Our Ms Blu...
Harleighblu
The queen of soul is back with a vengeance, and is set to take over Nottingham with her brand new album, Futurespective. Ms Harleighblu will be turning Rough Trade on its head with a full band in tow, presenting you with her latest collection, and probably a few of your old school favourites an’ all. Expect a whole lorra scatting and some down right sexy vocals that pull no punches and rip right through to the very bones of you. Get down from 7pm to stock up on all the craft ale money can buy, and catch a couple DJ sets before the main event at 9pm. We’ll see you there.
Wednesday 1 June, 7pm, free, Rough Trade
Get yer beer on...
RuddFest Beer Festival
One to mark in your beery diaries – RuddFest, the annual beer and cider festival, is taking over Ruddington for a twelfth year. Six venues across the south Notts village will be laying on festivities, including the White Horse, Victoria Tavern and newly opened Frame Breakers (formerly the Bricklayers’ Arms), with the Three Crowns, Three Spices and Bar Six setting up shop in a massive marquee on the green. As well as brews sourced from far and near (Castle Rock, Shippos, Navigation, Nottingham Brewery and The Bottle Kicking Cider Company will all be featuring), there’ll be gin aplenty, quality snap including Indian food and barbecues, music from the likes of Motown Goldrush, Steve McGill and The Rolling Clones, and even a barn dance if you fancy a bit of a knees-up after a pint or six. Clear your weekend plans, jump on the number 10 bus, and cross your fingers for the sun to come out.
Thursday 2 June – Sunday 5 June, free, Ruddington
Bearded lady...
JOAN
NEAT16 has run through our city like bleddy wildfire over the last couple of months, bringing with it a much needed dose of creativity to the folk of Hoodtown. This Thursday, get yersens down to Rough Trade to catch Lucy J Skilbeck’s Joan. Performed by Drag Idol champion, Lucy Jane Parkinson, expect to see the world of drag kings brought to life through some proper lyrical writing revealing all about what it means to ‘stand out, stand up and stand alone’. It’s billed as a pay what you can performance, so no need to fret if you’re hard up on dollar, chuck in a couple pahnd and get out the house for a bit.
Thursday 2 June, 7.30pm, pay what you can, Rough Trade
From the 3ndz...
YMCA Digital: From the 3ndz
Behind the scenes, some of the biggest names in Notts music are doing sommat proper good for the wellbeing of our city. Trekkah Benjamin, Bru-C, Motormouf and Raphael Blake are but a few of the musical maestros that have taken it upon themsens to deliver music-making sessions to young people in New Basford and Long Eaton. The time has come for the fruits of their labour to be realised, in a showcase of their work with performances from the youngsters involved. There’ll also be performances from the city centre version of the project, The Young Creatives. Get down and support ‘em, you might just catch the next big thing, fresh out the 3ndz.
Thursday 2 June, 6pm, free, Nottingham Contemporary
8mm Orchestra...
8mm Orchestra
When George Darby needed some semi-improvised music to score his 8mm film project for university, little did he know that the motley crew he cobbled together would become one of Nottingham’s best-loved rock bands. With a further two Mayhem Film Festival film scores under their belts, the band are ready to release their fourth album to the world. With support from the ever-hipster Haggard Cat Bothday Present, NVA will play host for the evening. There’ll be special installations and projections, and the chance for you to receive special discounts on the brand spankin’ new 12” vinyl record. Don’t say they never do owt for you.
Friday 3 June, 7pm, free, National Videogame Arcade
The Invisible Orchestra...
The Invisible Orchestra
The biggest, baddest bunch in town are back. The 24-man deep orchestra are set to take over the legendary Masonic Hall for an evening of all out carnage, chaos and some damn good tunes. With a big and bold brass section, slick rhythms and vocals from the likes of Harleighblu and Percy Dread, you’re in for a proper treat. There will be two rooms, packed to the rafters with musical finery, including Mr Switch and a Truth and Lies/Sounddhism combo in the form of a Totally Tropical Disco. Plus, expect an out-of-this-world light display, courtesy of Metapsychosis, and decoration supplied by Big Tops and Tall Tales. Not one to forget in a hurry.
Saturday 4 June, 8pm, £15, Masonic Hall
She ran out of paper...
NTU Degree Show
Like a giant, all-encompassing chrysalis, Nottingham Trent University has been nurturing young caterpillars of the art and design world for the last three to four years of their lives. Entering fluffy, green and fuzzy with ideas, the young artists have honed their craft, experimented with new styles, and endured countless sleepless nights ahead of imposing deadlines. The time has come for 1,300 beautiful butterflies to emerge and spread their wings to glorious fanfare. From catwalk shows to a photography festival, costume and theatre design to product and interior architecture, there’s a little slice of every pie for you to digest. Who knows, you might get right inspired, ditch the day job and take up an arty degree. Saturday 4 - Saturday 11 June, free, Nottingham Trent University
Have a goose at Mars, maybe...
Beyond Space
The sky’s the limit for those with an inquisitive mind, this week, as artist Simon Starling, Backlit Gallery director Matthew Chesney and astronomy lecturer Dr Dan Brown join forces to broaden your minds about the role of physics and astronomy in contemporary art. With any luck, they’ll whack out a great big, jock-off telescope and let you all have a goose at the solar system. The event is free, so your purse won’t take a pounding, but you will have to book your places sooner rather than later as space will be taken up quick sharp. It’s early doors, so you’ll still be able to go out on the razz after, just with a brain much bigger than before...
Friday 3 June, 6pm, free, Observatory, Nottingham Trent University
The tastiest way to get to where you're going
GB Farming Kickstarter Launch
Following her graduation from Ruskin in 2006, Nottingham artist Georgina Barney went on a bit of a mission in early 2007. Travelling the length and breadth of our country for eight months, she explored the landscapes and countryside and documented fourteen farms through a blog, photographs and drawings. A pretty extensive project, it's now the ten-year anniversary of GB Farming and she wants to celebrate by taking all that she gathered throughout her jounrey and turn it into a book. To help her acheive this goal and allow her insight in to the rural and agricultural world that surrounds us to be available not only in a digital sphere, she's turning to Kickstarter. At the launch party for the campaign, you can have a glass of vino, check out some of the art work from GB Farming and sample some delights from Small Food Bakery. A right proper British way to get the ball rolling, we love it.
Saturday 4 June, 10am - 2pm, Primary
Beer in a barn...
Redrospective Festival
If there’s one thing we love more than a good old fashioned barn party, it’s a barn party in aid of a good cause. We’re in for a treat this week, cos the organisers of Redrospective are about to host a right ode knees up, with hay bails to boot. Expect to hear party anthems spanning the last thirty years from DJ’s Redro2, Lisa Love and Good Times. There’ll be drinks promotions running throughout the night, and food served between 6.30 and 8pm. If you bag an early bird ticket online, you’ll also bag yoursen a free drink and food to boot. Think smoke machines, lasers and 2kw sound. Plus, all proceeds go to charity. Whizzer.
Saturday 4 June, 6pm, £12.50 - £27, House Farm, Red Mile
For the full motherload of everything else going on this week check out our comprehensiveNottingham events listings.
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