Dot To Dot Festival 2023

Catmilk:

Listening to a Catmilk recording you will be in awe of Alex's gentle vocals and the calm backing accompanying, and yet get to a Catmilk show and this is completely flipped in the best possible way. As a four-piece band took to the stage playing energised renditions of these
songs breathing a whole new life into them!

Opening song 'The Man Who Was a Horse' saw the band hit the stage with a huge sound, which was continued through shredded guitar solos, hard-hitting drums, and groovy basslines. Catmilk are already brilliant on record, but are soon to be world-beaters if they carry on these live performances. Plus any band that can write a song about 'Debbie' (a dehumidifier) is an instant favourite in my books

Pet Needs

Pet Needs are going to be the UKs next big band, it really is as simple as that, and when an established artist like Frank Turner agrees, it's basically a fact! Johnny opens their set screaming out the opening lines to 'Lost Again' and it is clear every member of the audience who has never been to a Pet Needs show, is instantly hooked. The set is filled with hits and crowd-pleasers from both Pet Needs albums, performed with more energy than I've ever felt in my life. 

Crowd participation was non-stop throughout the set, arms in the air, heads banging and feet dancing. Later songs such as 'Kayak' and "Toothpaste' provide easy opportunities for those who don't know the words to partake in the sing-alongs, before 'Get On The Roof brings the set to a close in a blaze of glory. If you haven't been to a Pet Needs show yet, change that!

Meryl Streek

I've been to a vast number of concerts now, crossing all genres, backgrounds and venues, and yet no-one has ever portrayed such 
genuine raw emotion to a crowd as Meryl Streek did. Opening his set with 'The Start' you are instantly made to feel like you know Meryl's life story, as he chants with such conviction, and yet his songs are written in such a way you feel like he's also singing your own life story

As the set went on the crowd that were initially hesitant to move were in the palm of his hands, Meryl could literally make a stone mosh. By the time big hitters like 'Demon' and 'Educated Mates' were played every single person in The Bodega was hooked on Meryl, with the final song 'If This Is Life' feeling like the perfect 'goodbye for now' to end an incredible set

SOFY

Many put SOFY down as "the popstar of tomorrow", yet walking into the room and being unable to see the stage due to the sheer mass of people desperate to see her live, it is clear that "tomorrow' has come early. SOFY is an outright star, mixing pop and indie to create a sound anyone can love. With relatable lyrics, catchy choruses and a live band that bring a whole new level to her songs, there is no reason why SOFY cant become one of this generation's most loved stars.

Her set was bound to be a crowd pleaser when massive singles 'Big Talk' and 'Strawberry Milkshake' were featured, but the insanely 
positive reaction to two unreleased songs Ashley Cole Type Beat' and 'No Drama' shows the next huge single is just round the corner.
 

Nell Mescal

Our anticipation for Nell Mescal's set was huge. Nell received the most votes in our 'who to watch' poll, and as soon as the opening to 'Cutting Ties' began it was easy to see why. Nell and her band played every song with the ability and chemistry of a band who have played a million gigs together, and yet the enthusiasm and enjoyment of a band making their debut.

Nell's personality and humour shone throughout the set, jokingly reassuring the audience that ' Hate You' is not aimed at them, and then when it came to performing the songs her live vocals were sensational. Nell's set finished with 'In My Head' her most recent single, and you wouldn't even need to listen past the first line to know how well that song has connected with her audience

ARXX

If proudly declaring that a crowd means "more to you than Donuts" doesn't tell you everything you need to know about 'ARXX' then I don't know what will. The fun-loving duo had the most incredible stage presence, with the chemistry from the two of them radiating across the whole room, and yet the music was as hard hitting as it comes. ARXX mastered their way through the set playing anthems like 'Couldn't Help Myself and "The Last Time', with every person in the room gleaming from ear to ear. 

Finishing their song 'What Have You Done' with a cover of Cher's Believe' provided a great opportunity before a crowd sing along, 
eventually finishing their set with a rousing rendition of 'Ride or Die'. Never have I seen such heavy rock be played in such an upbeat manner, yet all I know is I'm addicted and want my next dose

Iona Zajac

The age old question - What happens when you combine "an imaginary band", a cup of tea, and a song about "really good sex"? Well it turns out one of the most angelic performances you will ever see! 
Iona Zajac took the stage with a mix of incredible music, soft-spoken humour, and one of the best voices you will hear. Early songs such as 'Rubbish Jubilee' and Summer created the most unique atmosphere throughout the venue, a respectful deep silence from an audience
desperate to hear every single sound that came from Iona and her guitar. The set continued with a number of soulful hits like 'Murder Mystery' and 'Bang' before closing with 'Dilute" which is up there as one of my songs of the day.

What made this performance even more impressive was it was Iona's first ever time in Nottingham, yet the crowd took to her like they were supporting a local future-star!

Tapir!

If ever you wanted to instantly grab an audiences attention, walking on stage with Papier-mâché Tapir heads is certainly one way to do it!

The challenge then comes to keep this attention, however what followed was a set that felt like the brilliantly twisted lovechild of Alt-J and The Black Keys. Fittingly starting with their song 'Opening', Tapir! Immediately flexed their musical prowess, and what followed was a set
packed full of catchy songs using almost every instrument under the sun. Feel-good tunes like 'On A Grassy Knoll' even saw members play multiple instruments each

This was certainly one of the most unique sets I've been to, yet also one of the most impressive

Young Decades:

The opening set at a festival is never easy, yet Young Decades made it seem lightwork. There was an air of pre-gig awkwardness in the room, with people clinging to walls as much as possible, no one wanting to be the first person to step towards the stage and
let loose... But as soon as the opening song "Man on Mars' began, all of this went out the window

What followed was a 30 minute set of epic anthems, where you couldn't help but lose yourself in the music. The bands biggest song 
'sinner' had every member of the audience moving, and newest single Juliette' cemented them as an early contender for crowd favourites

The Cost of Loving:

Dot to Dot marked the trio's first ever live performance, yet as you walked into the packed out Bodega Bar for the venues first 
performance of the day you were greeted with 3 musicians possessing a chemistry that some bands spend their whole careers chasing.

The band opened with 'Point des Arts' immediately showing the crowd what to expect - synth based indie anthems like no other. 'The Motions' and 'Self-Care' followed and it was clear that the crowd had been completely sold on The Cost of Loving. By the time they began their set closer 'Esports Player' there wasn't a single person in the room not desperate for more!

Alfie Wallace

The sign of a good performer is their ability to play small shows as if they're headlining festivals, and as soon as the opener 'Tourist of the Earth' rang out, it was clear that's where Alfie is heading. His clever lyrics, matched with the sound of a live band at the top of their game, show they're not only here to stay, but here to take over. The middle of the set saw Alfie navigate through new singles and past 
collaborations with ease, and by the time Alfie announced his final song 'Without You', the audience size had doubled.

It is obvious that this is a group destined for the big stage

Wizards Can't Be Lawyers

A 'TBC' slot at Bodega bar left an opportunity for a local band to step up and show what they're made of;
'Wizards Cant Be Lawyers' did this and then some..
The smaller stage meant the band were almost overflowing into the crowd, yet this felt fitting with the room absolutely heaving. Their massive riffs had heads banging, and their strong stage presents meant the room was in the palm of their hands

For a band with little social media presence, who have only recently started gigging together, the hype around them was incredible, and they are clear ones to watch