Review: Dot to Dot Festival 2025 - Girlband!, Jasmine.4.T and more
One of the best events of the year returned to Nottingham...
With a line-up boasting everyone from local bands to global names, Dot to Dot Festival is always a special time for Nottingham, taking over countless spots across the city for a full-on celebration of all things music.
We scrambled from venue to venue to try and catch as many quality acts as we could, with local photography legend Nigel King doing likewise to snap pics, and managed to get ourselves to quite a few. Here are our highlights from a very exciting, slightly exhausting day…
Girlband! – Rock City
Having Girlband! take over Rock City was also going to be special, and so it proved. Despite having the 2:30pm slot – a time of day when the Estrellas hadn’t quite yet been in full flow – one of Nottingham’s brightest bands got the crowd singing, chanting and dancing across an electrifying 30-minute set that featured all of their big-hitters.
‘21st Century Suffragette’ was a particular highlight, with the punchy guitar riffs elevated to new heights by the iconic production quality Rock City offers, but every tune went down a treat in this hometown show. Special mention goes to drummer Jada, whose mastery of her craft I hadn’t fully appreciated until I’d heard it live – she’s a genius. George White
Bloodworm – The Palais
Having seen The Jesus and Mary Chain late last year, Bloodworm offered a very similar experience here at The Palais – there were very few bells and whistles, with the band focusing almost solely on executing their mesmerising sound, and it worked a treat.
The style, the songs, the self-assuredness: Bloodworm really do have everything they need to reach the very top of their genre. Capturing the attention of a major audience at an iconic venue like The Palais will only help to quicken their rise. George White
Nectar Woode – Rock City
‘Good Vibrations’ is Nectar Woode’s most popular tune to date, and it feels apt: her set at Rock City offered exactly that. From the second she greeted the crowd to the moment she brought her Dot to Dot performance to a close with her aforementioned biggest hit, Woode injected a feelgood energy into the venue, bringing a sense that there is no place she’d rather be than singing her own songs for her own audience – and there was nowhere else we’d rather have been while she was doing so.
At a time when things often feel heavy and bleak, Woode’s music acts as a ray of sunshine to lift the mood, and this proves especially true when you hear it in real life. The artist is coming back to Notts for Splendour Festival in July, and hopefully she’ll be back plenty more times beyond that. George White
Lunar Vacation - Rescue Rooms
With a gap in my schedule, I stumbled into Rescue Rooms to check out Lunar Vacation, who had travelled all the way from Atlanta, Georgia to be at this year’s Dot to Dot Festival. Their latest album ‘Everything Matters, Everything’s Fire’, produced by Faye Webster and Toro y Moi collaborator Drew Vandenburg, is a dreamy listen, and they definitely brought this atmosphere to Rescue Rooms.
Ranging from indie-pop to shoegaze, their sound has something for everyone who is a fan of these genres, and while it’s unlikely they’ll be back in the UK in the near future, they’re definitely worth keeping on your radar. Gemma Cockrell
Honeyglaze - Rock City
Honeyglaze were one of my most anticipated artists at Dot to Dot this year - but unfortunately their set clashed with one of my other most anticipated artists, Total Tommy. So, I only got to catch the first half of Honeyglaze’s set on this occasion, but a short 15 minutes was more than enough to impress me.
The highlight of the set was ‘Cold Caller’, from their 2024 album ‘Real Deal’. Driven by a strong bassline and stream-of-consciousness lyrics, the song offers a compelling narrative about answering cold calls simply for the chance to connect with another human being. It’s Honeyglaze’s distinctive songwriting that sets them apart - and, as this performance showed, their live presence as well. Gemma Cockrell
Total Tommy - Red Rooms
As mentioned above, Honeyglaze and Total Tommy’s sets unfortunately clashed, so I only got to see the second half of the latter of these artists. But, hailing from Sydney in Australia, I couldn’t miss the chance to see Total Tommy (real name Jess Holt) live in the UK on this rare occasion.
By the time I arrived, Red Rooms was already the scene of a party, with one of the liveliest crowds I saw all day. It surprised me that Total Tommy wasn’t playing a larger venue, but this room suited her well, with an audience that matched her energy and her punky spirit as she performed her upbeat pop tracks. Gemma Cockrell
Big Special - Rock City
Big Special are a big deal. While they were already on my radar, I was impressed to see how full Rock City’s main room was for their set, especially since it was around the time that many people would be grabbing food to keep them fuelled for the rest of the evening.
Not only was the venue full, but fans were dedicated, engaging with the duo - particularly during the track ‘BLACK DOG / WHITE HORSE’. They have a show coming up at Rescue Rooms but revealed it’s likely to be upgraded to Rock City and it’s easy to see why. They filled the venue on this occasion and there’s no doubt they’ll do it again. Gemma Cockrell
Dog Race - Rock City Beta
Dog Race were a band I was unfamiliar with beforehand, but I checked them out on behalf of a recommendation from a friend. After a few sound issues at the start of the set, which were luckily resolved, the band wasted no time in getting straight into a performance that was one of the most unique of the entire day.
Echoing the eccentric energy of bands like Heartworms, the vocalist brought a unique and zany flair that has clearly become the group’s signature. At the front, the most devoted fans danced like no one was watching - proving that it’s often the niche and unconventional acts that forge the deepest connections. Gemma Cockrell
Hello Mary - Rescue Rooms
I had seen Hello Mary before in Nottingham - on the Rock City stage, supporting American Football towards the end of last year. The New York trio returned for Dot to Dot this year, proving once again why they are on the rise. Each member brings something unique to the band, resulting in a captivating and engaging live show.
Rescue Rooms was a brilliant venue for them, allowing the crowd to feel closer to the band on the stage. Their mix of intense, chaotic rock and brooding, atmospheric melodies was enjoyed by the audience, as they showcased tracks from their nwest album ‘Emita Ox’. Gemma Cockrell
Jasmine.4.t - Rescue Rooms
An artist who has received a lot of hype (and Radio 6 Music plays) lately is Jasmine.4.t - likely because her debut album ‘You Are The Morning’ features production from the band boygenius. She was the first artist from the UK to be signed to Phoebe Bridgers’ Saddest Factory Records label last year, which drew a lot of deserved attention to her music.
Tracks from the album, like ‘Elephant,’ were instant crowd-pleasers. Jasmine’s infectious stage presence, coupled with her undeniable chemistry with the band, made for a set that was impossible not to enjoy. A full headline show in Nottingham would be a welcome return - and if it happens, you can bet I’ll be there in the crowd. Gemma Cockrell
Pencil - Rough Trade
Pencil was one of my most anticipated bands of the day, particularly as I’m a huge fan of guitarist Cai Burns - who is actually from Nottingham himself. They didn’t disappoint, playing through a set that was made up in its majority of songs from their debut six-song EP 'Bohemian Clutter'.
Another standout moment was one of their early singles, ‘The Window’ - the track that first introduced me to the band last year. While I’d spent most of the day on the Rock City side of town, I can confidently say that making the trip to Rough Trade for Pencil was more than worth it. Gemma Cockrell
Girlpuppy - Black Cherry Lounge
I only caught the final song of Girlpuppy’s set at the Black Cherry Lounge, so I can’t offer a full review - but they certainly deserve an honourable mention. As it turns out, Rebecca Alexis Harvey - better known as Girlpuppy - was the second artist I saw from Atlanta, Georgia that day, and the second to leave a lasting impression.
Having just released her second album 'Sweetness,' which has been described as “a raw and deeply personal exploration of the emotions that follow a breakup,” the set blended shoegaze, dream pop and pop rock sounds, echoing the likes of Blondshell, Momma and Slow Pulp. Gemma Cockrell
Fat Dog - Rock City
If there’s one band you can rely on to bring the energy, it’s Fat Dog. Even though I was only able to stay for half of their set, I was left wishing I had stayed for the whole duration. From what I did see, frontman Joe Love spent more time in the crowd than he did on stage, much to the crowd’s enjoyment.
The band have risen up Nottingham’s venues, from the Bodega in 2023 to Rescue Rooms at 2024, and now they’ve had a taste of the Rock City stage, I’d be surprised if they don’t return soon to headline it in their own right. They are undeniably one of the most fun live bands around right now. Gemma Cockrell
Westside Cowboy - Rock City Beta
The reason I stepped out of Fat Dog’s set was to catch Westside Cowboy, a band who haven’t been on the scene for long but have gained a lot of hype recently, despite having only released two singles to date. Winning Glastonbury's 2025 Emerging Talent Competition is no easy task, but it demonstrates how special this band is - oh, and did we mention that their music to date has been produced by English Teacher’s Lewis Whiting?
Vocalists Reuben Haycock and Aoife Anson O’Connell complement each other perfectly on stage - and off stage too, as demonstrated when they left the stage to come into the crowd during the final song, to create an intimate and memorable moment to end their set. This was the end of my 2025 Dot to Dot experience, and it was a very special one indeed.