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Closing chapter: Jane Streeter looks back at thirty years of Lowdham shop The Bookcase

After thirty years at the heart of Lowdham village, The Bookcase — an independent bookshop founded and owned by Jane Streeter – has now closed its doors. Selling an abundance of local and global books, the shop supported local schools in the community, and also welcomed a few famous authors over the years, along with founding the Lowdham Book Festival which happened for over twenty-six years. Jane told us about the journey of the bookshop, along with the highs and core memories, over three decades…

The next stage: 25 years of the Nottingham Arts Theatre

For the past 25 years Nottingham Arts Theatre has been serving the city with a programme of local and touring indie stage shows in their iconic 200 year old Hockley building. We spoke to poet, and theatre Chair director Campbell Kay about the theatre’s journey, its role as an educational charity nurturing theatrical talent in Nottingham and their diverse range of shows…

We chat to Ibibio Sound Machine's Eno Williams ahead of the band's Rescue Rooms show

Ibibio Sound Machine are a leading act within African and Electronic music. They have had multiple appearances on Later... with Jools Holland and countless plays across the BBC. They bring a showstopping performance to every stage they grace and have echoed the walls of Wembley Stadium. LeftLion sat down with frontwoman Eno Williams to discuss their latest release, Chopping Mountain, and their ongoing tour, reflecting on making music now compared to their 2014 debut, as well as that moment Coldplay asked the band to open for them in the UK’s biggest stadium...

20 Years of Hockley Hustle

This month, Nottingham city’s biggest independent arts and music festival, the brilliant Hockley Hustle, is celebrating twenty years of bringing sound and colour to our streets. Showcasing an eye-watering array of genres and talent, the festival is more than just a good time – it’s raised over £250K for 27 local charities, as well as providing stages for thousands of artists from Nottingham and beyond. 

This year, the Hustle is back on Sunday 25 October, bringing 500 acts to fifty stages. You’ll be able to catch the carnival, chill to some acoustic sounds, dance at the silent disco, enjoy punk, soul, Hip-Hop, and more.

To celebrate, here’s what the Hustle’s massive team of promoters, mainstay artists, and central organisers remember most fondly about the last twenty years of music and mayhem…

Comedy Interview: Ben Macpherson from Nottingham Comedy Festival

Ben is a familiar face on the Nottingham comedy circuit, including Club Wormhole and Apple of Discord. And in November he's one of the acts at the Nottingham Comedy Festival. He shares some of his comedy secrets with Left Lion...

The Scientist: LeftLion chats 20 years of With Love And Squalor with We Are Scientists' Keith Murray

20 years ago, in the midst of an indie boom kickstarted by a thriving New York rock scene, We Are Scientists emerged as the band seemingly just there for a good time, rather than a long time. However, two decades and nine albums later, they have become one of the mainstays from that flourishing mid-00s period, all thanks to a consistently solid discography and their natural chemistry with one another. Ahead of their show at Rock City later this week celebrating 20 years of their beloved debut album, With Love And Squalor, LeftLion caught up with the band’s charismatic frontman, Keith Murray…

40 years of Notts County FC's Lifeline scheme

Notts County FC’s Lifeline scheme is an independent volunteer-run lottery and fundraising scheme, launched forty years ago this month, to support the football club through financial difficulties. Members pay £2 per week and are entered into a range of lottery draws and receive access to events, stadium tours, a training session, hospitality offers and more…

Common Ground: Alan Lodge's upcoming exhibition documents protests, parties and festivals over the last fifty years

Opening this month at Bonington Gallery is Common Grounds: Counterculture & Confrontation since 1976, a retrospective of the work of Alan ‘Tash’ Lodge. One of the UK’s most prolific photographers of alternative lifestyles, Alan’s work gives a vivid first person insight into the new age traveller movement and the 90s free-party scene, raising questions about the right to gather, policing, surveillance and community.

Stage Interview: Dan Lewis on Tommy Cooper – Have I Got Time For More?

A new show celebrating comedy giant Tommy Cooper visits Nottingham this November. Director, actor and producer, Dan Lewis, sits down with Left Lion to share the importance of being Tommy. Just like that...   

Stage Interview: Tracy Radford, artistic director at Unanima Youth Performance Academy

The Unanima Youth Performance Academy supports people with learning disabilities, developing theatrical skills and creating opportunities to perform. And they have just been awarded a grant to take their work to new levels. Tracy Radford, CEO and Artistic Director, shares the story of their success with Left Lion... 

We speak to Freya Ridings about songwriting, empowerment and Nottingham memories

Since breaking through with her top 10 single Lost Without You in 2017, Freya Ridings has established herself as one of the UK’s most impressive vocal talents, able to deliver tender balladry and euphoric moments of power with equal skill. Not content to rest on her laurels with the launch of her third album Mother Of Pearl, Ridings quickly launched into a huge UK and EU tour. We caught up with her ahead of the Nottingham date...

We talk to a band who define runaway success: Westside Cowboy

Manchester formed four-piece Westside Cowboy are one of the most exciting bands emerging on the current UK circuit. Within three years of forming during freshers week at university, they have toured with masterclass rock group Geese, secured the most viewed performance on the current series of 'Later… with Jools Holland', performed at  Glastonbury and filled venues of  thousands - all before their debut album was even released. Ahead of their Nottingham record store appearance, we sat down with Reuben (vocals / guitar) and Aoife (vocals / bass) to discuss the new album, their upcoming record store and headline tours, and meeting music legend Elton John...

Tom A. Smith talks energy, dedication, and why he just keeps coming back to a certain local festival

Next week, Tom A. Smith will be returning - again - to the magical, intimate setting of 110 Above Festival, just a few miles from Nottingham. We caught up with the Sunderland artist for a quickfire interview...

LeftLion Interviews Podcast #19: Selina Mosinski (AKA Charity Shop Sue) and Matt Chesney of Backlit Studios on Selina’s new Edinburgh Fringe show Puss in Boots: a Working Class Fairytale

This episode we are joined by Selina Mosinski (AKA Charity Shop Sue) and Matt Chesney of Backlit Studios to talk about Selina’s new Edinburgh Fringe show Puss in Boots: a Working Class Fairytale.

People Laughing: Music to dance and cry to

People Laughing landed on the Nottingham music scene in January 2026 with big tunes, smooth aesthetics and catchy songwriting. The trio, made up of singer/guitarist Matt Grocott, bassist Ollie Carnell and drummer Luke Hallam, have showed no sign of showing, with a three-date residency at Nottingham’s legendary Acoustic Rooms, sets at big venues including The Bodega and Rescue Rooms, and even an appearance at Nottingham’s biggest festival, Splendour, upcoming. Singer Matt joined up for a chat to tell us all about the project, what they draw from and what’s next...

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…

Splendour Festival preview: In Conversation with Editors

They are arguably one of the most underrated bands in Britain. For over two decades, Birmingham alt-rock outfit Editors have barely put a foot wrong - from forging a consistently exciting and eclectic discography, to always delivering with their euphoric and pulsating live shows. With their eighth studio album, Surface, Echo & Sound, due for release in October and the band set to join Snow Patrol to close out the final ever Splendour Festival in style, we caught up with Editors’ bassist and founding member Russ Leetch, to discuss their storied career, their forthcoming new album and performing in Nottingham through the years…

Interview: Author Ian C Douglas' new creative writing courses at Nottingham Trent University

This summer, local author Ian C Douglas is teaching two new world-building courses as part of Nottingham Trent University's Creative Short Courses programme. He chats to LeftLion about making stuff up... 

Green and pleasant land: how The Meadows is building sustainability and community health

Five years ago, the Notts suburb of The Meadows got a major funding boost to help the community live greener, richer lives and take local action on climate change. With that grant now ending, local resident Lottie Limb takes a look at what the Green Meadows project has achieved and how it can evolve.

Finn Forster on supporting Stereophonics, Radio 1's Big Weekend and the emotions of touring...

The latest rising star from the North East’s explosive music scene, Finn Forster, sat down with LeftLion in the midst of his largest headline tour. We caught up about all things Stereophonics, his latest release, and the rollercoaster of tour emotions 

Interview: Alexis Gregory in Smoke, a queer thriller at Nottingham Playhouse

Smoke is a new play from acclaimed queer theatre-maker Alexis Gregory coming to Nottingham this month. As well as a hard-hitting, savage, comic-thriller, a panel follows the play, hosted by You Are Loved and exploring issues from the play. LeftLion speaks to Alexis about social media, drugs, homophobia and much more...    

LeftLion Interviews Podcast #18: Nyrobi and Chaya of ALT BLK ERA on winning a MOBO, playing Jools Holland, touring with Pendulum and homecoming gigs

This episode we are joined by Nyrobi and Chaya of ALT BLK ERA, who talk about their whirlwind year of winning a MOBO, appearing on Jools Holland and touring Europe with Pendulum…