Instead of new singles, this week Julia Mason (aka The Decibel Decoder) brings us part one of her two part snapshot review of the best of Rotterdam's Left Of The Dial festival
AK/DK
The last show I saw on the second day was AK/DK. Two drummers plus a ton of keyboards and synths. The Brighton duo produced a rave on V11, lovingly known as the Big Red Boat by festival goers. It was an utterly joyous experience, the whole place was raving not moshing, thus totally inclusive.
Their fourth album Strange Loops was released in October, and I have to admit it's the first time I've heard AK/DK. The whole room was as one, everyone happy, everyone dancing. The beats, both electronic and on the two sets of drums, were infectious. The inevitable end came way too soon. I now have AK/DK firmly on my radar and I will endeavour to see again ASAP.
Nerves
One of the many unique experiences of Left of the Dial is Bands on a Boat. For an extra ticket you board a boat which travels for an hour and two bands play. It feels utterly bonkers for all involved! And chuck in a free bar.
Intimate is not the word and Irish four piece Nerves managed to create a moshpit in this limited space! 3 guitarists and a drummer and what a noise. Exhilarating, ferocious, electrifying. Lead singer Kyle Thornton also threw himself into the crowd while playing guitar. How these musicians avoid injuring anyone during such a frenzied performance is beyond me. The place was in uproar by the end ... and it was only 2pm.
Wax Head
I saw Wax Head twice during Left of the Dial. Once in the small room at Perron and once on V11. The common theme? Mental moshpit mayhem for the whole of both sets. The Manchester 4-piece create mostly instrumental music, but with their drummer singing on occasion. Two guitarists and keyboards complete the band and recent single Rusty Cutter perfectly encapsulates their sound. Various influences can be heard within the mayhem, Wax Head obviously have a "nothing is excluded" attitude. Both sets ended with the drummer crowdsurfing - which somehow felt entirely appropriate.
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