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Dot to Dot Festival has been bringing a taste of summer festivals to city centres since 2005, but Monday saw the celebration of its inaugural appearance in Manchester. The festival took control of the three Academy venues in the University of Manchester Students’ Union building, the Deaf Institute, Council Chambers and former Factory Records club FAC251. The Yorker based itself in the UMSU building, where the biggest bands (and ultimate festival eatery Pie Minister) were on display. In a day of many standout performances, these were four of the best…
Goldheart Assembly
Although they were an unknown quantity before the event, the instant familiarity of Goldheart Assembly’s songs proved them to be an ideal band to drop in on early in the festival day. Showing great technical ability and enthusiasm to produce music both melodic and noisy, the London-based five-piece had enough variety in their set never to get boring. Their highlight was a worthy cover of Tom Waits’ ‘Clap Hands’, developed into their own bright Americana. With three-part harmonies and an earthy sound, they’re likely to appeal to the Mumford & Sons crowd, and on this showing they seem at least as deserving of the attention as those boys.
Field Music
The Sunderland quartet’s new 20-song opus is called Measure, and on this occasion they might have produced the most measured (ho ho) performance of the day. Despite often changing instruments, and the contrasting vocals each member offered, the set was extremely consistent and heart of the music never strayed. One of their most interesting talents is for deconstructing traditional rock forms and putting the fragments back together in unconventional time signatures. The band impressed most during these more beat-driven songs, with tight performances of songs including ‘The Rest is Noise’ and ‘Let’s Write a Book’ standing out.
Liars
If The Yorker were to introduce a Most Deranged Performance at Dot to Dot Festival award, Liars frontman Angus Andrew would be guaranteed victory. In the hazy heat of the Club Academy, sweat dripping from his brow, Andrew’s screams, intense facial expressions and off-kilter movements about the stage were the compelling focal points of an always powerful set. Songs from across their back catalogue made up the setlist, but recent singles ‘Scissor’ and ‘The Overachievers’ got the most euphoric reception in the moshpit.
Beach House
On its release, Beach House’s latest album Teen Dream seemed like a perfect album for the long since melted January snow. Building on a near-perfect live reproduction of their studio sound, Victoria Legrand’s breathy vocals and Alex Scally’s chiming guitars translated surprisingly smoothly into the setting of the busy basement. By the Baltimore duo’s arrival on stage (with an additional drummer), the venue was packed out and buzzing, but opening track ‘Walk in the Park’ soared, and their ensuing choice of mostly recent songs kept the focus of the venue firmly on the music.
In a boiling building that was almost overflowing by the arrival of the headliners, the proceedings in UMSU (and doubtless the rest of the city) gave Dot to Dot Festival an atmosphere to rival much larger-scale festivals. For the line-up and the spectacle of the event as a whole, it was a resounding success. With an achievement like that under its belt, it deserves to open the festival season in Manchester again next year.
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