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Gig review: Yard Act in-store at Rough Trade

Despite Yard Act having performed at Rock City a few years ago, LeftLion their fans jumped at the chance to see the band in the much more intimate setting of Rough Trade, and even get the opportunity to meet them afterwards at the album signing...

More than a gig a day: Catching up with Isaac Neilson

Singer-songwriter Isaac Neilson is from Buxton in our neighbouring county and based here in Nottingham. But since 1 January it’s been hard to find him in the city. On that fateful day, Neilson began a mind-blowing challenge: to perform a gig on every single day of 2026. LeftLion caught up with Neilson at the halfway point of the year…

Tattoo studio Good Mornink talk community, artistry and their upcoming charity flash day

Situated on the top floor of Hopkinson, one of Nottingham's most creative and quirky hangouts, tattoo studio Good Mornink is a welcoming community of international artists. Founder and Co-owner Melisa Büyük talks about turning dreams into the reality of owning a studio, and their upcoming charity flash day to raise money for Stonebridge City Farm...

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...

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

Immersive indie theatre, all day gigs, impactful exhibitions: here's what's on in Nottingham this week 30 March - 5 April

This is a great week in Notts for music and art lovers... check out our top picks.

St. Paddy's Day and... unemployed donkeys? Here's what's on this week in Nottingham, 16 - 22 March

Each week in Notts is different, but during the coming week there's set to be a particularly high amount of events that set themselves aside from the norm... here's what's going on... 

Gig review: Widow's Rock n Rollium with Hystamine and You Want Fox at Billy Bootleggers for International Women's Day 2026 Nottingham

On International Women’s Day Billy Bootleggers played host to the Widow’s Rock n Rollium - a spicy night of cabaret, burlesque, bands and fierce femme energy, featuring bands You Want Fox and Hystamine. We went down to check it out…

Here's what's happening this International Women's Day in Nottingham

There's plenty happening in Nottingham this weekend to celebrate International Women's Day - check out workshops, performances, and exhibitions and support our city's wonderful women.

Left Magpie February: Happy New Year

Back with another Left Magpie, Julian McDougall - our Notts County specialist - on what is beginning to look like a promotion-teasing campaign for the Pies! 

Wild About Sneinton 2025: how it happened on the day

Out of many opportunities, in our city, to get your hands dirty with soil while improving your local green space, annual community planting day Wild About Sneinton continues to stand out – bringing together volunteers and creatives to get local people properly in touch with their green souls. Joe Callow attended the 2025 edition, and learned about how the event is benefitting people

Theatre Review: Eureka Day at Nottingham Playhouse

Sam Harvey reviews Eureka Day at the Nottingham Playhouse - a satirical take on parenting in the modern US.

Rap artist JayaHadADream on her debut record and the Nottingham music scene

Since winning last year’s Glastonbury Festival Emerging Talent competition, things have only been on the up for Cambridge-via-Notts artist JayaHadADream. From collaborating with both local names and national heavyweights in dance music and hip hop, like Andy Zoutr, Gardna, and Flowdan, to receiving nods from the likes of Stormzy, there’s truly no stopping her. Wonderfully, she also got her start right here in Nottingham.

With her debut album Happiness From Agony now released, plus a Metronome show this month, she told us how life’s going at the moment.

Gig review: Allo Darlin' at The Old Cold Store

A reunion of many, with the moon looking down on it all... LeftLion's Michael Prince found himself in awe and happiness as he witnessed the long-overdue return of indie-pop band Allo Darlin'...

Actor Matt Gavan gives the inside scoop on Nottingham Playhouse's new play Eureka Day

Matt Gavan has acted in big hitting films and series like Christopher Robin, Masters of the Air and Pennyworth. But now he is treading the boards in Nottingham Playhouse's new comedy Eureka Day. Leftlion caught up with Matt on day two of rehearsals... 

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...

Lola Young, Day Fever and the Festival of Food and Drink: Here's what's on in Notts this week 15-21 September 2025

Nottingham is hosting a diverse range of events this week, from back-to-back musical performances arranged by Rough Trade to a majestic murder mystery dinner night and a 2000s emo festival. Be it enjoying comedic nostalgia with Friends on stage or witnessing an epic confrontation between local poets, there is something for everyone and this week's top picks from our city are...

We chat to Day Fever co-founder Jonny Owen

Day Fever is less than two years old but has already become a cultural sensation. Launched in early 2024 with a debut event in Sheffield’s City Hall Ballroom and growing to a nationwide tour that’s sees thousands around the UK hit the dance floor each month, the message is clear: people everywhere are craving a space to let loose, laugh, and dance, all before 8pm. Ahead of Day Fever's return to Nottingham on 20th September, We sat down with co-founder Jonny Owen to discuss how the event came about, how it has become so popular and why Nottingham is the ideal venue...

By youth, for youth: Nottingham celebrates 25 years of International Youth Day

This year marked the 25th anniversary of International Youth Day; we headed down to the pop-up shop organised by Nottingham City of Literature’s Youth Board to join in with the celebrations...

Three days of darkness and light: the Nottingham attacks as they happened

Two years on, Benedict Cooper remembers how the city came together in the wake of the Nottingham attacks, in which students Grace O’Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber and caretaker Ian Coates were tragically killed.

Gig review: Seas of Mirth, Bethlehem Casuals and The Barnacles at The Old Cold Store Nottingham

The merry-makers of Nottingham were out on Friday night as promoter I’m Not From London presented local legends Seas of Mirth, with support from The Barnacles and Bethlehem Casuals at The Old Cold Store...