From intimate beginnings to sprawling across iconic venues in Nottingham and Bristol, Dot to Dot has become a cornerstone of the UK’s festival calendar. Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025, the festival has been championing emerging artists since the mid-00s indie boom, many of which have risen to international acclaim.
With this in mind, we decided to take a look back at the festival’s history, speaking to the team behind the UK’s best metropolitan festival and explore the global superstars that have emerged from Dot To Dot over the last two decades…
2005 – The first festival
Before spreading out to multiple venues and cities, on May 29 2005 the first official Dot to Dot festival was held, right here in Nottingham. At that time, it took place across three venues: Rescue Rooms, The Social (now known as The Bodega of course!) and Stealth.
From the get-go, the festival adopted a clear ethos of giving emerging and alternative music a platform to shine, which was reflected in the line-up that year, which included 00s favourites and inaugural headliners The Rakes and Ladytron. That first festival set the blueprint for future editions in the years to come, with the simple aim of putting together a stellar bill featuring the best new music and emerging artists from the UK and beyond.
A legacy of emerging talent
The festival has consistently showcased groundbreaking talent, with the list of alumni a real who’s-who of modern pop and alternative music. In 2011, Ed Sheeran performed an acoustic set before soaring to global fame with chart-topping albums and award-winning singles. Dua Lipa then graced the festival’s stage in 2016, captivating audiences with her early hits. Today, she is a worldwide pop icon, winning numerous Grammys and BRIT Awards.
The 1975 made waves with their 2013 performance, bringing their signature indie-pop sound to festival-goers. They have since headlined major arenas and festivals across the globe – including a Glastonbury headline slot this June. Similarly, Florence and The Machine played Dot to Dot in 2008, delivering a performance that foreshadowed their meteoric rise to fame.
Years & Years and Wolf Alice also took to the stage in both 2013 and 2014, both becoming mainstays of the UK music scene. Lewis Capaldi, who performed in 2017, is now a household name with record-breaking hits. Fontaines D.C. further exemplifies Dot to Dot’s reputation as a launchpad for critically acclaimed acts, incredibly playing the intimate 100-capacity Red Room at Rescue Rooms back in 2018.
That first festival set the blueprint for future editions in the years to come, with the simple aim of putting together a stellar bill featuring the best new music and emerging artists from the UK and beyond
Other notable acts include Catfish and the Bottlemen (2013), who went on to achieve mainstream success with their anthemic rock sound, and London Grammar (2013), who met at Nottingham University and are now known worldwide for their soulful and cinematic music. Metronomy (2008) and Alvvays (2015) delivered unforgettable performances that showcased their experimental and indie-pop brilliance, while Jockstrap (2022) and G Flip (2019) brought their fresh sounds to captivated festival-goers. In more recent years, rising stars like Charlotte Plank (2023) and The Dare (2023) have continued the festival’s legacy of platforming new talent.
Memories from those that make it happen
Alex Black, General Manager Thekla: My favourite memory of Dot to Dot is Single Mothers closing the Thekla stage at 2am in 2015. Dot to Dot is a long day for all involved behind the scenes and I think I was on about hour eighteen of my shift. Things were winding down, so I went to watch the show from the balcony. The energy that these guys brought to the stage woke up the whole room and the crowd kept it going until the final note. It was a fun, rambunctious set and a fantastic way to end a great event.
Maddy Chamberlain, City Co-ordinator: My favourite memory from Dot to Dot has to be the madness of event managing the festival and playing The Fleece in Bristol for Dot To Dot 2023 (as part of Midnight Rodeo) – what a whirlwind hour that was! Running over there, taking my radio off and jumping on stage to a packed-out Fleece which was unbelievably lovely. We had so much fun on stage, then stuck around for Opus Kink afterwards which blew my mind. All before getting back to work!
Anton Lockwood, Director: I guess cooking up the original idea of a “SXSW” or Camden Crawl in Nottingham, but aimed at fans not the industry. So many different artist memories: Gallows (Frank Carter era) literally taking the roof off the place in 2007, Dua Lipa just being the queen she is in 2016, Lewis Capaldi playing to thirty folks in 2017, the whole Pizza Underground thing 2014, Kano vs the Cribs 2007 - I could find one for every year I think!
Ben Ryles, Booker: Dot to Dot is such a big part of what we do, and it's been loads of fun being involved in almost every one since the beginning. There's been so many amazing memories over the years, but one that stands out is Gallows at Rock City Basement (now BETA). Frank literally tore the fabric ceiling down during an incendiary set!
Patrick Somers, Head of Promo: Back in 2011, I booked IDLES to play the opening slot at the Anson Rooms in Bristol, which went down great. Later that day, a band dropped out of a late slot at Thekla and I called Joe to see if they wanted to play again. They ended up leaving the pub, getting their gear back out of the studio and loaded onto the boat, proceeding to play a rowdy and possibly intoxicated and intoxicating set to a packed venue, with their guitarist turning up halfway through as he wanted to watch the Champions League final!
Anwyn Williams, Head of Marketing: Dot to Dot 2015 and celebrating the tenth birthday always stands out to me, partly because it was my first time working at the event, having joined DHP in summer 2014. But it was seeing The Hotelier in all three cities that I’ll never forget. The first leg in Manchester was the first time I’d heard them, I was drawn back to it in Thekla on day two and finally, back in Nottingham with all my friends, I rounded out the weekend watching them in Bodega – now a fully-fledged fan. I’d gone down a rabbit hole of being into folkier sounds at the time, so I’d partly credit those three sets with reawakening my love of heavier stuff.
2025 headliners and festival growth
This year’s festival also brings back previous performers, including Fat Dog, known for their electrifying live shows. After captivating audiences in 2023, the band returns as headliners for the festival’s milestone edition.
As well as being headlined by the high-energy performances of Fat Dog, Dot to Dot’s celebration of its two-decade legacy will feature an eclectic lineup that includes The Horrors, Sprints, Honeyglaze, Lapsley and Master Peace, as well as local favourites Girlband!, Bloodworm, Davoli, Marvin’s Revenge and Grain Mother.
From hosting local talent to welcoming back established icons, the festival’s growth is reflected not only in its increasing attendance but also in its unwavering dedication to artistic discovery. Dot to Dot Festival 2025 is not just a celebration of its past but a glimpse into the future of music.
Dot to Dot Festival’s 20th Anniversary edition takes place across multiple Nottingham venues on Sunday 25 May 2025.
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