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Gig review: Victory Lap at The Bodega

It was a night of diverse sounds and dynamic performances at The Bodega, with relative newcomers Victory Lap headlining an evening that also featured two exceptional support acts: Leeds-based Prima Star Power and well-known local group Grain Mother…

Puppets, songs, dances, jokes, not to mention a duckling on a quest for self-discovery

Gig review: Richard Hawley at The Level

A rare appearance in Nottingham, as part of his annual pre-Christmas mini-tour, saw Richard Hawley play to a sold out crowd at The Level, backed by a five-piece band of tight, but lucid musicians...

Gig review: The Chats at Rock City

It's Wednesday, it's raining hard, it's cold and....Rock City is packed. No one was gonna be put off and at stay home if The Chats were in town. It's time to party..!!

Gig review: Thea Gilmore at Metronome

English shape-shifting singer-songwriter Thea Gilmore delivered a confident, wide-ranging show at Metronome, showing off both her early roots-inspired material and her eye-opening new music…

Gig review: Nilüfer Yanya at Rescue Rooms

It was only a couple of months, back in September, that British singer-songwriter Nilüfer Yanya played a captivating stripped-back set at Rough Trade to launch her much-acclaimed third studio album, My Method Actor. Now back in Nottingham but this time with a full band, we went along to hear one of the year’s best albums performed live once again…

LeftLion's Latest Listens #12: Notts music we're currently spinning

In this week's LeftLion's Latest Listens, our music team reviews new releases from Leah Sinead, Divorce, amillionsons and Wizards Can't Be Lawyers...

Comparison, consumerism and Christmas: Nottingham Counselling Service share some tips for the Christmas period

With both emotions and shopping bills running high during the Christmas period, we hear from Nottingham Counselling Service who have a pertinent reminder about avoiding comparison during the festive season.

Gig review: The Snuts at Rock City

After releasing their third studio album, Millennials, earlier this year, indie rock band The Snuts embarked on their UK tour. We caught up with them as they landed in Nottingham's iconic Rock City on Monday night...

Spinning Yarns: The Woolly Tellers talk storytelling in Nottingham

For fifteen years, storytellers Mick Whysall and Dave Brookes have brought history to life. As The Woolly Tellers, their atmospheric performances whip up scenes of misty cobbled streets, mysterious highwaymen, fen giants and deals with the devil. We met them for a chat prior to their event Dark Tales for Dark Nights at the Fox and Grapes, and heard all about the tricks of their trade...

Gig review: Echobelly at Metronome, with Blue Violet

It might have been 30 years since they released their debut album Everyone's Got One, but Echobelly are still going stronger - perhaps stronger than ever. With iconic vocalist Sonya Madan leading, they played to a fully packed Metronome Nottingham, and we were there to see the action...

Gig review: SPRINTS at Rescue Rooms, with Chalk

A pinnacle performance of the year: SPRINTS race for gold in their cathartic celebrations at Nottingham's Rescue Rooms...

Thrills, spills, and non-stop jokes at the Playhouse panto

The much-beloved Nottingham Playhouse pantomime reaches new heights this year with a giant of a show. Yes, it's Jack and the Beanstalk... 

Stanley Middleton's Booker Prize finds a new home in Nottingham

Fifty years after he became the first ever joint winner of the Booker prize, we join a celebration of Stanley Middleton at Nottingham Central Library.

Salt of the Earth: Catching up with musician and Saltbox manager Sam Heaton

There are few people who live and breathe Nottingham’s vibrant music scene quite like Sam Heaton. From his own ambient rock band Eyre Llew being one of the city’s greatest exports, to a stint in charge of Rough Trade’s events, as well as independently booking and promoting local artists for the last two decades too, his fingerprints have been on a lot of the city’s musical successes. Earlier this year though, he took on a tough new challenge – transforming Saltbox from a little-known sports bar into a versatile 500-person capacity music venue and events space. 

To find out more, we sat down with Sam to chat about his first seven months running the venue, the hurdles he’s had to overcome in that time, and what he has planned for the venue and his band in 2025…

Gig review: The Slow Readers Club at Rescue Rooms

Manchester indie outfit The Slow Readers Club are no strangers to Nottingham, having played our city a whopping 10 times in the last eight years. With a strong following in Nottingham as a result, it made sense for them to kick off their current UK run at Rescue Rooms, including several live debuts for tracks off their forthcoming, seventh studio album, Out of A Dream. Here’s what went down…

Festive markets, live music gigs, and awe inspiring drones: Here's what's on in Nottingham this week 2 - 9 December

This week in Notts, highlights include live music, thought-provoking art exhibitions, festive markets, and family-friendly activities.... 

Gig review: Sports Team at Rescue Rooms

Sports Team ‘Go Fishing’ for more than they expected at Rescue Rooms, the crowd delivering on their beer sloshing, gear moshing mayhem. Adept support was delivered by C Turtle and mary in the junkyard...

Gig review: Hard-Fi at Rock City

Hard-Fi. A name you probably didn't think you'd hear so soon after their rockin’ return to the stage last year. After riding the mid-2000s indie wave, the band faded into the background to pursue a quieter life amongst other things; a 10-year absence eclipsed by a live renaissance of biggest hits urged both the band and the fans to reconnect with their music. Now armed with a setlist artillery of electronic-infused anthems, they’re reminding us once again why they remain such a vital force in UK music scene. Rock City: let's have at you...

We chat to Warren Ireland about life, music and local legends

Dan Bonnington caught up with local artist and ex-busker Warren Ireland, to talk about his musical inspirations, his influences and supporters, and just what makes Nottingham so special...

Notts indie crooners Victory Lap talk inspirations, origins, and finding their sound

Victory Lap are undeniably one of Nottingham’s breakout bands of 2024. Prior to their debut EP Torch Songs, which was released in July, they were already making waves. But now, they have reached new heights, with an upcoming UK headline tour in the diary - including a show at Nottingham’s very own The Bodega. We chat to Tomas Ponting and James Denham about the band’s early origins, how they found their signature sound, and a suspicious new Fanta flavour which has emerged onto shelves…

Interview: Barnaby Blackburn on his new short 'Pylon'

We chat to Barnaby Blackburn about his new Bafta-qualified short film, Pylon. 

The Hallé are back and with a suitably wintry programme

The Hallé’s Artist-in Residence, Thomas Adès, conducts a programme centred on Finland’s greatest composer with two of his greatest symphonies, as well as two more pieces influenced by him...

Gig review: Michael Kiwanuka at The Level

Mercury Prize winning singer-songwriter Michael Kiwanuka recently gave an intimate performance at The Level. Adam Findlay was there to experience a show that touched everyone's soul...

Book Review: Ben Macpherson's 'Serious Nonsense for the Unbearably Festive'

As the nights get dark and a New Year draws closer, we turn to some cheeky, cheering new poetry...