Image: Raluca Moraru
City of Football
Nottingham is like the most popular girl in school: super intelligent, knows all the cool new songs before you’ve even turned your radio on, and whoops all the boys at football. To reward us for our general sickness and strength, we’ve been awarded 1.6million squilla and crowned the City of Football. You might have seen the green banners billowing in the breeze in Market Square, but there’s more to come, friend. For the next three Mondays, the shin-pad-clad clan from CoF will be taking over the square with a variety of footballing activities, including human table football, skill centres, and a chilled out gaming tent. Now the weather’s perking up, it’s a wicked way to wind down after work, or entertain the kids for an hour after school. And, thanks to all that lovely funding, it’s free.
Monday 13 and Monday 20 April, 6pm, free, Market Square
Bypass Q&A
There must be summat in the water in Hood Town, cos we’re sprouting up film stars like it’s going out of fashion. The newest kid on the block is Lara Peake, the Inspire Academy student who is tearing up the movie scene in a film described by The Guardian as a “potent story about Britain’s invisible youth”. Our friends over at Broadway are always keen to celebrate new local talent, so they’re holding a screening of the film especially for you lot. And, in true Broadway style, you’ll be able to catch up with Lara and producer Sam Haillay in a question and answer session directly after the movie. A chance to watch the film, meet the stars, and grill ‘em about the process.
Monday 13 April, 6pm, £8, Broadway Cinema
Graham Lineham's The Ladykillers
The Ladykillers
Fans of Father Ted, this one’s for you. Writer Graham Lineham has been let loose on the classic Ealing comedy The Ladykillers. A sweet, eccentric old lady inadvertently rents out her rooms to a gang of hardened criminals posing as musicians. As they try and rope her into their dastardly antics, they are each outdone by their own stupidity. The hilarious dark comedy is coming to Nottingham for a limited run. Take some time out from the rat race and let yerselves be transported to Ealing for some raucous fun.
Runs until Thursday 30 April, 7.30pm, £8, Bonington Theatre
Retro Computing Night
Have you clocked the new GameCity Videogame Arcade on Hockleh? It’s all exciting stuff, and if you’ve wet your pants in excited anticipation, make a note of this next ‘un. Hackspace host a retro computing evening that may scratch a vintage itch that the glittery new place may or may not satisfy. We’re not sure yet, it’s all a bit of a mystery. Any road, bring down your owd boards, from mothers to keys, and have a grey gaming session, or do a bit of past programming. The regulars bring down modern-day homebrew Sinclair computers, Apple IIs, Commodore PETS, Amigas, Raspberry Pi emulators, and loads more, so add to the mix with your abacus, or whatever you feel like.
Thursday 16 April, 7pm, free, Hackspace
Young Kato
Young Kato
This lot have been all over the shop for the past year. They’ve supported You Me At Six, Charlie Simpson and 5 Seconds Of Summer, received support and radio play from Fearne Cotton and Zane Lowe, and now they’re heading up to Hood Town to show you rowdy lot the fruits of their labour, in the form of their brand spankin’ EP. For the amount of critical acclaim the young sixtet have accumulated, tickets are blinkin’ cheap and seeing as they’re from Cheltenham, you won’t get the chance to see ‘em again in a hurry. This one is a must see.
Thursday 16 April, 7pm, £8, Bodega
Exotica Suite
Collaboration is the root of all success when it comes to art. The thunder and lightning in this storm of collaborative creative talent comes in the form of writer, Wayne Burrows, and musician come composer, Paul Isherwood. Their work, Exotica Suite is on standby to be released as both a print publication and a vinyl LP in June 2015, but in the mean time, they’ve organised a group of pannellists, including writer and architect Fawzia Muradali Kane, sculptor Kashif Nadim Chaudry and performer Maryam Hashemi, to discuss the themes raised in the work, including identity. In true NAE style, the event is free, and offers the chance for you to get well educated about summat you may not have otherwise thought about.
Thursday 16 April, 6.30pm, free, New Art Exchange
Georgie performing at Hockley Hustle 2015
Georgie
As a flag-bearer of Nottingham’s rising music scene, Georgie Rose has cut herself a wave in the sea of singer-songwriters, and she’s riding it. Her days of solo strumming have been replaced with a five-piece band backing her silky voice that comes punctuated with raspy passion. With an overall sound likened to Fleetwood Mac, and gaining a fanbase from the likes of Katy Tunstall and Billy Bragg, Georgie’s on her way to topping a chart or two, so make sure you get down to what might be one of her last intimate gigs. There’ll be a surprise support act too, so keep your eyes peeled.
Friday 17 April, 6.30pm, £4, The Bodega
Cantaloupe Album Launch
The synth pop dons are launching their album from The Chameleon space station. Thanks to Hello Thor, we can expect to hear the beautifully entangled sounds of Zoetrope, with everything from afro-beat, disco, krautrock and kosmische inside. The album was released a month ago, but the sporadically placed four-piece have only just got chance to come down the ends as a unit - well worth the wait. Not only will you find Cantaloupe in all their new-material glory, expect two other amazing bands in the form of Galaxians and Blunt Mountains. Hailing from Leeds, Galaxians are a stargazy, post-disco duo who’re on for getting the floor fired up right alongside the layered, electric sounds of Blunt Mountains. Some serious noise to lose yourself in, mega sound system, brand spankin’ new fridge full of beer. Sorted.
Saturday 18 April, 8pm, The Chameleon
Get Art in Hands
One of the best things about art is its subjectivity. What one person may love, another may find snooze-worthy. If you like visual art, you might hate stuff that asks you to stick yer hand in and root around, but if you like getting a bit touchy-feely, you might find staring at a canvas on a wall less entertaining than watching paint dry. No pun intended. The chaps over at 5 Dots in Cobden Chambers are on hand to offer a sensory experience designed to challenge our perception of what an art gallery space should be, with the only exhibition that seeks to include all five senses in one go. Immerse yersens.
Runs until Saturday 2 May, 11am, free, 5 Dots, Cobden Chambers
Record Store Day
Record Store Day
The Nottingham record store massive have teamed up to create the ultimate Record Store Day super power. They’re proving to be a force to be reckoned with. You’re not ready for the day they’ve got planned for all you vinyl lovin’ monkies out there. Rough Trade have got industry heavyweights, Pulled Apart By Horses and Shelter Point, booked in to perform and there’s an outdoor stage on Stoney Street from 10am that will play host to Nottingham’s finest musicians, including Kagoule, Sleaford Mods and Debris Slide. Not only will there be live music, there’ll be a ton of goodies to give away, raffles, and a proper music festival vibe. Let’s hope we have the weather to match.
Saturday 18 April, 8am, The Music Exchange, Pendulum, Rough Trade, Plates
For the motherload of everything else going on this week check out our comprehensive Nottingham events listings.
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