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LeftLion Magazine #121

1 January 20 words: LeftLion

The Music Special. Featuring JT Soar, Duke101, A History of Rock City, Nusic on Nottingham's best music decade, Silent Orchestra, Overall There is a Smell of Fried Onions, and more...

LeftLion Magazine 121 PDF 
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This is a web copy of LeftLion Magazine Issue 121. Printed copies are available free in over 450 venues across the city of Nottingham.

Food Review: Cafe Coco Tang

We headed to the Vietnemese-inspired eatery everyone's talking about in Nottingham...

JT Soar's Phil Booth: "The gigs aren't here to make money for the space."

27 January 20

Over the past decade, an angular building in Sneinton has grown into one of the UK’s most revered DIY music spaces. JT Soar, a fruit and potato warehouse turned studio, rehearsal space and gig venue, will celebrate its tenth birthday this month, with founder Phil Booth still very much at the helm. What began in 2010 as a recording studio has slowly but surely become a DIY exemplar, boosting our city’s street cred while simultaneously providing an all-embracing platform for artists from far and wide to flourish. We stopped by for a pre-birthday brew to find out more about JT Soar’s Midas touch…

Food Review: Burra Khana

24 January 20

We got along to Burra Khana to check out the food...

4 Acts to Clock at Beat the Streets 2020

23 January 20

Beat the Streets, the annual day festival raising money to improve the lives of homeless people in Nottingham, is back for 2020 on Sunday 26 January, and they’ve pulled out all the stops to kick-off the decade how they mean to go on. As well as bagging Jake Bugg for a performance slot, you can also catch the likes of award-winning folk singer and activist Grace Petrie and everyone’s favourite live karaoke band Bamalamasingsong. But enough about the big guns – our music editors have selected four lesser-known names that they think you should fight your way to the front to see...

Nottingham Trent University's University Hall

22 January 20

Opposite Nottingham Trent University’s Arkwright building stands another striking piece of architecture. The University Hall is a brand-new venue that’s aiming to bring modern classical music and other exciting performances to both its students and to the city. We spoke to Pro-Vice-Chancellor Barbara Matthews about the making of a masterpiece, the reaction so far, and what they’ve composed for its future…

Silent Orchestra: The Multi-Sensory Instruments for Dementia Patients

22 January 20

At Hackspace, three local artists have been building and tinkering with musical instruments that trigger lights and vibrations. Behold, the Silent Orchestra. Inspired by the concept of synesthesia, this project is the answer to a City Arts callout for an installation to help improve communication between dementia patients with hearing loss and care home staff…

What A Decade: Nusic on Why Nottingham Should Be Crowned the Music City of the Last 10 Years

19 January 20

If you live in Nottingham and are passionate about that music thing, it’s fair to say this is the best decade we’ve ever had. And not just us: there’s a case that musically, Notts has had one of the best decades in the whole of the UK…

Notes From a Mental Health Nurse: Music as a Healer

18 January 20

Each month, our anonymous mental nurse, who has over two decades on experience working in Nottingham, will deal with a specific mental health issue with practical, accessible advice. This month, to fit the theme of our music special, they talk us through how we can use the medium for some much needed peace...

Overall There is a Smell of Fried Onions

16 January 20

Cast your mind back to the 1990s – an era before mobile phones, the internet and LeftLion. Back then, a printed magazine called Overall There Is A Smell of Fried Onions was covering and nurturing Nottingham’s music, culture and events scene. Under the leadership of Paul Kilbride, it published fifty-odd issues between 1991-98, distributing them for free in venues all over the city...

Plant-based Restaurant No.12 Cook Fresh and Local

15 January 20

After two years spent building a strong reputation and scooping up numerous awards, plant-based restaurant No. 12 have dropped the Houndsgate, expanded to bigger premises and crafted a new, more varied menu...

Two Books to Check Out This January

14 January 20

History comics make up this month's selection... 

9 Tips for Emerging Artists from Musicians' Union

13 January 20

Aiming for a career as a working musician? Forget what your parents, no-good friends or washed-up X Factor stars say – it’s possible. We had a chat with the Musicians’ Union and asked for their top tips on making your dreams come true in a realistic manner...

Duke01: "You don’t bite somebody else’s lyrics."

13 January 20

Having been involved in rap for over thirty years, Nottingham artist  Dean Tate – aka Duke01 – knows his way around a microphone. Ahead of the Afterall This Time Reunion Party that we’re throwing for Overall magazine later this month, we spoke to him about how he got into rap, the importance of identity and the current state of the UK…

7 Music Communities for Women and Non-binary People in Notts

11 January 20

Back in ‘66, James Brown might have crooned that “this is a man’s world”, but these days we know that’s nowhere near the truth. When it comes to music there’s no doubt there’s a thirst for inclusive, safe spaces for those who don’t identify as a fella, and Notts absolutely has plenty to add to that conversation. We’ve rounded up a snapshot of some of the best community groups for music-loving females or non-binary folk who’d love to get involved.

Snap Notts: Hopkinson's Art Centre

11 January 20

Every month we pair up a local poet and photographer and give them a location in Nottingham to create work around. This month, it's everyone's favourite surprise-packed antique shop...

6 of the Best Vegan Breakfasts in Nottingham

11 January 20

Six of the tastiest plant-based breakfasts to get your day off to the best start...

My First... Nightmare Gig

09 January 20

We asked, you told...

A Roadie in Notts: "People think I can get guestlist or signed stuff for anyone."

09 January 20

Our Day in the Life series looks at the trials and tribulations of people in Nottingham...

City Stylin': Tim and Jade

08 January 20

Every month, we take to the streets to find out a little more about your lots' lives and styles...

A History of Rock City

06 January 20

If you were a young person growing up in Nottingham in the last forty years, it’s almost a given that you would have spent a staggering amount of time inside the legendary walls of Rock City. Whether that was rocking out to the Ramones, taking to the stage as part of their street-dance crew or cutting shapes on the nightclub floor, the venue has seen thousands of faces over their time. It’s no surprise it’s still thriving as they gear up to celebrate their 40th birthday...

Object Walk: A Matchstick Violin Created by Prisoners

06 January 20

We’ve teamed up with the National Justice Museum to put objects from the past into the hands of people of the present. This month, we took a matchstick violin created by prisoners to Adam Wood, Senior Promotions Manager at Rock City...

Under Cover Artist #121: Mina Berntsen

05 January 20

We delve into the artistic process of Mina Bernsten, the creative brains behind our cover which celebrates Nottingham’s music scene...

Overheard in Notts

03 January 20

What the bob are you lot on about, now?

Nottingham in Photos

02 January 20

Our city, captured by some of the best local photographers abaht...

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