Dot To Dot Festival has just announced the second wave of artists for the 2026 edition – including Mandy, Indiana, Ratboys, Lucia & The Best Boys and more than 30 other new names joining previously announced headliners Lambrini Girls, Fcukers and NewDad.
Taking place across the late May bank holiday in Bristol and Nottingham, the festival is once again set to showcase the best emerging talent after being nominated for for Inner-City Festival Of The Year and Line-Up Of The Year (UK Festival Awards) and Best Independent Festival (Access All Areas).
With more than 60 names already announced for Dot To Dot Festival, the metropolitan festival continues to provide a genre-spanning line-up in two of the UK’s most exciting and vibrant music cities. With more announcements to follow – including local talent from Bristol and Nottingham – 2026 is set to be another incredible year of celebrating the hottest new talent in the UK and beyond.
Super Early Bird, Early Bird and Second Release tickets are now SOLD OUT. Latest tickets are priced at £35 (plus booking fees).
Conrad Rogan, booker for Dot To Dot Festival and DHP Family said: “We’re delighted to announce new names for 2026! The first wave was incredibly welcomed, and we are proud to showcase even more of the best new names in live music across Bristol and Nottingham this May. This second wave includes some familiar names such as Mandy, Indiana and Ratboys – and we can’t wait for festival-goers to discover new names across the weekend.”
Four-piece experimental noise band Mandy, Indiana join the line-up for Dot To Dot Festival 2026 fresh from the release of second full-length album ‘URGH’. Packed with nu-metal soundscapes and fervent vocal distortions, the Manchester-via-Berlin band also delve into techno, hip-hop, alt-rap and industrial noisescapes across the record. They are a force of uncanny nature, interpolating their own unconventional language into a mantra for self-determination and resilience, forging a template for a brighter future before it fades to black.
Chicago favourites Ratboys head to Bristol and Nottingham this May armed with latest album, ‘Singin’ to an Empty Chair’, and a stacked back catalogue of emo-folk anthems. The latest release is home to 11 twangy, effervescent tracks showcasing the band as confident as they’ve ever been – and more emotionally interrogative than ever before. “At a time when country-tinged indie rock is by no means in short supply in America – Wednesday, Waxahatchee and MJ Lenderman all spring to mind – Ratboys have earned their seat at the top table” (DIY).
Praised by icons such as Shirley Manson, Elton John and Wolf Alice; Lucia & The Best Boys burst onto the scene with their groundbreaking debut album ‘Burning Castles’ back in 2023. Now back with new music for the first time in three years via ‘Lonely Girl’ featuring Lauren Mayberry (CHVRCHES), the enigmatic band are poised for a stellar return at Dot To Dot Festival this May.
Chinese American Bear – the duo of Anne Tong and Bryce Barsten – are set to drop new record ‘Dim Sum & Then Some’ in the weeks leading up to Dot To Dot Festival. The album is a positive and light-hearted collage of the duo’s life together – exploring all the things they love: food, appreciating small joys, the Chinese-American upbringing, love and fairy tales.
Originally from Honolulu, Hawaii, Swordes moved to New York City to pursue a fine arts education at Parsons School of Design. After a year of school and becoming disillusioned with academia, she began making music as a joke. With her only vocal training being her shower, Swordes’s style is eclectic, experimental ,and most of all, fun.
By the time he’d finished high school, Mitch Santiago had already toured across Australia with The Dreggs and showcased his indie-rock sound at SXSW Australia and BIGSOUND – as well as featuring on stages across the UK and Europe. Latest EP, ‘Heathrow’, is textured exploratory and shaped by an increased focus on drums, synths and layered arrangements.
The anxious brainchild of artist Jessica Baker, ugly ozo is the sonic diary of a chronic oversharer, laying bare the most confronting corners of the female experience. Taking inspiration from the likes of The Breeders, Wolf Alice and Autolux, the musician has garnered widespread acclaim in recent months surrounding the release of her ‘stargirl’ EP.
Alfreda is a London-based alt-pop artist and performer whose work fuses theatrical pop, spoken word, and surreal storytelling. Known for her immersive live shows and sharp, self-aware humour, she is building a distinctive artistic world that lives across music, performance and film.
Following an incredible year that included sell out shows across Ireland and supporting The Wolfe Tones to over 50,000 people, Dave Lofts is nothing short of remarkable. From serving in the Irish Army to achieving a number 1 in the Independent Album charts, his authenticity and connection with fans continue to set him apart as one of Ireland’s most compelling new voices.
Growing up in the small coastal city of Warrnambool in Victoria, Flynn Gurry has been steadily building a reputation as one of Australia’s most exciting emerging artists. From busking the streets of Melbourne to packing out festival tents and touring nationally and internationally, Gurry’s journey has been defined by momentum, heart, and an unmistakable live presence.
Currently making waves online via content paying homage to the days of heavy flash imagery and DIY home videos, Just For Fun are a London-based duo masterminding a new wave of contemporary nostalgia. Fronted by the engrossing and charismatic Charlotte Boyle with her counterpart Neave Applebaum assuming the role of production mastermind behind the project, the London based duo leave nothing to the imagination when it comes to creating their own world.
KatzPascale, the NYC based neo-classical-post-punk-anti-pop duo composed of Sammi Katzmann and Jenna Pascale, combines the haunting warmth of the cello with the soulful, expressive tones of the saxophone, sending both through loop and effect pedals to lay ground for vocals as an instrument. Drawing from both classical and contemporary idioms, their music navigates the sonic tension between emotional intimacy and experimental rigor.
Brighton-based singer-songwriter Mae Hill has drawn comparisons to the likes of Becky Hill and Christina Aguilera. Part of a new generation of artists who prioritise crafting their skills over seeking instant fame, Mae is fostering a vibrant community and ever-growing, global fan base whilst working on her debut EP.
Having supported DMA’s, Jamie Webster and The Night Café and playing a chaotic pair of packed out shows at Glastonbury 2025, The Cheap Thrills have reached cult status via secret hotel pop-up shows and carnage in local boozers. Championed by BBC Radio 6 Music and Radio X, the Liverpool band continue to rise across 2026.
PISS is a noisy, genre-bending, four-piece punk band from Vancouver. The band combines music, poetry, sound collage, performance art and various mediums of visual art to address complex themes that blur the line between personal and political.
Cram four perennial over-thinkers into an Adelaide jam room, sprinkle in some love, care, anxiety and affection – and you get The Tullamarines. Meeting on the local gig circuit, they quickly bonded over a shared love of songwriting and began creating a giddy blend of indie-pop.
Listening to Eliza McLamb lilt her vivid, carefully-placed lyrics rife with empathy, emotion, and sensitivity, you get the sense that this is an artist who takes her time. Her earliest releases were recorded in a laundry shed, with little else but her voice and a guitar. Now, with the help of producer Sarah Tudzin (aka Illuminati Hotties), her sound has opened up into gut- wrenching riffs and full soundscapes — but that original intimacy remains.
Formed across different corners of London, TOOTH have performed alongside Tough Cookie, Man/Woman/Chainsaw and Dust, as well as showcasing their sound at the inaugural Paint By Numbers festival in Bristol and Nottingham last year. Their debut single, ‘The Age Of Innocence’, marked the first official release of a project that has lived for years.
Mother Soki is a Minneapolis based musician known for her dreamy and nostalgic style. Her hit single, ‘Rivet Gun’, released in early 2025 to popular acclaim. Mother Soki’s newest EP “Fantasy” further develops the ethereal soundscape.
Self-taught musician Melanie Baker honed her craft playing folk tracks at open mic nights around The Lake District. Her latest singles ‘Sad Clown’ and ‘Bored’ offer a glimpse into what is set to be a monumental 2026.
Multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and songwriter Marlon Funaki blends alt-rock, psychedelic textures and jazz-infused guitar work. The Redlands, California native offers a fresh and timeless warmth across his mesmerising live performances.
London four-piece Middleman are reminiscent of the raspy yet melodic charge of The Replacements, and the pioneering punk of Wipers, fleshed out via the more restrained and tender moments of Big Star or Neil Young. The band are fresh from releasing debut album ‘Following The Ghost’ this month.
Originally formed in South Wales’ Monouth, MORN dropped their chaotic debut single ‘Modern Man’ via legendary label Speedy Wunderground last year. Their relocation to London’s iconic DIY scene has inspired fuzzy guitars and gang vocals for the two sets of siblings.
South London’s Ceebo is emerging as one of the UK’s most daring voices. Weaving raw social insight with digital era disillusionment into music that hits harder with every release, the sound is experimental, evocative and rooted in the grit of Lambeth.
Following the release of latest album, ‘Running With Scissors’, Afternoon Bike Ride head to Dot To Dot Festival from Montreal. The eclectic indie trio blend field recordings with tender and emotional ambient, folk and pop underpinnings.
Office Dog – the Auckland based trio led by Kane Strange – assemble intricate musical collages while fearlessly exploring complex depths through layers of tension, release and celestial lyricism.
Graham Johnson – AKA quickly, quickly – is an American singer-songwriter based in Portland, Oregon. Influenced by a range of icons from D’Angelo to Nick Drake, he plays nearly everything from drums and keys to guitar and electronics.
Sunday Mourners are college and childhood friends tempered from years-long freak-folk wanderings into razor sharp post-punk exercise in thrusting and carving. Following sonic paths of the likes of Television and The Fall, their latest LP ‘A-Rhythm Absolute’ dropped in January 2026.
Emerging Tarntanya/Adelaide five-piece Any Young Mechanic are known for their cinematic, narrative-driven lyrics and blend of criss-crossing rhythmic folk music.
Born and raised in London, Opal grew up surrounded by music, setting the stage for a multitude of musical ventures that ultimately led to the rise of Opal Mag. Over the years, she has drawn inspiration from influential bands like Mazzy Star, Hole, The Sundays, The Breeders, and The Smashing Pumpkins.
Ribbon Skirt is a Canadian post-punk band from Montreal, Quebec, consisting of vocalist and guitarist Tashiina Buswa and multi-instrumentalist Billy Riley. Their debut album, ‘Bite Down’, dropped last year and showcases a stripped-down sound and potent songwriting.
With supports lined-up for Lime Garden’s upcoming tour, goodbye are one of the most exciting emerging acts on the live circuit right now. After many live outings across London, Brighton and beyond – debut single, ‘Meat’, landed in December and has already piqued the interest of DORK, Rough Trade, DIY and more.
A mainstay on the Brixton Windmill scene, Little Grandad are quickly becoming one of the London’s most talked about new bands. Blasting Americana-indie with a twist, the duo offer an infatuating blend of chaos and chemistry throughout.
Hotly tipped after supporting Humour and Brogeal last year, East Exchange head into 2026 with new music being teased. With a fierce live reputation, don’t miss their set at Dot To Dot Festival 2026.
Formed between Glasgow and Paris, indie band YES AND MAYBE create music that strikes a balance between instinct and precision. After meeting online, they began writing music years ago and are set to release their debut album this year.
Curiosity Shop were a mainstay of the live circuit last year via support slots for the likes of DIVORCE and DUG, and are set to take the same energy into this year with a stacked 2026 already lined-up.
The full line-up so far is: Adult DVD, Afternoon Bike Ride, Alfreda, Alice Costelloe, Another Country $$$$, Any Young Mechanic, Attic O Matic, Bleech 9:3, Blossom Caladrone, Ceebo, Chinese American Bear, Clothesline From Hell, Curiosity Shop, Dave Lofts, East Exchange, Eaves Wilder, Eliza McLamb, Fcukers, Flooding, Flynn Gurry, Fool Nelson, Goodbye, Grandmas House, Green Star, Hunny Buzz, Jessy Blakemore, Just For Fun, KatzPascale, La Securitie, Lambrini Girls, Lawn Chair, Little Grandad, Lucia & The Best Boys, Mae Hill, Mandy, Indiana, Marlon Funaki, Marsy, Melanie Baker, Meltt, Middleman, Mitch Santiago, MORN, Mother Soki, Murkage Dave, NewDad, Office Dog, Opal Mag, Pebbledash, Piss, Pollyfromthedirt, Pozzy, Prewn, quickly, quickly, Ratboys, Ribbon Skirt, Sarah Meth, Silver Gore, Sunday Mourners, Swordes, The Cheap Thrills, The Itch, The Rions, The Tullamarines, Tooth, Ugly Ozo, Yes and Maybe
This new wave of artists has brilliantly expanded the latest edition of Dot To Dot Festival. Super Early Bird, Early Bird and Second Release tickets are now SOLD OUT – with latest tier tickets on sale now for just £35 (plus booking fees).
Head to Dot To Dot’s social media pages on Instagram, Tik Tok, Facebook and X as well as online at www.dottodotfestival.co.uk to stay up to date on the latest announcements and to keep yourself in the loop for all things #d2dfest.
