As seen by Isaac Stubbings (Instagram: @ilnsimages)
We were particularly blessed to have two of the Bristol Gig Guide team running around in the gorgeous summer sunshine this past weekend for the beloved Dot to Dot festival. Here is Isaac’s take on a monumental day of live music across the city.
As one of the warmest days of the year graced Bristol on Saturday, the city was simply brought to life by the variety of music breathing through it. Dot to Dot festival returned once again to, provide music lovers far and near with a platter of upcoming artists spanning a wide range of musical genres. There was something for everyone, whether it might be your favourite underground folk-punk band or a new obsession found from killing time at thekla between sets, Dot to Dot is a love letter to Bristol’s fabled music scene that celebrates its artists and venues.
Collecting my wristband, the festival felt like it was immediately in full swing right from the start. Utilising Thekla as a main base for wristband exchange, the festival had set up three different stages there, giving a perfect taster of what the festival’s about and what to expect before flocking to the other venues scattered around Bristol. I instantly found myself within a crowd amassed in seconds, swept up by indie-pop artist SOFY as her bright and catchy sound on the dockside stage worked in tandem with the dazzling weather to lock in that festival atmosphere and form everyone’s excitement of the day to come. Her enthusiasm was simply infectious and within half an hour into the festival I’d already found a new artist I’d be looking out for. Soon after other venues around the city began to open up their doors for the day as the festival began in full swing, people dispersed and spread out across the city to catch some amazing acts.
At this point my day had properly started as well, first on my list was Femi Tahiru at Thekla’s cargo hold, even for a festival he managed to fill out a great chunk of the venue including the balcony, his laid-back demeanour and smooth melodies provided the crowd with a nice escape from the burning sun. He blends creative and thoughtful lyricism with empathy from his soul-inspired sound that entranced the crowd leaving them utterly fixated. With the different stages, Thekla felt different, I’ve spent a lot of time in there and around the harbour surrounding it but this layout seemed to transform it into a whole new venue, I could have easily ended up spending my entire time there but I had to make a move out into the rest of the city. Just like Thekla, The Fleece was bustling with festival-goers inside and out, there was a strong sense of community outside as people sat on the venue’s benches, interacting with each other as they spoke about who they had seen and their plans for the rest of the day. I managed to catch University, which was a complete contrast to the last. Heavily distorted guitars, shattering drums, snarling vocals, and a guy playing Minecraft. It was safe to say that The Fleece was torn down and raised up again.
Running around the city I found myself all over, back at Thekla, on the upstairs stage to experience the unbeatable energy of Girl and Girl. All the way from Australia they completed their UK tour with shows in Bristol and Nottingham for Dot to Dot. Their quick guitar melodies felt like a consistent flow of adrenaline which would make not moving with the beat almost impossible, by the end you could feel the stage shake as the only thing that could’ve stopped them dancing was the band finishing their set. SWX had split into two stages, I made my way over to the upstairs stage to see Kynsy, one of the artists I was desperate to see that have been on my radar for a long time. Her music can be perceived as experimental and brooding but with a driving force that can only be described as determination. As an artist who has her songwriting down to the bone she has the freedom to play around with genres and sounds to create something that always comes back to match the colourful frostiness in her sound. She ensnared the crowd with her music, commanding the room that drew in anyone near as she gracefully navigated through songs from her last couple of EPs, as well as hinting new songs in the works.
I don’t think it would’ve felt right if I went through the festival without checking out Rough Trade, as the evening approached and the headliners fast approached great music was still scattered throughout. Another highlight would be Teeth Machine playing at Rough Trade that evening. The London-based band would certainly make an impression on the crowd that was there to experience their hauntingly ethereal sound. The creativity in their atmospheric music was truly one to catch during the festival. The use of saxophone, Effect pedals on backing vocals, bass guitar played with a bow, to even just the imposing but tender lead vocals truly make this band feel like something different. The band themselves exude this mysterious atmosphere as they sway on stage, each seemingly lost in their individual thoughts but collectively reflecting them as they intertwine with a raw and honest musical output.
The problem with a great lineup is that you’ll always have to make difficult decisions about who to see, no different here. The Murder Capital for me was a must-see, after their last visit to Bristol I was curious to see how they fared in the O2 as compared to The Marble Factory and for a festival. Right from the moment they waltzed on stage, the attitude was there and the energy for the performance was set. James McGovern seemingly navigates the stage with the confidence of someone who’s been accustomed to it their whole life. As he analyses the crowd we’re thrown into the deep end of what will be an incredible set. No matter what James does on stage he still holds a connection between the band and the crowd, it feels like his attention is utterly locked on everyone, never seeming to break this strong and powerful exterior. Before you know know it he’s in the crowd, surrounding himself with his fans as they support him upright, a sight that seems almost biblical. To no surprise, it’s safe to say that The Murder Capital absolutely killed their set, a love letter to the post-punk scene in Bristol.
Probably the most difficult decision of the festival, Alvvays, or Yard Act? Two amazing bands that both have had a significant impact on the alternative and indie scene in recent times. I was torn between the two but ultimately had to make the difficult decision to miss out on Yard Act this time, I knew I’d regret it more if I passed on the opportunity to see Alvvays. Expectedly as I got to SWX it was completely rammed, being a fight to make it to the photo pit the building was filled with an atmosphere of anticipation and excitement, but finally, Alvvays stepped onto the stage and was immediately met with an incredible reaction from the crowd as they began their set to wrap up the festival perfectly. They delivered an insanely good performance that seemed to hold little to no ego, there was a genuine fondness it seemed from their enjoyment of playing and their music. Molly Rankin sings with an iconic voice that can truly define the genre of indie music of the 2010s. A mix of songs from their entire discography was played, mostly from their latest album, ‘Blue Rev’, to fan favourites such as ‘In Undertow’ and ‘Adult Diversion’. As the start of ‘Archie, Marry Me’ began the place seemed to erupt with delight as a moment I keep on thinking about and reliving in my head. Interaction with the crowd was really strong as well as Molly clears the air about the song ‘Bored in Bristol’, cleverly admitting she hadn’t spent enough time here to ever be bored.
Wrapping up this year’s Dot to Dot in Bristol it really was an extraordinary experience and truly felt like a celebration of live music. It goes to show just how deep the relationship between the city and the music it houses goes as well as the sense of community that can be created from the art. Safe to say I’m already getting excited for next year and I can only wish that I would’ve been able to travel to Nottingham on the Sunday to catch the artists I missed.
Isaac Stubbings @ilnsimages
Role: Photographer & Reviewer
Hey! I'm a photographer who uses music as a core influence in all my photography. I love looking towards colour and lighting to try and emulate a narrative that enhances my work.
Qualifications: I study Photography at the University of the West of England, Bristol.
Available for: Gig Shoots, Photo Shoots, Album and Single cover shoots and Touring
First attended gig: The first gig I went to was to see the band Beach House in Brighton when I was about 14. It was in a big church and I remember the dreamy vocals and synths sounded amazing with the acoustics of the place. After that, I was hooked on the experience of going to see live music.
First gig shot: In college I shot a couple of my friends’ bands in tiny venues, but I think the first proper gig I shot was Newdad at Thekla. Wanting to get back into music photography, I reached out – not really expecting to hear back – and it meant a lot to me when I was put on the list to shoot one of my favourite bands. It was such an enjoyable and rewarding experience for me, so after that I was set on pursuing it further.
Dream gig: Big question. There are so many I could think of, but it would have to be The Cure in a small intimate venue.
