Derren Brown: Infamous
He’s wowed us with tricks and treats, had our minds spinning out of control and left us gasping for breath when he ever-so-nearly took down the casino on live telly. Derren Brown is the boss of psychological showmanship, and after a year of teaching owd codgers how to successfully rob art galleries, he’s up for another tour to knock the socks off the likes of you and me. Clearly some other-worldly being, our Dezza is adept in misdirection, suggestion and most importantly, magic. The trailers for the upcoming show Infamous elusively point at a grippingly interactive session of gruesome brain twists and up-front, mentalist action with Derren’s charming charisma to dust off any lingering heebie-jeebies.
Monday 19 - Saturday 24 May, 7.30pm, £30+, Theatre Royal
Young Creative Awards
Considering the youth are so creative here in Nottingham, it seemed only right that an awards ceremony came along to celebrate all the wonderful young talent in our city. After months of entries, covering categories from architecture to music, the winners have been decided, and they’re getting revealed at a swanky awards ceremony this week alongside a bunch of performances from some fresh local talent too. It’s a celebration of everything that’s great about Nottingham’s vibrant young creative scene, so get down and show your support. Let’s just hope they have their acceptance speeches ready.
Monday 19 May, 5.30pm, free, Theatre Royal
"Sort it aht Nottinum" - Courtz
Courtney Love
Daughter of the Grateful Dead’s manager, a Hollywood actress, a short-lived spell as a singer in Faith No More and the front woman of Hole. Ultimately, however, she’s best known for being the gobby widow of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. Life is never boring being Courtney Love. She returns to Rock City this month, a venue she last played nineteen years ago with Hole, but this time she’s performing a set of new material under her own name. Last time she was here a fuse blew towards the end of the set, all the lights went out and she got a right mard on and refused to come back. Let’s hope they’ve had the electricians in before she gets up there this time.
Tuesday 20 May, 7pm, £25, Rock City
Art Pub Quiz
If you checked out Pick of the Week a couple of weeks ago, you’ll remember us shouting about Yara El-Sherbini’s funky world map “buzz-wire” exhibition at the New Art Exchange. The lady’s back, but this time she’s hosting a pub quiz at everyone’s favourite watering hole – but be warned, this is no run of the mill question and answer session. Yara’s using her artistic intellect to come up with some seriously mind-boggling and hilarious questions that’ll get the brain ticking and the shoulders juddering. Intending to stir some interesting social political conversation, the quiz encourages active participation and there’s even a whopping fifty quid prize up for grabs.
Tuesday 20 May, 7.30pm, 50p, The Lion at Basford
God help us
McBusted
If you’re still a twelve-year-old girl at heart, chances are you’ll have just about wet your pants to hear about the formation of McBusted. Don’t worry, we won’t tell anyone. The two bands, McFly and Busted, have joined forces to make a hybrid supergroup - the pop world’s version of The Avengers. The show has already won over the likes of The Guardian. Yes, really. Pop down if you fancy some unashamed reliving of your childhood - but seeing as it’s one of those Marmite kinda gigs, make sure the mate you’ve dragged along leaves the tomatoes at home.
Tuesday 20 May, 7.30pm, £45, Capital FM Arena
The Future History
Social networking has taken over our lives - perhaps we love it a bit too much. One thing the Instagrammers have had an effect on is film photography. There are still those out there dedicated to it, but a lot of us are too preoccupied with selfies and fry-up shots to pay attention to the darkroom. Tom Quigley, a local photographer, has spent the past two years wandering around Notts shooting on film, and he’s showing it all off this weekend. The launch night runs from 6 - 8pm on the Friday, so put yer smartphone down and feel the analogue.
Friday 23 – Saturday 24 May, 11am - 5pm, free, The Corner
Neat stuff
NEAT14
The Nottingham European Arts and Theatre Festival kicks off this weekend, which means there’s loads of artsy things to sink your teeth into over this next week. Whether it’s theatre, art, dance, music or film you’re into, there’s going to be something to whet your appetite here. From first screenings of films like the Mass Bolero that went off in the Market Square, or a piece of dance that features red chairs, red noses and red bouncing balls. We can’t possibly fit all the incredible things that are going off in this tiny paragraph, so click on the link above to have a look at the full diary.
Friday 23 May - Sunday 1 June, various prices, all over the city.
Talespin
Didn’t you just love getting a story read to you when you were a nipper? Being wrapped up in your jim-jams with a mug of hot chocolate and a good owd Roald Dahl’d fix the biggest of boo-boos. In-keeping with the idea of reliving the days of being a little person, this event’ll have all those memories flooding back. The Woolly Tellers are a pair of storyteller-cum-writers – Dave Brookes and Mick Whysall – who each have a unique and individual style when it comes to reciting tales. It’s a charity gig hoping to raise funds for Maggie’s, the organisation at City Hospital which supports families dealing with cancer, so dab in.
Friday 23 May, 7.45pm, donations encouraged, Lee Rosy’s Tea Room
Pentatronix - instrumental to good times
Pentatronix
Guaranteed to go off in a massive way, this twelve-piece band will wow every bogger that turns up. There’s Sabar Soundsystem on samba percussion, Fyfe Dangerfield’s twinkling piano, Ling Peng on the erhu, the tabla talents of Biant Singh and One Bomb’s Si Tew live looping the lot – and that’s just a taster. We’re talking electro-acoustic world music on steroids. Joining the fleet in support are critically acclaimed Haiku Salut, a melting-pot trio with every beautiful sound you can think of getting stirred in, and local acoustic singer-songwriter Robyn Hughes-Jones. Live visuals, toe curling music and excellent vibes.
Friday 23 May, 8pm, £12/£15, Nottingham Contemporary
Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo and Babes in the Wood
In the midst of summer, you’ve probably thought, “I’d love to be able to watch this outside in the sun, but my telleh’s too heavy”. Avid film fan, your prayers have been answered. Thanks to a collaboration between Kneel Before Zod and Bees Make Honey, you can witness the wonder that is Breakin’ 2 outside in the lovely space of Cobden Chambers. The following day, in the very same space, there’s gonna be an unrelated hip hop, garage and house rave all afternoon with food, drink and craft stalls. Shaping up to be quite a neat little space, innit?
Friday 23 May, 7pm and Saturday 24 May, 1pm, free, Cobden Cambers
"Eat shit you dutty proles" - Monsanto
March Against Monsanto
Serious stuff now. You ever heard of Monsanto? You know, the same guys who created the deadly chemical weapon Agent Orange during the Vietnam War era? The multinational agricultural corporation producing genetically modified food? The destructive, irresponsible, seed-patenting bozos? No? Well, get to know. The kind of profit-focussed engineering of food supplies involved in Monsanto is scary - with health, economy and environment benefits right at the bottom of their tick-list. Grab your best bee costume, a drum, a placard, anything – just join the stand alongside the rest of the world in saying that we don’t want this mass-produced codswallop in our bellies.
Saturday 24 May, 11am, free, Market Square
Wheee!14 : Architects of Air : Luminarium
It’s been a fixture since 2005 at Lakeside and 2014 is no different. For those who are new to this, a luminarium is a walkthrough inflatable sculpture that’s designed to generate a sense of wonder at the phenomena of light and colour... And saying it's cool doesn't quite cut it. Made right here in Notts, the scale of Alan Parkinson’s luminaria is impressive, but the bright, iridescent colours experienced inside have to be seen to be believed, making a terrific experience for all ages. Under sixteens must be accompanied by an adult and tickets can be purchased from the box offfice on the day of your visit. Pro tip: don’t get too jumpy, it’s not a bouncy castle, you know.
Saturday 24 May – Sunday 1 June 2014, 11am, £3.50, Lakeside
Trippy
Reactor Halls
As the eleventh episode of the interactive, experimental programme series, Reactor Halls are hosting The Dark Horse Moving Picture Show; an event swirling in live performance, film and music enough to suck you into an alternative universe. Curated by artists Jennet Thomas, Paul Tarrango and Leo Chadburn, you’re sure to find something weird and wonderful to get the cogs ticking. On top of the twisted variety show, there’s a mystery event on offer. Everybody say… Oooh! Previous sessions have offered activities from stand-up to cabaret and magic tricks to whacking the hell out of a Jimmy Savile piñata, and this evening will surely be no less of a head-tilting endeavour. Open your eyes and jump in.
Saturday 24 May, 7.30pm, Reactor Halls
Brouhaha #3
Skanking time again? Oh yes. This edition of Brouhaha will be unbelievable. The likes of Gypsy Hill, Great Scott, Hallouminati and Fighting Evil is Cool are all on the line-up – proving it impossible to resist breaking out into an all-out ruckus. A fierce blend of Balkan, gypsy, hip hop, ska, raga, punk – the list goes on – to plonk you right into jolly festival mode. The second stage is acoustic, with Ska Pete The Uplifter, Spud and DIY to get jiggy to, hosted by the wonderful Motormouf. There will be resident DJs and even circus acts from Stuntgirl Productions floating about the place. Not to be missed.
Saturday 24 May, 8pm, £8/£10, The Maze
Go dotty, ducks
Dot to Dot Festival
Like a massive child’s puzzle, Dot to Dot has Notts’ young and musically minded running all over the city hunting out bands, shoving fluorescent wristbands in bouncers’ faces as they go. In fact, Dot to Dot has historically been so good that Bristol and Manchester have picked the festival right out of our pockets. This year we’ve got Wolf Alice, The Midnight Beast, Real Estate and the gorgeous Laura Welsh ready to sing their hearts out for you. There’s normally some fringe stuff going on around the city ’n all. Grab yersens a ticket and get ready to down some vodkas and have a dance, all in the name of awesome music.
Sunday 25 May, 1pm, £20, Various venues
For the full motherload of everything else going on this week check out our comprehensive Nottingham events listings.
Promoters: Want your event featured in one of our upcoming Pick of the Weeks? If so then you can start by adding your event details into our magazine and website database.
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