A bumper pick of the week showcasing some of the best events this bank holiday weekend. We've got art classes, live music, festivals, exhibition openings and the return of the Luminarium, all happening on your doorstep in Nottingham
Ruby Tuesdays: Hot Garbage, Fullblast Allstars and Korean Street Toast
When: Tuesday 21 May
Where: Billy Bootleggers
How much: Free
Scratch that midweek itch for live music at Ruby Tuesdays. I'm Not From London present a line-up of dark post-punk and ethereal harmonies that is sure to satisfy any noise cravings. With an excellent medley of acts with sounds to evoke Sonic Youth, CAN, Blondie and Iggy Pop, see the return of Toronto based psych rockers Hot Garbage, plus Notts own punk cover band Full Blast Allstars and the bittersweet indie sounds of Korean Street Toast.
When: Thursday 23 May - Sunday 26 May
Where: Wymeswold
How much: From £30 (one day) to £290 (VIP 4 days)
Want to hit a festival this year but don’t fancy re-mortgaging your house? Well Glastonbudget might be just the ticket at just a half-hour drive from the city centre. Acts gracing the stage this year include The Bon Jovi Experience, Flash: A Tribute to Queen, ABBA Revival, Absolute Bowie, The Police Academy and many more satisfying stand-ins for the greatest acts of all time. Pick up a bargain day ticket and drop in, or go for the full VIP experience.
Contemporary New Exhibition Opening Party
When: Fri 24 May | 6.30pm-11pm
Where: Nottingham Contemporary
How much: Free | Suggested donation £5
Fancy a bit of an arty party this weekend? Head down to Nottingham Contemporary to celebrate the launch of their new exhibitions with some tasty food and drinks, plus music from Tara Clerkin Trio, DJ set from Greensleeves HiFi (Oxman & Adam Prescott) and the Robin Hood Youth Orchestra Members playing with exhibiting artist Julian Abraham 'Togar'. The new exhibitions, Julian Abraham 'Togar' : REꓘONCILIATION, Claudia Martínez Garay: WAKCHAKUNA / We Who Share Everything and Nothing, and Hamid Zénati: Two Steps at a Time run from Saturday 25 May – Sunday 8 September.
When: Saturday 25 May – Sunday 2 June | 11am-5.15pm
Where: Highfields Park, University of Nottingham Campus
How much: Standard Entry: £5 | Priority Access: £6
Part art installation, part sensory experience, many have compared this walk-through attraction to a cathedral, a womb or a cocoon, where natural light is transformed into colourful rays and a sense of awe permeates as visitors explore the space. Built right here in Nottingham - you can read our interview with luminarium inventors Architects of Air here.
Why not make a day of it visiting the various exhibitions at Lakeside Arts before enjoying an ice cream and a wander around the lake. Make sure to book in advance and take heed of the timeslot instructions.
When: Sunday 26 May
Where: Various locations
How much: From £32.50
Take a musical wander across the city with one of Nottingham’s best-loved festivals and the ideal place to catch up and coming local and national acts. Headliners this year include Jockstrap, Panic Shack, The Bug Club and Wunderhorse, while local acts to watch out for include Dirty Cheap Horse, Dusty 4 Track, Pretty Windows and Wilf Spiv. Venues include Rock City, Beta, Black Cherry Lounge, The Level (NTSU), Rescue Rooms, Red Room, Stealth, The Bodega, Rough Trade, Metronome, The Chameleon, 31K, Jamcafe, Malt Cross, Percy Picklebackers, and The Angel, with after-parties available once the music has finished.
Bearded Theory Festival
When: Wednesday 22 - Monday 27 May
Where: Catton Hall, Derbyshire
How much: £219
Okay, so this one isn't strictly in Nottingham, but organised by Notts own DHP and with such a stellar line up we couldn't not mention it. This year at Bearded Theory there's a brilliantly mixed bag of acts to catch: go old school with Janes Addiction, Dexy's and New Model Army or enjoy the likes of Baxter Dury, Panic Shack, Amyl & The Sniffers and Ibibio Sound Machine. There's also a great selection of Notts acts to go and support, including Divorce, Ferocious Dog and Do Nothing. All set in the beautiful Derbyshire countryside, if that doesn't tempt you towards some spontaneous ticket buying, we don't know what will...
When: Monday 20 & Monday 27 May | 6-8pm
Where: The Malt Cross
How much: £15
Wind down your bank holiday weekend with a bit of creativity. Join Nottingham’s internationally respected illustrator Rikki Marr for a pick-n-mix of technical, creative and experimental techniques in figure and life drawing. This informal class is for all abilities and allows you to experiment with different materials or hone in on certain features. A perfect way to get back into your creative flow.
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?
