Dot To Dot Festival will be celebrating its 20th year in 2025 and organisers have just announced the first wave of acts on the line-up – some 40 acts in total. Taking place in Bristol and Nottingham on May 24 and 25 respectively, there are still many more acts to be announced in the new year.
The event has had a hugely successful past few years especially, even winning Best Metropolitan Festival at the 2023 Festival Awards – and receiving a nomination for that same award again this year. It’s now been described as having ‘firmly established itself as a core date in the music calendar for discovering emerging artists’, having done so since its very first edition in 2005.
So, to celebrate, the line-up is set to reflect the ‘huge anniversary party’ taking place on the May Bank Holiday Weekend. Here’s who’s among the first wave of acts…
The Horrors are set to return to the Dot To Dot stages as special guests for the 20th edition of the festival, following their headline appearance in 2018. It comes as the band announce their first album in seven years, Night Life, which is set for release on March 21, with a new configuration that sees core duo singer Faris Badwan and bassist Rhys Webb, joined by their founding guitarist Joshua Hayward, and new members – keyboardist Amelia Kidd, and drummer Jordan Cook.
Continuing a reputation for showcasing the artists of the future, ‘one of London’s most exciting new bands’, Fat Dog, will also be returning to the festival. This announcement follows sold out dates in both Bristol and Nottingham recently, with the band having previously played Dot To Dot back in 2023. They’re known for their ‘gritty, high-octane live shows’.
Sprints will also be heading to the festival following a whirlwind year full of sell-out tours, a top 20 debut album, hugely talked about sets at Glastonbury and other festivals, and a mass of critical acclaim. Conrad Rogan said: “We are so excited to be announcing The Horrors are set to return to Dot To Dot Festival, following them topping the bill back in 2018.
“This is a special addition to commemorate 20 years of the festival and our rich tradition of bringing festival goers the very best in emerging talent. This, alongside critically acclaimed emerging bands Fat Dog and Sprints and another exciting 38 names, offers a glimpse into what D2D goers can expect for the May bank holiday weekend.’’
Other acts announced on Friday’s line-up include punk duo Big Special, South London-based trio Honeyglaze, indie-folk songwriter Kate Bollinger, house/hip-hop and garage act Nimino, and Lapsley (who marks ten years as an independent artist). You can find the full line-up at the end of this article, or via the official Dot To Dot website, here.
Dot To Dot Festival booker Scott Kennedy said: ‘’We’re buzzing to announce the first set of names for Dot To Dot Festival 2025. As is tradition, we’re platforming new artists who have played the festival before to come back and headline, following the footsteps of artists like Wunderhorse, Yard Act, Squid, Jockstrap and more.
“Now in its 20th year, Dot To Dot has always been at the forefront of championing new scenes and sounds, nurturing the festival headliners of tomorrow. Over the years, everyone from Dua Lipa to Sam Fender have played D2D, performing in all forms of intimate (often dingy) venues. It’s a really special festival and we are very proud to announce our 20th edition.’’
Here’s a full list of the first wave of acts announced so far:
- Adore
- Ain’t
- Baobei
- Basht
- Big Special
- Bradley Marshall
- Bruise Control
- Cardinals
- Daste.
- Dog Race
- Ethan Tasch
- Fat Dog
- Girlband!
- Good Health Good Wealth
- Hello Mary
- Holly Head
- Honeyglaze
- Indoor Foxes
- Jasmine.4.T
- JD Cliffe
- John Roseboro
- Kanekoayano
- Kate Bollinger
- Keo
- Ladylike
- Lapsley
- Lunar Vacation
- Lyam
- Monster Florence
- Nectar Woode
- Nimino
- No Windows Oreglo
- Public Order
- Sex Mask
- Soft Loft
- Sprints
- The Horrors
- Thistle
- Tsatsamis
- White Flowers
And more to be announced.