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A Magazine for Sheffield

Issue 100 July 2016

Given that we’re supposed to take a break over summer, we weren’t sure if we’d be able to pull our fingers out and get this special 100th issue of Now Then together in time, let alone find the money to print it.

In truth it came right down to the line, but I’m glad we did, because it’s been really fun and actually quite emotional digging through the last 99 issues, reflecting on our wins and our losses. As James, one of the founders of Now Then, attests in his piece on page 8, we’ve had plenty of both over the last eight years.

As a seed tossed hopefully into the grassroots in April 2008, Now Then has grown slowly but surely into something we are all proud of. We knew the soil was rich and fertile, but we were amateur gardeners at best, wielding improvised tools and faithful guesswork. Seasons came and went, and much to our surprise we are still standing.

This magazine is written by the people of Sheffield, for the people of Sheffield, so that makes you the fertiliser. You, who made your voice heard through Now Then. You, who picked it up, read it cover to cover, plastered it on your walls, told your friends. You, who submitted your artwork, your band’s first EP, your photos, your opinions, your hopes for the city. You, who put your money where your mouth was, going on to become regular clients, independent allies and good friends.

It might sound overblown, but without you we might have given up on tending to these branches a long time ago. That said, we know there is still plenty of work to do, and we relish the prospect.

We have assembled a dream team line up of past featured artists for this issue, all with links to Sheffield. Elsewhere, we’ve got a section about Year of Making (p26-31), an extended album reviews section covering our writers’ Best of Sheffield selections, interviews with Mark Archer of Altern8 and local net radio station UK Mondo, and more special 100th issue content.

As ever, get in touch if you have something to say. Over and out.

Our 100th issue mix comes from local homegrown talent, Sniff.

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This month's articles

Localcheck 100 not out

“Now then?” This familiar greeting is all it takes to get into a cheerful chat with a stranger at any bus stop in Sheffield. Our city…

Council Axe The Rhythm of Society

The state is the drum of our land. The rhythm. The standard. The law. The Council beats alongside the massed percussion of central…

Our Fair City: Be A Champion

The murder of Jo Cox, MP for Batley and Spen, on 16 June shocked Britain. As such, the tone of this article has changed from the original…

Cocktails

Recipe from The Great Gatsby Serves 1 25ml Tapatio Blanco Tequila 12.5ml Creme De Cassis 25ml Fresh lemon juice 12.5ml Agave syrup …

Year of Making: Makers and Doers

10-18 June, Bloc Projects sheffieldfringe.com Running in parallel to the super-slick Doc/Fest, Bloc Projects have held their own…

Sound The Clash at The Mucky Duck

4 July 2016 marks the 40th anniversary of a very notable debut which took place in Sheffield, namely punk legends The Clash’s first live…

Listings : A healthy fringe

It’s less than a decade old, but Tramlines is firmly embedded in Sheffield’s cultural calendar. Like many of the guitar-wielding boys in…

Altern8: Old School Masters

Beat Herder Festival, an annual convention of the North's silliest and wonkiest smiles, sprawls itself giddily once more across the…

Headsup UK Mondo

UK Mondo is Sheffield’s newest online radio station, showcasing the city’s leading electronic lights and fulfilling a demand for local DJs…

Filmreel Doc/Fest and Listings

It’s unsurprising that SEED: The Untold Story (Siegel & Betz, 2016) received the Environmental Award at this year’s Doc/Fest. A…