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We Chat to Marseille Ahead of Their Biggest UK Tour to Date

The boys are taking anything but a laissez-faire approach to music, challenging the contemporary notions of fitting into one genre...

A Deep Dive into William ‘Bendigo’ Thompson - Nottingham's 19th Century Bareknuckle Boxer

This month we take you on a trip back to the early 19th century, to paint a picture of a very different Nottingham, where prize-fighter turned evangelist Bendigo rose from the slums to become a national hero in the ring.

Local Star Holly Humberstone Discusses Rising Fame, Overcoming Stage Fright and Her New Release

Local star Holly Humberstone is on a high, and still rising fast. We caught up with her between tours to discuss her confessional songwriting, how she has gained confidence performing on stage, and why Nottingham is still so special to her.

LeftLion Contributor Scott Oliver Wins Prestigious Cricket Literary Prize

Former LeftLion sports editor, Scott Oliver, has won one of cricket’s most prestigious literary prizes, the Wisden Book of the Year, for his debut book Sticky Dogs & Stardust. The book is a collection of essays detailing the exploits of some of the sport’s bona fide legends – among them the former Notts players Garfield Sobers, Kevin Pietersen, Andre Russell and Imran Tahir - when they turned out in league cricket alongside enthusiastic amateurs who they were expected to dominate. Oliver himself also played at Wollaton CC for a time. To celebrate Scott's success we are delighted to present this extract from the book – covering Pietersen’s troubled stint at Cannock – along with an exclusive discount code.

Drivers, Day Trips and Lost Teeth: Trentbarton Buses Managing Director Tom Morgan Talks to Us About Their Community on Wheels

There’s an old saying that a bus is not just a means of transportation, it's a community on wheels. Local bus company trentbarton have been part of our community for over a century now. We put some questions to their Managing Director Tom Morgan about their history, their team and their local environment…

Gig Review: Dura Mater at Jam Cafe

On the eve of the release of their stunning new single Red Holiday, fast-rising Notts 8-piece Dura Mater headed down to Jamcafé in Hockley to celebrate their second song entering the streaming world. With a packed room filled with raucous energy and good vibes aplenty, here’s what went down at their single release show…

Poetry, Light Displays, and The History of Electronic Music Here's What's On This Week in Nottingham: 15 - 21 April 2024

There's plenty to keep you entertained this week in Nottingham, from futuristic light displays in the sky to reflective poetry and the history of electronic music. Here's our top picks of what to get up to....

We Chat to Lizzie Esau About Her New Single, Working with Steve Grainger, and Dot to Dot

Lizzie Esau may hail from Newcastle, but her long-time working relationship with Notts-based producer Steve Grainger means that she is an honorary citizen. We chat to her all about her latest single Wait Too Late, her upcoming appearance at Dot to Dot, and her unofficially-announced upcoming sophomore EP...

Notts Author Rory Waterman Discusses His New Book Come Here To This Gate

Rory Waterman is a writer whose bow has many strings. As a critic and poet, his work has appeared in the Times Literary Supplement, The Guardian and the Poetry Review. His fêted first collection was shortlisted for the Seamus Heaney Prize. We sat down to discuss the creative spark and where it’s taken him…

A Fashion Revolution is Coming Next Week! We Discovered How To Get Involved

In celebration of the 10th annual Fashion Revolution Week, a national campaign of fashion activism which takes place this year from 15 - 24 April, we delve into how Notts locals can do their bit to support the cause right here in our city.

Competition: Win 4 Tickets to Evolution Drone Light Show

On Friday 19 April something special is coming to Trent Bridge, Nottingham. Witness an epic-scale family-friendly theatrical event told through a swarm of mesmerising drones flying in unison. 

Locating Lawrence: April 1924

D.H. Lawrence is settling back into life in Taos and appears to be happy. Long may this last...

We Went to the School of Artisan Food to Try One Of Their Delectable Cooking Courses

Nestled in the expansive Welbeck Estate in north Nottinghamshire lies the School of Artisan Food, a hands-on cooking school dedicated to traditional processes and proper craftsmanship. Catering to everyone from the hobbyist hoping to perfect their puff pastry to budding professionals seeking the tricks of the trade, it's a haven of all things homemade and an antidote to a food culture dominated by the mass-produced and ultra-processed.

Blue Soup Club Night Preview

Blue Soup is a brand-new club night coming to The Carousel in Hockley. Ahead of the opening night, we caught up with organiser David Triggs as he was playing a special warm-up DJ set at our Sneinton Market neighbours, Running Circle Records.

Competition: Win A VIP Experience At Could Be Real Tribute Festival

Get ready to immerse yourself in a night of nostalgia as the Could Be Real Tribute Festival descends upon Newstead Abbey on Friday 5 July 2024.

LeftLion have some big prizes to give away as two lucky winners will each receive a pair of VIP tickets and a £50 bar tab. The winner will be drawn on Monday 29 April and notified by email soon after. To be in with a chance of winning read on...

Survivor's Guilt and Hidden Trauma: the Hillsborough Disaster 35 Years On

On April 15 1989, during an FA Cup tie between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool FC 766 people were injured at Hillsborough and a further 97 died as a result of overcrowding in one of the stands. We  delve into the depths of the fallout of this tragedy, exploring the hidden trauma and survivor's guilt present within many of the two clubs fanbases. 

Trigger warning: Mentions of suicide and violence

Nottsvana: The Story of Nirvana and Kurt Cobain in Nottingham

Many would say Nirvana were the biggest band of the nineties, despite them only being active for the first half of it. However, not many people know about the links between the city of Nottingham and one of the biggest bands in rock history…

In Photos: Daudi Matsiko at Metronome

We spoke to NTU Professor and Linguistics researcher Natalie Braber to find out more about Nottinghamshire and East Midlands Dialect

The Nottingham accent is an intrinsic part of our local identity, but what exactly makes it unique? Is it set to disappear with new generations? And what are the effects of sitting right in the middle of the North-South divide? We put these questions to Natalie Braber, a professor of Linguistics at Nottingham Trent University to get to the bottom of it…

Rainbow Puppeteer Ronnie le Drew Talks About Bringing Zippy to Life Ahead of His Nottingham Show

The Nottingham Puppet Festival takes over the city centre this month once again, and when we saw Rainbow puppeteer Ronnie le Drew was on the line up, we pulled some strings to get a chat with the man who brought Zippy to life…

In Photos: Rattle, Grawl!x and Demi Sharman at The Chameleon

Nigel King captured the Farewell Chameleon Fundraiser which took place earlier this week. As the venue's time comes to a very sad end, we wish John and Lauren all the best and thank them for creating so many amazing memories in the Nottingham music scene. 

We sat down with Charlotte Thomson-Morley to ask about her ideas, inspiration and other work.

Our wonderful cover art this month is by Charlotte Thomson-Morley, a South Notts illustrator and printmaker who makes work based around folklore and Paganism. We sat down with Charlotte to ask about her ideas, inspiration and other work.

We Speak to Caity Baser Ahead of Her Debut at Rock City

Humouring honesty and hysterics within every lyric she writes, the 'I’m A Problem’ singer-songwriter is anything but a worry for the future of Pop music.

Jax Jones, The Selecter and More Join Madness, Tom Jones, Becky Hill, Ricky Astley for Derby Summer Sessions

The mighty Live Nation and leading live music and event promoter Cuffe & Taylor have announced the latest artists to join the bill at the inaugural TK Maxx presents Derby Summer Sessions music festival this July...

Gig Review: Erotic Secrets Of Pompeii at The Old Bus Depot