Bloodworm, Davoli, SPRINTS, The Horrors
Pageant Preview: Dot To Dot 2025,
Might 19, 2025
Pictures by Adam Houghton
Net Unique
2025 shall be Dot To Dot’s twentieth yr as an inside metropolis pageant. In that point, it has showcased many nice artists who, in consequence, have develop into family names from The 1975, Wolf Alice and Fontaines D.C to record off a few of its alumni.
Dot to Dot has been nothing wanting successful, proving itself as one of many in style festivals of these equal to it. This yr, the Nottingham leg can boast 20 completely different phases to Bristol’s 12, and but each nonetheless supplies a catalyst for future native expertise and established artists. The success of the occasion over the previous 20 years is paramount to this. As we method the financial institution vacation weekend (Twenty fourth-Twenty fifth Might), listed below are a number of the acts, a few of whom are welcomed again, which are anticipated to get Nottingham rocking (the Bristol leg takes place the day earlier than – Saturday Twenty fourth).
Final yr’s affair had all of it, with headline performances from Jockstrap, Wunderhorse and Anthony Szmierek proving to be a number of the most fun units within the pageant’s current historical past. This yr is certain to be no completely different with headline slots from The Horrors, Fats Canine and Irish outfit, SPRINTS positive to reverberate throughout town centre.
Nevertheless, as with every yr of the pageant, our consideration turns to the native skills who goal to lift their profile and get a foothold inside the native music scene. At Below the Radar, it’s crucial that we do that to honour the various bands and artists hoping to realize additional attraction and success.
With out additional ado, listed below are our picks for the artists to look out for at this yr’s Nottingham leg of Dot to Dot pageant.
Bloodworm: The Palais 15:15 – 15:45
The Nottingham post-punk trio smashed it on the Metronome eventually yr’s pageant, so it was solely becoming for them to return this yr. With the appeal offensive perspective of frontman George Curtis, Bloodworm are a band which are as likeable and relatable as they’re proficient and hip on stage. Curtis, along with his swagger and barely awkward demeanor possesses an genuine pleasure that’s positive to return to fruition on Sunday. With influences starting from Echo and Bunnymen to Bauhaus and The Birthday Occasion, Bloodworm brings the sharpness of gothic post-punk injected with a ferocious perspective to match.
Blood Wizard: Metronome 15;00 – 15:30
One other Nottingham act to realize excessive native reward, Blood Wizard, fronted by Cai Burns, previously of grunge trio Cagoule, are set to open the Metronome stage. The duo, who at the moment are based mostly within the different music melting pot that’s South London, have launched their second album and have just lately been touring with Nottingham’s newest huge hitters: Divorce. Album 2 has seen the duo diversify into extra melodic pastures, while sustaining an undercurrent of their hazy grunge roots. Tracks like “sciencefiction” and “Grinning William” showcase this shift very nicely, the previous being extra delicate and cute versus the latter’s immensely fascinating sensibility. As this in a gap present, at Metronome it’s actually one to pencil in as a fantastic start line for the day forward.
Cardinals: Rescue Rooms 20:00 – 20:30
Hailing from town of Cork, Cardinals are a band who emerged from the post-Fontaines D.C punk scene in Eire. While teams like The Homicide Capital and Wunderhorse have had the Irish different music baton handed to them from Fontaines, the Cork quintet are eager to show that Eire’s second metropolis has as a lot of a voice than the capital. A band, who often dressed head-to-toe in black denim and leather-based, their outfits would optimize their sound – a synthetic concoction of My Bloody Valentine, Interpol and Brian Jonestown Bloodbath. The discharge of their self-titled EP final yr was met with a lot acclaim and proved to be considered one of 2024’s hidden gems. Jangly, fuzz-laden riffs complemented with sonorous vocals, and punchy drums give off an up-lifting vitality to maintain us alert and sharp.
Davoli: The Grove 20:00 – 20:30
Davoli are a bunch of many skills. The band’s talisman, Jacob is a jack of all trades (no pun supposed). The mission has simply launched a brand new EP with Jess Beer, who herself is proving to be an up and coming vocalist, proven by her look with the group on stage and within the studio. Davoli’s primary enchantment is their homage to the swift laurel canyon sounds of mid-60s America in addition to an admiration of movie scores of the period, assume Moricone and Mancini and their distinctive course of of making soundscapes. This magnified consideration to element is certain to play out nicely inside the intimacy of The Grove.
Greg Freeman: The Bodega 16:00 – 16:30
Hailing from Burlington, Vermont, Greg Freeman has been described as somebody who offers in “biblical deluges, apocalyptic fever goals and inexperienced mountain malaise”. Following on from his well-received debut LP I Regarded Out, Greg is because of launch the follow-up, Burnover, in August. Greg’s music is vivid and dreamy and channels the apex of distinctive vocalists like Pavement’s Stephen Malkmus, Elliot Smith and Father John Misty. His materials is underpinned by robust, narrative pushed songs that transport us to the barren midwest and the struggles of the lonesome traveler on the highway, passing from city to city seeking journey. This curiosity is certain to resonate with revelers passing from venue to venue when the pageant is in full swing.
My First Time: The Bodega Bar 22:30 – 23:00
Contemporary-faced outfit, My First Time are positive to convey the joy to the Nottingham leg of Dot to Dot as a lot as to the band’s native Bristol present. The quartet have gained a gradual quantity of recognition from each BBC Introducing and demos performed on Radio 1’s Rock Present and BBC 6 Music. The band’s newest single “A lot Higher” sees them undertake traditional 2000s indie riffs akin to White Stripes, Interpol and The Strokes with delicate nods to digital music added to the combo. This vitality and enthusiasm is certain to go down nicely with the Bodega crowd.
Pencil: Tough Commerce 20:15 – 20:45
So far as artists from different bands go, Cai Burns, lead guitar of Pencil, has loads on his plate forward of this yr’s Dot to Dot. Following on from his efficiency as Blood Wizard at Metronome, he joins the remainder of his gang with pencil at Tough Commerce. The quintet have explored deeper, extra summary ideas on their newest EP Bohemian Muddle. From exploring completely different areas and human interactions and the novelties of consuming in a restaurant, the fabric is as complicated as it’s compelling. Their influences vary from Stereolab to Smog to 60s Latin Jazz. These varied influences ought to convey one thing calmer to the standard raucous environment of Tough Commerce.
Rain Age: The Grove 18:00 – 18:30
One other act returning to grace Dot to Dot, Rain Age, who swap The Chapel at The Angel for The Grove this yr, are a main instance of amplified recognition within the Nottingham music scene. Being requested again for a pageant two years in a row is not any imply feat and this could put them in good stead for his or her slot at The Grove. Regardless of not having performed for various months as a consequence of varied artistic initiatives, primarily, frontman Kieran Poole launching his innovative arts and tradition journal Sprawl, this shall be a extremely set in addition to a testomony to the expertise and inventive will amongst artists regardless of the time restrictions they could have.
Soaper: The Angel 23:30 – 00:00
Husband and Spouse duo, Soaper hail from the depths of Lincolnshire and are not any strangers to enjoying in and round Nottingham. The duo, who’ve simply completed a leg of their spring tour are as a consequence of launch their second single “Breaking Up” simply previous to their look at Dot to Dot. Akin to a modern-day White Stripes low fi arrange, regardless of the White Stripes being a cliched comparability, this duo take the notion of “couple objectives” to a brand new degree by obliterating their devices with all of the fury on the planet. This shall be one the place ear plugs are a requirement. In any other case, the ringing received’t cease.
Sam Shaw and The Actual Eyes: 31k 15:00 – 15:30
Sam Shaw has come a good distance from his work as a collaborating musician with Boshe on his debut album Hypnosis from 2022. Now along with his band The Actual Eyes, he has morphed right into a multifaceted artist trying to department into psychedelia with music from outdoors the ether. The help from BBC Introducing and Nusic, an area music collective, has propelled Sam to develop into considered one of Nottingham’s hidden gems amongst the plethoric mine of musical output. The group’s newest single “Mirrorball” enhances Sam’s skill as an inquisitive artist trying to transcend the pale. This ever-expanding knack for creativity supported by layers of intricate layers of instrumentation ought to make for a mesmerizing set that can ship you right into a state of hallucinogenic contentment.
For extra info together with SET TIMES go to the Official Dot To Dot web site.
