There's more content than you would believe. Hopefully this will make finding it a bit easier...
Night Creatures Podcast #9: Chloe Leak on the Nottingham scene, the challenges of working in the industry as a woman and promoting independent nights
Fri 04 Sep 2026Night Creatures is a LeftLion podcast, shining a light on the promoters of Nottingham. Your host and interviewer is Beane, co-founder of Nottingham’s beloved Soul Buggin’ night and he brings with him two decades of experience of putting on great parties in the city...
A Review of This Isn’t Italian Romance by Teo Eve
Fri 04 Sep 2026Sophie, an optimistic and carefree recent graduate, decides to sample the dolce vita by moving to Italy to teach English. In Teo Eve's debut novel This Isn't Italian Romance.
We speak to Freya Ridings about songwriting, empowerment and Nottingham memories
Thu 03 Sep 2026Since breaking through with her top 10 single Lost Without You in 2017, Freya Ridings has established herself as one of the UK’s most impressive vocal talents, able to deliver tender balladry and euphoric moments of power with equal skill. Not content to rest on her laurels with the launch of her third album Mother Of Pearl, Ridings quickly launched into a huge UK and EU tour. We caught up with her ahead of the Nottingham date...
Breaking Ground: how Nottingham Forest Women are scaling up their ambitions
Wed 02 Sep 2026As Nottingham Forest Women prepare for a new Women’s Super League 2 (WSL2) campaign, Head of Women's and Girls’ Football Amber Wildgust tells us about their new manager Tom Mallinson, recruitment strategy, a landmark pre-season tour to Canada, and why they want to become the destination club for emerging talent.
Everything to know about The Garage: Chilwell's lively independent weekend market
Mon 31 Aug 2026At first the base of Nottingham bus operator Barton – in 1913 – and now the home of Nottingham’s largest independent market, The Garage in Chilwell has been a pillar of its local community since it began. Every weekend this family run business welcomes numerous traders and locals through its doors. From its most well known weekend markets to comedy and beer festivals, the success of The Garage is constantly evolving as a local favourite for Beeston and Notts residents alike. Here’s how they got to the point they’re at today…
Forged in Mansfield: local playwright Beth Steel on her play Till the Stars Come Down and going international
Sat 29 Aug 2026Born and brought up in Warsop, playwright Beth Steel has seen her work performed in London, Tokyo, Mexico, Iceland, Peru and more. What’s particularly brilliant about this is that they’re usually set in her hometown of Mansfield. She tells us more about her fifth play Till the Stars Come Down, which is coming home to Nottingham Playhouse one week from now …
LeftLion Issue #199 September 2026
Fri 28 Aug 2026Featuring playwright Beth Steel, musician Jim Ghedi, photographer Alan Lodge, The Garage in Chilwell, hidden spots in Nottingham, creative opportunities, and more...
We talk to a band who define runaway success: Westside Cowboy
Thu 27 Aug 2026Manchester formed four-piece Westside Cowboy are one of the most exciting bands emerging on the current UK circuit. Within three years of forming during freshers week at university, they have toured with masterclass rock group Geese, secured the most viewed performance on the current series of 'Later… with Jools Holland', performed at Glastonbury and filled venues of thousands - all before their debut album was even released. Ahead of their Nottingham record store appearance, we sat down with Reuben (vocals / guitar) and Aoife (vocals / bass) to discuss the new album, their upcoming record store and headline tours, and meeting music legend Elton John...
Gig review: Bob Log III and The Gadgets at Billy Bootleggers
Mon 17 Aug 2026The innovative, inventive and outrageous American bluesman Bob Log III is currently on a UK tour that reached Nottingham's own sleazy rock n' roll dive bar, Billy Bootleggers a week ago. Richard Wilkinson-Smith went down to the centre of the city to check out what this unbelievably entertaining gutter-blues space cadet was all about.
Undercover artist: Lucy Holt on music industry design and her August 2026 cover for LeftLion
Mon 17 Aug 2026Our August cover artist Lucy Holt talks about projection art, previous projects and inspiration…
Tom A. Smith talks energy, dedication, and why he just keeps coming back to a certain local festival
Sun 16 Aug 2026Next week, Tom A. Smith will be returning - again - to the magical, intimate setting of 110 Above Festival, just a few miles from Nottingham. We caught up with the Sunderland artist for a quickfire interview...
Art works: White Falcon I by Marcus Rowlands
Wed 12 Aug 2026For this month’s Art Works we heard from Marcus Rowlands, whose intricate wooden mandalas are on display at the New Art Exchange’s Open exhibition throughout this month.
From Pinot to Americano: ØKENDE’s new city centre location
Tue 11 Aug 2026West Bridgford born coffee shop and bakery ØKENDE is known for its cool, minimalist design and elegant pastries. Last month, this popular independent opened a second store on Broad Street, introducing a new day-to-night spot in Hockley.
MOIST: A Publishing Press with a Difference
Sun 09 Aug 2026Based at Primary in Lenton independent press MOIST is smaller than traditional publishing houses, but for both readers and authors, this smaller size can bring certain advantages. Georgia Hamblett went down to find out more...
Nottingham City of Literature's Big City Reads: meeting four authors involved
Fri 07 Aug 2026The Big City Reads campaign continues until 12 August to provide free books to young people across the city. With a mix of very different stories covering this year’s theme of identity, we asked four young writers to interview some of the selected authors about their work...
LeftLion Issue #198 August 2026
Fri 31 Jul 2026Our August 2026 issue features EMiDORA, burlesque artist Ruby D'Woo, Warp Miniatures, the new Nottingham league football scene, and lots more.
Notts Pride, immersive theatre shows and great sporting events: here's what's on in Nottingham this week: events 20 July - 26 July
Sun 19 Jul 2026This week in Notts is just as vibrant as the last. If you're still not ready to say goodbye to the summer festivals, Boho Festival might be your solution. Or maybe you're looking for a change of pace? Whether it's an immersive theatre show at People's Hall, sporting events to get your adrenaline pumping, live music and more, here's what Nottingham has to offer this week...
Splendour Festival's last hurrah, musicals, ballet and immersive art experiences: here's what's on in Notts this week: events 13 July - 19 July
Sun 12 Jul 2026This week is one for the books, including Splendour Festival celebrating their final weekend, Beyond Monet & Beyond Van Gogh, a convention for hit sci-fi sitcom Red Dwarf, and events for theatre, music and ballet fans alike.
LeftLion Interviews Podcast #19: Selina Mosinski (AKA Charity Shop Sue) and Matt Chesney of Backlit Studios on Selina’s new Edinburgh Fringe show Puss in Boots: a Working Class Fairytale
Fri 10 Jul 2026This episode we are joined by Selina Mosinski (AKA Charity Shop Sue) and Matt Chesney of Backlit Studios to talk about Selina’s new Edinburgh Fringe show Puss in Boots: a Working Class Fairytale.
Pick Six: playwright and actor William Ivory
Tue 07 Jul 2026For this month’s Pick Six we turned to Notts born screenwriter, playwright and actor William Ivory ahead of his play The Market Deeping Model Railway Club, which runs at the Nottingham Playhouse until Saturday 25 July.
People Laughing: Music to dance and cry to
Fri 03 Jul 2026People Laughing landed on the Nottingham music scene in January 2026 with big tunes, smooth aesthetics and catchy songwriting. The trio, made up of singer/guitarist Matt Grocott, bassist Ollie Carnell and drummer Luke Hallam, have showed no sign of showing, with a three-date residency at Nottingham’s legendary Acoustic Rooms, sets at big venues including The Bodega and Rescue Rooms, and even an appearance at Nottingham’s biggest festival, Splendour, upcoming. Singer Matt joined up for a chat to tell us all about the project, what they draw from and what’s next...
LeftLion Issue #197 July 2026
Fri 03 Jul 2026Our July issue features Notts Pride 2026, NG83: When We Were B Boys, the drag queens of Nottingham, Sidedoor Social, the Future Sound of Nottingham 2026 winners, Write Queer, and loads more...
More than a gig a day: Catching up with Isaac Neilson
Thu 02 Jul 2026Singer-songwriter Isaac Neilson is from Buxton in our neighbouring county and based here in Nottingham. But since 1 January it’s been hard to find him in the city. On that fateful day, Neilson began a mind-blowing challenge: to perform a gig on every single day of 2026. LeftLion caught up with Neilson at the halfway point of the year…
The Thompsons on wrestling at Victoria Lesiure Centre, local restaurants, and poetry
Tue 30 Jun 2026Our latest chat with Nottingham's most opinionated grocers....
Splendour Festival preview: In Conversation with Editors
Mon 29 Jun 2026They are arguably one of the most underrated bands in Britain. For over two decades, Birmingham alt-rock outfit Editors have barely put a foot wrong - from forging a consistently exciting and eclectic discography, to always delivering with their euphoric and pulsating live shows. With their eighth studio album, Surface, Echo & Sound, due for release in October and the band set to join Snow Patrol to close out the final ever Splendour Festival in style, we caught up with Editors’ bassist and founding member Russ Leetch, to discuss their storied career, their forthcoming new album and performing in Nottingham through the years…
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