Five must see acts at Dot to Dot festival

Image: Dot to Dot festival

Inner city metropolises often provide the necessary tools for under the radar talent to really make something of themselves. Dot to Dot Festival accelerates that platform, giving light to a crop of artists (read about those here) unquestionably moving in the right direction. 

Taking place in Nottingham, Manchester and Bristol from 22nd - 24th May, Dot to Dot boasts some extremely credible artists at the peak of its programme, including Best Coast, Saint Raymond and Rae Morris. 

With a focus on promoting new talent, previous years have seen the likes of The XX and Jake Bugg arrive as relatively unknown up and comers. With an unprecedented amount of under the radar acts hooked in again this year, we've picked out five must see acts at this year's incarnation whose potential can't be ignored. 

Honeyblood

From their Radio One Big Weekend performance above, it doesn't take much to realise that Honeyblood are really onto something.

To appear at the spectacle is something in itself, but it's their noisy, guitar spangled approach and Stina's (guitar and vocals) glistening get under your skin vocals that we must give most attention to. Bottled into an eponymous debut album, it's punchy garage pop at its best, something that always translates well on the live stage. 

Francisco The Man 

Considering they formed in the mid 2000s, last year's debut album was a long time coming, but proved well worth the wait. Hailing from LA, their marrying of shoegaze and garage rock is clearly a sound that has matured over time, equipping them greatly to test their metal in the mainstream, starting with this festival performance. 

REMI

Australia's not often regarding as a hunting ground for MCs, but native rapper, Remi, is about to change all of that with his straight talking post hip hop musings that are seriously beginning to gather pace.  

Carrying multiple musical aesthetics, varying in style and tempo, both old school and new wave, it's about time that his complex, sometimes tongue in cheek lyricism broke on to UK shores. 

Neon Waltz

We first picked up on Neon Waltz through Noel Gallagher, a stern musical nod for a band of any standing when considering his most recent media tirade and unforgiving reputation.

Even so, without that backing, their refreshing exploration into a sonic psychedelic realm was bound to hit authoritative playlists a plenty, and that's exactly what happened with their joyful indie number 'Barewood Aisles' (above).

Model Aeroplanes

Complete with plenty of raw indie grit, stemming from watertight guitar lines and a strong melodic buzz, Model Aeroplanes are really making a name for themselves in the hustle and bustle of the indie pop entity.

Still at a youthful age, they've grasped the fundamentals of solid songwriting early, and with that their energised output can only blossom. Their sound is unequivocally tuned towards lighting up the live arena rather be channelled into album listening, giving them the onus to provide Dot to Dot with their finest hour to date. 

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