The countdown to Crimbo has begun, and Notts party season is gerrin' well under way...
Nusic Academy Workshop
Ooh, they’re good ‘uns aren’t they, that Nusic? Notts’ new music champions, and knowledge-provider extraordinaires. Every year they hold a workshop and advice fair, meaning up-and coming-musicians can learn from industry professionals about cracking into the business. Previous sessions have included talks from radio DJs, music law experts, magazine editors, and of course established artists. This particular session will have a focus on funding your music, with appearances from Help Musicians UK’s Ellie Moore, I’m Not From London alumnus and music entrepreneur Darren Blair, PRS for Music Foundation’s Joe Frankland, and local electro-disco queen Ronika. The crew will be parting with their industry education, and sticking around for a Q&A session afterwards. It won’t cost you owt, but be sure to book yourself a ticket quick.
Tuesday 29 November, 5.30pm, free, Antenna
Jam 4 Jez #2
Alright, alright. This isn’t the most politically neutral plug of them all, but it’s fair to say that a load of people in Notts are mad for Jeremy Corbyn; some, so much so that they’re rallying to celebrate and raise awareness of the bogger through creative endeavours. The Labour leader has inspired a disengaged left wing after years of Tory rule and austerity for the most vulnerable people in the UK – with a socialist message of solidarity and change, he was bound to prick some ears up. This is the second Jam 4 Jez. The first one came soon after Corbz’ rally on Forest Rec, and this ‘un is set to be just as funky. There’s gonna be spoken word artists, musicians, speakers and performance artists to entertain for the evening. Don’t hang abaht – boogie the bourgeoisie right outta you.
Tuesday 29 November, 7pm, free, JamCafe
The Joe Strummer Foundation Live Fundraiser
The Clash were revolutionaries of the British music scene, bringing the original wave of punk and a shedload of politicised ‘sod off’ safety-pinned to their chest. Following the death of their lead vocalist, The Joe Strummer Foundation was set up to provide opportunities to aspiring musicians, as well as support projects that increase social mobility around the world, through music. This Friday you can dig deep for the charity and catch some of the best upcoming artists from near and far – The Repeat Offenders, The Blinders, Nick Aslam, and The Flavells all boast a place on the lineup, and in the musician-championing setting of Rough Trade, this one’s set to be sweet.
Friday 2 December, 7pm, free, Rough Trade
Craft. Fair. Contemporary
Groan you may, but Christmas is a’coming and the sleigh bells are a’ringing. Forget the mad Christmas eve dash around Boots – Aunt Lizzy has already got a Ped Egg, thank you very much. Get your stuff together early this year, and make some purchases that’ll actually instigate a few oohs and aahs, rather than ughs and arghs. Nottingham Contemporary are offering up a craft fair for the discerning this weekend, with local and national artists and designers putting their wares on display for all to see. Expect some proper unique and interesting items, as well as live music, mince pies and mulled wine to wind down with afterwards. Make sure you check their website for the full list of exhibitors and musicians.
Friday 2 December, 6pm – 8.30pm
Saturday 3 December, 10am – 6pm
Sunday 4 December, 11am – 5pm, free, Nottingham Contemporary
Sunshine Vintage Fair
Great Aunt Viv has been looking a little drab, as of late. The lippy’s smudged around the edges, her usual bouffant has gone flat, and her wardrobe, well, let’s be polite and say it’s missing that je ne sais quoi. It’s your duty, as her favourite rugrat, to get her back on track with a little potter around the Sunshine Vintage Fair. Treat her to some fresh(ish) vintage garmz that she last wore in the roaring twenties, bag a psychedelic rug to seventies up her living room, and get her right merry on a few Gin fizzes. Get your Christmas shopping outta the way with some one-off bargains an’ all. It’s held inside the not-normally-open-to-the-riff-raff Edwardian Police Station, too, so you can have a goose at the exhibits in there while you’re at it.
Saturday 3 December, 11am, Galleries of Justice
Cometh the Hour, Cometh the Man
You’ll all have seen the incredible Channel 4 advert for this year’s Paralympic Games. The “Yes I can” refrain, accompanied by an marvellous swing band and some of the most incredible human beings doing what they do best. One of those Paralympians is Nottingham’s Richard Whitehead MBE. The gold medal winner is famous for completing forty marathons in forty days, and will be popping over to Sneinton Market to meet you lovely lot at David Baird’s exhibition. The local photographer has documented the achievements of Mr Whitehead, celebrating his massive success in tackling whatever life has thrown at him, and doing it with gold medals to boot. Get down and get inspired.
Saturday 3 December, 10.30am, Sneinton Market
What I Learned From Johnny Bevan
Luke Wright’s been feeling a way about the current political climate, and, as all good creatives do, he’s decided to write a show abaht it. When Nick’s comfortable, middle class bubble is spectacularly burst by Johnny Bevan, he gets proper fired up about politics and the like, courtesy of his new found pal. But twenty years later, when nothing much has changed, it’s Nick’s turn to save Johnny from himsen. Luke Wright’s show received five star reviews up at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and now it’s coming to Notts. He’s taking British politics to the cleaners, picking up those left behind by David Cameron and New Labour, dusting ‘em off, and setting them on the right track again.
Wednesday 30 November, 7.30pm, £6/£10, Djanogly Theatre
TenFifty Christmas Club Night
The party season is back with a bang. There’s no room for Netflix and chill sessions round these parts, it’s all go, all hands on deck, tis the season to be jolly and all that malark. And Nottingham isn’t letting you take it easy, this year. Everyone’s favourite Mansfield club night for over 18s with special needs is back this week, bringing a truck load of festive spirit along with it. TenFifty are taking over AndWhyNot in Mansfield once again, playing all your favourite Christmas tunes, along with some proper club bangers. There’ll be a raffle with some wicked prizes to be won, and the Facebook trophy for the most-voted Halloween costume will be presented to one worthy winner. We dunno about you, but we can’t bleddy wait.
Sunday 4 December, 6.30pm, £4, AndWhyNot
Jaya The Cat
The Maze are always offering up quality, interesting acts and this ‘un’s no different. We saw these chaps at Boomtown Fair https://www.leftlion.co.uk/read/2016/august/boomtown-fair-2016-the-leftlion-story-8534 this year and they were awesome – a punk-reggae fusion of live instruments and a front man that could out-cool Fonze. Currently based in Amsterdam, the band are constantly gigging around Europe and their fan base is constantly growing, so you better catch them at this intimate Mansfield-Road gig before they’re selling out the bleddy arena. On top of the headliners themsens, there’s also Cardiff reggae boss Captain Accident alongside his fruity musical friends The Disasters, and, of course, genre mashup-rapper Karl Phillips.
Sunday 4 December, 7pm, £10, The Maze
We have a favour to ask
LeftLion is Nottingham’s meeting point for information about what’s going on in our city, from the established organisations to the grassroots. We want to keep what we do free to all to access, but increasingly we are relying on revenue from our readers to continue. Can you spare a few quid each month to support us?
