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Gig review: Daudi Matsiko at Metronome

The one-and-only “King of Misery” Daudi Matsiko moved us all with his heartfelt music, latest stories, mental health activism and his award-winning personality during a magical evening at Nottingham’s Metronome…

Paradigm shift: acclaimed filmmaker Adam Curtis talks politics, filmmaking, and Wollaton Hall

Bafta-winning documentary filmmaker Adam Curtis is one of the country’s most intriguing, with a long career under his belt of making surreal films exploring how people think, feel, and act in the West. His latest: Shifty: Living in Britain at the End of the Twentieth Century just happens to feature archival footage from Wollaton Hall, filmed back in the 80s by the BBC. With this in mind we jumped at the opportunity to pick his brain about filmmaking, politics, and more…  

Driving hope: Renew therapy at Nottingham Women's Centre

Since 1971, Nottingham Women’s Centre has provided a comfortable and supportive space for self-identifying women based in and around Nottingham. Within this time, the centre has been met with many changes and new developments. Among these is Renew: individualised counselling which has been self-funded for the past three years. Today more popular than ever, the team at NWC are keen to give Renew a boost. Kayla Sibanda spoke to Emilly Gill-Howe, Senior Fundraising Officer at NWC, to find out why the service is so important and their upcoming fundraising activities…

Gig review: Ellur at The Bodega, with Fright Years and Cara Flynn

In the middle of a breathless and busy UK tour, Yorkshire-based indie-pop purveyor Ellur stopped off at The Bodega, bringing happiness and a uniquely collective experience. With Fright Years as main support, the night also gave local songwriter Cara Flynn the chance to shine...

Locating D.H. Lawrence: October 1925

He’s back in Britain and the weather is sending him nuts…

Director Eoin McKenzie on masculinity, role models and The Show for Young Men

Glasgow-based theatre producer and director Eoin McKenzie’s The Show for Young Men – a GuestHouse Projects production – which comes to Nottdance in November as part of a national tour, uses dance to explore the friendship between a man and a boy. We chatted to McKenzie, who delves into the creative processes behind The Show for Young Men and shares his thoughts on masculinity and community among men...

In photos: Belly at Rescue Rooms

We chat to Sonya Madan of Echobelly about touring, enduring friendships and the state of the nation

Gig review: Club Onion 5 at The OId Cold Store

Club Onion is the brainchild of Twisted Onion promoters Steve Solbé and Steve Hardaker. The events bring a mix of live bands, electronic artists and DJs to locations across the UK with the vibe being very much 1988–1992, bringing to mind the Megadog events from back in the day. The fifth Nottingham edition took place at The Old Cold Store...

Hustle Up: Queer Hustle, bands not to miss and what to expect from Hockley Hustle 2025

It’s hard to find a better way to describe Hockley Hustle than by its own succinct label: Nottingham’s arts and music festival. It’s a day of creativity, showcasing the best of our city and at the same time letting us give back to Nottingham – while having loads of fun. We all know the drill by now, but before you start planning your itinerary, why not check out what’s new this year and some of our recommended highlights…

Comedy Review: John Shuttleworth's Raise the Oof at the Nottingham Playhouse

Celebrating forty years in showbiz, John Shuttleworth flew into Nottingham on his Yamaha organ and wowed audiences. But what is an oof? And is it true that there is more to Mr Shuttleworth than his mild-mannered personality suggests...  

LeftLion Interviews Podcast #13: Filmmaker Adam Curtis on Shifty, politics, filmmaking and Wollaton Hall

For our latest episode we are joined by veteran BBC documentary filmmaker, whose latest project Shifty promintently features some 1980s footage of Nottingham's Wollaton Hall...

Artworks: Lucy Suggate and Tender Stones

For this month’s Artworks, we speak to dance artist and choreographer Lucy Suggate about her work Tender Stones, which will be performed this month as part of the 2025 nottdance Festival.

Atticus Finch, Sunk and cider: here's what's on in Nottingham this week Monday 5 - Sunday 11 October 2025

October is here! To start the month off, you can find everything in Nottingham from the punk scene to uplifting singing-storytelling, from a stage adaptation of a world-famous American Southern Gothic novel to the annual Robin Hood Beer and Cider Festival...

Comedy Review: Mark Steel at the Nottingham Playhouse

BAFTA-nominated Mark Steel, a regular on the nations TV, radio and bookshelves, gives us insight into his journey surviving cancer...

Stapleford singer George Gadd talks about his new band and debut album Too Many Ghosts

He’s been a stalwart of the local Nottingham music scene for over a decade now, so it seems quite remarkable that George Gadd’s debut album – the recently-released Too Many Ghosts – has taken this long to manifest. We caught up with the Stapleford singer-songwriter to hear about the making of this deeply personal first record, his musical influences, as well as his upcoming launch show at The Bodega…

LeftLion's Latest Listens #32: Notts music we're currently spinning

In this autumn edition of LeftLion's Latest Listen, our music team reviews new releases from Vona Vella, Cara Flynn and Dekker...

Comedian Carl Donnelly previews his new gig at The Squire Performing Arts Centre

TV and radio comedian Carl Donnelly is touring with his first new show in five years. So what kept him so long? It's quite a story and one he shares with Left Lion... 

LeftLion Issue #188 October 2025

Featuring Wolf Wytch Apothecary, ghost stories from the National Justice Museum, Hockley Hustle 2025, Sisterhood Photography Collective, Trancesexuals club night, Nottingham Comedy Festival, Nottingham's new nature poet laureate, Primary, the Nottingham Women's Centre, George Gadd, Adam Curtis, and loads more...

Left Magpie: September 2025 - Sun Sets On Mid Table

Our Notts County columnist Julian McDougall, is back with a report on this month's action at Notts County FC and is somewhat confused to see the pies in mid-table...

We speak to Dekker about music, personality and artistic intention

With a new album Neither Up Nor Down under his belt, US-born Nottingham resident Dekker is preparing for a hometown show at Rough Trade. We caught up with Brookln to talk about his streaming platform success, the personal nature of his music persona, and the creative influences Nottingham provides...

Theatre Review: Inspector Morse House of Ghosts at Theatre Royal

The iconic 80s and 90s TV detective is back for a new live theatre mystery involving a delve through his own past and a play-in-a-play plot...

Robin Hood Beer and Cider Festival Returns to Trent Bridge, for it's fifth year in a row at the venue

The Robin Hood Beer and Cider Festival returns to Trent Bridge Cricket Ground from Wednesday 8 to Saturday 11 October 2025, bringing with it over 600 beers and 100 ciders and perries from some of the UK’s most celebrated breweries; including Nottinghamshire favourites like Castle Rock, Lincoln Green, Blue Monkey, Batemans, Lenton Lane, and Shipstones

Comedian and activist Mark Thomas talks Ordinary Decent Criminal

Cathy Symes interviewed Mark Thomas, the political activist, comedian, actor and director who is starring in Ordinary Decent Criminal, an award-winning play coming to Nottingham's Lakeside Arts in November...

Low Island on new album ‘bird’ and returning to Nottingham for a gig at the Bodega

Low Island haven’t performed in Nottingham since Dot To Dot Festival in 2021, but with the release of their new album bird earlier this year comes a headline show at The Bodega. We catch up with the Oxford DIY, electro-rock outfit to find out what we can expect…