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Interview: Alexis Gregory in Smoke, a queer thriller at Nottingham Playhouse

Smoke is a new play from acclaimed queer theatre-maker Alexis Gregory coming to Nottingham this month. As well as a hard-hitting, savage, comic-thriller, a panel follows the play, hosted by You Are Loved and exploring issues from the play. LeftLion speaks to Alexis about social media, drugs, homophobia and much more...    

Sam Heaton talks turning Notts County's The Nest into a versatile live events venue

In 2024 Notts County FC turned an old metal fabricators warehouse next to their stadium into a state-of-the-art live events venue. Thus The Nest was born and has since led a double life as a football fanzone and as a major player in Nottingham’s live music and events scene. We spoke to their events manager Sam Heaton about those last two years and their big plans for the future…

Comedy Review: Danny Bhoy at the Nottingham Playhouse

A veteran comic’s vibrant victory lap at the Nottingham Playhouse has the audience smiling...

Free entry to Rock City and Nottingham painted red: Here's what's on this week 8-14 June

Live music, free exhibitions and artistic workshops, here's what's happening in Nottingham this week. 

P!nk Live - starring Vicky Jackson

Concert Review: The Hallé with Euan Shields at the Royal Concert Hall

The Hallé returns once again to the Royal Concert Hall for an evening of Eastern European themed classical hits. This time with conductor Euan Shields, a rising international star already with an armful of accolades.     

How Dale Harvey's 'Great British Pub Crawl' became a social media sensation

Dale Harvey is a man on a mission to champion and save British Pubs. A former publican, in March 2022 he, alongside his partner Holly Booth, set themselves the challenge to visit every pub in Notts. A year or two later, having completed this, they expanded to covering all the pubs in England, Scotland and Wales too. Thus the social media sensation The Great British Pub Crawl was born. Four years, 9500+ beers and over 300k social media followers later ‘Professional Drinker’ Dale is fast closing in on visiting his 10,000th pub…

LeftLion's Latest Listens #46: Notts music we're currently spinning

In edition 46 of LeftLion's Latest Listens, our music team reviews new releases from ALT BLK ERA, JJ Lovegrove, Margo Pelto and Vona Vella ...

How Foragers' Kitchen is bringing organic and local plant based produce to Sneinton Market

Just around the corner from LeftLion, Foragers’ Kitchen is one of the newest and most exciting additions to Nottingham arts and independents hub Sneinton Market Avenues. Opened in October 2025, it’s run by Notts-via-North-Wales chef Darcy Jerome Duncalf and his partner via Paris, Marianna Coulentianos (with help from a friendly greyhound named Dexter), and blends a plant-based menu with resolutely local and organic produce. We popped over to chat to Darcy about what brought him to our cosy end of Notts. 

Deadletter - Existence Is Bliss Tour 2026

Omar

Gig review: ALT BLK ERA at Rescue Rooms with Luna & The Lime Slices and St Agnes

Off the back of a European tour with Pendulum (and an appearance on the LeftLion Interviews podcast), Nottingham alternative-electronic duo ALT BLK ERA played a sold out homecoming show last weekend, bringing their genre-blending sound and compelling stage presence to Rescue Rooms, with support from St Agnes and Luna & The Lime Slices...

Nottingham Poetry Festival 2026: top picks from the program

Nottingham Poetry Festival kicks off tomorrow with a 10 day city takeover. Catch shows from Brian Bilston, John Hegley, Yomi Sode, Henry Normal, Vanessa Kisuule and Nottingham’s own Nature Poet Laureate Cara Thompson. It’s a packed programme, so here's some top picks from their co-founder Henry Normal, director Tommy Rosley, and creative director Alma Solarte-Tobon...

Gig review: Sugar at Rock City

A three-decade hiatus seemed to dissolve into sweet nothing as Sugar claimed the Rock City stage once again. Bob Mould, Malcolm Travis and David Barbe presenting something much more than a nostalgia trip, adding energy, humour and volume into the mix...

Nadia on... renters' rights

Nottingham East MP Nadia Whittome discusses the improvements the Labour government have made to renters' rights and what more needs to be done...

Gig review: Los Campesinos! at Rescue Rooms

Twenty years ago, the UK music scene was first introduced to Los Campesinos! - a band of youths coming out of the dormitories of Cardiff University with their own unique brand of twee indie. Two decades, seven albums, and well over 500 shows across the world later, ‘the UK’s first and only emo band’ have come back to Nottingham for the fourth time...

Theatre review: The BalletBoyz' Still Pointless at 25

The BalletBoyz are celebrating their 25^th anniversary with a show that revisits some of their most stand-out work. It’s eight pieces of art, performed by ten men from a dance company with one mission: to keep creating and commissioning daring work, and sharing it with as many people as possible.

What to expect from Nottingham Restaurant Week 2026

Nottingham Restaurant Week is back this month; for not one but two weeks (running Mon 1 - Sat 14 June). It’s a celebration of local food outlets with plenty of excellent deals, ranging from £10-£30, at restaurants across the city centre to entice you to try somewhere new. This year over 65 different venues are involved ranging from independent gems to big-name favourites. Here’s everything you need to know…

Blue October

Left Magpie: May - OLE OLE OLE

Notts County ARE League One!

Tattoo studio Good Mornink talk community, artistry and their upcoming charity flash day

Situated on the top floor of Hopkinson, one of Nottingham's most creative and quirky hangouts, tattoo studio Good Mornink is a welcoming community of international artists. Founder and Co-owner Melisa Büyük talks about turning dreams into the reality of owning a studio, and their upcoming charity flash day to raise money for Stonebridge City Farm...

Director Alison Rashley talks us through Television Workshop's best known actors

Workshop Director Alison Rashley talks through some of the Television Workshop’s best known actors and gives the lowdown on what they were like to teach…

The working class RADA: how Alison Rashley became director of the Television Workshop

Nottingham’s Television Workshop is one the most magical things about Nottingham. Their students live and work near us all, yet barely a week goes by when one of them isn’t seen on national TV or in cinemas. The last decade has seen Workshoppers appear in Game of Thrones, The Last of Us, several Marvel and Star Wars franchises and soon the new HBO Harry Potter series. We spoke to Director Alison Rashley about the Workshop, some of the challenges they face and about their new Notts County-themed play…

The Story So Far

Gig Review: Spear of Destiny at Rescue Rooms

Legendary Post Punk pioneers Kirk Brandon’s Spear of Destiny demonstrated that they are still a force to be reckoned with in today’s diverse music scene with an impressive performance that captivated the crowd at Rescue Rooms, playing a varied selection from their vast back catalogue, some of which featured on their recent Janus album. Here's what went down...