Instead of new singles, this week Julia Mason (aka The Decibel Decoder) brings us part two of her review of the best of Rotterdam's Left Of The Dial festival
Aerial Salad
There seemed to be a bit of a mini-Manchester takeover at Left of the Dial for 2024. Bruise Control and Wax Head along with Aerial Salad were bands I saw on the first day.
Aerial Salad opened proceedings on V11 (the red boat) on the Thursday. It's such a buzz when a festival gets underway and you are waiting for the first band to start. What a blast of punky funky spiky fun Aerial Salad are. The trio brought out their second album this year R.O.I. and the DIY trio bring an infectious energy. Their music has pointed messages which decries the state of the nation and indeed the wider world. The cynicism (listen to track They All Lied To Me) is however wrapped in a raw and edgy rowdiness.
Fast and furious, this is a band who look like they are loving every second of being onstage. Indeed a broken strap for the bassist didn't dent the set, far from it. My first band watched at Left of the Dial for the 2024 edition and by the time they finished I had a stupid grin on my face. What a start. Aerial Salad play The Lower Third in London on 12 November, as well as a hometown gig in Manchester's Gorilla on 13 December. Now that will be a bit special.
Slate
A band I have been yearning to see ever since hearing their debut single Tabernacl released last year. At the time I described the track as a mix of Bambara and the bass heavy early Fontaines D.C., dark and gothic, brimming with atmosphere and tension.
There is a thrilling anticipation about seeing a band you've loved from afar live for the first. Like many of the UK bands here at Left of the Dial, it was Slate's first experience of playing outside the UK. The Welsh 4-piece released their debut EP Deathless in the spring. Lead singer Jack Shepherd prowled the stage, leaving no area untouched. Getting up close and personal with the audience it was a powerful and electrifying performance.
Slate's music embraces the loud and the quiet, and this audience were captivated, mesmerized by the soundscape as well as the performance. They have a love of poetry and this was shared from the stage, again the audience engrossed by every word. Slate proudly draped the Welsh flag at the front of the stage, and by the time they had finished the packed room knew they had witnessed something a little special.
Punchbag
Personally Left of the Dial has set a high bar on my "last set of the festival" slot.
In 2022 there was mayhem in the small room in Perron with Maruja and in 2023 it was Big Special on V11. Both bands have gone on to make enormous progress.
And so for 2024 I turned to Punchbag. With no released music they were brought to Left of the Dial by Windmill Brixton, here with the venue's head booker Tim Perry. They do however have a Youtube video of a performance at the Windmill and while doing my research for Left of the Dial this had caught my attention.
At the heart of Punchbag are siblings Clara and Anders, and they were here as a 4-piece band. Their inspirations include Bjork and LCD Soundsystem. I'm in! The set was a welcome change from the post-punk dominance, a band unafraid to mix up the genres. By the end of the set the whole room was bouncing.
This was dance music, with guitars and drums, and with a dollop of pop. The lyrics reflect contemporary life and the quality of the lead vocalist Clara plus her energetic performance very quickly whipped up the crowd. There is no doubt that you will be hearing more from Punchbag in the not too distant future. They superbly filled the boots laid out by Maruja and Big Special. Punchbag play in London on 19 November at The Dublin Castle.
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