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We learned about the Big City Reads project, which is giving away thousands of books to Nottingham’s youngsters

Books broaden young people’s horizons, give them an educational leg up, and can even provide big health benefits - but sometimes reading gets costly. We learned about the Big City Reads project, which is giving away thousands of books to Nottingham’s youngsters…

Nadia on... Pride

Regular columnist Nadia Whittome talks about Pride Festival

Review: Monuments and Melodies all-dayer at Rough Trade

2024’s Monuments & Melodies Festival at Rough Trade Nottingham promised to be "a beacon for music enthusiasts”. LeftLion spent the day, and discovered a varied and dazzling array of talent, showcasing alternative music at its best...

Gig review: Sting and Nile Rodgers at Forest Live

The Forest Live concert series at Sherwood Pines – our area's largest public woodland, and part of Nottingham's back garden – has become a firm favourite on the local music festival scene. LeftLion went down to the woods and witnessed two legendary names, Nile Rodgers & CHIC and Sting, in action...

We speak to The Pastel Project about safety, healthcare, education, and making Nottingham a Trans Sanctuary City

Trans identities have become a huge news topic in recent years. Despite only 0.5% of the population reporting their gender identity and sex to be different than when registered at birth*, the media often leads us to believe that trans people pose a risk to the wider society, while trans people are rarely given a voice.

To learn more from the community themselves, we put some questions to Nottingham organisation The Pastel Project, to hear how they are looking to make Nottingham a Trans Sanctuary City, and understand their perspective on topics such as safety, law-making, healthcare, and education.

*respondents in the 2021 UK census

Festival review: Day three at Download Festival

A fortnight ago, Download 2024 had reached its final day. LeftLion was there to witness an incredible climax to a weekend of rock and metal music at Donington Park...

Festival review: Day two at Download Festival

This time two weeks ago, LeftLion was fully immersed in the world of Download, the spiritual home of rock and metal music. Here's what happened on day two of the festival...

Festival review: Day one at Download Festival

Every year, thousands of rock fans from across the globe make the pilgrimage to Donington Park, only half an hour from Nottingham city centre. This year, LeftLion joined them for an epic weekend at the 2024 edition of Download, perhaps our country's most legendary rock and metal music festival. Here's what happened on day one...

Gig review: Belle Chen at Metronome

Belle Chen is a captivating modern classical artist, born in Taiwan and raised in Australia. Last week, she graced the stage at Nottingham's Metronome – a venue with a growing reputation for bringing our city the very best in established and new touring music as part of their ongoing Piano Sessions series...

Nottingham Arts Theatre: The Full Monty review

Middle aged men stripping off...

A Mini-Tour of The Nottingham Poetry Festival

Every summer a wave of dreamy-eyed people bearing notepads descends upon the city...

Now, although only in its seventh edition, the Nottingham Poetry Festival is already one of our most treasured parts of our cultural calendar. This year LeftLion sampled just a small slice of what was on offer...

Dig it! We speak to York Archaeology about community digs at Wollaton Hall

Every year since 2019, a motley crew of students and local history enthusiasts has descended upon Wollaton Hall for a series of archaeological training excavations. They can be easily spotted about the grounds: a happy-looking crowd clad in mud stained high-vis, gleefully digging away or enthusiastically explaining themselves to curious park-patrons. These digs are run by Laura Parker and Tristan Cousins, community archaeologists from York Archaeology, who I met to talk about the project…

Gig review: John Grant at Rough Trade

The great man that is John Grant visited Nottingham’s Rough Trade to support the release of his brand new album The Art of The Lie. We headed down to watch his performance and Q&A with the album’s producer Ivor Guest...

In photos: Eyre Llew with Pacific K and Matt Darin at Rough Trade

Well-loved local band Eyre Llew took to the Rough Trade Nottingham stage to play a very special local show before setting off for a European festival trip. Support came from Pacific K and Matt Darin. Nigel King captured the action...

Bestselling author Constanza Casati tells us about lions, dust and PTSD

The twenty-nine year old author's mythological retelling 'Clytemnestra' was a Saturday Times bestseller - now she's back with the heroic follow-up, 'Babylonia'...

We caught up with her at Nottingham Waterstones ahead of her epic book tour earlier in the summer.

We Speak to Indie Musician Electronic Cherry Seraph Ahead of Her Bodega Gig

Female producer and queer artist Cherry Seraph's sonic evolution over the years is displayed throughout her discography. She released her debut EP mid-pandemic, and since then explores an ethereal genre bending sound. We caught up with Cherry ahead of her gig at The Bodega on 11 July.

Gig review: Cloudbusting at Rescue Rooms

Cloudbusting are an established and wildly popular tribute to the magnificent music of Kate Bush. We went to watch their recent show at Rescue Rooms, as part of the band's The Line, The Cross and The Curve Tour...

Preview: Live At The Hall at Wollaton Hall

Get ready for an epic night of music at Wollaton Hall on Friday 30 August, as "Live at the Hall" brings together an all-star lineup featuring Razorlight, Feeder, The Pigeon Detectives, The Sherlocks and more...

Gig review: Nick Mason at the Royal Concert Hall

With a refreshing new set since the last time Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason and his band of merry men, The Saucerful of Secrets graced our fair city, LeftLion witnessed something of a renaissance at Nottingham's Royal Concert Hall...

In photos: Toby Jepson at Rock City Beta

Music reviews: June 2024

This month on our stereos: Theorist and Friends, Shadows of a Silhouette, Lex, Mimosa, George Gadd + The Aftermath and Jude Forsey

Indie gigs, comedy music and pride parties: Here's what's on in Nottingham this week: 17-23 June

This week we're highlighting the best evening and late night parties and music taking place around Notts. From indie gigs to 'Britain's funniest band' to Nottingham's  Queer Prom, there's undoubtedly something for everyone in today's Pick of the Week.

Gig review: Girls Aloud at Motorpoint Arena

After 11 years off the stage, the Girls Aloud show is back. As the girls headed towards the end of their reunion tour, the show visited Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena, offering a heartfelt tribute to their late band mate, Sarah Harding, and a fun, upbeat return to noughties girl group goodness...

We speak to KAP aka Katie Anderson Price, winner of the Future Sound of Nottingham award

We caught up with Katie Anderson-Price, better known as KAP, winner of this year’s Future Sound of Nottingham competition and the opening act at Rock City for the 2024 Dot To Dot festival.

Theatre Review: Where I Belong

Lakeside Arts hosts poems and stories from two UNESCO Cities of Literature, Nottingham and Baghdad...