Site search

Western musical Calamity Jane blows in from The Windy City to Nottingham Theatre Royal in March 2025

If you're a fan of the classic 1953 comedy-Western film and its long-running stage adaptation, or just looking for some good ol' fashioned escapism, then you're in for a treat early next year...

Talking therapy with Nottingham Counselling Service

As the nights roll in earlier and the weather gets chilly, it’s natural to not feel so breezy and bright. Over the next few months we’ll be dipping in with Nottingham Counselling Service to hear about their work and how we should normalise talking about our mental health.

Film Review: Gladiator 2

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

We talk to Blue Violet ahead of their Metronome Nottingham show with Echobelly

With a new album due in January and in the thick of a support tour with Echobelly, indie alternative duo Blue Violet have a lot to be excited about. We caught up with them ahead of their gig at Metronome...

In photos: She Drew The Gun at Rough Trade

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...

In photos: Bradley Simpson at Rescue Rooms

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...

In photos: Blackout Problems at Rescue Rooms, with Lake Malice

From West-African Funk to deep house yoga parties: Here's what's on this week in Nottingham 18-24 November

Whether you're chasing the party or settling in for a cosy winter, this week, Nottingham has it all. With Reggae taking over the Motorpoint Arena and meditative yoga and deep house over at The Hidden Warehouse, there's certainly something for everyone.

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…

Director's Seat: Shane Meadows on his gratitude for the Nottingham Television Workshop

Shane Meadows is a legend of British film and television. In the mid-90s he was making lots of short films around Nottingham before releasing his debut feature TwentyFourSeven in 1997. Since then he’s gone on to create masterpieces like A Room For Romeo Brass, Dead Man’s Shoes, This Is England, Gallows Pole, The Stone Roses: Made of Stone and more.

Shane joined us for the fifth instalment of LeftLion Live at the Library, a series of live interviews that we’ve been hosting since July at Nottingham Central Library. In front of a live audience, LeftLion Editor-in-Chief Jared Wilson chatted to Shane about his illustrious career, covering everything from the Nottingham Television Workshop to Notts County FC. Here we’ve treated you to a snapshot of the conversation, which is available in full for your auditory pleasure on Spotify, YouTube and Apple Podcasts. 

Gig review: Fat Dog at Rescue Rooms

Last night Rescue Rooms was transported to a chaotic whirlwind of warped electro-metal as Fat Dog proved their worth as one of the best live acts on the gig circuit today.

We talk with Hard-Fi about their return to the studio, and why Nottingham rocks

Ahead of their raucous return to the Rock City stage on 23rd November, Hard-Fi frontman Richard Archer talks with Talia Robinson about all things modern musicality and the need for nurturing nostalgia... 

In photos: Soil at Rock City

Review: JT Soar Fest 2024 at the Old Cold Store

JT Soar is 15! To mark this landmark occasion, the local recording studio, venue and all-round grassroots music heroes filled the Old Cold Store with live music from local, national and international bands – for a full weekend. We went along to celebrate with them...

Gig review: Therapy? at Rock City

Therapy? are back at Nottingham's Rock City for the 30th anniversary of Troublegum, their iconic second album. It's a packed house, with energy levels through the roof...

Gig review: Millie Manders and the Shutup at Rescue Rooms, with Ramona's Tea Party

Anarchic fun... All killer, no filler... Earworms aplenty. Exhausting all the superlatives, Millie Manders and the Shutup returned to Nottingham and proved that social awareness and a sense of justice need never be dull...

In photos: Grain Mother at The Grove, with Jiminil and Purple Hat Mob

Laughs and absurdity in Nottingham's best known wormhole

Adrian Reynolds goes down a wormhole and finds comedy and compliance...

In photos: Set in Motion at Saltbox, with Alma Close and King Cerulean

Gig review: Martin McAloon of Prefab Sprout at Metronome

From playing bass guitar in much-love art-rock band, Prefab Sprout, Martin McAloon has stepped forward to centre stage. Suffering from retinal and tinnitus issues, his brother Paddy is no longer able to tour live, so, in a heart-warming tribute, his younger brother has swapped four strings for six to breathe new life into the best of the Durham act’s material...

From cyphers to Mickey Mouse on ice skates: Here's what's on this week in Nottingham 11-18 November

This week in Nottingham, experimental musicians of highest calibre take over all of the best grassroots venues, while over at Motorpoint Arena the Disney canon is well-and-truly brought to life...