Like Santa, but cuter and fluffier
Raw Print Lecture
We scoff at those who say print is now obsolete. Those trees aren’t gonna cut themselves down. Plus, there’s nothing like the smell of a printed page. Go on, have a sniff of this one while nobody’s looking. Sod it, have one even if they are, then give them your best pervert face. Sorry, we digress. They’re not just good for satisfying your nasal cavities. It’s actually easier on your eyeballs to read from the page. That being said, most of us are lost in the haze of digital media, so get to one of the Raw events to explore the future of the modern magazine. With a series of insightful debates and presentations from clued-up guests, you’re bound to learn summat. First Wednesday of every month, don’t miss out. Well, unless you’re one for catching worms, you might have missed this month’s, but there’s always the next ‘un.
Wednesday 1 April, 6pm, £3, Spanky Van Dykes
On the march to Notts...
National Turtle and Possum Parade
We can’t quite believe it, folks, but Hood Town has been chosen to host the bi-annual celebration of turtles and possums, in a parade to rival Crufts, no less. It’s gunna set you back a few bob to enter, but it’s just been pay day and we can tell you it’ll be well worth yer squilla. You’ll get to check out the creme de la creme of all the amphibian/marsupial world in all their glory, have snaps with the stars of the show, and even get the chance to indulge in a South American Speckled Padloper massage. Funds raised by the parade are given directly to conservation projects around the globe. Get up, do yer bit and take the kids to see the best in show.
Wednesday 1 April, 11am, £86.50, Market Square
Gambling Lambs
You’re never too old for a good board game, and the chaps over at Gambling Lambs are bringing em back for the good of humankind. From card games to Nintendo DS, PSP to the trustworthy lego, these guys play it all. They’re a wicked bunch of gaming eccentrics, who welcome new big-kids like there’s no tomorrow. The Malt Cross are providing some wicked deals on food for all gamers, so you can have a pint, some pulled pork and the Mario Kart session to end all sessions. Do something a bit different with your Thursday and have a hell of a lot of fun in the process.
Thursday 2 April, 6pm, free, Malt Cross
Making use of the lost and found box
Found
We pride ourselves on being a city that thrives on independent, local talent. We’ve got a load of crackin’ musicians, actors and artists all hailing from our fair city, and they all love to collaborate. This week sees the introduction of yet another glorious coming together of minds in the form of Found. Artists including Sue and Valerie Turton, John Conlon and Yvonne Trew will be exhibiting and selling their work at the Alfreton Road art gallery this weekend. The event will showcase art created from ‘found’ objects, using textiles, print and fine art, and work will be available for you to purchase and take home. Get all cultured of a Saturday morn, and bag yerself a new feature for yer living room.
Saturday 4 April, 11am, free, Thirtyfive Gamble
Felix EP Launch
He may be young, but there’s a millenium worth of talent stuffed into this lad. The lyrical ability stuffed inside this yout is enough to rival stalwarts of the masses in the singer/songwriter pool. Having gigged at Farmyard events at JamCafe, our Felix has taken a break from his A-Levels (yes, that young) and put together a stonker of a debut EP. To celebrate, he’s holding a launch party at The Lofthouse - the only venue that offers a bowl of homemade curry and £3 doubles, and delivers a truly sat in yer mam’s living room feel. It’s completely free, all he asks is that you pick up a copy of his EP for a meagre £5. A small price to pay for a mighty fine collection of talent, we think.
Saturday 4 April, 8pm, free, The Lofthouse
Ain't no hollaback girrrrls
Fan Club x Hollaback
All things loud, rebellious and empowering. Fan Club x Hollaback presents a cascade of deliciously violent pop music, roller derby recruitment and serious discussion of street harassment. If you think girls rule and patriarchy drools, this is your artistic feminine celebration. Grab yer roller skates and a stick for smashing that ‘patriarchy piñata’ (complete with vegan sweets). Music from Slum of Legs, headhunting from the Hellfire Harlots. Everyone is gathering here to challenge street harassment in Nottingham, with a talk from Rose Ashurst and #hollabacknotts live tweeting. An amalgamation of tomfoolery and severity. Have fun and do something progressive.
Saturday 4 April, 7pm, free entry, Rough Trade.
Easter
Get yer eggs out for the lads. Or the kids. In a family-friendly Easter egg hunt. In your back garden. Weather permitting, of course, and our British luck tells us it’ll be drizzling as ever. Hey ho, you can’t have it all. What you can have, though, is an extra bank holiday to literally sink your teeth into. Have a well deserved lie-in, a strong cuppa char and an appropriate dippy egg and soldiers. Ship the kids off to the grandparents for the day, and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus by cleaning the bathroom and watching endless reruns of Midsomer Murders. Alternatively, you could use the religious festival to nurse an obligatory bank holiday hangover, gorging your already partially destroyed organs with copious amounts of chocolate before popping round yer nan’s to dig in to a juicy lamb joint drenched in all the mint sauce money can buy. If that ain’t tradition, we don’t know what is.
Sunday 5 April, all day, your gaff
Can’t Stop Won’t Stop
Fancy vibing out to some funky reggae at really bleddy loud levels? These local tastemakers have compiled a line-up of musical masters and they’re cramming them all into The Lacehouse for a good owd knees-up. Upstairs, there’s dub, reggae and dancehall from Yami Bolo, Addis Pablo, Suns of Dub, Exile D Brave, and even Young Warrior - son of the mighty legend Jah Shaka. Local sound system dons V Rocket and Rubberdub are on the bass case. Downstairs, there’s funk, hip hop, soul and r ’n’ b from Donuts, Truth and Lies, Rick Donohue and CSWS’s resident DJs. We’ve been missing the unstoppable force lately, so it’s happy days now they’re back with a proper corker of a Notts-family event. There’s even gonna be hot food, tuffies and chocolates for everyone. Just like being at yer nan’s house, but louder.
Sunday 5 April, 9pm, £8, The Lacehouse
Image: Glenn Ligon
Encounters and Collisions
Although it might be tempting to just sneak into the launch night, bag yersen some free booze and do one, we can assure that this one’s a goer. As well as his own work, U.S. artist Glenn Ligon has brought together pieces that’ll furnish our Notts bonces with some education on black experiences in American history, exploring sexuality, power, language, race and gender. Curating work from 45 other artists, including Jackson Pollock, our Glenn has created a cohesive narrative, told by major figures from the forties and all the way up to today, featuring everything from abstract expressionism to minimalism, and even performance. Ligon’s own work uses abstract paintings and smudged, stencilled texts, borrowed from prominent black public figures and brought to new life.
Runs until Sunday 14 June, free, Nottingham Contemporary
For the motherload of everything else going on this week check out our comprehensive Nottingham events listings.
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