Site search

Gig review: Confidence Man at Rock City

Fresh off the back of releasing their new album 3AM (La La La), Confidence Man are on the road delivering delightful Australian eurotrash electro-pop to the masses. Izzy Morris headed down to Rock City for the band's triumphant return to Nottingham...

Gig review: King Creosote at Metronome, with Emily Barker

With almost 50 albums in his cannon, King Creosote (aka Kenny Anderson) is in town to promote his latest long player, the Roman-themed I Des. Along with Emily Barker, in support and as part of the seven-piece band, the Metronome audience is treated to a performance packed with tender joy...

Gig review: Cane Hill at Saltbox

Heading a four-band line-up, Cane Hill proved they are well and truly back with a vengeance. We were at Saltbox for their high-energy set...

Gig review: UB40 at Motorpoint Arena

The cold November weather did nothing to stop fans of UB40 packing out the Arena, where they were treated to a hit-filled set. As if seeing the legendary group wasn't enough, the evening also featured performances from Soul II Soul and Young Culture...

LeftLion's Latest Listens #11: Notts music we're currently spinning

In this week's LeftLion's Latest Listens, our music team reviews new releases from Grain Mother, ALT BLK ERA (with Wheatus), and Drew Thomas...

Theatre Review: Opera North - Ruddigore

Opera North nail a witty Gilbert & Sullivan classic

Light Post Farm Review

A light trail in the snow! Yes please! Here at LeftLion we had the pleasure of being invited to Light Post Farm, the brand new magical after dark trail at White Post Farm…

Gig review: Ibibio Sound Machine at Rescue Rooms

On a cold Tuesday night in Notts, electronic Afro-funk masters Ibibio Sound Machine proved more than equal to the task of bringing warmth, joy and mirth to Rescue Rooms...

Gig review: Kneecap at Rock City

The last time Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap played in Nottingham, it was to “about 30 people” at The Bodega a couple of years back. Since then, word has got out about the Irish-language rappers, with a successful debut album and a highly acclaimed music biopic making them one of the most talked about breakthrough acts of 2024. Now catapulted to festival headliner status (2000 Trees in 2025), a stop at Rock City on their current UK tour was a show that simply could not be missed…

Food review: Brunch with a Twist at Lilac Eatery

Now then, who doesn’t love a good brunch? A hybrid between breakfast and lunch, the brunch craze started gaining popularity in the late 1990s and early 2000s as café culture expanded in the UK, causing a cultural phenomenon that was later fuelled by the rise of social media. In Nottingham, one spot stands out for its imaginative and deliciously presented brunch offerings. Meet Lilac Eatery, who has a full-time residency at The Specialty on Friar Lane.

Gig review: Within Temptation at Motorpoint Arena

With the nights growing darker and colder, there could hardly be a better place to be huddled away from the incoming snow than at Nottingham's Motorpoint Arena watching fiery symphonic metal heavyweights, Within Temptation...

Review: A Christmas Carol at Nottingham Playhouse

A proper Christmas classic, performed as a one man show by Guy Masterson at Nottingham Playhouse...

Live poetry review: Power Cut by Poets off the Endz at Fishergate Point

Sunday evening at Fishergate Point was buzzing with anticipation for the latest performance by creative collective Poets Off The Endz, who kicked off the first night of their new project with Chapter 1: Power Cut. The concept: a power cut. The question: what comes to light when the power goes out?

Gig review: Porridge Radio at Rescue Rooms

It’s been two years since indie rock band Porridge Radio last played in Nottingham. Now back with a fantastic new album Clouds In The Sky They Will Always Be There For Me, the quartet led by frontwoman Dana Margolin brought their powerful live show to Rescue Rooms for the first stop on their UK tour. We went along to check it out…

Friends, football, and poetry

With male loneliness widespread in our modern age, award-winning poet Lewis Buxton comes to Nottingham to share his very personal struggles and how he found a way forward... 

Disney on Ice: Road Trip

LeftLion was thrilled to receive an invitation to Disney on Ice: Road Trip!

Gig review: Alien Ant Farm at Rock City

Supported by US dark rock purveyors Nocturnal Affair and late replacements InMe, the genre-leaping Alien Ant Farm make a triumphant, celebratory – and noisy – return to Rock City. We got in on the action...

Film Review: Gladiator 2

Join us as we battle through the Gladiator 2 remake...

Review: cabaret, burlesque and art at Niche Artefact

Niche Artefact is a unique Nottingham event that celebrates local painters and sculptors alongside a cabaret of drag artists, singers and even an aerial burlesque performer. It’s very much a bespoke event that champions our LGBTQIA+ community and allies. Ian C Douglas went along to November’s showcase, the Halloween-themed Occult Odyssey…

Gig review: They Might Be Giants at Rock City

A car accident and a global pandemic could only keep They Might Be Giants away from the UK for so long. Last Friday, off-kilter alternative heroes John Flansburgh and John Linnell brought pure whimsy to Rock City in celebration of 30 (+4) years of Flood – one of the most recognizable and beloved albums of the early 90s...

Gig review: The Lightning Seeds at Rock City

35 years on from the birth of The Lightning Seeds, the band are on a victory lap around the UK. We headed to their Nottingham stop – the legendary Rock City, of course – to revel in swirly synths, bright pop melodies and plenty of nostalgia...

Gig review: Josie Beth at Rough Trade

Rough Trade Nottingham recently played host to a night of exceptional live music, with three talented acts gracing the stage: Dorothy Ella, Leah Wilcox and the headliner, Josie Beth...

Gig review: Steve Ignorant of Crass at The Old Cold Store

Steve Ignorant, founder member of influential anarcho-punk band Crass, performed to a sell-out crowd at Nottingham’s The Old Cold Store, proving that punk is most definitely not dead...

Gig review: Warmduscher at Rock City

The mighty Warmduscher hit the stage at Rock City on Wednesday, bringing a swaggering show that only these cowboy party fiends could pull off…

Classical Concert Review: The Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra with Jonathon Darlington at the Royal Concert Hall