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How the Nottingham community is supporting Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa

Since hurricane Melissa hit Jamaica and Cuba in October, the Nottingham community has been working hard to raise money and gather aid. Sharon Stevens spoke to some of the organisers in Nottingham to find out how people have been helping and what can be done next...

Gig review: Don Broco at Motorpoint Arena

With stellar support from Magnolia Park, YONAKA and State Champs, a headline Nottingham Arena show from Don Broco saw a cathartic reminiscence of where they've been - and where they're heading next...

Gig review: Deafheaven at The Palais

Deafheaven are a band with multiple two sides, having roots in shoegaze as well as bringing in elements of darker, heavier to their developing musical catalogue. As we headed down to The Palais on a dark Sunday evening, we were excited to find out which side we would see...

Gig review: Everything Everything at Rock City

It’s safe to say, Mancunian art-rockers Everything Everything love playing in Nottingham. In fact, since the start of 2024 alone, the band had already played our city four times, including earlier this year with The Wombats at Motorpoint Arena. However, this fifth visit to Nottingham in under two years was for a very special occasion – a 10th Anniversary celebration of their beloved third album Get To Heaven. We went along to join the party at Rock City on a cold, wet Monday night…

Theatre Review: Sleeping Beauty at Nottingham Playhouse

This year's Playhouse panto brings us a classic tale with modern twists. You may become spellbound but, unlike the princess, you most definitely will not fall asleep... 

Bon journal: writer Andrew Tucker Leavis on launching the New Nottingham Journal

All that Nottingham’s literary scene was missing, said poet Rory Waterman, was a “name-brand literary journal”. Grace Sanders speaks to Andrew Tucker Leavis, Editor-in-Chief of the New Nottingham Journal, about how he decided to rectify that issue, with LeftLion’s help…

Gig review: Home Counties at The Bodega, with My First Time

Home Counties dropped by The Bodega on their tour for their second album, Humdrum, which has been generating some serious excitement for alternative music fans across a range of genres. Joined by new kids on the block My First Time, a funked-up, energy-packed evening was in store for the Pelham Street punters…

In photos: Bored Marsh at The Bodega, with Mandibles

Gig review: Warmduscher at Rescue Rooms

For the third time in as many years, Warmduscher, the epitome of the phrase “chaos but good chaos”, paid Nottingham a visit. And, of course, LeftLion got in on the action...

We chat to the people behind the Christmas Covers Party at The Bodega

Whether it’s grabbing a glass of mulled wine from one of the faux ski chalets in the Market Square or catching a screening of misty-eyed festive staple It’s A Wonderful Life at The Broadway, there are certain Yuletide traditions which are paramount in any true Nottinghamian’s December calendar. Another event high up on the to do list has been taking place for the last 22 years. First held at fondly-remembered Junktion 7 on Canning Circus in 2002, the Annual Christmas Covers Party has graced everywhere from Hopkinsons to The Maze over the last two decades and now resides at The Bodega. Ahead of this year’s event on 20th December, LeftLion caught up with three of the organisers and past performers, Alex Hale, Scot Lambert and Joey Chickenskin to garner intel on how it all works…

We speak to Unite Nottingham about proposed reforms on disability rights

Jo Kingsley sat down with Leigh Woosey of Unite Community Nottingham to talk about the proposed reforms on disability rights and their potential impact on the people of Nottingham...

We chat to Wheatus about dream collabs, favourite guitars and rumours of a covers album

Wheatus are an American alt-rock powerhouse, the unit behind one of the biggest songs of the early 2000s, Teenage Dirtbag. They never stop, with the band now celebrating the 25th anniversary of the self-titled album. We chatted to frontman Brendan B. Brown about the upcoming tour, the legacy of Teenage Dirtbag, and why he likes Biffy Clyro so much...

Monet and Van Gogh to appear at Nottingham Arena next summer in new immersive experiences

Two immersive experiences which bring the work of iconic artists to life in mesmerising, immersive and moving fashion are set to enchant Nottingham art lovers next summer...

Gig review: Inspiral Carpets at Rock City

Following the hammer blow which was the news of the sudden passing of The Stone Roses’ ebullient and much -loved bassist Mani the day before, it felt strangely apt to spend the next night in the company of some of their Mancunian peers: Inspiral Carpets

In photos: Revenge of Calculon EP launch at Rough Trade

To celebrate the launch of their uniquely dance-able Casino Fight EP, Nottingham's own mask-wearing electro-heroes Revenge of Calculon put on an upbeat show at Rough Trade. Emzae was there to support...

Gig review: Baxter Dury at Rock City

Baxter Dury returns to the East Midlands just as sharp, as he enters his dance-pop era. The last time we saw him in Nottingham was hitting supporting duties for Primal Scream back in April. Now, with his ninth studio album in tow, Dury gets to do it all again. But this time as the leading man...

Gig review: Wet Leg at Rock City

Wet Leg were back in Nottingham for an eagerly anticipated performance at Rock City, with support from Faux Real. It's the first time since 2022 that Wet Leg have performed at the venue, and since then, word has spread about the award-winning indie-rockers. They've gained some new band members too...

Gig review: JERUB at Rescue Rooms

JERUB - born in Nigeria and raised in Nottingham - already has north of 3 million plays on his latest record The Wonder Years. It was only out a week when he returned to Notts on his UK tour to play a well-received homecoming gig...

Comedy Review: Suzi Ruffell's The Juggle at Nottingham Playhouse

Multi-award winning comedian Suzi Ruffell brings her brand new tour to Nottingham. Described as part confessional, did any of her secrets shock the audience...

The Nottingham Cultural Exchange: a place of community and belonging

Whether you’re a student, international or otherwise, new to the city, and looking to make connections with people in the same boat as you, or if you’re an established Notts resident who likes the idea of broadening your cultural horizons, the Nottingham Cultural Exchange is bound to do something for you. Since 2019, the meetup group has provided a welcoming opportunity to share your respective language and culture (with a drink in hand, of course, if you so choose). With its current home being Juicebar on High Pavement, the event has only grown in popularity – Riya Pereira met the organizers… 

Everyone’s a star: Five Seconds of Summer bring nostalgia and new sounds to The Palais Nottingham

We take a trip to The Palais - and down memory lane - for a very special album listening event with Aussie pop-rock four-piece Five Seconds of Summer...

Gig review: Hard Life at Rock City

In a room packed-out with loyal East Midlands fans, the newly formed and renamed Hard Life marked their humble but powerful new beginnings. The sold-out Rock City show was the final night of their Onion tour, and the band went out with an absolute bang, proving their fierce return with passion and a palpable vengeance to be heard...

Comedy Review: Babatunde Aléshé's High Expectations at Nottingham Playhouse

Multi-award-winning comedian, Babatunde Aléshé', brings his new stand-up show to our city. Family life, fame and Costco are among his topics, but will these make the Nottingham audience laugh?   

Gig review: BC Camplight at Rock City

Tonight starts with a goodbye and not a hello. Brian Christinzio is blowing out his Camplight in the UK for one last time, not forever, but for this leg of the tour at least. But, as he says in a sorrowful post on Instagram, “this will be the last time… for a very long time." We dropped in to Rock City to say goodbye, for now, to BC Camplight...

Gig review: Sunday (1994) at Rescue Rooms

Nottingham loves a band with a bit of myth around them, and as their dreamy, cinematic sound is woven together with lyrics sung like secrets, Sunday (1994) seem determined to give us one. We caught up with them at Rescue Rooms...