For three days in October, masses of the latest and greatest up-and-coming acts from the UK and Europe can be found, gathered on street-corners and in the smoking areas of Rotterdam, for a celebration of all things new music.
The self-proclaimed “alternative showcase festival” is now into its fifth edition and Left of the Dial impressively boasts over 100 acts, playing in 14 venues sprawled across the tram-carved city. With stages built into clubs, boats, churches and dance halls, the festival – which features no headliners and sees each act play multiple sets over the weekend – ensures you get the opportunity to soak in the city’s dazzling architecture whilst you also discover a new favourite band. And there’s something for everyone with Left of the Dial bringing together a whole host of bands across the sonic spectrum – including psych, punk, rock, shoegaze, post-punk, folk, synth-pop and everything in-between.
The true joy of the festival, however, is it all its playful details. The merch stand where band tees are screenprinted before your very eyes. A country line dancing course where the first 25 participants get a festival branded cowboy hat. There’s the vaunted ‘Bands on a Boat’ where lucky ticket holders get the chance to see such buzzy London acts as Tummyache and Hot Face while sailing around Rotterdam’s harbour. And, finally, there’s a wonderfully memorable opening ceremony where punters congregate to catch a ‘pirate ship’ sail past, adorned in flag-wavers, an inflatable luchador tube character and Brixton Windmill cult favourite Pink Eye Club rocking the waves with his irreverent disco-pop. That’s Left of the Dial for you; unique, welcoming and gloriously on the pulse.
During a very wet and rather cold weekend, we took on the task of cherry-picking just five key performances from this wonderful festival and uncovering, just maybe, the artists we’ll all be talking about in the months and years to come.
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