Site search

Gig review: Gene at Rock City

Gig review: Leigh-Anne at Rough Trade

Leigh-Anne brings her debut album My Ego Told Me To to life in an intimate Rough Trade performance where, in a stripped back setting, the former Little Mix star proves that authenticity and connection can be just as powerful as arena scale pop success…

Left Magpie March: On the Eternal Recurrence of a Gnat’s Chuff

Julian McDougall's latest column covers the end of six on the bounce, a draw at the league leaders Bromley, two defeats (Shrewsbury and Grimsby), an unlucky red card and a 5-0 thrashing of Tranmere...

Gig review: Less Than Jake, The Bouncing Souls, The Aquabats and The Bar Stool Preachers at Rock City

On their ninth time appearing at Rock City, ska-punk legends Less Than Jake brought waves of nostalgia and cheer to Nottingham, supported by The Bar Stool Preachers, The Aquabats!, and The Bouncing Souls...

Gig review: Sleaford Mods at Rock City

Following the release of their stunning new album The Demise of Planet X, Nottingham’s own Sleaford Mods headed to the iconic Rock City in their home town for two nights on the No War No Death tour. Both nights were completely sold out, an indication of the popularity of this minimalist post-punk duo…

Gig review: Willow Bay at The Carousel

Willow Bay welcomed their new EP Evangeline to a jam-packed Carousel last Saturday night. They crafted together an evening with undeniable chemistry, between both the band and the audience…

Theatre Review: Matt Parker – Getting Triggy With It at the Nottingham Playhouse

Matt Parker is a best-selling author and stand-up performer, who has built a reputation for being a wizz at mathes.  As part of his mission to bring maths to the masses, he has just been in town. Leftlion crunches the numbers... 

Gig review: Sorry at Rescue Rooms

In celebration of their defiant record Cosplay, released late in 2025, Sorry hit Nottingham's Rescue Rooms as part of their tour. They proved distinctive and compelling in their own right...

LeftLion's Latest Listens #40: Notts music we're currently spinning

Welcome to the fortieth edition of LeftLion's Latest Listens! This week, our music team reviews new releases from Hhymn, Kezia Gill, Matt McCarthy, Vee Adu and Terza Rima...

Gig review: Myles Smith at Rescue Rooms

This week, University of Nottingham graduate Myles Smith returned to Rescue Rooms, a venue he last played in 2019 for one of the intimate BRITs Week 2026 shows supporting War Child. Seeing Myles back in Nottingham, in a smaller venue that holds memories, made the night feel even more special...

Theatre Review: The King Stone at Nottingham Playhouse

A brand new play channels the mystical energy of the Nine Ladies, Derbyshire's stone circle. But what can ancient monuments and the spinning cosmos say about relationships down here on earth... 

Theatre Review : I’m Muslamic, Don’t Panik at the Lakeside Arts Theatre

From Bristol to Tehran and back again, Bobak invites the audience on a journey to accept his own heritage, in the face of a hostile western media...

LeftLion Issue #193 March 2026

Featuring Hopkinson art and antiques, Nate Coltrane's Our Yard: Foundations, featured at the New Art Exchange, a love letter to Beeston, Alfreton's 80s Video Shop, the Nottingham Clean Champions, a brand new monthly cartoon, and plenty more to read about... 

Gig review: Of Monsters and Men at Rock City

Icelandic legends Of Monsters and Men are back making folk-music history with their UK & Europe Tour following the release of their latest album All is Love and Pain in the Mouse Parade. We caught them as they stopped of at - where else - Rock City...

Gig review: The Ukrainians at Nottingham Ukrainian Cultural Centre

Film review: Hamnet

Chloe Zhao (acclaimed director of Nomadland) treats the story with dignity, passion and dedication. Knowing how tough the scenes would be to film, she insisted on the cast having dancing sessions after particularly difficult takes

Gig review: Kezia Gill at Rock City

Kezia Gill, backed by a band of top musicians, realised her dream of playing a headline show at Rock City, in the city where she was born. She performed to an enthusiastic and appreciative crowd, which included all of her family and friends, and plenty of fans...

Gig review: The Callous Daoboys at Rescue Rooms

The Callous Daoboys were back in town this week, riding the high of their highly praised 2025 album I Don’t Want to See You in Heaven. After quickly selling out The Bodega, the gig was promoted to Rescue Rooms which (unsurprisingly) also sold out! LeftLion headed there to catch the band for what is likely to be the last time before they graduate to Rock City and beyond…

Film review: Train Dreams

Answering Johnathan Ross’s question on ‘…choosing an ambitious project like Crime and Punishment for a debut’, Aki Kaurismaki responded, ‘Hitchcock said he would never touch that book because it is too difficult. And I said, “I’ll show you, old man.” It was too difficult.’

Theatre review: Midsommer Murders at Theatre Royal is a classic who dunnit with a set stage twist

Nostalgia and crime merge in Midsommer Murders, currently showing at Theatre Royal...

Gig review: Suede stun at Rock City, with support from Notts own Bloodworm

On Thursday night, 90s Brit-pop darlings Suede brought their 'Dancing With The Europeans Tour' to an adoring audience at Rock City, with support from Notts own dark dreamwave trio Bloodworm...

Gig review: Blackbeard's Tea Party at The Bodega

Starting out as an acoustic busking band in York nearly 20 years ago, Blackbeard’s Tea Party have evolved into a solid five-piece folk rock band whose live performances have included the legendary festivals of Glastonbury and Fairport’s Cropredy Convention. If you insist on your folk delivered in a traditional acoustic way complete with flat caps, then this may not the band for you. However, if you’re up for something a bit livelier, then check them out. We did, at The Bodega...

Gig review: Big Special at Rescue Rooms

Black Country duo Big Special are one of those bands that is so much more than the sum of its parts, punching well above their weight in many different ways. Their rise has been rapid, and their new album charts that journey. We caught them at Rescue Rooms, along with two other unique duos...

Theatre Review: Kiss Me Kate by the West Bridgford Operatic Society at the Squire Performing Arts Centre

The West Bridgford Operatic Society puts on Kiss Me Kate, Cole Porter's famed musical that juggles a play within a play. Ambitious stuff. So how did they do...  

Gig review: Mogwai at Rock City

Eleven studio albums, nine live albums, with nearly as many film scores, composed over the course of 30 years. A discography this plentiful is enough to be the envy of most well-established bands. Mogwai, the owners of said discography, have achieved this through a combination of creative vision, technical virtuosity and instrumental skill to become one of the metaphorical heads on the “Mount Rushmore” of post-rock. The Scottish band’s delve into the genre has seen them appeal to an expanding fan base, evidenced by the acclaim of their 2021 album As the Love Continues… which went to #1 in the album charts and earned them a Mercury prize nomination...