A favourite of artists and fans alike, the Rotterdam festival heads into its 8th year with an initial lineup including Modern Woman, Y, Clara Mann, Laundromat Chicks and more.
Modern Woman by Sandra Ebert | Words: Lloyd Bolton
Left of the Dial is a unique festival for a number of reasons, shows on a moving boat and a staunch no-headliner policy among its key points of difference. The defining feature, however, has to be its commitment to showcasing only the newest talent that catches the eye of its magpie-like bookers, who make a point of only ever booking an act once (with the single exception of one act per year who is voted back by popular demand). The festival has played host to early European shows from a number of Britain's best newcomer artists down the years, including Opus Kink and DEADLETTER, and last year, a partnership with The Windmill brought over Black Fondu and The Orchestra (For Now). The 2025 festival had already been selling well without any names announced, such is the growing faith in the curation of this unique event. Now with only a limited list of forty names announced, we can already see it taking shape as a familiarly strong bill from Left of the Dial.
Immediately, a number of HoH favourites catch our attention, among them Modern Woman. This band have sustained a reputation as one of the best live acts around, their original fusion of folk and post-punk reliably delivering a scintillating, furious rush. Clara Mann represents the more traditionally folky side of the bill, and this appearance comes in the wake of her debut album, 'Rift', which releases this month. We are also glad to see Laundromat Chicks on the list after falling in love with their sweet, sun-blushed album 'Sometimes Possessed' this January.
Maintaining the spirit of last year's Windmill Stage, Y will be performing this year, their explosive blend of dance, jazz and punk a bottled equivalent of a sweaty Friday night in Brixton's hallowed venue. The Orchestra (For Now) will not be returning, but their country-inflected offshoot Big Red will be making its debut. The None meanwhile add a similar dark dancefloor-ready intensity to Y, the group being a proven festival highlight to any who caught them at End of the Road last summer.
Among the rest of the lineup, some immediate favourites include Midding, Fuzz Lightyear and YAANG. Given the continuing quality LOTD bring each year, however, it will be equally worth taking a listen to the less familiar names on the bill, pooled from across Europe and beyond.
For tickets, full lineup, and more info, head to: https://leftofthedial.nl
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