Exposed Magazine October 2023

PROUDLY SUPPORTING

CHAPTER AND VERSE

OFF THE SHELF FESTIVAL OF WORDS RETURNS TO THE STEEL CITY

NICK BANKS // MARK THOMAS // ABS //

ROSIE WILSON // LAVELLE // SENSORIA // EVENTS // NEW OPENINGS

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EAT – DRINK – LIVE MUSIC – DANCE

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> Exciting New Cocktail & Drinks Menu

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> Big Swing Events – Every Wednesday Night

> Popular Bottomless Brunch packages

> DJ & Club nights

> Dance Classes

> Table to Table Live Magic - Every Sunday

PA S RES TA URANT

For more about the complete Cubana experience visit www.cubanatapabar.co.uk

From Friday 1 December to Saturday 30 December 2023

AT NAPOLEONS

CONTENTS

15:

TALKING SENSORIA

The ever-innovative Sensoria Festival returns this month, bringing with it a unique mix of live performances, film screenings, installations and exhibitions. We’ve rounded up our pick of the bunch.

20:

CITY VIEWS

In this month’s reflection on life in Sheff, comedian Daniel Inniss talks about moving here from Huddersfield, why Yorkshire folk make great audiences and how he learned about Henderson’s Relish the hard way.

28:

PULP (NON)FICTION

Exposed catches up with Pulp drummer Nick Banks to discuss his new memoir, which features tales of his musical journey from “daft Rotherham lad” to playing in one of Britain’s most iconic bands.

38: PERFECT 10

Under new ownership and led by a recently appointed head chef, West 10 in Fulwood is experiencing a rejuvenation. From innovative ‘blind’ tasting menus to a focus on creating a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere, here’s what you can now expect from the S10 stalwart.

55:

AB’S FAB

We enjoy a chinwag with abs, an up-and-coming local pop artist who’ll be releasing her debut EP with a big ol’ knees up at Yellow Arch Studios this month.

GAFFERS

Phil Turner (MD) phil@exposedmagazine.co.uk

Nick Hallam (Sales Director) nick@exposedmagazine.co.uk

FINANCE

Lis Ellis (Accounts) accounts@exposedmagazine.co.uk

GRAFTERS

Joe Food (Editor) joe@exposedmagazine.co.uk

Ash Birch (Online Editor) ash@exposedmagazine.co.uk

Lizzy Capps (Content Creator) lizzy@exposedmagazine.co.uk

Marc Barker (Design dogsbody)

GI’ US A HAND PLZ

Iago Castro Charlon, Olivia Warburton, Heather Paterson, Cal Reid, Emma Taylor, Mark Perkins

THE BUSINESS STUFF

Exposed is published monthly by Blind Mice Media Ltd Unit 1b, 2 Kelham square Kelham Riverside Sheffield S3 8SD

COVER IMAGE: ELOUISA GEORGIOU PHOTOGRAPHY

UPFRONT

THIS

Sheffield Photomarathon 2023 returns on 28 October, giving participants a chance to exhibit their original creative interpretation of the city they love!

A fun and interactive photography challenge for all ages, entrants can take part with family, friends or enter independently. No technical skill or background in photography is needed, only a phone or camera and a creative eye. The entries will be judged purely on the creativity and originality of your interpretation of the six given photo topics (to be announced closer to the event).

Starting from 10am at the Winter Gardens,

ending at 4pm with your six final photos, participants will explore the streets of Sheffield with no fixed route or direction. The idea is to provide the opportunity for people to get lost in their city lead only by the aesthetic eye, a rare phenomenon in our distracted and busy lives. Every participant will have at least one photo included in the final exhibition as well as all photos being uploaded to the online gallery. How to get involved, prizes and the all-important themes will be announced at photomarathonsheffield.co.uk. Tickets are free for under-16s and concessions given to students.

REX MARKET

“I had the idea around the summer of 2021,” says Dana. “After seeing how popular Neepsend and Kelham Island have become with independent bars and restaurants, I thought that a shopping experience showcasing independent makers would fit in nicely.

“Another reason behind it was that I have a small business, Care to be Cosy, and was struggling to grow it online. The online market is quite busy and saturated, so it can be quite hard to cut through and reach people. I thought about how market events can be really useful for those smaller businesses, as it means people can stumble across your stall naturally and interact with you and the products in person.”

Dana quickly worked towards turning the idea into reality, messaging talented local makers and street food vendors to see if they were interested

in getting involved. The inaugural event at their outdoor space on Neepsend Lane took place in September 2021, and since then it’s steadily grown in popularity.

She elaborates: “We’ve been getting more and more applications as time has gone by. We can only fit 19 crafts/makers stalls, plus two food vendors, a bar and a coffee outlet, but we’re getting over 200 applications per event, which is fantastic. Hopefully, there will be the opportunity to expand further in the future.”

When it came to naming the event, Dana found inspiration in her beloved pup, Rex. True to its namesake, Rex Market remains a dog-friendly gathering. You’ll regularly find pictures of posing pooches on the market’s social media page and their latest event even had a stall doing ‘paw print coasters’, where punters could grab a nice ceramic

With the 12th instalment of Rex Market taking place next month, we caught up with the event’s organiser, Dana Windle, to discuss the growth of the increasingly popular makers market in Neepsend.

honouring their furry friends.

Currently, the market pops up five times a year: March, May, July, September and November. This month’s event, scheduled for 26 November, will naturally feature its winning formula talented local makers and delicious food and drink options (whether you’re sticking to soft or alcohol), but you can expect some festive cheer and the perfect opportunity to purchase unique homemade Christmas gifts.

As ever, Dana is looking forward to seeing her celebration of local artisans come to life: “My number one drive for doing this is putting small independent businesses on people’s radars. It can be so easy to be pulled towards big national companies when shopping, particularly in an online setting, but these events put you faceto-face with the owners of wonderful small companies. I think that’s really important.”

The final Rex Market of the year takes place on 26 Nov. 36-42 Neepsend Lane, S3 8AU @rexmarketkelham

UPFRONT HIDDEN GEM GOOD GOOD VINTAGE

You’ll find Good Good Vintage in the heart of Chaucer Yard, a refurbished former factory space on the corner of Clough Road (next to the BP garage on Bramall Lane). Amongst the small hub of independents you’ll also be able to pick out a coffee shop, tattoo parlour, pottery studio, and a number of other small independent businesses.

Jack and Suzy, the curators and organisers of the shop, have been buying and selling vintage for around seven years. Their journey started with scouring charity shops for hidden gems, which eventually led to online selling. Over time this shared passion blossomed into a full-time profession.

Both having studied fine art at university, their flare for aesthetics is showcased through their carefully curated shop space and handpicked stock. They meticulously select items based on their originality, quality and design. You’ll discover a wide range of pieces, from 1950s American and Italian designer classics to 80s/90s retro fits and even some contemporary styles from the early 2000s.

There is a key focus on creating a welcoming, inclusive and affordable shopping experience. The range of prices and styles reflect this, and inside you’ll find friendly staff and well-stocked rails to dig through to your heart's content.

Restock sales are held twice a month, each having its own theme and focus on either a designer or item of clothing. The most recent restock sale was held over the last weekend of September with a focus on selling Carharrt and Burberry, giving customers a chance to prepare for the chillier seasons ahead.

These events often involve DJs, with food from the neighbouring café and sometimes use of the courtyard for extra market space. The store’s convenient location, just a short five-minute stroll from the city centre, is gaining popularity as a retail destination. In fact, the wellknown independent vintage event organizers, Red Brick Markets, are looking at opening a venture right next door!

Excitingly, Good Good are also expanding their operations and will be soon be popping up for a three-month stint at the former Freshmans Vintage unit on Carver Street. But before that, head down to see them in their original treasure trove at Chaucer Yard – the perfect opportunity to stock up on some autumnal threads!

Socials: @goodgoodvintagesheffield Web: goodgoodvintage.com

Address: Unit 7 Chaucer Yard, Clough Rd S1 4TE

Maisie Honjacobs pays a visit to the vintage paradise tucked away on the edge of Sheffield city centre.

A CELEBRATION OF MUSIC, FILM AND DIGITAL ARTS

Annual Sensoria Festival attendee Mark Perkins previews the return of this year’s innovative, genre-spanning event.

If there are any certainties left in these crazy times, it is that not only will Sensoria lift my spirits as we head for shorter days and colder nights, but also that our very own festival celebrating music, film and digital arts will stage a range of events that are totally unique and completely unmissable.

Once again, their programme is a heady mix of live music, exhibitions and immersive events, together with an opportunity for leading industry professionals to gather here for Sensoria ProDay – all capped off with their now traditional link-up with the events of Synthfest UK. I’ll pick out a few highlights for you, but as ever, your best move is to check online (sensoria.org.uk) for the full lowdown and any last-minute additions.

A GIANT EVENT

The most exciting thing I spotted straightaway is a live performance by the band Nordic Giants, taking place in the University Drama Studio. I have never quite gotten over missing them at Tramlines a few years ago, where they performed in the subterranean depths of the City Hall Ballroom, so I’m really looking forward to this. Expect epic staging, outrageous costumes and a multimedia stage show as they play new material from their Symbiosis album, alongside songs from their 13-year career.

PARK LIFE

Further out of town, in the beautiful surrounds of Meersbrook Park there’s a three-night run of gigs at the wonderful Bishops’ House (presented by Sonido Polifonico). It’s an unbelievably strong line-up of experimental folk and electronica, with artists as far-flung as Belgium, the USA and beyond, as well as from all over the UK. Standout artists are many, but I’ll pick Penelope Trappes from Austria as my most unmissable.

GAME ON

Video games have now become part of our musical landscape. Sometimes big names provide the scores to the latest releases, but previously littleknown artists are also given massive exposure on consoles. An evening of

video game-related music, High Scores, produced by Pizza Hotline, Chipzel and Sheffield-based artist Harleylikesmusic, will be accompanied by live visuals celebrating the legacy and potential future direction of music in gaming. Whether you’re a gamer or not, it promises to be an immersive, intriguing evening.

GRAVE CONVERSATION

Away from live music for a moment, there will be what looks to be a fascinating talk by writer Desiree Reynolds and director Eelyn Lee about the making of a Gothic Horror film, based on a true story, centred around the history of a grave found in Sheffield General Cemetery. Illustrated with clips from the forthcoming film, Born on Sunday Silent, which follows a student haunted by the spirit of a child she is researching, it promises to be a spooky evening down at Samuel Worth Chapel.

BACK TO BRUTALISM

Mind-nourishing exhibitions have provided some of the most unusual and memorable strands of Sensoria in past years, and 2023 looks to be heading the same way. My Brutal Life, in which twelve artists explore the human side of artistic works with brutalist environments, is being staged in our very own brutalist superstar building, the Moore Street Electricity Substation. The exhibition itself is named after the new album from guest artists and curators The Black Dog, an experimental

electronic music group who’ll be performing live at the University Drama Studio on 7 October, 9pm-11pm.

GO PRO

The Sensoria Pro Day – an annual gathering of composers, filmmakers and music industry executives – is perhaps not for everyone, but if you fancy spending the day in the company of Will Gregory of Goldfrapp, or Adrian Utley of Portishead, while watching the results of the film scoring contest, not to mention hearing from the music team behind the latest incarnation of The Full Monty, then get down there.

SYNTH WHEN YOU’RE WINNING

As has now become a yearly tradition, Sensoria has linked up with Synthfest UK for the final weekend. Where better to hold such a gathering than here in the birthplace of 80s synthpop? Don’t be surprised if you’re browsing the industry stands, or attending one of the fascinating talks, and you occasionally notice members of bands such as Human League or Heaven 17, I Monster or Clock DVA mingling with the devotees of all things transistorised. It’s a Sheff thing. It’s a Sensoria thing.

In the meantime, why not scoot over to sensoria.org.uk and take a look at all of the events I’ve missed taking place 5th-8th October. Feel free to follow them on socials (@ sensoriafest) for regular updates.

The Schoolrooms is the perfect cafe to kick start your day in the Peaks or just take a break and enjoy a hearty meal Café & kitchen open Monday – Sunday, 9am – 5pm.

INTRODUCING

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With the help of our newly acquired, talented chefs, our aim is to provide a superb dining experience for all occasions, putting a modern twist on traditional British dining.

Open Wednesday to Friday evenings 4pm til late Saturday 1pm til late Sunday for drinks only from 1pm - 8pm.

I’m a Huddersfield lad who came to Sheffield in 1994. I’d climbed the greasy pole working in recruitment and ended up as a regional manager, with Sheffield being one of my branches. I began spending a bit of time here through work and quickly discovered an affinity with the people and the place. I saw a lot of parallels between where I grew up and Sheffield in terms of the people: honest, genuine people who had no problem calling a spade a spade but were also capable of showing a lot of love. I felt a genuine warmth in this city.

I was so enamoured that I made the move to come down and live here, moving to Hackenthorpe initially, where I’d spend time mixing with locals in the gym at Woodhouse or enjoying some banter in the pubs of Birley Moor Road. Being a Huddersfield Town fan and never having a preference between the Steel City clubs meant that I got off lightly with the resident Sheffield United and Wednesday fans. I could talk football with either group without it getting too confrontational, which is always handy in social situations!

I did, however, once manage to insult the entirety of a pub in one fell swoop. My mate, Paul, poured this black sauce all over my chips. He asked me to taste it and I, being none the wiser, just replied, “Well, it tastes like Worcestershire sauce to me.” The pub immediately went silent. I was lucky to get out alive! That, as you might’ve guessed, was my first time

trying Henderson’s Relish and a big lesson learned in Sheffield culture. Plenty more were to follow as I spent time visiting local institutions like the Leadmill, City Hall and Yellow Arch.

I continued living in South Yorkshire, soaking up all it could offer me, for another eight or nine years. It was around this time I had my ‘sliding doors moment’, as they say. I signed up with my friend, Jordan, to perform in a charity comedy night at Bramall Lane. I was always someone who liked to entertain, a bit of a class clown who enjoyed making people laugh. There were eight weeks of comedy training before you performed a five-minute set in front of hundreds of people. Some people were doing it as a one-off, but some of us, including me, had ideas about perhaps pursuing stand-up further if it went well – and, of course, having the added motivation of raising a load of money for charity while finding out.

Thankfully, the set went down very well. What was meant to be five minutes ended up lasting for about fifteen! At the time I was working for Sheffield Council and a good chunk of my material came from some of the experiences I had in that job (and as any local knows, most Sheffielders need no encouragement to have a laugh at the council’s expense!).

After coming away, I’d decided that this I what I wanted to do. I started going all over the place to perform at stand-up comedy nights, driving over to Leeds or Manchester just to get a five-minute slot. It’s a tough slog and that’s what initially influenced myself and my friend, Oli Clarke, to start seeing if there was any scope to setting up our own comedy nights in Sheffield. Oli started a night at Toolmakers, I was offered the chance to start a night at Millowners Arms. Things quickly snowballed and we now run five regular comedy nights in the city: Yellow Arch, Hagglers Corner, The Ship Inn, The Red Lion and Baby Comedy Club.

The thing is, I don’t think we could’ve done it in any other city. The people of Sheffield are the perfect audience for live comedy: they’re respectful, don’t take themselves too seriously and have a great comedy IQ. It’s that natural Yorkshire wit, I think, and you hear the same feedback from comics from across the country. The people that make up the comedy scene here – the promoters, comics and venue owners – have created this fantastic, helpful community. It’s for this reason that we have so much potential, in a wider sense as a city, yes, but also in terms of the comedy scene. It all comes down to the people, you see, and I’m so grateful to live here – a Huddersfield lad who loves Sheffield.

@danielinnisscomedy

As told to Joseph Food

DANIEL INNISS

"I SAW A LOT OF PARALLELS BETWEEN WHERE I GREW UP AND SHEFFIELD IN TERMS OF THE PEOPLE: HONEST, GENUINE PEOPLE WHO HAD NO PROBLEM CALLING A SPADE A SPADE BUT WERE ALSO CAPABLE OF SHOWING A LOT OF LOVE."

B’Reyt Dough

Slinging out a selection of mouth-watering woodfired offerings from their industrial restaurant space at 92 Burton Road, long-time friends Luke Othen and Adam Purshouse have perfected the Neapolitan craft of pizza-making, while also paying homage to their South Yorkshire roots in the process.

Hailing from Rotherham, the two met at college, sparking a friendship which continued as Adam pursued a career in teaching and Luke went into the restaurant trade. To celebrate the end of their studies, the duo spent some time travelling Europe together, and upon their return, they would reminisce about the exquisite pizzas enjoyed in the eateries of Napoli.

During lockdown, Adam had plenty of time on his hands to indulge his love for cooking, learning how to make good homemade pizza from online tutorials and experimenting with a range of toppings. The acquisition of a Gozney pizza oven marked a significant milestone in his culinary journey, prompting him to invite Luke over for an al fresco tasting session.

“We were having some socially distanced beers in the garden and I’d made a couple of pizzas,” says Adam. “Luke had been managing an Italian restaurant in Rotherham and was thinking about moving on to do his own thing. As soon as he tried the pizza, he said to me, ‘We need to do this.’ And off we went.”

B’Reyt Dough (if you’re from South Yorkshire, the pun doesn’t need much explanation) started out as a mobile pizza company in 2021. They began by popping up on Friday nights at the local

cricket club in Whiston before moving on to cover a wide range of events, kneading their dough at everything from artisan street food markets and outdoor cinema screenings to Tramlines and the Arctic Monkeys homecoming gigs in Hillsborough Park.

“They were both huge steps up, and we realised what we could do from a mobile point of view,” says Adam of the latter two occasions. “But the end goal was always a restaurant to go alongside it, so when this opportunity came up earlier in the year, it was a no-brainer.”

Opening in July, B’Reyt Dough quickly started putting their stamp on the local street food scene, turning heads with Yorkshire-influenced specials such as ‘The King of the North’ – a gooey four-cheese pizza topped with Sheffield’s famous spicy sauce, Henderson’s Relish. You’ll find plenty more nods to local culture when visiting the venue, ranging from the artwork adorning the space to specially crafted cocktails on the menu such as ‘The Reyton’.

“It’s been a good couple of months,” adds Luke. “We now want to make sure people know that we’re open during the week too, not just over the weekend and at Peddler events, so we’ve started doing live music events on the last Thursday of

every month and offering a Wednesday deal where you can get a pizza and a drink for £10. We’ve also started a bottomless brunch offer, where you can get 90 minutes of unlimited pizza, drinks, a side or dessert and live music from local act LA Fox.”

These two old pals from Rotherham have plenty of tricks up their sleeve to create a vibrant hangout spot in the heart of Kelham’s foodie paradise, but one thing’s for sure: when it comes to the crux (crust?) of the business, Adam tells us they won’t be straying too far from their original inspiration discovered on the streets of Napoli.

“The main menu is pretty much keeping to the basics: classic wood-fired pizza and getting that slightly crispy, airy, puffedup crust right. Everything’s made fresh and we’re looking to make the perfect Neapolitan-style pizza with each order.”

B’Reyt Dough Unit 12, 92 Burton Road @breyt.dough

Opening hours: Wed-Thurs: 5pm-9pm Fri: 5pm-10pm Sat: 2pm-10pm

IT’LL B’REYT – JUST BOOK!

To enquire about B’Reyt Dough’s mobile pizza services or to book the restaurant for a special event, drop them a DM or call 0114 308 6213.

ANOTHER CHAPTER

Off the Shelf Festival of Words, one of the most well-known and loved literary festivals in the UK, will return to Sheffield for its 32nd edition from 13-29 October, bringing together the best of local, regional and international literary talent.

Delivered by the University of Sheffield, this year’s vibrant and diverse festival will play host to over 70 live and online events across the city, including household names such as environmentalist Chris Packham, star of stage and screen actor Richard Armitage, Pulp drummer Nick Banks, classicist Dame Mary Beard, Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee and Guardian food critic Grace Dent, popular TV Personality Dr Amir Khan, BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing head judge Shirley Ballas and Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer MP Rachel Reeves.

Former UK Children’s Laureates and award-winning authors Jacqueline Wilson and Cressida Cowell will headline this year’s family events, along with a long list of Sheffield authors including Catherine Taylor and Tania Branigan. The 2022 Festival curator and Somerset Maugham Award-winning Sheffield writer Akeem Balogun will return with a fresh, immersive multimedia performance.

Alex Wheatle joins the festival to discuss his memoir and the challenges of living as a young Black man in 1980s Britain and Colin Grant, director of WritersMosaic, will speak about his memoir, I’m Black, So You Don’t Have To Be - a memoir looking at the Black British experience. One of the UK’s foremost spoken word artists Salena Godden will read her collection of poetry saluting people fighting for courage, resistance and justice. Chair of the Crime Writers’ Association Vassem Khan will discuss his new thriller, part of the award-winning Malabar House series and acclaimed artists Jeremy Deller and Oliver Jeffers will talk about their art and work.

Professor Vanessa Toulmin, Director of City, Culture & Public Engagement at the University of Sheffield, said: “Off the Shelf attracts more and more literary talent every year, and the festival’s place in Sheffield’s cultural calendar is firmly fixed. Our goal is to provide a programme that can draw both niche and mainstream entertainment audiences, and this year’s stellar lineup meets these objectives.

“Additionally, we know that our audiences love seeing us champion local writers and this year, thanks to Sheffield Poet Laureate Danae Wellinton and Akeem Balogun, we have plenty of opportunities to do so.

“Off the Shelf is one of the most established literary festivals in the UK, still going strong after thirty two years, and it is fitting that the festival is delivered by the University of Sheffield, as it reflects our civic responsibility of contributing to the city’s rich cultural depth and diversity.”

As part of the 32nd edition, festival partner and supporter, Sheffield Hallam University will present a curated strand of online and live in venue events. These will include The Art and Craft of Grammar with Jodie Clark, Blood Feather with poet Patrick McGuiness, A Flat Place with Noreen Masud, Comics in the 21st Century with Harriet Earle, Things that Go Through Your Mind - the Work of Forced Entertainment, 100 Queer Poems with Andrew McMillan, and the Writer in the Archive: A Creative Workshop with Elin Ivansson and Joanna Dobson.

The full programme can be viewed on the website now. Printed programmes are also available at venues throughout South Yorkshire. Tickets can also be obtained in person or by telephone (0114 249 6000) from Sheffield Theatres Box Office or by visiting: www. offtheshelf.org.uk

FROM PUNK TO PULP

So It Started There: From Punk to Pulp

chronicles the life and career of drummer Nick Banks, telling the story of how he came to be in one of the UK's most iconic bands. Ahead of his appearance at Off the Shelf, he spoke to Joe Food about the experience of opening up on his past, Pulp's painstakingly slow rise to fame and how a pesky bulldog almost ruined his big shot!

Let's start with the process itself. How did you find writing a memoir?

I found the process not too painful really. I didn’t have a deadline to work to, which always helps in that respect! In the first half, I talk about my life and personal development, which was pretty easy as you’re just talking about yourself. However, once Pulp comes into the equation, you’ve got to think about all of these things happening at the same time and to different people. I found myself really delving into the inner reaches, the dusty cupboards of my mind, to tease out some of those stories.

I basically set out to create a timeline. I’d write a section then maybe leave it for a while, take the dog out for a walk, and as things were whirring around my mind, I’d eventually remember where to head next.

And what spurred you on to do it in the first place?

It was written during the Covid lockdown. So, as many of us were, I was looking for a project. But also, within my family, we’ve got some books that some members have written about their lives, family story books to be handed down to kids. That was another personal influence, and it seemed like a good idea to get my story down while I still had my marbles.

So, that’s how it began. Then, before you know it, you’re 400-odd pages in and begin thinking that maybe there will be people out there interested in my daft anecdotes and what happened during the Pulp years.

Has revisiting the past, or certain parts of it at least, gleaned any surprises or fresh perspectives?

I think there were a few things, like realising just how many times Pulp was floundering and came close to falling through the cracks. We were very close

I TURNED UP AT THE PULP PRACTICE ROOM UP AT INTAKE, WHICH WAS JARVIS’ GRANDMA’S GARAGE, AND AS I KNOCKED ON THE DOOR I COULD SOME RIGHT COMMOTION GOING ON. THE DOOR OPENED A CRACK AND JARVIS GRABS ME BY MY COLLAR AND PULLS ME INTO THE KITCHEN, WHERE I COULD SEE A WHITE BULLDOG GOING APE SHIT

to dissolving away, as so many bands do, and I suppose looking back you realise how vulnerable we were to that. But I suppose that’s also the appeal of the story: the idea that Pulp fought through that period and giving up wasn’t an option.

The title references your journey from punk to pop. Could you talk a bit about your early music awakenings and how they shifted over the years?

A lot of people see their discovery of punk rock as Year Zero, the year everything changed. Before that, around the mid-70s, I was still getting a feel for the music out there. Mum would have the radio blaring out of the kitchen and the whole family would sit together and watch Top of the Pops. As a ten or eleven-year-old lad I’d see people going nuts for bands like The Bay City Rollers and start to develop an opinion about the music on show. It might just be, “Ooh, that Lynsey de Paul looks nice” but, you know, it was a start.

Once I got a bit older, around 1978, it was time to decide which tribe I

was going to be in. The new stuff on the block appealed to me, and when punk rock came along, it was genuinely exciting. It kind of found me in that sense.

You grew up in Rotherham. Was it then a case of jumping on a bus to Sheffield for gigs and the local music scene? That’s right, the 287 bus from Maltby to Sheffield. The first gig I went to was to see The Damned at what was Top Rank, around 1979, so I would’ve been about 15-years-old. A load of us got tickets and started to worry slightly when we saw the doormen and over-18 signs. We devised a strategy to push Graham, the punkiest looking one, to the front so he’d get waved through and we’d funnel in behind. As he got to the front, the bouncer asked him what school he went to and, perhaps feeling a bit nervous, he immediately answered “Oakwood”. As he got pulled out of the queue, we were able to shuffle in through the door undetected. You had to take your chances in those days. Thanks, Graham!

When did you go from a music fan to a drummer?

It might sound a bit cliché, but it genuingely was a case of a few lads around a school desk at dinnertime deciding to form a band. We took that conceptual leap from being mates to being in a band – no instruments or owt, of course. Eventually, once that’s settled, you go to the next conceptual leap of deciding whether you should bother getting instruments and actually learning.

I started out on bass. My guitar broke after about six weeks, though. My brother had a drum kit and didn’t really take to it, so I spent some time on it and realised I could do it. Things moved on quickly from there.

Fast forward slightly to that sliding doors moment: an ad placed by Pulp in the Sheffield Star putting the call out for a drummer. I’ve heard that the audition involved a white bulldog? Apparently, there was an ad in the paper, yeah, but I’d seen a note stuck on the wall in the Leadmill. Pulp were already my favourite band on the local scene, so I had to go for it.

I’m not sure I’d call it an ‘audition’, however. I turned up at the Pulp practice room up at Intake, which was Jarvis’ grandma’s garage, and as I knocked on the door I could some right commotion going on. The door opened a crack and Jarvis grabs me by my collar and pulls me into the kitchen, where I could see a white bulldog going ape shit, and at the other side of the kitchen door, there’s

another dog going equally crackers. Jarvis told me that this white bulldog had followed him home and I had to help him get rid of it. So, we ended up walking around the streets of Intake with this bulldog, hoping it would get bored and go back to its house. We couldn’t get rid of it so in the end we had to press the nuclear option, which was picking the dog up and putting it behind someone’s garden gate before legging it. We got back to the house, Jarvis checked his watch and said, “Me grandma’s got tea on now, so…” and that was that. It was over. We did eventually try out some playing some music together and the rest, as they say, is history!

You joined Pulp in the late-80s, and I guess the big boom for the band, where

things really took off, was early-to-mid 90s following His N Hers. Yeah, we rattled on with little success until around ’91, when the almost imperceptible green shoots of success started coming through, and the slow climb continued until 94/95, when it all went a bit crazy.

On reflection, how do you think you handled that first dose of fame?

I’d like to think with a level head! I suppose because it happened so gradually, I didn’t notice it as much, a bit like the frog being boiled in water, you know? It wasn’t like we were practicing in a garage in Intake and then playing Top of the Pops the next day.

Of course, if you’d offered us overnight success rather than rattling about for years, I’m sure we would’ve taken it! However, you can look back and be proud of how we kept on battling – sheer South Yorkshire bloodymindedness, that’s what it was!

What, if anything, do you hope readers will take away from this memoir, both in terms of understanding Pulp’s story and your personal journey?

Mostly that I’m a brilliant, handsome, talented chap… [Laughs] Honestly, I think when you read an autobiography you don’t want to be bored. You want to be entertained and educated, so that’s the aim. Hopefully, people see it as a story worth telling – about Sheffield in the 80s, about Pulp’s slow rise to national consciousness, and what happens to bands and musicians afterwards.

So It Started There: From Punk to Pulp is out now through Omnibus Press. Nick will appear at Off the Shelf Festival on 19 October at Crookes Social Club to discuss his memoir. More info at offtheshelf. org.uk

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OPEN FOR BUSINESS

The first bar to open at Park Hill since the closure of its four original estate pubs, The Pearl, is now up and running at the famous local landmark.

Photography: Rob Nicholson // Pedalo

Jack Wakelin and Tom ‘Ronnie’ Aronica, who also own Bench in Nether Edge, are the brains behind the new venue which serves up a seasonal cocktail menu, craft beer and natural wine alongside bar snacks.

The inspiration behind The Pearl at Park Hill, to give it its full name, was to create ‘the perfect local’, reflecting the history of the building whilst celebrating the here and now.

The Parkway, The Scottish Queen, The Link and The Earl George were the four pubs serving the Park Hill community, the last of which closed in 2008.

Mark Latham, Regeneration Director at Urban Splash, said of the opening: “We are absolutely delighted to be welcoming The Pearl to the line-up of businesses at Park Hill. We’ve been working hard with the brilliant Bench team for a long time behind the scenes to turn this dream into a reality.

“The opening of The Pearl marks the long-awaited return of a local to Park Hill, adding to the vibrant mix of businesses and facilities already here as the community continues to grow.”

@pearlatparkhill

Opening hours:

Monday - Thursday 4pm-11pm

Friday - Saturday 12pm-11pm

Sunday 12pm-10pm

FOOD & DRINK

Based in a former engineering works, Herd opened as an industrial-chic café at the start of the year, but as renovations have continued apace, they’ve added a number of food and drink artisans to the mix – and even a bespoke barbershop.

Inside you can now count six independent vendors. No Forks Given serves up a selection of indulgent street food favourites, Baaa keeps the drinks flowing, Herd Cocktails are on-hand if you’re looking for a more sophisticated sup, and SHIGG Barbershop provide the highquality trims upstairs.

Two exciting new arrivals include wood-fired pizza on the recently finished outdoor terrace space from Tha Doughs and family-run Danish bakery, Kringle, taking over the café space. Another significant change has been the scheduling of live music every Friday and Saturday, where on a raised stage overlooking the venue a rotating selection of local acts play feelgood covers to get punters into the weekend spirit.

Now fully up and running, Herd has something for everyone. During the daytime, it provides a family and petfriendly setting for leisurely breakfast and lunches, while in the evenings, it transforms into a casual dining and late

entertainment spot for friends and couples looking to let their hair down in a chilled setting. The open-plan space, specialty coffee and all-day food options also make it a go-to spot for people working remotely throughout the week.

Sunday music quizzes are another welcome addition to the events schedule, and we’re told that they’re working on some special celebratory events in the run-up to Halloween and Christmas. Watch this space, reader!

“It’s all about showcasing the independent businesses and welcoming in the community,” a spokesman for Herd told Exposed. “This is a great open space, perfect for socialising, and it’s always a friendly, enjoyable atmosphere inside. The idea underpinning it all is to offer people a unique food and drink experience in the area, right from breakfast and brunch through to evening meals and nights out. Herd’s got all the bases covered.”

@herdwoodseats

5 Holmhirst Road, Woodseats, S8 0GU

Opening hours:

Mon-Tues: 9am-4pm

Weds-Thurs: 9am-9pm

Fri-Sun: 9am-11pm

The food and drink scene in Woodseats has been on the up for a while now and nowhere reflects that growth better than Herd – a bustling food hall and live music space situated just off Chesterfield Road.

A PEDDLER PARTY!

Sheffield’s beloved monthly market Peddler celebrates its ninth birthday this month and will be throwing a special bash to celebrate.

It has become something of a local institution in the city, with thousands regularly flocking to the event since its move to a bigger Kelham Island venue back in 2015. But some may not recall the first few events it hosted down on Arundel Street –then a much more understated affair with a handful of local food traders, some live music, and a couple of hundred people in attendance.

To celebrate another year in the biz, Peddler will be hosting one of their biggest celebrations of artisan food and drink, music, fashion and crafts to date.

Taking place 6-7 October, you can expect to see some old favourites as well as a selection of brand-new vendors heading up the stalls, with an eclectic mix of musicians and DJs on-hand to get the party started right!

Full details will be announced on their socials below.

@peddlermkt

WORLDWIDE WONDERS

Sheffield Peace Gardens are set to host the 2023 International Market, running from 4-8 October. With stalls spreading out to Surrey Street and Pinstone Street, this seasonal event will be serving up a delightful array of global culinary delights, beverages, and artisanal crafts. Immerse yourself in the diverse flavours of international cuisine and explore a carefully curated selection of independent craft vendors.

The market will open 10am7pm on Wednesday to Saturday, with a slightly earlier closing time of 5pm on Sunday.

RAISING A GLASS

The Steel City Beer and Cider Festival is making a return to Kelham Island Museum, bringing with it a huge range of cask ales and other craft beers, artisan cider and perry, street food vendors, traditional pub games and live entertainment.

Taking place 18-21 October, you can expect over 200 different beers, 30 ciders and an abundance of good scran to wash it down with. Staffed by volunteers from Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), there will also plenty of talks, tours and tasting sessions over the weekend, plus pub games and live music.

No need to book tickets in advance, you can pay on the day. Prices range between £13-£19 depending on the day and CAMRA members receive discounted tickets.

@sheffbeerfest

TAKING A SECOND BITE

Much-loved burger-slingers

Unit will become the only Sheffield independent in Valley Centertainment, when they open their second venue to hungry punters this month.

The new restaurant will be double the size of their Headford Street location, but owners have reassured us that the new site retains the same vibe, branding and menu as their much-loved city centre spot.

Known for their banging burgers, smoking sides and ample veggie, vegan and glutenfree options, Unit has built up a reputation amongst foodies since founders Mohamed Thabet and Nabeil Asker, known as Mo and Nabz, opened the restaurant back in 2017.

For latest news on their opening date, give them a follow on socials.

@unit_sheffield

FOOD & DRINK

Tucked away on the edges of leafy Fulwood, West 10 has been a staple of the area’s food and drink scene since 2002. The name reflects its location in the soughtafter S10 postcode, a mere 10-minute drive west of Sheffield city centre and an even shorter jaunt to the eternal bustle of Ecclesall Road and Broomhill.

The venue came under new ownership in November last year, who wasted little time in renovating the kitchen and refurbishing the intimate upper-floor restaurant accommodating up to 26 diners.

“The aim was to breathe some new life into the venue,” says general manager Lucy Taylor. “We want to shout about the changes we’ve made, create a vibrant atmosphere and really make it a place where people across the city can come and enjoy themselves, whether that’s booking in the upstairs restaurant or enjoying a few drinks in the downstairs bar or

on the outside terrace.”

The next big step was the hiring of accomplished head chef Scott Philliskirk, who’s brought with him more than 14 years of culinary expertise and a deep-seated passion for elevating fine-dining experiences.

Throughout his culinary journey Scott has headed up kitchens at a range of highly reputable establishments in the region, including Rafters at Riverside House Hotel, The Cross Scythes in Totley and the Hidden Gem Café in Bents Green.

Hoping to help the venue stand out with a unique culinary experience, he has created a ‘blind’ six-course tasting menu complemented by two signature snacks and created with a zero waste policy in mind. These evening menus undergo regular transformations to ensure the freshest seasonal ingredients and they will also soon be launching a five-course tasting menu on Wednesdays and

Following a change of ownership and with a new head chef in place, Fulwood stalwart West 10 Bar & Kitchen is currently enjoying a fresh lease of life.

Thursdays at a reasonable £45 per person.

Lucy adds: “The food really is amazing, a genuinely unique experience, and the feedback we’ve had reflects that. We work with local producers on the menu, offer a wine pairing option, and keep switching things up to reflect seasonality. I think we’ve managed to create quite a unique experience here in Sheffield.”

The lunchtime menu has also had a revamp and now focuses on open-top sandwiches generously stacked with hearty fillings on freshly baked bread. If you’re looking for a tipple to go with that, vino is still very much their area of expertise, and a regularly changing list is curated by local wine merchants Mitchell’s.

Elsewhere, their crack team of mixologists have been getting creative with the cocktails to go alongside a rotating draught beer selection. You can also expect to see a few more craft options on display in the fridges, plus the addition of chilled live music evenings to set the tone nicely as we head towards the cosy winter nights.

@west10sheffield west10sheffield.co.uk 376 Fulwood Road, S10 3GD

EVERY LITTLE HELPS

West 10 offers 25% off the bill as well as daily drink offers to Blue Light Card holders. Keep an eye on their socials for the latest happy hour deals.

KEEP A SECRET?

Looking for a quiet spot to enjoy a refreshing tipple? The Boston Arms in Woodseats have recently opened their newly refurbished secret beer garden, looking to provide a welcome slice of tranquillity to punters in one of Sheffield’s busiest suburban areas. The popular Chesterfield Road bar – which specialises in craft beers, premium cocktails, locally

roasted coffee, artisan bakes and pizza – officially opened the new suntrap at the end of August and has already seen people flocking to enjoy a pint in the sun or leafy shade of the Garden Room.

Keep an eye on their socials below for news on upcoming events including live music, tap takeovers, regular quizzes and more.

@bostonarms.sheffield

PUCKER UP!

Popular vegan bakery Lovely Rita’s Bakehouse has opened its first permanent shop, coffee bar and takeaway at Stag Works, in collaboration with new coffee connoisseurs Puck & Pollen.

Up until now, customers have only been able to get a taste of Lovely Rita’s baked goods from other vendors throughout the city, at city market events or via an online Saturday order.

But after a very successful first year, the bakery has now opened the doors to an adjoining shop, where customers will be able to purchase a range of 100% vegan bread and pastries directly from the source, paired with a beverage from Puck & Pollen.

Along with perfectly brewed coffees, Puck & Pollen has an array of hot and cold drinks available on the menu, from flower tea, kombucha sodas and house-made chai to their own unique servings, such as biscoff, ‘notella’ or peanut butter lattes.

The pair behind the businesses, Jim McGill Of

Lovely Rita’s Bakehouse and Courtney Bordman of Puck & Pollen, both have over 10 years of experience respectively in their industries, as a baker and a barista/hospitality manager, and are excited at the chance to be working for themselves finally.

Ahead of the opening, Courtney said: “I have been hoping to open my own coffee shop for a long time but for one reason or another, the right opportunity has never appeared, until now.

“Jim and I met at a previous job and so already know we can work well together and have similar visions of what we hope to achieve by teaming up.’

Jim added: “I have been running as a wholesale business

for some time now and I have a great network of loyal customers and businesses.

“But I have been really wanting to open to the public as a shop too, and after speaking with Courtney, we found that we were both at a similar point in our careers where we were ready to take a next step and decided that a collaboration could be a great idea and beneficial for both of us.”

Lovely Rita’s Bakehouse and Puck & Pollen are located at Stag Works, 84 John St, Highfield, S2 4QU.

Opening hours: Weekends 9am – 3pm, Weekdays 8:30am – 3pm.

@lovelyritasbakehouse // @puckandpollen

Chakra Lounge brings the vibrant traditions of Indian cuisine to the heart of Buxton, Bakewell, and Sheffield. Embark on a culinary journey like no other, where the mystique of the East fuses with a modern dining experience.

Innovative Indian Fusion

Fresh, Locally Sourced Ingredients

Zesty Street-Food to Sumptuous Main Courses

Elegant Ambiance

Easy Reservations

BUXTON | SHEFFIELD | BAKEWELL

HELLO@THECHAKRALOUNGE.CO.UK

THECHAKRALOUNGE.CO.UK

CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS AT THE OEC

Don’t miss the best of Yorkshire hospitality at one of Sheffield’s finest Christmas party venues!

It’s getting to the time of year where the festive events are getting booked in, and you can make it a picture-perfect celebration with the OEC Christmas party packages.

Fixed price packages ensure the Christmas party is easy to budget for and simple to organise. Ideal for groups of any size, OEC event packages include an indulgent dinner and fabulous entertainment.

OEC Christmas party packages are available to book now. We’ve rounded up the best of their glittering festive line-up, with weekday and weekend event dates throughout December and a range of package prices to suit any budget.

Book now to avoid disappointment - Christmas and New Year will be here in no time!

THE QUEENS OF MOTOWN

26 November

The Queens of Motown Tribute Show is a high-energy and electrifying live event that pays homage to some of the greatest female singers and groups of the Motown era. Includes three-course lunch and bar.

£40pp

CHRISTMAS PARTY NIGHTS

17/14/22/23 December

Get in the festive spirit at one of the OEC’s much-loved Christmas party nights on Thursdays-Saturdays in December. Includes three courses, live entertainment, DJ and late bar ’til 1am.

£45-£55pp

MUSIC OF THE MOVIES

3 December

Enjoy an afternoon filled with your favourite songs from the best movies of all time, sung by the amazing music of the Movies Tribute Band. Includes three courses, live act, DJ and bar.

£40pp

BACK TO THE 80S

CHRISTMAS PARTY

6 December

Step back in time to the glitz and glamour of the 80s this festive season! Dust off the leg warmers and head down to the OEC for an evening of fun and nostalgia reliving the iconic music, fashion and culture of the decade with an added splash of festive cheer. Includes courses, live act, DJ and late bar.

£35pp

A MERRY MAMMA MIA LUNCH

10 December

Calling all Abba fans! Join the OEC for a Merry Mamma Mia Lunch with live tribute act Abba Fever. Includes threecourse lunch, DJ and bar.

£40pp

90S CHRISTMAS PARTY

13 December

Step back in time to the funkiest decade of them all as live musicians and DJs pay tribute to the 90s at this themed Christmas bash. Get ready for a night of nostalgia, classic tunes and festive cheer. Includes 3-course dinner, tribute act, DJ and late bar.

£35

COMEDY DRAG SHOW

17 December

Join us for an afternoon filled with fun and laughter at our Christmas Comedy Drag Show with the Funky Beavers – the glamorous drag act known for their sharp wit, outrageous antics and fabulous costumes. Includes food, live drag show, games and DJ.

£20

MERRY MOTOWN PARTY

20/21 December

Have yourself a Merry Motown Christmas! Enjoy a three-course dinner before The Soultown Collective pay tribute to The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, The Four Tops, The Drifters and more. Also includes a DJ and late bar.

£35pp

NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY

31 December

Celebrate the arrival of a new year with our spectacular New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner! Enjoy a red-carpet entrance and drinks reception to set the tone for the evening while our chefs prep the delectable six-course menu. Enjoy live music and take to the dancefloor afterwards before raising a toast to see in the New Year at midnight!

£85

Sheffield

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what inspired you to create the Tipsy app?

There’s a team of two of us behind Tipsy. There’s myself and Matt, who I met in Sheffield. I’ve always enjoyed drinking games and have a collection of homemade DIY projects ranging from making Jenga blocks with our own rules scribbled on, to playing Ring of Fire, Mushroom, Beer Pong or Never Have I Ever. I was fortunate enough over lockdown to live in a house with five friends, and it became a tradition instead of going out to pubs or bars that we would stay in as a house to play drinking games together.

One day, having become bored and exhausted of the games we’d been playing, I asked Matt if I wrote the cards and rules, would he be able to code the app. It’s been years since that conversation, with a lot of ups and down, but we’re really proud of what we’ve built over this time. I feel really fortunate to be in a position where I’ve built something with a friend - it makes the harder parts of the job that much easier!

What was the development process like?  I originally wrote 200 cards, and sent them to my business partner. The original idea was simple: create something that could cycle through the ideas I’d written out. Once that was made, we focussed on expanding and adding new ideas; whilst I do all the writing, my partner does the technical side and between us we try and create things that make the game more fun. That’s how we created the truth or dare randomiser, our photobooth cards and the 5-second countdown. We’re always looking at classic drinking games we played as students and trying to incorporate them into our game design!

In a nutshell, how does it work?  You punch in the names of all the people playing, and you play through the deck of cards that the app selects. We’ve currently got about 1200 cards across the app. The cards come with challenges, questions and rules and you simply do what the cards say! It’s a basic concept, but it always engaging and more fun, and we’ve been experimenting with new ways to make

things silly and entertaining for users.

Do you mix promoting a fun experience with responsible drinking?

Yes. When we first made the app, we were wary of the danger that alcohol can have when people take things too far. Whilst we think the app is a brilliant addition to any night out, we also encourage users to know their own limits. We use language that isn’t drinking specific (we use forfeits instead of explicitly referring to sips or shots). I’ve played this game with soft drinks, and with friends who are teetotal. The fun of the game is in the cards, not in the amount you drink.

What feedback have you received from users, and how has it influenced the app’s evolution?

Some of the biggest changes come from users always asking for more content, which is a never-ending grind! It can be hard to be original sometimes, but we’re dedicated to making the game a fun and unique experience.

The game itself has changed its user interface, our graphics, our approach to language used throughout the app. It’s super iterative, and that comes from the app being a passion project for the two of us.

What can users expect in terms of future updates and improvements to the Tipsy app?

We’ve got quite a roadmap for the app considering that both of us have full-time jobs! We’re really keen on expanding on what types of things the app can incorporate, we’re always experimenting with new ways to present rules - and the limited format presents its own challenges. We’re keen to have new packs created specifically targeting university students, and a pack that’s aimed at stag nights and hen do’s!

Are there any plans to expand Tipsy’s reach to new markets or platforms?  We’ve just been admitted to Apple after being Android-exclusive for a long time! We don’t have any plans to move further than that, but we’re constantly trying to appeal to new markets. Part of us expanding has had me take a more active role in running our social media accounts on Instagram and TikTok, which has been a brand new challenge!

@tipsypartyapp

GIVE TIPSY A GO?

IOS: ANDROID:

resident Brogan James is the co-founder of Tipsy, an interactive drinking game which has received rave reviews and well over 10,000 downloads since its official launch last year. He gave Exposed the lowdown on the pre-drinks app you never knew you needed – until now!

We also offer subscriptions

How It Works

• All of our subscription coffees are 5% off our usual prices

• FREE UK delivery

• Enter code FRAZER23 at the checkout and you’ll get your first subscription bag of coffee at half price!*

*Applicable to coffee subscription orders only

A COLLECTIVE EFFORT

Since opening its doors three months ago, this innovative Sheffield hair salon has been changing the game for both clients and stylists, putting sustainability at the heart of what they do.

Gather Hair Collective prides itself on providing a luxury styling experience, whilst recycling everything from hair foils to shampoo bottles and ensuring only the best sustainable products are stocked on their shelves. They also donate a percentage of their sales to planting trees with Green Salon Collective, the climate positive gift company.

The founder of the business, Toni Hatt, has 21 years of experience behind her, from working in salons to behind the scenes at TV shows and fashion weeks. Toni has always been an advocate for sustainability in other aspects of her life but was frustrated at how it was often difficult in continue this while working in the hair and beauty industry.

She said: “Hairdressing is incredibly wasteful in its nature, so as an industry, to move forward with the way that the world is, it has to change.

“Sustainability should be the standard for everybody. My clients expect that now. The business that they eat at, the places they shop at, and the clothes that they buy, all are sustainable. Why shouldn’t their hair salon be as well?”

After starting her family, Toni couldn’t find a salon in Sheffield that catered to her creative and personal needs, so took matters into her own hands. While a focus on sustainability is a key part of the ethos, it isn’t the only thing separating Gather Hair Collective from other salons. Their unique business model provides stylists with a working environment where they can each be their own boss.

Rather than a traditional salon, Toni describes Gather Hair Collective as a co-working space where freelance hairdressers can work on their own terms, with flexibility and as much creative freedom as they desire. She considers herself a mentor rather than a manager and wants the stylists working at the salon to be cared for just as much as the clients.

She explained: “Through working in high-end hairdressing, I learned the importance of flexible working for creatives.

“I found that after I had children, I couldn’t find what I needed. I wanted to own my own business, but also work with other people and keep that sort of traditional salon lifestyle.

“Clients are everything to a salon, but so is making sure the stylists are fulfilled and not feeling trapped in an inflexible situation. Flexible working has always been tricky in this industry, but it’s changing.

“It feels amazing to offer what I knew I needed to others as well. Every industry needs flexible working, just to ensure a work-life balance. Even though everyone is self-employed, I still encourage them not to over-work. I’m very much like, ‘go and have a life’. We want to look after clients, but stylists are just as important.”

There is something for everyone at Gather Hair collective. No matter the texture, colour or length of your hair there will be a specialist stylist for your needs. Toni wants inclusivity to be integral to the business and make sure there are no barriers to anyone wanting a luxury hair styling experience.

Despite being different in the way in which it operates, no luxuries have been sacrificed as a result. Massage chairs and stateof-the-art products will ensure you are taken on a relaxing hair journey catered specifically to your needs.

Toni said: We’re a luxury salon. It’s all about having that amazing experience every time you come in the salon. Even though we are different in terms of stylists and the way that they work in the salon, clients still get a traditional experience. You don’t lose any luxuries, but it’s all really thought about in terms of sustainability.

You can find Gather Hair Collective at 944 Ecclesall Road. To book a consultation with one of the stylists, visit their website gatherhaircollective.co.uk or book via Instagram @gather.haircollective

ELECTRONIC DREAMS

From its heavyweight audio system to its sleek underground tunnel design, ORB has been pioneered by industry-leading music and engineering experts.

A full renovation has taken place in the vaulted cellar club, which is split into two sections – a glamorous, newly-furnished seating area and a spacious dancefloor.

The fully refurbished underground venue is located just a stone’s throw from West Street with operator Paul Kinsey telling Exposed: “We are really pleased to be able to offer a new, exciting and differentiated club concept which continues Sheffield’s tradition of leading the evolution of music and club culture.”

The team behind Skyline Festival are taking the reins every Saturday night with a new techno and house event, Horizon. They’ll be showcasing emerging Steel City talent alongside jaw-dropping production at an affordable ticketprice point.

Co-founder Phil McCue said: “The growth of Skyline has been unbelievable over the past 12 months and when we heard about the plans for ORB, we immediately knew it was the perfect venue for us to launch a new Saturday night party.

“There’s as much talent in the electronic scene as there’s ever been in Sheffield, but unfortunately less opportunities than ever before due to the difficulties that the night-time economy is facing.

“We believe that ORB can play a key role in changing that and we’ll be inviting anybody to send a mix to us for an opportunity to play.”

OUT OUT, a new underground immersive house night set to transport you into a different realm, launches Friday 13th October with more information available on the venue’s socials below.

@orbsheffield

10 YEARS OF 24HR GARAGE GIRLS

HOPE WORKS // 6 OCT // £9

Hosted by underground bass music legends The Wub Club, Sheffield’s rave shrine hosts 24hr Garage Girls Introducing the 24hr Garage Girls – the power collective who are celebration a decade of shutting down clubs and festivals across the UK with that old garage flava! fixr.co

HE.SHE.THEY

FORGE WAREHOUSE // 13 OCT // £7-£14

HE.SHE.THEY. returns to FORGE with some of the finest performers in tow and Sheffield favourites Horse Meat Disco leading the charge! Main room support comes from Angela Kendall b2b Solid State on the extended warm up, with Love & Lust on the close. The Workroom will host a scintillating lineup of locals covering everything from house and disco right through to garage, breaks and jungle. skiddle.com

SUB FOCUS

TANK // 14 OCT // £14-£15.75

Chart-topping Drum & Bass royalty Sub Focus brings his third studio album, Evolve, for a live outing at Tank, supported by DnB MC ID. Expect a high-energy, soul-stirring experience from one of the best in the biz. Skiddle.com

TUESDAY CLUB: OVERMONO, SEYK AND ANDY H

FOUNDRY // 24 OCT // £10-£15

Leading electronic duo Overmono bring their unmatched vibe to The Tuesday Club for a DJ set that will weave together garage, techno, breakbeat and beyond! Joining the headliner will be acid house don SEYK and Steel City turntablist extraordinaire Andy H. foundrysu.com

PLANET ZOGG HALLOWEEN BALL

YELLOW ARCH // 27 OCT // £10-£22

It’s the intergalactic spooky monster Planet Zogg Halloween Ball: two rooms of mind-warping music (psy techno in the Zogg Vortex and eclectic groove in the Disco of Doom), plus cosmic decor and visuals, performers, Freak St Cafe and outdoor courtyard chilling. The dress code is, naturally, Zombie Space Monsters – with prizes for the best costumes! yellowarch.com

A brand-new city centre club tailored for electronic music with a key focus on promoting local talent is now open on Carver Lane.

FILM: WHAT'S ON

HAVING A SCREAM!

A horror-themed music show from comedian and podcast host Adam Buxton and anniversary screenings of a trio of cult classics are among the highlights at Celluloid Screams 2023, along with the UK Premiere of We Are Zombies and the International Premiere of Spanish director Carlota Pereda’s The Chapel, plus a host of other terrifying treats.

Celluloid Screams Horror Film Festival has been delighting film fans since 2009, delivering shocks and scares with the best in new and classic horror cinema from around the globe. Recently voted one of the best horror festivals in the world by Dread Central, the 15th anniversary edition of Celluloid Screams runs from 19-22 October 2023 at the Showroom Cinema and will

present a terrifying programme of films and special events.

“This year, we’ve pulled out all the stops to celebrate 15 years of Celluloid Screams,” says festival founder and co-director Rob Nevitt.

“Once again, our programming team has scoured the earth to find the true gems of the horror genre for your viewing pleasure. With a whole host of premieres and previews, plus a handful of classics thrown in for good measure – not to mention a horror music video show courtesy of the legendary Adam Buxton - Celluloid Screams 2023 is set to be one of our most memorable festivals to date and not to be missed.” celluloidscreams.com // @celluloidscreams

SCAN THE QR CODE FOR THE FULL LINEUP OF FILMS AT CELLULOID SCREAMS 2023

FLICKS IN THE ABYSS

This Halloween, The Village Screen pop-up cinema are returning to the creepy surrounds of Peak Cavern cave, Castleton, transforming the cave into spinetingling cinematic experience like no other. Audience members can expect to be immersed in this incredible natural environment, whilst watching films projected onto a large 21ft screen with incredible sound and beautiful lighting.

The Village Screen are a small, independent, event production team, who have been running experiential, cinematic events in Sheffield, Manchester and across the UK for the past seven years. They’ve programmed a selection of Halloween classics to be projected on their 21ft screen, complete with incredible sounds and atmospheric lighting.

The films on show will be (26 Oct), The Conjuring (27 Oct), Hocus Pocus (28 Oct), The Craft (28 Oct), The Addams Family (29 Oct), Beetlejuice (29 Oct),

There will be a choice of delicious and independent street food options available, with the perfect match of drinks and snacks, available beforehand and delivered to your seat throughout the film. Tickets (£20-£24) are available from thevillagescreen. com

Your self-titled debut EP came out on 29 September. Could you tell us a bit about what this record means to you?  This EP means the world to me. Over Covid, I had a massive knock to my confidence and mental health, so the fact I am releasing anything again is such an achievement for me. I am so proud of myself! Each song represents a different part of myself, and it has been a joy to bring them to life with my partner Zak Michaud (bassist and mastering engineer) and my good friend Ruaridh Summers (artist name) as producer. I cannot wait for other people to hear it, and I hope they love it as much as I do!

What kind of genres or artists would you say influence the abs sound?

I’m a huge fan of hip-hop/R&B, and I would say these are my biggest influences. However, across the EP you can hear some pop, funk and neo-soul in there too! Artists that I absolutely love are Lauryn Hill, Beyoncé, Cleo

Soul, Kendrick, Jay Z, Bon Iver, Nao, Ari Lennox, Little Simz, and the whole Dreamville gang.

To celebrate this EP, you are putting on your biggest production yet at Yellow Arch Studios. What can we expect from this show?

Yellow Arch is my favourite venue in Sheffield. I’m from Bristol, and I have really fond memories of going to Yellow Arch for Dubshack nights when nowhere else in Sheffield really did things like that when I was at university. It reminded me a little bit of home.

I want this show to be my best one yet, so I’ve pulled out all of the stops. You can expect backing dancers, a full light show, outfit changes, my incredible live band and the most insanely good support acts ever, Isaac Malibu and Safii Koii - both Leeds legends.

It is very important to support local artists, especially in such a difficult climate for musicians. Could you tell us

a bit more about the support acts?

Yes! My support acts are incredible and I am so glad people introduced me to them.  Isaac Malibu is a Yorkshire-based artist performing R&B music, with soul, pop, funk and lo-fi influences, agile vocals and a signature falsetto.

Honest, soulful and chaotic is what you get from Safii Koii. She has an ever-shifting sense of style when it comes to the music she produces.

How has your journey as a musician been so far?  I have found it such an amazing experience. Since November, when I officially started, I have done so many amazing gigs, and been recognised in great wayssuch as being shortlisted to play at Tramlines! It is very hard to break out in the music industry, especially in a place like Sheffield with a large indie scene, but I am doing what I can and have a really good feeling that great things are happening for abs!

What does music and the process of making music mean to you?

Music for me is an outlet. Like I mentioned before, I really struggle with my mental health, and it is my way to not only express myself but also just let go and have fun! When I am on stage, everything disappears and I become this confident incredible artist. This is why I want to train to be a music therapist - because I know it’s a superpower.

Have you got anything else planned for the future?

Me and my band are going on a UK tour in February. Details for that will be coming soon. I am also hoping to play at more festivals next year and start working on the next EP! I want to also move to London to train as a music therapist and expand my horizons in the industry so I can be a self-sustaining artist one day!

Abs plays Yellow Arch on 5 October

With a debut EP release show at Yellow Arch just around the corner, Exposed’s Maisie Jacobs catches up with soulful pop purveyor abs to hear what we can expect from the Sheffield-based artist.

MY LIFE IN MUSIC LAVELLE

THE FIRST RECORD I BOUGHT….

It was Eminem – 'The Real Slim Shady'. It was on a tape cassette! I’m not sure why that was the one I went for, but I remember listening to it over and over on that tape.

MY FIRST GIG…

Bigga Fish at the 02 Academy supporting Lady Leshurr, Chipmunk, Ghetts, and a load of other artists who were big in the UK scene at the time. There were some big DJs playing too. It was the first time I was in that sort of environment. I won a spot to perform through a competition or something and I was around 14 or 15 at the time. I supported for the Manchester show and the Sheffield show. It was scary, but I loved it. And I knew from that day onwards I needed to be on a stage.

THE FIRST SONG I PERFORMED LIVE…

That would have been ‘Shackles’ by Mary Mary. I’ve been singing since I was little, it’s just something I’ve always remembered doing. So, I think I would have been about 5 or 6, performing to family with my cousins. That was the song I usually chose, so I'll go for that one.

A SONG I WISH I HAD WRITTEN….

Right now, it would be Victoria Monét – ‘On my Mama’. I love that song. I love the self confidence that comes across in the song, the beat and the melody. It’s just a great tune.

WHEN DID I FIRST FALL IN LOVE WITH MUSIC…….

I’d say ever since I was born. My dad’s a music producer and my

IT WAS EMINEM – THE REAL SLIM SHADY. IT WAS ON A TAPE CASSETTE! I’M NOT SURE WHY THAT WAS THE ONE I WENT FOR, BUT I REMEMBER LISTENING TO IT OVER AND OVER ON THAT TAPE.

mum’s just always encouraged me to sing, so ever since I was little that’s always been the vibe.

ONE SONG I CAN’T GET OUT OF MY HEAD AT THE MOMENT…

At the moment it would be Drip Rick x Kannan – ‘Gang Shit’. It’s going viral on TikTok. They’re from Sheffield, are friends of mine, and it’s just constantly in my head all the time. It’s such a good song.

A RECORD THAT REMINDS ME OF A SPECIFIC TIME AND PLACE…

‘Shackles’ by Mary Mary reminds

me of Britain’s Got Talent, when the group I was with [Miss Treats] performed it for the semi-final. That brings back a lot of memories; it reminds me of when I first started, how I got into music, and it’s a very nostalgic feeling.

Lavelle is a Sheffieldbased RnB artist who recently topped the iTunes UK R&B/Soul chart with her debut solo single ‘Baby Boy’.

@lavelleofficial

For this month’s stroll down musical memory lane, Maisie Honjacobs speaks to chart-topping Sheffield RnB star Lavelle Daley.

Highlight: parler femme

Playhouse // 11 November

Following the huge success of her debut production, No Time Like The Present, Barnsley-born Bolshoi Ballet Academy alumna Tala LeeTurton returns to South Yorkshire on 11 November with parler femme – a dance-based triple bill celebrating innovative and inspiring stories about women.

“I’m committed to building a world receptive to culturally and socially disruptive creative voices – that’s the dream,” says Tala. “So, I aim to ask a lot of questions through my work, and in particular in parler femme, by facilitating spaces for female dance artists and creatives to express some personal truth about themselves.”

The production will celebrate inspiring stories about women through live performance, screen-based visuals and immersive technologies. Act I features award-winning short dance films by female filmmakers, including Tala’s celebrated work, 'Chinese Laundry'. Act II premieres Here Lies, a mesmerizing dance and music duet that weaves a magical tale of two sisters reuniting after their grandmother’s passing. Act III brings back the highly acclaimed 'No Time Like The Present', now transformed for indoor performance.

Tala’s vision is a departure from traditional ballet, breaking boundaries and inviting audiences to immerse themselves in a captivating, thoughtprovoking live event. The production combines ballet with immersive technology to transport viewers to different worlds and engage them in a collective dialogue. After the performance, audiences can also participate in a Q&A session.

Tickets (£12-£14) are available from sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS

FOUNDRY // 5 OCT // £17.50

The British hard rock band from Newcastle will be bringing their hard-hitting stoner metal sounds to Sheffield as part of their biggest headline tour to date. Expect monumental doom rock riffs, screeching feedback and throbbing bass lines. foundrysu.com

HONEYMOAN

YELLOW ARCH // 11 OCT // £9.35

Expect plenty of earworms amongst the alternative pop ditties from this Cape Town outfit. The four-piece are currently touring their recently released debut album, Sorry Like You Mean It, a genre-crossing record combining everything from gritty punk to afropop grooves. yellowarch.com

JARRED UP X DC PRESENTS:

NERVOUS PILLS // STUART

PEARCE // JUKE

DELICOUS CLAM // 13 OCT // £9

Sheffield’s Jarred Up and Delicious Clam unite for the Nervous Pills single release. Expect punk power fuelled by chaotic riffs and synth from the headliners. Stuart Pearce brings big energy and captivating hooks, while JUKE adds pure, no-frills punk fun. delicousclam.co.uk

TRACKS FOR TRACKS

LEADMILL // 22 OCT // £15

TRACKS band is a Sheffield supergroup comprising of Lucy Revis (Before Breakfast), Franz Von (KOG and the Zongo Brigade, TC and the Groove Family), Philippe Clegg (Oh Papa), and Jemma Freese (Maximo Park, J2oh). This impressive selection of local musicians will be playing original tunes to raise vital funds for Sheffield Music School. leadmill.co.uk

THE STREETS

02 ACADEMY // 28 OCT // £60

Mike Skinner returns with The Streets’ first full-length album since 2011, titled The Darker The Shadow, The Brighter The Light” Alongside his debut feature film of the same name, Skinner embarks on a massive UK tour with a record that promises to showcases Skinner’s lyrical skill and honed beats from his parallel career as a bass and rap DJ. academymusicgroup.com

TIGERCUB

LEADMILL // 31 OCT // £14

One of the most exciting rock acts on the live circuit today, the mighty Tigercub take to the Leadmill stage for a Halloween night to remember with huge support from South Wales natives James & the Cold Gun. leadmill.co.uk

Photo: Zavod Studio

DESIGN.

HAVING A SCREAM!

It’s October – spooky season is upon us, readers! First up, Cyb3r are at Sidney & Matilda with their Halloween party, Murd3r on the Dancefloor (Sat 14 Oct) featuring DJs Gnarkill, Lindsay Losam, Bambi Smith, Jordan Windows and Poor Spice bringing you their favourite hyperpop classics with an evil twist.Keeping it traditional at Sheffield’s longest running LGBTQ+ venue we have Halloween quiz and bingo night (Tue 31 Oct) at Dempseys – your latest midweek party running until 5am!.

Over at the OEC we have Halloween Big Drag Bingo (Sat 22 Oct) with resident witches Emma Maezin and Ditzy O’Darlin hosting a “fangbanging” day of laughter and bingo frenzy with a bewitching blend of beats that will have

you “boogieing” in no time from DJ Mamma Bear. Emma will also be hosting her own spooktacular A Maezin HalloQueen (Sat 28 Oct) at Yorkshireman featuring special guests Ditzy O’Darlin and General Waste.

You can also catch Emma this month for her regular Dragoke Thursdays at Maggie May’s, Drag Bingo (Wed 11 Oct) and Bottomless Brunch & Drag Show (Sun 29 Oct) at Revolucion de Cuba, Drag Karaoke (Fri 13 & Sat 21 Oct) at Ball Inn and Drag Karaoke (Fri 20 Oct) at Bagshawe Arms.

Double, double, toil and trouble at Malin Bridge Inn, the best decorated venue in the country, with a trio of Halloween specials. The Sanderson Sisters will be landing on their stage for one

night only with their amazing Hocus Pocus Drag Queen Show (Sat 21 Oct), plus The Rocky Horror Night (Fri 27 Oct) with support from resident queen Electric Blue and their fancy dress Halloween Horror Night (Sat 28 Oct) hosted by DJ Brooke with themed rooms The Hocus Pocus House, Haunted Karaoke Cave, Infected Pumpkin Patch and Horror House Cabin.

There’s more drag this month from the legendary Betty Legs Diamond, as Funny Girls On Tour (Sat 7 Oct) heads to Sheffield’s Library Theatre and our own local legend Bipolar Abdul has two new regular nights with bingo, games and cabaret (Fri 6 & 20 Oct) at Glass Frog and bingo (Wed 11 Oct) at Neepsend Social Club.

If you’re after some live

music kicks, I can highly recommend Chystine Moon, Jemma Rosenthal and Tsarzi at Sharrow Festival Fringe (Sat 7 Oct) and comedy from the iconic Miriam Margolyes with Oh Miriam! Live (Tue 10 Oct) at Sheffield City Hall. Last but by no means least, HE.SHE. THEY. (Fri 13 Oct) returns to FORGE this time, with local favourites Horse Meat Disco leading the charge wand support from Angela Kendall b2b Solid State and Love & Lust and performances from Barb D’Wyer, Bipolar Abdul, King Confuza and Tysie Blaque. Rave on!

And that’s your lot for this month! Do make sure to check out the latest event announcements at facebook. com/sheffieldlgbtevents.

TAKING CENTRE STAGE

One of the country’s best-known political comedians, Mark Thomas has a long history of campaigning for social justice and holding politicians to account. His Channel 4 show, The Mark Thomas Comedy Project, was a prime example of this, and his commitment to these causes has remained steadfast over the years.

Now, he’s boldly ventured into the realm of theatre with a play specially written for him by Ed Edwards, a production that garnered awards and received glowing 5-star reviews during its debut in Edinburgh. In November, Mark is set to grace Sheffield with his presence ‘England & Son’. Intrigued to learn more, we enlisted the expertise of comedy connoisseur and theatre veteran Mark Perkins to delve into the details.

We’re used to seeing you perform stand-up comedy, so how did you come to be starring in this new play? Well, it is a play written by Ed Edwards, specifically for me. I’d been to see his play in Edinburgh in 2018, The Political History of Crack and Smack, and as I was walking out, I turned to my mate and said, “That was amazing.” A voice behind me said, “I wrote that.” I turned around and it was Ed Edwards. We just chatted and got on from there like a house on fire. We kept in touch and every time we met, we agreed we had to work together, but we were both so busy. We’d talked about it for so long that we eventually said, “Let’s just get on with it.”

How did the collaborative process work? Ed would write a narrative, all based on true stories. I’d read the story, then get up and improvise it. He’d then add in bits that I’d contributed and note which bits I’d skipped or altered. He eventually came back with this amazing show, England & Sons. It’s about so many things. It’s about the British Empire, domestic violence, addiction, failed chances, all sorts of things.

One of the things it draws on is both our childhoods and Ed’s time in prison. He’s a recovering addict. He runs filmmaking workshops in Manchester,

in Ancoats, and I’ve been helping him out. I love doing comedy workshops. I’ve actually just finished doing one, which is why I’m exhausted. Today we were looking at the five-act structure of a play. Working with a group of recovering addicts and saying, “If this is your story, what would be in each act?” It’s remarkable being in such a profoundly and brutally honest room. I suppose it’s all linked into the show, and it’s very much informed us, but not what the show is based on. We’re writing a 20-minute companion piece with the addicts in recovery.  I feel privileged to work with them. They make their own films with Ed, which sometimes get out to film festivals. It has really made a difference to the people involved, too. A couple of them have gone to film school, another to college to do a writing course.

You’ve just finished performing England & Son for the first time in Edinburgh. How was that experience? How far removed is it from doing stand-up? It’s totally different from stand-up and requires a different discipline. I get to play different characters, and I get to narrate, tell stories, talk directly to the audience, do some acting, but the one thing linking stand-up and a performance like this is that you have to totally commit to it, and always be in the moment. You cannot take your foot off the pedal. It got excellent reviews and seemed to win all the awards, to the point where we got accused of being greedy. We’re now touring it, and we’re in Sheffield at the Crucible Playhouse on November 28th and 29th.

I believe you started off acting near here, at Bretton Hall College near Wakefield, so you’re returning to your Yorkshire performing roots. Yes, I was the first person in my family to

go to university and it was drama school. It was so thrilling to be with a like-minded group of people, but also be educated at the same time. I loved the fact that you could do a formal class in the day, analyse a play, or learn stage management skills, and in the evening you could go to a show performed by a final-year student. I worked from 9am to 10pm, but it didn’t feel like work. It was one big, wonderful adventure. That was where I started doing stand-up. I’d write with a group of mates on one day, and then go to the Red Shed in Wakefield to perform with them the next day. We’d often fundraise for the miners. I’d wanted to do stand-up since I was 16, and I realised, here was an opportunity to actually go and do it in a socialist club.

You’ve been doing what political comedy for a long time now. Would you say politics is totally different today than when you first started performing? In many ways yes, but in many ways no. The centre ground of mainstream politics shifts and moves. I’ve always thought of the Tories as an extremist party, but now it’s a far-right party. Obviously, Brexit is a major thing, but politics isn’t something that just nips around in a circular struggle; there’s a linear movement, as people’s lives materially improve or decline. What we have seen is a decline in living standards and our ability to organise, protest and fight back. With regards to what I do, I just care about creating interesting, new work that’s challenging for the audience, and which challenges and excites me. There’s no point in doing this if you don’t challenge yourself. If it gets boring, I might as well have had a proper job. In fact, avoiding having a proper job takes much more work than you think it does. I’ve been working and mentoring with some Palestinian comics, to the point where now there’s a West Bank comedy circuit. Also, we’re lining up to do comedy workshops in Sierra Leone with street kids. All these things are really thrilling and exciting. I love it. Why would I want to stop? I’m 60 now and could hopefully carry on until I get my state pension and beyond, although I have got my London senior bus pass now.

We don’t get ours here in Sheffield until we’re 66.

Ah, but you lived through the Blunkett years, so you’ve had your good times.

England & Son comes to the Playhouse on 28-29 November. Tickets available from sheffieldtheatres.co.uk.

Terror Obscura | £10

A celebration of the forgotten gems of horror cinema.

Blue Badge Bunch | £10 (£8)

An interactive game show for kids exploring disability.

Dementia Friendly Cinema | £4 (carers go free)

Screening of Mama Mia (2008) for people living with Dementia and their carers

The Light House by Alys Williams | £14 (£10)

A story of love, crisis and dancing in the streets.

Baby Comedy Club | £10 (£12)

A daytime adult comedy club for parents with ba Identities by Close to Home Productions | £12.5

A play about boobs.

Blood on the Clocktower | Pay What You Can

A captivating interactive murder mystery for thos

Halloween at Theatre Deli | Various Tricks and treats for all ages: musical performanc

The Social Model...& More Festival Carol! It’s Christmas

9 - 25 November

An online and in person festival exploring disbaility.

14 - 31 December

The Glitterbomb Dancers presented by Theatre Deli

LAUGHTER IS THE BEST FORM OF MEDICINE

In this month’s Sheffield Theatres showcase, director Sarah Tipple discusses bringing Moliere’s farcical masterpiece, The Hypochondriac, to the Crucible Theatre stage.

Out of Molière’s plays, why did you choose to bring The Hypochondriac back to the stage? There were a range of different reasons. First of all, Rob [Hastie, Sheffield Theatres Artistic Director] asked me if I’d want to do any Molière. I’ve directed comedy and farcy, fast-paced stuff before and it’s always lovely to have the opportunity to do something period.

I read Roger McGough’s translation of The Hypochondriac and quickly realised how much fun there was to be had. Because Roger’s adaptation is written in rhyming couplets, there’s this momentum to the text that feels quite musical. It felt like the obvious play to bring more music to.

On a personal note, as someone who can be quite anxious about their health, I guess there were some themes I felt that I could relate to. But there’s also a more serious point about people taking advantage of people’s fear, which feels quite topical at the moment.

The role of experts – particularly those of the self-appointed variety – has been a hot topic in recent years. Absolutely. We talked in rehearsals a lot about the idea of blind faith, especially with regards to people who tell you how to live your life when they stand to profit from that. That still feels quite relevant today. The play’s set in the 17th century, of

course, so it’s not a direct parallel but I think you can certainly see some contemporary relevance in the play.

Could you introduce us to Argon, the main character in the play?

Sure. Argon is the head of the household and is plagued with worries about his health. There are a lot of things in life which he struggles with, and his body is the place where he puts these anxieties. You first meet him as he’s paying invoices to quack doctors, and there’s this sense that he’s losing control. He comes up with a plan to get things back in order, or so he thinks, and chaos ensues…

You’ve mentioned that you’ve directed farcical comedies before. What are the challenges in directing this type of play? For me, the difficulty is getting the balance between micromanaging when needed but also allowing actors the chance to play and express themselves. It’s important, I think, to not get too obsessed with the joke, as you don’t want to have jokes at the expense of emotion. It’s important to ensure you’re still telling the story properly and giving the audience a chance to feel for the characters.

On a personal note, it’s a bit of a full-circle moment for you. You worked as an usher at Sheffield Theatres and are now returning

to direct your own play. How does that feel?

It’s nice, and maybe there’s a bit more pressure involved! I always want to give audiences a good time and the best experience possible, but I think I’m always going to feel that the most here. It’s quite strange being in the building and having a different role from the last time I worked here. Years before I was an usher at The Crucible, I actually performed in a show here as a teenager, and we used the same rehearsal room we’re using now for The Hypochondriac. It’s quite an odd feeling at times!

What do you hope audiences will take away from the play? First and foremost, I hope they have a fun, diverting evening. There are a lot of depressing things in the news these days, and the main aim is to give people an enjoyable night and hopefully some laughter.

In terms of the play’s story, it follows Argon going on this journey to ultimately realise who has got his back. So, I think through that there’s a celebration of the people who do really care about us and aren’t out to profit from us. That’s a message I hope comes across.

The Hypochondriac is running at the Crucible Theatre 30 Sep – 21 Oct. Tickets are available from sheffieldtheatres.co.uk.

TREASON

Lyceum // 31 Oct-4 Nov // £15-£45

Treason is the new musical drama about the notorious gunpowder plot of 1605, set to completely blow you away with stunning original folk and pop songs, this one-of-akind show tells one of the most intriguing tales in Britain’s history as it’s never been seen before. sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

STEVE AND TOBIAS VERSUS DEATH

Playhouse // 28 Oct // £12-£14

Paper Mug Theatre returns with their five-star zombie comedy, following a sell-out international run in Busan, South Korea. In this throat-ripping thriller, Tobias hates mash and Steve hates Tobias, but when they discover their Mom to be patient zero in a world of flesh-eating zombies, there’s no time left for ‘feelings’. sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

THE LIGHT HOUSE BY ALYS WILLIAMS

Theatre Deli // 13-14 Oct // £10-£14

Love is a complicated business. It gets even more complicated when the person you love doesn’t want to be alive. Tender, funny and defiantly hopeful, The Light House is a real life story of falling in love and staying in love, even when the lights go out and you’re lost in the dark. It’s a love letter to life. theatredeli.co.uk

PIONEERS: JOHN RUSKIN, WILLIAM MORRIS

AND THE BAUHAUS

Millennium Gallery // 19 Oct-21 Jan // Free

This major new exhibition presents over 100 key works, including a host of significant national and international loans. Together, they illustrate how Ruskin and Morris’ thinking influenced the Bauhaus and explore the school’s important links to the Arts & Crafts movement. sheffieldmuseums.org.uk

BEFORE, DURING & AFTER: HERE SOON (HOW TO KEEP THE BALANCE)

Site Gallery // 1 Oct-28 Jan // Free

Boakye-Yiadom has worked on learning a single drum track, within moments outside of work and life commitments, capturing this journey through audio recordings, moving image and photography. He has collaborated with photographers and videographers with a distinctly different approach, exploring different ways of capturing live learning without the body in the frame or main subject of focus. sitegallery.org

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We’ll show you to your first round and help throughout.

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Keep it exciting with fresh challenges

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Join a supportive community with expert trainers

ROSIE WILSON

HI ROSIE, COULD YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT HOW YOU FIRST STARTED OUT ILLUSTRATING AND HOW YOU GOT INTO DOING WHAT YOU DO TODAY?

Hello! I was raised in a creative environment where my mum was always DIYing or painting random bits of furniture with Wilko wall paint. That, and art being the only subject I enjoyed, probably kick-started that urge to just make stuff!

I never even knew what illustration really was before doing my uni course at Sheffield Hallam. I had a cousin who did it, and I loved drawing really cursed fan art, which never saw the light of day, so I decided to take a gamble and study it at university. Luckily, I fell in love with the course and illustration industry.

WERE THERE ANY KEY CREATIVE INFLUENCES ON YOUR WORK AS YOU WERE DEVELOPING YOUR STYLE?

Spending a lot of my teen years on fan blogs, and getting my teeth stuck into groups who made art for shows or bands I liked was a huge influence initially. Wanting to be as good as the others, and then spending hours trying to understand how they were so good. This introduced me to illustrators across the globe, graphic novels, fanzines and, unfortunately, fan fiction. But looking back now, the internet and fandom culture is still quite a big creative influence for me!

In recent years I’ve loved Kpop album packaging with its punchy colours, unique product designs and wacky concepts. Random vinyl record covers and retro horror movie posters, too. Music is a huge influence! The way a song makes me feel can sometimes manifest as an image in my head. The other day I was even inspired by the flight safety guide while on a Ryanair flight. Anything with bold, punchy, neon colours – or just anything a bit odd.

IT SEEMS LIKE IT’S BEEN A BUSY YEAR FOR YOU WORK-WISE, COLLABORATING WITH A NUMBER OF LOCAL ORGANISATIONS AND EVENTS. COULD YOU TALK US THROUGH SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS?

It really has been a whirlwind! I work full-time and also volunteer whenever I can, so I pick up illustration projects if there’s some spare time in my week. From volunteering with the incredible Reel Steel cinema group, I was able to do a poster for their Hammer Horror Weekender at the Abbeydale Picture House last year, and then the Sheffield Showcase this year.

Around the same time, I got lucky, and won the

Tramlines t-shirt design competition! That was a surreal experience having grown up next to Tramlines in Hillsborough Park to having my shirt being a part of the Sarah Nulty Music Foundation.

Since then, things have continued to pick up. Whether it was making a project putting up Pulp posters across the city, or being asked to do a poster for the Leadmill’s campaign, it’s always a real privilege to be able to create work for local organisations, and to celebrate Sheffield

OH, AND NONE OTHER THAN JARVIS COCKER TAKING YOUR PULP ARTWORK ONSTAGE WITH HIM! COULD YOU TELL US THE BACKSTORY TO THAT?

I set myself a project to stick my own Pulp posters across the city centre to celebrate the band’s homecoming gig. Having grown up hearing Pulp around the house, and then later falling in love with the band while being a student, it was the least I could do to share my passion!

In a ‘right place, right time’ moment, the guitar tech for the band happened to see me and my boyfriend sticking up the posters. I was very star-struck just from this interaction alone.

We had given the guitar tech a poster and said we were attending the show that Saturday. I didn’t really think much else would happen until during the gig Jarvis brought out the poster! I cried like a complete loser.  Looking back, I still find it hard to believe it happened. Seeing a hero of mine hold up something I’d just whipped up in my spare time, at potentially their last-ever homecoming show, is something I won’t ever forget.

MOST RECENTLY, YOU’VE BEEN WORKING ON THE #WECANTLOSELEADMILL. COULD YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT HOW YOU GOT INVOLVED WITH THAT, HOW YOU APPROACHED THE WORK ITSELF AND WHY IT’S SUCH AN IMPORTANT CAUSE FOR YOU TO SUPPORT?

Obviously, growing up in Sheffield has meant that the Leadmill has played a vital part in my musical education. I went on my first night out there for my eighteenth birthday, saw artists that I’ve loved and artists that I’ve grown to love. The issues surrounding these arts institutions in this country are becoming increasingly worrying, and I believe that to lose such a cultural hub in Sheffield would be to lose an important part of the city’s spirit itself.

I couldn’t have been happier when I was asked to be a part of the campaign! For the poster, I wanted to

The local artist chats about her creative influences, local collaborations and none other than Jarvis Cocker spontaneously showcasing her work onstage.

showcase some of the iconic performances who have performed at Leadmill. Of course, Jarvis is there, along with the likes of Oasis, Def Leppard, Kate Nash, Arctic Monkeys and Culture Club.

FINALLY, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ANY ASPIRING ILLUSTRATORS READING THIS?

When I first started doing illustration at university, I had ZERO confidence. I really struggled to see any value in anything I made, and thought everyone must have been born with some ‘secret recipe’ for being so confident! I still think the recipe thing is a little bit true, but my advice would be to just make stuff and shove it wherever you can.

By this I mean entering random competitions, submitting to open calls, make a cool poster and just stick them up around the city. Not only will this give you a bit of a boost mentally (because it’s really fun), but you also might get some people asking about your work and commissions.

@rosartz rozw.portfoliobox.net

Sheffield, meet