LeftLion February 2024 Issue 168 by LeftLion

#168 February 2024

leftlion.co.uk/issue168 1

Call box office on 0115 952 6611 14-18 Broad Street, Nottingham, NG1 3AL Find us on social media @BroadwayCinema

WHAT’S ON

FEBRUARY 2024

Discover our full programme at broadway.org.uk Tickets start from £5

THE ZONE OF INTEREST (12A)

AMERICAN FICTION (15)

THE IRON CLAW (15)

YOUR FAT FRIEND (15)

From Fri 2 Feb

From Fri 9 Feb

Director Jonathan Glazer Starring Sandra Hüller, Christian Friedel

Director Cord Jefferson Starring Jeffrey Wright, Tracee Ellis Ross

Director Jeanie Finlay

USA, 2023, 105 min

USA, 2023, 117 min

Directors Sean Durkin Starring Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson

Rudolf, Hedwig and their family live the perfect suburban dream with their beautifully ordered house and garden. But audible from behind the wall are the sounds of mechanised death, for Rudolf Höss is the Nazi commandant of Auschwitz. Jonathan Glazer (Birth, Under the Skin) displaces the usual tropes of the Holocaust drama to depict the pampered life of executioners inhabiting the bubble of bourgeois denial. Nominated for Best Picture and Directing at this year’s Oscars.

American Fiction is Cord Jefferson’s hilarious, Oscar-nominated directorial debut, which confronts our culture’s obsession with reducing people to outrageous stereotypes. Oscar nominee Jeffrey Wright stars as Monk, a frustrated novelist who writes an outlandishly stereotypical “Black” book as satire, only for the book to be published to very unexpected (and uncomfortable) acclaim.

USA, 2023, 132 min

GODZILLA MINUS ONE (12A)

TURNING RED (PG)

BOB MARLEY: ONE LOVE (CTBC)

THE TASTE OF THINGS (12A)

From Fri 9 Feb

From Mon 12 Feb

From Fri 16 Feb

Director Takashi Yamazaki Starring Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe

Director Domee Shi Starring Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh

Director Reinaldo Marcus Green Starring Kingsley Ben-Adir, Lashana Lynch

Director Anh Hung Tran Starring Juliette Binoche, Benoît Magimel

Japan, 2023, 124 min

USA, 2021, 96 min

USA, 2023, TBC

France, 2023, 135 min

After seventy years, the longest-running film franchise of all time is still delivering kaiju thrills with complex human undertones. Written and directed by Takashi Yamazaki and starring Ryunosuke Kamiki and Minami Hamabe, Godzilla Minus One takes place in a devastated post-war Japan. When a new threat emerges from beneath the sea, how can the people hope to fight back?

Mei Lee is a confident, dorky 13-year-old torn between staying her mother’s dutiful daughter and the chaos of adolescence. Her protective, if not slightly overbearing mother, Ming, is never far from her daughter – an unfortunate reality for the teenager. And as if changes to her interests, relationships and body weren’t enough, whenever she gets too excited, she suddenly turns into a giant red panda! Half-term matinées – all tickets £5

Bob Marley: One Love celebrates the life and music of an icon who inspired generations through his message of love and unity. On the big screen for the first time, discover Bob ’s powerful story of overcoming adversity and the journey behind his revolutionary music. Produced in partnership with the Marley family and starring Kingsley Ben-Adir as the legendary musician.

Juliette Binoche stars as peerless cook Eugenie, who has worked for the famous gourmet Dodin for the last 20 years. Bonding over a passion for gastronomy and mutual admiration, their relationship develops into romance and gives rise to delicious dishes that impress even the world’s most illustrious chefs. But Eugenie is fond of her freedom and has never wanted to marry Dodin. So, he decides to do something he has never done before: cook for her.

THE PROMISED LAND (15)

WICKED LITTLE LETTERS (15)

PERFECT DAYS (PG)

From Fri 16 Feb

From Fri 23 Feb

WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White and Harris Dickinson star in the true story of the inseparable Von Erich brothers, who made history in the intensely competitive world of professional wrestling in the early 1980s. Through tragedy and triumph, under the shadow of their domineering father and coach, the brothers seek larger-than-life immortality on the biggest stage in sports.

UK, 2023, 94 min Acclaimed director Jeanie Finlay charts the rise of Aubrey Gordon. Shot over six years, we see Aubrey go from anonymous blogger YrFatFriend to NYTimes bestseller and beloved podcaster with an audience of millions. Her aim? A paradigm shift in the way that we view fat people and the fat on our own bodies. One of her biggest challenges is getting her parents to listen.

WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Director Nikolaj Arcel Starring Mads Mikkelsen, Amanda Collin

Director Thea Sharrock Starring Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley

Director Wim Wenders Starring Kôji Yakusho, Yumi Asô

Denmark, 2023, 127 min

UK, 2023, 100 min

Japan/Germany, 2023, 125 min

Mads Mikkelsen stars in this Nordic western set in 18th-century Denmark, where Capt. Ludvig Kahlen sets out to tame a vast, uninhabitable land on which seemingly nothing can grow. This beautiful but forbidding area is under the rule of Frederik De Schinkel, a merciless nobleman who realises the threat Kahlen represents to his power, leading to a violent and intense confrontation between the two men.

A 1920s English seaside town bears witness to a dark and absurd scandal in this riotous mystery comedy starring Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley. Based on a stranger-than-fiction true story, the film follows two neighbours: conservative local Edith and rowdy Irish migrant Rose. When Edith and fellow residents begin to receive wicked anonymous letters, the town’s women investigate the crime with foulmouthed Rose the prime suspect.

Hirayama lives a life of quiet routine. He goes to work, eats in the same café every day and buys second-hand books at the weekend. Wim Wenders’ empathetic portrait gradually draws us into this world, one in which the tiniest details add to the richness of a simple and decent life. With a soundtrack featuring Lou Reed and Patti Smith, this is a gorgeous hymn to humanity and to finding meaning in the everyday.

Credits

Featured Contributor

Music-al Alan Gilby (alan.gilby@leftlion.co.uk)

Editor-in-Chief Jared Wilson (jared.wilson@leftlion.co.uk)

Editor Sophie Gargett (sophie.gargett@leftlion.co.uk)

Assistant Editor/ Music Co-Editor Gemma Cockrell (music@leftlion.co.uk)

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

Web Developer Tom Errington (tom.errington@leftlion.co.uk)

Partnerships Manager Adam Pickering (adam.pickering@leftlion.co.uk)

Fashion Editor Addie Kenogbon (fashion@leftlion.co.uk)

Maddie Dinnage Maddie Dinnage has been one of LeftLion’s most avid gig reviewers for a while now, but more recently she officially joined the team as Music Co-Editor alongside our Assistant Editor, Gemma, and it’s safe to say that Gemma’s workload has gotten a lot more manageable since then. (Gemma speaking: Thank you Maddie, I am very grateful!)

Stage Co-Editor Ian C. Douglas (ian@leftlion.co.uk)

Formerly an English student at the University of Nottingham, Maddie graduated with a first class degree last summer. Afterwards, she decided to remain in Nottingham for a while, before she embarks on her Master’s degree in journalism down in London later this year. Until then, she is splitting her time equally between all of Nottingham’s music venues, savouring as much of our glorious local music scene (and grabbing as many guestlist spots in return for gig reviews on our website) as possible. Find Maddie’s write-up of Parisa and CeCe’s interview on page 17

Stage Co-Editor Dom Henry (dom.henry@leftlion.co.uk)

Community Editor Rose Mason (community@leftlion.co.uk)

Screen Editor Oliver Parker (oliver.parker@leftlion.co.uk)

L @maddiedinnage

Supporters Music Editor Co-Editor Maddie Dinnage (music@leftlion.co.uk)

Photography Co-Editor Fabrice Gagos (photography@leftlion.co.uk)

Food Editor Julia Head (food@leftlion.co.uk)

Environment Editor Eleanor Flowerday (environment@leftlion.co.uk)

Literature Editor Andrew Tucker (literature@leftlion.co.uk)

Art Editor George Dunbar (art@leftlion.co.uk)

Distribution Dom Martinovs

Cover Iulia Matei Guest Editor Gemma Cockrell Editorial Intern Alycia McNamara Photography Co-Editor Dani Bacon (photography@leftlion.co.uk)

Writers Beth Green CJ Debarra Jay Sandhu Kira O’Boyle Maddy Chamberlain Nadia Whittome Phil Taylor Roxann Yus Tracey Lloyd Trekkah Benjamin Zach Bromberg-McCarthy

Photographers Anna Rose Heaton George James Josh Dwyer Martin Makowski Nigel King Rae Dowling Rebecca Marshall Sam Ealam Illustrators Ilinca Sivoglo Rebecca Evans Sophie Elizabeth Tracey Meek Zarina Teli

These people #SupportLeftLion Scot McPhilbin,Alison Gove-Humphries, Alison Hedley, Alison Knox, Anamenti, Ant Haywood, Audrey & Lizzy & Margot, Barbara Morgan, Cat Sharpe, Cerys Gibson, Chris Jarvis, Chris Underwood, Claire Foss, Clare Foyle, Cyra GolijaniMoghaddam, Dan Hemmings, David Knight, Dick Watson, Donna Rowe-Merriman, Eden PR, Emilija O, Erika Diaz Petersen, Harry Sutcliffe, Harry Turner, Hayley Howard, Hazel Allister, Heather Oliver, Holly's Merry Moggies, Ian Carroll, Ian Phillips, Ian Storey, Ian Yanson, James Place, James Verran, Jane Dodge, Janine Lees, John Haslam, John Hess, John Holmes, John & Jackie Scruton, Jonathan Day, Joshua Heathcote, Julian Bower, Justyn Roberts, Kathleen Dunham, Kay Gilby, Kiki Dee the Cat, Lilian Greenwood, Livi & Jacob Nieri, Louise Duffield, Marc Weaver, Mark Barratt, Mark Bond, Mark Gasson, Mark Del, Matthew Riches, Matt Turpin, Mike Carter, Michael Mc, Mighty Lightweights, MinorOak Coworking, Miri Debah, Monica White, Nigel Cooke, Nigel King, NottingJam Orchestra, Paul Boast, Paul Wentworth, Pearl Quick, Rach, Rachel Ayrton, Rachel Morton, Raphael Achache, Redbrick Communications, Richard Goodwin, Rob Arthur, Roy Manterfield, Russell Brown, Sam Hudson, Sam Stiling, Sarah Manton, Scot McPhilbin, Selectadisc, Simon Evans, Steve Benton, Steve Holland, Steve Lyon, Steve Wallace, Sue Barsby, Sue Reader, Tracey Newton, Will Horton

Fancy seeing your name (or the name of your band, small business, loved one, pet etc) in this mag every month? It only costs a fiver and the money supports this magazine. Plus you get all kinds of other treats too.

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Contents 14

Fits The Bill

Promoting Positivity

Changing Colours

With his trademark musical stylings and characteristic wit, Bill Bailey will be bringing his Thoughtifier tour to Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena on 1 March

As two of the longest independent female promoters in Nottingham City Centre, Parisa East and Rastarella founded Acoustickle and Cultural Vibrations respectively, fifteen years ago

With the recent news that the building is to be sold, we sat down with the owners of The Chameleon to talk about how the life and soul of the bar has developed and the future of independent venues

A Busker in Notts Find out how a member of local folk-punk band Cheap Dirty Horse began their musical career as a busker on the streets of Nottingham

Get Your Gladrags On We find out about Gladrags, a welcoming space that hosts DJs, live music, drag and burlesque performers, where all people can be authentic without judgement Wordsmith at Work Victoria Villasenor tells us all about her thirteenth book Medea: Priestess, Princess, Witch, which has been released under the pseudonym JJ Taylor

Never Miss A Pete The 2023 semi-finalist of The Voice UK chats to us about being coached by will.i.am and his appearance at Beat The Streets

The Name Game We’ve got some weird and wonderful band names right here in Nottingham. We thought it was about time we heard the stories behind some of them

Gig Diary In our fair city, we are spoiled for choice when it comes to live music venues. But which one is our ultimate favourite?

Mic Drop Laurie Illingworth has been running Acoustic Rooms since he moved to the city in 2018. We chat to him as the legendary open mic night turns fifteen

Best Spuds Some say January is dark and depressing, but a lot of Nottingham gardeners actually spend it excitedly waiting for the big event of the month: the NOGS Potato Day A Sanctuary For All The Pastel Project is a grassroots activism group seeking to establish Nottingham as the UK’s first Trans Sanctuary City A Tough Act to Follow When it comes to the theatre, we often forget about the wonderful history of old music halls and their star performers

Editorial

Leftlion in the wild You may be slightly confused right now, thinking ‘Has LeftLion got a new editor?’ Well, not permanently - Sophie will be back in this spot next month - but this month, I left my usual Assistant Editor role behind to guest edit this music-themed issue. I am so deeply invested in Nottingham’s vibrant music scene and it was an honour to create an entire magazine celebrating it in all of its glory.

the fence in the world of PR at Tank. I won’t be going far, since they are based in Lace Market, and also because I am remaining in my role as LeftLion’s Music Co-Editor in my spare time, so this definitely won’t be the last you’ll see of me in here. But I felt it was right to use this editor’s letter to just say a huge thank you to LeftLion for entrusting me with the role of Assistant Editor. I have loved every minute.

Check out Parisa and Rastarella, two of Nottingham city centre’s longest independent female promoters, on pages 16-17, and make sure to head to our YouTube channel to check out the video versions, too. Read about beatboxing sensation THePETEBOX on page 18 following his appearance on The Voice UK, and on page 24 hear the stories behind some of Nottingham’s weird and wonderful band names - but I can’t promise you they’ll all be factual.

On a more serious note, with the recent announcement of budget cuts to the cultural and social sectors in Nottingham, as well as the uncertainty surrounding The Chameleon (find out more on page 23), it is important to remember just how important culture is in this city and beyond. I hope this issue reminds you just how special what we have here in Nottingham is and how important it is for us to all fight to keep it. Go to see some live music this month. Support a local venue. Support a local artist. Fight to keep Nottingham’s music scene alive.

This will be my last issue of LeftLion as a member of the office team, as midway through this month I will start a new role on the other side of

Gemma Cockrell

@samchristelow @gender_envy_band LeftLion in JT Soar Tag us on Instagram @leftlionmagazine to feature in a future issue

LeftLion Ltd is a carbon neutral company, having reduced our direct emissions by 99% since 2018. We offset the rest via direct air capture from Climeworks. LeftLion Magazine is fully recyclable and compostable, made from recycled or FSC® certified (C015932) sources, and printed using renewable energy. The emissions of this paper are offset via the World Land Trust. CBP012610

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OVERHEARD IN NOTTS The Verruca Moment

te?” it” hocola hite c on't enjoy w e k li w I u o t y u it b “Do I'll eat “Well

“I do n rah, t ’t know b ro, here ’s whit e cor just bar e ri gonn a get dors. QM C batte red.” ’s

gry s!” igible an *unintell “Bloody Klingon * g gry n a le shoutin ib nintellig *more u (Presumably in * g n ti u sho Klingon)

“I had chip s from ther e. were cold, I was fumin They ” “Why?” “They mad e me wait fo r minutes fo r hot and fr ten esh chips”

"Nev e want r met any e o meet d to mar ne I r murd people I w y. I just er” ant t o

,I ybara o cap “I'm n omebody!” s killed “You never listen. It's like farting at a tornado”

“Nor t that h Korea? mad I guy p sn’t that lace? ” ea in u g t pe has a o is a cat a Pig "Pepp r friend wh d their e n pig. H et chick. A r. How p e t a s s m a h ha r is a docto at work?" th does

ons ige

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he give t r you me now, e h it “E o back aber t lights can give it u or yo a” t to San

“ You c in fea an’t live your r of t l silly strin eenagers ife g” with

Overheard in Notts Volume Five: The Verruca Moment is available now at leftlion.co.uk

Nottingham’s most opinionated grocers on... David Bowie at Rock City (Tuesday 5 August 1997) We were there! He played a half dozen of his big hits and then played lots of stuff from the album he was promoting at the time (Earthling). He was dressed up in a union jack outfit and had a woman on the drums who was brilliant. The night before Rock City had a Spiders From Mars cover band play too, which featured Def Leppard lead singer Joe Elliott and his brother. We went to both! Elton John at Royal Concert Hall (Saturday 27 November 1982) These were the hottest tickets in town and we had to queue for hours to get them. That was how you did it back then; before the days of the internet and booking fees. Elton John had requested to play the opening night of the Royal Concert Hall, which was considered ‘world class’ in terms of its acoustics at the time. He was supported by a band called the Stray Cats and played through all his hits. Except for the Diana and Lion King stuff as obviously that all came later. He was very good! Favourite Notts Band or Artist? We’ve probably talked enough about Paper Lace or Su Pollard. So we’re going to say Cantaloupe, which is the band of John 'Simo' Simson, an old friend of ours who also used to work in this shop. They were part of a local record label called Hello Thor and they had a marvellous record cover featuring beach huts that was designed by Jon’s wife. They also had a few tunes we liked very much.

illustration: Tracey Meek

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Trying to be the next… o p B p ru-C a C Divo jam a t s i M rce y e l i a B m a i Sleaford Mods L Harleighblu Melony x g g u B e k a J P Crazy Y o oung T & k i s t a M B i ugsey d u a D

We offer Nottingham musicians 50% off all LeftLion adverts Contact partner@leftlion.co.uk to amplify your next move

UNDERCOVER ARTIST How does it compare with some other projects you’ve worked on? Most of my projects happen within my day to day job, so to actually sit down with a pen in my hand and illustrate for fun has been the best! I love music, I love art and to see those two worlds collide has made me so happy and excited. I’m so grateful I was able to do this, thank you to everyone at LeftLion for trusting me with their cover yet again. What was the biggest challenge that you faced in creating the piece? Nothing actually! This was so up my street, I love Nottingham’s music scene so the ideas came quick. Also I had lots of time to think about it before actually starting the work so I was going about my days with my eyes peeled for any inspiration, which helped massively.

We hear more about the February issue’s cover from the talented illustrator, Iulia Matei… What was the inspiration behind the cover? I wanted to reflect the eclectic music scene in Nottingham and the rich history behind it. We have (and had) countless brilliant venues and events here, and I wanted to give as many as I could a place to live on the page. It’s been so fun to arrange them in a way that was visually pleasing and made sense. The music scene has done so much for me, as I am sure is the case for most of us. I’m happy that I had the chance to honour it in the only way that I know how.

Tell us about some projects you’ve worked on in the past… Last year I created my first zine rooted in folklore which was something I wanted to do for years now! I’ve also animated a music video for the heavy-metal band Evil Scarecrow and my own short animated film called Nymphs of the Woods. What have you got planned for the future? Definitely the same arty mischief I’ve been up to since forever. One thing I’m very interested in at the moment are comics and animation. I want to either create a short comic or a three to four minute animated film that I can enter festivals with this year. We’ll see how it goes! Is there anything else you’d like to tell the LeftLion readers? Stay playful, stay kind, and as always, be excellent to each other!

Pick Six

DHP’s Production Manager and Midnight Rodeo’s vocalist, Maddy Chamberlain picks six of her favourite things for our musicthemed issue…

You know you’re getting old when the edgy music you used to play to annoy your parents is now background music in Asda.

L @iulia.jpg words: Dani Bacon

Book Not a typical novel here, but for someone into photography, travel and history, Accidentally Wes Anderson is simply beautiful. I treated myself to it at the start of lockdown because of my love for Wes Anderson aesthetics. The first thing I’d do everyday was sit in my sunshine spot with this book and a coffee and find a few new places in the world to explore. It inspired me to learn how to use my grandad’s film camera and get out into the streets of Notts to get some snaps of my own.

Meal Ooo it has to be the truffle gnocchi at The Pelican Club. Honestly sometimes I wake up thinking about it. The first time I ordered it was years back, since then they’ve taken it off their menu, however, recently when I was there a waitress overheard me saying how much I loved the dish and reported back to the chef who made it for me anyway! Lovely people, great live jazz, incredible food.

Song Northern Soul has played such a huge part in my life, I had to go with a NS bop and Keep On Keeping On by Nolan Porter absolutely slaps. Plus when I need a bit of motivation it never fails to remind me to do just that. When I first started DJing years ago I was using my parents' record collections, but my first records of my own were Northern Soul seven-inches. I recently got a hold of this one so I'm looking forward to spinning it out there!

Holiday I‘ve recently got back from Marrakech which just blew me away. The biggest culture shock I’ve had in the best way as it was my first time out of Europe. My time there was filled with taking in the Gnawa and Chaabi music, drinking incredible spiced teas, getting lost in the souks and camel trekking through the desert. I couldn’t recommend it enough.

Film True Romance has always been one of my favourite films since I can remember, a true cult classic which weirdly until years after its release in 1993 had gone under the radar despite it being directed by Tony Scott, written by Quentin Tarantino and having music composed by Hans Zimmer! Essentially, an Elvis fanatic and a call girl fall in love and chaos follows. It’s got romance, drama, crime, the lot. You’re So Cool, the main title track, is also so lovely!

Notts spot My local, the good ole King Bill! It’s always my first point of call to take friends and family visiting the city. Whether it’s to go for a swift one after work for a catch up with pals or a pool tournament to the death with what sometimes ends up being half of Notts. The gang that work there are the loveliest, too. It will forever have my heart.

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Nadia on... floods

words: Nadia Whittome photo: Fabrice Gagos

This year has started out rather tempestuous. As I’m writing this in late January, storm Jocelyn - the tenth named storm in five months - has just hit Britain, causing school closures and travel chaos. It comes just days after the even more severe storm Isha, and three weeks after storm Henk, which resulted in the river Trent bursting its banks. Large parts of Nottinghamshire were affected by flooding, and Colwick Country Park at times looked more like Colwick Country Lake. Hundreds of people across the county had to be evacuated from flooded homes. Politicians can’t control the weather. But they can affect how well or badly we deal with it. As recently as November, the National Audit Office warned that plans to better protect homes from flooding have been cut by forty percent since 2020. Nearly six million homes remain at risk, and new properties are being built without checks being carried out to ensure that suitable flood defences are in place. Plans to improve rivers through natural flood defences also had to be scaled back due to underfunding, putting communities at risk. This story is just one example of the short-sighted logic of austerity. Over and over again, we see how government cuts create trouble and often additional costs further down the line. Last year's Raac crisis - crumbling concrete forcing schools to shut during term time - can in part be traced back to the Tories cutting funding for rebuilding schools in 2010. Had the government not cut support for insulating homes in 2013, the cost of living crisis would have been less severe and millions more people would be spending the winter in a warm,

energy-efficient home. The underfunding of the NHS leads to people getting more unwell and record numbers being out of work due to long-term illness. The list goes on.

The simple, inescapable truth is that the climate crisis will change our society. The question is how, and who will bear the costs The floods also remind us of another kind of shorttermism that many politicians are guilty of: failure to act on the climate crisis. Scientists are raising the alarm that extreme weather events will become more common in the coming decades. Unless we act fast, bigger and more dangerous floods, storms and heatwaves could become the new normal, and there’s only so much that can be done to minimise damage. The Environment Agency has warned that, if temperature continues to rise, entire communities will have to be relocated from British coasts and rivers. But rather than doing all it can to avert it, the government is prioritising profit. As cities and towns across the UK were being hit by dangerous storms, the government was pushing on with its bill to license more offshore oil and gas drilling. While the plan was originally announced as a response to skyrocketing bills, even the Energy Secretary had to admit that it won’t save households any money. The energy generated will be owned by private companies and sold on the global markets, for

internationally set prices. The main people seeing the benefits will be fossil fuel execs. Opponents of climate action, including those on government front benches, often claim that there is a trade-off between supporting the economy and protecting the planet. But there can be no stable economy on a planet that’s (figuratively or literally) on fire. A recent study has estimated that climate change is costing the world sixteen million dollars (thirteen million pounds) every hour - a figure that will only grow. The simple, inescapable truth is that the climate crisis will change our society. The question is how, and who will bear the costs. We could properly tax the very rich and big polluters, and use that money to support a green transition today - or we could ignore the problem and face the consequences tomorrow. As usual, those worst affected would be working class people. There is no contradiction between preventing further warming and adapting to a changing climate, for example with proper flood defences. The two must go hand-in-hand. Currently, the government is prioritising neither, and communities are paying the price. I hope you’re staying warm and safe from the storms. I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for a mild and sunny spring, and for some much-needed political change. nadiawhittome.org

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Discover new music at University Hall Experience global roots and classical music at Nottingham Trent University’s intimate city centre venue. We’ve created a warm and welcoming experience for anyone wanting to try something new and best of all, for most of our events, you decide what to pay for your ticket. Reflecting the diversity of NTU’s community, our programme is developed with Rastarella (Cultural Vibrations) and Carmen Flores (Nottingham Chamber Music Festival).

What’s on • Thursday 29 February – harp and tabla duo Tala Tarang • Monday 18 March – Davina Songbird • Friday 12 April – Kadialy Kouyate (kora) and band • Friday 19 April – BBC Concert Orchestra, Wynton Marsalis’ A Fiddler’s Tale • Tuesday 7 May – Aidan Chan (piano)

Find out more and book

www.ntu.ac.uk/universityhall 12 leftlion.co.uk/issue168

illustration: Zarina Teli

A busker in Notts When I was about sixteen, I tried to go busking. I took my acoustic guitar, walked to Long Eaton's main high street, and awkwardly found a spot in front of a closed down shop. It was embarrassing before I'd even taken my guitar bag off, but I felt determined to stick with it. Gingerly, I lifted my guitar strap over my head, laid out my case on the ground, and looked up to find that people were already looking at me. I didn't know what to do… I didn't anticipate people would look at me before I was ready. People aren't supposed to look at you before you're ready, are they? I was so scared that I forgot to tune my guitar or even decide what song to play. I just started playing. I didn't have a microphone or an amp, so I just tried to sing really loud and hit the strings as hard as I could. It was terrible. I was mortified. So before even reaching the chorus of Kumbaya, my guitar was back in its bag, and I was back in my bedroom. I tried again, and again, and eventually got more confident. But even with my guitar in tune, I still couldn't play or sing that well yet. And most, if not all, of the coins thrown into my guitar bag were from people who wanted to let me know they thought I was brave. No one ever said I was good. 'Get a real job’ - four words every busker has heard. I remember one time, when I was eighteen or so, I was busking a bit further up the high street from where I'd first attempted to play, with my band’s banjo player Amy. After jamming for about half an hour, I was midway through a song when a middle aged woman interrupted me. Apparently she had nothing better to do at 1pm on a Tuesday. 'You want this?' she asked, as if I was a dog, 'Want one of these, do ya?' She was waving a tenner in my face. 'Get a real job then', she screamed as she snatched it away. When I started busking with our acoustic guitarist Fin, it was mostly just for something to do. My punk band’s drummer James had jetted off to Thailand for a few months, so we pressed pause on that project, Extinction Six, and started Cheap Dirty Horse, a busking project we’d expected only to last as long as James was going to be out of the country. Not only had it been a number of years since I’d last been busking, but I’d also come out as trans since then, and I was still, at this point, very uncomfortable with the idea of being perceived in public. I hadn't really found my confidence yet. It was like being sixteen again. All that nervousness came back, but it didn’t last long. We quickly discovered how much we enjoyed writing songs together, how much we enjoyed sharing them in the streets, and before long,

busking became the only thing we ever wanted to do. There were still people who waved their disapproval, or felt the need to make transphobic comments, but we didn't care. Our focus remained on the joy of creating music and connecting with those who appreciated our effort. Our setlist was made up of songs by bands like Neutral Milk Hotel, Against Me, NOFX and Radiator Hospital, but we were also playing some of the original songs we’d started writing. We never really considered playing the more standard street performer type stuff, we just wanted to play the tunes we liked. And the times we did cover a more popular song, Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5, for example, we played it twice as fast and added a kazoo solo in the middle.

I was playing songs with some of my closest friends in the world and the attention we got was all so positive One of the best parts of busking is the amazing people you meet. That summer we met plenty. Autumn, for example, an incredible guitarist who joined the band for two hours. Or Peter, a burly man who hopped behind the mic after twelve years without singing. There was Rae, Nottingham's finest music photographer, who got us one of our first gigs and has since become a friend. We also met F.F.W.I.H. on the street - you will have seen his incredible graffiti around the city, and we're proud to be able to say he does all of our album artwork, too. Even some of the bad interactions have turned out good. One man stood very close to us, watching us play for at least twenty minutes. We were pretty alarmed by his presence but figured he just really likes folk-punk music. Eventually though, we discovered that he just really thought we needed Jesus. This formed the basis for our song Jesus II. We also got featured in the Nottingham Post around that time. They were doing a few articles on buskers and what originally seemed like a cool opportunity, ended with lots of angry comments from lots of angry people.

“You’re just trying to get out of paying taxes,” they said, “nothing more than beggars,” they called us, and, of course, a flurry of not-at-all-bitter people told us to “get a real job.” This formed the basis of our first single, Hate Song. When James got back from Thailand, instead of jumping right back to Extinction Six, Fin and I asked him to join in with this weird folk-punk busking thing we were doing. He was unsure at first, but soon saw our vision. Over time, the band has changed and grown and we’ve really developed our sound. Cheap Dirty Horse is now complete, with Vi on bass, Amy on banjo, and Ellen on accordion - a big rowdy six-piece. We sing songs about washing machines, anarchism, queer liberation, and dad-kissing. When we wrote our song On the Rob, it was almost definitely the moment in which we properly solidified who we are as a band. All six of us were involved with putting it together. It's blunt, both silly and sincere, and musically it shows off what makes our band a little bit unique. I couldn't be prouder of that song so it's very validating that it was our first one to blow up online, and that attention has led to some amazing moments and opportunities for us (Read LeftLion’s review of the single on page 31). The best day we ever had busking was at Nottingham Pride 2023. We set ourselves up on the corner of Clumber Street and Long Row, hung a trans flag off our mic stands, and as we started playing, I couldn't have felt further from how I felt as a teenager. I was playing songs with some of my closest friends in the world and the attention we got was all so positive. So many people stopped to watch and wanted to let us know they really enjoyed what we were doing, and that is what busking is all about. You can find Cheap Dirty Horse’s music on all good streaming services

L @cheap_dirty_horse

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interview: Andrew Tucker

Fits the Bill With his trademark musical stylings and characteristic wit, Bill Bailey will be bringing his Thoughtifier tour to Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena on 1 March. We caught up with him to find out more about his comedic timing, the purpose of music, and why wasps desperately need to rebrand their image… Music and comedy both rely on a sense of timing. Do you think you've got a good sense of timing? I tend to sort of show up at the right point. In terms of performance, if you show up and you’re ready to do it, there’s a natural serendipity to that. There's a great quote from the Icelandic Football Manager, when Iceland beat England in the Euros. He was asked ‘what was it like to beat England?’ and he said, ‘when an opportunity like that comes along, you have to be ready.’ And I think that's true in terms of life. You have to get that timing right, you have to be able to feel that there's some new chapter in your life it could be a gig, meeting someone for the first time… Is it instinctive for you? Yeah! If you're a performer, any sort of creative person, you have an instinct for these things: ‘I have to really bring the A-game here and up the ante.’ I remember the first time I played Glastonbury, I'd done a lot of TV, like Never Mind The Buzzcocks and Black Books, and there was a lot of expectation - more than I'd imagined, really. I had no way of knowing what the response would be, and I turned up at the comedy tent at Glastonbury and it was full. I mean, it was completely packed out to the gunnels! You think, ‘suddenly, something's happening.’ But then you realise that you've really got to nail this gig, because this is something you’re going to remember. You’ve come a long way since then. Would you welcome the term ‘national treasure’ now? Or is that too scary? Well, it feels a little bit like you've sort of become something immovable, like a statue or something, you know, or the Lake District. A few years ago, somebody suggested ‘national treasure’. And I was like, don't put me in that category. But now I just kind of accept it, because it’s a good thing, isn’t it? It's better than being a national pariah, surely. I'll take treasure over disgrace! And there’s other things I've accepted too - in my shows, there was always an educational element and I was a bit wary of that, because you don't want people to think that it’s a lecture, or finger-wagging. But it's not that - it's about sharing information and wanting to pass that on. And now I've embraced that as part of what I'm about. Sometimes you have to kind of accept what you are, who you are. And immerse yourself in it. If you were stranded on a desert island like Tom Hanks in Castaway, what instrument would you most like to have with you? I mean, the thing is, there's lots of practicalities here. If you have a guitar, that's great but if you break a string, now you're really struggling. There’s nothing worse than a guitar with half a string missing. I mean eventually, of course, you can burn it. But you want something that you can play without an amplifier… I’ve got to say an accordion. You can make a lovely sound with an accordion, it’s something I’ve

been trying to learn. You could sort of serenade the island birds and walk amongst the trees, like a Parisian cafe entertainer. A delightful scene. Are there any instruments that are still on your list to try out? I'm always up for new instruments. I've actually got a set of bagpipes that I'm trying to kind of get a handle on. It's difficult practising the bagpipes, because you can't really half do it, you have to really go for it and make a racket. Yes, and maybe a new stringed instrument, like a violin or a viola…

Sometimes you have to kind of accept what you are, who you are. And immerse Is there a particular piece of music that can always change how your day is going? I’ve listened to all sorts of things. I try to keep the combinations quite eclectic and broad, because as you get older… I keep reading all these surveys that say that after a while people just listen to the same music over and over again: ‘this is the music of my youth and that's what I feel comfortable with.’ And I've always tried to resist that, because that shuts you out from all this other fantastic music that's being made all the time! The things that I really love at the moment are powerful Norse metal and folk metal. Those sorts of things really take me out of my mood, they take me out of where I am. Bands like Heilung make what sounds like ancient music, like some kind of ceremonial rite that’s being acted out - ancient and modern, with chanting and drums and electronics. I was in a quarantine situation in New Zealand for two weeks, stuck in a hotel. And I listened to that sort of music on headphones the whole time. It expands your mind, takes you out of where you are - music like that is my go-to at the moment. So for you, music often has that purpose of being transporting? Yeah, I think so. Because I think that that's what music should do. I think that one of the great powers of music is to take you backwards or forwards in time - it has this capacity to access all sorts of memories and emotions. And we are sometimes inured to it because it's always on - you hear it in your gym or wherever you are, but it recedes into the background. And then it’s not really used as music, it’s just sound. Not listening to lyrics and chord changes, it’s ambience. I’m always listening if I’m walking or cycling. I love the fact that Kraftwerk were into cycling so much that some of their music was all about it, particularly on Tour de France

- the album replicates the movements of cycling, the action of cycling. That really interests me, music that has rhythmic synchronicity with an action. Sea shanties were like that, they were about hauling rope, pulling up sails, they were work songs! And there's something about that really intrigues me. In fact, I’ve written a sea shanty for this show. How far back does that concept go? I do reckon that the earliest music would have accompanied some kind of tribal ritual, some sort of communal activity. It feels like it's in the DNA of us. Music accesses our ancient selves. Do you think you're channelling that? Yeah, definitely. It can be a unifying power, music. It can access people on a subconscious level. Going back to education - I feel that because I've studied music and I love it, that it's great to get to mess around with that knowledge and partially to educate people about what music is, but also to highlight things that people perhaps wouldn't have noticed about certain chords which make you feel a certain way. Here's a song playing in a completely different way on a different instrument, but it still works and it still sounds cool. It's about celebrating music and celebrating its effect on us. And it's a very ancient thing that we have - maybe we only share it with the whales! There is something about music that’s unique to us in its complexity. And it's something which is universal, it’s global and every culture on the planet has some instruments, some music, some musical heritage. We’re meant to do it as humans. That's what I love about it. A welcome shoutout for whales there - you’ve supported a lot of conservation work. Which animal do you think needs better PR? Wasps, I think. They've been maligned for so long. And actually, that’s something I’ll be talking about in the show. Let’s hope that the bees don't go extinct. But if the bees are in strife, then maybe it's time for the wasps to sort of step up. I think that will do a huge amount of good for their image, because they're just annoying, that's all they’ve got really, at the moment, that's their role in the pantheon of nature. But they're pollinators as well. People don’t know that. People need to know more about wasps. They're not just the things hanging around your Fanta. Bill Bailey will be playing Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena on 1 March as part of his Thoughtifier tour

L @billbaileyofficial

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Promoting Positivity As two of the longest independent female promoters in Nottingham City Centre, Parisa East and Rastarella founded Acoustickle and Cultural Vibrations respectively in 2009, fifteen years ago, and it’s safe to say that Nottingham’s music scene wouldn’t be the same without either of them. To celebrate everything they have contributed to the city over the past fifteen years, we sat down with them to chat about some of their highlights, the challenges they have faced, and the plans they have going forward…

Rastarella Parisa: Born in Trinidad, Rastarella is a world music event producer, an empowerment speaker and hosts on Nottingham’s number one urban radio station, 97.5 Kemet FM. She is also a mother of three daughters, a SEN mother, and married. If you ever get to meet Rastarella, you will never forget it. Launching her signature event Cultural Vibrations in 2009 at Hockley Hustle and founding the Nottingham Global Roots Festival in 2015, this year marks her fifteenth year in business. It's a massive milestone as a grassroots promoter who is consistently showcasing music from around the world at numerous venues, events and festivals. This is Rastarella, interviewed by Parisa East of Acoustickle. Parisa: I’ve been to your events, and you have signature catchphrases to get the audience to participate, one of them is ‘unity is easy when you look within, not at the skin’ so what compelled you to write that? Rastarella: The whole essence of Cultural Vibrations is to encourage different cultures to come together through live music. When we think about the stereotypes and sometimes the presumptions we have of each other, I want to break that - a bit like Bob Marley’s One Love, you understand. So for me if

you just take time out of your day to look beyond what you think they look like or who you think they might be.

My biggest thing is go where you feel celebrated, not where you are tolerated Parisa: Facts, you fly the flag for Afro-Caribbean and African music and culture and make it inclusive and accessible for other people in the most respectful way, so how can other promoters learn from you? Rastarella: I think in regards to learning, you’ve got to be true to yourself and what your passions are. So for me, I do me, I can only do me, I can only do Cultural Vibrations, I can only do Rastarella. So for me, my passion is world music, my passion is bringing different kinds of cultures together, my passion is representation. In regards to how other promoters would like to be inspired, do you and do you as authentically as you can. Parisa: Well, talking of which, you are a Black woman from Trinidad, you've broken a lot of perceived barriers and helped a lot of people get into spaces they might not feel like they had access to. I remember you even saying at The Maze, “there’s no colour code, everyone is welcome,” can you talk about your experience over the years navigating these lines? Rastarella: I fell into promotions via Hockley Hustle, my first event in 2009, and that was predominantly to host a venue to showcase world music and music of Black origin. When I look around Nottingham, it’s a multicultural city. Mix up your lineup and you’d be surprised what can grow from that. I’ve had people say they’ve created their friendships by coming along to one of my events. If your spirit doesn't feel like that venue is for you, move on. There’s always going to be something bigger and better and my biggest thing is go where you feel celebrated, not where you are tolerated. Parisa: And by doing that, you’ve helped other people enter spaces, like you hooked me up and you make people feel welcome, so how have things evolved in your time since you started promoting? Rastarella: I think in 2009, even though there are Black musicians here, there and everywhere, it was a predominantly white scene. I will say it’s now very seasoned and marinated with music from around the world and people feel like they can go and take up space. I think it's very important that any human being feels as if they are

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welcome and if there’s a space there, take it up. Parisa: Being a promoter can take you on a rollercoaster so how do you manage your own wellbeing? Rastarella: I am a family woman, I have my three daughters and one is in Finland. I’m also a SEN mom - I have a special needs daughter. Being with my husband for nineteen years, it’s very important not to let your work, whatever you do, consume you. You have to have a life outside of work. What I've learned over the fifteen years is that mental health is the priority. Have an identity outside of your events. It's a job, do it because you want to do it, not because you think you have to do it. Parisa: What about now, you are working at Nottingham Trent University, so tell us a bit about your latest role? Rastarella: I’m the Global Roots Music Programmer for Nottingham Trent University. Before that, they’d only had classical music, and they wanted to season things up so I’ve been allowed to programme a really lovely set of events. They trust my judgement of what I want to represent as Global Roots music at Trent University so it’s been fab. Parisa: Fantastic! Well, talking of programming, you’re at 97.5 Kemet FM, how did you become a radio host and what does that role mean to you? Rastarella: I was headhunted, I was asked by the boss if I would like to put on a show and train up as a broadcaster. I was actually trained by one of the original veterans of the station, Kevin Roach, to promote soca music, which originates from Trinidad and Tobego, so I've been doing that now for nine years, every Sunday from 4-5pm. It’s an opportunity for me to showcase a different side of Caribbean music; even though I love reggae, soca and calypso music is a big influence worldwide. Parisa: Can you tell us more about the empowerment speaking role that you had? Rastarella: I actually trained as a life coach when I was pregnant with my youngest daughter and that was to do with what I had overcome in my own personal life and I also wanted to help people. In 2018, I started to do my own poetry, and I kind of fell into empowerment speaking. It’s about confidence building, talking about my own life experiences, but it’s not a textbook thing, it’s real life experiences that we’re talking about. Parisa: Facts. And finally, is there anything you would like to use this space to talk about? Rastarella: I want to say first of all thank you to everybody who has supported my events over the years, it’s been a ride. I have loads of upcoming events this year and it’s all going to be themed around Cultural Vibrations. I am going to be putting Global Roots on a backburner because I am a grassroots promoter, I am self-funded, so this year it is all going to be about Cultural Vibrations. We’ve got the Nottingham Poetry Festival coming up, a big concert at The Playhouse, Green Hustle and Hockley Hustle again, loads of exciting things. Just doing me how I do me and I hope people come out and support me. Parisa: I’m sure they will! How can people find you? Rastarella: ‘Cultural Vibrations, Unity Through Music’ on Facebook and @Rastarella on all social media.

@rastarella @culturalvibrations

words: Alycia McNamara and Maddie Dinnage photos: Natalie Owen

Parisa East CeCe: Parisa East is a music artist and entrepreneur with many years experience promoting live music events, supporting local talent, and providing quality cultural experiences in Nottingham. In 2009 she launched Acoustickle: a live music platform to spotlight emerging artists, and encourage musicians to share their original compositions with respectful audiences. With decorated venues, and intimate, inspiring performance spaces, the immersive atmosphere captivates all that are present. In 2022, she received an AIM award, as the East Midlands local hero, nominated by Dean Jackson, presenter of BBC Introducing. This is Parisa, interviewed by Acoustickle’s very own CeCe about her visions for the future and the importance of creating a stage for unknown artists. CeCe: So, Acoustickle is celebrating fifteen years, how did it start? Parisa: It started when I was working at The Maze, a live music venue. I was on the bar and worked my way up the system. I was in the office, on the admin side of things, and noticed whilst they had live music every night of the week, they consistently had a Monday and Tuesday gap. So I said, ‘can I just run an acoustic night?’ and started putting on these artists, Jake Bugg was one of them! From the very first night, we decorated it; we had fairy lights, candles, and tablecloths. From there it spiralled. If someone caught my ear, or applied to play - we’d get emails and messages all the time - it just built and built from that. CeCe: How much do you think it’s changed over the years? Parisa: It’s much more refined. I get more requests from people to play, but I’m much more selective about who goes on. In the early days, I would put people on who wanted to play, but then I found that I felt off-put when I’d be sitting there and they weren’t doing a good job. Also, I don’t put anyone on that I haven’t heard either through video, in real life, or audio. They have to play a live performance for me to put them on, even if it’s just standing in their kitchen because studio magic can change a lot of things. Also, the sound has been refined much more in terms of genre. So it’s more music of Black origin now, the jazz, soul, hip hop, R&B, neo-soul, and grime genres were always present there, but now it’s become more about that for the past nearly ten years. CeCe: What’s kept you going over the years? Parisa: I think the main thing is all of the talent that exists in Nottingham; the belief that this could be a musical city on the map, just as Manchester or London is. There’s so much creative talent here, and putting it all together, providing an experience where people can let off some steam and enjoy, and be like, ‘Wow, they’re from Nottingham?’ That’s very motivating. I also feel God has given me this gift of finding other people’s talent and helping them share their story. CeCe: What has been the peak and what has been the pit of putting on live events? Parisa: The pit can be when you’ve worked for months and you’ve come out with minus £300 and you have to go into your own bank account to draw the money out of. It can be when you have arguments with artists, when people may misjudge you, or when you’re in a stressful environment and arguments can happen. But then, the peak is the feeling of, ’We really pulled that off?’ and everyone is so happy, and there is just so much joy in the room. CeCe: If you could go back, knowing what you know now, and what you’ve achieved, what would you do differently? Parisa: I would care for myself more, have more security in self-belief, and probably let fewer

people tell me about myself, and have a few more boundaries and all of that. CeCe: You’re an artist as well, how has putting on live events impacted your career? Parisa: In all honesty, I think it’s made it harder. I didn’t have the time and the energy to invest in myself as much, and I didn’t have the self-belief. On the flip side, I’ve met a lot of artists, producers, musicians, and people I still work with now. I’ve managed to put myself onstage, even if other people didn’t put me onstage. I’ve networked and managed to open a few doors. I knew a career in the music industry was difficult: Acoustickle felt like a way I could do that; put on other people, grow a community, but also give myself opportunities.

I always knew that a career in the music industry was very difficult, and Acoustickle felt like a way that I could grow a community

Cross the Tracks, these independent festivals that exist. But yeah, booking the big artists, taking it international, and popping up at festivals. Also releasing music, having a kind of record label strand of it. So many artists ask us to manage them. I wish that I had the capacity to do it all, but we just can’t do that right now. CeCe: What are your hopes for the future? Parisa: Become a CIC, film a documentary about what we’re doing, to run the events as we are, but also take it outside of Nottingham. We have dates booked in Manchester at Band on the Wall for the first Acoustickle MCR. I’d love to get into Leeds, Birmingham, London and Bristol eventually, and start to go international as well. But baby steps, we don’t want to rush things. Maybe get some of the iconic artists back, I’d love to see Jake Bugg or Yazmin Lacey back on the stage. We’ve helped some artists at the earliest stages of their careers, so for them to come back for our fifteenth year would be amazing.

L CeCe: Acoustickle primarily showcases music of Black origin. You’re not Black… How comfortable have you felt in this space? Parisa: I’ve never identified as a Black person. I’m British Iranian, so call me what you will, but I will not identify as African or Caribbean, and make that known. Sometimes it ruffles feathers because people will think that I’m culturally appropriating, or maybe at times I’ve made myself feel like am I taking credit for something that isn’t me, cos I sing reggae, jazz, hip-hop, soul and I’m very aware these genres are not something my people have created. However, I’ve been told by Black artists that they appreciate the fact I provide a platform for them to be themselves, to share their art and original music, provide things like photos, videos, paid performances, help people collaborate and network… My intention is to showcase something I think is fantastic. CeCe: If money was no object, what would you do with Acoustickle? Parisa: If money was no object I would be booking some really big artists; it would be great to have Erykah Badu for instance. I would love to go to New York, and Brazil, to do international Acoustickle events, or Lisbon and Paris to get on the festivals. To have a stage at so many different festivals like We Out Here,

@parisaeast @acoustickle_ acoustickle.com

Head to the LeftLion YouTube channel to watch the extended video versions of these interviews

Never Miss A Pete Nottingham’s Pete Sampson, aka THePETEBOX, has been making music for about the same amount of time that this very magazine has existed. Now based in London, the 2023 semi-finalist of The Voice UK chats to us about being coached by will.i.am, his appearance at Beat The Streets, and what’s coming up for him in 2024… Hey Pete! How are you feeling now that The Voice UK has aired? It all gets pre recorded, so it was a while back now but I'm feeling really good about it. They gave me a nice amount of time on the show and I went exactly as far as I'd hoped to. I didn't want to go any further, you know, record deals and things like that. I’m just proud of myself, and I made my family proud. If you didn’t want to win the record deal at the end, what was your motivation to do the show in the first place? I think it was just an opportunity to reconnect for myself as a musician. Because I didn't feel like one for a long time. The show is good - I get asked by Britain's Got Talent a lot to go on.I would never touch it. I don't really agree with how they do the show. Same with The X Factor. But the way they asked me was really nice. They just absolutely gave me space to do what I wanted, to say what I wanted, wear what I wanted, and just to have some fun - it was the perfect environment, it did me no end of good. It means a lot to see these things through, for both me and my family. Your coach, will.i.am, lets all his artists select their own songs to perform, which is different to how the other coaches on the show operate. Is that why you picked him? He’s just cool, isn’t he? All four coaches turned for me, and then they asked me to be on their team, but when it was his turn, he just beatboxed. I thought that was cool. He just got it! He just gives people the space to do their thing, with encouragement. What was it like working with him? It’s a TV show so most of that part of the show is just for the TV. I was very aware of the fact that I was just joining that little bit of circus. You don't really work together, you just have a few chats - he went “Pete, as your mentor and as a fan, I think whatever you do is going to be right.” Did you ever see yourself doing TV? I wouldn't have thought to reach out. I said no to begin with, because I know how brilliant the singers are on that show. Any clips I’ve seen, it’s just like wow, that’s legit. And then I got this really nice message back from someone on the show so I just thought I’d go for it. I hadn’t planned on it but when the opportunity came and I got my head right, I thought I’d just go with it. Nottingham’s LYVIA was the first spoken word artist to do the show in 2022, and now you were the first beatboxer a year later. What was the reaction to you doing something so different that the show hadn’t heard before like? I didn’t really think about it! People reacted well, I have seen some comments saying ‘What’s going on?’ but that’s the reaction that I hoped for, really. Have you watched the episodes back? Yeah, I watched the episodes and stuff. I

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got to know a few other people that are on team Will so you start to follow them and want them to do well. It’s a cool show, there's a lot of integrity for what it is. I would recommend it, with the way that they treated me and dealt with the artists and stuff, I would do it again. It's got that little bit of credibility compared to those other shows that bully the contestants. I didn't want anything to do with that, but The Voice UK just offered a lot of support. I was actually in a bad place when I was filming it and they were really caring and kind, so respect to them. The first thing that they do is provide you with links to mental wellbeing people. You're based in London now. Do you come back to Nottingham often? I’m back every so often, still have family here, mates, stuff like that. Nottingham will always be very special to me. People questioned why The Voice UK said I was from London and not Nottingham, but I was born in Australia! I’ve lived in London for thirteen years. But Nottingham is my stomping ground, where I cut my teeth as a musician, which actually is pretty huge for me. All the love for Notts!

It’s nice to have plans and goals to do with creation again that feels good as it is What's the difference between making music in Nottingham and making music in London? Making music never changes. Since I've been living in London, I've just been sort of touring the world all the time. In Nottingham, most nights you're just out watching bands and hanging out with bands and recording - it’s such a strong, vibrant community. I guess because of the size of it, if you feel a bit more present in it. But that's just the situation and the timing of it. Have you got any plans to release an album in 2024? I will be recording one in a couple of months, but that’s all you say about it for now - I’m creating a version of myself who actually sees ideas through. I’m not going to promise anything other than I have one written and studio dates booked, so we’ll go from there with announcing it properly. A big event in my life is that I am sober. I won’t go into why, but I’m feeling wicked. It’s new territory for me, I’m determined again and I care in a way that I didn’t for years. It’s overwhelming. I’m looking forward and I have plans. I don’t want to say dates or anything like that, or make promises, but it’s nice to have plans and goals to do with creation again - that feels good as it is. You can find Pete on all social media platforms @thepetebox

interview: Gemma Cockrell photo: George James

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NOTTS SHOTS

COURTNEY Nigel King

Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum Natalie Owen

Mimosa Nigel King

ALT BLK ERA Nigel King

Do Nothing Josh Dwyer

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MEGS Martin Makowski

Divorce Rae Dowling Juga-Naut Martin Makowski

Ellie Stainsby Nigel King

Girlband Nigel King

Ricky Jamaraz Rae Dowling

EM Sam Ealam

BEKA Sam Ealam

Busted Natalie Owen leftlion.co.uk/issue168 21

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When it comes to finding the gems of Nottingham’s creative culture, sometimes you have to do a little intrepid exploring. Tucked down an alley just off the Old Market Square, legendary bar and venue The Chameleon has been hosting gigs, club nights and late night shenanigans since 2007. With the recent news that the building is to be sold, we sat down with owners John and Lauren Rothera to talk about the life and soul of the bar, and the future of independent venues… Just like its bands, every city sees its beloved music venues come and go over the years, some existing for a season or two, others lasting for decades. Back in the sixties, The Dungeon Club was the place to see bands, in the eighties you might have visited The Garage, and in the 2000s, Junktion 7. Providing much more than a mere place for bands to play, these venues create communities, define eras in the lives of their regulars, and spread sounds across the UK against the odds. Consequently, they are a well-loved thread in the fabric of our cities.

gett Gar t e i h Sop rget iew: phie Ga v r e int os: So t pho

For any intrepid music lovers looking for gigs over the past fifteen years, a few high spirited nights watching bands at The Chameleon have probably been had. Originally opened in 2008 by legendary landlord Nick Turner, the venue garnered a reputation for being Nottingham’s magnet for small touring bands. A chef and raconteur, Nick was known for cooking delicious food, telling hilarious (and sometimes worrisome) anecdotes, and presiding over the downstairs bar, while upstairs sound engineer Simon would masterfully make the sound ring through the speakers loud and clear. Welcoming a motley array of genres was one of the attractions, with bands from Sleaford Mods to Royal Blood playing their first gigs there. “I’d been to the Chameleon a few times and loved how weird it was,” says John, who got to know the place through then bandmate, barman (and Nick’s right hand man) Dan Overton. “Nick was an amazing character, totally unapologetic about who he was. Basically a legend to those who knew him. Also, a great performer which isn’t really talked about so much. Ripped on a harmonica and a super charismatic frontman.” Lauren, who came to take over the bar with John in 2016, mainly knew of Nick via stories shared over the years. “He was very well respected and people loved him, so the shoes felt simply gargantuan!” she explains. “I just hope we did as much good for the DIY music scene as Nick, Johnny from Rammel Club and Simon, the loud beating heart of The Chameleon, did by putting on those shows back at the inception.” Anyone who visited The Chameleon during Nick’s reign will know his modus operandi was somewhat unconventional. Cash only, no fridges behind the bar, no beer taps, and a mountain of spicy potatoes appearing most nights for anyone who fancied a nibble. When John and Lauren took over, it was clear they needed to do a little revamp, but keeping the original ethos of The Chameleon as much as possible was important.

“Our intention was always to keep true to ourselves and the place, definitely no marketing campaigns or cocktail menus, promotions etc - albeit our Buckfast Negroni,” explains Lauren. “It’s honestly just a product of not wanting to advertise to the mainstream and just organically building a weird cult reputation. I guess it kind of has an old school social club vibe but with actual proper bands playing upstairs.”

It’s been a rollercoaster and any shenanigans worth recounting shouldn’t be committed to print With a lick of paint, lots of rock n roll memorabilia adorning the walls and other oddities dotted around (notably a smiling cardboard cutout of Danny DeVito overseeing the bar), The Chameleon stepped into a fresh chapter of existence, riding the wave through Covid, attracting new music lovers, and bolstering their reputation for accommodating upcoming bands from all corners of the world in Nottingham. For several years the music has played and the times have been good, despite the bones of the building becoming increasingly decrepit. “It’s been in a pretty terrible state of repair for a number of years now. We tried multiple times to help the owner secure funding to carry out some essential repairs,” explains John. “Unfortunately he decided against it for reasons unknown to us and the building deteriorated further from that point forth.” Since the news broke in late 2023 that the building is to be sold, the Chameleon community has been saddened, and John and Lauren are still in the dark as to what will happen to it. “Seemingly the only option left is to pass on the burden to a developer. But we must stress this is speculation on our part as we still don’t actually know their plans or whether there has been any interest from potential buyers.” The endangerment of independent venues is certainly not just a localised issue. According to the Music Venues Trust (MVT), 35% of grassroots venues in the UK have closed over the past twenty years, and faced with constant underfunding, soaring utility bills and the cost of living crisis, times have become increasingly challenging. “The situation is way more dire than anyone realises,” explains Lauren. “It very much seems that the idea of a small music venue existing without also being a nightclub/eatery/cocktail bar is no longer possible. The government seems to be, not surprisingly, short sighted and don’t see the

correlation between a loss of grassroots venues leading to a decline in artists breaking out into the mainstream keeping the gravy train rolling.” When asked what they would like to see happen to help these musical hubs of the community survive, John and Lauren explained an initiative being touted by the MVT: a levy on massive stadium shows and big venues to give back a percentage of profits to the grassroots sector, similar to major football clubs funding of local teams to let talent flourish. “It is an idea we definitely like, but big companies love money so I guess we’ll see how that plays out.” And so, as is often the case with underfunded corners of society, we naturally look to the community, but John and Lauren maintain that the onus isn’t really on normal folk to keep independent venues afloat at this point. In terms of how gig goers can help however, they suggest the following: “Buy tickets in advance so promoters don’t have to deal with the stress of a potential washout. Don’t sneak your own booze into a licensed venue - the majority of them that do serve alcohol solely rely on wet sales to keep the bills paid. Share events on social media, it’s far more helpful than paying for a Facebook ad with practically zero reach. The onus isn’t really on normal folk at this point though. We’re all being shafted enough as it is!” Over the past seven years John and Lauren have worked almost nightly at the bar to keep it the music playing and the drinks pouring, but they also feel indebted to the regular promoters who have put on shows. “We wouldn’t have lasted this long without them. So big thanks to Marty at ButtonPusher, Phil at Torturous Promotions, Paul at Karma, Rammel Club, Kez, Maddy from Loose Daze, DHP, Brad from Club Fruit, Gallery Sounds, Soul Buggin’, Alex from ACHB, Joey from Forever Records, The 593 Collective, Taipan Commune. The list could go on for some time so for anyone not listed, we’re sorry!’ While the gigs and the good times will continue at The Chameleon for the foreseeable, it remains uncertain for how long. When asked what their standout memories of the venue have been, John and Lauren’s answer is likely to be shared by many others in Notts too. “Too many late nights to remember, too many laughs and some lifelong friends made,” they said. “It’s been a rollercoaster and any shenanigans worth recounting shouldn’t be committed to print.”

L @the_chameleon_arts_cafe leftlion.co.uk/issue168 23

The Name Game Generating names is always a hard task, and when it comes to naming a band, it becomes part of your identity in a strange way. And in Nottingham, it’s safe to say we’ve got some weird and wonderful examples which really do stand out among the crowd. But not only do they stand out, they also generate mind-boggling questions… So, we thought it was time we got some answers. We asked an array of Nottingham bands to tell us the true meaning behind their names. Well, we did tell them they could make something up if they wanted to, actually. So, believe these at your own risk…

Dura Mater Our very own Anya Fogg (keys and vocals) first heard the term ‘Dura Mater’ while at the University of Nottingham where the band met, in a human body dissection lesson for her medicine course. Alongside the Pia Mater and the Arachnoid Mater, it is one of three layers of protection around the brain. We debated each of these for the band, as the evocation of anatomical diagrams appealed to us, but in the end, we decided that Dura Mater, meaning ‘Tough Mother’ in Latin, was the best fit for the eclectic art-rock music we were creating. Between the eight of us, the nod to our own mothers can refer to anything, from our appreciation of their tenacity to them being the inspiration behind some of our most forlorn and indignant lyrics. We had a tight deadline for choosing a name when our first gig at the student bar, Mooch, was approaching, and it’s funny seeing it now on T-shirts being sold at Rock City just over one year later. We pronounce it “Dyoor-uh May-tuh” but we’ve heard every variation of phonetics by now – even our drummer Alex resolutely maintains the first way he ever said it, but we never can get everyone to agree on anything.

Wizards Can’t Be Lawyers The name behind Wizards Can’t Be Lawyers is based on true events, of course. It all began with a confused man of trivial relation to one of our members. This man was a practising lawyer, but he also firmly believed he had mystical powers. The topic came up in pub-time conversation and a justifiably doubtful pintdrinker scoffed, “That’s ridiculous, wizards can’t be lawyers.” So, now it is the name of our band and a strong opinion we all hold. We are willing to be convinced otherwise, however, if wizards do exist among lawyers, we think it would be rather unfair to the Judicial Systems of the world… But maybe that’s how so many oily, unctuous bureaucrats slip through the net with their dodgy tax evasion. If anyone knows any wizards that are also lawyers, please do let us know…

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Express offfiice Portico When we started the band, we wanted to acknowledge the city that we come from. So, what better way than to choose a landmark? ‘The Council House’ or ‘Trent Bridge’ didn’t quite have the ring to it we were hoping for. But after stumbling across an article on author-illustrator Carol Adlam, which contained cartoon images of places and buildings in Nottingham, we found our landmark, the ‘Express Office Portico’. The building can be found on Upper Parliament Street and is the entrance to the old newspaper distribution office for the Nottingham Daily Express early in the Twentieth Century. Its design is one of many across the city by Watson Fothergill, whose architecture is celebrated to this day, with tours of his work including a stop off at the ‘Express Office Portico’. The tour guide has even told us herself that she can’t believe someone would name a band after that landmark. But what better way to link ourselves to the city, ey? The most offthe-wall connection possible.

Cheap Dirty Horse A crass pun? Absolutely not! And, of course, it had nothing to do with both Cheap Horse and Dirty Horse already being taken. Where did it come from then? Well… There was this mischievous squirrel who we always saw outside Magnet Studios. Every time we nipped out for a break, there it was. We didn’t want to scare it off, so we’d always try to stay super quiet. We wouldn’t chat, we’d just stand there, as still as we could. Then one day, when we came out for some fresh air, the mischievous squirrel was gone. We were devastated. We’d become accustomed to the little guy. But we were also happy that it meant we could have a natter without disturbing anyone. How about Mitch and The Hedbergs? asked Ellen. Nah that sucks, said James, we should be called Don’t Suc- His mouth dropped. We were staring at an army of squirrels. Thousands of them. Organised, like starlings, into three clear words: Cheap Dirty Horse.

Evil Scarecrow

Airport Dad

Choosing a band name is hard - everything is probably already taken. We approached it in a fairly drunken way, spitballing things that might make a cool logo or sound brutal. We kind of thought scarecrows were one of those lame scary-butnot-scary things. It felt reasonably suitable for a band that was kind of metal-notmetal and funny-not-funny.

Airport Dad comes from a long running joke that we think sums us up as people. The name Airport dad started from an inside joke that we all had about our lead Guitarist, George, as every time we were due to play a gig, he would be stressed out and making sure we had everything (just like airport dads do). When we started the band in 2022, we were originally called Citrus, and we knew we wanted to change it at some point.

Unfortunately ‘Scarecrow’ was taken, so we need a prefix. Some 'dot voting' later, we ditched Nuclear Scarecrow, Lazer Scarecrow and even Scary Scarecrow until finally, the last thing left in the bin was Evil Scarecrow. We did have a colon in the middle of the name before the 'S' but it sometimes came out as a worried face on social media, so we ditched it.

When we were in the recording process for our song Brighter Days, the discussion of band names came up, and George was in full Airport Dad mode, and we laughed about it for a few moments, then we all agreed it was a pretty catchy name, and it was then that Airport Dad fully formed and we’ve never looked back since.

Fatdigester

Catmilk

The name came from an advertising war between detergent manufacturers in the nineties, who promised extravagant ways to get your whites ‘whiter than white’ (whatever that means).

I used to work in a vintage shop in Nottingham. Weekdays would be pretty dead, so me and my friend Gemma used to make up fake band names and write nonsense lyrics to entertain ourselves. Catmilk was one of the favourites that never went away.

Until one promised that their brand came with added 'fatdigester’, which we borrowed and with twisted logic, applied to a band that promotes inclusivity, from a brand promising they would make everything white. If that makes sense. It did then, at least. And it’s too late now!

Bored Marsh It was always on a long list that we had made, but it just completely stood out compared to all the others. It’s just Nottingham – and we wanted that local affiliation. People from Notts know what it is, but everybody else just sees it as a band name. And I like the fact it’s a play on words with ‘Bored’, it’s just how everyone’s feeling about Broadmarsh – how they have been for the past twenty years.

When I stopped being a solo artist and formed my lovely band I threw it into the ring. Everyone loved it and it confused my Gran so I knew it was right. It generated the eternal question: "Sooo… is it the milk OF the cat or the milk FOR the cat?" Who knows. Only the cats know.

The Cost of Loving I’m a big fan of The Style Council and they have an album called The Cost of Loving, so that’s where the phrase first came to me. I always appreciate lyrics and titles involving wordplay, probably because I was a fan of rap music in my teens. ‘The cost of living’ has been a media buzz phrase in the last year or so, but aside from that I like the meaning of the pun. Our music nods (sort of ironically) towards new romantic bands. I read it as an anti-austerity phrase, and a criticism of our current, loveless government… so it works with our politics as well!

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Gig Diary In Nottingham, we are spoilt for choice when it comes to live music venues. From the Motorpoint Arena with its capacity of 10,000 to smaller rooms like The Bodega and The Chameleon, we really do have it all. Our Kira O’Boyle set off on a journey, attending as many gigs as possible over a two-week period to decide once and for all which one is her ultimate favourite. Here are her gig diaries…

Thursday: SOFY at The Bodega Today I started my venture to find my favourite Nottingham’s music venue, kickstarting at The Bodega, where I was extremely excited to see rising indie pop artist SOFY. I must say, that is the most fun I have had at a gig in a very long time. With a capacity of 220 people, The Bodega made for the perfect intimate setting for SOFY, who filled the venue successfully. The intimacy of the venue felt like we were all in SOFY’s bubble. Her connection and attention to the audience is why small venues such as The Bodega are so crucial. She told us that it was her favourite show she had ever played, reflecting that you do not need huge arenas or audiences to feel accomplished.

Friday: Neville Staple at Metronome The next venue to tick off my list was Metronome. Tonight saw the Original Rude Boy, Neville Staple from The Specials and later the Fun Boy Three promise the crowd, “we are going to have a party tonight”, and that’s exactly what we got. It was great to see such a mixture of ages, from teenagers to the very groups born from the two-tone movement of the seventies. There was nothing crazy going on with the staging or the effects; the focus was just on the crowd and the band. The audience were transformed from mere strangers to a group of people non-stop dancing as if at a family party; Staple’s music had created nothing but love and respect between the audience, with the intimacy of Metronome placing no barrier between the music and the people. We weren’t watching Mr. Staple, we were celebrating his music with him.

Tuesday: Madness at Motorpoint Arena My quest continued today to the biggest venue in Nottingham: Motorpoint Arena. I have always felt arenas are too big, too expensive, with too little atmosphere. But this may be a slight exception. Being able to see the band without being right at the front was a triumph I never expected to achieve. The stage in the arena is huge, which paved the way for some extraordinary visuals from the band that cannot be achieved in smaller venues. Madness filled the stage with luxurious velvet curtains and multiple screens showcasing artwork and imagery to coincide with the themes of the band’s new album A Theatre of Absurd presents C’est La Vie, while their more popular songs lifted everyone to their feet. I had a great time, but I did find myself missing the magic of smaller, intimate shows.

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Thursday: The Silver Lines at The Chameleon On the complete other end of the spectrum, today’s location was the smallest one of my ventures so far. Tucked away on Angel Row, it would be hard to know The Chameleon was even there, but tonight really did show me the important role that independent and smaller venues play within music. Housing a lineup of local and up and coming bands - Wired Euphoria, Tom Hewitt, Plastic Circus and The Silver Lines - The Chameleon is as intimate as you can get. It was like watching mates jam out in their bedrooms! With the recent uncertainty surrounding the venue (read more on page 23), tonight highlighted how essential supporting hidden gems like The Chameleon is. Supporting smaller venues is as important as ever.

Saturday: Sophie Ellis-Bextor at the Royal Concert Hall Tonight has been my first ever experience of the Royal Concert Hall, the most aesthetically pleasing venue yet. Knowing it was seating only, yet again, I was fearful that the night may lack energy and atmosphere, but Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Christmas Kitchen Disco was far from lifeless. Since it was taking place in December, there was a perfect blend of Christmas covers and Ellis-Bextor’s best disco hits. The Royal Concert Hall had some of the best acoustics and sound systems of all the venues thus far. Ellis-Bextor’s vocals were elevated and travelled perfectly through the hall, and the chorus of the audience singing along to her biggest tracks such as Murder on The Dancefloor echoed like a choir of angels - it was enough to give you chills. This was truly the perfect venue for such music royalty.

Sunday: The Charlatans at Rock City With a complete genre and venue shift for my Sunday evening this week, it was time for Madchester indie greats: The Charlatans at Rock City. Arriving slightly late, the sold-out venue was already packed from the floor to the balcony, but I found myself in the perfect spot close to the stage. There was already an undeniable energy building from the crowd that eagerly awaited the band. A huge nineteen song setlist flew us through a catalogue of The Charlatans newest and oldest tracks, with Tim Burgess keeping the spark alive with his indisputable stage presence. Rock City has the unmatched charisma of a legendary music venue, enhanced by the knowledge of the history of the bands who have taken to the stage. A venue with an energy like no other, I think Rock City will always be my favourite gig venue.

Tuesday: Spector at Rescue Rooms The final destination on my very own venue tour was Rescue Rooms, housing indie band Spector. Frontman Fred MacPherson was more than grateful to be playing a smaller venue, drawing attention to the fact they aren’t able to sell out Rescue Rooms quite yet, but being able to share their music to anyone is their greatest achievement. Spector projected us into a wave of synth-rock energy from the very beginning, setting the crowd up for the highpowered set to follow. They didn’t fall short with providing a passionate and spirited show, with the band showing that sometimes the venue or size of a crowd doesn’t matter, but being able to enjoy music with anyone, is the biggest success.

words: Kira O’Boyle illustrations: Rebecca Evans

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interview: Alycia McNamara photo: Rebecca Marshall

Mic Drop

Laurie Illingworth has been running Acoustic Rooms since he moved to the city in 2018. Having studied music at university, Laurie has channelled his passion into local music and showcasing new and experimental artists. We chat to him about the open mic night’s fifteenth anniversary, the artists who have performed there over the years, and how you can get involved… Hi Laurie! First of all, can you just tell us what Acoustic Rooms is, for those who may not know? Acoustic Rooms has been running itself, longer than I’ve been running it, pretty much every Monday since 2009, fifteen years ago. I joined in 2018, my first one was a bit of a disaster actually - it was in June 2018, it was the first job that I got when I moved here. The first show we did was on the same night as one of the England games of the World Cup in 2018, so obviously Rescue Rooms in the bar, where Acoustic Rooms takes place, was rammed before and there were massive crowds. England won, they beat Tunisia 2-1 in the last minute. The place went up, things were everywhere, sofas were everywhere, chairs - it’s just like carnage and as soon as it finished, everyone left. There were only four of us in the room left, me and my guitar, just sat there… So that one didn’t go ahead. Ever since then, basically it’s been every single Monday. Initially, the name was because a lot of the music that was accessible for people to play at the time would have been acoustic and obviously now that’s changed a lot so we do cater for whatever genres, whatever artists, whatever creators turn up - usually, within reason. As long as it’s something that you want to perform, that you feel comfortable performing, whatever ability that’s at, we make the space if we have the time on the night to showcase that. How do you find the artists, or do they find you? I think these days it’s definitely based on reputation. On our website it says ‘Nottingham’s original open music night’, it’s a very long running one, there’s obviously a lot of open mics to choose from if you are an artist in Nottingham. Everybody knows we are on Monday. I think it’s invaluable to have the backing of DHP as well because then I am then able to offer slots at Dot to Dot Festival, Splendour Festival, Beat the Streets, and Hockley Hustle, because I wear that hat as well. So it’s been a really lively community of artists who are engaged with Nottingham and its music and creatives. Do you find a lot of the artists are people who have already got music on Spotify or Soundcloud, or do you find that they are students or newcomers or just people wanting to dip their toe in the water? We operate on a first come first serve basis on the night

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so I normally pitch up for about 7:30pm with my clipboard and we roughly showcase about twelve artists a night, with the midnight curfew. It’s all sort of dished out, you get to choose your slot, as long as it’s available. Because of that, it really does depend who turns up, so we get all sorts of people. On average we get two new artists a week, sometimes it's more, sometimes it's fewer and literally every scale of the ability level. It doesn't matter if it's your first time, we get loads of people come down for the first time, it’s a safe space to do that.

As long as it’s something that you want to perform, that you feel comfortable performing, whatever ability that’s at, we make the space Do you find that you get a lot of artists who are quite experimental? I remember an artist who had a robot themed set and wore a cape? I know the guy you are talking about, he was called Experimental Sonic Machines, Neil - interesting dude. Yeah we have all sorts of artists, there’s a guy called Glen who occasionally turns up, the highlight for me was he brought his own hi-fi system (like a CD player but bigger), and we had to mic it up which is so unusual but I was like yeah cool, that’s your game, we’re not going to knock you off that. And then, he's sort of MC-ing about this, that and the other, original music, and then he just went ‘not to blow my own trumpet’, and then just whacked a trumpet out of his bag and started playing it mid song and I was like what is going on here? It’s just such a nice blend because you’ll get students who are really trying to mature into being great artists and it’s brilliant, they’re maybe inspired by more mainstream or maybe more niche artists. And then you’ll get an artist who comes in and you’ll be like ‘how on earth are you doing what you do?’ We get poets, we get a real broad spectrum and as I said we do try to cater for everyone so we do see some very experimental happenings.

Can anyone join or do you listen to them first? No, there’s none of that, I like the shock of it. Recently, we had a chap who turned up and he was just off mic, in the audience, opera. I was like, that’s what we need. But also, I would love it if artists could bring a pianist or a guitar to play whatever the piece is, but I know it’s not always as simple as that - I encourage the live setting but I’m aware that the music scene is evolving. Do you have any stand out artists that you want to mention? I actually have a list on my phone including all sorts of names - Jerub, Alfie Sharp, Josie Beth, Remy CB, Omari Marsalis, members of Divorce, Pete Smith, Katie Keddie… and Lara Elise Grant is a current artist who is coming into that soft Billie Eilish vocal vibes - acoustic, beautiful. All sorts really yeah. I don’t even know a figure of artists that I’ve seen on that stage over the years, I’ve been here for five and a half years now. Are you looking for new artists at the moment? Always. We are always looking for new artists and it’s that funny blend of trying to encourage the right amount of people to come every week because I hate saying no to people. If you are an artist who happens to be reading LeftLion, please join us. It’s free entry, free drink for every artist, three songs each. Who are some of the most famous people who have performed at Acoustic Rooms? We’ve had Jake Bugg who made a bit of a name for himself back in the day at Acoustic Rooms, we’ve had George Ezra and Dua Lipa on the line up for Acoustic Rooms. Mental. We’ve also had lots and lots of artists, Saint Raymond, Nina Smith, we’ve basically became a bit of a hub for anyone in Nottingham that wanted to just play some tunes. I’m proud of the work we’ve done in the last five years to maintain that and I’m really pleased it’s a thing that Nottingham has. It feels like a night that is like ‘it’s the start of the week - let’s go’. Acoustic Rooms is at Rescue Rooms every Monday night from 7pm

L @acousticroomsnottingham

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words: Roxann Yus

Get Your Gladrags On

Nottingham has a colourful palette of local, committed and diverse LGBTQ+ artists and creatives. Baby Tap, DJ Boz, Marilyn Sane, and Nana Arthole are all part of the Nottingham club night Gladrags, a welcoming space that hosts DJs, live music, drag and burlesque performers, where all people can get their Gladrags on and be authentic without judgement. They told us more about who they are, the events that are happening across the city, and the new wave of LGBTQ+ identifying musicians who are emerging from Nottingham… Despite Nottingham’s LGBTQ+ scene being eclectic and effervescent, the scene can be somewhat hard to find. Nonetheless, it's worth the hunt - but something which is unanimous among Baby Tap, DJ Boz, Marilyn Sane, and Nana Arthole is a concern about the lack of queer spaces in Nottingham. “I think people would love to see more established venues in Nottingham hosting LGBTQ+ entertainment regularly - not just when it is to cater to a cis-het crowd,” says Marilyn, who feels that the talent and diversity of the scene are not being utilised. “There’s so much talent on our front doorstep and quite often we see that undervalued in favour of an entertainer that has been on TV.” Meanwhile, DJ Boz thinks it would be great to see more events that are different to what is already on offer. He adds that it's great to see LGBTQ+ artists getting involved in other kinds of events, including the upcoming techno-based night Mullraum, but that more dedicated LGBTQ+ spaces in the city would be great, too - including ones that aren't based on nightlife. Nana adds that queer entertainment shouldn’t just be about going out and drinking; sober events could benefit the community, while DJ Boz highlights that promoters like Liv Presents deliver special events for the community. He recommends several diverse and talented LGBTQ+ identifying musicians, including Baby Tap, Yay Maria, G4YBOY, Hurtsfall, Minatore, Gender Envy and Cheap Dirty Horse. Showing up and talking about Nottingham’s queer artists is the most effective way to keep them visible. There are so many exciting events coming up, most of which are self-funded, DIY, and curated out of passion and love for their work and peers. Despite the lack of permanent queer infrastructures in Nottingham, these artists are doing their utmost to build community and safe spaces for old and new residents. The momentum is growing in 2024 - keep an eye out and get involved. To find out more about the events that Gladrags have coming up, find them on Instagram and Facebook @gladragsnotts

Baby Tap (he/him/they)

Who are you? I’m a music artist, producer, rapper and DJ and have been dabbling with music since I was a kid. What are your biggest inspirations? The people around me inspire me the most. My inspirations range from visual artists like Hoso Terra Toma and Niohuru X to musicians like Dorian Electra, Arca, Ashnikko, Björk and M.I.A. What were your highlights of 2023? Halloween and Pride, they’re my favourite holidays. And my album launch party, it was a dream come true, like a

Marilyn Sane (he/him/she/her)

Who are you? I’m Marilyn Sane; Nottingham’s Best Drag Queen (just ask my mum) and I’ve been performing for thirteen years now (way before Drag Race made it ‘cool’). What are your biggest inspirations? I love looking to villains for my inspiration. There’s nothing more visually exciting than a femme fatale but it’s even better when they’re fun with it. I also love old Hollywood iconography. What were your highlights of 2023? I loved hosting Nottingham Pride with

hundred birthdays rolled into one. What are your goals for 2024? To continue doing what I’m doing with the people I love, but more, and bigger. I have a few more records I want to finish up and release. Another music video would be great, too!

DJ Boz (he/him)

What are your biggest inspirations? My inspirations come from performers and DJs across the punk, alternative and queer communities, particularly many female-identifying performers. In terms of club-nights, I was inspired by legendary promoters like the late Simon Hobart, who delivered alternative LGBTQ+ nights.

Where can we find you? My music is on Bandcamp. If people just click play and listen, my heart is happy. I guess coming to a show to see what I do is the full experience though. There are also Gladrags and Drag Bingo events coming up.

some of the city’s other glorious performers. Huge thank you to DJ Boz and Nana for being so amazing at finding and booking so many wonderful acts! What are your goals for 2024? I really want to create more of my signature comedic original music whilst elevating my drag even further. Where can we find you? You can follow me on Instagram @marilynsane for regular updates.

Who are you? I'm DJ Boz, a DJ and event curator on Nottingham's alternative LGBTQ+ party scene.

What were your highlights of 2023? The Gladrags biggest Pride night yet at Metronome, a beautiful

Nana Arthole (he/she/they)

Who are you? I’m Thom; a writer, artist, entertainer and all-round creative type. I perform as Nana Arthole – one half of G4YBOY with Franx. I’ve been performing as Nana since around 2013, while G4YBOY started in 2021. What are your biggest inspirations? I’m surrounded by a community of phenomenal artists and creative people, who inspire me to create better work and events. Baby Tap, Franx, my husband at Gladrags, Marilyn Sane - they’re all unapologetically queer and visible. What were your highlights of 2023? When G4YBOY played

New Year’s Party, and so many more. What are your goals for 2024? To continue ensuring Gladrags delivers welcoming, inclusive spaces for LGBTQ+ people and its allies. I'll also be supporting techno night Mullraum. Where can we find you? The best way to support Gladrags is to buy tickets and show up - without that these nights wouldn't happen. We have events throughout 2024 starting with our fetish-based night Gag on 17 February at Rough Trade.

Rock City alongside Baby Tap and Tokky Horror, and Nottingham’s Pride party at Metronome. What are your goals for 2024? We hope to create a G4YBOY music video as well as releasing some new music, too. I would also love to do a one-person show as Nana. I just want to see Nottingham go from strength to strength. Where can we find you? You can find my account and joint accounts here: @artholethom, @alrightg4yboy, @ unnamed_drag. The best way to support me is by coming to events and being an active part of the community. leftlion.co.uk/issue168 29

LITERATURE

words: Andrew Tucker

Wordsmith at work

interview: Andrew Tucker

Relocating from Los Angeles to the UK back in 2007, Victoria Villasenor started Global Wordsmiths in Nottingham over a decade ago, and has since published books under various pseudonyms including Brey Willows and Ally McGuire. She made the time to chat to us all about her thirteenth book Medea: Priestess, Princess, Witch, which has been released under the name JJ Taylor, writing LGBTQ+ fiction, and her advice to emerging queer authors… Lovely to chat, Victoria. You started your organisation Global Wordsmiths in Nottingham over a decade ago… is this, we take it, the best place in the globe to be a wordsmith? I moved to the UK in 2007 - I went from LA to Cumbria. I'd never seen sheep or taken a bus, and got a rather quick and bemusing education (these two old women used to sit behind me on the bus and stroke my hair, without actually talking to me. I thought maybe that's just what British people did). Moving to Nottingham was much better for my mental health! I've loved it ever since. The creative community here is incredible, and having been co-chair of the Nottingham Writer's Studio was a wonderful experience. I attended NTU to do my doctorate, which is where the idea for Medea took shape. That makes Medea my passion project, and I'm pathetically desperate for it to do well out in the world! It will be my thirteenth published book and it will be published under the pseudonym JJ Taylor. The others have been published under Brey Willows and Ally McGuire.

Write the story you wish was out there. Write with passion. Write with all the bottled up stuff that you can throw on the page. Now that passion project is about to hit the shelves. Go on, pitch the story to us… You've heard of Jason and the Argonauts. But what about the woman who made it all possible? The only woman in Greek mythology to get away with murder… repeatedly. This is the story of a woman determined to live her life free from the constraints of both mortals and gods...even when she has no choice but to be their plaything. Sacrifices. Politics wrapped in layers of deceit, blood, and ego. Gods with their own agendas not meant for mortal flesh. Magic. Monsters. Love. Who will Medea become in her desperate search for freedom? Blimey, we’re sold. It’s a mythological story that’s timeless and timely - Medea’s often portrayed as a witch, an immigrant, a female political player in a deeply misogynist society. Do you think of your Medea as an outsider? Medea is unquestionably an outsider (and I felt a particular affinity for her, having moved countries and lived in many places where, as a Latina lesbian, I wasn't part of the cultural fabric). That said, she's an outsider who continues to fight for what she wants: freedom and respect, which are two fundamental human desires that make her so relatable, I think.

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She was a witch, an immigrant, and a politician. She was also a mother, a lover, a friend, and deeply spiritual. She's all the aspects women continue to juggle today. And it nearly destroys her, as it does so many of us. But she never gives up, and I think that's the key to her story: she survives on her own terms. As you say, you’ve written a lot about the LGBT community you have a book subtitled, rather wonderfully, Lesbian Travel Erotica. Do you think you’ve seen the industry change with regards to queer issues while you've been part of it? We did an amazing book with the Justice Museum: Desire, Love, Identity. We brought together a fabulous LGBTQ group from Nottingham to write their stories - our youngest participant was thirteen and our eldest was 73. As part of the LGBTQ community, I know how important it is to find books with representation - and not just representation, but books where the queer character isn't killed or put in an asylum. Books where the focus isn't just being queer, but also on being an astronaut, a stunt car driver, a vampire, an influencer, a woman looking for love… anything and everything. When I came out, we had Stone Butch Blues and Radclyffe Hall, both of which are intense and to some degree, sad. Now, we attend pride events with other queer authors and sell out every single time. I worked for an LGBTQ publishing house in New York for nearly twenty years as a development editor before starting Global Wordsmiths here in the city, and watching the industry grow and change is fabulous - there are so many independent authors out there adding to the LGBTQ reading options. Some great, some good, some not amazing, but all voices out there saying, "We're here and we see you too." And what would you like to say to any new voices, to those LGBTQ writers just starting out? Write. Write the story you wish was out there. Write with passion. Write with all the bottled up stuff that you can throw on the page. Reach out to local queer authors and get advice. Start your own writing community to support each other and share information. Your story matters. It's been a pleasure, Victoria! Before you go… it's a tough world out there at times… which Greek god or goddess would you most like to have fighting your corner? Goodness… that's a loaded question! Medea scoffed at the goddess of love and… well. That didn't go well. So I think I'll refrain from choosing one and annoying the others! Medea: Priestess, Princess, Witch by JJ Taylor is out now

I love names. Nearly everyone I know has one. My mum has a name, as do all of my ex-partners, who shall remain nameless, as long as you understand that that’s just a figure of speech. On a good day I can even remember their middle names, which are, as it happens, the best kind. Middle names are the best of names because they give you a stark X-ray view into the psychology of somebody’s parents middle names are what people would be called if societal approval were no object. James Corden’s middle name is, I kid you not, Kimberley. Billie Eilish’s middle name, and I’m still kidding you not, is Pirate. My middle name, and I refuse to kid you, is George, which tells you that my parents were very serious about me getting a job with reliable pension contributions although, as you might guess from this column, that dream goes as yet unfulfilled. Creative middle names go back a long way. Citizens in the Roman Empire would have not just a first and family name but a cognomen, which originally was a nickname. This could be something like Pompeius Magnus (the great), Calvisius Rufus (redhaired) or, of course, Julius ‘Highly Stabbable’ Caesar. “A rose by any other name,” wrote William ‘The Bard’ Shakespeare, would still smell pretty nifty, which was easy for Juliet to say, but I bet she would’ve quickly vacated the balcony if Romeo were called Bogroll, Pustule or Fartholomew.

L @andrewtucker.uk

Following singles One Day A Dream Came To Me and Make My Way Home, Louis Croft has released his EP This Town, a tribute to Nottingham and beloved football club, Nottingham Forest (other local football clubs are available). With jangly guitars and warm indie tones, his sound has a similar feel to the early work of The Lathums - if their success is anything to go by, Croft is onto great things and the Jake Bugg comparisons that he is receiving only add to the feeling that he has the potential to reach wider audiences. Gemma Cockrell

Molly Burning Bridges (EP) 'Smooth' hardly begins to describe the sound of local artist Molly, exemplified perfectly on her latest record. This five-track EP spans genres from soul to chilled alt-pop via funk, and a beautifully paced and reflective journey. Opener Wear Me Out showcases Molly's most sultry vocals and stays low key, packed with hazy intrigue. From there the record opens up, but oh, so, subtly. Look out for Jayahadadream guesting on Burning Bridges, an expansive soundscape of nighttime urban raps and beats, followed by an exquisite segue into the piano-anchored closing track, Unique. A memorable record curated with precision. Phil Taylor

Music Reviews

Louis Croft This Town (EP)

Alfie Wallace Runaway (Single) Coinciding with his set on the Confetti Presents stage at Hockley Hustle back in October, local indie-rock artist Alfie Wallace released his wistful new single Runaway and we have had it on repeat ever since. The track begins with an urgent yet euphoric percussion beat, interwoven with a dreamy chime which serves as the unwavering heartbeat of the track. The singer’s vocals are achingly indie-esque, not too dissimilar from the likes of Sam Fender; this up-and-comer is one to have on your radar. Maddie Dinnage

Cheap Dirty Horse On The Rob (Single) When I was first introduced to this band, their songs were described as ‘big rowdy queer-trash folk-punk tunes’ and I was sold immediately. On The Rob has seen widespread success with over 450k views on TikTok, because that’s where all the cool kids find their music nowadays. Telling tales of stealing from the big, nasty corporations of the world (“If Robin Hood was alive then Robin Hood would”) the track is four minutes of pure fun that is guaranteed to stay in your head for much more than four minutes. Make sure to keep an eye out for their more recent single, the powerful love-filled queer anthem P.R.O.T.E.C.T.T.R.A.N.S.K.I.D.S., while you’re at it. Gemma Cockrell

Serena Jasmine Rerooting (EP) Infused with positive vibes and good energy, Rerooting became the soundtrack of my autumn after seeing it performed live at Hockley Hustle back in October. Highlights include the uplifting Sincerity, the incredibly catchy Money Mind, and lead single The Game, which will definitely get your head bopping as alluded to in the lyrics. Another golden moment I must mention is One Way Flying, which is complemented by additional vocals from Ranger. An essential listen if you need reminding that nothing is permanent and you have full control of the direction your life takes. Gemma Cockrell

LYVIA Trippin (Single) Following an appearance on ITV’s The Voice UK in 2022 and a spot on the Courtyard Stage at Splendour Festival back in 2023 (doesn’t it all feel so long ago now?), Trippin by LYVIA is a track which has a low-key feel to it while remaining simultaneously upbeat and catchy. The vocals flow seamlessly over the instrumental as if they were truly made for each other, and it’s no surprise that the song has received so much love and support from LYVIA’s vast social media following since it was released back in September. Her latest single Bumblebee continues in this direction. Gemma Cockrell

If you’re from Nottingham and want to get added to our list of music writers, or get your tunes reviewed, hit us up at music@ leftlion.co.uk leftlion.co.uk/issue168 31 31

ENVIRONMENT best spuds interview: Tracey Lloyd photo: Dani Bacon

Some say January is dark and depressing, but for a lot of Nottingham gardeners, we actually spend it excitedly waiting for the big event of the month - the NOGS Potato Day. It’s like the gardener’s version of Christmas! Andy Callow and Bethan McIlroy tell us more… NOGS (Nottingham Organic Gardeners) have been holding this festival of tuberous delights for sixteen years and they offer a chance to try a huge range of different spuds, without having to fork out for large numbers. The group produces a list in advance with loads of information about each spud type, including when to plant it, how it tastes, best ways to cook it and how it copes with diseases. When I arrived, I found that those in the queue had printed out the variety sheet from the NOGS website and turned it into the gardener’s version of a wish-list for Santa. There was a real buzz as they waited to get in, and apparently queues had started to form at The United Reform Church on Edwards Lane in Sherwood well before the advertised start time of 10am. Anyone who thought potatoes just came in red or white skinned egg-shaped lumps, will have discovered their mistake as they entered the room. Sat on a wide ring of tables, more than thirty different varieties were on display, with a huge range of shapes, sizes and colours. Familiar varieties like King Edwards sat alongside Pink Fir Apple which looks rather like an alien from a kid’s cartoon - long potatoes covered in knobbles with pink patches, but no resemblance to fir trees or apples. The colours can be surprising, too - several types had brightly coloured spots and some had been cut open to reveal that the flesh was bright red all the way through. If you like the sound of those, you need to look for Heidi Red which definitely lives up to its name. The NOGS team runs like a well-oiled machine now, some having done this for sixteen years, so it all went surprisingly smoothly. Tubers cost twenty pence each or six for one pound, and mixing and matching is welcome, so it’s as useful for someone with a few patio pots as it is for those who want to plant an allotment full. They were getting through them at a huge rate, with 800kg of potatoes disappearing into bags as I watched, the team refilling the boxes as fast as they could.

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Everyone on the team was doing a great job with their appointed tasks, but I managed to draw NOGS

Chair Andy Callow and Bethan McIlroy from the spud team aside for a quick chat.

They give you a lot of bang for your buck in terms of space to yield ratio and they can be eaten in so many different styles. A homegrown potato is just really tasty! Do you think potatoes have a particular appeal to gardeners? Andy: Oh, yes! They’re easy to grow with good yields and work well in pots. They’re great to grow with kids too. Some say they’re great for clearing new ground, but I think that’s because you kill the weeds when you earth them up, so it’s still plenty of work! Bethan: We have a talk about potato growing just now for new growers. They give you a lot of bang for your buck in terms of space to yield ratio and they can be eaten in so many different styles. A homegrown potato is just really tasty! Do you get first pick and which varieties are your favourites & why? Bethan: Yes as a little perk of helping at potato day the volunteers get to pick their varieties first. My favourite varieties are Heidi red, Jazzy (great salad spud) and Marvel (good yield and great for chips/wedges). Andy: Actually, getting the first pick is not so much needed these days. In the old days when we were in the room above the Gladstone Pub, you used to need sharp elbows and it was a bit of a jumble sale, but we’ve learned every year and the team we have is amazing. They make sure there’s plenty of choice and we’ve increased the amount to reflect last year’s increase in demand. My favourite of all the varieties they’ve chosen is Swift – which I really like now I’ve learned to steam rather than boil it. I like to follow that with Charlotte. They both crop early, so I get the potatoes up in time to leave space for other veg to go in.

What’s the most popular type with the punters? Andy: Charlotte, definitely! Bethan: Yes - Charlotte is always our most popular, selling out after the first hour even though we always order extra. Children and parents like the novelty of the coloured potatoes even though their yield is lower. It’s fun to eat a purple potato! Do you think organic potatoes perform better? Bethan: Organic growing focuses on soil health and sustainability, organic spuds haven’t been sprayed with chemicals which is much better for our health and that of the planet so for me it’s a win, win! Last year, we were treated to some potato-based comedy sketches from the team. Do they have plans to top that? Bethan: We might have plans to continue our Potato themed comedy sketches, they were definitely a product of Covid when we all needed a laugh. The versatility of potatoes does give a lot of scope for jokes. We have been showing last-year’s comedy sketches in between our potato talks today and the audiences are still laughing! Leaving Andy and Bethan to get on with running the show, I picked up some onion and shallot bulbs to go with my treasure trove of tatties. At the checkout, I remembered NOGS’ decision to keep the costs the same as last year. They are keen to ensure the potatoes are affordable for everyone, so they’ve resisted the urge to hike the price, unlike many sellers. I definitely appreciated that because it left enough change for a visit to the Potato Day café for a cuppa and well-earned slice of cake, as well as a few purchases from the local producers' stalls. On the way out. Andy tells me that Potato Day has been even more popular than last year, showing me the now empty tables, sold out of spuds by 12.30pm. It looks like local gardeners can rely on it cheering up January for years to come! NOGS Potato Day took place on 27 January 2024

L @nottinghamorganicgardeners

fashion

Waste Not, Want Not words: Addie Kenogbon photo: Anna Rose Heaton

Next month, The Ethical Atelier, a popular sustainable fashion event which has been a big hit in Derby since its launch three years ago, will be making its Notts debut at Cleaver & Wake’s upstairs event space, offering eco-savvy fashion lovers a chance to shop for sustainable brands and learn how to foster more mindful and environmentally friendly shopping habits. We caught up with event organiser, business owner and sustainable textile activist, Abigail Wastie to find out more about her upcoming event… With a surname like ‘Wastie’ it seems almost ironic that Abi would end up working in the world of sustainable activism, but it’s a passion she had many years before she married and adopted her husband’s surname. “For me, it's been a lifelong interest based on ethics in manufacturing. When I was a kid, I used to get my class to write to Tony Blair to petition for better trade laws outside of the EU. I've always had a curiosity and a passion for the connection between how we shop and how it affects the people that are involved in the chain,” she says. Following those early years, this interest and ethical mindset affected the way Abi shopped, with her pledging at the age of eighteen not to shop at highstreet brands, and opting to instead shop at charity shops. Abi then went on to embark on a career in textiles and garment development which saw her work at companies such as Paul Smith, but after tiring of being unable to afford to shop at ethical fashion brands in her early twenties, she began to make her own clothes. “I wanted to buy and wear skinny jeans and you couldn't get them in the charity shops at that time, so I started to make them. I then started posting the clothes I made on Instagram and started to get requests from people asking if I could teach them how to sew too,” says Abi. It was this that led to the decision to launch her business, Thread of Life, where she teaches people how to sew their own pieces and adopt more sustainable consumer habits. Three years on, the business has evolved into a place where people from all walks of life gather to learn tips and advice for how to be more mindful consumers through engaging workshops and events like next month’s upcoming Ethical Atelier event. During the event, visitors will be able to shop accessories, clothing, jewellery and more, from a range of carefully curated sustainable fashion and preloved clothing brands from across the region. “Most of the companies work solely on a pre-order basis, so there's no overstock. This means you've

not got that issue of waste. All the sellers must go through an application process too, and we don’t take on anyone that is using virgin plastic or virgin resin,’ says Abi.

how they shop, and the engaging panels at each of her events are one way she’s helping to do that. “It's really important to me that the event is just as much about learning as shopping,” she says.

It’s about getting people at a level where they're well informed so that the changes they're making are having the impact that they want

“If I just do a shopping event, it's not really changing anyone's habits,” she adds. “I wouldn't be practising what I preach. I would just be encouraging everyone to keep shopping, and while they're still shopping somewhere far more meaningful and where the money has far more impact, it is still shopping. And that is not, in my mind, the solution. The real solution is to relearn what materials are, what impact they have, what impact our choices have, and to get a better understanding of that.”

Meanwhile, for those who’d like an even more sustainable way to refresh their wardrobe, they’ll be able to take part in a pop-up Big Swap clothes swap, allowing them to trade in their unwanted garments for a range of size-inclusive garments from other swappers. According to recent figures, 65% of fashion buyers care about the environment, but Abi says the problem is people often don’t know where to start. And, with reports of greenwashing increasing each year, for many shoppers, it can be hard to know what to believe. Abi says, “I think there is an appetite for change, but actually when you look statistically at the market, brands like Shein and Boohoo are all still growing exponentially. So it's about trying to capture that appetite and create really accessible options, because at the moment, the pace at which fast fashion is growing is huge. But, when you talk to people, they really care about the environment, they really care about people's well-being and their workplace and textile manufacturing, but it's just harnessing that interest into consumer habits.” It’s believed that the fashion industry produces around 100 billion garments every day, with as much as 92 million tons of clothing ending up in landfills. And, the average person wears an item of clothing approximately seven to ten times before throwing it away, with only twenty percent of textiles collected for reuse or recycling globally. For Abi, a key part of driving change is empowering consumers to make better informed decisions about

Next month’s event will feature two panels where visitors will get the chance to take part in discussions with industry experts and business owners from the fashion world. The panellists, which include freelance journalist and publicist Sophie Benson (British Vogue, The Guardian, DAZED), will be discussing two topics - ‘Textile waste and what is actually happening to our discarded clothes,’ and ‘Demystifying the eco jargon.’ “There’s so much jargon in the fashion world,” says Abi. “When people say, it's recycled or made from recycled plastic bottles, what does that actually mean? Or when they say something is circular, what does that circularity mean? It’s about just getting our heads around it to really simplify those things and making them more digestible and easy to understand.” Abi adds: “On the panel, we've got people who actually work in the industry, who can legitimately tell us from their experience and bring some home truths. Scientifically, as soon as a plastic bottle is turned into a garment, it can't be recycled. Hopefully an event like this gives people that are interested the opportunity to come and they can ask us questions. It's a really open panel. The best way to learn is to ask questions.” The event will take place at 10:30am on 2 March, upstairs in Cleaver & Wake

@threadoflife

Scan to get your tickets to The Ethical Atelier 33

community

A Sanctuary For All

words: Beth Green illustration: Ilinca Sivoglo

The Pastel Project is a grassroots activism group seeking to establish Nottingham as the UK’s first Trans Sanctuary City. With aims including to improve trans healthcare and improve LGBTQ+ education in schools, this project works towards solidarity and support for the trans community and making Nottingham a safe haven for all trans and gender non-conforming people… The Pastel Project started when Sam (he/him), one of the founding members, approached a few other members of the LGBTQ+ community with the idea, including Emma (they/them) and Yasmin (she/ they).. Sam is no stranger to activism, currently working for Stonewall, and having been active in various groups around Nottingham. Emma (they/ them), another of the founders, spoke about Sam’s initial idea; “He wanted to create the first trans sanctuary city, which was inspired by the sanctuary cities in the US for immigrants.” The thinking behind it is to build a safe space for marginalised groups, whether that be immigrants, or in this case trans and gender non-conforming people. “It would make Nottingham a place where trans people can feel safe and supported, to be exactly who they are.” Making Nottingham a ‘sanctuary city’ was always a crucial part of plans. “For us, having that level of commitment from our councillors would outwardly say that this is a safe and welcoming place for trans people,” Yasmin shares. For the Pastel Project, this would be the first step to allow them to grow and do more things with greater ease. There could be funding potential, as well as further internal development if this was to gain enough traction. The Pastel Project are trailblazers right now, but they are hopeful that if they achieve sanctuary status, other cities will be inspired and follow suit. “We ultimately want Nottingham to be the best place to be transgender, gender nonconforming or non-binary.” How did this group grow into what it is now? “We definitely played the chain of, I know a guy,” Yasmin laughs. It’s no surprise that when you’re part of a strong community, you will have a lot of similar connections, which in this case, works highly in your favour. For them, they had access to a wide array of people, with many different skill sets, to help kickstart the Pastel Project. Alongside this, they have been very active on social media, sharing their cause and interacting with comments and messages regularly to get more people onboard. It’s clearly paying off. “What has been the most heartwarming for us, is the amount of people that have reached out and said they’d love to be involved with it – it's been super positive.”

If you’ve kept in touch with the news and media in recent times, you’ll be aware of the appalling injustice the trans community is being subjected to. In a world that in many ways appears to be becoming more ‘woke’ by the day, it’s saddening to learn of the repeated harm that the community faces. Despite

the progressive attitude in the Western world, Yasmin, who tells us they love statistics, explains how they discovered that “the best time to be trans was around ten years ago.” Whether it’s from the media enforcing propaganda, or the continuation of devastating hate crimes, the consensus of the public is shifting negatively. The figures don’t lie; in 2019 the support for trans people being allowed to change their sex on their birth certificate was 53%. Now it stands at thirty percent, a huge drop highlighting how important The Pastel Project is.

When I came out, nobody cared. Now I get a lot more backlash. It’s really intrusive Both Emma and Yasmin spoke of how they’ve seen attitudes change in a way that affects them personally. “When I came out, nobody cared,” says Emma, who came out as non-binary around four years ago. “Now I get a lot more backlash. It’s really intrusive, they want to know why I’m doing this, and what’s in my pants.” Whilst the overall statistics of hate crimes are going down, hate crimes with a motivating factor of transgender identity have failed to. “There’s a lot of misinformation from people who are very anti-trans,” which in turn leads to a societal distrust of trans people. The real question here is are we really becoming a more tolerant and accepting society, or is the target being shifted? It’s clear, now, more than ever, there is a need for joy, the trans community deserve to feel and know that they can be happy. For Yasmin, making Nottingham a trans sanctuary city “isn’t a token gesture, because it means so much to the people who have seen the tides turn.” All the hate can cloud the fact that there is still a lot of love and beauty out there, whic h is what the Pastel Project is aiming to showcase. Why Nottingham? Yasmin lets the numbers do the talking. In the 2021 census, 9.45% of people in Nottingham City Local Authority identified as a gender different to their sex assigned at birth. To compare that across all the local authority districts in the UK, “we’re the sixteenth most gender diverse, and the seventh outside of London… That’s more than Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool.” It’s a huge proportion of people which, without a dedicated area, may feel unseen.

“We end up looking at other cities, such as Manchester, that have a huge level of support. There’s no reason why Nottingham couldn’t replicate some of those positives. We have the numbers, so why doesn’t anybody say Nottingham is a fantastic city to be queer? Manchester champions their gay village, it’s a part of their identity.” Currently there is no dedicated queer space in Nottingham; in fact, most of the queer venues that once existed have now gone. There is no question that when Nottingham Pride is happening, there is that sense of community, love, and belonging. But it is often combined with bitterness knowing that once Monday comes around, everything stops, there is no longer a safe space and you’re left feeling alone once more. Emma’s take is clear, “being proud of your identity isn’t always rainbows and celebrations, it’s also the mundane everyday life.” The Pastel Project has written a letter to local councillors asking for a call to action to put measures in place that will create a more inclusive city. The two of them were unable to share all the details, but did disclose that they’ve had a lot of positive responses already, with a plan to set up meetings and discuss the points laid out. “It’s really exciting to know that there are already people who have been waiting for somebody to bring this,” says Emma. “It’s given us a lot of confidence.” For now, they are putting their energy into a series of focus groups. They previously put an open call out on social media for people to register their interest in attending and be able to share what their most pressing concerns are. Yasmin talks about the creation of the letter, “it was made in Sam’s flat, between the founders, but we need to know what is most important to the wider community. That’s so when we sit down in the council, we know where the red lines are. We want people to be very open and honest, whether that is them disagreeing with certain points, despite signing the overall petition.” They both emphasise how grateful they are for everyone's interactions with everything they’re doing, though are open to any further help. Whether that be from testimonials, likes and shares or attending their focus groups - all are welcome.

L @notts_pastel_project

community

under the bridge words: Trekkah Benjamin

The Under the Bridge project is a men's group that explores the positive mental health impacts of spending time in blue spaces. Established in the spring of 2022, the project has been delivering weekly sessions in, on and around water. Project Coordinator Trekkah Benjamin tells us more… Collaboratively led by Nottingham C.A.N and Bluetonic, the origins of the project were born out of the accelerating rise in mental health statistics, and the enforced impact of isolation felt from the Covid-19 Pandemic. By chance, both organisations met while pitching for seed funding at DanSoups. Realising a synergy within their organisations ambitions and values, the project grew from a intertwining of both organisations specialisms around creative arts and blue water. From this the Under the Bridge Project was born with a collaborative vision of tackling the pressing need of improving access to social activities for males within their local community. The Need Across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire we have seen an extremely high number of young male suicides especially through the pandemic. Although we know that mental health affects everyone, statistics show that suicide rate for males in England and Wales are at an all time high and men account for three quarters of these deaths. Our projects aims to raise awareness about men’s mental health because at the sharp end of the issues men face when dealing with mental health, suicide is still the biggest killer of men under the age of fifty in the UK and men aged fifty to 55 statistically suffer the biggest loss of life due to suicide. It is estimated at least 105,000 men go to hospital each year having attempted suicide. The core aim of our project is to empower participants to connect with the natural surroundings with a focus on blue spaces, promoting togetherness, strengthening support circles and developing confidence all while exploring creativity and forming new support networks. We have created safe spaces for participants to talk about their mental health journeys and also to spend time safely on the water and explore collective creative arts and music making sessions, resulting in showcases and performances along the waterways. Research has shown that going to blue spaces twice a week can increase life expectancy and being around water has been scientifically proven to increase our mental health and contribute to a better physical health. The main driving force of the project is the five ways of well being: -

Active: engaging in activities Connected: to nature, via mindfulness and being in the moment Giving: helping others while helping the

themselves and sharing experiences Connecting: to other people, socialising, forming support groups Learning: to help make meaningful changes and improve mental and physical wellbeing

Under the Bridge Activities Since establishment, the group have taken part in sessions in the water such as cold water dips and swims at Spring Lakes Water Sports Centre, and the group also take part in regular wild swims assisted by trained swim instructors from Bluetonic. Sessions delivered on the water have included a range of watersport activities such as kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding and wakeboarding. Keen to connect with local water-based groups and organisations, the Under the Bridge group have also visited the Long Eaton Sailing Club for introductory sessions around the Trent Lock Area. Activities around the water range from a vast selection of creative arts and music-based activities, mental health and mindfulness activities and group walks that explore surrounding blue water spaces and bridges, while taking part in light touch wellbeing and mental health activities.

Our choir is at the heart of everything we deliver Working alongside external practitioners, we also schedule regular introductory mindfulness and wellbeing activities. These sessions are crucial to offer people attending the sessions activities and techniques that they can take away and utilise outside of the project. Music plays a huge role within our Under the Bridge Project. The original seed of the project design grew from my exploration of sonic qualities of various bridges around the Erewash waterways. When I met Scott Clayton from Bluetonic we were passionate about establishing the Under the Bridge Choir an amateur choir that takes part in taught Choir sessions underneath a variety of Bridges delivered by Edward Reisner.

around campfires and we arrange sessions where we invite contemporary musicians to join our group for a session of bridge exploring; artists such as Dusty 4 Track, Frazer Lowrie and Daudi Matsiko have performed for our group. The project has been gratefully funded through the National Lottery Community Fund, East Midland Railway Community Fund and most recently we were awarded a year's funding through the People’s Project. This funding has enabled us to grow our group and also deliver quarterly residential sessions and host our own community events. Moving Forward We are currently halfway through our year’s program funded by the People’s Project. We have a schedule packed full of sessions in, on and by the water led by professional arts, music and outdoor specialists. Moving forward our focus is to continue making connections with local support services to continue to build our group. We want to develop the people engaging with our sessions and upskill them to become active volunteers and community leaders. Within our newly launched Spring Schedule we have cold water swims, choir sessions, outdoor bouldering sessions and an exciting surfing residential in Scarborough planned. We will also be holding our own community bridge walking festival, where the audience members will get to see a range of musicians performing, with a grand finale performance of the Under the Bridge Choir. The huge ambition at the end of this funding is to host a performance with 100 males singing together in a performance underneath the Trent Lock/ Sawley Bridge, the home of the Under the Bridge Choir. Sign up! Our project is about preventing the likelihood of getting to a place where you feel isolated, so you don’t have to have a mental health problem to join in. All of our sessions are free to attend and delivered mainly around the Erewash Area, with some sessions further afield but transport can be arranged.

Our choir is at the heart of everything we deliver and we have even held a number of public performances where the community is invited to come along and sing along with our group under bridges in various bluewater spaces.

If you are aged over eighteen, male, and are looking to meet new people, take part in new activities and positively improve your mental health - then sign up to The Under the Bridge Project.

We have also scheduled a number of music jam sessions within our Men’s Circle Talking Groups

nottinghamcan.org bluetonic.org.uk

Scan to find out more about Under the Bridge Project leftlion.co.uk/issue16835 35

Out Of Time

words: CJ Debarra

illustration: Sophie Elizabeth

A Tough Act to Follow: The Early History of Nottingham’s Music Halls and the Stars It Created When it comes to the theatre, Nottingham has no shortage of stages, from the Playhouse to Nonsuch to the Theatre Royal. But we don’t often think of the wonderful history of old music halls and their star performers… The music hall was a type of theatrical entertainment from the Victorian era through to just after World War I, when it was replaced by variety shows. Music hall wasn’t always about the music, as it could also be comedy, drama and… drag. While we tend to think of drag in its Ru Paul era, there is a long-standing tradition of female/male impersonators popping up in music halls and public houses across Nottingham as far back as the 1890s. The most notable music hall, and one still in existence in the city, is of course Malt Cross on St James’s Street. Opening in time for Goose Fair in 1877, it boasted live acts, music, food, ale, and according to an advert, “curiosities and specimens too numerous to mention.” The same advert mentioned some curiosities that would be considered offensive today - in a similar respect to some of the acts that used race as a performance in different halls across the city. Acts included orchestras, character comedians and singers. Its major competition came from the new music hall which opened on the site of the old Theatre Royal on St Mary’s Gate. The Royal Alhambra Music Hall opened in 1863 when the Theatre Royal relocated, hosting performances such as ventriloquists, singers and bird imitators. The music halls did produce stars: two of the most famous Nottingham performers being Vesta Tilley and Douglas Byng. Vesta Tilley was born in Worcester before relocating to Nottingham. She first appeared on stage at St George’s Hall at the age of four. Her father, also a performer, was quick to spot her potential going on to become her manager. She was only six when she began male impersonation. As an adult, she became so known for her excellent tailoring that it was said men would take pictures of her suits to their tailors to demand the same. Audiences loved Vesta turning out in their hundreds and often mobbing her when she left a venue. In turn, Vesta loved and never forgot a Nottingham audience. She told Football News Nottingham in 1898: “I do love Nottingham people. Last night I could scarcely get into my cab. There must have been fully five hundred people around it. And how they cheered! It is very encouraging to get such a reception.” Interestingly, Vesta’s fame began at a time when Victorian women were challenging gender roles and campaigning for

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their rights. She was quoted that she felt she could express herself better dressed as a boy. She became one of the highest-paid stars of the time as well as being one of the first to use her name to sell everything from socks to cigars. ‘Nottingham’s idol’ performed across the city throughout her fifty year career most notably at The Empire on South Sherwood Street.

As an adult, she became so known for her excellent tailoring that it was said men would take pictures of her suits to their tailors to demand the same Douglas Byng was another performer, although much later than Vesta, who also made a career from appearing in music halls. Byng was born in Basford to a non-theatrical family who were not supportive of his interest in performing. It was not until the tail end of the music hall era, 1914, that Byng appeared on stage. His performances were known for camp characters such as ‘Milly the Messy Mermaid’. He transitioned from music halls to national theatres and even appeared on the BBC in 1977. Byng was described as a comedian with a “sense of burlesque second to none” in Nottingham papers; he was also a closeted gay man who enjoyed the freedom of theatre. While some of the ‘impersonators’ such as Tilley were straight, others were not. The theatre gave them a way to explore gender and sexuality, as evident in one case that came before the court in 1910. Walter Machin was arrested for gross indecency with a man and brought before Nottingham Assizes, where their “feminine appearance, long hair and high falsetto voice” were noted. While Machin travelled as ‘Mysterious Mabel’ in music halls, this was his fifteenth arrest ‘on suspicion of being a woman.’ The interest in music hall performers and impersonators led to smaller music halls and public houses offering acts. There was fierce competition to find and keep talent.

Varney’s Varieties opened on Weekday Cross as ‘the only establishment of its kind.’ The bill included comedians, burlesque artists and singers. The increasingly good business at Weekday Cross may have inspired Forest Tavern on Mansfield Road. ‘The Old Curiosity Shop’ at the Tavern began offering everything from gymnastics rooms to oddities and performers including female impersonators. Alongside the ‘cat with four perfect hands,’ audiences were treated to Francis Byron and Lola, two female impersonators who sang and did a short comedic act. The acts were so popular that they became nightly by 1892. By the start of the outbreak of war in 1914, the popularity of the music halls was changing. The Malt Cross experienced problems as it lost its licence in 1911 after it gained a reputation for ‘low women and convicted thieves.’ The hall fell into disrepair but was mostly preserved, forming the beloved pub we know today following a refurbishment in 1996. Other halls were not so lucky as the Forest Tavern faded away and Varney’s Varieties closed. The Alhambra closed in 1883 after being refused a theatrical licence. Even Vesta Tilley began leaving her ‘male persona’ behind, staging a goodbye at Nottingham’s Hippodrome on Goldsmith Street in 1910 as “cheer upon cheer rang out in the building.” The shift to the Hippodrome marked the start of varieties taking over from music halls. Gone were the set-ups that allowed (usually) men to sit, drink and smoke while being encouraged to get rowdy. A new era of seated performance in theatres was ushered in, with the Hippodrome going as far as to state it would not sell alcoholic drinks at one stage. Still, there were many performers at the Hippodrome, most notably Harry Houdini the escape artist, who appeared in 1909 escaping from a straight jacket and being padlocked and submerged into a tank full of water. Many of the stars of music hall era performances went on to develop theatre acts but struggled to translate that into the silver screen when cinema took over in the 1920s. Numerous theatres, such as the Hippodrome that replaced music halls, were themselves replaced by cinemas, and today music halls live on in modern drag and variety shows around the city.

H T U TR OR

words: Jay Sandhu and Zach Bromberg-McCarthy illustration: Natalie Owen

We’re Jay and Zach, best friends since going to primary school together in Notts we love the city and love finding the interesting, odd and exciting things happening around our hometown. Each month we’re going to be running around, (sometimes literally), bringing you the best that Notts has to offer -- starting at J and ending at Z. You can follow our journey @fromJtoZee on Instagram.

J: Month ‘K’ brings an equally new experience, for one of us anyway, and introduces Zach to the Khalsa, the Sikh community. I wanted to take Zach to the Gurdwara (Sikh Temple) and let him experience it himself. Z: Like many, I have a complicated relationship with God. I think I believe in something but I'm not sure what, and over the years I've been equally attracted towards and away from religion. The community and belonging bit is great. The certainty faith brings, is reassuring. There are, however, many things that seem not so great. But that's quite enough of my inner turmoil! J: Along with Khalsa the letter K crops up again in the 5 K’s, these are the Kesh (uncut hair), Kangha (comb), Kachera (undergarment), Kirpan (small curved sword/knife) and the Kara (bracelet, most recognisable. usually made of iron or steel (no fancy metals) to show that everyone is equal). A big part of Sikhism is that everyone is equal and as a result of this, we want to feed anyone and everyone! Z: And I am very much here for it. We head into the Gurdwara, cover our heads, approach the Manji Sahib (altar), kneel, touch our heads to the floor, make an offering and walk away, not turning our backs as a sign of respect and take our place on the floor. A Gyani/Giani (sometimes a Granthi)

Is reading from the Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh holy book). I get handed Prasad, a sweet paste, which is hard to describe but kind of like a warm cake batter. Then you sit, listen, and reflect internally, it’s a meditative experience, which I found to be calming and comforting. After a while, the Gyani Is replaced by a group of people who sing and play instruments. J: After some time, we went downstairs to the Langar Hall, (community kitchen). Langar is to provide everyone in need of food, irrespective of their caste, class, religion or gender. Again Langar is to show that everyone is equal. And they always give you way too much to eat! Z: Which totally makes sense if you've been to Jay or his parents' house. You can arrive straight from a ten-course dinner, but you cannot leave without eating and drinking something. J: For me, it was an interesting experience because I’d not told Zach about any of the little quirks of the Gurdwara (definitely not because I forgot and do them second nature) and enjoyed seeing him discover them during his time. And I loved showing Zach even further into a part of my culture!

LEG END? TH E CA S E FO R NOTTSVAN A As the home of Robin Hood, Nottingham is no stranger to long disputed legendary tales. While some say never let the truth get in the way of a good story, here at LeftLion we enjoy a bit of digging to try and separate the fact from the fiction in our city’s strange and wonderful history. To kick things off, since this month is all about the joys of noise, we’re going to delve into some musical trivia from the nineties… Almost thirty years since the music stopped and the cult status of Nirvana continues to reach far and wide, but within their legendary international fame, there are a number of surprising links between the nineties grunge rockers from Seattle and our own fair city. Beginning with some internet sleuthing, we discovered an online anecdote written by a fan, telling how he took Kurt, Krist and Dave Christmas shopping in Notts back in ‘91. The same day, Kurt also poached said fan’s jumper in exchange for a guestlist pass to their Rock City show that evening. While we can’t fully verify this personal account, buying baubles in M&S with Nirvana reads like a very fun fever dream. The band did indeed play the venue on December 3, 1991, just a few months after the release of the indomitable Nevermind and Smells Like Teen Spirit. As a newly minted band we can imagine them fancying a nose around the shops pre-show, so we’d like to believe this little tale to be truth. Strangely, there’s another jumper related story linking Nirvana and

Nottingham (Kurt did seem to like a good woolly pullover), this time from musician Chris Black, of the local band Riff Bastard. While at a gig in his home town of Belfast, Black was accosted by bouncers who believed he was crowd surfing and was receiving a bit of a bollocking out the back. When Hole singer and Kurt’s girlfriend Courtney Love intervened and took Black backstage, she quickly began admiring his jumper, proceeded to pull out some cash (£37 to be exact) and offered to buy it off him. Gifted to Kurt, this turned out to be the famous black and red ‘Dennis the Menace’ jumper which he was photographed wearing numerous times. Lastly, and we can confirm this tasty bit of trivia to be truth, the band’s first ever UK tour was, believe it or not, booked from a flat in Belton Street, Hyson Green. It was 1989, and promoter and club owner Russell Warby had fallen in love with the band’s first single Love Buzz. Knowing talent when he heard it, Warby quickly got on the blower to arrange a tour, booking them for eight dates across the country. words: Sophie Gargett

L @fromJtoZee

10 NOTTING H A M GIGS YO U WIS H YO U’D S E EN If it seems unthinkable that Kurt & co once walked the streets of Notts and made a wonderful racket on the Rock City stage, there’s even more gigs you will probably wish you’d been at over the years. Here’s our top ten: 1. The Beatles (Elizabethan Ballroom, 1963) 2. Adele (Bunkers Hill, 2007) 3. David Bowie (Rock City, 1997) 4. Amy Winehouse (Rock City, 2007) 5. Rage Against the Machine (1993) 6. Radiohead (The Imperial, 1992) 7. Beyoncé (Motorpoint Arena, 2007) 8. The Jimi Hendrix Experience (Theatre Royal, 1967) 9. Tina Turner (Royal Concert Hall, 1984) 10. B.B. King (Rock City, 1982)

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BEST OF THE MONTH Etta Marcus When: Friday 2 February Where: The Bodega How much: £14.30

The Classic Rock Show When: Saturday 11 February Where: Theatre Royal How much: £32.50 to £47.50

Etta Marcus’ gig is not one to be missed. This Brixton born artist’s music is reminiscent of Phoebe Bridgers and Lana Del Rey. Her elegant songwriting offers striking portraits of self-sabotage, self-destructive relationships, careless burnouts riddled with regret and pushing away those you love. She has also taken inspiration from Radiohead and her writing is influenced by her love for poetry. If this sounds like a bit of you, get yourself to The Bodega for a night of ethereal music and lyrical genius.

The Classic Rock Show pays tribute to some of the most prominent figures in rock music history such as AC/ DC, Queen, Led Zeppelin, The Who and more. This show brings back iconic hits and with its amazing sound while also featuring a visually astounding light show. You won’t regret booking tickets to listen to famous anthems, riffs, solos and show stopping guitar duels. A truly rock and roll night out in rebel city.

Rick Astley When: Thursday 22 February Where: Motorpoint Arena How much: From £39.48

Artistic Spectrum: Exhibition & Gig When: Saturday 24 February Where: The Old Bus Depot How much: Free (£5.50 after 7.30pm)

Rick Astley’s tour is in celebration of his latest album release Are We There Yet? Having sold over forty million records worldwide, his career spans thirty years and his latest album has been long awaited by many fans. At the Nottingham show, he’ll be joined by special guest Belinda Carlisle. Are you really going to give this one up? We don’t think so - we’ll see you there.

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A showcase of multi-disciplinary creatives featuring the artists highlighted in January’s LeftLion article written by I’m Not From Brooklyn’s Louis Cypher, aka CypherSoreEyes. Come along to see the lesser known visual art made by local musicians, including Ali Bonsai, Chloe Rodgers, Jack Wolff and more. Expect mini exhibitions, art for sale, a selection of music throughout the evening, and lots of creative vibes.

Valentines with Me & Mr Jones Quartet When: Wednesday 14 February Where: Peggy’s Skylight How much: £10 - £12

Nabil Abdulrashid: The Purple Pill When: Thursday 15 February Where: Metronome How much: £16.50

This Valentine's Day special features the soulful sounds of Me & Mr Jones, a musical project by Rachel and Paul. Prior to setting up Peggy’s Skylight, Rachel and Paul performed both separately and together in many settings. Their bluesy and breathtaking performance is the perfect romantic way to spend Valentine's Day with a loved one or would make a fun night out with friends.

With 83.2k followers on Instagram, it’s clear that Nabil Abdulrashid has built up an audience with his comedy. The Purple Pill, has been called “urgent, uncompromising and refreshingly radical fare” by The Telegraph. His show is about trying to be a good person while still being a badman and draws on his life experiences adding humour to the everyday. This rising comedy star has been on Britain’s Got Talent, Live at the Apollo, Have I Got News for You and The Big Narstie Show.

Beans on Toast When: Sunday 25 February Where: Rescue Rooms How much: £18

Paul Mpagi Sepuya: Exposure When: Throughout February Where: Nottingham Contemporary How much: Free

This exciting artist captivates the heart and mind with his tales of love, politics and the human experience, Beans is unafraid to challenge the status quo with his wit and soul-stirring lyricism. His songs celebrate human life and resonate deeply with his listeners. This tour will be the debut outing for the new ‘Beans on Toast Band’ which is a collection of musical misfits and talented troublemakers from around the country bringing the new album to life alongside some Beans classics.

Sepuya is an LA based artist and this show is the first time his work has been shown in the UK. The exhibition brings forty works together across 400 square metres of gallery space. His works explore the relationship between camera, subject and viewer. The people who feature in his works are his loved ones, friends, and members of the queer communities.

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