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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…

Gig review: Fat Dog at Rough Trade Nottingham

Fat Dog are no strangers to Nottingham's bigger venues. But how would their trade mark chaotic energy translate to the more intimate setting of Rough Trade's upstairs room? While the moshing was more restricted, we discovered endless dancing, plenty of energy and a room full of people who had come for the same reason: to feel alive through the power of music...

Gig review: Madra Salach at Rescue Rooms, with Tanzana

Madra Salach's first visit to our city was unmissable and never to be forgotten: a melting pot of passion, folk tradition and zeitgeist-defeating songwriting. With Tanzana setting a high bar in support, the collective memory of Rescue Rooms may never be the same...

Theatre Review: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time

An autistic teenage girl investigates a murder...

Gig review: Basht. at Rough Trade

It's hard to find an out-of-town band with so much love for Nottingham as Irish post-punk scenesters Basht. This year alone they have played in our city twice, and plan to go for a hattrick in late October with an appearance at Rescue Rooms. With this admiration, it's obvious why we were so keen to catch their show at Rough Trade as it celebrated the release of one of the best albums of 2026...

Gig review: Lake Malice at Rescue Rooms

Supported by Eville and Chaosbay, Lake Malice arrived in Nottingham for one of the most emotionally charged nights of their current run. The show at Rescue Rooms marked the second-to-last date of the tour, adding an extra sense of significance to the evening. That feeling was heightened by the fact that vocalist Alice Guala was battling illness but continued to perform, downing honey in between each song...

Gig review: Antony Szmierek at The Level

“Had a panic attack in a park last year in Nottingham - and that wasn't great really” reveals Mancunian spoken-word poet Antony Szmierek, on his brilliant second album, Decoding Birdsong. Given this, you would forgive the former teacher for wanting to avoid our city for a little while. However rather than running away from his demons, Antony returned this past week to fully exorcise them. Here’s what went down at his euphoric, cathartic and instantly legendary show at The Level…

Festival review: Beeston Oxjam 2026

Gig review: Man/Woman/Chainsaw at Rescue Rooms

Let’s start with a little history lesson. Around the late 2010s, a scene began to emerge based out of the south of London. This was a scene full of experimental and boundary-pushing artists, all based around The Windmill in Brixton. Many young bands cut their teeth at this venue, eventually blowing up into juggernauts of the underground. One of these bands is, incidentally, Man/Woman/Chainsaw. Formed in 2019 by Billy Ward and Vera Leppänen, they have expanded into a sextet of some of the finest musicians in the British Isles. Now, they are taking their critically acclaimed debut album Cannonball on the road - and they stopped at Rescue Rooms to show just how much they can do...

Gig review: Jim Ghedi at The Old Cold Store

Sheffield folk artist Jim Ghedi plays the Old Cold Store, celebrating his soundtrack for recent film The Death of Robin Hood. 

Gig review: The Smyths at The Level

The Level was the place to be for fans of The Smiths last Saturday evening, when top tribute band The Smyths delivered a totally believable rendition of the band’s celebrated third studio album, The Queen Is Dead, as well as a selection of the band’s best loved hits...

Gig review: Keo at The Level

Keo are arguably one of the most talked about new bands in the indie scene blowing up in England. Within just a year of releasing music, they have amassed a fanbase of such ferocity and admiration that it would put Swifties to shame. Just a week after releasing their acclaimed and incredibly popular album Put A Smile On For Me, they put on two massive shows at Nottingham’s The Level, pointing towards just how big these lads are going to be...

Gig review: We Are Scientists at Rock City

More than 20 years ago, We Are Scientists wowed with their major label debut With Love and Squalor. Now, with the album certified gold and a cult career on their belt, they have returned with a tour celebrating this seminal record. We caught them at Rock City...

LeftLion's Latest Listens #53: Notts music we're currently spinning

In the 53rd edition of LeftLion's Latest Listens, our music team reviews releases from Otala, Matt Blaney, Wayne Banks and Make Strangers...

Exhibition Review: Rosemary Wels, A Retrospective at the Nottingham Society of Artists

Rosemary Wels’ final exhibition at the Nottingham Society of Artists is as educational as it is impressive as you walk through the story of her career from school sketches to Nottingham rainy-night landscapes.

Theatre Review: MAMMA MIA!

The ever popular ABBA musical is in town

Gig review: Sports Team at Metronome

The news this past week has all been about one sports team, one that has been up to all sorts of things, creating chaos in the process. No, this isn’t the biggest scandal in the history of sport, but a chaos brought about by the end of a storming tour. Tonight was the final leg, and, as the cliché goes, you save the best till last. Sports Team’s chaos was being put to good use, better than the  dishonourable chaos that a certain other sports team has been found guilty of… 

Gig review: Gurriers at Rough Trade

The confines of the Rough Trade stage proved to be no barrier for Gurriers and their signature manic energy...

Gig review: The Sisters of Mercy at Rock City

The Sisters of Mercy proved beyond any shadow of doubt that they are still at the forefront of the Gothic music scene, with a breathtaking and flawless performance at a packed Rock City, that will likely linger in the memory of the those there for a long time to come...

Theatre Review: X at the Lace Market Theatre

A research station on Pluto has a crew with an unclear mission waiting for their replacements to arrive so they can return to earth.  The tension is soon mounting in that station as what is outside becomes of less importance...

Gig review: Freya Ridings at the Royal Concert Hall

Nottingham's Royal Concert Hall was transformed into a place of sonic beauty, as Freya Ridings delivered a focused and emotive live show...

Concert Review: The Hallé with Kahchun Wong at the Royal Concert Hall

The Hallé are back in Nottingham, with their new conductor Kanchun Wong and world-renowned pianist Stephen Hough on the ivories...