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Dance Review: Breakin' Convention

Impressive Break Dancing on offer at Nottingham's annual festival 

Comedy, music festivals and local talent: Here's what's on this week in Nottingham 18 -24 May

 This week in Notts! Enjoy local theatre performances and live comedy, or head to Dot to Dot music festival and dance the night away in various venues across Nottingham. Here's our top picks...

In photos: Drew Thomas at Rough Trade, with Terrianne and Emily Alice

In photos: Ella Clayton at The Grove, with Dring and Connexion George

After visiting Nottingham's The Grove in March to support Eyre Llew, Ella Clayton couldn't resist coming back with her own Could it be you? album launch tour. In support were local artists Dring and Connexion George...

Golden era: catching up with electronic-rock duo ALT BLK ERA before their Rescue Rooms show

In 2022, sister duo and Notts natives Nyrobi and Chaya Becket-Messam emerged onto the local music scene as electronic-rock act ALT BLK ERA. Since then, they’ve gone from strength to strength, from winning a MOBO award in 2025 to touring late last year with drum and bass band Pendulum. It’s been a while since we’ve caught up with Nyrobi and Chaya, so they set aside time to walk us through their crazy journey to this point.

Processing the past: illustrator Amy Bunting on her children's book about dementia

A recent exhibition at Hucknall Library showcased the nine year artistic process behind My Granny Is Changing – a children’s picture book dealing with dementia, created by artist and graphic designer Amy Bunting. Based on Amy’s own experience of navigating her gran Olive’s dementia, we talk to Amy about her creative process and how her story could help families talk more openly about dementia with young children.

Breakin’ Convention brings Hip Hop to Notts: founder Jonzi D tells all

Founded by Jonzi D, Hip Hop dance festival Breakin’ Convention returns to the Theatre Royal and Concert Hall this month. Bringing together world-class artists such as Ivan Michael Blackstock – a visionary creative behind choreography for Beyoncé - and local voices from rapper and spoken word performer Jah Digga to Hyson Green’s Take1Dance studio, in a celebration of dance, music and storytelling. Ahead of what’s guaranteed to be a boundary pushing celebration of one of the most exciting art forms to watch, Jonzi D talks to us about challenging preconceptions about where Hip Hop belongs… 

Soapbox races and heavy metal documentaries: Here's what's on this week 4-10 May

This week in Notts! Enjoy Nottingham's first ever soapbox race, or relive Iron Maiden's career, brit pop and trip hop. Here's our top picks...

Book Review: The History Boys Part II by David Marples

Gareth Watts takes a leaf through a new book by Dave Marples' new book about more great goals seen at the World Famous City Ground...

Locating Lawrence: April 1926

‘It is queer, this Fascist movement: one wonders what the end will be.’

Truth or Legend: the case of the Notts Whomobile

Matthew Blaney, our resident investigator of Notts weird history, delves into the story of Dr Who's car which was created in 1970s Notts...

Gig review: Badly Drawn Boy in conversation and song at Metronome

Record Store Day 2026 in Nottingham

Music aficionados united in Nottingham for Record Store Day 2026, a celebration of everything vinyl. We visited three of the city’s top record shops to soak up the vibe of a day dedicated to physical music and the enduring strength of independent retail...

Classical Music Review: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra with Domingo Hindoyan at the Royal Concert Hall

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra is yet another orchestra proving you do not need to go down south to see world-class concert music. And now they're back with a new conductor. Can they still cut the musical mustard... 

How ANTI All Genders Barber adds an extra dose of inclusivity to cutting hair in Nottingham

While getting a haircut is a fairly ordinary part of life for some, having a stranger alter your appearance can feel daunting for others, especially if you’re trans or non-binary and find yourself tangled up with widely-debated, unequal gender-based prices, or neurodivergent and don’t feel great about the socially-sanctioned small talk. Nottingham’s ANTI All Genders Barber is looking to provide a solution to that… 

Interview: BalletBoyz directors Michael Nunn and Billy Trevitt at Nottingham Playhouse

After 25 years of pushing boundaries, BalletBoyz return to Nottingham with a radical new show celebrating their silver anniversary. Artistic Directors Michael Nunn and Billy Trevitt talk to Leftlion about the story so far...  

Beltane, beer, Badly Drawn Boy and Shrek: Here's what's on this week 20 - 26 April 2026

This week in Notts! Enjoy craft beer, Beltane celebrations, Beeston Film Festival and lots more. Here's our top picks...

Concert Review: Orquesta Sinfónica De Galicia at Royal Concert Hall

The Galicia Symphony Orchestra is reputed to be one of Spain's most prominent orchestras with fans across the world. But how did they go down with the Nottingham audience... 

Put your records on: eleven Notts vinyl stores worth visiting on Record Store Day

On 18 April it’s Record Store Day – a celebration of that unique grassroots culture which, even in the face of constant adversity wracking the UK music scene, endures and provides a community for innumerable lovers of physical media. Since the fifties, Nottingham’s been a hub for well-visited record stores, some becoming legendary like Selectadisc – which once hosted The Clash in store – and Way Ahead – who as well as selling vinyl also sold tickets for one of Oasis’ biggest tours. Music has changed a lot over the last few years, but here’s eleven record shops still worth checking out

Theatre Review: Death On The Nile at Theatre Royal

A British murder mystery classic takes the stage at Theatre Royal Nottingham for it's European premiere...

How local class Deep Yoga is making mindfulness accessible

After finding Deep Yoga both deeply relaxing, and deeply difficult to master – especially when attempting to fashion a somewhat nonchalant expression during an unbalanced Half Moon Pose – Bridie Squires spoke to Dr Steven Athwal, Director of Deep Yoga in Nottingham, about his journey into yoga and why local studios matter more than ever… 

Gig review: Dusty 4 Track album launch at Rough Trade, with RonnieToldUs and Jinda Biant

Rough Trade was host to Dusty 4 Track last weekend as they celebrated the vinyl release of their debut album How Did I Get Here? with support from Jinda Biant and RonnieToldUs. Sophie Gargett went along to check it out...

Mapperley’s silent discos speaks volumes

Tucked away at the south end of Mapperley Top, framed by lush garden borders and the open stretch of Haywood Road Green, sits the Haywood Road Community Centre. While the centre is a bustling hub for meetups and activities throughout the week, the green space truly comes alive once a year for a local phenomenon: the annual Silent Disco. 

Review: Dave Rowntree in conversation at Metronome

Spring has sprung and swept into town not one, but two members of much-loved 1990s indie survivors Blur in recent weeks. Following a dazzling appearance by virtuoso frontman Damon Albarn’s Gorillaz at the arena the night the clocks went forward, much-loved drummer Dave Rowntree’s date in our fair city may be far more low-key but is still engaging and enlightening. Here on the latest leg of his Q&A tour to promote his new coffee table-style photographic memoir of the band’s early days, No One You Know, Rowntree spent 90 minutes regaling the audience with the stories behind the celluloid images under the trusty stewardship of BBC Radio Nottingham’s Dean Jackson...

LeftLion's Latest Listens #43: Notts music we're currently spinning

In this edition of LeftLion's Latest Listens, our music team reviews new releases from Book of Churches, Dusty 4 Track, Firmament and JJ Lovegrove...