Pick of the Week: 15 - 21 December

 

Xmas Jam at The Golden Fleece
Every third Tuesday of the month, musicians, emcees, poets, singers, percussionists and the like are invited to join in with one big jam at the Fleece. Not as messy as it sounds, it’s a great place to let loose with your skills and have a laugh with likeminded sorts. Always worth sticking your head in for, but this one could be especially cathartic if you’ve got a bit of December stress to relieve on your instrument of choice. Your basic backline (drum kit, bass amp and guitar amps) are provided, so just bring your notebook, your instrument, or your sticks and get playing. Huzzah.
Tuesday 16 December, 7pm, The Golden Fleece

Bourbon and Blues
It’s obviously not just us that reckons that you can’t beat a bit of good old rock ‘n’ roll and blues of an evening – I’m Not From London has a monthly night to celebrate its glory. Giving it to you this month with guitars and grit are the mighty The Damn Heavy, Gavin Bradshaw and Martin Sanders. To get right in to the spirit of things, the Orange Tree have a bunch of bourbon-based cocktails and from 8pm it’s happy hour, which means a quid off the regular price. Nice.
Wednesday 17 December, 8pm, free, The Orange Tree

Flat Stanley
Lakeside have always bucked the trend of putting on a panto over the festive period, and this year they’ve brought back Mike Kenny’s version of the modern children’s classic. Celebrating its fiftieth year, Jeff Brown’s story is about Stanley Lambchop, a young boy who, after an unfortunate accident with a notice board, ends up a mere half an inch thick. The 2D lead character is imaginatively dealt with by using a flat fronted costume, and projectors for the slipping down grates and under doors effects. A bright, colourful, American fifties-inspired take on the tale; the production is jammed full of song and dance and you’ll be lucky to leave without wanting to break into one of the catchy ditties while doing jazz hands.
Runs until 24 December, various times, £8.50 - £10, Djanogly Theatre, Lakeside

Dance Like Twats Christmas Party
As far as self-explanatory names for nights go, this is up there as one of the most self-explanatory. Going on the basis that life’s too short to care what people think, they highly recommend you get on the dancefloor and make a complete muppet out of yourself while boogying away your stresses. With a night full of what they call “cheesy bangers,” which to us normal folk translates as huge pop anthems from Wham! to The Killers, from R Kelly to Cyndi Lauper, there’s bound to be plenty of “Ooooh!” chuck your hands up in the air moments. They are also throwing down the gauntlet and have made public claim that they will have the tackiest Christmas decorations in the land of Nottingham. We love a bit of that.
Friday 19 December, 9pm - 3am, free, The Maze

Can’t Stop Won’t Stop Basement Jam
If you’re struggling to get your dutty wine on to The Pogues, or your two-step is not quite in time with Jingle Bells, then cry no more! You can wind ‘n grind to your heart’s content with the dancehall/reggae/hip-hop beats that will no doubt be going on in to the early hours at Market Bar this Friday. Hip hop big dog Disorda is gunna be tearin’ up the decks, but not before the crème de la crème of NG grime masters have stormed the stage. You can even grab yourself some fresh garmz at the event from Fatnek clothing. Sick.
Friday 19 December, 10pm, £5, Market Bar

JT Soar Xmas Party
It’s coming. It’s a week away. No matter how much you try to pretend it won’t happen, it’s inevitable and you’ll be sat around a make-shift table with a flimsy paper hat stuffing your belly with pigs in blankets, just like the rest of us. Embrace it. Pop down to record store JT Soars for a very punk Christmas and help Mancunian band The Hipshakes record their new album - live. Indulge in the festive season – if only for the night – with a couple of mince pies on them. Bring your own sherry along to warm the cockles and be prepared for a rather rowdy Crimbo party.
Friday 19 December, 8pm, £3, BYOB, JT Soar

YMCA Digital: The Young Creatives Showcase
Aah, The Corner. Not only home to your fave publication LeftLion, it plays host to a plethora of events throughout the year. This week, it’s the proud venue for our creative youth to display their various talents to you all with free non-alcoholic mulled wine and minced pies to get you yuled up. Check out their photos, art, films and music that have all been constructed under the watchful eye of some of our most prolific local talent (Nina Smith, Bru-C and Andre Nichols) and managed by producer/vocalist/founder of The Afterdark Movement, Ben Trekkah. If you want to be the first to discover the next wave of fresh, Notts born-and-bred talent, then this is all you want to be doing to wrap up your week.
Friday 19 December, 7pm, free, The Corner

Family Events at Nottingham Contemporary
If you’re struggling to find things to do with the little terrors that won’t break the bank any more than filling Santa’s sack has, pop down to Tempreh over the holidays and let the kids explore their creative side. They’ll have the opportunity to make crackin’ crimbo pressies, build their own installation art pieces and even record themselves a film. Sorted. The staff at the gallery are wicked at bringing the art on display to life so you’re guaranteed a quality visit. There might even be a visit from Santa’s right-hand pal, Zebra, who’s sure to be reporting back on who’s been naughty or nice this Christmas…
Friday 19 December- 4 January, 11am, free, Nottingham Contemporary

Under the Christmas Tree
For those that don’t like to rock around the Christmas tree, may we suggest a bit of sitting under it instead. Those lovelies that like to keep things pretty chilled out have got a pre-Christmas get together that will have you right in the mood for the big day. Sup on some mulled wine, breathe in its aromas, have a nibble on a pie of the mince variety and, most importantly, let some tunes slide in your lugholes. And the makers of these tunes include the delightfully haunting Beth Frisby, the harmonising duo that is Molly and Jack, and the ambient Field Studies. Enough said, people. All that’s left to wonder is if they’ve got any mistletoe on those branches, and if there’s anyone worth coaxing under it.
Saturday 20 December, 8pm, free, Nottingham Contemporary

New Wave Short Film Festival 
You can always rely on Broadway to brighten your dark ‘n dismal winter weekends with a taste of up-and-coming talent, and they’ve not disappointed us this time by hosting a super exciting, short film festival. With films like Gary the Rapper vs Stefan Blix bringing back Notts talent Scor-zay-zee as a ‘never-been’ rapper, as well as featuring a whole host of talent from Nottingham’s BAFTA award winning Television Workshop, the morning will be filled to the brim with local talent. Plus, if you’re wanting to make a name for yourself in the industry, there’ll be a chance to meet the producers, directors and actors from the films and who knows, maybe get yourself involved in the next one.  
Saturday 20 December, 10am, £5, Broadway Cinema

Bluebird/Mannequin/Kagoule Xmas Party
Fancy a gig a bit off the beaten track that will shake you to the core - get down to Stuck on a Name Studios for what is pretty much guaranteed to be a party to remember. The three bands will be blasting it out without giving a damn that it’s a school night. Kagoule have been busy bees this year; touring the country, putting the finishing touches to their new LP and getting signed to Earache Records. Bluebird shamelessly admit their emo-leanings, and why not when they’re this good, while Mannequin are heavier than lead. Just off Sneinton Market, the venue’s a perfect escape from the over-decked city centre. Forty minute sets, BYOB and free entry. A pretty sweet gift from some of the loudest lovelies on the music scene.
Sunday 21 December, 7 - 11pm, free, Stuck on a Name Studios, Roden Street

For the motherload of everything else going on this week check out our comprehensive Nottingham events listings.

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