Bristol - Saturday 28th May
Nottingham - Sunday 29th May
Manchester - Monday 30th May
As well as hosting some of the biggest bands to cause a stir over the past year, it showcases some of the newest and best upcoming bands from all over. The amazing full line-up is available to see here, and with Hurts headlining the bank holiday weekend festival -as well as the brilliant We Are Scientists - it is bound to be a highlight of this year's festival calendar. Hooting And Howling will be attending the Manchester leg of the festival, so here's a rundown of the top 10 bands and artists to see on the day...10. Ed Sheeran
Thanks to the power of social networking, solo artist Ed Sheeran has already developed an underground fanbase and is sure to make his big break when his debut album is released in August. The 20-year old's acoustic material is comparative to that of James Morrison or Jack Johnson's, and the narrative lyrics give his music a poetic twist and his live shows are known for selling out and filling to the brim. This Suffolk lad is on his way to mainstream success, so catch him here at Dot To Dot before you lose your chance.
9. Hot Horizons
Fans of Bombay Bicycle Club would be advised to check out Leicester brothers Hot Horizons. Their EP "All Of This", filled with tracks oozing with hazy, summery brilliance was released on the 9th May and holds comparisons to Wild Beasts and Grizzly Bear. Their beautifully written lyrics and woozy melodies are not to be missed.
8. The Naked And Famous
Electro-rockers The Naked And Famous are over from New Zealand for Dot To Dot and have already done well for themselves over the past few months. Their debut album 'Passive Me, Aggressive You' got to the Number 1 spot in their home country and turned the heads of a great many over here with their rattling guitars combined with exciting electronic sounds and melancholy vocals. See them if you like anthemic pop-rock tunes.
7. Foreign Office
London's Foreign Office will certainly be a foursome to catch at Dot To Dot as after supporting Carl Barat on his recent tour they received rave reviews for their catchy indie pop. Songs such as 'Leaving The House' and 'Stuck On Repeat' will make you want to dance around and sing along to the paranoid lyrics mixed with electro influenced tunes. Leaving you wanting more, these boys are surely ones to watch out for over the next year.
6. Wolf Gang
Max McElligott aka Wolf Gang has been receiving quite a lot of hype recently, and quite right too. He returns to Dot To Dot after successfully playing last year, delivering exciting Bowie-crossed-with-Scissor-Sisters inspired ballads, and with his debut album released on 27th June, check out Wolf Gang as he will certainly put a smile on your face.
5. Dom
If you're looking for a new surf-pop synth band to love, then that is what you will get if you see Dom at this year's Dot To Dot Festival. The five-piece from Massachusetts are ready to bring their infectious lo-fi punk back to England, showcasing tracks from their incredible EP 'Sun Bronzed Greek Gods' which was released last year. If you like Wavves and Surfer Blood then you will love Dom, and watch as they become the soundtrack to your summer.
4. R O M A N C E
A four piece band from London which formed in 2008, R O M A N C E are the band that Hooting and Howling see as the most exciting live band on the line up this year. Singer Jamie Lovatt is renowned for turning their live shows into energetic, crazy parties and with their unique image they are certainly one of the bands which stand out the most. For fans of big post punk anthems, but just make sure you've got your dancing shoes on first.
3. The Joy Formidable
After recent success headlining the Emerge NME Radar Tour last year, this is the second year that Dot To Dot Festival has welcomed the Welsh threesome. Their debut album 'The Big Roar' released in January brought swirling, heavy guitar riffs and silvery, emotional vocals back to a world filled with overproduced teen popstars and are bound to draw a hell of a crowd at this year's Dot To Dot.
2. Cults
Brian Oblivion and Madeline Follin make up Cults, a two piece from New York who channel C86 sounds along with 60's girl group vocals. Their twee melodies will leave you elated as they offer tracks from their new album, such as 'Go Outside' - their three and a half minute stand-out track which will get you swaying. Highly hyped all over the internet, Cults are sure to cause more than a buzz this year, so make sure you go out of your way to see them.
1. Is Tropical
You may think Is Tropical are "just another internet buzzband following in the footsteps of Egyptian Hip Hop and Wavves", but the London trio have appeared as one of the most exciting bands around at the moment. Swirling synths and echoing distortion as well as Klaxons-esque vocals are what you would find during a typical Is Tropical set, and with a new single 'The Greeks' out on 30th May, don't miss a band sure to cause a storm when their debut album is released in June.
