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We chat with Annie Dressner about touring, writing - and speaking up

Annie Dressner’s latest single, For The Thrill Of It, was released in February. Influenced by her experiences, it addresses misogyny and inappropriate behaviour towards women in the music industry. The New Yorker has been based in Cambridge for the last 13 years after meeting her partner at an open mic night. She recently made a stop in Nottingham as part of a tour supporting Danny & The Champions of The World...

"They were roomates": inside Nottingham Castle's LGTBQ+ history and art walking tour

When it comes to queer history, there is a certain level of pressure to ‘prove it.’ How can you tell that an object, a space, building or area of a city has a queer past? There are so many hidden histories that are simply forgotten about over time but queer communities have always been here. CJ De Barra recounts the stories of some of the objects on show at Nottingham Castle, on their LGBTQ+ audio walking tour.

Beeston’s Lady Plaques: an interview with Tamar Feast

Since 2009, the Beeston and District Civic Society has installed 35 plaques to commemorate figures who are important to the local area. Despite this large number, every single one of these plaques honored a man. In January, this tradition was broken when the first ever plaque honoring a woman was unveiled. We spoke to Tamar Feast to find out the origins of the Beeston’s Lady Plaques initiative and what this could mean for the way we understand and commemorate historical figures in the future.

Notts writer Hongwei Bao on the poetics of queer and diasporic experiences

Raised in Inner Mongolia, Dr. Hongwei Bao is now a Director of Research at the University of Nottingham and the industrious community organiser of events like the Queer Chinese Arts Festival, Poetics of Migration, Ode to Notts, plus many more. He’s also one of our most exciting creative writers, so we decided to invite him for a coffee…

Grassroots: How a Nottingham Football Film Tells a Tale of Resilience

We spoke to local film producer Ben Fletcher about his short film, She Will Play On, which had its Midlands debut at Short Stack festival at Broadway last Sunday. The film is a story of an extraordinary young girl who pushes past the barriers between her and her dreams. Behind this seemingly local tale is a universal one, underpinned by something as unexpected as an avant-garde Danish film movement, that shows us that limitations don’t always hinder us, but can push us to do something remarkable…

We chat to Better Joy about her EP, embracing vulnerability and touring the UK

With her debut EP heading into blue out soon, Better Joy (Bria Keely) takes listeners on a journey from the deeply personal waiting on time to the intimate reflection of quiet thing, balancing raw emotion with uplifting melodies. Working alongside legendary producer Mike Hedges, she’s crafted a sound that’s both nostalgic and refreshingly new. As she prepares for her first headline UK tour, including a date at The Bodega in Nottingham, Bria shares insights into her artistic evolution, the magic of live performance, and what’s next on her musical horizon…

Market economy: could stallholder markets revive independent retail in Notts?

The decline of the high street and independent retail is an issue that weighs heavily on the UK, as grassroots traders often lose money and shut shop just as quickly as they open for business.

However, with recent research, and examples available here in Nottingham, there’s a case to be made for stallholder markets as a saviour of independent businesses, providing that reliable sense of community and authenticity in shopping that so many of us look for today. Assistant Editor Caradoc Gayer takes a look at Nottingham’s history of markets, and how it could serve as an example for today.

Gig review: International Women's Day show at The Bodega, with Lara Elise Grant, Emily Alice and Dorothy Ella

The Bodega played host to a set of empowering gigs commemorating International Women's Day, in collaboration with Dizzy Magazine. We dropped in at the downstairs bar, where pink lighting, disco balls, glitter streamers (and crucial background music of Chappell Roan and Wet Leg) were ready to celebrate and support the local female artists of Nottingham’s music scene - to honour what we have achieved, and what work still needs to be done and recognised in the predominantly patriarchal industry...

Nadia on… International Women’s Day

In her monthly column, Nottingham East MP Nadia Whittome writes about the history of International Women's Day, and how the Labour government's new Employment Rights Bill will tackle aspects of gender equality.

We chat with Rob Green about music, musicals, and the value of the grassroots

Uplifting alt soul-pop Notts sensation Rob.Green is back and has dialled everything to the absolute max - bringing the emotion, fierce hyped energy and brand-new music for his first ever headline UK tour, which kicks off at Saltbox on 20th March. Rob shared his infectious joy with us in a conversation covering the tour, his collaboration with Cassell the Beatmaker, his ventures into musicals, and the value of grassroots venues...

Theatre maker Natalie Bellingham brings her one woman show to Nottingham

Ahead of her upcoming solo performance at Lakeside Arts, where comedy meets life’s biggest transitions, Emma Oldham caught up with Natalie Bellingham to uncover the hidden layers behind Look After Your Knees...

Mancunian indie-rockers Doves talk past gigs in Notts and their brand new sixth studio record

When people think of great Manchester bands, alt-rockers Doves can often be overlooked. But across their six albums and multiple decades together, the band have rarely put a foot wrong. With their latest opus Constellations of the Lonely just released – their first in five years - and a show at Rock City on the horizon, we sat down for a catch up with drummer Andy Williams.

LeftLion Issue #181 March 2025

This month's edition of LeftLion features Fisher Gate Point, Marcus Garvey Centre, Doves, playwright Jane Upton, A Foster Carer in Notts, wild swimming at Colwick Park, Ay-Up Market, The Lace Market Theatre, Bulwell Forest Garden, Sister Midnight and much more...

We chat to Wille Edwards of Wille and the Bandits ahead of their Bodega show

Wille and the Bandits hail from Cornwall, playing rock and blues which they have reinvented in their own innovative style, pushing the boundaries of the genre for a whole new generation. After an extensive European tour in 2024, the band are embarking on a UK tour visiting 18 venues and kicking off in March: just a couple of days in, they will visit The Bodega. We spoke with founder Wille Edwards about the new tour, the band’s music, influences and lots more...

How Sarah Bard went from battling chronic illness to breaking through in wheelchair tennis

Wheelchair Tennis player and Nottingham resident Sarah Bard is nothing less than a soldier. Having fought through lifelong chronic pain and mobility problems, which peaked after an accident she suffered at age thirty, she’s cemented her position as one of our city’s most admired sportspeople. Back in 2018, LeftLion joined other local media in promoting Sarah’s story, and ‘Go-Fund-Me’ for a new wheelchair to help her travel to national tournaments. Here we pass Sarah the pen to tell her inspiring story.

We hear from GOBs Poetry Collective on their fifth anniversary

One of Nottingham’s leading poetry groups, GOBS Collective, turns five this year. With an impressive list of publications, events and live showcases under their belts, our Literature Editor Andrew Tucker talks about the need for such creative communities that help people find their poetic voice.

Gig review: Inhaler at Rock City

Inhaler are doing things big. This month, they embarked on their biggest-ever UK tour, covering eight cities. This followed four weeks in the US, and preceded 15 dates in Europe and a trip to Asia. We caught up with them at Rock City, where they played an enthralling 18-song set...

LeftLion's Latest Listens #15: Notts music we're currently spinning

In this edition of LeftLion's Latest Listens, our music team reviews new releases from Confyde, Idolvein, Cara Flynn, Marseille and ALT BLK ERA...

An open conversation: journalist Gary Younge tells us about a public assembly on issues facing minority communities coming up in Nottingham

Well known for his twenty years at The Guardian and a current position as Professor of Sociology at the University of Manchester, journalist, author and broadcaster Gary Younge has led conversations on minority experiences and systematic racism for decades. Those conversations have become all-the-more pertinent since 2020, so Mr Younge is planning new measures to address the issues facing minority communities. 

This will take the form of public assemblies in four cities, one of which will be Nottingham. In January, Mr Younge arrived here to meet the local community who inform the substance of that assembly. Here he presents an open letter, explaining what people can expect from the meeting.

Theatre Review: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

This biblical tale of family and forgiveness will have you on your feet...

We chat to Swedish indie-rock group Girl Scout ahead of their gig at The Bodega

On the heels of their latest EP titled Headache, Swedish indie-rock group Girl Scout are gearing up for a tour of the UK and Europe, new music, and lots of fun. We caught up with front woman Emma Jansson ahead of their gig at The Bodega later this month.

Northern Lights: Inside the queer 90s North and Midlands with the Linden Archives

We go back to the hedonistic 1990s of Nottingham and the North of England with former photographer, Stuart Linden Rhodes, who comes to Nottingham on February 6 to launch his new book Linden Archives.

LeftLion Issue #180 February 2025

This month featuring Gary Younge, Aisling Loftus, Revinyl Sessions, Tom Dale and Barret Hodgson on Light Night, Sobar, Nottingham Cinema Round Table, Notts County photographer John Anderson, Sarah Bard, Bellydancer Marija Zinkevica, Girl Scout, House of Pain Wrestling, Linden Archives and lots more...

Ahead of this weekend's Palestine Film Festival we chat to Iro Bagiantera of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign

In advance of Nottingham’s very first Palestine Film Festival, we spoke to the vice-chair of our city’s Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Iro Bagiantera, about what exactly attendees can expect from the event, taking place on Sunday 2 February at Nottingham Contemporary.

Standing In This Place: Artist Rachel Carter tells us her inspirations behind a new sculpture for Nottingham's Green Heart park.

With just 17% of statues in the UK depicting women and only 2% dedicated to people belonging to ethnic minorities, there is a clear need for more varied representation in public art. Luckily, one local artist is looking to change this in Nottingham, whilst also representing the long and diverse history of our city’s textile industry. 

Standing In This Place, a sculpture by Rachel Carter will be erected in the Green Heart park in February. We asked Rachel to tell us more about the piece, how she became an artist, and what it’s like to work as a sculptor.