piece post-folk group Pict are Nottingham through and through. Their latest single was recorded at The Grove, a place dear to their hearts (and ours). It’s a beautifully arranged and moving combination of layered guitars, yearning vocals and organic rhythms, pierced through like an unerring arrow by a forcefully melancholic trumpet line. The precision of the composition and skilful way in which voices and instruments blend reveals the talent of this group; another band we can be rightly proud of. (Phil Taylor)
If you’re from Nottingham and want to get added to our list of music writers or get your tunes reviewed, hit us up at music@leftlion.co.uk
To listen to these tracks and more, check out the LeftLion channel on Spotify.
Friday 1 may
The Prodigy
Motorpoint Arena Nottingham
£44.85-£155
Dance music legends The Prodigy are returning to Notts this month for a huge arena show, as part of their World Heavyweight Champions Re-Unite tour. Following their triumphant appearance at Glastonbury 2025, this tour sees them provide a high energy run through their catalogue which for decades has defined rave culture. Joining them is acclaimed house DJ Carl Cox, who will warm things up with a two hour set from doors. Fans can expect a showcase of his signature style, delivered via his classic three deck vinyl setup. This will definitely be a big night for electronic music fans and rave disciples in Notts.
Beautiful Crazy - The Luke Combs Collection Mansfield Palace Theatre
Jennifer Vanderpool
The Harley Gallery & Museum Free, 10am-4pm Runs until: Monday 4 May
Shahana Rajani: Lines That World a River
Nottingham Contemporary Free, 10am-5pm Runs until: Sunday 10 May
Dala Nasser: Cemetery of Martyrs
Nottingham Contemporary Free, 10am-5pm Runs until: Sunday 10 May
Bonington Vitrines #30: a Semester In Nottingham, 1976 Bonington Gallery Free, 11am-3pm Runs until: Friday 8 May
We the People: America's Fight for Freedom and Beyond Lakeside Arts
Free, 12pm-4pm Runs until: Sunday 13 September
1525: Calligraphy - Tracing cultures and finding flow Nottingham Contemporary Free, 1pm-4pm Runs until: Sunday 14 June
Masheena Angel Microbrewery & The Chapel £12, 6.30pm
Let's Celebrate Showcase!
Lutterell Hall
£15.50, 7pm-11pm
Goostavo - Life Of a Misfit
Fisher Gate Point
£7-£15, 7pm-11pm
African Head Charge
Metronome
£20-£25, 7pm
Speech Therapy
Fisher Gate Point Free, 7pm-11pm
Mike Wozniak – The Bench
Nottingham Playhouse
£25, 7.30pm
Runs until: Wednesday 14 October
Hansard
Lace Market Theatre
Runs until: Saturday 2 May
And Then There Were None
Duchess Theatre
£8-£10, 7.30pm-10pm
Runs until: Saturday 2 May
Wigflex 20 years with Mad Miran b2b Lukas Wigflex
The Model
Calibre (3hr Set)
The Brickworks
£16.50-£18, 10.30pm-4am
saturday 2 may
Celebrating Nottingham Football Fanzines: Brian and The Pie (Film screenings + Q&A) Nottingham Central Library
£5, 11am
Thanks to a digital archiving project by LeftLion, in 2024 two of Nottingham's loved football fanzines The Pie (Notts County) and Brian (Nottingham Forest) were given a new lease of life. This event will showcase two short films about these fanzines; each twenty minutes long. A Q&A with producer Jared Wilson plus representatives from both fanzines will end the event. Both publications have storied histories: The Pie was launched in 1987 and run by a team which included Selectadisc manager Jim Cooke. Brian was launched in 1988 by Julie Pritchard. This screening is also in honour of Julie, who recently passed away.
Love the 90s Fest
Wollaton Hall and Park
£12-£47, 1pm-11pm
Art Club with Ziroziro
New Art Exchange
Smash Into Pieces
Rock City
£22.50, 6.30pm
Blackgold
Rescue Rooms
£14, 6.30pm
Battle Of The Bands
Fisher Gate Point
£5, 7pm-11.55pm
Taj Farrant
The Bodega
£22, 7pm-10pm
Our Yard Foundations Exhibition
Closing Party w/ V Rocket International
New Art Exchange
5pm-11.30pm
Murder Mystery: Death by Pineapple
The National Justice Museum
£29, 7pm-10pm
Professor Elemental, Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer & Thomas Benjamin Wild Esq.
The Old Cold Store
£15, 7pm-5pm
Murder Mystery: Death by… The National Justice Museum
Dirty Disco Sound System The Malt Cross
Lemonade Bangs: Bank Hol Garden Rave with Danny P
Pots and Pints: Carved Tumblers Rough Trade £32, 1pm
Groovebox In The Park
Wollaton Hall and Park
£8-£22, 1pm-11pm
Muzak Bank Holiday Dxnby & Daetor The Swan
£3-£7.25, 1pm-11pm
Irish Traditional Session The Malt Cross
Catfishing the Bottlemen Rescue Rooms
£10, 6.30pm-10pm
Matt Pryor (The Get Up Kids) The Bodega £16, 7pm
Conscious Pilot & Big Girls Blouse The Grove £9, 7.30pm
Zealous - Funk Cartel
The Secret Garden
£5-£16, 9.30pm-3am
Kepler The Nest £16-£22, 10pm
Pink Coconut Summer Ball The Palais £15-£35, 10pm-4am
monday 4 may
Binns Organ Lunchtime Concert: Stefan Donner The Albert Hall 1.10pm
Hyphen The Bodega £15, 7pm
Ninja Sex Party Rock City £32, 7pm
tuesday 5 may
Contemporary Textiles Exhibition - Storytelling Nottingham Society of Artists Free, 10am-4pm Runs until: Sunday 10 May
People Planet Pint Meetup Angel Microbrewery & The Chapel 6pm-8pm
If We Tolerate This: How the British establishment made the far right respectable Five Leaves Bookshop £5-£14.99, 7pm-8.30pm
Ella Clayton - Could it be you? The Grove £10, 7pm
Greazy Alice Angel Microbrewery & The Chapel £15, 7.30pm
wednesday 6 may
Toyah Mansfield Palace Theatre
Spring into Poetry with Lizzie Dunford and other Poets Bromley House Library Free, 2pm-3.30pm
Bridgford Blast takeover The Lawn at Central Avenue Free, 3.30pm-5.30pm
Assunta and Lou Art Club Nottingham Central Library 4.30pm-5.30pm
Sci-Fi & Fantasy Book Club: The Martian Chronicles Waterstones Free, 6.30pm
Landon Conrath The Bodega £13, 7pm-10pm
Doc'n Roll Film Festival - How Tanita Tikaram Became A Liar Savoy Cinema
The Future In Our Past, the General Strike one hundreds years on, with Callum Cant and Matthew Lee Five Leaves Bookshop
£5-£12, 7pm-8.30pm
Jokes at The Juice Bar Juice Bar £5, 7pm-9.30am
Nott Queer Enough Hockley Emporium Free, 7pm
Robert Finley Rescue Rooms £20, 7.30pm-11pm
thursday 7 may
Riddim and Roots Nottingham Playhouse Free, 11am
The Ethiopian Kitchen New Art Exchange 5pm-7pm
The Covasettes: Live + Signing Rough Trade £14.62, 6pm
The Wonder Stuff Rock City £32.50, 6.30pm
Yellow Days Rescue Rooms £21.50, 7pm-11pm
Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition Savoy Cinema £5.50-£13, 8pm
One for the heavy metal lovers… Burning Ambition is a featurelength documentary directed by Malcolm Venville and produced by Dominic Freeman, chronicling Iron Maiden's iconic five-decade career in music. It traces the band's evolution and influence, through interviews with band members and prominent figures in rock music, while exploring the creative decisions, challenges and milestones that shaped their legacy. With 17 studio albums, approximately 2500 gigs across 64 countries and over 130 million album sales, there’s plenty to go on. Pub trivia: did you know that the lead singer for most of their career, Bruce Dickinson, was born and brought up in Worksop?
Lost Faculty
The Grove
£7, 7pm
Five Over, Meridian & San Marino
Mist Rolling Inn
£7, 7pm
Knifedoutofexistence
JT Soar
£8, 7.30pm-10.30pm
Friday 8 may
Wing Fest
OUT Nottingham
£19.50-£23.50, 5pm-5pm Runs until: Sun 10 May
The world's largest chicken wing festival and home of the official UK chicken wing awards lands at the new OUT Nottingham venue. As well as lots of chicken you can also expect live music, DJs, bands, entertainment, games, axe throwing and eating competitions. Every year the event showcases the best chicken wings the UK has to offer, with Nottingham’s very own Michelin-starred chef Alex Bond (from Alchemilla and Mollis) taking part this year.
Rhymes Against Humanity
Presents: ImproVision
The Squire Performing Arts Centre
£14
Nape Neck
JT Soar
£12
Stephen Sanchez
Rock City
£25, 6.30pm-10pm
Stop Making Sense Live Rescue Rooms
£25, 7pm
Alastair Clark: On The Record Rough Trade
£14.63, 7pm
The Radiohead Project
Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall
7.30pm
Beth Rowley Metronome
£20, 7pm-10pm
As part of her UK-wide Pale Jewel Volume II tour taking place this Spring, Bristol-raised artist Beth Rowley visits Metronome this month. Known for her rich, expressive voice and heartfelt lyrics, she blends blues, Americana and gospel influences into something profoundly authentic. Initially she gained experience as a backup singer for the likes of Enrique Iglesias and Ronan Keating, before stepping into the spotlight and creating a career that has spanned two decades. Along the way, she has shared stages with artists including David Gray, Jools Holland and Crowded House. Expect a set with plenty of warmth, honesty and soul.
FIB: Social Climate Justice New Art Exchange 7pm-11pm
Fandom: It Girls Rescue Rooms
£5, 10.30pm-3.30am
saturday 9 may
Nottingham Forest v London Mavericks Motorpoint Arena Nottingham
Arkayla
The Bodega
£12.50, 7pm
Live DJ Social – Mista Shotta The Malt Cross 8pm
Hip-Hop House Party Stealth
£5, 10pm-3am
Fearlessly Taylor Bonington Theatre & Cinema
£15, 2.30pm
Liberace & Liza: A Tribute Nottingham Arts Theatre
£25, 4pm-5.50pm
Haggard Cat
Rescue Rooms
£12, 6.30pm-10pm
It's a night that any underground rock lovers in Notts would be loath to miss, as Haggard Cat, made up of Matt Reynolds (vocals and guitars) and Tom Marsh (drums) make their live comeback in Notts after several years out. This locally-based hardcore duo was formed as a side project from previous bands Baby Godzilla and Heck. However, since those split this has become their main project. They’ve both been signed to labels before like Earache, but now they’re out there on their own terms. Expect a wall of noise and some intense on-stage energy. Support comes from Mother Vulture and Every Hell.
sunday 10 may
Tony Wright (Terrorvision)
The Old Cold Store £15, 4pm-8pm
People without History Are Dust: Queer Desire in the Holocaust, with Anna Hajkova
Five Leaves Bookshop
£3-£15, 4.30pm-6pm
Art School Girlfriend: Live Stripped-Back Performance
Rough Trade
£15.75, 6pm
Dodgy
Rescue Rooms
£25, 6.30pm
Laura Cox - Troubled Tour The Bodega
£20, 7pm
Lindisfarne
Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall 7.30pm
Nirvanher & Bras N’ Roses Saltbox Bar £15, 3pm-7.30pm
Super Soapbox Challenge
Old Market Square Free, 10am-5pm
Expect a day of thrills and excitement as the Market Square is transformed into a high energy race track. Soapbox racing: competitive racing in motorless vehicles, has featured in various UK cities in recent years, and this month comes to Notts for the first time, featuring everything from cleverly engineered racers to wildly imaginative creations. The event will run throughout the day, with multiple heats leading to a final, and it's free to attend. Alongside the racing, there are a variety of food and off track entertainment options, including the opportunity to meet and have a photograph with champion racer Sir Sidney Cartalot and the Robin Hood mascot. This event will be supporting its charity partner: Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance.
monday 11 may
Battle of Notts 2026
Motorpoint Arena Nottingham £7
Victorians: From Workhouses to Asylums Nottingham Central Library 12.30pm-2pm
Suburban Legends The Bodega £18, 7pm
A Neurodivergent Survival Guide to Adult Life When You’re Dyspraxic or ADHD with Maxine Roper Five Leaves Bookshop £5-£14.99, 7pm-8.30pm
Paper Lily Rough Trade £6, 7pm
Hamza Yassin - My Life Behind the Lens Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall 7.30pm
Pleasure Incorporated
Fisher Gate Point
£8-£10, 7am
A one-woman theatre performance that reimagines sex work through the lens of corporate bureaucracy. Written and performed by Jemima Foxtrot, the show uses HR policies, performance reviews and workplace rituals to explore labour, autonomy and survival. Drawing on the artist's lived experience of escorting in Berlin, the production employs corporate satire to examine how bodies and power are managed within capitalist systems. Combining live performance with video art and an original soundtrack, the show balances humour with moments of tenderness. It's recommended only for ages 16+. Content note: mentions of sex work and child sexual abuse.
tuesday 12 may
Artificial Go JT Soar
£12
Italian Breads Baking Class Pippley Walled Garden £85, 10am-3pm
Tide Lines Rescue Rooms £25, 6pm-10pm
Basement + Signing Rough Trade £16.68, 6pm
Raging Clue The Bodega £10, 7pm
Non-fiction Book Group discusses: Angela Y. Davis –Abolition: Politics, Practices, Promises, Vol. 1 Five Leaves Bookshop Free, 7pm-8.30pm
Ben Auld & Band + Direwolf + Action Figures The Grove
£6-£8, 7pm
We Are The Weirdos x Billie
Skreamz Nottingham
Mist Rolling Inn
£9, 7pm
James Morrison
Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall
7.30pm
Loose Goose Improv Jam Fisher Gate Point Free, 8pm-10pm
wednesday 13 may
Northern BalletGentleman Jack
Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall 2pm
The Northern Ballet presents Gentleman Jack, an biographical depiction of Anne Lister – a 19th century Yorkshire-woman who was one of the most countercultural people of her time, and who history dubbed ‘the first modern lesbian’. Her diaries are pretty timeless and have been creatively adapted in lots of ways, from TV, to books, to music, so you’re guaranteed an intriguing narrative should you choose to check this out. The team are also particularly well respected in the world of ballet — the choreographer is Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, who won an award for her work on A Streetcar Named Desire , and the music comes from experienced composer Peter Salem.
Stop Your Self-Sabotage Masterclass
Nottingham Central Library
£5, 1pm
Doc'n Roll Film Festival - A Way
To Die: The Short Films of Coil Savoy Cinema 6.30pm
LEAP The Bodega £17, 7pm
BBC Introducing Metronome
When We Ruled: Twelve African queens and warriors, with Paula Akpan Five Leaves Bookshop
£5-£12.99, 7pm-8.30pm
Pub H. D. - Research Talks Barley Twist
£0-£3, 7pm-10pm
Psychonaut & Cobra The Impaler Rescue Rooms
£16, 7.30pm-11pm
Top Gun (40th Anniversary) Savoy Cinema
8.15pm
Also showing on Sat 16 May
thursday 14 may
Women in Rock Mansfield Palace Theatre
DIY poets Showcase
Middle Street Resource Centre
£0-£5, 7.30am-9.30am
BIPC Women's Network Nottingham Central Library 10am
Introduction to John Webster Lace Market Theatre 12pm
Mary Anning and the Dinosaur Hunters + Q&A with Sharon Sheehan Savoy Cinema 6pm
girli: Live + Signing Rough Trade £18.02, 6pm
Colm R. McGuinness The Bodega £20, 7pm
Urban Voodoo Machine The Old Cold Store £20, 7pm
Picky New Promotions Present The Cutter The Grove £10, 7.30pm
Friday 15 may
Riding The Low Rock City £15, 6.30pm-10pm
Alternative rock band, Riding The Low, take over Rock city on Friday 15 May, bringing their distinctive and gritty sound to our city centre's historic guitar music hub. Fronted by actor and director Paddy Considine, the Staffordshire based group is also composed of Chris Baldwin, Dan Baker and Rich Eaton, and they've built a reputation for their dynamic and boundary pushing sound since forming back in 2006. They will be joined by support act , Burton-on-Trent raised punk rocker Joseph Hooligan, who will set the tone for an evening of intensity and joy. This should definitely be a loud and immersive one: Rock City couldn't be more conducive to bands like this being their best selves.
Upbeat Beatles
Mansfield Palace Theatre
Live at Lunch: Li Min Ong
Theatre Royal &Royal Concert Hall 1pm
Bad Betty Live New Art Exchange 6pm-9pm
The Showhawk Duo
Rescue Rooms
£18.50, 6.30pm
Breeze - Nottingham
Angel Microbrewery & The Chapel
£10, 7pm-10.30pm
The Secret Garden Burlesque & Cabaret Show
The Secret Garden
£20, 7pm-2am
George Gadd + The Aftermath
The Grove
£10, 7pm
Gypsy Pistoleros: Dark Faerie Tales
The Old Cold Store
£12, 7pm-11pm
Breakin' Convention
Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall
7.30pm
Dennis Rollins Metronome
£5-£10, 7.30pm-9.30pm
DJ Social – Hemulen Soundz The Malt Cross 8pm
Substance: Chad Harrison, DJ
Pantha + Trilla
Stealth
£10-£16, 10pm-4am
Mr Traumatik
Tunnel Club
£12.50-£22.50, 10pm-3am
Fandom: Decade Dance Rescue Rooms
£5, 10.30pm-3.30am
saturday 16 may
Mayhem Rock Festival
2026 Nottingham
The Nest
£60-£70, 1pm-1am
This will be the ultimate Scandinavian rock experience, with added sleaze rock and hard rock, taking place at The Nest: one of our city' newest and most versatile high tech events spaces. Headlining are Swedish powerhouse groups H.E.A.T and Eclipse, with an added line-up of Confess, Toxic Rose, Suicide Bombers, Smoking Snakes, Trench Dogs and Wasted Wizards. UK special guests, South of Salem, will also play alongside this mix of established names and rising talent. Performances will start at 1pm and a livestream will be available to watch so no one has to miss out on the full day of guitar-led wildness.
Eurovision Watch Party 2026 The Garage 6pm-1am
Coins For Charon + Chloe Rodgers + We Are The Station
The Angel Microbrewery & The Chapel £6, 7.30pm-11pm
This May, Coins for Charon, Chloe Rodgers (pictured), and We Are The Station will co-headline what's set to be a pretty unforgettable night at The Chapel, which is upstairs in Hockley cultural hub The Angel Microbrewery pub. Coins for Charon recently debuted to lots of buzz at the Mist Rolling Inn on Derby Road, while We Are The Station make noisy, indie rock, and Chloe Rodgers is wellknown on the Notts circuit for her dreamlike and Bjork-tinged indie sound. Each act is a well loved part of our city's local scene, so it's definitely worth attending this gig if you're looking to support that.
Louisey Rider Cup Charity Tournament 2026 Harvey Hadden Sports Village £5-£9, 9.45am-5.30pm
Drew Thomas Rough Trade £13, 6pm
GANS - The Connected Tour Rescue Rooms £15, 6.30pm-10pm
WorldPeace DMT + The Femcels The Bodega £11, 7pm-10pm
Chris Brain The Grove £10-£20, 7pm
Hexx Ye Olde Salutation Inn £5, 8pm-3am
Residential Stealth £5, 10pm-4am
sunday 17 may
BTVParks Family Field Day Bell Tent Village Parks Free, 12pm-4pm
Ultimate Classic Rockshow Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall 7.30pm
Crazy Little Sing Called Pub The Malt Cross
monday 18 may
The Lemon Twigs Rescue Rooms
£25, 7pm-11pm
Gareth Rough Trade
£23.49, 7pm
Beth Hart - You Still Got Me
Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall
£45-£75, 7.30pm
Witches Mortuary
Mist Rolling Inn £8, 7.30pm
The Duchess of Malfi Lace Market Theatre 7.30pm
Runs until: Saturday 23 May
Jonathan Van Ness: Hot and Healed Nottingham Playhouse
The extraordinary story of one of the world’s most influential female artists, Frida Kahlo, is back by popular demand at The Arc Cinema in Beeston. Everyone knows Frida by her big eyebrows, floral crowns and bright colours, however, the film uncovers the true story of the painter's passionate yet turbulent life. Her artwork was heavily influenced by her upbringing and the physical and emotional pain she endured. You'll get to enjoy Exhibition on Screen’s trademark combination of interviews with world experts and a detailed exploration of the art. Directed by Ali Ray and created in close collaboration with world experts and those who knew her.
Isabel Ibanez in Conversation with M.A. Kuzniar Waterstones
£5-£24, 6.30pm
Witchcraft & Paganism Book Club Book discusses A Spell in the Wild by Alice Tarbuck Five Leaves Bookshop Free, 7pm-8.30pm
The Supremely Talented "Jon Boden & The Remnant Kings" Lakeside Arts
£20-£26, 7.30pm-10.30pm
Lenny Henry – Still at Large
Nottingham Playhouse
£41.50-£46.50, 7.30pm
wednesday 20 may
An Afternoon with John Nichol Waterstones
£5-£29, 12pm
Little Barrie + Signing Rough Trade
£21.01, 6pm
DMA'S
Rock City
£35, 6.30pm-10pm Runs until: Thursday 21 May
Myths, Monsters and Magic Metronome
£5-£10, 7pm-10.30pm
Cluedo
The Dales United Reformed Church
£10, 7.15pm-10pm Runs until: Saturday 23 May
Smash Night!
The Malt Cross
£3-£5, 7.30pm-9.30pm
Philip Sayce Rescue Rooms
£27.50, 7.30pm
Warsaw Philharmonic
Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall
Mansfield Open Mic
Ravensdale Hotel
Free, 7.30pm-10.30pm
After Hours: Dale Storr
Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall 9.45pm
thursday 21 may
Paella Evening French Living
5pm-9pm
Buttonpusher: Poly-Math The Carousel
£12-£15, 7pm-11pm
Vixxen The Grove
Spill The Paint - Queer Crafts Hockley Emporium
£5, 7pm
Dave Formula & Noko Rescue Rooms
£27.50, 7.30pm-11pm
Keith Brymer Jones and Marj Hogarth – Us, Pots and Our
Welsh Chapel Dream
Nottingham Playhouse
£41.50-£46.50, 7.30pm
Eric Rushton: Innkeeper Canalhouse
£14, 8pm-9pm
Friday 22 may
We Lost The Sea Rescue Rooms
£22, 6.30pm
Example
Rock City
£32.50, 6.30pm-10pm
Queer Nottingham, we celebrate the 90s and this century!
Nottingham Central Library
£3-£10, 6.30pm-9pm
Paradise Circus
Angel Microbrewery & The Chapel
£10, 7pm-11pm
Oh, Douglas & Martha White
The Grove £10, 7pm
Craig Revel Horwood – Revelations
Nottingham Playhouse
£36.50, 7.30pm
The Hallé: Disco Dynamite
Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall 7.30pm
Big Sky Orchestra
Rough Trade
£18.03, 7.30pm
Dirty Disco Sound System
The Malt Cross
Atmosphere: Kara, Bish + OKO
Secret Vault
£10-£17.95, 10pm-3am
Island Boy - Skippa Live
Liquid Library
£33.25-£55.25, 10pm-6am
Fandom: Plot Twist Rescue Rooms
£5, 10.30pm-3.30am
X Georgia: Laidlaw The Brickworks
£10, 10.30pm-4am
Screensaver
JT Soar
Dinosaur Week
Manor Farm Park & Woodlands
£2.95-£16.95, 9am-5pm
Stomp into mega-saurus fun this halfterm, with dino-mite roaring adventures! Dinosaur Week is back at Manor Farm Park & Woodlands for the May half-term and offers you and your kids a chance to turn back time for a full week of family fun and dinosaur discovery. Laugh and cheer during the fast and funny dinosaur races, dig for fossils like a palaeontologist, explore the Dino Roar Trail and dance with Vonnie the Velociraptor! Wander the World of Dinosaur Roar, a discovery trail and find seven roaring giants. Your ticket includes full access to the farm where your kids can also play for hours in Nottinghamshire’s biggest indoor playbarn! Runs until: Friday 29 May
Razzamataz presents Get On Your Feet! Mansfield Palace Theatre
Hidden Food Tour Tough Mary's Bakehouse £85, 10am
Pete McKee: The Boy with the Leg Named Brian Art Show Metronome Free, 12pm-5pm
Tonehenge Nottingham Liquid Light Brew Co Tap Room £25, 12pm-11pm
Pianopalooza: Amapiano Festival The Nest £20-£40, 2pm
Sing-a-Long-a-Wicked
Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall 2pm
Alpha Whores
Angel Microbrewery & The Chapel £12, 6.30pm
Weatherday The Bodega £15, 7pm-10pm
Dmitry Zagumennikov
Beeston Methodist Church
£5-£10, 7pm-8.15pm
Joseph Decosimo
The Grove
£10-£17, 7pm
The Everly Pregnant Brothers Metronome
£20, 7.30pm-11pm
Luminarium: Timisien Lakeside Arts
£6.50-£10, 11am-5pm
Captivating visitors of all ages, the Nottingham-based company Architects of Air has delivered amazing experiences for local families for over 30 years. Discover a new immersive world of beauty, light and art through their latest design. Composed of a series of plastic domes, the Timisien inflatable structure is designed to create a sensory and stimulating phenomenon of light and saturated hues, where the outside world can be forgotten. Heavy inspiration has been taken from 19th century Catalan architect, Antoni Gaudi, as well as the detailed ceilings of Iranian Mosques. All children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Runs until: Sunday 31 May
KittyArama Av Show
The Malt Cross
Isabella's Disco
Stealth
£5, 10pm-3am
Lemonade Bangs
The Secret Garden
£7-£13, 10pm-3am
Overdrive x Hostile Takeover Secret Vault
£7.50-£20, 10pm-3am
sunday 24 may
Saint Lukez with Swayde Mssng Pieces 6, 6pm-2am
Dot to Dot
The Bodega £35, 12pm
Dot to Dot Festival returns to Nottingham for another year, hosting a number of emerging global bands and artists all across the city. Acclaimed acts like Fcukers, Lambrini Girls and NewDad will headline, joined by a range of rising names including Lucia & The Best Boys, Chinese American Bear and Mitch Santiago, bringing even more vibrancy to one of the most lively music cities in the UK for the late May bank holiday weekend. This year’s venues include Rock City, Rescue Rooms, Bodega, Palais, Stealth, Rough Trade, Metronome, Jam Cafe, the Angel Microbrewery and more. One wristband gets you entry to all of them.
Mat Anderson and the Bonington Jazz Company- ‘Decades’ Bonington Theatre & Cinema £10, 7pm
KerPunk Mist Rolling Inn £7, 7pm
Detonate: Kanine + More Unit 13 £12, 10pm-4am
monday 25 may
Welcome to Rainshadow City: An Evening with Naomi Ishiguro Waterstones £5-£26, 6.30pm
Seafret Rescue Rooms
£27.50, 7.30pm-11pm
Ray LaMontagne Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall 7.30pm
Ein Komisches Talent Lace Market Theatre
tuesday 26 may
Carlton Operatic Society
- Come From Away
Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall
£17.50-£37.50
An experience for both musical and non-musical lovers from the Carlton Operatic Society. Get ready to be part of the global phenomenon that has taken the world by storm! Come From Away tells the remarkable true story of 7,000 airline passengers stranded in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland, following the events of 11 September 2001. A heart-warming tale of kindness, community, and the power of human connection. Carlton Operatic Society was founded in 1921 and is based in Netherfield. Five days at the Theatre Royal is a big deal and this musical should certainly leave you inspired and uplifted. Runs until: Sat 30 May
The Tiger Who Came to Tea Mansfield Palace Theatre
Half Term Family Activities
Nottingham Contemporary Free, 10am-3pm
Barnum
Nottingham Playhouse
£45-£57.50, 2.30pm
Runs until: Saturday 30 May
Marmozets: Live + Signing
Rough Trade
£16.89, 6pm
BIIRD - The Holy Show Rescue Rooms
£25, 6.30pm-10pm
Missouri Williams Waterstones
£5-£21, 6.30pm
Dead Pony
Rock City
£14, 7pm-10pm
Book Launch for Devils in the Details, with Rory Waterman Five Leaves Bookshop Free, 7pm-8.30pm
Wifi Wars Canalhouse
£12-£15, 7pm-8pm
The Ocelots The Grove
£12, 7pm
Strictly The Professionals
Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall
7.30pm
Loose Goose Improv Jam
Fisher Gate Point Free, 8pm-10pm
wednesday 27 may
Words in Motion: The Heart of Live Storytelling By Our Hands We Make Our Way
£11.55-£22.38, 2pm-5pm
A Barrister for the Earth with Monica Feria-Tinta Five Leaves Bookshop
£4-£11, 7pm-8.30pm
Spear of Destiny Rescue Rooms
£25, 7.30pm-11pm
Desperate Scousewives
Nottingham Arts Theatre
£27, 7.30pm-9.35pm
Open Mike Eagle: Neighborhood Gods Rough Trade
£17.50, 7.30pm-11pm
Same Time, Next Year Lace Market Theatre
thursday 28 may
The Sooty Show Mansfield Palace Theatre
Crime Club: Georgian Female Killers & Cultists
The National Justice Museum
£15.50-£16.50, 6pm-9pm
The Longest Johns Rock City
£27.50, 6.30pm
Ana Carla Maza Rescue Rooms
£25, 7pm-10pm
Posturing
The Grove
£8-£14, 7pm
Nightstalker
The Old Cold Store
£15, 7pm
National Theatre Live: The Playboy of the Western World Savoy Cinema
Runs until: Thursday 4 June
John Robertson: The Dark Room Nottingham Arts Theatre
£15, 7.30pm-9.10pm
Shxtsngigs: Daddy's Home Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall
Friday 29 may
Taylor Fever Mansfield Palace Theatre
Late Night Lindy
Fisher Gate Point
£5-£7, 7.30am-11.55am
Trance in the Woods
Thoresby Park
£45-£159
Runs until: Sun 31 May
Wolfsbane Rescue Rooms
£20, 6.30pm
John Robb Metronome
£14.50, 7pm
Comedy Club
The Garage 7pm-11pm
808 Sunrise: Jon Dasilva (The Haçienda / I Love Acid) Movers 7pm
Intercolour The Grove
£6, 7pm-10.30pm
Gravity: Kerry Ellis, Louise Dearman & Rachel Tucker Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall
Derek Mitchell - Double Dutch Nottingham Arts Theatre
£16-£18, 7.30pm-9.10pm
Jon Spencer The Boat Club
£22.50, 7.45pm
Inception: Subsonic + Drz The Cell
£10.50-£14.25, 9pm-3.30am
Twin Frequency Urban Showcase The Mixologist
£5-£10, 9pm-2am
Rewind Friday
Beeston Social
£0-£5, 9pm-2am
Baile Do Brasil - Baile Funk
Stealth
£7-£9, 10.30pm-3am
saturday 30 may
NB Dance Academy Mansfield Palace Theatre
GOBS Artist Gathering New Art Exchange 10am-9pm
Green Hustle 2026 Old Market Square Free, 10am-7pm
Inkblot Comic Festival The Vat and Fiddle
£1.50-£8, 11am-5pm
Official UK Influencer Party
The Nest
£30.25, 12pm-6pm
Sausage & Cider Festival
Wollaton Hall and Park
£11-£38.50, 12pm-10pm
Young Musicians For Palestine
The Grove
£7-£16, 2pm
Greatness gala
Excelsior Nawaab
£10-£450, 6pm-1am
Rainbow Kitten Surprise
Rock City
£32.50, 6.30pm-10pm
ALT BLK ERA
Rescue Rooms
£16, 6.30pm-10pm
Ronnietoldus EP Launch
Rough Trade
£7.21, 7pm
Midge Ure: A Man of Two Worlds
Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall
7.30pm
Voodoo Room: A Night of Hendrix, Clapton & Cream
Nottingham Arts Theatre
£16-£24, 7.30pm-9.50pm
Beatles Complete: A Tribute
Bonington Theatre & Cinema
£22, 7.30pm
Quiet Earthe
Mist Rolling Inn
£8, 8pm-11pm
DirtyFilthySexy
Angel Microbrewery & The Chapel
£8-£16, 8.30pm-1am
sunday 31 may
BBQ Masterclass: Meats & Marinades Cooking Class
Pippley Walled Garden
£85, 10am-2pm
Pipply Garden’s Cookery School will be hosting a one day BBQ masterclass on its sunken patio, based in historic Victorian walls of Pipply Walled Garden, Beeston. Having been built in the 1800s, the venue takes pride in its sustainable heritage. With fresh ingredients grown on site, and insights into the best barbecuing skills, all you'll need to bring is a pen and paper, suncream, clothes with easy roll up sleeves and yourself for this masterclass, teaching you all the necessary skills from stacking wood chips to gauging temperatures. The venue offers on site free parking, plus wheelchair and guide dog accessibility.
Boxed In Lakeside Arts
£10.50-£11, 11am-11.45am
Japan Fest Mansfield Rugby Club
£11-£38, 11am-5pm
The Blaze Vs Durham Cricket
Trent Bridge Cricket Ground
£1-£26, 11am-2.30pm
Met Opera: El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego Broadway Cinema
Sensational 60s Experience Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall
Trevor Nelson Soul Nation Binks Yard
£18.50-£35, 3pm-10pm
Organizing Amazon in Britain and America Five Leaves Bookshop Free-£5, 5pm-6pm
Los Campesinos! Rescue Rooms
£22.50, 6.30pm-10pm
Sugar
Rock City £52, 7pm-11pm
David Cronenberg's Wife + Alex Hale + Dusty 4 Track The Grove
Matt Forde: Defying Calamity
Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall
£28.50, 7.30pm
Otis Gibbs Angel Microbrewery & The Chapel £16, 7.30pm
weeKLy
The Big Quiz The Malt Cross
tuesdays
Bod FM The Bodega Free, 10pm
wednesdays
Indie Wednesdays
The Bodega £5, 11pm-3am
Adult Steel Pan Class
Fisher Gate Point £5, 8pm-10pm
The Lion Pub Quiz The Lion at Basford £1, 8pm
thursdays
Tuned
Rock City
£0-£5, 10pm
Analogue The Bodega Free, 9pm
Get A Wiggle On Fisher Gate Point Free, 5pm-6.30pm
Fridays
The Pop Confessional The Bodega 11pm-3am
Fandom Fridays
Rescue Rooms
£4-£8, 10pm
Get Lucky Rock City
£0-£5, 10pm
saturdays
Rebel Rebel Rock City
£5-£6, 11pm-3am
Shameless The Bodega £6, 11pm-3am
Romance Saturdays
Rescue Rooms
£0-£5, 10pm
Laundromat (Daytime Party) Das Kino Free, 2pm
Toilet Humour
Something made you laugh in the lavs? Send your funniest quips to editorial@leftlion.co.uk
TRUTH
OR
LEGEND?
Unpicking Nottingham's Weird History
The Case of the Wellow Maypole
words: Matthew Blaney
Welcome to May, a month where people dance around tall wooden poles decorated with flowers, greenery and ribbons. It’s rather clear to see that we Brits seem to love a good ol’ fashioned wayward tradition. Whether it’s risking every single limb for a wheel of cheese in Gloucester, apologising profusely for any minor inconveniences caused to a stranger, or even the infamous ‘cob’ debate, we’ve definitely got some quirky ones. Nottingham, as expected, is no stranger to the cause with a particular interest in preserving unsafe, swirly, barber-shop post looking poles. Or as locals in Newark refer to it; The Wellow Maypole, which in its time has experienced its fair share of hardship.
down after fireworks had been stacked around the base of the pole. Unfortunately, the fireworks were prematurely ignited and the pole burnt down. I find the term ‘freak accident’ to be used incorrectly given the context, as I fail to see the freakish nature of a wooden pole burning down when strapping explosives to its base.
1. Mythical creature lurking in the trees by Sneinton Hermitage (6)
2. Nottingham’s secret Georgian library (7, 5)
4. Surname of Olympic gymnast sisters Ellie and Becky (6)
6. 4ft10 wide medieval thoroughfare replaced by the Broadmarsh Shopping Centre (5, 4)
Across 3. Notts wordsmith who was ‘mad, bad and dangerous to know’ (4, 5)
5. Indie pop trio formed at UoN in 2009 (6, 7)
7. Internationally renowned bicycle manufacturer based in Notts (7)
10. James Graham stage production which recently showed in the West End and Broadway (5) Down
8. Name of gorilla found in Wollaton Hall (6)
9. Much missed music venue located the back of the Forest Tavern pub (3, 4)
Whilst the date of its first construction is unclear, its first recorded sighting dates back to 1835 and since then, has been replaced multiple times for a few peculiar reasons. In 1860, the Maypole had to be replaced as it is believed to have been sawn down during a debaucherous night out. Obviously, kebab shops weren’t as popular back in the 1860s so a bit of lumberjacking was the clear alternative. But seriously, where did they store this 60ft pole? I can just about order an Uber after a session, never mind manual labour.
A ‘freak accident’ took place in 1910 when the wooden pole was burned
Concerns surrounding the pole’s height have often been a troubled part of its history. In 1937, it was deemed unsafe as it stood at 60ft tall and was then reduced to 20ft. It was then chopped down for safety reasons several times across the next fifty years, with its final height standing at seventeen metres high in 2011. My advice would be to attend this year’s May Day celebrations in Wellow as there is a good chance that in the next ten years it will be reduced to the height of a parking bollard. Maypoles across the country are often used as part of May Day celebrations around the late Spring Bank Holiday. With Wellow’s pole being one of only a few left standing in England, it is an event well worth visiting this May with intricate traditional ribbon dancing taking place alongside live music and games, with food and drink stalls dotted around the village. But just remember, if you happen to notice any bears knocking around by a big yellow triangular shaped building, or Florence Pugh dressed in a bouquet of flowers, please leave the area and don’t consume any pastries offered to you.
illustration: Lily Keogh words: Natalie Braber (Professor of Linguistics at NTU)
