Across:
1 Sutherland dismisses nuts ('Sutherland' dismisses 'nuts' = herlad = HERALD) in the paper (HERALD newspaper),
4 Showed affection (CARESSED) on The Road (CAR-) for director (-D) behind (= positional indicator) clip of (n) German city (‘Essen’ without ‘n’ = -ESSE-) (CARESSED),
9 It’s miles away perhaps (ABSENT) from baked (= anagram indicator) beans (beans = ABSEN-) on top of toast (top of ‘Toast’ = -T) (ABSENT),
10 Go beyond The Convention (INFRINGE) Centre to find (centre to ‘fINd’ = IN-) arena (-RING-) clad in iron (Fe = -F-E) (INFRINGE),
12 Many French monarchs had this name (18 Kings of France called LOUIS-) for a fair amount of (half of) Indian (half of ‘indIAN’ = IAN-) area (-A) (LOUISIANA) on Texas border (LOUISIANA),
13 Hoes (hoes = HO-SE) ground (= anagram indicator) around river (-R-) (HORSE) – presumably the Russian Don? (Russian Don/breed of HORSE named after Don River in Russia),
14 Bread (MONEY-) and port (port/left = -L-) is a concern for the author (-ENDING) (MONEYLENDING) taking an interest while handing over notes (MONEYLENDING),
18 Drinks before closing time (PARTING SHOTS) leads to insulting exchange between those splitting (PARTING SHOTS),
21 A herb (a herb) doctor (= anagram indicator) (a herb = REHAB) produced a course of treatment (REHAB),
22 Can’t live without (NEEDS) grape juice (MUST) (NEEDS MUST) and it’s unavoidable (NEEDS MUST),
24 US State (MISSOURI) address (MISS-) at old (-O-), old city (-UR-) institute (-I) (MISSOURI),
25 No art in satirical (no ‘art’ in ‘satirical’ = siical = SILICA) piece coming from The Stones perhaps (SILICA),
26 Novice (learner = L-) is inseparable (-ONE-) from a handful of (-SOME) (LONESOME) missing people (LONESOME),
27 A name given to the FBI (AGENTS) by barman (Attorney General = AG-) taking ecstasy (-E-) with Poles (North + South Poles = N-S) over time (-T-) (AGENTS).
Down:
1 Held a map (held a map) out (= anagram indicator) (held a map = HEADLAMP) helping the viewer to see in the dark (HEADLAMP),
2 Saving (RESCUING) for various (= anagram indicator) nice rugs (nice rugs = RESCUING),
3 Gives credit (LENDS) to steel band losing a bet (‘steel band’ losing ‘a bet’ = selnd = LENDS),
5 Similar to one of those in 15 down (ANNUAL is similar to one of ‘yearbooks’) going to public house (-INN-) welcomed by the German (‘the’ German = der = D-ER) (ANNUAL DINNER) gathering of club members once a year (ANNUAL DINNER),
6 See orphan (see orphan) off (= anagram indicator) (see orphan = EARPHONES) with those primed for a private reception? (EARPHONES),
7 Small (S-) admission (-ENTRY) (SENTRY) by one of those at The Gate (SENTRY),
8 What you might call someone in Munich (DIETER) who isn’t a bad loser? (DIETER),
11 Lose it (HAVE A TANTRUM) in rave (HAVE A TANTRUM),
15 Classy keepsakes (YEARBOOKS) in 1984 perhaps (year book = YEARBOOK-)? Top secret! (top ‘Secret’ = -S) (YEARBOOKS),
16 The answer (SOLUTION) is in the clue? (SOLUTION),
17 The residue from the fire (ASH-) pit ultimately (‘piT’ ultimately = -T-) from fishes (-RAYS) (ASHTRAYS) containing the remains of those that have been smoked (ASHTRAYS),
19 The original (PRIMAL) po-faced (PRIM-) gangster (-AL Capone) (PRIMAL),
20 The exclusive group (The CHOSEN) in Switzerland (CH-) love (-O-) putting up (= reverse indicator) tree house (nest), for the most part (t) (‘nest’ without ‘t’ = nes = -SEN) (CHOSEN),
23 Brings up (= reverse indicator) great (-G) and minor criticisms (nits = STIN-) (STING) in The Queen’s defence? (bee STING).