Dot To Dot Festival | Manchester | 26/05/17 | The Growlers - Night Cafè - Freak - Crimsons

 On Friday Dot To Dot Festival came to Manchester once again. Taking place across many venues throughout the atmospheric city, the annual metropolitan festival brought a positive buzz to music fans in the North West. The city united to celebrate music and stand together while acknowledging the tragic event which had occurred earlier that week in the very heart of Manchester. Dot To Dot made its debut in 2005 and since then has grown massively in popularity attracting music lovers from all over.   Since the festival involves so many acts across a massive number of venues I, unfortunately, only got to see a small percentage of all the performers. I'm going to mention a few of the best musicians who I witnessed at the festival. Best Local Band

  The first band I saw on the day was Crimsons, a small band of who I've written about before. The Manchester based trio performed their alternative set in the Fred Perry store located in the centre of Manchester. Their bold appearance and psychedelic music stood out and drew a large number of passers by into the store. I personally saw this and as a great start to the event filled day. Having released an EP just a week before, the fan base of the group has grown and this was definitely present in the positive mood which filled the venue. The band played all their best songs including my favourite single of theirs, Idle Ways, and a new song I love, Night's Darkest Side, this more mellow but still dark song adds a new depth to their image, which I love. Knowing everyone in the venue would be familiar with the song I Just Want To Make Love to you, the group performed the Muddy Waters cover, but with their own added twist. I love the bands gothic version of this track and it's a song which stands out for me and only improves every time I hear it. At the end of their set a poet read a poem about Manchester to show support for victims of the tragic events which happened earlier that week, this was a wonderful example of the positivity and pride which is always present in the city. You can find Crimsons next at Club Crimsons on 17th June, proceeds from this event will help victims of the Manchester attacks, and they will be at various festivals over summer or find them on Spotify, iTunes or on their Facebook page. Best Up Coming Band

  Southern based band Freak are quickly growing in popularity up and down the country. The alternative rock band performed a lively set at the popular Ruby Lounge just as the night was heating up. The band have several singles and EPs available online and I have noticed they are gaining a significant presence online, this is unsurprising, as since the day I've heard many say they can't stop listening to them. Their songs Cake and Someone Help Me are particularly catchy in my opinion. The three piece group have a style which reminds me a little of Baby Strange and Strange Bones, who are both bands I love. In the middle of their set the band decided to mix it up a bit and performed a post punk cover of Britney Spears' Toxic, this was unexpected but they definitely made the song their own. Nearing the end of the set most of the audience decided to join the trio on stage, the atmosphere filling the room was immense and created an unforgettable show. Freak can be found on their Facebook page as well as on Spotify and iTunes, you can see them live for their album launch on 11th July in Brighton, but keep your eye out for other events which are likely to be announced in the near future. Best Live Performance

   Drawing in a massive crowd, the venue was nearly full to capacity by the time The Night Cafè took to the Ruby Lounge stage at around 8pm. The Liverpool based band performed an upbeat show which had the packed out club bouncing and singing along to every lyric. It was probably the most enthusiastic audience I'd seen on the day and the band connected brilliantly with all of their fans. The indie pop group have an alternative sound and have gained a great following among young music lovers. The quartet have released several EPs and singles since 2015 and have recently toured supporting Sundara Karma, who also performed at Dot To Dot this year. Their songs are effortlessly catchy, especially their song Addicted which the whole venue was singing along to. Everyone in the underground venue seemed to be having the time of their life, singing and dancing along with the band. The Night Cafè can be found on Spotify and iTunes  as well as at various events over the coming months as well as on Facebook . Best Artist

   One of the many headliners for the festival was The Growlers, who performed at Old Granada Studios. The group started their set with their popular song I'll Be Around, this got the whole room buzzed for the gig. After their second song there was a minute of silence followed by a minute of noise to show respect for the Manchester attack victims, this was a beautiful way to remember all the people affected by the awful event. The California based band have an extremely distinctive sound, I'd describe it as an unusual combination of rock, pop, country, beat and probably a little of every genre under the sun if I was to define it I'd call it mellow funk. The trademark mixture of various styles works well to create a easy listening sound with a beat that makes you want to get up and dance. It's a unique genre that wouldn't be out of place at a summer festival or resort as well as fitting in well at an urban night club. The six piece band have been releasing material since 2009 and have seven albums available online. I had heard of the band before but had never gone out of my way to listen to them, I now wish I had. Their song Night Ride has been playing on repeat in my head since I saw their captivating performance, I have particularly enjoyed listening to their most recent album City Club since the event. The vibes given off by the music are chilled out and relaxing but also make you want to move around and interact with the music. Having six members allows their performance to be true to their recordings, unlike many smaller bands who use more equipment in the studio which can't always be replicated on stage. The size of the band also makes their show more engaging as there is always something going on in front of you and there is never a dull moment. Through the entire performance the large venue was filled with enthusiasm from both the band and their fans, it was truly an amazing end to the urban festival. The Growlers are a must hear band, if you have the opportunity you need to go and see their brilliant performance, I imagine they will be visiting the UK again soon but for now they only have events lined up in America. Keep your eye out for performances from the band in the future and go and see them if they announce dates near you. Find the band on Spotify , iTunes or on Facebook .   Dot To Dot Festival is an amazing collaboration of all types of music and brings people together to enjoy and celebrate all the amazing artists who performed. I had an amazing day along with the thousands of people who also attended the event and I think it was one of the best ways for Manchester to come together and commemorate the awful attack that happened earlier that week as well as appreciate all the musicians who performed at the event. The atmosphere in the amazing city was phenomenal and is something I will always remember. Liv X 

In collaboration with Boot Music .

#CRIMSONS #NIGHTCAFE #FREAK #THEGROWLERS