Truthfully, when I first saw the line up for Dot to Dot festival, it’s fair to say that I was not exactly phased by it in the least – sceptical, you could say. Especially considering last year’s line up which was made up of artists such as We Are Scientists, Ben Howard and Ed Sheeran, I was a little disappointed. However, by the end of the night however, I was totally proven wrong.

The festival was spread out across nine different stages in and around Nottingham, and fortunately lacked in young hipster fan girls (bonus). Despite the foul weather, Do to Dot had a contagious almost infectious vibe throughout the day, and everybody’s spirits seemed to be raised high – though this might have had something to do with the continuous use of alcohol!

When I arrived at Rock City’s Main Hall, I managed to catch the last song from upcoming alt/folk band, Parks. Parks had a respectable crowd, and definitely had me tapping my foot, even if I did only manage to catch the last song, Fall In Line.

The next band, Bastille, a bunch of South Londoners, were equally as good, with talented musicians and a unique vocalist. I wasn’t exactly sure of what I was in for with this band, but I can definitely say that I’ll be buying their music and adding it to my collection. Bastille had an admirable stage presence, starting with a song named ‘Icarus.’ Bastille’s music is almost hypnotizing; I love it. In total they played five songs, including two covers, and definitely left the crowd buzzing.

Due to the fact that it was raining outside, I decided to stay in Rock City for a while, whilst waiting for Hyde and Beast over at Rescue Rooms. Fortunately for me, I was able to witness Lucy Rose live, who attracted one of the biggest audiences of the day.

Across at The Bodega, funky indie rock band from Brisbane; Last Dinosaurs were setting the standards high and earning the credit that they deserve. Last Dinosaurs are definitely a band to look out for…they are certain not to become extinct.

Back at Rock City Main Hall, it seemed as if almost everybody had gathered inside for upcoming artist from our very own Nottingham, Jake Bugg. Bugg, still only a teenager, has built himself an admirable fan base. He started off by playing a few folk songs that had the crowd going wild and seemed to be keeping their attention as I headed over to Jongleurs.

Over at Jongleurs, things didn’t seem to be going too well for band 2:45, who were having continuous sound problems. Despite the technical difficulties, 2:45 still managed to keep their heads held high, and continued throughout their set, ignoring the rude comments and screeching microphones. Credit to them!

Back at Rock City, the crowd had seemed to have gathered vastly for Dog Is Dead, which turned out to be one of the standout performances of the night. Previously seeing Dog Is Dead at last year’s Splendour Festival, I was quite excited to see them again at Dot To Dot, but even with it being my second time seeing the band, I was still shocked as to how flawless they were. The band started off by playing their very popular Two Devils and ended with the crowd pleaser; Glockenspiel Song.

Headliners, The Drums danced the festival to an end with their quirky moves and rhythmic songs, whilst over at Jongleurs, Pulled Apart By Horses had the crowd screaming with pleasure.

Pulled Apart By Horses definitely did themselves justice, with such an unforgettable, wild set. What I loved most about Pulled Apart By Horses’ set was that the band themselves looked as if they were enjoying what they were doing, throwing themselves into the audience and telling not so funny jokes, for the rest of our amusements.

All together, the festival was an amazing way to see the best new talent that is out there and with such a cheap ticket price it is a real bargain; enjoyable despite the miserable weather that was spread out across Nottingham. With a load of new bands to listen to up my sleeve and performances that left me feeling exhilarated, I definitely went to sleep with a smile on my face.