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Live Q&A: Saint Etienne in conversation at Rough Trade

Saint Etienne graced Rough Trade for a Q&A about their final album, International - a release which marks the last chapter in the band's career after 35 years in the industry....

A tale of five cities: five things that make Nottingham culture unique

It’s September, the start of the academic year – and with an increased number of student eyes on this magazine, we thought we’d highlight five qualities that make Nottingham culture special: literature, rebels, sport, innovation, and caves. Whether you’re new to Notts or a long-established resident, we hope that these historical tid-bits remind you why it’s great.

Nadia on… the curriculum review

In this month's column, Nottingham East MP Nadia Whittome talks about the government's review on the national curriculum.

In photos: No Peeling at JT Soar

Gig review: Black Country, New Road at Rock City

Black Country, New Road's Forever Howlong tour kicked off at Rock City for what was - shockingly - the first headline gig for the band in the city. One of the best exports from The Windmill Brixton scene proved once again why they’re worth the hype...

Ten UoN and Trent alumni who went on to be famous

September is the month that our city welcomes back the students after the summer break. Around 50,000 university students live in Nottingham each year and many of them end up doing remarkable things during and after their time here. Here’s ten former students from each of our local universities whom you may have heard of or recognise for what they’ve done after they graduated…

Theatre Review: The Last Stand Of Mary Whitehouse at the Nottingham Playhouse

Today's youth might think Mary Whitehouse was some cartoonish figure-of-fun. A prude and a bigot, leftover from the Victorian era. Not at all. Known as the most dangerous woman in England at the time, she wreaked havoc. The Playhouse's brand new play shares the horror...  

Gig review: Sancho Panza at The Bodega

On Saturday, The Bodega set the stage for a funk-soaked evening in celebration of Sancho Panza's latest single, Your place or mine?. Headlining the night, the band delivered a performance that felt like a milestone moment for Nottingham’s live music scene. Supported by two other local bands, Stone Black Witches and Soft Serve, the lineup showcased our city’s thriving wave of talent. And of course, LeftLion was there too...

We speak to Dan Cunningham of Vona Vella

Nottingham five-piece Vona Vella formed in lockdown and have gone from strength to strength since. Gigging around Notts - and co-managing The Grove - has seen them hone their skills and build up a loyal following. We caught up with singer-songwriter Dan Cunningham to talk about Bear Trap, forging their own path in the industry and the benefits of ditching London...

Chaos reigns, cowbells ring: We chat to Midnight Rodeo

Saddle up for the Midnight Rodeo. Behind the surf and soul of Nottingham’s most anticipated outfit, LeftLion's Talia Robinson sat down with Maddy Chamberlain and Jim McBride to discover just how they turned chaos into craft...

Gig review: GANS at The Bodega, with Hungry

Brum two-piece GANS  are quickly finding themselves in quite the spotlight. Despite only forming in 2023, guitarist Thomas Rhodes and drummer Euan Woodman have already got a discography that borrows from industrial rock, alternative and techno to create massive sounds. LeftLion headed down to The Bodega to find out exactly what the fuss was all about...

Pick Six: Nathan Bainbridge AKA Kid30

For this month’s Pick Six we turned to renowned Nottingham street artist Nathan Bainbridge, AKA Kid30.

Life's a drag: we speak to Doxxie Phisher and Benthic Zone about their upcoming show Nightmare! Nightmare! Kill! Kill!

Nottingham’s drag scene has exploded in recent years with many new characters. We meet Doxxie Phmorisher and Benthic Zone to talk about queer venues, developing drag characters and what to expect from their show, Nightmare! Nightmare! Kill! Kill!

Gig review: CMAT at Rough Trade

While her star may be shining a little brighter in 2025 thanks to a standout Glastonbury performance and breakout TikTok hit Take A Sexy Picture of Me, Irish singer-songwriter CMAT has long been one of the best artists to come out of the 2020s thus far. Following her highly-acclaimed first two albums and a reputation for captivating live performances, her new album EURO-COUNTRY looks set to turn her from underrated gem into a bonafide global superstar. With her record store tour stopping by Rough Trade a day after the album's release, we knew we had to go along and catch one of her two performances in this intimate setting.…

Gig review: The Hives at Rock City

The Hives are survivors. Having broken through at the vanguard of the garage rock scene of the early 00s, they cemented themselves early as one of the wildest, most exciting propositions in live music. Through classics such as Hate to Say I Told You So, Walk Idiot Walk and Tick Tick Boom, the band have become a beloved fixture in the landscape, carving out their niche and weathering the changing musical tides even as their peers fell away... 

Art is the heart: what to expect from year two of Art Fest in Notts

With its first year in 2024 bringing 34 new murals to Nottingham’s streets, Art Fest is back this month to splash more colour and creativity on walls throughout the city. Festival Director Benjamin Kay, who co-runs The Carousel in Hockley, tells us why he set up the festival and what to expect from this year…

LeftLion Issue #187 September 2025

In photos: Happy birthday to The Grove!

In just a year, The Grove has become one of Nottingham's success stories: a truly independent, DIY music space with an open, supportive and inclusive ethos. Run by Dan Cunningham and Cam Worne, this is a place of hard work, joy and community. We were there to capture the vibe of their first birthday bash...

Festival review: Foolhardy Folk Festival 2025

Gig review: Luke Haines & Peter Buck at Metronome

Intrigued by the prospect of witnessing former R.E.M member Peter Buck and  Auteurs frontman Luke Haines performing on the same stage, we hurried down to Metronome for what turned out to be a unique, sometimes surreal, and always captivating evening...

From grassroots to Fields: we speak with rising local band Drury Hill

Nottingham born-and-bred Drury Hill are one of the emerging bands repopulating the local grassroots music scene with a softer rock, post-folk influenced sound. Transitioning between softly lilting, storytelling tracks and jangly, spirited choruses you find yourself humming days afterwards, the four-piece’s live gigs and recent EP Fields capture a fittingly self-described "soft rockin’, slacker poppin’’ voice. But their DIY, offbeat and grassroots ethos runs deeper than their distinct sound; Drury Hill have always been shaped by the band members’ shared adolescence in Nottingham. We met with Charley to talk about the ways a sense of place seeps into their songwriting, the nostalgia that infuses Fields, and the support of the grassroots music scene...

Gig review: Nieve Ella at The Bodega

Between appearances at Leeds and Reading, Nieve Ella took the opportunity to engage with her fans in Nottingham with a headline show at The Bodega. Those fans responded big time, filling the sold-out venue with noisy adoration...

Cara Thompson Announced As Nottingham's First Nature Poet Laureate

We speak to Cara as her new 18 month position with Nottingham UNESCO City of Literature begins...

Gig review: Nell Mescal at The Bodega

The final night of Nell Mescal’s run of shows brought her to Nottingham’s Bodega, an intimate venue which was buzzing with anticipation. A loyal crowd - some of whom had attended multiple dates - packed into the venue to witness a set that blended fan favourites with rarities and unreleased tracks, making the night feel especially personal...

Gig review: Black Honey at Rescue Rooms (Rough Trade outstore)

Brighton indie-rockers Black Honey have been described as masters of escapism, but on the stage at Rescue Rooms they welcome all-comers into a cinematic world. As lead singer Izzy Phillips morphs from persona to persona, the evening becomes a rapturous, inclusive celebration...