Pick of the Week: 9 - 15 November

Bob Evans, Large Bus
 

Bob Evans at 75: Painting Past and Present
We’re in no doubt that you digested the contents of our recent rag with fervor and devotion, and so will of course remember the Art Works feature with Bob Evans and his painting of a bus from way back when he used to travel early mornings to his job as an art teacher. Well, our Bob is packing out a local studio with heaps of his work, taking you on a trip down his own personal memory lane. The collection included everything from buses to bands, pubs to people and some proper Notts places. No doubt you’ll recognise a few, and it might bring back some long forgotten memories of yer own.
Runs until Wednesday 11 November, free, Nottingham Society of Artists Trust, Friar Lane 

Nusic Academy Workshop: Getting Those First Breaks 
Having devoted themselves to spreading the love as thickly as you did Nutella on toast when your mum wasn’t looking, Nusic are pretty adept at giving legs up and helping hands. Their latest workshop is about how to get key breaks as a musician - be it your first radio play, first gig, or first article or review. They’ve lined up the man who has promoted and managed the likes of Ed Sheeran and Indiana (Dan Ealam of DHP), a Kemet FM radio DJ (Jackie P), and our very own magazine editor (Ali Emm), to talk you through how they got their first breaks and to answer your burning questions. Plus there’ll be an advice fair with loads of people from relevant organisations for you to pick the brains of. All of this. All for nothing. And you get to meet one of our lot. Get on it.
Tuesday 10 November, free, 5.30pm, Antenna

Every athiest's pin-up...

An Evening with Richard Dawkins
We don’t have love a gobby bogger round these parts. Basically, if you’ve got sommat to say, here’s the place to say it. This week, we’re playing host to infamous anti-religion scientist, Richard Dawkins, who will be offering an insight to his memoir, Brief Candle in the Dark. Arguably the world’s most famous atheist, you’ll get to hear his side of the story when it comes to how we came to be. No doubt it’ll be a night of heavy, well articulated debate. Just what we need to keep the cogs turning after a particularly boozy weekend on the cobbles of Hockley.
Monday 9 November, £15, 7.45pm, Nottingham Playhouse

Andreya Triana 
From acoustic guitar maestros to Senegalese Kora players, there’s been no end of outta this world acts on at Nottingham Arts Theatre of late. We’re loving the new happenings - it’s like a breath of life has been injected into the place. This week sees the incredible Andreya Triana take to the stage, in an intimate gig supported by Notts soul legends Harleighblu and Joy Mumford. An all-female powerhouse of a lineup, if we do say so ourselves. Make an evening of a school night, and drag all your mates into town for a refined, r ‘n’ b rendezvouz. In the meantime, check out the fabulous Bonobo and Andreya collaboration Eyesdown to get you revved up and ready to go.
Thursday 12 November, £16.50, 7pm, Nottingham Arts Theatre

Bringin' it all the way back...

Brought Something Back 
Hailing from Nottingham, Blue Firth is an artist whose practice focuses on broad encounters with historical narratives and encourages changes in perception though alterations within the built environment. Not sure quite what that means? No, us neither. But it sounds impressive and, after taking a look at her work, we’re sold. Her use of patterns, bold graphics and abstracted motifs that reference psychedelia, the X-Files, out-dated decorative methods and pop culture makes for not only aesthetically pleasing pieces, but something that provokes thought and discussion. Seeing is believing – so if you can, get along to the open night this week. If you can’t make that, you’ve got a full month to get an eye full.
Friday 13 November – Friday 18 December, free, 6pm (preview), Wednesdays – Sundays 12-6pm (standard opening hours), Syson Gallery

Being Human: A Festival of Humanities
Nottingham University are celebrating all that makes us human this month, with a festival spanning almost two weeks, and taking over venues across the city. With talks from LeftLion’s own Literature Editor, James Walker about the art of digital storytelling, and a David Sillitoe curated photography exhibition, there’s a lil sommat for everyone to sink their tegs into. It’s the perfect chance for you to broaden your mind to the possibilities of human existence, and how far we can push the arts. Most events require you to book a slot, so you best head over to their website pronto, so you don’t miss out.
Runs until 22 November, various times, prices and venues

Write alone in the dark no longer, my creative friend...

Writers Live
The best part of Notts is the plethora of new born ideas that pop up all over the shop. One of those fabulous brain waves comes in the form of Writers Live at Southwell Library, which, in partnership with Paul Mein, is providing a forum for local writers to perform and showcase their work. If you’re a poet, author or playwright, get down and have a real live audience to test out your latest scribbles in a relaxed setting with plenty of nibbles. You’ll need to book your slot in advance, so pop your head round the door of the library and give ‘em a shout. Even if you’re not into writing down your deepest, darkest feelings, get down to support the pilot event, and your local artists.
Friday 13 November, free entry, 7pm, Southwell Library

Star Wars Weekend 
“Luke, I am your father” can often be heard sprayed from the mouths of quarrelling locals in the early hours of Saturday morning after a particularly raucous bender at The Thurland, but you might know it best from the Star Wars franchise. To celebrate the latest video game release, Rebel Alliance, and the latest movie, The Force Awakens, the ‘Fleece are making a weekend of it. From midday on the Friday you’ll be able to play all your favourite games on the projector, and enter into one of their Racer Revenge tourneys for your chance to win cash, beer and movie merchandise. On the Saturday, you can watch the original trilogy in Blu-ray, the evening taking off with King Kahlua’s Super Power Soul Hour from 9pm – dress up in the spirit of the weekend for your chance to bag even more free stuff. At the rear of the weekend, the prequel trilogy will be shown in all its glory, inclusive of nosh for all, some proper old-school Star Wars board games. They’ll be finishing with the Ultimate Star Wars Pub Quiz from 8pm, so you’ll can battle it out to be crowned the truest superfan in Notts. Well in.
Friday 13 - Sunday 15 November, free entry, various times, The Golden Fleece

Back again, for good reason...

Sleaford Mods: Invisible Britain
‘Ang on, before you have a pop at us for including this two weeks in a row - hear us out. The musical duo, inclusive of their shouty spoken word and funky electronic rock beats, have got together with a couple of directors to create a documentary about working-class Britain in the face of austerity and suchlike issues. Nathan Hannawin and Paul Sng followed the duo on their UK Key Markets tour and had a close look at some of the stuff Jason William sprays all over the microphone. They premiered the flick at Broadway to a sold-out audience and now, luckily for the skint among us, they’ve got some cheap tickets to see it at The Maze. There’s even a ticket price that donates money to the Himmah foodbank. Grab your mates and get on it.
Sunday 15 November, free, The Maze

For the 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.