Indie’s best value party is returning to Nottingham and Bristol this weekend.

Dot to Dot is set to return to Nottingham and Bristol this May — and it’s looking to be one of the best, most diverse, parties of the festival season. With over 170 acts for just over £30, Dot to Dot 2024 is one of the best value festivals going: a celebration of indie royalty that doesn’t break the bank.

What is it?

Dot to Dot is a festival taking place over two days, across various venues within Bristol and Nottingham. The first day is held at the South-West city Bristol on May 25th (Saturday), with the second day taking place at the Midlands stronghold Nottingham on May 26th (Sunday).

Both days feature a dazzling variety of acts: established artists and up-and-comers alike. Dot to Dot prioritises the celebration of independent acts, offering a diverse, inclusive and unique platform for smaller bands to find their feet, and for more established artists to continue to develop their burgeoning live careers. Simply put, it’s one of the few festivals in which you can see an unsigned student band’s first ever show, followed by a GRAMMY-nominated act. 

Who’s playing?

As for headliners, Dot to Dot’s lineup looks unparalleled in its variety, and year-in-year-out knack for scouting artists that are at the top of their game.

The ethereal disco floor-fillers Jockstrap are set to return to headline the festival; the duo, after the loving reception of debut LP I Love You Jennifer B and the surprise drop of left-field remix follow-up I<3UQTINVU, are riding a heady high.

First-time headliners Wunderhorse are also expected to dazzle, their grunge-esque guitar soundscapes in sharp contrast to the hyper-pop shuffles of Jockstrap. Jacob Slater’s quartet have just announced upcoming sophomore album Midas. Expect to hear an early inside look into one of the contemporary indie scene’s most anticipated releases of the summer. 

Last but not least are the earnest indie-poppers The Magic Gang, who made a name for themselves with breezy grooves, ear-worm melodies and consistently impressive live shows. However, their Dot to Dot set may be one of their last, the group having confirmed their split earlier this year. The send-off for their summery, melodic misadventures is bound to be one hell of a party, albeit a bitter-sweet one. 

If the headliners weren’t enough to sell you, Dot to Dot has a plethora of talent lower down the industry ladder. The Swiss songwriter Anna Erhard, as sweet as she is sardonic, is bound to be a highlight for fans of eccentric art-pop. Also on the lineup are alternative cult heroes Bleach Lab, The Bug Club, The Dare, Pastel and Tim Atlas. And if that’s not enough? Just take a glance at the lineup. All genres are accounted for.

Where is it?

The festival will take place this weekend across various venues in both Bristol and Nottingham, with the latter’s including Rock City, The Bodega, Rescue Rooms, Black Cherry Lounge, The Level, Rough Trade and Red Room. Bristol’s Dot to Dot takes place in Thekla, The Louisiana, Rough Trade, SWX, Strange Brew, Dare Shack, The Lanes and O2 Academy.

Dot to Dot is all about making the most of both city’s interconnected indie venues, all of which are in a walkable distance of each other. Music lovers are bound to leave the festival with a handful of new favourite venues. 

You can buy tickets for Dot to Dot 2024 here.