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We chat to filmmaking duo Bird Bros about their new film Lazar

Travel back in time with us to the 17th century as we hear all about Lazar, the fantastical odyssey set in an ancient Sherwood forest which follows a bard, an outlaw and oh, there are some nymphs of course...

Gig review: AC/DC UK at Rescue Rooms

AC/DC UK kept a packed Rescue Rooms rocking all night long with a thoroughly convincing set featuring many of AC/DC’s greatest anthems, complete with a spectacular exploding cannons finale...

Poetry Festival, indie music and Shakespeare: Here's whats on in Nottingham 9 - 15 June 2025

There's loads of events happening this week in Notts. We have the start of the Poetry festival, a re-invention of Hamlet, a indie music market and a live podcast event from Scummy Mummies...

Gig review: The Get Up Kids at Rescue Rooms

The Get Up Kids graced Nottingham’s Rescue Rooms in a flurry of guitars and emotions on Wednesday evening. The room was full to the brim with long term fans, and the air buzzed with excitement...

Comedy Review: Matt Forde's End of an Era Tour at the Nottingham Playhouse

Another local lad done well, Matt Forde hits a packed out Playhouse on his End of an Era tour...

Words to live by: marking one decade of the Nottingham Poetry Festival with poet Ben Macpherson

This month marks the tenth anniversary of Nottingham Poetry Festival - a kaleidoscopic set of events that sees poetry collide with activities like musical open mics, meditation and arts and crafts, all the while celebrating the art form, and its age-old centrality to the city of Nottingham. To mark the occasion, festival producer and local poet Ben Macpherson told us about the festival’s importance to Nottingham, and what people can expect from this year. 

Gig review: Penfriend at Rough Trade

Laura Kidd, aka Penfriend, returned to the stage for the first time in several years, finding an appreciative audience at Rough Trade. What followed was a very special night...

Brewery round table: Blue Monkey, Bang The Elephant and Liquid Light talk all things ale ahead of Nottingham Craft Beer Festival

Nottingham Craft Beer Festival takes over Sneinton Market Avenues on 20-21 June for three sessions of great beer, live music, street food and more. To celebrate the occasion we put some questions to three of Nottingham’s finest breweries who are all holding stalls at the event. Our interviewees are Ian Wesley of Blue Monkey, Thom Stone of Liquid Light, and Michael Shipman of Bang The Elephant…

Film Review: Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning

Your mission, should you choose to read it: Join us as we review the eighth instalment in the Mission: Impossible film series with Tom Cruise and the rest of the star-studded cast...

The Official LeftLion Guide To 2025 Festival Season

Can you hear that? It’s finally in the air – instruments reverberating across wide open fields, the chimes of communities singing and laughing together, the sound of footsteps as friends stumble back to their tents or homes, ready to do it all over again the next day, or the following weekend. That’s right, the 2025 summer festival season is finally here, and with the return of Splendour Festival right here in Nottingham, it’s shaping up to be a big one!

To give you the lowdown, here’s our ultimate guide to the best local festivals taking place in the city of Nottingham and the surrounding areas over the next few months…

Gig review: Little Simz at The Level

It’s not every day that genuine rap royalty drops into town. However, with highly anticipated new album Lotus dropping this Friday, the mighty Little Simz rolled into The Level for a Rough Trade outstore show to promote the new project. Armed with a vault of bangers she’s been hoarding, we headed over to The Level for this must-attend show with one of the greatest artists and rappers in the world today…

In photos: MJ Lenderman at Rock City, with Trace Mountains

Nottingham actor Laquarn Lewis on his role in the brand new BBC drama: What It Feels Like For a Girl

Set to be released on 3 June, upcoming BBC mini-series What It Feels Like For A Girl tells the story of Byron, a Queer teen who is desperate to escape the confines of Hucknall. Based on the novel of the same name by Hucknall-born journalist Paris Lees, the witty, gritty and heart-breaking show delves into what it was like growing up as a trans person in a small town during the early 2000s. To hear about the show, ahead of the premiere, we caught up with LaQuarn Lewis, who plays Fallen Diva, ‘the premier podium dancer-cum-hellraiser’ Lady Die…

Locating Lawrence: June 1925

Lawrence never felt ‘less literary’ than when he was milking his cow...

Restaurant week, comic con, body positive art and Japanese pop-punk: Here's what's on in Nottingham 2 - 8 June 2025

There's a great mix of stuff happening this week in Notts - we've got Japanese pop-punk from Shonen Knife, Sneinton Avenues Vegan Market, Comic-con, Restaurant week and some inspiring exhibitions. Here's our top picks...

LeftLion Issue #184 June 2025

This month featuring our guide to local summer music festivals, Nottingham Poetry Festival, actor LaQuarn Lewis on BBC's What It Feels Like For A Girl, the Nottingham Attacks Two Years On, Nottingham Playhouse's Adam Penford, Nottingham Craft Beer Festival, the Lenton Centre, Future Makers and more...

Community, culture and the music at The Concert Hall: here's what's on events this week in Nottingham 26 May- 1 June

This week in Notts, cultural vibrations ring from the arrow of Robin Hood! 

Documentary Review: Ocean with David Attenborough

Join us as we review David Attenborough's new documentary, Ocean, which doesn't hide the destruction of the natural world, but inspires and motivates too...

Gig review: Sunday (1994) at The Bodega

"I'm the one with the torch": local boxer Ezra Taylor's journey to fighting at Motorpoint Arena

While the headline story from Queensberry Promotions’ recent Nottingham show may have been Leigh Wood’s unfortunate defeat to Anthony Cacace, in the same arena Ezra Taylor stepped into the spotlight - not just to win, but to announce himself. While it didn’t have the exclamation mark moment, it was a solid performance that marked a quieter moment of transition - a fighter beginning to find his rhythm on the big stage - and in doing so, offering Nottingham a glimpse of his next chapter. LeftLion was fortunate to be in the Taylor camp in the weeks leading up to, and on, fight night...

We chat to Davoli about music, life and Dot To Dot

Dot To Dot Festival is almost upon us! One of the hundreds of musicians performing at the day-long musical extravaganza is local artist Davoli. We spoke to him about his brand new EP, his inspirations, and what DTD means to him...

Green Hustle Festival Returns to Nottingham's Old Market Square at the End of May

Music, food, fashion, art and environmental action will once again all come together at the free entry Green Hustle Festival in Nottingham city centre on Saturday 31 May

Nottingham Restaurant Week Returns from 2-8 June 2025

Nottingham’s vibrant food scene is set to sizzle once again as Nottingham Restaurant Week makes its much-anticipated return offering deals and discounts in over 50 establishments...

New frontiers: Co(l)laboratory at Universities for Nottingham seeks new community partners for 2025

It's that time of year again, when the Co(l)laboratory programme, facilitated by the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent, is seeking new research and PhD proposals from local organisations. If you work for and represent a community organisation, in fields like medicine or education, and think you know how best communities in Nottinghamshire can be progressed, Co(l)laboratory wants to hear from you. 

Get Your Skates On at Nottingham's National Ice Centre

When was the last time you went ice skating? With arguably the nation's best facilities right on your doorstep we look at what's coming up at the National Ice Centre over the next few months and how you can get involved...