LeftLion Magazine - July 2017 - Issue 91 by LeftLion

#91 JULY

Exceptional performances in the stunning grounds of Nottingham Castle, Newstead Abbey and Wollaton Hall

July-september 2017 dreAM the lost W ’s t h g i orld MMer N 8 July, 7.00pm A Midsu 0pm A Midsu 7 July, 7.0 MMer N JANe eyre ight’s d 2 1 J uly, 7.00 reAM re y e e p 9 N m Ju A ly , 7.00pm J m p Peter P .00 AN 15 July, 7 s r t o h e r WiNd iN the Wil r e 3 0 f J o u y l loWs y, 6.00p ed 14 July, 6.00pm m the CoM m p 0 P .0 r 7 i , d ly e & PreJu 20 Ju the lost Wor diCe 6 A u l d guSt, 7 h t e b .00pm 3 August, 7.00pm MAC m p 0 t .0 h 7 e , MikAdo 21 July t W e l t f t 1 e h i 1 N l ight AuguSt ANd Ju , 7.00pm 15 August, 7.00pm roMeo m p 0 N .0 orthAN 22 July, 7 ger Ab Pride & PreJu 1 b 8 Augu d iC e N A St, 7.00p ey 1 September, 7.00 Peter P m pm 0pm eMPer .0 6 , ly u J o 27 r’s NeW 2 Clothe 0 A u g o uSt, 6.0 d A s k i M e 0pm th m .00p 29 July, 7 ire boy billioNA 0pm 6.0 4 August, ’s dreAM t h g i N MMer A Midsu .00pm t, 7 11 Augus Ns eCtAtio P x e t A gre t, 7.00pm s u g u A 2 1 iCe PreJud & e d i r P t, 7.00pm 13 Augus AN Peter P m ber, 6.00p m e t p e S 1

BOOK NOW ON 0115 807 7900 www.nottinghamheritage.org.uk/ outdoortheatre/ 54954

LIVE MUSIC STAGES

Up & coming new Nottingham bands (Fri) World & Roots (Fri – Sun) Folk (Sat – Sun) Jazz (Sat – Sun)

GIANT FUN FAIR STREET FOOD & MARKETS KIDS’ ZONE RIVER FUN Dragon Boats, Paddleboards & Rubber Duck Races on the River Trent (Sat)

HUGE FIREWORKS DISPLAY (Sat)

FRIDAY 4TH • SATURDAY 5TH • SUNDAY 6TH AUGUST Supported by Victoria Embankment Nottingham

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Issue 91 July 2017

contents

credits Executive Box Packer Alan Gilby (alan@leftlion.co.uk) Editor-in-chief Jared Wilson (jared@leftlion.co.uk) Editor Bridie Squires (bridie@leftlion.co.uk)

Bags of Bones We asked some creative paleontologists (kids) to write us some dino-fiction.

The Queens of Drag Some of Nottingham’s most fabulous drag queens throw some serious shade.

Whatever Floats Your Boat James Blackburn has dedicated his retirement to making homes that sit on the water.

Assistant Editor Lucy Manning (lucy@leftlion.co.uk) Marketing and Sales Manager Ash Dilks (ash@leftlion.co.uk) Sales and Marketing Assistant Matt D'Alesio (matt@leftlion.co.uk)

Good Godfrey Rising singer-songwriter, Daisy Godfrey, on her musical influences and latest single.

Write Lion A mighty fine hello from our new Literature Editor, L P Mills. Plus book reviews.

LeftEyeOn Ah, Nottingham heads. You’re not bad with them there cameras, are yer?

Proud To Be Jon Lee Collishaw looks back at the development of the Notts LGBT+ Network.

Noshingham With Bunkers Hill, George’s Great British Kitchen, and An Ode to Brown Betty’s.

In Focus: Sheep Soup The theatre company that brought you Mrs Green answer our questions in photos.

Political AIDS Gay in the 80s author Colin Clews talks election mileage and fake news.

Pick of the Month July is p-p-p-poppin’ off, so don’t miss out.

Everybody Walk the Dinosaurs Wollaton Hall is home to some never-before-seen dinosaur skeletons this month.

Thrashtonbury Festival The heaviest label in Notts, Earache Records, set up shop at Glastonbury this year.

Event Listings With Nusic Box, and the Promoter Focus on Shady Cow.

Up For Grabs Mime Industries are giving you the chance to create your very own robots.

Outdoor Theatre Season The grounds of some of the city’s best-loved attractions are to be taken over by thespians.

Ace of Lace Winner of Nottingham’s Best Independent Business 2016, Debbie Bryan talks textiles.

End Page With Rocky Horrorscopes, Art Hole, Notts Trumps, Strellyation, and LeftLion Abroad.

17 21

Street Tales With What Notts, Overheard in Notts, Ad Sectioned and The Thompsons.

Music Reviews Some of Nottingham’s finest musical offerings, dissected by yours truly. Art Works With the goods of Alanna Chamberlain and Anna Wheelhouse.

Well, fluff my feathers and call me an ostrich. What the bleeding hell is going off in this country? Don't know about you duck, but coming? Going? You tell me. One minute the town’s being painted red by a bunch of comrades; the next, fake-news Christians are set to dominate and destroy the legislation waves. I can't keep up, but I'll have to admit that this season of The UK has had some great episodes thus far. There've been loads of changes at LeftLion HQ recently, too. Having said goodbye to a fair whack of members from the team, we're saying another to our long-time designer, pun master and brother, Raphael Achache. Our Raph has been drawing pictures, doing a magazine, and making us laugh for yonks; his presence is already sorely missed, but there have been many – and there will be many more – glasses raised in honour of his wonderfully silly and sprightly self. And now, LeftLion’s Natalie Owen is stepping up as head designer. Nat’s been on

it from the start and as you’ll see from the pages afoot, it's about to get laireh. This issue, we've got dinosaurs, drag queens, singers, actors, artists, canal boats, robots, and a Glastonbury stage made out of a London Underground tube train. You what? You heard. If you'd like to contribute to this glomp of Nottingham culture, we'd love to hear from you. And not just because every bogger's boggered off. We're firing up the first of the LeftLion Open House sessions at The Angel Microbrewery on Tuesday 18 July at 6.30pm, where you can meet us lot, catch some laughs, and impart a few city wisdoms. Writers, illustrators, photographers, and everything in between; join us. Now, it's onwards; into that hypnotic sphere of the unknown. Keep this magazine with you for sanity's sake. And, if you come across any human rights violations, you can roll it up and use it to wallop the perpetrators. Bridie Squires bridie@leftlion.co.uk

Sub Editor Shariff Ibrahim (shariff@leftlion.co.uk) Photography Editor Shaun Gordon (shaun@leftlion.co.uk) Music Editor Paul Klotschkow (paulk@leftlion.co.uk) Literature Editor LP Mills (books@leftlion.co.uk) Poetry Editor Aly Stoneman (poetry@leftlion.co.uk) Stage Editor Hazel Ward (hazel@leftlion.co.uk) Screen Editor Ash Carter (editorial@leftlion.co.uk) Deputy Screen Editor Hannah Parker (editorial@leftlion.co.uk) Sports Editor Gav Squires (editorial@leftlion.co.uk) Videographer Georgianna Scurfield (georgi@leftlion.co.uk)

featured contributor

editorial

Designer Natalie Owen (natalie@leftlion.co.uk)

Cover Joe Symonds

Gav Squires Our new Sports Editor has tried his hand at pretty much every ball game going. From football to golf, hockey to rugby; you name it, he’s probably injured himself playing it. These days, he's more likely to be found sipping a beer and spectating. When not sporting, Gav can be found propping himself up at the bar in many of the city's live music venues, or hosting a science talk as a volunteer for the British Science Association. On top of that, he has two music shows on NG Digital; Cap'n Gav's Theme Time Pirate Radio Show and Ant & Gav's Joy of Six. You might also see him on Notts TV, pretending he knows what he's talking about as an "entertainment expert." @GavSquires

Contributors Wayne Burrows Colin Clews Ian C Douglas Joe Earp Filsan Hirmoge Rafi Hodges Alex Kuster Jon Lee Collishaw Oscar Miller Sam Nahirny Elizabeth O’Riordan Nick Parkhouse Molly Rosley-Hunt Tim Sorrell Mia Stasic

Photographers Rebecca Elcock Amy Humphreys Tom Morley Wendy and David Dan Skurok Stephanie Webb Illustrators Raph Achache Eva Brudenell Ian Carrington Chrissy Curtin Ian Jones Rikki Marr Feargus Stewart Joe Symonds Rob White

This issue is dedicated to Violet Annie Tomlinson 1933-2017

/leftlion @leftlion @leftlionmagazine

LeftLion magazine has an estimated readership of 40,000 and is distributed to over 350 venues across the city of Nottingham. If your venue isn’t one of them, or you’d like to advertise, contact Ash on 0115 9240476, email ash@leftlion.co.uk or visit leftlion.co.uk/rates

leftlion.co.uk/issue91

We delve a little deeper into the history of our city’s streets...

words: Joe Earp illustration: Eva Brudenell

Mr Snott “Both for the buildings on the side of it, for the very great wideness of the streets, and the clean paving of it, it is the fairest without exception of all England.” – Said of Nottingham in the time of Henry VIII, c 1512 Nottingham, or as it was most likely called, Snott’s encampment, started life in about 900AD and was a small collection of insubstantial hovels around where the ice stadium car park is now. Due to the yearly flooding of the Leen, it is believed Nottingham’s earliest inhabitants soon moved to higher, but rockier ground.

period, and would have then been Snottengaham; “Snott” being the name of the tribe; “enga” or “ing/eng” being water or by the water; and “ham” being a dwelling or hamlet. So the name Snottengaham was a description of the people and their place; “the hamlet of Snott’s people by the water.”

The first eyewitness account of Nottingham’s existence is in 950AD; when the monk Asser, chronicler for King Alfred, passed by on his way to Lincoln. Although he would have been some way off, the wide floodplains would have put little in his line of sight.

But what about the “S”? Where did that go? Well, after the Norman conquest came the Domesday Book, collated and written by Normans, who were French. They had great difficulty pronouncing “Sn” so, seeing as they were in charge, decided not to bother.

Asser wrote in his diary “…this day passed by Tigguocabauc”. Tigguocabauc is Welsh/Latin for “cavy house” and describes his view of the south-facing rock face, with its myriad rock-hewn chambers.

Therefore, Snottingham became Nottingham. I’m inclined to think they had little to do with Sneinton…

But Asser wrote down a description of what he had seen, not the name of the place. The name Nottingham comes mostly from the Anglo-Saxon

ADVERTISING SECTIONED

words: Wayne Burrows

Local adverts ripped from the pages of history... Tony Gardner: Your Labour and Co-Operative Candidate for Beeston (October 1974) History doesn’t repeat itself but, as Mark Twain probably never said, it has a definite tendency to rhyme. This water-stained campaign flyer was produced by Beeston Labour Party candidate Tony Gardner for the second general election held during 1974. That February, Conservative Prime Minister Edward Heath had gambled on a fresh election to increase his majority under the slogan “Who Governs Britain?” only to end up facing a hung parliament. Having failed to build a coalition with Jeremy Thorpe’s Liberals or secure an agreement with the Ulster Unionists to support him, Heath was forced to concede that he couldn’t form a government and passed the role of Prime Minister to Harold Wilson. Having struggled to run the country as a minority administration for a few months, Wilson called a second election in October. This finally gave him the narrowest of working majorities: a mere three seats. Unfortunately for Tony Gardner, Beeston wasn’t to be one of the gains made by Labour. A local Labour activist until his death in 2011, Gardner had already been MP for Rushcliffe between 1966 and 1970,

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when he lost to Kenneth Clarke. By 1974, boundaries had been redrawn and Gardner stood in Beeston, which now included part of his old seat, but he was twice defeated by the Tories’ Jim Lester. Beeston was absorbed into the Broxtowe constituency in 1983. The political arguments on Gardner’s flyer, interestingly enough, make their pitch against the general background of their day, commenting on “the oil crisis”, “soaring food prices” and a Conservative government pursuing “a deliberate policy of confrontation” with unions and working people. Labour proposed solutions such as “help for poorer families and the disabled”, “the effective redistribution of wealth; particularly inherited wealth” and “more house-building.” Gardner also clearly represented the political mainstream of his day and many of his arguments still resonate, perhaps none more than his remark that “the people of Britain will respond to the challenges we face, provided they see that the burdens will be fairly shared.” As for history, Wilson’s narrow win in 1974 led to Heath’s resignation and the appointment of a new Tory leader named Margaret Thatcher. She was widely considered unelectable by her own party’s old guard at the time.

For more on Nottingham History check out the Nottingham Hidden History website. nottinghamhiddenhistoryteam.wordpress.com

WHAT NOTTS Find out what’s been going off around and about the city over the past month... BLOWIN’ ‘EM AWAY When Jean Brooks’ son-in-law sadly passed away, the Hucknall resident opened up a café in her front garden to raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Care. While spending heaps of time in her garden, Jean, 64, noticed how bleddy fast cars, bikes and quadbikes were speeding down her road. With the area also used as a school drop-off point, and our Jean not one to to sit on her laurels, she took matters into her own hands to slow the road down. Ms Brooks now stands outside her yard and points an old hairdryer at those with a need for speed. Drivers mistake the hairdryer for a speed gun, and slow right down. She said: “They come up on their scooters and quad bikes showing off to the sixth form girls. It’s all ‘Look, no hands’, but it will soon be ‘Look, no teeth.’” Jean, you’re a joker. We’ll be round next week for a cuppa.

ELECTION RESULTS Well. That blew us out the water a bit, didn’t it? The “unelectable” allotment owner stormed his way to winning forty percent of the vote, and the current incumbent has had to hand over a billion to keep her job. One of the positives to come out of the whole election is the fact that 72% of “the youth” turned out to vote. In the meantime, keep active and stay motivated, as we suspect there’s more to come... BROKEN HEART BROKE THE BANK Lonely hearts across Notts are being conned by online fraudsters to give away their hard-earned cash in the name of love. The Nottinghamshire Police Force have had to dedicate specialist teams towards finding the perpetrators who are flirting their way to thousands of pounds, persuading their online partners to part with cars, furniture and even their homes to send them cash. Victims are usually recently widowed and lonely. How ‘orrid do you have to be?

LADIES ON LOCKDOWN Last month, Emma Green and her eighteenwoman bridal party were booted off their Jet2 flight to Majorca thanks to some naughty words on their t-shirts. Apparently, Jet2 asked the hen party to tek ‘em off a fair few times, and when they refused, the hens were removed from the flight. Emma told the Post “Part of me doesn’t even want to get married now” so Sir Richard Branson stepped in to offer free flights to Vegas because of their “traumatic” ordeal. The cheek. TRENT KIDS CAMP FOR OCEAN We’re all for a good time. But some of them there students over at Nottingham Trent have taken the whole “doing it for the sesh” thing a bit too far. About 400 of ‘em camped outside Ocean in heavy rain just to bag themselves tickets for the last “Ocean Wednesday” of the season. Some of ‘em were there for over fifteen hours and brought TV sets and FIFA to keep occupied. We’ve seen it all, now.

PET PATROL We’ve had words with you lot a fair few times about your bleddy barmy phone calls to our ever-overworked coppers, but it seems to be going in one ear, skipping the grey matter, and slipping straight out the other side. This month, someone rang the bobbies cos their pet mouse ran under the sofa and was too fast for them to catch. Get a slab of cheddar and a big stick and sort the bogger out yersen. You’re big kids, now. ALIEN FOG Holme Pierrepont is known for its vast and expansive duck population, the segway rides, and watersports of the Olympic kind. Last month, though, the park was covered in a mysterious grey web. According to Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust expert, Erin McDaid, the web belongs to bird cherry ermine moths, and is currently home to millions of larvae and caterpillar. We’re not so sure. We reckon someone’s opened a portal and the underneath is making its way through. Stranger things have happened...

“A ll I wa nt is so me money... Ooh, and a fairer Britain for the ma ny not th e few.”

"He's a resp

Nottingham’s most opinionated grocers on... THE ARBORETUM It’s brilliant in summer. We used to go there with our grandad when we were kids. We’re not fans of the aviary there, as we generally can’t stand animals, but they have the most marvellous collection of dahlias in the whole world. GLASTONBURY We ended up watching some of it on TV. We’ve got no idea how that Ed Shearer [sic] is so famous. He’s got too many words to fit his music properly. We enjoyed The Killers. They reminded us of a lady we knew called June who died a couple of years ago. She must have been about eighty, but they played that song Human at her funeral. God knows how a woman her age discovered a band like that. They were very good, though. DINOSAURS OF CHINA We never liked dinosaurs, not even when we were kids. Unless you count Marc Bolan and T. Rex. We’d probably find Jurassic Park boring and terrifying in equal measure. Wollaton Park is worth a visit any time of year though. The gardens are fantastic.

ected midg

et."

Green "You can vote for the rty or Pa ur bo “I'm terrib Party or the La ly sorr y, b ." ms Di b ut just been even the Le sick down someone has my back.”

"Nobody's ever moved to Kirk by

mp but I've and kill T ru o g ld ou w "I d that." got a job an “I've got a Sleafo rd Mods ca rrier bag. I'm going to use it wh en I go to Waitro se.”

the top of at place at “W hat’s th to Dotty xt he one ne Hockley? T Bread?”

on purpose."

"She’s got a new catlet… Catlet?" (confused pause) "I meant kitten."

azy ing that cr “We're keep rder vi be going on.” al-o alpha betic

Man 1: Every day's a learning day, mate. Man 2: I think the phrase is every day's a school day, mate.

Lad 1: I b eg Lad 2: No we get a keba b .

to this countr y. worst thing to happen d." "City councils were the nee power; that's what we One centra l, domina nt

st . T here's ju Bil borough re." he "Go ra h nd yw er ev weed bin bags of Man: Them Gü puddings you lik e are on ly a quid in Sa Woman: You’d pa insbur y’s. y that just for th e pot it comes in.

likes it round “My husband always goes for it. He lly rea he the back and that.” er aft ll always sleeps we

Woman: A re they your daug Man: Yes. hters? Woman: T hey're st rok bird, it's d isg usting ing a dead .

Tweet us @LeftLion with your #OverheardInNotts quotes.

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Wolfgang Spesh

Creepinâ€™ Nora

Itâ€™s like being bleddy abroad this, int it?

When you go down to the Rec today...

Wendy and David

Amy Humphreys

Want to get your shots featured in this spread? Simply email your best high-res Nottingham photos and Instagram handle to lefteyeon@leftlion.co.uk. Happy snapping.

Breadmaking

Holey moley...

Rebecca Elcock

Albesila

This yearâ€™s luminarium made us swoon . Dan Skurok

Kano at Detonate

Nottingham Contemporary, eat yer heart out Tom Morley

leftlion.co.uk/issue91

You might recognise this beauty of a theatre company from the comedy musical, Mrs Green. The musical tells the tale of former soul and Motown singer-turned-pillar of the Basford community, Mabel Green, who grows weed in her council flat to treat her arthritis. This time round, Sheep Soup have a brand spankin’ musical, The Leftovers, set to storm stages nationwide this year. But to get there, they need your help. Having received Arts Council Funding, they’ve launched a Kickstarter campaign to help ‘em over the last hurdle, and they’re asking you lot to drop ‘em a few bob to get the show on the road. Before you do, check out their answers to our questions, all crafted with a camera… facebook.com/sheepsoup

leftlion.co.uk/issue91

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CrossEyes Nottingham 32 Friar Lane Nottingham NG1 6DQ 0115 837 5960

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words: Gav Squires

Wollaton Hall is set to welcome some rather large guests to its grounds this summer. From Sinraptors to the mammoth Mamenchisaurus, the skeletons of never-before-seen dinosaurs will be making their way from China to Hoodtown to form the Dinosaurs of China exhibition. We sat down with curators, Adam Smith and Wang Qi, to learn all about it... Running from Saturday 1 July till Sunday 29 October, the Dinosaurs of China exhibition tells the story of the evolution of dinosaurs; from ground shakers to feathered flyers. The exhibition includes the traditional view of dinosaurs as large, scaly reptiles, but also covers parts of a far more diverse picture such as feathered, flying dinosaurs. Thanks to some of the amazing fossils being discovered in China, we now know that birds and dinosaurs are closely related. Wang Qi explains that “in the last two decades, a lot of feathered dinosaurs have been discovered in China and that has changed the thinking about dinosaurs”. Yes duck; even the duck is related to dinosaurs. We’re used to larger, earth-trembling dinosaurs – there certainly weren’t any feathered dinosaurs in Jurassic Park – so this is going to be a revelation to many. Why did these dinosaurs have feathers? According to research, there were a variety of different types of feathers on dinosaurs. “The earliest ‘protofeathers’ are very fuzzy and they were certainly not used for flight; they just aren’t that sort of feather,” explains Adam. “They were more likely used for insulation or thermoregulation, or maybe for colourful displays.” However, there were also dinosaurs that had more bird-like feathers and could fly. Wang Qi mentions the “Yi qi” as an exciting specimen in the exhibition. Only discovered in 2015, he describes it as having “a membrane so it looks like a bat; it’s a very strange creature.” Looks like there’ll actually be some actual batlike dinosaurs at Batman’s house then. The specimens are on loan from the Institute of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Palaeoanthropology (IVPP) in Beijing, and it’s the first time that some of the dinosaurs have ever been out of China. Wang Qi tells me about the Gigantoraptor; the largest of the birdlike dinosaurs. “That’ll be the first time that this whole skeleton has been displayed; even in China it’s not been shown in a public building, so we have some exclusive specimens.” Adam and Wang Qi were personally responsible for selecting the specimens in the exhibition, which wasn’t easy, but they had a very clear narrative in mind. Adam explained that one of the justifications for choosing as they did was a desire to select a wide variety of specimen types. “We’ve got 3D-mounted skeletons,” he says, “but we’ve also got flat, genuine fossils, preserved on real rock.” They want to tell other tales,

such as the history of palaeontology in China and the story of how dinosaurs are excavated; Adam describes one of the fossils as still partially encased in the plaster jacket from when it was taken out of the rock in the field. Of course, any conversation about dinosaurs is bound to come round to Jurassic Park at some point. Adam reveals that the film fuelled his interest in dinosaurs and that he was impressed by its depiction of Velociraptors. “They may not have been feathered, but they were active, warm-blooded and intelligent,” he says. “For its time, it was a step in the right direction and was encouraging people to think about dinosaurs in a new way. Before the film, dinosaurs were thought of as slow, sluggish and inactive creatures. Jurassic Park changed that for the better and depicted dinosaurs like the T-rex, for example, on two legs and balancing without dragging its tail. That was the first time that this [posture] was portrayed in pop culture.” Wang Qi expands: “Jurassic Park is a very good movie and actually brings in the public interest about the dinosaurs. That's a benchmark. Now, our exhibition could be another. We are changing people’s understanding about dinosaurs’ appearance: the fact that they were feathered; they could be fast and colourful; and they were different to what was shown in Jurassic Park.” The Dilophosaurus, for example, is on display in the exhibition. In the movie, this had a large neck frill and spat venom, but in real life it’s difficult to say whether it really had these structures around its neck. While both Adam and Wang Qi are fans of the film, neither of them think we’ll ever actually be able to clone dinosaurs, so Wollaton Hall may be the closest we’ll ever get to these creatures. When asked for their favourite part of the exhibition, Wang Qi chooses the Mamenchisaurus, describing it as a “superstar that has travelled around the world from Australia to Japan.” He goes on to explain how he grew up with this dinosaur back in China: “Mamenchisaurus was shown in a lot of children's books and cartoons, so I really grew up with it. It was the first dinosaur that I ever knew, and my favourite dinosaur that I’ll love forever.” “The dinosaur itself is 26 metres long; it’s huge,” Adam interjects. “That’s too big to fit inside Wollaton Hall in a normal, resting pose on four legs.” The team have had to come up with an ingenious solution; asking the IVPP to

mount the beast in a special pose, which means that it’s now going to be rearing up on its hind legs with its head in the air. “It’s going to be about thirteen metres high, and that will make it the tallest mounted skeleton of a dinosaur ever in the UK. It’s really going to wow people.” Adam chooses the Microraptor as his favourite specimen, describing it as “spectacular, because it’s a real fossil and it’s got all of this amazing scientific importance.” The Microraptor is much smaller than the Mamenchisaurus, but it’s important in the narrative of the exhibition because it has characteristics like a long, bony tail, claws and teeth, but it also has wings and birdlike feathers on its arms, legs and tail. This was a feathered dinosaur that could fly. “It’s a beautiful fossil,” says Adam. “It shows the complete skeleton of the dinosaur, articulated, which is very rare. And it has the feathers preserved.” The dinosaurs will have someone very special waiting to welcome them to Wollaton Hall; George the Gorilla. He’s already the museum mascot, but he’s been promoted to mascot for the Dinosaurs of China exhibition, too. “He’s got into the spirit by renaming himself George Gorillasaurus on Twitter,” says Adam. Wang Qi even suggests that Wollaton Hall might be coming to life at night like Night at the Museum, and that “George will be teaching all of the dinosaurs to speak English.” George isn't the only mascot of the exhibition. There is of course Hunter; a life-size, animatronic Sinraptor puppet. The Sinraptor is the largest meat-eating, predatory dinosaur in the exhibition and was one of the largest predators found in China during the Jurassic era. So keep your eyes peeled for Hunter, as he’ll be wandering around Nottinghamshire for the duration of the exhibition. What’s really exciting is that some of these specimens are holotypes; the original examples that were actually used to name the species. Also, many of the specimens that are coming over to Nottingham aren’t even on public display in China, they’re used purely for research. So, if you want to see these dinosaurs in the flesh – well, bones – it’s Nottingham or nowt. The Dinosaurs of China exhibition runs from Saturday 1 July till Sunday 29 October at Wollaton Hall. dinosaursofchina.co.uk

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In honour of the Dinosaurs of China exhibition, we asked some of our most worldly paleontologists – aka some kids we know – to imagine a world in which dinosaurs roamed the streets. And bleddy hell are we glad we did. These lot’ll be putting us out of a job soon...

Once upon a time, dinosaurs ruled the earth. They hunted each other and travelled across great distances to find food. One day, a lone Allosaurus was scouting the surrounding plains for food when she spotted a large shape in the distance. She slunk towards the figure, thinking it was food. The Tyrannosaurus rex was not happy to have an Allosaurus sneaking round his territory, so he chased it away by snapping his powerful jaws at the smaller dinosaur. As the Allosaurus ran past on her slim, hind legs, a Velociraptor emerged from the undergrowth; her long tail slashing through the air like a whip as she turned a sharp corner to pounce on a small lizard. When the Velociraptor had gone, a smaller dinosaur snuck out into the open; a Coelophysis. He was sneaky and slender with small, curved teeth, a long tail, and huge golden eyes that surveyed the scene, searching for prey that would lurk out of sight in the ferns. With no warning at all, a huge Diplodocus exploded out from a cluster of trees, startling the little predator foraging in the area. It had a small head with beady eyes and blunt teeth that swung back and forth over the trees, searching for a pinecone or a juicy-looking clump of pine needles. The Allosaurus that had fled the Tyrannosaurus rex came hurtling back to attack the Diplodocus. Both dinosaurs were clever, the Allosaurus more so, but the Diplodocus had a long, dangerous, whip-like tail that could cause enormous damage. Despite its best efforts, the Diplodocus fell prey to the Allosaurus. An Archeopteryx glided over the Allosaurus and its prey before landing in a tree to wait for leftovers. The Tyrannosaurus rex watched from a distance, also waiting for the Allosaurus to finish… By Molly Rosley-Hunt, age 9 ½

I woke up one morning to a loud roar. At first I thought it was mum’s cereal spilling all over the place, but when I came downstairs I realised it was a dinosaur skeleton, and it was an Oviraptor. The bad news was that it was drinking all the squash, straight out of the bottle, and a Sinraptor was eating all the ham. “Eat me instead!” I called out. They ran after me, and I ran with all my might to the park at Lakeside. There were loads of dinosaurs on the park; from a tiny Microraptor to its venomous cousin, Sinornithosaurus. I came to a dead end, and there was a Guanlong in front of me. “Hey! Go and get those guys, they’re trying to chase me!” I said to the Guanlong. “OK, I’ll do it,” he said. It bit the Sinraptor’s head off and ripped off the Oviraptor’s tail. Those parts joined back together and walked back to where they came from: Wollaton Hall. In the ancient kitchens, I found an old Elizabethan cookbook that was actually a magical spell book and it confirmed the skeletons had come to life because of a special spell. The book said “If someone breaks the skeletons with an axe, everything will turn back to normal.” The axe was Henry VIII’s own weapon, displayed in the Great Hall. I didn’t have much time, so I climbed up the curtains to grab the axe from the wall, but the curtain was really the tail of a Mamenchisaurus. The dinosaur looked scared. “Please don't break us with an axe! We surrender!” he said. “Alright,” I said. “I will bring you guys back to your natural habitat in China. But first, you have to be something that the people can look at and learn from here. You can walk around at night when the people have gone. Okay?” “You've got yourself a deal! Would you like one last ride to the play park?” said the Mamenchisaurus. “Yippee! Let’s go!” I said.

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By Oscar Miller, age 6

illustrations: Joe Symonds We were going to Sherwood Forest with the whole family for a picnic in the morning. My nana, my mum, my screamy baby sister, my two cousins, Rafi and Zohra, my aunty, and a few silly uncles who always tease me. Me and Rafi are very adventurous, so this would be a good day. I could feel it in my bones. I went to bed promptly at 7pm so tomorrow would come quicker. The next day, we went with a delicious picnic which my clever nana had spent hours making. She’s an excellent picnic maker. Rafi and I went to play in the forest. We played a dinosaur game and used sticks for daggers and swords. Just as we were about to fight the most terrifying dinosaur, my mum called us. “Lunchtime!” We were starving, so off we ran. Suddenly, we heard loud stomping and the ground started shaking! We were very scared. Rafi and I looked at each other. Surely all of our dino games hadn’t come true? We rushed into the woods. What stood before us was amazing. Taller than the trees and louder than a jumbo jet. A huge Triceratops. What were we going to do? We ran as fast as we could back to our family. “Run!” we shouted. “Dinosaurs!” Everyone ran and jumped into the car, the picnic flying out behind us! The dinosaur was chasing us and gobbling the picnic as it flew at him. “I’ve got an idea!” I shouted. “I think it’s escaped from the dinosaur exhibition at Wollaton Park. Let’s drive there and it’ll follow us!” Amazingly it did. It’s not just me who loves nana’s picnics, it seems. When we got there, it ran inside. It must have been desperate to get back to the other dinosaurs on display. How had it come to life? I woke up. It was just a dream. Suddenly I wasn’t so excited about the day ahead… By Mia Stasic, age 8

I woke up at my grandma’s house and I heard the scraping of claws and a massive roar. I saw a Gigantoraptor in my room. It was scraping the walls and roaring at my dog who was barking. Then I heard a crash at the door and a Protoceratops came rushing into the house. I was surprised. I ran downstairs and grabbed the dinosaur food that me and grandma had bought because we’d been hearing noises and we’d read that the dinosaurs were coming. I shook all the food out of the box and the dinosaurs ate it all. They calmed down and I made friends with them. I decided to take them to Sherwood Forest so I rode on the Gigantoraptor and the Protoceratops followed. They were running so fast that we travelled back in time to when Robin Hood was alive. Then we heard big stomps. It was a Sinraptor that had followed us from Nottingham. We were scared it was going to eat us. But then Robin Hood came swinging down from the trees and shot his arrow at the Sinraptor. It got him on the tail and he gave a massive roar and ran away. Then I rode back on the Gigantoraptor and Robin rode on the Protoceratops all the way back to Wollaton Park where we met my cousin Mia. The dinosaurs stopped moving and turned into skeletons, and Robin disappeared. Lots of people came to look at the dinosaurs so me and Mia gave out newspapers explaining all about them and how they originally came from China. Everyone was very happy to find out about the new dinosaurs. It had been a very exciting adventure but we were very tired, so me and Mia went home and went to bed. By Rafi Hodges, age 5

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words: Gav Squires photos: Stephanie Webb

Mime Industries are a local company that create build-it-yourself robotic kits, and people can use them to learn to code. To support the release of their newest product, the MeArm Pi, they ran a Kickstarter campaign that was quickly oversubscribed, with 852 backers pledging a whopping £56,376. We sat down with company founder, Ben Pirt; a man who’s very handy with robot arms... The MeArm Pi is a robotic arm kit that’s designed to be very low cost, simple and fun to build, getting everyone learning about technology, engineering and programming. “It’s quite simple, but you can control all of its movements in a very repeatable way,” says Ben. “So, like its larger cousins, you can automate it to manipulate things.” By building the MeArm Pi and then programming this automation, you can learn to code. The best thing about MeArm Pi is that you don’t need any experience in programming to get it working. “There are drag and drop programming languages that allow an absolute beginner to get started without getting caught up in typos and syntax errors,” explains Ben. It makes a change from the eighties when hours of typing in code from a magazine could be ruined by a colon accidentally being substituted for a semi-colon. In fact, Ben talks about his own experiences learning programming back in the eighties, spending a lot of time using a BBC Microcomputer to move a turtle-drawing robot. “That’s what inspired me to try and bring back some of the excitement around learning programming in the eighties to the current times which, for a while, were focused on learning Word and Excel as a replacement for computer science,” he says. “Happily, things have improved massively in the past few years.” Speaking about the successful Kickstarter campaign, Ben is obviously thrilled with the result. “You’re never sure how well it’s going to go, but it exceeded our expectations and will let us take the company to the next level.” They were able to build on the popularity of the Raspberry Pi and its existing user base.

“It’s a wonderfully welcoming community who are passionate about helping kids learn.” The MeArm Pi isn’t just for children though; it’s been designed to be easy to build and be used by anyone. Obviously, the big fear when anyone mentions robotics is that Terminator-like machines will eradicate the human race, but Ben isn’t having sleepless nights, and reassures us that “a Terminator built from perspex MeArms would probably be more hilarious than terrifying.” Apparently, the robot revolution is still a long way off, and while “there are serious concerns about artificial intelligence developing to the point where it surpasses human intellect,” Ben prefers to “take a positive viewpoint and believe that the impact on humanity will be a positive one.” The future for Mime looks great, with more robots in the pipeline. “We’re trying to make sure they’re complementary so that when we do some work on one, the others benefit too; particularly around the software we use to program them.” Plus, he’s very excited to see what sort of new things people can do with their products and whether anybody can come up with something better than the “toothbrush helmet” a device made by YouTuber Simone Giertz. She plonks a helmet on her head, with a robot arm attached to it that brushes her teeth in an impressive, albeit haphazard, way. Give it a search for a laugh. Who knows? It may turn out that Arnie will end up cleaning our teeth in the future rather than trying to wipe us out. mime.co.uk

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words: Georgianna Scurfield illustration: Natalie Owen

When I picture myself retiring, I imagine an armchair, a cuppa, and Countdown on the telly box. Maybe I’ll have a hobby: card making or gardening; nothing too strenuous. What I definitely don’t expect to do is start a business making narrow boats. But that’s exactly what James Blackburn has decided to do in his twilight years. Yep, he’s decided to make two of ‘em a year. Just because. James creates his floating homes at a workshop in Newark. It’s here, under florescent yellow lighting, that he spends his days sawing, sanding, carving, varnishing and crafting each boat. With twelve already in his portfolio, I visited him two weeks from finishing his thirteenth. As I looked at the boat towering above me on dry land, it was hard to imagine where you’d start.

The most difficult and nerve-racking part for James is getting the fourteen-tonne vessel to the water for the first time. It involves cranes, a super strong river bank, and more adjustments when it gets into the water. “You really don’t know what’s going to happen. You only have two controls: backwards and forwards. We had two boats that went backwards instead of forwards. We soon changed that.”

“A lot of people say ‘I wouldn’t know where to begin’. You actually work your way from the base; from the bottom of the floor, which has to be ballasted out with bricks. You put in four-to-five tonnes of bricks right at the bottom, and then you put your softwood bearers to take your floor. Then you put your floor in, and a chap will come and sprayfoam the insulation in a day. It’ll suddenly change from being a very dark hole to a bright, white-foam interior.”

What is it about the British waterways that are so appealing? According to the Canal and River Trust, there were 30,000 licensed boats on British canals in 2014, and that number is projected to be on the rise. Of those, 7,800 are permanent residence. Which, to put into perspective, is about the same as every person currently living in Carlton relocating and taking up a life on the UK’s waterways.

Turning this bright, white interior into a home is where James’ skills shine the most. Every inch of space within a narrow boat has to be utilised and carefully planned. A settee turns into a dining table and chairs, and the dining table and chairs turn into a double bed. It takes skill, planning and patience, as well as a seriously keen eye for detail; and not the kind found on every job application ever. James has a passion and love for his craft. “Although I was qualified as an engineer and spent twenty years in engineering, I’ve always favoured woodwork. I’ve done it ever since I left school; woodturning or making furniture for the home. “I absolutely love it, and I really look forward to coming here. In fact, I lie awake at night and think ‘What am I going to do tomorrow? Oh, I know, I’ll make the steps for the bunks. I’ll do this, that and the other, and I’ll make the dining table.’ Or it could be the electrics, or the plumbing. And it changes, each boat has been quite different. I just really enjoy doing it.” The boat he’s currently building is a bit special. Instead of watching as it glides off into the sunset with its new owner, this boat is for James, his wife and his family to enjoy themselves. “I always preach that when you’re buying a boat, you want one that is universally acceptable. But where I’ve differed on this one to all the other boats is that I’ve put an intermediate bunk room where the grandchildren can sleep, so you don’t have to go to bed when they do. I quite like the look of them; they look rather comfortable.” It takes James six months to complete one boat. “There’s not much pressure when you’re on a six-month work cycle for completion. The day is your own; you can work as long as you want, you can wrap it up if it’s cold and miserable, and you can call it a day when it starts to get dark and the lighting isn’t good. Then you make it up later on in the year. It all comes together.”

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Given the housing struggles of young ‘uns in recent years, you might think they’d all decide to live on much cheaper canal boats, but this isn’t a trend that James has noticed. “I think a narrow boat comes into people’s lives later rather than earlier,” he says. “It’s normally a retired person who’s just going at their own pace and wants something to do. It keeps them active. And you really are kept active too, doing the locks and stuff; it’s not just plain sailing.” In England and Wales there are currently 2,000 miles of waterways to cruise along, 1,569 locks to get through, 53 tunnels, and 3112 bridges to cross. This vast and intricate map of waterways started to form in the eighteenth century, transporting coal and textiles more easily. It was in 1796 that The Nottingham Canal was opened, the fifteen-mile long canal, connected the River Trent to the Cromford Canal which was pretty busy with coal traffic at the time. While this was being constructed, the Trent Navigation Company was busy building the Beeston Cut to bypass the River Trent from Trent lock to Beeston. Fast forward 200 years and the Beeston Cut is all we have left. There is something appealing about these routes; whether you’re walking them with your dog or chugging along the water, they’re a part of Britain, as James explains: “The beauty of the British canals and the canal system is that you normally get a view, because the canals follow the contours of the land. You’re always hugging a hillside or something. The French have dug their canals quite deep, so you’re going along like you’re in the fens where the boat is well down and there’s no view at all. You have to wait until you get to a town where it’ll open up.” Sat sweltering in my office chair, getting excited at the prospect of sitting on some grass while I eat my lunch, it’s hard not to be envious of the summer that James and other boaters are enjoying. Those water paths framed by green trees, the nonchalant quacking of the ducks swimming beside you and the ability to just sit back and enjoy the world as it floats past...

Bhairav NEW ART EXHANGE 16 JULY – 24 SEPTEMBER 2017

A new film installation by artists Munir Kabani and Nikhil Chopra. Set in Goa, Bhairav explores man’s relationship with the earth, spirituality, and the passage of time in colonial eras, past and present.

Exhibition Launch Saturday 15 July, 6pm – 9pm www.nae.org.uk

Performances

info@nae.org.uk

Friday 14 July – Saturday 15 July

0115 9248630

Throughout the day and evening,

39-41 Gregory Boulevard

with a rare midnight raag performance

Nottingham NG7 6BE

by Ustad Bahauddin Dagar.

We are opposite The Forest tram stop!

FREE ENTRY

Image credit: Munir Kabani and Nikhil Chopra, film still from Bhairav, 2017

interview: Alex Kuster photos: Natalie Owen and Georgi Scurfield

Last year, lace lover Debbie Bryan was awarded Nottingham’s Best Independent Business as part of It’s In Nottingham’s Independents Festival. In her quaint, Lace Market shop, she does Crafternoons, supper clubs, and keeps her trinket-adorned tea room stocked with the tastiest of cakes. We sat down with the woman herself to talk all things textiles, and to see how things have been going since her commendation… When did your passion for fashion and textiles start? I’ve always had an interest in heritage textiles. It was one of the reasons I applied to study at Nottingham Trent; because of the city’s textile history. Plus, they’re known for their fantastic design courses. Something I loved about Nottingham was that it had a reputation for being the heart of the country’s textile industry. My tutor, Cathy Chandler, also had this amazing interest in textile heritage. She introduced me to Framework Knitters Museum in Ruddington – where I had an exhibition as an undergrad – and also G.H.Hurt & Son, who turned out to be my sponsors for many years. I found myself making friendships with so many people who shared the same interest in local history. I always wanted to have a studio in the Lace Market. When we made the decision to become a “proper shop”, I was bowled over with the amount of people who came through the door and were excited to see something happening here. My motives for being here were all about the love of the area. You have so much going on with your Crafternoons... When we first opened, I had a chat with a friend of mine, Caroline Aiken, about getting people through the door and about experience-led activities and creative classes. It was all about focusing on wellbeing; when you’re being creative, you’re in the moment and doing it for yourself. What we focus on is looking after you, and providing the tea and cake. In the early days, we had quite low numbers, sometimes only one person turned up. We wouldn’t cancel on them. We’d always try and make sure that they were looked after, and it became part of what we were doing. We use really good materials in our Crafternoons. Because we’re all creative, we know good textiles. How’s everything going with the tearoom? One of the most amazing things is that our demographic has really broadened. We get families and children, because everyone understands tea and cake. We get lots more young people, too, which is lovely. We wanted the values of the shop to come across in the tearoom; catering

for everyone, and offering something different to the high street. We researched gluten-free and vegan alternatives, and worked with our vegan goddess Rebecca, from Willow and Dove. We also worked really hard to find vegan champagne. You’re in the Lace Market, delving into its heritage through various projects, and have turned so much material into really special pieces of art. Where did you find the old lace designs and drawings? I always collect stuff for inspiration and I’ve collected lace over the years. I’m a real hoarder. When we first opened, the Nottingham Post did an article on us featuring a lace motif that I’d hand-dyed and embellished, then I’d cast it in one of my resin brooches. At the time, I was doing a lot of trade in America; they really loved this British heritage brand.

It has to be local, authentic and handmade Unbelievably, Nick Povey had a factory at Mapperley Top and when he read this article, he came into the shop, said “I designed and made that lace”, and he came to sell me some. We’d only been open a couple of months, so I was blown away. I didn’t realise that there were any lace manufacturers still producing lace embroidery. We went up to see him; he was amazing and so enthusiastic about what he was doing. Nick knew that I was just starting out, and I was really interested in the design process. He showed me these draftsman drawings, and I had never seen anything like them before, so I bought them. It took me a while to know what to do with them. I had a chat with my boyfriend Phil and thought about the values of my business; it has to be local, authentic and handmade. Those drawings do all of that. They fit all the criteria. In that second, I started looking at them as a piece of artwork and they put us on a path that we’re really happy to be on. You have to remember we were opening our business in a recession, down a back alley where lots of places were closing, and this made us unique.

You were crowned Nottingham’s Best Independent Business last year. A belated congratulations! We’re feeling so proud, last year was amazing. This year, all that happiness and enthusiasm has come back tenfold. What’s so exciting about the awards and the festival is that it puts the spotlight on all areas of independent businesses, and that’s what needed to happen. It really encourages people to have a voice, and to shout about the places they’re proud to go to and help grow their success. Plus, the business support network is great; both universities, the councils and The Creative Quarter have been absolutely fantastic. What was the selection process like? The voting starts with the customers, and then it goes to a panel. They then come along to your business to check you out, which is really scary. It’s pretty thorough. We were really pleased that we made it all the way to the final, never mind winning it. The whole thing created an amazing atmosphere among the independents; it was a massive celebration. In Nottingham, small businesses have a really good peer-to-peer support network. We’re quite unique in that we work together and celebrate each other’s success to build the brand of the city. We really are a team. What we want is people seeing independents as a real competitor to the high street. Which of Nottingham’s independent businesses is your favourite? I love Ideas on Paper [magazine shop in Cobden Chambers]. We met Alex when he was talking about what he was going to do, and what’s been exciting is seeing him actually do it. We always recommend Alex and, of course, it sends people to Cobden Chambers. We always get our staff Christmas presents from there; it’s so unique. What can we look forward to during this year’s Nottingham Independents Festival? On Saturday 8 July we’re running a free Crafternoon where people can come and make their own shopper bag out of a T-shirt. Then on Tuesday 18 July, it’s our eighth birthday so we’re having a little party. You know; a bit of craft, and a bit of a tipple. Debbie Bryan, 18 St Mary’s Gate, The Lace Market, NG1 1PF. 0115 950 7776 debbiebryan.co.uk leftlion.co.uk/issue91

Bhairav NEW ART EXHANGE 16 JULY – 24 SEPTEMBER 2017

A new film installation by artists Munir Kabani and Nikhil Chopra.

Exhibition Launch Saturday 15 July, 6pm – 9pm

Set in Goa, Bhairav explores man’s relationship with the earth, spirituality, and the passage of time in colonial eras, past and present.

Performances Friday 14 July – Saturday 15 July Throughout the day and evening, with a rare midnight raag performance by Ustad Bahauddin Dagar.

www.nae.org.uk info@nae.org.uk 0115 9248630 39-41 Gregory Boulevard Nottingham NG7 6BE We are opposite The Forest tram stop!

FREE ENTRY

Image credit: Munir Kabani and Nikhil Chopra, film still from Bhairav, 2017

GOOD GODFREY

interview: LP Mills illustration: Feargus Stewart

You’d be hard-pushed to miss Daisy Godfrey if you saw her in public; her mighty mane of orange hair broadcasts her presence the second she walks through the door. A singer-songwriter and sturdy staple of the city’s busking scene, the local lass joins us for a natter about music, relaxation, and the stark bloody wonder that is Olivia Newton-John... Where do you think your musical career began? I was pretty young; maybe around ten years old. I remember thinking that I wanted to start singing but I never really did much about it until I was sixteen. Then I moved to London when I was eighteen, went to music school, and over the last three or four years I’ve taken my work much more seriously. I’ve also started busking in the last few years, which has really helped me hone my sound. Do you think going to music school changed the way you perform and write music? It didn’t really change the way I write or perform music, but it did change my view on the music industry. I was quite ignorant before, and music school made me realise that music is a business; you need to put the hours in, and you need to work hard at it if you want to pay the bills.

If you listen to my lyrics, they usually come from a place of discomfort Would you say you prefer busking to recording or writing? Not really; we write while we busk. In terms of performance, I think I prefer it to live shows. When you’re busking with an original song and someone stops to give you money, it’s a really rewarding feeling because you know they’re enjoying the music. It’s lovely being able to talk to people in the street. The whole online thing feels a bit isolating; like you’re not really engaging with people. There’s a big difference between seeing someone face-to-face and seeing their username. To be honest, most of our set list is built around how well we perform a song while busking. Do you think community is an important theme in your work? Yes, definitely. There’s something so rewarding about having someone hear your lyrics and say to you afterwards “I really empathise with what you were saying” or that my lyrics mean something to them. What would you describe as the main themes of your writing? Music is quite therapeutic for me. There’s a sense of insecurity in a lot of my stuff; if you listen to my lyrics, they usually come from a place of discomfort. I think it’s a voice that needs to be heard a lot more, and the fact that it comes from a personal place is important. Having said that, if there’s a song I wrote four years ago, I find it quite tedious to go back to that same emotional place every time I perform it. What does writing music mean to you? Writing is a way of expressing myself. I sometimes struggle to say what I’m thinking through conversation and when things bother me, it’s a relief to write about it to get it off my chest. It can get awkward; people usually notice when I write songs about them. But, whenever I write about the people in my life, I never do it to hurt them. I have a rule: if I write a song about a person, I never tell them or anyone else.

Who are your main influences in music? I always find this such a hard question to answer because I don’t know who’s influenced me, I just know what I like listening to. I go through periods of listening to one thing and nothing else; that can range from The Smiths to Radiohead, Etta James, Lauryn Hill. Any thing, really. I listened to Radiohead so much when I was younger I’ve kind of ruined their earlier albums for myself. Right now I’m listening to a lot of Adele and the soundtrack to Grease. Actually, I’ve had the Grease soundtrack on repeat for the last few days. Good shout. What’s your favourite song from Grease? That’s such a hard question, but it’s got to be Hopelessly Devoted to You. Can’t sing it for shit, though. Do you think working with your bandmate Ryan Cornall has changed your music at all? A lot of what you hear comes from Ryan, and his musical background definitely plays into mine. When people say “Your music is really nice” or whatever, I think it’s important to remember that half of that is Ryan; he’s playing the guitar and shaping the music just as much as I am. His music is very intricate and complex, and I see him as an individual artist in himself. Our music is released under my name, but it’s always been the two of us writing together. Do you have any new projects we should be on the look-out for? Ryan and I released our first single in April. It’s exciting. Normally when I record something I don’t like it, but I’m actually really enjoying this sound. A lot of money goes into the recording and production, and we’re also putting a video together which is draining even more money. We're a bit skint now, but it’s been so worthwhile to put our art out there in a physical sense, and hopefully it’ll be a sign of future projects to come. Got any tips for stress-busting? Music normally does it for me; I’m pretty rubbish at normal relaxation. My friend says I should start colouring in while listening to music, but I just get really anxious when I go out of the lines. I’ve tried meditating before, but I always try it when I have too much stuff on my mind, so I just get annoyed that I’m not relaxing. It’s really counterproductive. I do find that repeating positive phrases helps; it’s important to just sit and reaffirm yourself sometimes. Daisy’s debut single, Remedy, is out now, and she can usually be found busking with Ryan in Nottingham City Centre throughout the week. soundcloud.com/daisygodfrey

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Nottingham is full of fun, and some of the boggers who do the damn thing best are the city’s drag queens. In light of the upcoming Nottinghamshire Pride, we’ve rounded up the ladies you’re most likely to find lathering the slap on, miming away, and chucking shade abaht like nobody’s business. People of Nottingham; we introduce to you, the queens of drag... Nottinghamshire Pride 2017 takes place on Saturday 30 July, 12pm - 6pm nottinghamshirepride.co.uk

interviews: Bridie Squires photos: Tom Morley

Occupation: Typey Typey Plinky Plonky Office Monkey and Drag Queen. Where can we find you? I’ve recently started a YouTube Channel with my good friend and sister-wife, Nana Arthole, called Unnamed Drag Channel. I’m also a DirtyFilthySexy regular at Spanky Van Dykes, as well as at The Newmarket and Robin Hood Inn with the show group Scream Queenz Comedy Chaos. First drag memory: When I was about six, my sister dressed me up as Louise, the girl from next door. Grandad went ballistic, but I wasn’t tucked so I don’t think that counts. First time in real drag I was eighteen and I played Angel in Rent. That was when I

Occupation: Drag Queen, Host, and Bartender. Your colour: Sun-starved and pearly white. Where can we find you? Propaganda Nottingham, Rescue Rooms for Kitty Tray, and out and about in the Midlands. Favourite lip sync song: Fabulous Baby – Sister Act: The Musical. Favourite Notts drag queen: Titty Bon Bon (Tittania Gill). Favourite international drag queen: Roxxxy Andrews. First drag memory: Performing for a dare after falling asleep at the wrong time...

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first caught the drag bug. Turns out it’s terminal. Your most memorable drag experience: Presenting Nottingham Pride. It’s really important to play a role in your home town’s Pride events. Get-ready time: I need at least a good hour and a half to two hours to make myself look like a beautiful cartoon villainess. I’ve done a twenty-minute emergency face before, but she was nobody’s friend. Favourite Notts drag queen: My sisterwife, Nana Arthole. Throw some shade: You look like you’ve had your face set on fire and put it out with a fork.

Your most memorable drag experience: Working alongside the RPDR Girls with Kitty Tray and my Nottingham queens. Opinion on RuPaul’s Drag Race: I think it’s a great platform for pushing drag out into the world, but people need to remember that not all queens are the same as the televised queens; we all have different aesthetics, skills and talents. Tell us a joke: The problem with premature ejaculation is it usually comes out of nowhere... Give us a wise quote: Respect people on your way up, because if you fall down, they’ll be there to help you up again.

Occupation: National Treasure. Your colour: I’m a goddamn rainbow. Average monthly makeup spend: Way too much to even talk about. The husband will be reading... Get-ready time: Depending on the strength of vodka, my makeup time can really vary. First drag memory: Thinking I looked the dog’s ding dong, I paraded around a nightclub in Sheffield, lip syncing to Steps. Bright pink hair, white face and a scarf as a top. Times have certainly changed. Needless to say, way too many vodkas saw

me strip fully naked on stage and be carried off to the sound of B*Witched. Opinion on RuPaul's Drag Race: I like that it’s brought drag into the mainstream. For the younger queens, know your history and not your American history. Danny La Rue has always been a massive influence to me. Kenny Everett and Dick Emery are British heritage that are almost forgotten and that makes me sad. Although not fully-fledged queens, they used drag in sketches which are still funny. Give us a wise quote: You can cover a turd in glitter, but it will still be a turd.

Where can we find you? I’m soon to be performing at a charity event which raises awareness for IDAHOBIT Day. I perform in a variety of bars in town, and have an appearance at this year’s Pride on the main stage; we’re the Scream Queenz Comedy Chaos.

Monthly makeup spend: I don’t tend to buy products every month; a girl my size buys in bulk. I do buy a lot of fabric as I make 90% of what I wear.

Favourite miming song: It’s between When You're Good to Mama and It Should Have Been Me. . Favourite Notts drag queen: Luxx Andrews pushes me to leave my comfort zone and quite literally slaps me out of bad decision-making. I’m friends with lots of queens in Notts and consider many to be my drag sisters.

Get-ready time: A good three to four hours from shaving to finishing touches.

Favourite international drag queen: It’s got to be the one and only Bianca Del Rio.

First drag memory: The show was in Blackpool, and I was being chased by a queen dressed as a nun with an inflatable penis. Throw some shade: I couldn’t possibly throw shade at you, not when Mother Nature beat me to it.

Occupation: Current-reigning Duchess of Witch House.

prize were already taken before they realised their mistake.

Monthly makeup spend: Not much at all, darling. I only wear a little tinted moisturiser. And that’s not even on my face.

Your most memorable drag experience: It’s a tie between being a customer on E4’s Tattoo Artist of the Year and watching Alaska Thunderfvck pee in a goldfish bowl backstage at our 2015 Pride party.

First drag memory: Memory? How very droll. If you’re not blacking out from drinking, you’re not doing it right. I starred as Violet Beauregarde in a production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at my childhood theatre group. I also dressed up as Shamela Anderson for a fancy dress competition in a red swimming costume with pink balloon boobies and “American tan” tights. I won third prize as a boy, because initially they awarded me first place as a girl. First and second

Occupation: Comedy Queen Extraordinaire. Where can we find you? The Newmarket, Propaganda and The Robin Hood in Sherwood. First drag memory: It was at @d2 and I looked awful. I had a long, straight, thirty-inch wig that was unstyled; eyebrows to my hairline; and extremely bad contour that looked like Mars bars on my cheeks. Your most memorable drag experience: Being with The Les Follies Showgirls back in 2013. Drag was needed in Nottingham after loads of its bars closed down, and Tittania Bon Bon and Vivienne Lynsey asked me, along with a selection of other queens, to start a big drag troupe at The Newmarket to bring the queens

Opinion on RuPaul’s Drag Race: It’s the second most fabulous game show in television history. The first is Get Your Own Back with Dave Benson Phillips. Coincidentally, also hosted by a bald, black man with fabulous teeth; as white and straight as the American government. Give us a wise quote: The bravest ducks get the most bread. Then they die of malnutrition.

back to Nottingham. Each and every show with them was a hit, and made way for us to become who we are today. Tell us a joke: How do you make a drag queen scream twice? Give her a good rogering and afterwards, clean yourself using her best wig. Throw some shade: Marilyn Sane: Who knew snow was used to highlight? Go figure. Luxx Andrews: Dip her in a pool because those wigs are thirsty baby. Kitty Tray: We all thought dinosaurs were extinct. Clearly we were wrong. Madame Tess: The only queen I know who’s been in their third trimester for six years.

Your colour: Black. Where can we find you? DirtyFilthySexy. Favourite lip sync song: My mix of Hellraiser quotes, Combichrist and Aphex Twin. Favourite international drag queen: I love the kooky, spooky, punky queens like the Boulet Brothers, Vander Van Odd, Squeaky Blonde, May May Graves, Valentine Anger and Ursula Major. Currently, my obsession is Sasha Velour on Season 9 of Drag Race. There’s just something about her performance and art that is so incredibly beautiful it really touches my cold, dead heart. First drag memory: As a kid growing up through the eighties

*cough* I found myself drawn to the new wave/new romantic/ pop musicians like David Bowie, Adam Ant, Steve Strange, Toyah Willcox, Boy George and Pete Burns. Monthly makeup spend: I’m a cheap queen. If it costs a quid, it’s mine. Opinion on RuPaul’s Drag Race: It’s certainly opened the floodgates to the world of drag in all its splendour. We’re lucky to live in a more tolerant world, and I think Drag Race has helped break down the barriers to bring drag into the mainstream consciousness. Tell us a joke: Two nuns in a bath. One nun says “Where's the soap?” The other nun says “Yes, yes it does!”

Occupation: Drag artist, promoter and photographer. Monthly makeup spend: £100 average, but I’m starting to get a lot of companies giving me free makeup if I say that I use their brand. Get-ready time: Two and a half hours. Makeup takes the longest. I can do my own, but because I have a TV profile, I sometimes use makeup artists to give me the extra flawless look. First drag memory: I was on a Caribbean cruise with forty of RuPaul’s drag queens and Michelle Visage. My first night in drag I was talking to Michelle Visage and was sweating all over her arm. She was covered.

for Me Argentina in front of about a thousand people back when Nottingham Pride was in its heyday.

Occupation: Drag artist and photographer.

Favourite miming song: Alison Jiear – I Just Wanna F**king Dance

Favourite Notts drag queen: Marilyn Sane because she’s a weird bitch.

Opinion on RuPaul’s Drag Race: I’ve watched a few seasons and think some of the queens are basic or up their own arses. That’s probably because I prefer old-school drag. And what is all of this nose contour business?!

Favourite international drag queen: Jackie Beat; the mother of all parodies.

Give us a wise quote: If you ain’t wearing lashes, you ain’t doing drag.

Monthly makeup spend: I get a five-finger discount, so f**k all.

Throw some shade: What would Free Willy look like in drag? Selma Clitz. What’s Marilyn Sane’s makeup inspiration? Kung Fu Panda. What do you call a giraffe in heels? Claire-Leigh Knott. What do you call Voldemort in face paint? Kitty Tray.

Occupation: Professional Flange. Your colour: Bruise. Favourite miming song: He Taught Me to Yodel by Margo Smith because I can flick my tongue wherever possible.

Get-ready time: As long as it takes the cement mixer to warm up. Your most memorable drag experience: Singing Don’t Cry

Your most memorable drag experience: Performing a sellout show at Kitty Tray presents Sharon Needles at Rescue Rooms. 500 people attended. Opinion on RuPaul’s Drag Race: It has made drag culture more acceptable around the world and it’s now becoming embedded within mainstream pop culture. It shows how strong our community is. Give us a wise quote: You’re never too old to live your dream. You can find Kitty Tray on all social media like: Twitter: KittyTray Facebook: Kitty Tray Instagram: Kitty_Tray Grindr: Big Bucket Surprise

everything about those queens. I felt like a kid in a candy shop.

Your colour: Green.

Favourite Notts drag queen: Tittania Bon Bon. Favourite international drag queen: KATYA (Yakaterina Petrovna Zomolodchikova) Get-ready time: It depends on what I’m getting ready for. Most of the time it takes up to four hours with full makeup, padding, costume and wig. First drag memory: When I was working on my very first drag show with Laganja Estranja and Derrick Barry. I was amazed with

Your most memorable drag experience: I still get shaky when I think about it. It was when I met my biggest inspiration and most loved queen, KATYA. I even got to work with her on one of the shows. Opinion on RuPaul’s Drag Race: It’s an amazing TV show. I’m so excited about the fact we are able to watch it on Netflix in real time. Tell us a joke: If your uncle looks weird, he is weird. Don’t sit next to him. Give us a wise quote: Live everyday like it’s the last day. And do what you want to do, not what others want you to do.

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ollishaw on Lee C es words: J on on: Ian J illustrati

Thursday 27 July 2017 marks fifty years since an Act of Parliament was passed that partially decriminalised homosexual acts between consenting males, and acted as one of the first major steps in the liberalisation of laws relating to homosexuality. David Edgley, one of the founding members of the Notts LGBT+ Network, has seen vast swathes of change over the years, so we sat down to pick his brains... Being born in 1992, growing up gay hasn’t always been easy. Bullying, loneliness and discrimination are just a few of the issues that myself and many LGBT+ people face in modern Britain, but I have never lived under the threat that my sexuality would make me a criminal. Before 1967, being a gay man meant you were breaking UK law, and if you were caught, you’d be arrested and subjected to humiliating trials where you were given the choice between prison or chemical castration, electric shock treatments and lobotomy in order to “cure gayness”. To get a better idea of what life has been like for homosexuals over the last fifty years, I spoke to David Edgley. I met David while volunteering for a support charity in Nottingham called the Notts LGBT+ Network. He’s one of the founding members, and has been a leading voice and active member of LGBT+ groups across Nottingham over the last fifty years. I asked David what he thought the major drawbacks of the 1967 Act were. “All the Act did was remove the threat of imprisonment if the people involved were ‘consenting male adults in private’. ‘Adult’ meant over 21, while for everyone else, including lesbians, it was sixteen. The definition of private was bizarre; hotels and communal accommodation could never be private and having a third person staying in your house in a separate room was not private.

It was okay for two gay men to end up in bed together, but the process by which they got there was still against the law “A 1955 Act dealing with ‘soliciting for immoral purposes’ also meant that one man ‘chatting up’ another man was and remained illegal. So, it was okay for two gay men to end up in bed together, but the process by which they got there was still against the law.” What were police attitudes towards gay people like? “There are examples of police harassment towards lesbians and gay men for many years after 1967,” says David. “In some parts of the country, agent provocateurs – the ‘pretty police’ – were used. These were young, casually dressed policemen who would stand about in public lavatories waiting to be approached, and then arrest those who did. By the nineties, more and more magistrates and judges were asking the police ‘Have you really got nothing better to do?’”

David moved to Nottingham in 1967, the year the Sexual Offence Act came into being. I wanted to know how he was able to find a gay scene in a society that was so unaccepting of homosexuality. “What I was aware of, and took advantage of, was increasing opportunities for socialising through social groups, gay magazines and ‘legitimate’ pubs and clubs which started to spring up in the wake of the 1967 act” says David.

There’ve been many standout moments for the network over the years, and David’s been witness to many: a phone call from Lord Longford to discuss Section 28; the first grant received from the University of Nottingham; a phone call from the father of a young gay man who attempted suicide; a ceremony attended by the group to honour gay victims of the Holocaust; as well as the numerous people whose lives have been changed through a single phone call.

“Nevertheless, finding out about what was available was not an easy process with no internet and no helplines. It was often the case that you had to know someone, or you came across things by chance. You’d be very sensitive to little bits of information that appeared in the occasional newspaper article. It was very much by chance that in 1968 I found out about a gay social group which met in Mapperley Park.”

By the nineties, more and more magistrates and judges were asking the police ‘Have you really got nothing better to do?’

David became involved in activism after discovering a campaign group called The Campaign for Homosexuality Equality. “When CHE started a group in Nottingham in 1971, I became involved in that and remained with it until it faded away in 1982.”

So what’s the need for LGBT+ charities and groups today? “Though legislation is now more positive, it brings its own problems” explains David. “People may want information about the legal implications of civil partnerships or samesex marriage or, in some cases, the break-up of those relationships. There will always be times when people just want somebody to talk to. Things change. Things stay the same.”

The CHE fought for equality via many methods, one of the bravest and boldest being Gay Street Theatre. “A joint effort between CHE and the Gay Liberation Front produced gaythemed plays which were literally performed in the street,” says David. “In 1975, the first of these plays, Robina Hood and her Gay Folk, was seen in Nottingham’s Market Square before eventually being moved on by the police.” The purpose of the CHE was to fight for equality, but it became increasingly obvious that a source of information and support for people with issues relating to homosexuality was necessary. After hosting a weekly “gay night” at the then People’s Centre in 1974, the group went on to acquire a phone line in 1975. Thus, the Nottingham Gay and Lesbian Switchboard – now the Notts LGBT+ Network – was founded. David told me about the challenges of getting advertising and support for such an organisation. “In 1977, the boss of the Evening Post wrote ‘I do not approve of homosexuality and I disapprove most violently of the current drift to decadence in this country.’ In trying to get support from local councillors, the leader of the Conservative group in 1977 wrote in reply, ‘Sir, I must say that I consider it an impertinence for you to send me a letter. I have always regarded homosexuality as one form of perversion and I very much regret the progress on permissive lines that have taken place during the last few years. I also take exception to the use of the word gay. From time to time I am gay, but at no time queer.’”

But how has Nottingham’s LGBT+ community developed over the years? “One undoubtedly positive event which probably generates more genuine community feeling than anything else is the annual Pride festival. From a smallscale start in 1997, this has grown into an event attended by numerous organisations, to demonstrate their LGBT+ friendliness. It is, in the words of Wallace and Gromit, ‘a grand day out.’ “In the not-too-distant past, bisexual people were rendered invisible and transgender people were seen as a few crossdressers. Often the B and the T were sidelined, dismissed or ill-treated not just by the heterosexual community, but by the L and the G bits, too. These days, there is a growing acknowledgement of the great range of sexual orientations and gender identities, and growing support systems for them.” Listening to David, I can’t help but feel an enormous sense of gratitude to all the brave individuals that have fought, and continue to fight, for equality. I think it’s really important, especially for younger generations, to know how much people have fought to help create a freer and more equal society for all. That way we can help prevent history repeating itself. In David’s words: “Be vigilant. Find allies.” For more information about Notts LGBT+ Network, or if you just want to talk, call 0115 934 8485. nottslgs.org.uk leftlion.co.uk/issue91

POLITICAL AIDS

words: Colin Clews illustration: Chrissy Curtin

The eighties was a period of mixed fortunes for Britain’s LGBT+ communities, or lesbian and gay communities as we were known then. Sustained campaigning throughout the seventies had, by the turn of that decade, seen LGBT+ rights moving into the mainstream political agenda, but the emergence of AIDS in 1981 hit us on both a personal and political level... On a personal level, we experienced immense loss as well as increased physical and verbal abuse. The latter was down to the tabloids labelling AIDS as “the gay plague”, implying that we presented a risk to the community. It was this mentality that informed responses on a political level. Opportunistic politicians and moral entrepreneurs drew on, and often fed, alarmist media reporting to create the new shorthand “Gay = AIDS”, and this notion was rolled out in Nottingham when activists sought to enshrine lesbian and gay rights into local authority, equal-opportunities policies. The equal-opportunities battle began in earnest, and almost by accident, with the election of gay activist Richard McCance as a Labour City Councillor in 1983. It was almost accidental because the Labour Party leaders hadn’t expected him to win. He’d been selected for Forest Ward – seen as a safe Conservative seat – so Labour could field a full slate at the local elections. Then, four days after his election, Labour lost the previously safe South London seat of Bermondsey in a by-election where the sexuality of their candidate, Peter Tatchell, had dominated the campaign. Labour’s share of the vote dropped from 63.6% at the previous election to 26.1% after a vicious smear campaign against Tatchell and left-leaning Party leader, Michael Foot. The tabloids labelled Tatchell “Red Pete, the gay rights campaigner” and argued that his selection was yet another of Foot’s leadership failures. Meanwhile, his political opponents happily bought into the witch hunt. Four days after the Bermondsey defeat, Richard McCance attended his first Forest Fields branch meeting as a candidate. And, despite the local Labour manifesto clearly committing the party to equal opportunities for lesbians and gay men, calls for him to keep quiet about his sexuality began immediately. These intensified a few days later, when surveys suggested that the Forest Ward might actually be winnable for Labour. Even some of those who’d previously declared their support for lesbian and gay rights joined the chorus of “This is not the time to be raising these issues.” But McCance continued to resist the pressure: this wasn’t about “raising issues,” it was about being open about who he was. “It was about being out rather than ‘found out’.” Party members even proposed a resolution that he shouldn’t be allowed to mention his partner in any publicity material. The resolution was defeated by a very narrow majority, but the election agent promptly resigned in protest. Ultimately, a compromise of sorts was reached in which McCance was allowed to be open about his sexuality but could only use the term “partner” when referring to his... partner. The objective of this compromise is not entirely clear, but it was sufficient to bring the election agent back to the fold and allow campaigning to continue. What happened next more than vindicated McCance. He and his running mate, John Taylor, converted a Conservative majority of 400 into a Labour majority of 470. Elsewhere across the city, Labour lost five seats and

retained control of the council with the slimmest majority of one. Whatever message the Labour group took from that result, it couldn’t be that gay rights was a vote loser. Lesbian and gay activists then pushed Labour to honour its manifesto commitment to equal rights. This led to a council-sponsored, one-day conference at the International Community Centre on 3 December. Various initiatives came out of this, including the creation of lesbian and gay men’s subcommittees of the Equal Opportunities Committee, plus the appointment of a gay men’s officer and a lesbian’s officer. We were on our way. Or so it seemed. Sadly, 1983 was significant for another, more negative reason. It was the year that AIDS hit the headlines. Even though the first British AIDS diagnosis had been recorded in December 1981, the media had shown little interest then or throughout 1982. But on 25 April 1983, BBC Two’s Horizon programme broadcast Killer in the Village. This looked at AIDS in the USA and included a reference to infected blood supplies. The effect on UK media coverage was instantaneous. AIDS references in the national press increased by a factor of 25 between April and June, and this increase was sustained in subsequent months. One clue to the sudden interest can be found in the Mail on Sunday’s front-page story on 1 May: “Hospitals Using Killer Blood.” The thrust of this article – which was subsequently declared “alarmist” by the Press Council – was that AIDS was now a threat to “innocent” people as it was seeping out of its host community: gay men. The language and terminology in some reports implied that, not only had we brought it upon ourselves, but it was the “gay lifestyle” – whatever that was – that had actually spawned the disease. Headlines like “It’s Spreading Like Wildfire” (The Sun) and “Kiss of Death” (The Star) suggested, erroneously, that the disease was highly infectious. Other headlines such as “BANNED! AIDS-fear Club Ousts Gay Couple” and “Pub Ban on Gays in AIDS Panic” effectively signposted and endorsed extreme responses. And Nottingham was not spared such responses. When Nottingham AIDS Information Project (NAIP) rented a small office in the Sharespace building in the Lace Market, they were forbidden from displaying their name on their office door. A neighbour had complained that it would drive customers away from his business. The fact that he rarely brought customers to his office was irrelevant; he clearly felt he needed to join the throng of righteous indignation. And so the NAIP office, tucked away on the second floor and at the end of a labyrinthine corridor, became “Office 1”. In 1986, when the council considered a proposal for designated sessions for gay men at council-run swimming pools, a full-scale moral panic ensued. The Evening Post published an editorial on 28 November declaring: “Persecution and victimisation of gays should never be

tolerated in this day and age, but there has never been a scrap of evidence that it was happening anyway.” In fact, there was masses of evidence, but the editor wasn’t interested, even when it presented itself in a letter published by The Evening Post themselves. On 9 December, a governor of the Jesse Boot School opined: “I would like to take up a point made by the council, namely ‘gays are everywhere.’ Sadly, this is true. It’s one thing knowing one or two of them have used the water, but I draw the line at a whole army of them.” This letter was referring to the decision by some schools to cancel swimming sessions in light of the proposed gaymen-only sessions. The tabloids reported the issue with headlines like “AIDS Scare Halts Swim Sessions” (The Times) and “Pool Ban on Kids in AIDS Fear” (The Sun). There was absolutely no risk of AIDS transmission, but there was too much political mileage to be had by suggesting otherwise, and it was another opportunity to portray a Labour council as loony lefties. On 11 December for example, The News of the World opined: “Some Labour councils encourage AIDS with grants to homosexual centres. So do Labour education authorities telling children that homosexuals living together are as stable as married couples.” Homophobia, crafted on a carefully cultivated AIDS-phobia, became a vote winner for the Conservatives. Locally, the scaremongering around the swimming sessions handed them control of the council at the 1987 local elections and they promptly scrapped all lesbian and gay initiatives. That same year, Margaret Thatcher won her third general election and quickly derided the notion that young people had “an inalienable right to be gay.” A year later, homophobia was enshrined in legislation; Section 28 of the 1988 Local Government Act, prohibiting “the promotion of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship.” The Tories were jubilant. The lesbian and gay communities were outraged. The Labour leadership hardly seemed to have noticed. No prosecutions were ever initiated during its lifetime, highlighting the irrelevance and unworkability of the prohibition. Nonetheless, some local authorities banned lesbian and gay organisations from their premises, while another withheld money from student unions that funded lesbian and gay societies. Section 28 remained in force until the Blair government extinguished it in 2003; David Cameron claiming its repeal would be “deeply unpopular.” As AIDS-phobia decreased over the years, so too did the political mileage. But sadly, the spirit of Section 28 has been reborn with the devolution of education to local academies; the curricular freedom allows some institutions to introduce their own prohibitions on teaching about homosexuality. And so it begins, again. Colin Clews is the author of Gay in the 80s: From Fighting for Our Rights to Fighting for Our Lives (£14.99, Matador), available in local bookstores. gayinthe80s.com

SCENE CHANGE...

We are transforming the Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall into an all-day destination, with food and drink available from breakfast until late. Donâ€™t worry â€“ the Box Office is still open, come and see us in the Theatre Royal foyer. Follow the developments @RoyalNottingham TRCH.CO.UK/NEWS

interview: Paul Klotschkow illustration: Raphael Achache When Earache Records founder, Digby Pearson, put out Anglican Scrape Attic – a compilation of hardcore and thrash metal – in 1985, even he would have failed to predict the impact the DIY flexi disc would have on the British metal scene over the next three decades. Pearson followed it up in 1986 with a split 7” between Heresy and Concrete Sox, and then shortly after, in 1987, an album by The Accused became the first release to officially carry the Earache name. For thirty years, from its home town of Nottingham, Earache Records has been a constant champion of the best in metal, extreme and sometimes genuinely disturbingly heavy rock music. Some of the bands that’ve passed through the label’s roster are legendary, and read like a who’s who of heavy music: Napalm Death, Carcass, and Fudge Tunnel, to name a few. More recently, they’ve worked with Bring Me the Horizon and Kagoule, as well as bothering the album charts with Rival Sons. It makes perfect sense to mark thirty years as a label by joining forces with another fiercely independent musical force, Glastonbury Festival. You heard. This year, Earache will be curating their own stage, The Earache Express, down in Pilton. We got the lowdown from Assistant Label Manager, Tom Hadfield… Can you tell me how discussions for having a stage at Glastonbury started? Like most things at Earache, it started with Dig [Digby Pearson]. He had a mad idea and we ran with it. I guess you could say that we invited Glastonbury to invite us. Was it difficult to persuade Glastonbury? It’s never been much of a metal festival in the past… Surprisingly, no. It took a while, but they understood what we could bring to the table and were open-minded enough to listen to us. Glastonbury prides itself on being diverse and eclectic, but we felt punk and extreme bands were being underrepresented and offered to put it right. A lot of credit has to go to Shangri La [the area of Glastonbury where the stage will be] for accepting us and making us feel welcome. You’ve booked a fairly broad range of bands… It’s been mad really. When I was in my teens, I used to draw up my own fantasy festival lineups just for fun, so to be doing it in real life seems a bit surreal, to be honest. Stress levels have been high as most stages at Glastonbury have a year to plan their lineup, but we had just a few months and were under pressure to impress. There’ve been a lot of sleepless nights and an increased alcohol intake. Our aim was to provide bands that actually mean something; bands with a purpose, bands that are fighting for change. Every artist on

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our stage is extreme in some sense or another and they all have a political undercurrent. We’ve gone for a range of genres, but I guess you could say they all fall under punk, rock or metal; the sort of underground music that’s so important to so many people but often ignored or dismissed by the mainstream. To be able to invite punk legends from bands such as the Dead Kennedys, Crass and the Sex Pistols, and put them alongside Nottingham heroes like Heck, and Earache icons like Napalm Death and Extreme Noise Terror, is a dream come true. The ultimate goal is to influence people. I would love nothing more than for all those kids turning up for Diplo to stumble across our stage and be sent down a new path of heavy music exploration.

We want all the gap-yah kids tripping on acid for the first time to get a bit of a rude awakening The Earache stage won’t be any ordinary stage either... Our stage is a London tube carriage, so I guess you could say it’s going to be intimate. I’m a big fan of bad puns too. What better place to celebrate underground music than in a London Underground carriage? How will the stage fit into the Shangri La area of the festival? The theme of Shangri La this year is “Recycle / Reuse / Resist”, so using a tube carriage as a sweaty punk-rock venue is recycling at its best. We’ve also enlisted the help of Turner Prize nominee Mark Titchner to decorate our carriage. It’s going to look scary as, and have hard-hitting messages designed to wake people up. We want all the gap-yah kids tripping on acid for the first time to get a bit of a rude awakening. Are there plans to do anything else around the thirtieth anniversary of Earache? We’re releasing a book telling the story of Earache Records over the past thirty years called Earache “Adapt or Die: 30 Shades of Noise” which will be out in October. It’s got loads of unseen photos from over the years and brilliant new interviews shedding light on the madness that goes on behind the scenes. We’ve never done a book or curated a festival stage before, so 2017 has been a year of new challenges, but it’s been great fun and a pleasure to be involved with. I’m sure there is no such thing as an “ordinary day” at Earache, but can you give me an insight into the typical things that go on in the office day to day? If you’ve ever seen the BBC sitcom The Thick of It, you get a general idea. What does the future hold for the label? The music industry is a constantly changing landscape, so the secret behind Earache’s longevity is the ability to adapt and evolve. Hopefully we can do another interview in 2047 celebrating sixty years of Earache. Earache “Adapt or Die: 30 Shades of Noise” a 4-CD / 92-page book will be published later this year. earache.com

EARGASMS Label staff tell us their favourite Earache release…

Napalm Death – Scum

“An obvious choice. Although this came out in ‘87 – four years before I was born – I owe a lot to Napalm Death. The third official release from Earache Records put Earache on the map and still sells strong thirty years later. It is an honour to be able to get them on for Glastonbury this year as they deserve this kind of mainstream recognition and the political message behind the music is as appropriate now as it was back in 1987.” – Tom Hadfield, Assistant Label Manager

At the Gates – Slaughter of the Soul

“This record is part of my personal and professional life and something I’m proud to be associated with. It was the first band I signed to Earache and the record has developed a huge reputation since its release in ‘95. It was one of those situations where everything came together and you felt you were part of a group all in tune with each other. When I think back to that period, I always do so with the best memories.” – Dan Tobin, Label Manager

Carcass - Reek of Putrefaction

“Honestly, that record meant a lot of things to me and was highly significant. Mostly, it was a true glimpse of the future, more so than Scum [Napalm Death’s debut album], because the Reek... record was truly brutal, more extreme and had more metallised riffs than Scum, which was mostly born from the hardcore punk scene. Reek... was a signpost to the gore grind scene to come.” – Digby Pearson, Label Founder and Managing Director

24–28 August 2017 The best of classical music in the heart of Nottinghamshire

Rather listen to the tunes on this page than read about ‘em? Wrap your tabs round Sound of the Lion, our dedicated music podcast. If you want your own tunes reviewed and you’re from Notts, hit up leftlion.co.uk/sendusmusic Russian Linesman

“Southwell can already equal, even surpass, more established festivals.” THE SUNDAY TIMES

A virtuoso ensemble of young professional singers and players Up-and-coming local performers including cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason (Winner of BBC Young Musician 2016)

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The Eysenck Suite – Parts I & II EP (Loki Recordings) In 2012, Russian Linesman released Icelandic Skies; a meditative and elegiac paean to time spent on the Nordic island. And then nothing. Now, five years later, the electronic music maker is back with the first two of four EPs based on Eysenck’s theory of personality. The first, Melancholic, combines found sounds (voices, possibly some wildlife) with widescreen shimmering synths, woozy bleeps, and jittery percussive flecks that elevate each track just enough to stop them being dragged down by their moodiness. Olympiapark is a blissful dreamscape; I Thought You Were a Legend Until You Apologised tosses and turns steadily, changing moods and textures over its four-and-a-bit minutes; eleven-minute Odin! closes the EP with triumphant horns. Despite its often moody atmosphere, the seven tracks on Part I see Russian Linesman in reflective mode. By contrast, the set of songs on the second EP, Choleric, are a much more anxious-sounding affair. Pia Trivialise is tense, its buzzing synth lines humming like a swarm of bees; The Divided Self has a warbling bassline that’s woken up with a headache; and Munich Story lifts the mood ever so slightly, with a nervy dancefloor beat as machines sulk with menace in the background. A modern day composer, taking fragments of sound and manipulating varied electronic sounds to create wistful mood pieces, Russian Linesman has crafted a subtle-yet-affected listen that really draws the listener in. With recent support from 6 Music, hopefully this series of EPs will mean the enigmatic producer won’t be disappearing from view again anytime soon. Paul Klotschkow soundcloud.com/russianlinesman

Bloody Head

MUSIC ADVICE. FOR FREE.

Failed Experiments in Kindness Album (Narcissist Hypnotist Records) The follow-up release to last year’s July 16 cassette sees the band dig further into the murky mire of growling riffs that sound like a rottweiler with a hangover, played at mindmangling volume. Opener Black Slugs is an alternative-universe Sabbath, where they got blitzed on horse tranquillisers instead of mountains of Colombia’s finest. From then on in, Failed Experiments in Kindness is a masterclass in dirty, punky riffs played with a hardcore heaviness; Dave’s vocals roaring with a stunted fury and urgency as if he necks a bottle of bleach before each take. This isn’t just heads-down riffage and shouting – although that’s no bad thing – there’s a weirdness at play here that holds the whole thing together; Death Trip Baby’s squealing breakdown or the disorientating The Prizes of Incest, for example. An album by some of Nottingham’s finest noise merchants that will leave you feeling bruised and battered. Paul Klotschkow bloodyhead.bandcamp.com

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Brad Dear

The Only Road I Know EP (Self-released) After attending the EP launch of The Only Road I Know back in March, I was curious to see how this artist’s live performance compared to the recorded version. Writing using a heavy narrative, many of his songs double up as a form of storytelling. The once-solo artist has teamed up with a band to give him a fuller sound, with a more expansive feel to his tracks, thanks to the addition of drums, guitar, percussion and my personal favourite, the violin, which adds a good twang to most of his tunes. The five songs here – Only Road I Know, Special Brew, Billy Brown, Far Away and I’m Still Here – make this collection kind of messy, ramshackle and fun, but with an intensity to it. Mixing a heavy, acoustic-focused musical backing with gruff vocals, the EP verges on a folk sound without completely giving into it. Elizabeth O’Riordan

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Dystopian Future Movies

Issaka

Time Album (Oak Island Records)

Take Me Away EP (Self-released)

As a metal fan who grew up in the eighties on the relatively uncomplicated riffing of Iron Maiden, the loudQUIETloud revolution of the nineties alt-rock scene blew my tiny mind. It turned out there was a lot more to metal than foot-on-monitor galloping riffs after all. Who knew? Post-metal subsequently took the form even further than the Pixies ever did by fusing metal with some of the timbre and textures of shoegazing, which is more or less what Dystopian Future Movies offer up here in their debut album. You’ll find plenty of shifts in volume, as well as some outstanding drumming by Bill Fisher, but what really marks this record as something special are the haunting melodies and ethereal, floating vocals of singer and guitarist Caroline Cawley. Vaguely reminiscent of a punchier Warpaint, play this record in a darkened room and let the music carry you away downstream. Tim Sorrell

Like a cuppa with your nanna, or a gravy dinner on a rainy day, some of life’s greatest pleasures are the simplest. Issaka’s cracked that code with Take Me Away: one woman, one guitar, the occasional drizzle of percussion and an earthy finish. The singer displays her dramatic vocal range with clarity, and delivers an acrobatic performance not so dissimilar from Corinne Bailey-Rae and them sapphire-faded jeans. I wasn’t sold on the sea sounds on Holiday; while they definitely set the scene, they’re a little out of place when taking the rest of the album into consideration, and seem to stop abruptly after the introduction. But it’s a small hiccup from an otherwise solid offering. Take Me Away is an ode to taking life as it comes, embracing the ups and downs and making the best of what you have. This EP is a collection of lullabies for modern life. Top dollar. Lucy Manning issakamusic.co.uk

dystopianfuturemovies.bandcamp.com

Flöat

Joseph Knight

After listening to this EP for the second time in a row, I ended up wondering whether songs can be both upbeat and melancholy in equal measure. Either way, I’d been sent into a complete trance with the sad, sweet and completely spacey quality of the tracks and a strange combination of a muted Elliott Smith, Vampire Weekend and Vance Joy came to mind; a trio I never thought could be mixed together. Each song holds a completely different feel. Paired with a female vocalist and use of trumpet, Flöat’s first ever release, Gentle Heart of a Freak, is both intriguing and smooth in its use of sounds and instruments. Personal favourites include Vapidity, Post Denial and Fear Worn Friend but the whole EP is perfect to listen to when you’re right in the mood to be absorbed by music. Elizabeth O’Riordan

Rediscover has a vibe that mirrors its name. Telling the story of someone trying to figure out life, the EP is vulnerable in the greatest way, with well puttogether music and lyrics full of raw emotions as exemplified in the confessions “I care too much” and “It’s ok to hurt.” The sound is mainly acoustic with some very gentle indie-pop elements involved, alongside a classic mix of guitar and soft drums, creating an overall experience of being a little sad, yet still hopeful. The four tracks on this EP all manage to be both gentle-sounding and catchy, with memorable choruses and soothing verses. Minutes is a particular standout moment, full of great harmonies with special guest Lowrie. Perfect for a rainy day, or that moment when you’re sat in the car dramatically looking out the window; Joseph Knight is worth a listen. Elizabeth O’Riordan

Gentle Heart of a Freak Album (Self-released)

Rediscover EP (Self-released)

floatbandfloat.bandcamp

soundcloud.com/josephmichaelknight

Hashtagobi

Stacey McMullen

A Day in the Mind of a University Student is a day in the life of selfproclaimed “computer science nerd” Hastagobi. The young student rapper gives us a glimpse into the trials and tribulations of what it’s like to be a tax dodger in 2017: struggling to drag yourself to your 9am lecture, being skint – “Should have bought a Just Eat pizza instead of a Dominos” – hating clubs, girl problems and grim hangovers. It comes to a head on Pagliacci.exe; a moment of doubt, regret and depressive thoughts, before Graveyard sees our protagonist gathering his thoughts and pulling himself together. He squeezes a lot into fifty minutes, with hyperactive production underpinning each track – the aural equivalent of having a hundred tabs open in your browser at once – all held together by Hashtagobi’s rapid-fire delivery that’s sprinkled throughout with humorous insight and observations. Paul Klotschkow

Being released during the week of the general election was unintentional, but played well for Stacey. Although not overtly political in his music, anyone who follows him on social media, or attended his launch at Nottingham Contemporary, can’t fail to see that he’s a flag-waving socialist. The title track starts out with flamenco-esque guitars and evolves into Morriseyriddled contradictory lyrics like “Loving you was self-hate.” It’s obviously a piece of personal introspection, but with an eerie edge. Lines in the Sand describes a post-nuclear society – “Where can you go when the bomb falls?” – but with lots more twiddly guitars. It’s hard to pigeonhole Stacey’s sound: Baby Girl consists of more straightforward blues, I Know is once again led by a Spanish guitar, and his vocal style varies between crooning and rapping. A strong debut and hints at plenty more to come from one of the city’s hardest working musicians. Jared Wilson

A Day in the Mind of a University Student Album (Self-released)

I Wait EP (I’m Not From London / Wire & Wool Records)

soundcloud.com/hashtagobi

facebook.com/staceymcmullenmusic

Nick Aslam - Clowns and Guns Propulsive new single with shades of Arctic Monkeys, taken from Nick’s new project, Rebel City Rival.

Rory Cannon - Among Decent Folk Widescreen indie-folk, performed with heartfelt gusto. Heavy on the reverb.

Babe Punch - Control Punchy re-worked title track from last year's EP sees the band kick out the jams over a wall of fierce fuzz.

Indus Traps - Restraint of Beasts Former Skinny Sumo and Royal Gala front woman lends her vocals to this dubby UK garage throwback.

Sasha Khan - Saturday Rolling Skittery jungle heralding the moment that Saturday night turns into very late Sunday morning. One for the all-night rave crew.

TV Crime - Clocking In High-octane, punky power-pop that keeps its foot to the floor over the course of its exhilarating three minutes.

Gallery 47 - Cold Fire Having only just released his latest album Lefty, the talented Mr Peachey tees up yet another new long player, with this elegant track giving us a taste of what to expect.

Shookz - Real Love Industrial strength production with clanking mechanical beats and shape-shifting bass.

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Anna Wheelhouse The Fair at Stanley Road

I reckon this piece is a good representation of my style. The Fair at Stanley Road is acrylic on canvas and is approximately 120cm x 80cm. It’s a private commission of Stanley Road in Forest Fields; one of my favourite areas to paint with its terraced streets and buildings that are full of character. The customer I created it for used to live there and wanted memories of the house where her son was born. One of her favourite things about living there was seeing the ferris wheel at the bottom of the street during Goose Fair. The painting took about four full days to complete due to the size and detail in the perspective. My painting work is mainly based on urban landscapes and architecture; I find perspective fascinating and have always loved the industrial architecture in Nottingham. Plus, I love to use bright colours to add life to areas that some may see as dull or uninteresting. I began painting the houses and terraced streets in Nottingham in my early twenties, and began a love affair with buildings. At the time, I was a single mum to a child under five and it was more of a hobby. Then, when Elle started school, I decided to go back to university to further my artwork, studying Decorative Arts at Nottingham Trent. I always enjoyed working with stained glass, so specialised in glass and metalwork using architecture as my inspiration. I started to create blown-glass pieces with the Lumsdale Glass Blowers, of which I am still an associate.

Art Works

After leaving university, I began working as a community artist, producing large public installations and murals, and started up an arts-based youth project with two friends. The Area Inbetween Youth Arts Organisation provides specialised art workshops in schools, youth centres and at festivals. I split my time between working part-time, running workshops for young people and working as a freelance artist at Bentinck Art Studios. I now spend my time working on glass-lighting projects, blown-glass work, murals, canvases and community artwork, so rarely stick to one medium. Given more time and the funds to do it, I would love to do a big exhibition on Goose Fair. I’ve been taking photographs of the fair with the intention of doing this, and dream of creating a series of huge paintings with other artists and photographers. Anna’s latest lighting commission is the large chandelier upstairs in the Angel Microbrewery, and her mural work can be seen on Bath Street in St Ann’s, behind Victoria Baths. annawheelhouse.co.uk

Alanna Chamberlain Goddess of Growth

This is the Goddess of Growth. She is currently being made into enamel pins, to be worn by anyone who wishes to celebrate the power, strength and magic within women. I drew my inspiration from crystals, nature and witchcraft to produce a piece that symbolises the importance of change and growth in feminism. It’s just one of a handful of designs that I’ve made into products such as pins, fabric patches, mugs and tote bags. My brand is called Brave Kids Club and I aim to produce desirable trinkets that inspire and empower people to demand equality in society. Brave Kids Club is unashamedly pink, sparkly and ultra-feminine: an aesthetic that is sometimes shunned by the feminist movement and is rejected as “too girly.” I wanted to emphasise that this is by no means a negative thing, and just because people might choose to wear pink and glitter, does not make them any less powerful, or any less valuable to our society. Brave Kids Club was born out of attending the wonderful Reclaim the Night march in November 2016. The protest felt amazing to participate in: banding together, making noise and showing the community that women not feeling safe when out at night just isn’t acceptable. Since then, I’ve been working hard trying to spread the word about my products and positive message for change. I’m happy to say that not all of my returning customers have identified as women either, and I’m glad my work is being seen as inclusive and intersectional. Much of my work carries slogans such as, “No Man Hate”, “Witch”, “Bossy” and “Nag”, to highlight the kind of language that’s used to try to undermine women and girls, and to give

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people confidence to reappropriate the meaning of these words, to fuel a forward momentum for change. I’m trying to do my bit for charity, too. I’ve designed a pin where all proceeds will be donated to Amnesty International, to help stop the torture and murder of gay men in Chechnya. If you’d like to make a donation while nabbing yourself a piece of limited edition art at the same time, you can order your “Love is Love” pin from my website. The work I do for Brave Kids Club fits around my freelance graphic design and shifts at 200 Degrees. I love the variety that having a few different focuses brings. It means I meet a lot of different people, keep fresh with my approach and keep expanding my skill set. I would absolutely love to be given a magic time machine though, just to have a peep into the future of Brave Kids Club. I get so excited when I imagine how it might grow. bravekidsclub.co.uk

words: LP Mills illustration: Caspar Wain

LeftLion is proud to present our new Literature Editor, LP Mills… Ey up, Nottingham. I think it’s fair to say that things are a bit mental right now. A xenophobic, half-eaten bag of Wotsits is the president of the United States; 24-hour news networks make the world look like a set piece in Mad Max; and last month, the country of my birth had to make the difficult decision of whether our priorities lie in free school dinners or the murder of ginger woodland critters. During times like this, with so much hubble, bubble, toil and trouble, we need art, literature and culture to guide us to a better version of ourselves. We need sci-fi to help us dream about the future, and we need the classics to help us understand our past. We need To Kill a Mockingbird to teach us about tolerance and prejudice; The Kite Runner to teach us repentance; and Captain Corelli’s Mandolin to teach us love. We need George Orwell to teach us how to spot bullshit, and we need Margaret Atwood to give us the strong-minded cynicism that we need to fight it. We need literature to escape, but not to run away. Sometimes, it’s more about what we are running to, rather than what we are running from. It’s therefore vital that we protect and care for the institutions that grant access to great literature. Our libraries, long-maligned and left to waddle awkwardly into obscurity, should become beacons of enlightenment ready to be accessed by the young, old, and all those in between. Our bookshops should be many and splendid labyrinths of literature where we can lose ourselves for hours at a time. Our literary past, boasting some of the biggest and baddest names to have ever scorched the page, should be celebrated and revered, and our future should be encouraged and glorified. Our kids should know that reading isn’t something you do only if your PS4 is knackered, and our grown-ups should know that literature isn’t just something to talk about if you want to sound like a smart arse. I can’t say that it’s all doom and gloom, mind. The poetry scene in Nottingham is a beautiful example of how anybody, no matter their background, education or postcode, can create something bloody amazing. Nottingham’s independent publishing scene is at

its most wonderful when it gives voices to those who otherwise feel voiceless, and our proud literary tradition has always had a soft spot for the downtrodden and disenfranchised. We’ve forever been a city of writers and rebels, a city of sods and storytellers, and this has never been as clear as it is right now. That’s why I’m proud to be from Nottingham, and why I’m honoured to work with institutions like LeftLion. If literature is supposed to guide us down the path to a better world, Nottingham has done a lovely job at printing off some roadmaps and sorting the packed lunches for the trip. We’ve been the birthplace and home for the who’s-who of literature, including D.H. Lawrence, J.M Barrie, Susanna Clarke, Alan Sillitoe, and everyone’s favourite wordsmith and wrong’un Lord George Gordon Byron. We are in an exciting present, with scores and scores of writers being nurtured and educated by our Writers’ Studio and Creative Quarter, and our future looks brighter by the minute as wave after wave of small press take to the streets with fantastic zines, poetry and prose. This magazine right here first got me interested in journalism and has since pruned and guided me into the bumbling wordsmith that stands before you. My predecessor, James Walker, provided me with an appropriately wise and serene mentor in the time I worked with him as his deputy, and our current editor, Bridie, is one of the most reliably badass people I have ever had the pleasure of working for. [What you after? - Ed] Nottingham, you have no idea how lucky you are to have this lot; they’re properly mint. Anyway, enough of my rambly, rallying cry. Thank you, Nottingham, for giving me the opportunity to gush about books every month. I can tell that this is going to be the start of something beautiful, and that between your brilliant minds and my words, we can give literature the respect that, like a forgotten library book, is long overdue. Keep reading, you gorgeous bunch. Lots of love, LP

BOOK REVIEWS Bum Apple Freak Show and Other Stories Steven Brown £6.50, Mrs Brown Comics

Wildly original and intensely weird, Bum Apple Freak Show and Other Stories transports you to a world full of chaos and unimaginable storylines. Despite the fact that these are extremely short stories, with the combination of Steven Brown’s fantastic illustrations and the use of simple writing techniques, this book is the ultimate entertainer and shall not fail to make you laugh. There is an eclectic mix of stories, ranging from a man in the 1800s who tries to re-sell a mysterious item, to a group of individuals who deal with a peculiar box that does terrifying things. Steven Brown and his band of imagineers use a bizarre blend of techniques to construct original ideas that evoke everything from confusion to laughter. Awesomely, the authors have managed to liberate themselves from “premeditation and reason,” producing a book that is incredibly funny and definitely worth the read. Filsan Hirmoge

Inhale, Exhale, Repeat

Emma Mills £9.99, Penguin Random House Sometimes, our hectic, jampacked lives can get a bit much. We all need a remedy for stress, and in her first short novel Inhale, Exhale, Repeat, Emma Mills helps you find your inner zen. After several years of non-stop charity work in London, Emma found herself craving the peace of the countryside, and moved up to Nottingham to work on her book. Her novel, released a few months ago, follows a 24-hour day, and shows how you can use meditation to find peace at each and every point of it, regardless of your surroundings. Mindfulness seems to be all the rage of late, but Emma’s approach is different; combining ancient practices with her love of poetry to give short, doable meditations that are stripped of pretentiousness and fuss. Overall, it’s a lovely read with plenty of useful tips to bring out the happiest version of yourself. Alex Kuster

The Last Sacrifice James A Moore £5.49, Angry Robot

Imagine a world without technology; ruled over by cruel gods who demand sacrifice and send their monstrous servants to abduct and kill their victims. This is the world the battle-weary warrior Brogan McTryre finds himself in as he defies the gods to save his family, incurring divine wrath in the process. Brogan is not the only one to feel the heat, however, and his actions have calamitous consequences that affect characters far and wide. Better known for his sword-andsorcery series, Seven Forges, Moore’s new novel is firmly within grimdark territory. With clear, concise prose and an engaging hero in Brogan, this book is an easy read that builds to a gripping climax while leaving scope for a sequel. Fantasy lovers will enjoy this book, and while an emphasis on gritty storytelling and horror elements elevates this from more standard magical creatures or hocus-pocus, it is still an absolute page-turner. Ian C Douglas

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Bunkers Hill Slam bunk

My alarm went off at 8.15. AM. On a Sunday. I was due to play a couple of gigs and had a recording session in the morning, so I knew it was gonna be a long day. There was a light at the end of the tunnel, though. I had a food review to do at 3 o’clock and I knew I was going to be absolutely Hank Marvin by then. Bunkers Hill is just down the road from the the recording studio on Sneinton Market, which was good because it was bloody hot and I was knackered. Food. There were three of us and we knew we needed something to sustain us for many hours of merriment, so we ordered everything. First up, the pork belly slider with coleslaw (£7) and a side of mac ‘n’ cheese bombs (£4.50). The pork belly chunks were hefty; tenderly marinated and presented on a tasty ciabatta with homemade coleslaw. It was good. Although these days, if you’re a food pub and you don’t make your own slaw, you might as well only serve Fosters and Monster Munch. The deep-fried, battered mac ‘n’ cheese balls were nothing short of marvellous. I liked the cheese; it was good cheese. My mate had the chilli burger (£8). He didn’t say much, which is useless for a food review, but he definitely looked like he enjoyed it. The chilli looked pretty wholesome with all the stuff you want in a chilli, and I noticed it came with some chorizo relish, too. That looked

George’s Off the scale

The clock hits 12.30pm and you’re debating where to have your lunch. Fish and chips might not be the obvious lunch choice as it’s traditionally a Friday evening indulgence, but think again. The new lunch menu at George's Great British Kitchen should be on your radar. Firstly, the menu boasts several light options, all under a tenner. Secondly, if you prefer your fish baked rather than battered, they’re more than happy to oblige. I love a battered fish any time of the day, so I opted for the wild ocean cod (£8.75) which was perfectly cooked and the batter was a delight; nice and crunchy, golden yellow. Served with proper chip shop-style twice-cooked chips, I added mushy peas (£1.60) because it’s basically the law. I was out with a friend who knows his stuff, and he was very impressed by the roast Scottish haddock (£9.95) which had a subtle smokiness to it and was served on a ratatouille style Mediterranean stew with a couple of courgette crisps for garnish. We split a side of onion rings (£2.25) for good measure. The restaurant interior has combined retro with modern extremely well. A double height ceiling with huge chandeliers, hand-drawn fishy illustrations and seaside-hut booths meets high gloss tiles, chrome fittings and racing green leather banquettes.

bangin’. He had a side of whitebait (£4) that came with a paprika mayo dip, which was very nice indeed. The third and most attractive of my dining companions ordered the lamb tacos (£7.50). When she ordered them, the waiter made a circle with his thumb and finger and did a sort of half wink, which suggested she’d made the best choice. He wasn’t wrong, they were mint. Even had a bit of minty yogurt on ‘em. The dish had a kind of Arabic flavour, and was accompanied by some jalapeno poppers (£4). These looked a bit like potato croquettes, but tasted better. Though I do like potato croquettes. If you own a restaurant that makes potato croquettes, hit us up and I’ll come review you. If you’re reading this, you have to drink every time you read the words “potato” or “croquettes”. I’ll finish with a comment on the general atmosphere of the place. If you’ve not been to Bunkers Hill in ages, you really should. It’s just had a brand new refurb and it’s dead good now. They have live music on a regular, too. Get down. Raph Achache 36/38 Hockley, City Centre, Nottingham NG1 1FP. 0115 910 0114. bunkershillnottingham.co.uk

week but it worked as an excuse. They have a special two for £8 drinks menu on offer, inspired by candy-shop treats. We started with a Lemon Sherbet: a vodka-based sour drink finished at the table by swirling a mini candy floss into the drink; a nice bit of theatre. I love a Fab lolly, so we then tried the cocktail equivalent complete with sugar sprinkles around the rim of the glass. Georges also bring an excellent gin game. My esteemed friend tried the most local one available, Burleigh's (£7.85 for a double measure). Made in Loughborough, it came in a bulbous globe glass which is very on trend, darlings. With eleven botanicals including silver birch, dandelion, elderberries and iris, it’s a complex but wonderful gin. Next time I visit for lunch I’m going straight for the Mac n Cheese Burger. A pattie made from macaroni cheese, a little paprika and French mustard, coated in panko breadcrumbs served in brioche bun with Red Leicester cheese, beef tomato and salad. There’s a lot of burgers flashing about at the moment but that sounds like it might be the king. Ash Dilks George’s Great British Kitchen lunch menu is available Monday to Friday from 11.30am - 4pm. George’s Great British Kitchen, Queen St, NG1 2BL, 0115 950 5521. georgesgreatbritishkitchen.co.uk

Seeing as it was a Tuesday, we thought we’d treat ourselves to a cocktail, which had absolutely nothing to do with the day of the

An Ode to Brown Betty’s

Solid, wooden frames outlining solace; that Old Wild East Midlands pit-stop family waiting to fill up bellies, the ones with the faces that feel like hugs.

taking of the piss, without being rude. “What you having then? Come on, I haven't got all day.”

“I don't know if I can finish this, a truly shocking amount of food.” The salvation of a sip from a San Pelly Ping Pong singing.

All those times we drifted in to “Welcome! Please, come and sit” playing a game of solitaire at the table with lots of other people

Just a little time to take a breather Mother and Father Making Bacon Cobs in the Morning; it's been a while since I've been home.

Oh, you.

eyeing up black and blues, brie, breads, bacons upon bacons, halloumi, olives, feta cheese, salads that made us sweat.

Behind the counter, he flicks the Vs. “Do you want a straw? Let me light that candle for you,” she coos.

You, angels painted on the wall watching all the people fall in love, mother telling kids to get a drink out the fridge while she creates beautiful chicken curry, all home-made, nourishing; plates of hope and peppers sprinkled with a little smooth

You, copies of the LeftLion scattering seats, duvet chatter hugging every body “I just. I don't know what to have.” “This is delicious.” Smirking eyelashes, handsome apron and stomper boots bringing copious fuel from behind a glass shrine to pickled spice, tasty danger.

You, full belly from mountain of chilli, what a pleasure it is to eat ingredients fresh from all the shouting, at a sturdy table with good company and an open door. You, clever variety by the forkfuls, swirler of a community that won't deplete, people getting flavours just right; microwave blasters, culinary masters. You, grand archway to the feast, all the meats and cheeses we could eat. You, the mother bear of the cafes sleeping in our fondest memories. Bridie Squires

leftlion.co.uk/issue91

leftlion.co.uk/issue76 47

LIVE COMEDY EVERY FRIDAY & SATURDAY

The best comedians want to play The Glee so don’t miss out on a superb night of live entertainment that will keep you laughing until Monday.

COMEDY TOUR SHOWS FRI 7TH JUL

THU 28TH SEP

SUN 29TH OCT

SUN 3RD SEP

TUE 3RD OCT

THU 2ND NOV

THU 5TH OCT

TUE 7TH NOV

YIANNI AGISILAOU

SUN 8TH OCT

SUN 12TH NOV

WED 20TH SEP THU 21ST SEP

THU 19TH OCT

VIR DAS

MAE MARTIN

WED 15TH NOV

WED 27TH SEP

THU 26TH OCT

SUN 19TH NOV

MATT RICHARDSON

SPECIAL EVENTS

THU 30TH NOV

SUN 10TH SEP

MISSIMP IN ACTION WAHALA COMEDY CLASH: JAMAICA VS AFRICA THU 7TH SEP

TOM STADE

KERRY GODLIMAN ABANDOMAN LEE NELSON

PAUL CHOWDHRY

TOM ALLEN

LIVE MUSIC WED 26TH JUL

SAM OUTLAW BAND (USA) SUN 17TH SEP

G2 DEFINITIVE GENESIS MON 2ND OCT

ANDY MCKEE

WED 11TH OCT

THIS FEELING ALIVE THE SHIMMER BAND, BLINDERS, BANG BANG ROMEO, BLACKWATERS

SUN 15TH OCT

THE YOUNG’UNS MON 16TH OCT

LUCA STRICAGNOLI TUE 24TH OCT

HUGH CORNWELL WED 25TH OCT

STONE FOUNDATION MON 30TH OCT

COASTS

WED 8TH NOV

WILDWOOD KIN

NATHAN CATON NICK HELM

STEVE BUGEJA AURIE STYLA

JAMES ACASTER

ED GAMBLE

THE GILDED MERKIN

THU 9TH NOV

WED 4TH OCT

BURLESQUE & CABARET

MARK EITZEL & BAND SIMON DAY: IN CHARACTER THU 16TH NOV TUE 14TH NOV REM BY STIPE STEVE LAMACQ TUE 21ST NOV GOING DEAF FOR A LIVING JOHN BRAMWELL SAT 25TH NOV (I AM KLOOT) BIG FISH LITTLE FISH THU 23RD NOV FAMILY RAVE MAWKIN WED 6TH DEC

DUKE SPECIAL

TUE 5TH DEC

‘THE VAUDEVILLIANS JINXX MONSOON (AS SEEN ON RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE)

BRITISH WATERWAYS BUILDING • CASTLE WHARF • NG1 7EH

PICK OF THE MONTH

SAT 8 JULY 1PM

Nature in Mind

Waterfront Festival

Across Nottingham

The Canalhouse

The summer festival season is well and truly under way. Taking us down to the river – well, the canal – are the lads from everybody’s favourite Notts music publishers and gig organisers, I’m Not From London. The annual Waterfront Festival is back, getting ready to showcase some of the finest Notts talent in aid of two kick-ass charities; the Roy Stone Foundation and NUH Cystic Fibrosis Centre. Make your way down to The Canalhouse and tuck into a set from Stacey McMullen at 1pm on the Under the Tree stage outside, and stick around for a lively set from Mrs Green and the Rizlas at 4.50pm. Head indoors for 6.30pm, just in time to see Babe Punch kick the bejeezus out of the Gigantic Stage, and then it’s upstairs to the stage sponsored by yours truly to sample the delights of Autumn Diet Plans at 9pm. Headliners Unknown Era, Hallouminati and The Most Ugly Child close their respective stages from 10.15pm onwards. And how could we neglect to mention this year’s fancy dress theme? Kit yourself out in fish scales and tentacles, kids, cos INFL have selected “B Movie Monsters and Mythical Creatures of the Watery Depths” as the elaborate dress code. Make of that what you will. Grab a ticket sharpish, cos they’re bound to sell out. £7 in advance, £10 otd.

SAT 1 JULY

There are many upsides to living in a city; always summat to do, never too far from a boozer, and you can hop on a bus to near enough anywhere. The downside, however, is that open outdoor space can be hard to find. Thankfully, Nature in Mind are out to do something about it by scheduling a summer programme of outdoor activities to help folk with mental health issues improve their wellbeing. With events spanning the entire month, there’ll be a little something for everyone to sink their tegs into. Get down to St Ann’s Allotments on Friday 7 July for a cuppa, a potter round the plots and a chance to help cook a communal meal; pop back on Tuesday 11 July for a summer bbq; and clamber on the minibus and head over to Chambers Farm Wood on Friday 14 July to visit the wildflower meadows and have a goose at the resident butterflies. If you’re aged eighteen or over, have a mental health problem like anxiety or depression (medical diagnosis not necessary) and would find it difficult to access nature without support, drop Nature in Mind an email at natureinmind@frameworkha.org, or call 0115 970 9591. It might just be the breath of fresh air you need.

SAT 8 JULY

Nottingham Independents Festival Nottingham City Centre

We’re gearing up to celebrate the best in the independent biz. The initiative, set up by It’s In Nottingham, was created to support local, independent outlets in the city using the power of the people, with the chance to vote for Nottingham’s Independent Business of the Year. You’ll need to get yourself online to vote, and the winner will be announced on Tuesday 4 July. Then, the main event takes over the city centre on Saturday 8 July. It’s set to be an all-out celebration with music, food and street parties as standard. There’ll also be a whole heap of hefty discounts, freebies and one-off treats from said independent businesses across the city, including free 25-minute makeovers from the Beauty Temple on Queen Street, samples and discounts from the likes of the Ugly Bread Bakery, and even a gelato demonstration from new kid on the block, Dolcino. Dunno about you, but we’re right excited.

SAT 1 JULY

THURS 6 JULY

7pm

The Party Somewhere Else Scratch Night The Circus Hub If there’s one thing we love about you lot, it’s your ability to mobilise and change the landscape of our city for the better. And that’s exactly what the gyaldem behind The Party Somewhere Else have done. Determined to revamp the Nottingham theatre scene, the sisters are well and truly doing it for ‘emselves by organising a theatre festival organised by and championing the work of women. The festival is set to take place next year, so in the meantime, The Party Somewhere Else have organised a scratch night in which five acts will present work made by women – and a few men – to an audience that’ll hopefully include yersen. There’ll be some polished performances, others will be works in progress, and the event will be hosted by everyone’s favourite feminist comedy troupe, Major Labia. Vaginal comedy as standard. Stick around after the event for an all-out party. £5 a ticket, profits split equally between performing acts.

Poetry from the East Midlands Five Leaves Bookshop

One of Nottingham’s finest hidden gems has been doing bits on the literary scene for the last twenty-odd years. This month, clamber up that magical alleyway to find the likes of Nick Jones, Marilyn Ricci and Maxine Linnell reading from their respective, hot-off-the-press poetry collections. Maxine Linnell’s collection, This is Dust is a moving tribute to the life and death of her adult son, and Marilyn takes a closer look at her parent’s lives in the hosiery and print industries. Our Nick, a doctor from round these parts, is kicking off his debut collection, Encounter, at the event. The evening is set to be a delicious celebration of some of the East Mids’ finest wordsmiths. Plus it’s free, and Five Leaves will treat you to refreshments while you’re there. They do know how to throw a parteh. Free, but let ‘em know you’re coming.

SAT 8 JULY

SAT 15 JULY

WED 12 JULY

7.30pm

6.30pm

Belters Choir: Songs in the Tunnel The Park Tunnel

Speak Up, Reach Out The Angel Microbrewery

Emmanuel House works tirelessly all year round to provide support and care to the homeless and vulnerably housed community in our city. The day service provides hot food, clothing, showers, access to the phone and internet, a laundry service, and information about benefits and tenancy agreements. The organisation does all this with no help from the taxpayer; relying on the generosity of donations to survive. The Belters are an allwoman a cappella choir who are gearing up to perform in aid of Emmanuel House, this month. Join them in the Park Tunnels – one of the best acoustic spaces in Notts – as they perform everything ranging from Eastern European polyphonic harmonies to modern gospel songs. All in the name of helping others. Last year they managed to raise over a grand, so dig deep and help ‘em beat that this year. £5 ticket price, make sure you take more pennies to donate.

Yes, Notts. Always doing bits. This month is no different, with an absolutely crackin’ event organised in the name of an extremely vital charity. Local performance poet, Danielle Ballard, has done a fine job of rounding up some of Notts’ finest entertainers – musicians, DJs, poets and the like – to perform for you lot in the aim of raising both awareness and cash money for CALM. The Campaign Against Living Miserably is a registered charity committed to preventing male suicide. Suicide is the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK, and the work that the charity does for those in need is second to none. So far on the line up is Michelle “Mother” Hubbard, Trevor Rose, Saaidi Beats, Dan Webber and Alice Ashley, with more to be announced soon, no doubt. If you need to reach CALM, you can do so online, or by calling 0800 58 58 58. Donations on entry.

Turkish Delight Nonsuch Studios If you’ve not yet managed to get your summer holiday booked, and the prospect of staying in Hoodtown is getting you down, then cry no more. We’ve found a way you can visit far-away lands from the comfort of your own city. Nonsuch are taking us on a journey with their monthly film and food night and a story that’ll tek you all the way from Hamburg to Istanbul. Their screening of Im Juli – a German-Turkish road trip flick with the usual trials and tribulations along the way – sees physics teacher Daniel on the look out for the Turkish girl he saw fleetingly in his hometown in Hamburg. Following the film, it’s up and at ‘em to Antalya Restaurant, where you’ll tuck into a three-course feast with speciality Turkish dishes. That’s a bit of alright, that. £15.50 for film and food, £6.50 for film only.

Get weekly updates of Nottingham events at leftlion.co.uk/newsletter leftlion.co.uk/issue91

For more events, check out leftlion.co.uk/listings SATURDAY 1 JUL

SUNDAY 2 JUL

TUESDAY 4 JUL

THURSDAY 6 JUL

FRIDAY 7 JUL

SATURDAY 8 JUL

â™Ť Benefit Street The Angel Microbrewery Free, 9pm

â™Ť The Smith Street Band The Bodega ÂŁ12, 7pm

đ&#x;”§ Hackspace 2.5 Work Nottingham Hackspace Free

â™Ť 33/45 Malt Cross Free, 7pm - 10pm

â™Ť Stealth Vs Rescued Stealth 10pm

đ&#x;”§ 16 Weeks to Draft Your Novel with Deborah Bailey Nottingham Writersâ€™ Studio ÂŁ140 - ÂŁ210, 9.30am 12:30pm

â™Ť Stop Stop The Maze ÂŁ8, 6pm

đ&#x;Œ… Lawn Bowls Val Roberts House Free, 10.15am - 3.30pm

đ&#x;Ž¨ Paint a Pot Thursdays The Harley Gallery ÂŁ5 - ÂŁ20, 10am - 3pm

đ&#x;Œ… Nature in Mind: Wildlife Watch St Annâ€™s Allotments Free, 10:30am - 2pm

đ&#x;Œ… Colwick Woods Gala Colwick Country Park Free, 12pm - 4pm

đ&#x;Œ… Nature in Mind: Checking for Pests and Diseases St Annâ€™s Allotments Free, 10.30am - 2pm

đ&#x;ŽĽ Talk Cinema Broadway Cafe Bar ÂŁ40 - ÂŁ60, 7.30pm - 9pm

đ&#x;’ƒHellfire Harlots vs London Roller Girls Batter C Power Lee Westwood Sports Centre ÂŁ5, 12pm - 6pm â™Ť Oxjam Unplugged Middle Street Resource Centre ÂŁ6 - ÂŁ6, 7.30pm - 10.45pm đ&#x;Ž The Party Somewhere Else Scratch Night Circus Hub ÂŁ5, 7.00pm - 10.30pm đ&#x;‘Ł Belly Dance Show with Katerina Shereen The Space, Nottingham Girlsâ€™ High School ÂŁ15, 7pm - 8.30pm â™Ť Faith: The George Michael Legacy The Albert Hall ÂŁ22.50, 7.30pm â™Ť Legendary Shack Shakers The Bodega ÂŁ13.20, 7pm

â™Ť Brazilian Night JamCafĂŠ ÂŁ20, 7pm â™Ť Sunday Showcase The Greyhound, Beeston Free, 6pm - 11.45pm â™Ť Nottingham Intermediate and Training Orchestra The Albert Hall ÂŁ6 - ÂŁ9, 3pm

đ&#x;Ž Schools Fest 2017 Nottingham Playhouse ÂŁ5, 7pm

â™Ť Pentrich Tap Takeover The Fox And The Crown Free, 7pm

â™Ť Stealth Bassline Special Stealth ÂŁ5.50, 10pm

â™Ť Irish Trad Session Malt Cross Free, 4pm - 7pm

â™Ť Blink 182 Motorpoint Arena ÂŁ32.45 - ÂŁ91, 6pm

đ&#x;‘Ş Family Paint and Skate Motorpoint Arena ÂŁ2.50 - ÂŁ8.50, 2.30pm - 5pm

â™Ť Notts in a Nutshell The Maze ÂŁ3, 7.30pm

đ&#x;Ž¤ Poetry from the East Midlands Five Leaves Bookshop Free, 7pm - 8.30pm

đ&#x;Ž MissImp In Action: Live Improvised Comedy The Glee Club ÂŁ8 - ÂŁ10, 8pm - 10pm

đ&#x;”§ Fossil Making Lakeside Arts Centre ÂŁ5, 12pm - 3.30pm

đ&#x;‘Ş Community Safety Information: Crime Reduction Eastwood Library Free, 10am - 11am

â™Ť Catch Fire The Bodega ÂŁ6.60, 7pm

â™Ť Merrickâ€™s Tusk + Little Bribes + Some Skeletons + Them Are They Rough Trade Nottingham Free, 7pm

â™Ť Hucknall and Linby Brass Band Rufford Country Park ÂŁ3, 2pm

đ&#x;˜‚ Saturday Night Comedy: Richard Massara + Tom Deacon Jongleurs Comedy Club Nottingham ÂŁ16 - ÂŁ23, 8.30pm

đ&#x;‘Ş Dovecote Open and Teddy Bearâ€™s Picnic Dovecote Museum Free, 2pm - 4.30pm

đ&#x;‘Ş Create Your Own Dinosaur Costume Lakeside Arts Centre ÂŁ5, 12pm - 3.30pm

MONDAY 3 JUL đ&#x;Ž¨ Life Drawing with Oliver Lovley Malt Cross ÂŁ7, 6pm - 8pm đ&#x;Œ… Birchover Walk Val Roberts House Free, 9.30am - 4.30pm đ&#x;ŒłGardening Club St Martinâ€™s Church Free đ&#x;Ž¨ Exploring Drawing Nottingham Contemporary ÂŁ15 - ÂŁ45, 10am

â™Ť Rise Up! presents Nest 2nd Birthday Bonanza The Maze ÂŁ5, 7.30pm

đ&#x;?´ Blue Stockings Brunch THINK Creative Space: Cobden Chambers ÂŁ15, 11.30am

đ&#x;Ž Summer Fair Nottinghamshire Hospice Free, 10am - 4pm

đ&#x;Ž˛ Booze + Board Games The Maze Free, 7pm

đ&#x;Ž¨ Farmer Duck Story and Craft Stapleford Library Free, 11.15am - 12pm

đ&#x;‘Ş Monday Workspace THINK Creative Space: Cobden Chambers ÂŁ11.21 - ÂŁ16.52, 9am - 5pm

40 leftlion.co.uk/issue91

â™Ť Limehouse Lizzy The Doghouse ÂŁ12.50, 7pm - 2am

â™Ť The Boothill Toetappers The Lincolnshire Poacher 9pm

â™Ť Fan Club X Hellfire Harlots Rough Trade Nottingham Free, 7pm

đ&#x;’ť Pixelheads: Saturday Club National Videogame Arcade ÂŁ8, 12.30pm - 3pm

â™Ť Ezra Furman Rescue Rooms ÂŁ18, 7pm

â™Ť The Salâ€™s 777th Birthday Ye Olde Salutation Inn 7pm

đ&#x;Œ… Feel Good Event Windmill Community Gardens Free, 10.30am - 3pm

đ&#x;Ž¨ Russian Filigree Ring with Melody Unchained Focus Gallery ÂŁ95, 10.30am - 4.30pm

đ&#x;”§ Prosthetic Make-up Workshop The Navigation Inn ÂŁ35 - ÂŁ45, 12pm - 6pm

â™Ť Live Music The Bread And Bitter 9pm

đ&#x;ŽĽ Alien Covenant Bonington Cinema Arnold ÂŁ4.50 - ÂŁ5.50, 7:30pm - 10pm

â™Ť Band Factory Rough Trade Nottingham 7pm

đ&#x;Œ… Family Conservation Fun Sherwood Forest Country Park Free, 10am - 12.30pm

â™Ť El Gecko The Lion at Basford Free, 9.30pm

đ&#x;Ž Pirates of Penzance Nottingham Arts Theatre ÂŁ12 - ÂŁ14, 7.30pm - 10pm

đ&#x;Ž¨ Artist Talk: Steffani Jemison Nottingham Contemporary Free, 6.30pm

â™Ť Drum Club Middle Street Resource Centre Free, 2pm - 4pm

WEDNESDAY 5 JUL đ&#x;Ž 55+ Readerâ€™s Group NP Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall ÂŁ60, 11am - 12.30pm đ&#x;‘Ł 55+ Dance Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall ÂŁ60, 11am - 12.30pm đ&#x;Ž¨ 55+ Mixed Media Art Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall ÂŁ60, 1.30pm - 3pm đ&#x;”§ 55+ Creative Writing Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall ÂŁ60, 1.30pm - 3pm đ&#x;Ž¨ Pottery Evening Classes with Linda Southwell The Harley Gallery ÂŁ150, 7pm đ&#x;Ž¨ Tour of Reportrait Exhibition Nottingham Castle Free, 10am - 2pm â™Ť Pat Dam Smyth Rescue Rooms ÂŁ6.50, 6.30pm đ&#x;ŽĽ La Boheme: Live From Taormina Savoy Cinema ÂŁ11 - ÂŁ13.50, 7.30pm đ&#x;Ž Urban Explorers Nottingham Playhouse ÂŁ6 - ÂŁ10, 7.30pm đ&#x;Ž¨ Build a Camera Obscura Curious? Nottingham ÂŁ40, 2pm - 5pm

đ&#x;˜‚ Group Therapy Comedy Club Rough Trade Nottingham ÂŁ11, 7pm đ&#x;Ž Frank Matcham - His Life and Career Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall Free đ&#x;”§ Tiny Fingers, Tiny Toes: Workshops for Little Ones The Djanogly Art Gallery ÂŁ5, 10am - 11am â™Ť Music for Life The Maze ÂŁ3, 8pm đ&#x;ŽĽ Media and Heritage Training Workshops VPoint TV Production Company 9.30am - 1.30pm đ&#x;Ž¨ Artist Talk: Steffani Jemison Nottingham Contemporary 6.30pm - 7.30pm FRIDAY 7 JUL đ&#x;Ž A Midsummer Nightâ€™s Dream Nottingham Castle ÂŁ10 - ÂŁ40, 6pm đ&#x;?ş Gin Tasting in the Caves The Malt Cross ÂŁ25, 7pm - 8.30pm â™Ť Bamalamasingsong Rescue Rooms ÂŁ7, 8.30pm â™Ť Mashochism 1.1 The Maze ÂŁ8, 10pm đ&#x;Œ… Risley Four Mile Walk Broadmarsh Shopping Centre Free, 9.45am - 3pm

â™Ť Mowbeck The Bodega ÂŁ5.50, 7pm

â™Ť Sound Exchange The Lion at Basford Free, 9:30pm đ&#x;‘Ş Kingdom Business Nottingham: Monthly Networking Meeting Malt Cross ÂŁ6, 7:30am đ&#x;“– Storytelling Stay and Play Arnold Library Free, 10:30am - 12pm

SATURDAY 8 JUL â™Ť Blind River + Fear Me December The Greyhound, Beeston Free, 9pm - 2am đ&#x;”§ 16 Weeks to Draft Your Novel with Deborah Bailey Nottingham Writersâ€™ Studio ÂŁ140 - ÂŁ210, 9:30am 12:30pm â™Ť Waterfront Festival 2017 Canal House ÂŁ7, 1pm đ&#x;‘Ş The Lost World Wollaton Hall, History Museum and Industrial Museum ÂŁ10 - ÂŁ40, 6pm â™Ť JD & The FDCs: Final Rock Show The Maze ÂŁ5, 7:30pm â™Ť The Wonder Years Rock City ÂŁ15, 6pm â™Ť BFest Music Festival Bingham Town Sports Club ÂŁ17.50 - ÂŁ20, 1pm - 10pm

â™Ť Ambient Ă‰lectronique The Chameleon Cafe Bar ÂŁ4, 7.30pm - 11pm â™Ť Nottingham Symphony Orchestra The Albert Hall ÂŁ6 - ÂŁ12.50, 7.30pm đ&#x;˜‚ Saturday Night Comedy: Barry Dodds + Allyson Smith Jongleurs Comedy Club ÂŁ16 - ÂŁ23, 7pm â™Ť The Wonder Years Rock City ÂŁ16.50, 6.30pm đ&#x;Ž Stand in the Spotlight Nottingham Playhouse ÂŁ12 - ÂŁ14, 2.30pm đ&#x;”§ Stamp-Carving Workshop The Malt Cross ÂŁ35, 11am - 3pm đ&#x;”§ Traditional Stone Setting with Dave Gelder Focus Gallery ÂŁ110, 10.30am - 4.30pm đ&#x;?Ť Local Archaeological Project Talks Djanogly Recital Hall Free, 11am - 12.15pm đ&#x;Ž¨ Independents Festival: T-Shirt Tote Debbie Bryan Free, 10.30am - 12pm SUNDAY 9 JUL đ&#x;Ž Picnic in the Park Highfields Park Free, 12pm - 3pm đ&#x;?Ź Primary Gardens Market Primary Free đ&#x;Ž Jane Eyre Wollaton Hall, History Museum and Industrial Museum ÂŁ10 - ÂŁ40, 6pm â™Ť Cosmic American presents Will Hoge The Maze ÂŁ14, 7.30pm â™Ť Matthew Logan Vasquez The Bodega ÂŁ7.50, 7pm đ&#x;Ž Summer Garden Play Readings Garden Marquee ÂŁ10, 2pm - 6pm đ&#x;“˘ Generation Sounds The Greyhound, Beeston Free, 5pm - 11.45pm â™Ť John Hardy: Live Acoustic Music The Johnson Arms 8pm đ&#x;?ş Jacobâ€™s Homebrew Summer School Brew Dog 1pm

NUSIC BOX

Your new Notts music tip sheet, as compiled by Nusicâ€™s Sam Nahirny. Want more? Check the fortnightly podcasts and live sessions in the Nusic website.

For more events, check out leftlion.co.uk/listings MONDAY 10 JUL

TUESDAY 11 JUL

THURSDAY 13 JUL

FRIDAY 14 JUL

đ&#x;Ž Ghost Lights Nottingham Arts Theatre ÂŁ10, 7pm

â™Ť This is the Kit Rough Trade Nottingham ÂŁ10.99 - ÂŁ17.99, 7pm

đ&#x;ŽĽ Talk Cinema Broadway Cafe Bar ÂŁ40 - ÂŁ60, 7.30pm - 9pm

â™Ť Original Sound Tracks The Bodega Free

â™Ť Pressure Rescue Rooms Free, 10pm

đ&#x;ŽĽ The Chess Players Djanogly Theatre ÂŁ3 - ÂŁ5, 7.30pm - 10pm

đ&#x;?Ť Lecture Kaleidoscope: Colour and Sequence in 1960s British Art Djanogly Art Gallery Free, 6pm - 7pm

đ&#x;ŽŠ Bestwood Winding Engine House Tour and Walk Val Roberts House Free, 10am - 3.30pm

â™Ť Notts in a Nutshell The Maze ÂŁ3, 7.30pm

đ&#x;Ž Gorilla Burger: Improvised Comedy Carnage Malt Cross ÂŁ3 - ÂŁ5, 7.30pm - 10pm

đ&#x;ŒłGardening Club St Martinâ€™s Church Free đ&#x;“– Kate Evans Visits â€œThe Jungleâ€? Five Leaves Bookshop ÂŁ3, 7pm - 8.30pm đ&#x;“Ł Nottingham Soup THINK Creative Space: Cobden Chambers ÂŁ5, 6.30pm

Amulet Weâ€™ve heard two singles from Amulet; both bangers in very different ways. The first, Temptress is a swaggerful indie-rock anthem with a guitar riff thatâ€™ll make any human whoâ€™s ever wanted to be a rockstar jealous. The second and current single Who Do You Think You Are? is a very unique piece of... well, I have no idea what genre it is. Itâ€™s part electronica, part rock, part pop, all muddled together with loads of other genres, too. With a stunning falsetto and an incredible build to the last chorus, itâ€™s one of the most engaging pieces of new music weâ€™ve come across. If they continue to put out music as interesting and diverse as this, we reckon itâ€™s only a matter of time till they hit the big league. facebook.com/amuletofficial

đ&#x;ŽĽ Salzburg Festival: Cavalleria Rusticana/ Pagliacci Savoy Cinema ÂŁ11 - ÂŁ13.50, 7.45pm â™Ť Public Service Broadcasting Rough Trade Nottingham 7pm đ&#x;?Ť The Making of Dinosaurs of China Djanogly Theatre Free, 1pm - 2pm â™Ť Acoustic Rooms Rescue Rooms Free, 8pm đ&#x;?Ť Monday Workspace THINK Creative Space: Cobden Chambers ÂŁ11.21 - ÂŁ16.52, 9am - 5pm đ&#x;’ƒ Womenâ€™s Running Race Series Victoria Embankment ÂŁ10, 10am đ&#x;“– Creative Writing Group Mapperley Library Free, 1.30pm - 3.30pm đ&#x;Œ… Go Active Falconry: Sherwood Lecture Series Sherwood Forest Country Park ÂŁ5, 7pm - 9pm

Dollie Demi Sass-rock. Thatâ€™s the best way we can describe DD. Big, beefy riffs, some very catchy choruses, and lyrics that make us never want to piss her off. A Colwick girl, Dollieâ€™s gone and got a badass band together that proper amplifies her sound. She kind of gives off Charli XCX vibes, but with significantly more guitars. Sexy guitars. And some ridiculously catchy choruses, too. She can capture a vibey small room just as well as she could a massive festival crowd, and we havenâ€™t even mentioned the striking visuals she provides. In all, the previous ninety words youâ€™ve read is me trying to communicate the fact that our Dollie is basically the perfect popstar with a lot of six-string action. Damn. Thatâ€™s not meant to be as naughty as it sounds. facebook.com/dolliedemi Thanks to support from Arts Council England, Nusic are making some Advice Guide videos and PDFs that provide the info and tips you need to make a living doing what you love. Released fortnightly, get them downloaded and check â€˜em all out. nusic.org.uk/advice

TUESDAY 11 JUL â™Ť Nusic Academy Workshop and Advice Fair Antenna Free, 5.30pm â™Ť The Pierce Brothers Rescue Rooms ÂŁ10, 6.30pm â™Ť Phlebas Bar Eleven ÂŁ3, 10pm đ&#x;Œ… Nature in Mind: Summer Barbecue St Annâ€™s Allotments Visitor Centre Free, 10.30am - 2pm đ&#x;“– Joanne Limburg: The Autistic Alice Five Leaves Bookshop ÂŁ6 - ÂŁ8, 7.30pm - 9pm

đ&#x;‘Ş Community Safety Information: Crime Reduction Eastwood Library Free, 10am - 11am đ&#x;“– Inspire Poetry Festival: Joanne Limburg â€“ The Autistic Alice The West Bridgford Library Gallery ÂŁ8, 7.30pm - 9.30pm â™Ť Confetti Celebrate 2017 Various Venues Free, 10am - 8pm đ&#x;‘Ş The Racing Room The Dragon Free - ÂŁ3, 7.30pm WEDNESDAY 12 JUL đ&#x;˜‚ The ÂŁ1 NCF Comedy Night Canalhouse ÂŁ1, 8pm đ&#x;ŽĽ Turkish Delight: Film and Food Night NonSuch Studio ÂŁ6.50 - ÂŁ15.50, 6.30pm đ&#x;Ž¨ Lake Enders: Art Group for Adults with Learning Difficulties Lakeside Arts Centre ÂŁ50 đ&#x;ŽĽ La Antenna The Space, Nottingham Contemporary ÂŁ5, 6.30pm đ&#x;Œ… Introducing Land Art Sherwood Community Centre Free, 10am â™Ť Halflives The Maze ÂŁ6, 6pm đ&#x;ŽĽ My Cousin Rachel Bonington Cinema Arnold ÂŁ4.50 - ÂŁ5.50, 7.30pm - 10pm đ&#x;ŽŠ Archives Tour Nottinghamshire Archives ÂŁ5, 10.30am - 11.30am đ&#x;“– Inspire Poetry Festival presents Holly McNish The West Bridgford Library Gallery ÂŁ10 đ&#x;Ž¨ Open Hack Nottingham Hackspace Free, 6.30pm - 9pm â™Ť Crisis Rock City ÂŁ21, 10pm đ&#x;Ž¤ Crosswords Malt Cross Free, 7.30pm đ&#x;”§ Graphic Design Course Raphâ€™s House Free, 3am

đ&#x;’ť Hello Words National Videogame Arcade Free, 6.30pm đ&#x;ŽĽ My Cousin Rachel Bonington Cinema Arnold ÂŁ4.50 - ÂŁ5.50, 2.30pm - 4pm â™Ť Nightfish The Southbank Bar Free, 9am

â™Ť Rust of Glory The Lion at Basford Free, 9.30pm đ&#x;ŽŠ Nefarious Notts: The English Revolution in Sherwood Forest Nottinghamshire Archives ÂŁ5, 2.30pm - 4.30pm SATURDAY 15 JUL â™Ť The Spooky Menâ€™s Chorale St Maryâ€™s Church ÂŁ16, 6.30pm - 10.30pm

đ&#x;“Ł A Night With â€œArkleâ€?: Derek Randall The Poppy and Pint ÂŁ20, 7.30pm

đ&#x;Ž¤ Nottingham Speak Up, Reach Out! with Michelle â€˜Motherâ€™ Hubbard + Dan Webber + Alto Peublo + Trevor Rose + Alice Ashley + Saaidi Beats The Angel Microbrewery

â™Ť Club Tropicana Rescue Rooms 9pm

đ&#x;Ž Jane Eyre Nottingham Castle ÂŁ10 - ÂŁ40, 6pm

â™Ť Confetti Live The Maze Free, 7pm - 11pm

â™Ť The Doors Alive Rescue Rooms ÂŁ15, 6.30pm

đ&#x;“– Inspire Poetry Festival: Writing with Panya Banjoko West Bridgford Library ÂŁ5, 5pm - 6pm

â™Ť Spreading The Disease + Heretic Order + Death Valley Knights + Black Ink Sun + Witch Tripper + Amnesia The Maze ÂŁ5, 7pm

FRIDAY 14 JUL â™Ť Dan Owen The Bodega ÂŁ8, 7pm đ&#x;Ž The Wind in the Willows Wollaton Hall, History Museum and Industrial Museum ÂŁ10 - ÂŁ40, 5pm â™Ť Lemuria Rescue Rooms ÂŁ11, 6.30pm đ&#x;Œ… Chambers Farm Wood Butterflies Val Roberts House Free, 9am - 5pm đ&#x;Œ… Nature in Mind: Greenhouse Gardening St Annâ€™s Allotments Free, 10.30am đ&#x;“– Free, Friendly, Fortnightly Friday Writing Group! St Martinâ€™s Church Free, 2pm - 4pm đ&#x;“– Louise Pentland - Wilde Like Me: Q&A and Book Signing Waterstones ÂŁ5 - ÂŁ15, 7pm â™Ť Amulet Rough Trade Free, 7pm â™Ť Trapalace Vol.2 The Maze ÂŁ3, 10pm

đ&#x;ŽĽ Fortune & Glory Film Club: Super Mario Bros. The National Videogame Arcade ÂŁ8, 7pm - 11.45pm â™Ť Note-ability Summer Concert in Attenborough St Maryâ€™s Church ÂŁ4 - ÂŁ8, 7.30pm â™Ť I Wanna Rock - NYPA Nottingham Arts Theatre ÂŁ8.50 - ÂŁ10, 7pm đ&#x;Ž¨ Saturday Art Club Exhibition 2017 Nottingham Trent University Free, 2pm - 4pm đ&#x;š˛ Wheel Building Nottingham Bike Works ÂŁ65, 10am - 4.30pm â™Ť Autumn Diet Plans The Bodega ÂŁ5.75, 7pm â™Ť Stealth presents Jon K Stealth 10pm đ&#x;˜‚ Saturday Night Comedy: Jojo Sutherland + Ben Briggs + Darius Davies + Kane Brown Jongleurs Comedy Club ÂŁ16 - ÂŁ23, 7pm â™Ť Punk It Up! Politics in Punk Rough Trade Free, 7pm

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For more events, check out leftlion.co.uk/listings SATURDAY 15 JUL

MONDAY 17 JUL

THURSDAY 20 JUL

SATURDAY 22 JUL

SUNDAY 23 JUL

đ&#x;Ž Pride and Pre-Show Anticipation Nottingham Playhouse ÂŁ5, 7.30pm

đ&#x;Œł Gardening Club St Martinâ€™s Church Free

đ&#x;Ž¨ Paint a Pot Thursdays The Harley Gallery ÂŁ5 - ÂŁ20, 10am - 3pm

đ&#x;Ž¨ Saturday Art Club New Art Exchange Free, 10am - 12pm

đ&#x;ŽĽ Society Savoy Cinema ÂŁ4.75 - ÂŁ6.50

đ&#x;Ž The Comedy of Errors Nottingham Castle ÂŁ10 - ÂŁ40, 6pm

đ&#x;“Ł Information Lecture: Help and Healing on the Spiritual Path through the Teaching of Bruno Groening The Nottingham Mechanics, Free, 1.30pm - 2.45pm

â™Ť Fruit Of The Original Sin + Support The Greyhound, Beeston Free, 6pm - 11pm

đ&#x;‘Ş Monday Workspace THINK Creative Space: Cobden Chambers ÂŁ11.21 - ÂŁ16.52, 9am - 5pm

đ&#x;?´ Healthy Eating: Sow and Grow Salad Leaves The Burrow Free, 10.30am

â™Ť Electric Circus UK The Greyhound, Beeston Free, 9pm - 2am

đ&#x;‘Ş Community Learning: Coping with Anxiety and Depression Hucknall Library Free

đ&#x;Ž Home Nottingham Playhouse ÂŁ8 - ÂŁ10, 8pm - 9pm

đ&#x;?Ť Unlocking the Secrets of Runes: Festival of Archaeology Lakeside Arts Centre Free, 11am - 4pm

đ&#x;’ť Pixelheads National Videogame Arcade ÂŁ8, 12.30pm - 3pm đ&#x;Ž¨ Saving Treasures: Felix Josephâ€™s Gifts to Nottingham Nottingham Castle ÂŁ12, 11am - 3.45pm đ&#x;”§ Alternative Stone Setting with Dave Gelder Focus Gallery ÂŁ110, 10.30am - 4.30pm đ&#x;Œ… Hawk Walk Experience Sherwood Forest Country Park 10am - 4pm đ&#x;“– Inspire Poetry Festival: A.F. Harrold West Bridgford Library ÂŁ3, 10.30am - 11.30am đ&#x;š˛ GO TRI Aquathlon Colwick Country Park ÂŁ18, 1.30pm - 3.30pm đ&#x;“– Storysmash Masterclass: Videogame Writing Nottingham Central Library ÂŁ8, 3pm - 6pm â™Ť Boycott the Baptist + Brainshit + Brianblessed + Spaztik Munkey + Raised By Owls The Navigation Inn ÂŁ5, 8pm - 11.30pm

SUNDAY 16 JUL â™Ť Tippa Irie & The Lockdown Band The Maze ÂŁ10, 8pm â™Ť Trapt Rock City ÂŁ10, 7.30pm â™Ť Dead Frequency + Support The Greyhound, Beeston Free, 6pm - 11.45pm

đ&#x;Ž¨ CIG Creative Debbie Bryan ÂŁ38, 12.30pm - 3.30pm

đ&#x;Œ… Nottinghamshire Beekeepersâ€™ Association Sherwood Forest Country Park Free, 10am - 4pm â™Ť Harworth Colliery Brass Band Rufford Country Park Free

42 leftlion.co.uk/issue91

đ&#x;Œ… Peak District Five-Mile Walk Val Roberts House Free, 9.30am - 5pm đ&#x;?Ť Not Your Fatherâ€™s Pterosaurs: How Scientists are Reinterpreting Mesozoic Flying Reptiles Djanogly Theatre Free, 1pm - 2pm â™Ť Notts in a Nutshell The Maze 7.30pm đ&#x;‘Ş Community Safety Information: Crime Reduction Eastwood Library Free, 10am - 11am WEDNESDAY 19 JUL đ&#x;Œ… Conservative Attenborough Nature Reserve Free, 9.45am - 4pm â™Ť Woes + Better Than Never The Rescue Rooms ÂŁ6, 6.30pm đ&#x;Ž¨ Exhibition: Mastered Bonington Gallery Free, 10am - 5pm đ&#x;Ž˛ Chess with Peter Mortimer Five Leaves Bookshop ÂŁ3, 6pm - 8.45pm â™Ť In Hindsight Live Rough Trade Nottingham ÂŁ5.50, 7pm đ&#x;“– Guided Walk Wollaton Library Free, 7pm - 9.30pm đ&#x;“Ł An Alpine Garden Society Tour of Patagonia: St Leonards Church Community Centre ÂŁ3.50, 7.30pm - 9.30pm đ&#x;˜‚ NCF Comedy ÂŁ1 Comedy Night Special: Edinburgh Preview Canal House ÂŁ1, 8pm - 10.30pm

đ&#x;ŽĽ Beauty & The Beast Bonington Cinema Arnold ÂŁ4.50 - ÂŁ5.50, 2.30pm 4.30pm đ&#x;ŽĽ The Princess Bride Bonington Cinema Arnold ÂŁ4.50 - ÂŁ5.50, 7.30pm - 10pm đ&#x;‘Ş Community Learning: Emergency First Aid for Baby and Toddler Hucknall Library 9.30am - 11.30am FRIDAY 21 JUL â™Ť Bad Touch The Greyhound, Beeston Free, 9pm - 2am

â™Ť Deep Purple Family Tree Rescue Rooms ÂŁ12, 6.30pm đ&#x;ŽĽ Family Movie Matinees Broadway Cinema ÂŁ3.70 â™Ť Jack Lukeman The Bodega ÂŁ13.20, 7pm â™Ť Buenos Treehouse: Capsized Album Launch Rough Trade Nottingham Free, 7pm đ&#x;˜‚ Saturday Night Comedy: James Cook + Ross Leslie + Archie Maddocks Jongleurs Comedy Club ÂŁ16 - ÂŁ23, 7pm đ&#x;’ť Pixelheads National Videogame Arcade ÂŁ8, 12.30pm - 3pm

đ&#x;“ˇ Demystifying the DSLR: Part One Broadway Cinema ÂŁ75 - ÂŁ90, 4.30pm - 10am đ&#x;Œ… Butterfly Hunt for Mini People Sherwood Forest Country Park 10.30am - 12pm

â™Ť Kemet Loves Sexy Chocolate Marcus Garvey Ballroom ÂŁ10, 10pm

đ&#x;Ž¨ Anne Menary and Janet Halligan Focus Gallery 10am - 7pm â™Ť Lumer Live Rough Trade Nottingham Free, 7pm â™Ť Luvrythem Opening Party The Lacehouse ÂŁ6 - ÂŁ8, 10pm - 4am â™Ť Get Lucky Rock City Free, 10pm

đ&#x;š˛ Outlaw Triathlon Holme Pierrepont Free đ&#x;ŽŠ Ceremony Open Day The Embankment Free, 12pm

2nd Sunday 2pm - 7pm

â™Ť Elvis Fontenot + Hollie Vee & The Hubkaps + The Guffrits The Maze ÂŁ6, 8pm

â™Ť The Tangents + Kid Luna The Bodega ÂŁ5.50, 6.30pm

đ&#x;?´ Cocktail Day The Golden Eagle Free, 2pm

đ&#x;Ž Emccan Queen Show Nottingham Playhouse ÂŁ5 - ÂŁ10, 6pm

đ&#x;“– John Kirk presents Jeremy Strongâ€™s The Hundred-Mile-an-Hour Dog Hucknall Library Free, 2pm

đ&#x;Ž Macbeth Nottingham Castle ÂŁ10 - ÂŁ40, 6pm

đ&#x;Œ… Nature in Mind: Composting St Annâ€™s Allotments Free, 10.30am - 2pm

đ&#x;Ž¨ Crafternoon Debbie Bryan ÂŁ28 - ÂŁ40, 10.30am

đ&#x;“– John Lucas at 80! Five Leaves Bookshop Free, 4.30pm - 6.30pm

đ&#x;š˛ Skatelandâ€™s First Birthday Skateland Community 6pm - 9pm

â™Ť Indigo Girls The Albert Hall ÂŁ25, 7pm

â™Ť The Dickies The Rescue Rooms ÂŁ15, 6.30pm

đ&#x;?ş Jacobâ€™s Homebrew Summer School Brew Dog 1pm

1st Saturday 9pm - 1am

đ&#x;Œ… Community Orchard Open Day St Anns Allotments Visitor Centre

đ&#x;Œ… Nature in Mind: Butterfly Count with Park Ranger Simon Jenkins St Annâ€™s Allotments Free, 10.30am - 2pm

đ&#x;ŽĽ National Theatre Live: Angels in America Part 1 Millennium Appro Savoy Cinema ÂŁ11 - ÂŁ13.50

đ&#x;Ž Romeo and Juliet Nottingham Castle ÂŁ10 - ÂŁ40, 6pm

đ&#x;ŽĽ Pulp Fiction Food and Film Night Rough Trade ÂŁ15, 7pm - 10pm

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đ&#x;?ş Jacobâ€™s Homebrew Summer School Brew Dog 1pm

đ&#x;”§ Hackspace 2.5 Work Nottingham Hackspace Free

đ&#x;?Ť Under the Tail of the Diplodocus: Interactive Storytelling Workshop Lakeside Arts Centre ÂŁ5, 1pm - 4pm

â™Ť Steampunk Sundays The Malt Cross Free, 4pm - 7pm

â™Ť Irish Music Session The Bell Inn Free

TUESDAY 18 JUL

đ&#x;“Ł Talk by John Grindrod Five Leaves Bookshop ÂŁ3, 7pm - 8.30pm

â™Ť Splendour Wollaton Park ÂŁ46 - ÂŁ90, 11.30am

đ&#x;”§ Enamelling On Copper Focus Gallery ÂŁ75, 10.30am - 4.30pm

Angel Microbrewery Nottingham NG1 1LG

For more events, check out leftlion.co.uk/listings MONDAY 24 JUL

FRIDAY 28 JUL

SATURDAY 29 JUL

đ&#x;Œł Gardening Club St Martinâ€™s Church Free

đ&#x;‘Ş Raiders of the Lost Park Wollaton Hall, History Museum and Industrial Museum ÂŁ5.50 - ÂŁ22, 12pm - 4pm

đ&#x;’ť Pixelheads National Videogame Arcade ÂŁ8, 12.30pm - 3pm

â™Ť Big Spring The Bodega ÂŁ7.15, 10pm đ&#x;Ž¨ Life Drawing with Oliver Lovley The Malt Cross ÂŁ7, 6pm - 9.30pm TUESDAY 25 JUL đ&#x;Œ… Nature in Mind: Campfire Cooking St Annâ€™s Allotments Free, 10.30am - 2pm đ&#x;“Ł Divercity: LGBT Lives Five Leaves Bookshop Free, 7pm - 8.30pm â™Ť Pressure Rescue Rooms Free, 10pm đ&#x;”§ Dino Builder Lakeside Arts Centre ÂŁ5, 12pm - 3.30pm â™Ť Notts in a Nutshell The Maze ÂŁ3 WEDNESDAY 26 JUL đ&#x;˜‚ The ÂŁ1 NCF Comedy Night Canalhouse ÂŁ1, 8pm đ&#x;Ž Smash Night: Improvised Comedy Theatre The Angel Microbrewery ÂŁ3 - ÂŁ5, 7.30pm - 10pm â™Ť Sam Outlaw Band (USA) The Glee Club ÂŁ15, 7pm đ&#x;‘Ş Stitch + Bitch Malt Cross Free đ&#x;?Ť Bring Your Dino Toy Day Lakeside Arts Centre Free, 12pm - 3.30pm đ&#x;Ž¨ Open Hack Nottingham Hackspace Free, 6.30pm - 9pm đ&#x;”§ Salsa Classes Bunkers Hill ÂŁ5, 7pm THURSDAY 27 JUL đ&#x;Ž¨ Paint a Pot Thursdays The Harley Gallery ÂŁ5 - ÂŁ20, 10am - 3pm đ&#x;Ž Peter Pan Nottingham Castle ÂŁ10 - ÂŁ40, 5.30pm đ&#x;“ˇ Bilborough Photography Club St Martinâ€™s Church ÂŁ1 - ÂŁ2, 7pm - 9pm đ&#x;“– An Evening with Peter Robinson Waterstones ÂŁ3, 6.30pm đ&#x;ŽĽ Filming Syria New Art Exchange Free, 6.30pm - 8.30pm

â™Ť bUTTONpUSHER: Chiyoda Ku + Kusanagi + Codices JT Soar ÂŁ5, 7.30pm - 11pm â™Ť Martyr Defiled The Maze ÂŁ8, 6pm đ&#x;Ž¨ Summer Auction Syson Gallery ÂŁ15 đ&#x;Œ… Nature in Mind: Breathing for Relaxation St Annâ€™s Allotments Free, 10.30am - 2pm â™Ť Drum Club St Annâ€™s Allotments Free, 2pm - 4pm đ&#x;˜‚ NCF Comedy at the Springfield Hall Springfield Hall ÂŁ8 - ÂŁ10, 8pm - 10.30pm â™Ť DirtyFilthySexy presents Alternative Pride Pageant Spanky Van Dykes ÂŁ4 - ÂŁ8, 9pm - 2pm â™Ť Six Hands (Belgium), Ganglions, Steve Strong + a-tota-so JT Soar ÂŁ5, 7.30pm - 11pm đ&#x;Ž¨ Fundraising Auction Syson Gallery 6pm â™Ť Unplugged Showcase Bunkers Hill Free, 8pm

SATURDAY 29 JUL â™Ť Free At Last The Greyhound, Beeston Free, 9pm - 2am

đ&#x;Ž¨ Sooree Pillay Gallery Tour New Art Exchange Free, 1pm - 2pm đ&#x;?Ť Beginners Claw Setting: Vivien Bowling Focus Gallery 10.30am - 4pm đ&#x;?Ť Help the Museum Curate its Coins: Advanced Sessions - Roman Coins Lakeside Arts Centre Free - ÂŁ3, 11am - 4pm â™Ť Sisters of Sound The Bodega Free, 10pm đ&#x;˜‚ Funhouse Comedy Club with Wes Zaharuk + Scott Bennett + Peter Brush + Compere Spiky Mike David Lloyd Leisure, West Bridgford ÂŁ10, 7pm

Your name: Emily Franklin

SUNDAY 30 JUL

Name of your events: Shady Cow

â™Ť Hound Dog Presents Relentless The Greyhound, Beeston Free, 6pm - 11.45pm đ&#x;?ş Jacobâ€™s Homebrew Summer School Brew Dog 1pm â™Ť Binns Organ Recital: John Keys The Albert Hall ÂŁ6, 2.45pm đ&#x;Ž The Gruffaloâ€™s Child Djanogly Art Gallery ÂŁ8.50, 1pm - 3.30pm đ&#x;”§ Interactive Storytelling Workshop Djanogly Theatre Free, 1.30pm - 2.30pm MONDAY 31 JUL

đ&#x;Ž¨ The Mikado Nottingham Castle ÂŁ15 - ÂŁ16, 6pm

â™Ť Original Sound Tracks The Bodega Free

đ&#x;Ž¨ Crafternoon Debbie Bryan ÂŁ18 - ÂŁ35

đ&#x;Œł Gardening Club St Martinâ€™s Church Free

đ&#x;‘Ş Pride City Centre 12pm

â™Ť Acoustic Rooms Rescue Rooms Free, 8pm

đ&#x;?ş Shady Cow: Pride After Party Rough Trade Free

đ&#x;?´ Happy Mondays The Southbank Bar Free, 12pm

â™Ť Filf + Guests The Doghouse ÂŁ8, 7.30pm - 2pm â™Ť A Piss-Up in a Brewery Black Iris Brewery Free, 8pm - 11.45pm đ&#x;˜‚ Saturday Night Comedy: James Gill + Trevor Cook + Steve Hall + Smug Roberts Jongleurs Comedy Club Nottingham ÂŁ16 - ÂŁ23, 7pm

đ&#x;‘Ş Movie Mondays Spanky Van Dykes Free, 8pm đ&#x;“Ł Moaning Mondays Offices Citywide Free, 9am â€“ 5pm đ&#x;˜‚ Party with The Old Raph Yatesâ€™ All your savings, 7pm â€“ 7am

Genre: LGBTQueer music and arts showcase Venues you do stuff at: Rough Trade Who else helps you run the nights: Shady Cow is a collective, so contributors change. In the past Iâ€™ve worked with DirtyFilthySexy, Guerrilla Art Lab, members of the Radical Faeries like Russell Christie, and our Pride After Party at Rough Trade this year is being curated by local musician and emcee Baby Tap. Ten words that sum up the events you put on: Freaky. Free(ing). Shady. Darling. Live. Beatific. Queer. Queer. Queer. Reclaimed. Describe the average punter at your nights: There are no average punters at our nights, dahling. Nobody ever fails to bring bucketloads of charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent, thatâ€™s for sure. Some people are there to discover new LGBTQueer live music, some just come to dance and meet new people. Which local act has gone down best with your crowd and why? Itâ€™s difficult, but I would say Baby Tap. When he graced our stage, it was like the mothership had landed. His sound is like nothing anyoneâ€™s heard before and his look was inspired by fashion designers from the next dimension. The crowd lived for it. Which non-local act would you bring back again? Ajah UK. Seriously tight musicians bringing metal, hip hop and more to create a performance that you could dance to forever. They're the ladies behind Sh*t Lesbian Disco in Manchester. If you could get a celebrity compere in, who would you choose and why? Little Richard. I love him, his music, his clothes and everything heâ€™s done for open LGBT+ visibility since the fifties. He would be the most enthusiastic, energetic host ever. Which booze sells best at your events? Iâ€™m guessing pale ale and tequila. Not speaking from experience of course; Iâ€™m on orange juice all night, like a responsible promoter... Tell us a crazy story thatâ€™s happened at your eventsâ€Ś At our May event, Wrapped in Plastic started giving communion to the crowd with Red Stripe instead of red wine cos we couldn't find a corkscrew. Then Joey Fourr set their guitar on fire which nearly got a bit out of hand. Rock â€˜nâ€™ roll, baby. If you werenâ€™t a promoter what would you have ended up doing? Iâ€™m a musician myself, so Iâ€™d still be pursuing my dream of being a Drag King rockstar from Planet Zorg. Or thereâ€™s always bar work. What other events in Nottingham do you love? DirtyFilthySexy, Juice, Queerfest, everything Not Your Model Minority does, Fan Club and Notts Pride. Shady Cow have been the events coordinators for Notts Pride since last year. What have you got coming up in July? We have our free Pride After Party at Rough Trade on Saturday 29 July which is gonna be the biggest, fiercest night weâ€™ve done to date. Youâ€™ll be able to see exactly what Baby Tap does on stage, alongside many other devastatingly fabulous artists. facebook.com/shadycowcollective

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ALL THE WORLD''S A STAGE words: Hazel Ward

The thing about theatres is they get a bit narky when you bring a box of sarnies and a six-pack into their shows. That’s no problem with this lot of summer plays, all taking place in the great outdoors. So pack yourself and your friends a tasty hamper of food, bring some blankets, and snuggle down for a bit of culture, gentle evening sun, and some tasty bites. Here are seven of our picks for the season… The Outdoor Theatre season runs from July until September this year, and you can book tickets by calling 0115 807 7900 or by visiting the Nottingham Heritage website. nottinghamheritage.org.uk

Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet has already become a musical courtesy of West Side Story, but Oddsocks Theatre Company have added an extra pop of fun in their irreverent mods and rockers take on the Montagues and Capulets. A tragic tale it may be, but with crowdpleasers like The Boys are Back in Town running through the drama, it also promises to get your feet a-tapping and heads a-bobbing. Saturday 22 July, 7pm, Nottingham Castle

The Wind in the Willows There’s no place better to watch a beloved country fable than in the grand expanse of Wollaton Hall on a summer’s evening. Surrounded by Wollaton’s own British wildlife, you can follow the adventures of Ratty and Mole as they patiently follow their friend Mr Toad’s thirst for thrills that go way beyond trying to find a rock to sit on at the nearest pond. Expect dangerous driving, prison escapades, and a battle with mansion-stealing weasels, as well as plenty of musical frolics. Friday 14 July, 6pm, Wollaton Hall

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Pride and Prejudice Her truths may not be universally acknowledged in the 21st century, but there’s still plenty to love about Jane Austen. 2017 is the 200th anniversary of the great author’s death, so Chapterhouse Theatre Company are honouring her with a staging of the classic love story between a reet sarky lass and a brooding grump, filled with nineteenth-century zingers and sumptuous costume. Bring your family along, too. After seeing how embarrassing Lizzie Bennet’s lot are, you’ll appreciate them a lot more. Sunday 13 August, 7pm, Nottingham Castle

Macbeth Another clever mix of cheese-tastic songs and tragedy; this staging of the Scottish play will have you veering from horror, to laughter, and back again. Witness a woman with murderous ambition and her obliging husband try to influence the fates with witchcraft and a hearty dose of stabbing, only to be haunted by madness, ghosts, and the stirring sounds of, among others, Meatloaf. Truly a dark and terrifying punishment. Friday 21 July, 7pm, Nottingham Castle

The Emperor’s New Clothes One for both kids and adults here, in one of Hans Christian Anderson’s cheerier stories. Two con artists’ bare-faced cheek leads to a bare-arsed Emperor (no actors were stripped in the making of this production) when they try to capitalize on the ridiculousness of pride. They would have gotten away with it too, if it hadn’t been for one meddling kid who didn’t know when to keep their bleddy mouth shut. Friday 11 August, 7pm, Newstead Abbey

Jane Eyre It’s an old story; woman falls for man who likes to dress up as a lady fortune-teller. Man proposes. Woman finds out, on her wedding day, that man has a murderous Jamaican wife locked in his attic. Murderous wife escapes and sets fire to the house. Aye, we’ve all been there. Cheers for that, Tinder. You can get the full experience of Charlotte Bronte’s masterpiece, adeptly adapted by playwright Laura Turner, at either Wollaton Hall or Nottingham Castle; both suitable backdrops for this gothic romance. Sunday 9 July, 7pm, Wollaton Hall Saturday 15 July, 7pm, Nottingham Castle

Northanger Abbey Northanger Abbey at Newstead Abbey; we see what you did there, smarty pants. This is another slice of Jane Austen, starring a young woman who lets her imagination run away from her after one-too-many gothic novels, and starts to believe there’s all manner of mischief and mystery going on in the abbey where she’s staying. If you’ve ever tried to surreptitiously check if that pasty, emo hipster in the local Starbucks casts no reflection because you watched True Blood one too many times, you’ll empathise. Friday 18 August, 7pm, Newstead Abbey

For more events, check out leftlion.co.uk/listings ONGOING STUFF LIKE EXHIBITIONS AND PLAYS AND THAT â™ŤÂ Stone Temple Pirates The Greyhound, BeestonÂ Free,Â Â 9pm - 2amÂ Sat 1 JulÂ -Â Sun 2 Jul đ&#x;ŽĽÂ Despicable Me 3 Savoy CinemaÂ Sat 1 JulÂ -Â Sun 2 Jul đ&#x;ŒłÂ East Midlands Flower ShowÂ Newstead AbbeyÂ Free - ÂŁ8.80,Â Â 10am - 4pmÂ Sat 1 JulÂ -Â Sun 2 Jul đ&#x;Ž¨Â Wollaton Arts Festival Wollaton Hall, History Museum and Industrial MuseumÂ ÂŁ3,Â Â 10am - 6pmÂ Sat 1 JulÂ -Â Sun 16 Jul đ&#x;Ž¨Â The Art of Dinosaur ScienceÂ Lakeside Arts CentreÂ FreeÂ Sat 1 JulÂ -Â Sun 29 Oct đ&#x;’ŞÂ Sunday Sessions Yoga The New Art ExchangeÂ ÂŁ6 - ÂŁ7,Â Â 2.15pm - 3.30pmÂ Sun 2 JulÂ -Â Mon 25 Sep đ&#x;‘ŁÂ Kathak Dance ClassÂ The New Art ExchangeÂ ÂŁ6 - ÂŁ7,Â Â 10am - 12pmÂ Sun 2 JulÂ -Â Mon 25 Sep đ&#x;ŽÂ The Play That Goes Wrong Theatre Royal and Royal Concert HallÂ ÂŁ15 - ÂŁ31.50Â Mon 3 JulÂ -Â Sat 8 Jul đ&#x;ŽÂ A Chorus Line Nottingham PlayhouseÂ ÂŁ14 - ÂŁ16Â Fri 7 JulÂ -Â Sat 8 Jul

đ&#x;Ž¨Â Community Learning: Making Lingerie West Bridgford Library FreeÂ Mon 3 JulÂ -Â Mon 10 Jul

đ&#x;?´Â East Midlands Chilli, Beer and Artisan Festival Orchard FarmÂ 7pmÂ Fri 7 JulÂ -Â Sun 9 Jul

đ&#x;Ž¨Â Jane Livne: Animal Portraitist Eastwood LibraryÂ FreeÂ Mon 3 JulÂ -Â Mon 31 Jul

đ&#x;?´Â UK Vegan Camp-Out 2017 National Water Sports CentreÂ ÂŁ15 - ÂŁ25Â ,Â Â 2pmÂ Fri 7 JulÂ -Â Sun 9 Jul

đ&#x;“–Â Storysmash Workshops Bulwell Riverside CentreÂ ÂŁ6,Â Â 4pm - 6pmÂ Mon 3 JulÂ -Â Mon 18 Sep đ&#x;ŽÂ Pirates of Penzance Nottingham Arts TheatreÂ ÂŁ12 - ÂŁ14,Â Â 7.30pm - 10pmÂ Tue 4 JulÂ -Â Sat 8 Jul â™ŤÂ Community Learning: Music, Songwriting, and Working in a Studio Middle Street Resource CentreÂ FreeÂ Tue 4 JulÂ -Â Tue 25 Jul đ&#x;Ž¨Â Community Learning: Art, Painting and Drawing Middle Street Resource CentreÂ FreeÂ Wed 5 JulÂ -Â Wed 26 Jul đ&#x;“–Â Storysmash Workshops St Annâ€™s Valley LibraryÂ ÂŁ6,Â Â 4pm - 6pmÂ Wed 5 JulÂ -Â Wed 20 Sep â™ŤÂ Witchtripper The Greyhound, BeestonÂ Free,Â Â 9pm - 2amÂ Fri 7 JulÂ -Â Sat 8 Jul đ&#x;?ŤÂ Dinosaurs of China Wollaton HallÂ Sat 1 JulÂ -Â Sun 29 Oct

đ&#x;‘ŞÂ Dino Design Wollaton Hall, History Museum and Industrial MuseumÂ ÂŁ5.50 - ÂŁ22Â ,Â Â 2:pm - 3.30pmÂ Sat 8 JulÂ -Â Sun 9 Jul đ&#x;?ŤÂ Community Learning: Writing History, Fiction and Non-Fiction Nottinghamshire ArchivesÂ Sat 8 JulÂ -Â Sat 29 Jul đ&#x;ŽĽÂ Film: A New PrehistoryÂ Lakeside Arts CentreÂ FreeÂ Sat 8 JulÂ -Â Tue 12 Sep đ&#x;ŽÂ Magic Lantern Backstage Tours Theatre Royal and Royal Concert HallÂ ÂŁ7.50 - ÂŁ8Â Sat 8 JulÂ -Â Sat 28 Oct đ&#x;ŽĽÂ Sofia Coppolaâ€™s La Traviata Savoy CinemaÂ ÂŁ11 - ÂŁ13.50Â Sun 9 JulÂ -Â Tue 11 Jul đ&#x;ŽÂ Colder Than Here The Studio TheatreÂ ÂŁ7 - ÂŁ8,Â Â 7.30pm - 9.30pmÂ Tue 11 JulÂ -Â Sat 15 Jul

đ&#x;ŽÂ Around The World in 80 Days Theatre Royal and Royal Concert HallÂ ÂŁ12.50 - ÂŁ27.50Â Tue 11 JulÂ -Â Sat 15 Jul đ&#x;ŽÂ Dial M For Murder Nottingham PlayhouseÂ ÂŁ16 - ÂŁ24Â Tue 11 JulÂ -Â Sat 15 Jul đ&#x;?´Â West Bridgfordians Cricket Club Beer Festival West Bridgfordians Cricket GroundÂ FreeÂ Thu 13 JulÂ -Â Sat 15 Jul đ&#x;Ž¨Â TALP Exhibition Patchings Art CentreÂ FreeÂ Thu 13 JulÂ -Â Sun 16 Jul đ&#x;Ž¨Â Art Club of the Year 2017 Patchings Art CentreÂ FreeÂ Thu 13 JulÂ -Â Fri 28 Jul đ&#x;ŽÂ The Gruffalo Theatre Royal and Royal Concert HallÂ ÂŁ10 - ÂŁ12Â Fri 14 JulÂ -Â Sun 16 Jul đ&#x;Ž¨Â Kaleidoscope: Colour + Sequence in 1960s British Art Djanogly Art GalleryÂ FreeÂ Sat 15 JulÂ -Â Sun 24 Sep đ&#x;”§Â Jungle Book Sing-a-long Djanogly TheatreÂ Free,Â Â 1:00pm - 2:00pmÂ Sun 16 JulÂ -Â Sun 23 Jul

đ&#x;Ž¨Â Bhairav New Art ExchangeÂ FreeÂ Sun 16 JulÂ -Â Sun 24 Sep đ&#x;Ž¨Â Dam Pani: ExhibitionÂ New Art ExchangeÂ FreeÂ Sun 16 JulÂ -Â Sun 24 Sep đ&#x;ŽÂ Out of Order Theatre Royal and Royal Concert HallÂ ÂŁ15 - ÂŁ31.50Â Mon 17 JulÂ -Â Sat 22 Jul đ&#x;Ž¨Â Community Learning: Bag Making West Bridgford Library Free,Â Â 1.30pm - 4.30pmÂ Mon 17 JulÂ -Â Mon 24 Jul đ&#x;Ž¨Â Community Learning: Fashion Design West Bridgford Library Free,Â Â 9.30am - 12.30pmÂ Mon 17 JulÂ -Â Mon 24 Jul đ&#x;ŽĽÂ Shark Week Savoy CinemaÂ ÂŁ4.75 - ÂŁ6.50,Â Â 4.30pmÂ Tue 18 JulÂ -Â Sat 22 Jul đ&#x;ŽÂ Dangerous Corner Theatre Royal and Royal Concert HallÂ ÂŁ16 - ÂŁ24Â Tue 18 JulÂ -Â Sat 22 Jul đ&#x;Ž¨Â Creative ConnectionsÂ Nottingham ContemporaryÂ FreeÂ Wed 19 JulÂ -Â Thu 31 Aug đ&#x;ŽÂ Home Nottingham PlayhouseÂ ÂŁ8 - ÂŁ10Â Thu 20 JulÂ -Â Sat 22 Jul

â™ŤÂ Deerstock Charity Music Festival Newton Cross Country CourseÂ ÂŁ50 - ÂŁ50,Â Â 2pm - 11pmÂ Fri 21 JulÂ -Â Sun 23 Jul đ&#x;ŽÂ Guys and Dolls Lace Market TheatreÂ ÂŁ13 - ÂŁ14Â Fri 21 JulÂ -Â Sat 29 Jul âš˝Â Twenty20 Blast Trent Bridge Cricket GroundÂ ÂŁ17Â Fri 21 JulÂ -Â Fri 18 Aug Sat 22 JulÂ -Â Sun 23 Jul â™ŤÂ Marie Lloyd and the Music Hall Murder Theatre Royal and Royal Concert HallÂ ÂŁ20 - ÂŁ24Â Tue 25 JulÂ -Â Sat 29 Jul đ&#x;ŽÂ Alice Nottingham Arts TheatreÂ ÂŁ6 - ÂŁ7,Â Â 7.30pmÂ Thu 27 JulÂ -Â Fri 28 Jul đ&#x;Ž¨Â Laine Tomkinson: Re-making Nature Wallner GalleryÂ FreeÂ Sat 29 JulÂ -Â Sun 3 Sep â™ŤÂ Summer SchoolÂ Nottingham Arts TheatreÂ 10am - 4pmÂ Mon 31 JulÂ -Â Fri 4 Aug đ&#x;Ž¨Â Lost Valley of Dinosaurs: Summer SchoolÂ Lakeside Arts CentreÂ ÂŁ85,Â Â 10am - 4pmÂ Mon 31 JulÂ -Â Fri 4 Aug

WEEKLY STUFF MONDAYS

TUESDAYS

WEDNESDAYS

THURSDAYS

FRIDAYS

SATURDAYS

SUNDAYS

Pub Quiz Malt Cross Southbank The Grosvenor The Navigation

Open Mic Night Filthyâ€™s Pepper Rocks Greyhound, Beeston

Open Mic Night JamCafe Rescue Rooms The Bell Inn The Maze

Open Mic Night The Navigation Inn

Unplugged Showcase Bunkers Hill

Â Surface Dwellers Surface Gallery

Open Mic Night The Johnson Arms

Stealth VS Rescued Stealth and Rescue Rooms

Pub Quiz The Trent Navigation Inn

Music JamCafe Rock City Southbank

Live Jazz The Bell Inn The Lion at Basford

Â Movie Mondays

Spanky Van Dykeâ€™s

MOBA Mondays [ALT] Gaming Lounge Music The Bell Inn Rescue Rooms Poker Night The Navigation Inn The Grosvenor Life Drawing Malt Cross

Pub Quiz The Johnson Arms Sir John Borlase Warren Cuban Salsa and Rueda Classes Bad Juju Tiki Bar Music Bar Eleven Rescue Rooms The Navigation Inn The Racing Room The Dragon

Pub Quiz The Lion at Basford Rescue Rooms Golden Fleece Spanky Van Dykeâ€™s The Hop Pole Open Hack Night Nottingham Hackspace Music The Navigation Inn Southbank City Rock City

đ&#x;’ƒSalsa Class Bunkers Hill

Pub Quiz Southbank The Grosvenor

Bopp Red Bar

Mindfulness Group Sobar

Ink Fridays Ink

Music Rock City Southbank City JamCafe The Navigation Inn Rescue Rooms The Lion at Basford

Get Lucky Rock City

Paint a Pot Harley Gallery

Friday Night Live Southbank The Navigation Blues Cooperation The Navigation Inn

Saturday Art Club New Art Exchange

đ&#x;Ž Saturday Sessions Nonsuch Theatre đ&#x;Ž Comedy The Glee Club Jongleurs

Acoustic Sessions Malt Shovel Sunday DJ Sessions The Southbank Bar Life Drawing Place Activiy Centre

đ&#x;’ƒ Kathak Dance

New Art Exchange

leftlion.co.uk/issue91

Cancer (23 June – 23 July) Have a guess who’s definitely not winning the lottery this week... Leo (24 July – 23 Aug) Venus is in retrograde this month, which you’d think would mean problems in your love life. It actually indicates that you’re about to suffer with Brainerd diarrhea. Funny, isn’t it? Virgo (24 Aug – 23 Sept) According to Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species, we all sprang from apes. Sometimes, however, we think you didn’t spring quite far enough. Libra (24 Sept – 23 Oct) Up in the clouds, Life asks Death: “Why do people love me, but hate you?” Death replies: “Because you are a beautiful lie and I am a hideous truth.” Scorpio (24 Oct – 22 Nov) You should avoid taking advice from questionable sources this week, even if she did spend the best part of forty hours in hospital giving birth to you. Sagittarius (23 Nov – 22 Dec) It’s strange how paranoia fuses with reality every now and then. Be good to yourself in times of worry. You’re not much, but you’re all you have.

Capricorn (Dec 23 – Jan 19) This week, you will get a haircut. Then, when several friends ask you “Have you had a haircut?” you will hilariously answer “Yes, I got them all cut.” This is why we wish you were dead. Aquarius (20 Jan – 19 Feb) You can expect to start feeling lightheaded, dreamy feelings for most of this week. It’s time you stopped donating so much blood. Pisces (20 Feb – 20 Mar) By its very nature, Pisces is a water sign. But this month, it will be far more important that you pay strict attention to fire exit signs... Aries (21 Mar – 20 Apr) You’ve always known you were ugly, but it becomes more prominent in your thoughts this week when you enter a Japanese toyshop and Hello Kitty starts waving goodbye to you. Taurus (21 Apr – 21 May) Each of us dies twice in this realm. The first is after you breathe your last breath. The second is after those you leave behind say your name for the last time. Gemini (22 May – 22 June) The bad news is you’ll lose your left leg in an incident at the zoo at the end of this month. The good news is that it was only a prosthetic replacement for the one you’ll lose on the tramlines this weekend.

Paul Smith

Est: 1946 designer Occupation: Fashion

LEFTLION.CO.UK

leftlion.co.uk/issue91

Speciality: Tailoring s Style: Colourful stripe with Key phrase: Classics a twist

RuPaul

Est: 1960 Occupation: Queen of

drag

Speciality: Dance pop

Style: Extravaga

nza eleganza

Key phrase: Lip

sync... for your life!

SUMMER SCHOOL

JULY / AUGUST 2017

Join beginners and professionals on a short course this summer. Choose from: ANIMATION 3D Animation Summer School (10 – 21 July) ARCHITECTURE Architecture, Drawing and the City (24 – 28 July) Beautiful Little Buildings: Architectural Model Making (3 – 7 July) CREATIVE WRITING Approaching Nature Poetry (3 August) Finding Your Voice, Using Your Voice (11 August) Poetic Animals (7 August) Poetry and the Uncanny (8 August) Poetry, History and the Tales of Newstead Abbey (3 – 4 August) Short Story Success (7 – 8 August) Start Playwriting (31 July – 4 August) Start Writing Poetry (31 July – 2 August) Start Writing Your Novel (31 July – 2 August) Text and the Artists' Book (9 – 11 August) Writing from Art: Ekphrasis (9 – 10 August) Writing Poetry from the Archives (4 August) FASHION, TEXTILES AND COSTUME CAD for Textile Design (24 – 28 July) Designing with E-textiles (17 – 21 July) Fashion Knitwear Summer School (10 – 28 July) Natural Dye Summer School (14 – 18 July) Pattern Drafting for Beginners (31 July – 4 August) Tutu Making for Costume (24 – 28 July and 31 July – 4 August) FINE AND DECORATIVE ARTS Contemporary Drawing (14 – 18 August) Contemporary Fine Art Pottery (7 – 11 August) Life Drawing Summer School (7 – 11 August) Watercolour Painting Now (31 July – 4 August)

INTERIOR DESIGN Interior Design for Beginners (31 July – 4 August) PHOTOGRAPHY Digital SLR Photography (21 – 25 August) Photography and Architecture (3 – 7 July) PRODUCT AND 3D DESIGN CAD for Product Design – Beginners (17 – 21 July) Furniture Making Workshop (24 – 28 July) There is also a lively programme of creative courses for 15 – 17 year olds in August, ideal for anyone thinking about a future at art school: Animation (21 – 25 August) Architecture (14 – 18 August) Art and Design Portfolio (31 July – 4 August and 21 – 25 August) Concept Art for Game Design (14 – 18 August) Creating Graphic Novels (31 July – 4 August) Creative Writing (7 – 11 August) Fantasy Model Making (21 – 25 August) Fashion Design Portfolio (7 – 11 August) Graphic Design Portfolio (14 – 18 August) Journalism (14 – 18 August) Photography (21 – 25 August) Product Design (21 – 25 August) Theatre Design Portfolio (7 – 11 August) Visit our website to find out more and book your place: www.ntu.ac.uk/creativeshortcourses

ANY QUESTIONS? Contact the short course team: Telephone: +44 (0)115 848 2813 Email: creativeshortcourses@ntu.ac.uk

GRAPHIC DESIGN Adobe Creative Suite for Marketing and Communications (24 – 28 July) Concept Art for Game Design (31 July – 4 August)

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