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Notts Pride, immersive theatre shows and great sporting events: here's what's on in Nottingham this week: events 20 July - 26 July
Sun 19 Jul 2026This week in Notts is just as vibrant as the last. If you're still not ready to say goodbye to the summer festivals, Boho Festival might be your solution. Or maybe you're looking for a change of pace? Whether it's an immersive theatre show at People's Hall, sporting events to get your adrenaline pumping, live music and more, here's what Nottingham has to offer this week...
Long live the queens! We chat to the Gladrags drag queens ahead of Nottingham Pride
Fri 17 Jul 2026Here in Notts we’re often blessed with the talents of some top notch drag artists – most perform as part of the well loved Gladrags collective and club night. For Pride 2026, on Sat 25 July, many of the queens we know and love will be seen in action for the grand afterparty at The Palais. In preparation, Bee Green catches up with five performers who are on the lineup…
Splendour Festival's last hurrah, musicals, ballet and immersive art experiences: here's what's on in Notts this week: events 13 July - 19 July
Sun 12 Jul 2026This week is one for the books, including Splendour Festival celebrating their final weekend, Beyond Monet & Beyond Van Gogh, a convention for hit sci-fi sitcom Red Dwarf, and events for theatre, music and ballet fans alike.
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
Fri 10 Jul 2026This 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.
LeftLion's Latest Listens #48: Notts music we're currently spinning
Fri 10 Jul 2026This week, our music team reviews new releases from Ben McElroy, KID SPIRIT and E.R. Thorpe...
Pick Six: playwright and actor William Ivory
Tue 07 Jul 2026For this month’s Pick Six we turned to Notts born screenwriter, playwright and actor William Ivory ahead of his play The Market Deeping Model Railway Club, which runs at the Nottingham Playhouse until Saturday 25 July.
People Laughing: Music to dance and cry to
Fri 03 Jul 2026People 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...
LeftLion Magazine Issue #197 July 2026
Fri 03 Jul 2026Our July issue features Notts Pride 2026, NG83: When We Were B Boys, the drag queens of Nottingham, Sidedoor Social, the Future Sound of Nottingham 2026 winners, Write Queer, and loads more...
More than a gig a day: Catching up with Isaac Neilson
Thu 02 Jul 2026Singer-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
Mon 29 Jun 2026They 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
Sun 28 Jun 2026This 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...
LeftLion's Latest Listens #47: Notts music we're currently spinning
Fri 26 Jun 2026In this edition of LeftLion's Latest Listens for 2026, our music team reviews new releases from Drinking With Lucy, EMiDORA, Saffron Gray and Isaac Neilson...
AI And The Independent Creative: Friend, Foe, Or Just Another Tool?
Fri 26 Jun 2026Few subjects divide a room of artists, musicians, and filmmakers quite as sharply as artificial intelligence. For some, it is an exciting new instrument, full of possibility, that lowers barriers and frees up time for the work that matters. For others, it is a genuine threat to livelihoods and to the very value of human craft, built on the uncredited labour of the people it now competes with. Nottingham's independent creative scene, never shy of a strong opinion, is having this argument in studios, venues, and pubs across the city. So where does the truth actually sit?
International movements, queer events, and classic film & music : Here's what's on in Nottingham this week, 22 - 28 June
Sun 21 Jun 2026The next week in Nottingham is jam-packed with events catering to all - including a play uplifting hidden voices in our community, two documentary screenings about critical movements, and a night of gothic drag bingo at Rough Trade. Here's our full list of things we'd recommend getting involved in.
Gig review: India Arkin, Dring and Emily Ashberry at The Grove
Sat 20 Jun 2026On the same evening that England were triumphant in their opening World Cup game against Croatia, tucked away in The Grove a magical evening of live music was taking place. Headlined by immensely talented, Bristol-based singer-songwriter India Arkin, with support from local artists Dring and Emily Ashberry, it marked the first Nottingham gig from promoter Music Observer, also known as LeftLion’s own Music Co-Editor, Phil Taylor. Here’s what went down…
Local bluesy rock duo Dusty 4 Track talk their debut album How Did I Get Here?
Sat 20 Jun 2026Musical duo Dusty 4 Track have been a Nottingham live music staple for several years now, and a must-listen band for anyone looking for chilled blues, whiskey soaked vocals, and foot-stomping riffs. Not long ago they put out their debut album: How Did I Get Here?, so it seemed like a good time for us to catch up with Benjamin James (organ/guitar) and Will Jeffery (guitar/vocals).
The tree might have stopped growing, but the spirit of the Major Oak lives on
Fri 19 Jun 2026After the Major Oak’s sad passing was declared yesterday, Environment Editor Adam Pickering shares his thoughts and looks to the tree’s legacy, as well as countywide initiatives restoring Sherwood Forest.