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Notts County Council Seeks Opinions on New Ten-Year Library Plan

As the County Council launches a consultation on its new ten-year library strategy, Dr David Hindley of Nottingham Trent University wonders what that will mean...

LeftLion's Latest Listens #9: Notts music we're currently spinning

In this week's LeftLion's Latest Listens, our music team reviews new releases from Luna & The Lime Slices, The Junipers, Jude Forsey and Kelsey & The Embers ...

Gig review: Soft Play and Panic Shack at Rock City

For anyone feeling an impending monotony as the nights creep in, I highly recommend booking yourself a loud, chaotic and crazed gig to look forward to. The mighty Soft Play, supported by Panic Shack at Rock City this week, was just the antidote, shaking the crowd out of a midweek malaise..

Comedian Kiri Pritchard McLean: Fostering a stage show with a difference

Comedian Kiri Pritchard McLean is on her way back to Nottingham and bringing one of her most personal shows to the stage. CJ DeBarra met with Kiri to talk about fostering, stage shows and the dark humour of social workers.

Watch: Road to Tram Line Spot

Road to Tram Line Spot is a new short film by Georgianna Scurfield, which tracks the creation of the city's first (intentional) city centre skate spot, whilst documenting the famous (unintentional) Broadmarsh Banks spot it has replaced. LeftLion are proud to co-present this sixteen and a half minute movie for your viewing pleasure...

Gig review and interview: Stone at Rescue Rooms

STONE are no ordinary band: they are a movement; they are a lifestyle; they are one of the most hotly anticipated bands of this year. Talia Robinson tells of their tales as they performed at Nottingham's very own Rescue Rooms...

The Thompsons on JT Soar, Ratcliffe-on-Soar and Goose Fair

We revisited Nottingham's most opinionated grocers this month to have a chat about Ratcliffe on Soar power station, which turned off its chimneys on 30 September, JT Soar and Goose Fair.

Chris Lawton of Skate Nottingham talks about the new Road to Tram Line Spot film by Georgianna Scurfield

Skate Nottingham's Chris Lawton walks (or should that be skates?) us down the long, sometimes arduous, road to the new Road to Tram Line Spot film by Georgianna Scurfield, now released on LeftLion...

The Last Horror Show at Backlit is a creepy yet curiously dark delight

Backlit Gallery have just launched their new, Halloween-appropriate exhibition The Last Horror Show, we went along to check out its otherwordly appeal...

Theatre Review: Body and Soul at the Nottingham Playhouse

Can Tiktok superstar make it in stand-up comedy?

The Gen-Z internet sensation brings his fast paced stand-up and character sketch comedy to Nottingham. But deprived of his Tiktok medium will he be any good?
 

Gig review: Public Service Broadcasting at Rock City

You hear it about lots of bands: that their live show is “unrivalled”. Sometimes it is, sometimes it’s a bit of hyperbole. However, in the case of musical historians Public Service Broadcasting (PSB), this praise is fully warranted. With a 7-piece band playing accomplished art-rock and electronica to a backdrop of archive footage, PSB truly offer a one-of-a-kind live experience. To witness it for ourselves, we headed down to catch their fourth visit to Rock City…

Gig review: Pete Doherty at The Grove

Did you hear? The Libertines came to Nottingham this week to perform at Rock City. However, Pete Doherty also played a small intimate solo set at Nottingham's newest music venue The Grove a few hours before...

Interview : Laura Turner dares us to decide whether to sell our soul or sell our body

A Midlands-based, female-led powerhouse, is about to ignite the stage at Nottingham Playhouse with a question that will leave audiences breathless. Emma Oldham interviews Laura Turner, the artistic director behind Fury Theatre, about why they're asking such a bold question...

Crazy Little Sing Called Pub and the joy of communal singing

From relieving stress and tension to releasing endorphins, it’s no wonder more than two million people across the UK sing regularly in choirs. But singing classic anthems like James’ Sit Down and The Killers’ All These Things That I’ve Done in a pub with a bunch of strangers? Well, that’s a new one. At local event Crazy Little Sing Called Pub the impact has been undeniable, with hundreds gathering each month to take part. We caught up with event founder Abi Moore to find more about this communal phenomenon.

Theatre Review: Santi and Naz at the Nottingham Playhouse

Two best friends live in pre-partition India. One is Sikh, the other Muslim; religion is about to divide them forever...

Gig Review: Squeeze at the Royal Concert Hall, with Badly Drawn Boy

Squeeze wowed the crowd at the Royal Concert Hall with an epic set spanning the decades, while Badly Drawn Boy provided solid and emotional support...

LeftLion's Latest Listens #8: Notts music we're currently spinning

In this week's bumper edition of LeftLion's Latest Listens, our picks of the latest and greatest sounds from all around Nottingham and the Midlands, our team reviews new releases from Gender Envy, Set in Motion, The Chase, Marvin's Revenge, Cracked Hands, John Hardy and Stan Buckroyd...

LeftLion Interviews Podcast #5: Shane Meadows on This Is England, Virtues, Stone Roses, Injuries, Notts County FC and more

For our fifth podcast we are delighted to welcome a true legend of British film and television, the director and screenwriter Shane Meadows...

Harriet Walter & Friends: Shakespeare’s Women Speak!

Dame Harriet Walter is one of Britain's most esteemed Shakespearean actors. She came to the Playhouse to breath fresh life into Shakespeare's words for women...  

Gig Review: Soft Launch at Rough Trade, with Lizzie Esau

But there’s no bad blood 'cause Soft Launch look too good on the Rough Trade stage. LeftLion's Talia Robinson headed to the record store's legendary upstairs stage to find out why the new kids on the block are so hotly anticipated by critics...

Review: An Audience with Sir Paul Smith at Nottingham Playhouse

The Beeston-born fashion guru took time out from his busy schedule to support Nottingham Playhouse with an evening of conversation...

Writing while Muslim: writer and activist A.M. Dassu on her upcoming panel

Award-winning Midlands writer and activist A.M. Dassu is heading to Nottingham to present her panel, Writing while Muslim, at Nottingham Central Library. We got the scoop behind her inspiring journey…

We met local Reggae and Dub royalty Quantro Tone Sound System

One of Notts first sound systems and originally called Iron City, Quantro Tone Sound System started as a hobby for nine bored young friends. They went on to support some iconic names in Reggae and Dub, from Don Sinclair to The Mighty Diamonds, and perform in cities across the country. On the day of their fifty year anniversary celebration at St Ann’s, we heard more from them about that golden era and how they’ve maintained their strong friendships over the decades. 

The original members were Lenny, Robert, Kenneth, Leslie, Colin, Winston, and Eric as Iron City. Later, they were Quantro with Keith and Johnny. The 'box men' and bouncers were Desmond, Brown, Austin, Fisherman and Devon with Mr Brown and Trevor Mitchell acting as the trusty van drivers.

Gig review: Snayx at The Bodega

Hard-working, noisy but relentlessly proficient: Snayx have a fearsome reputation. Their set at The Bodega, partnering with Safe Gigs for Women, was characteristically respectful if very sweaty...