At least the weather was good yesterday: Day 2 of Dot To Dot is besieged by heavy wind and rainfall. All the venues are indoors, so it's not the end of the world, but it sure makes hopping between them to catch different bands a whole lot more of an effort.
As each night of Dot To Dot carries on until 5am, getting down to the venue complex as soon as doors open isn't a priority now that it takes place over a whole weekend, unless you're very energetic indeed you have to decide whether youre going to start late, stay out late, or get in their early at lunch time and probably bail around 1am.
Of course, your writer here is of super-human efestivals calibration, so despite better judgement, and still being knackered from yesterday, is down at the front bang on 2pm for Nottingham locals Lovvers, who tear the modest, but dedicated, crowd a new ear-hole with their noisy thrash theatrics.
An afternoon lull sees this writer soak up the festival atmosphere at the Trent Glo Bar, where Animal Kingdom perform in the background while a cross-section of Britain's musical youth from trendy scenesters to earnest post-rock punters come and go. It's a nice mix and so much more comfortable than the over-done muddy field festival experience.
Haunts follow, playing unashamedly radio friendly indie that's twinged with ghoulish synth chords that give them that little something more. It's ear-splittingly loud compared to the levels in other venues, and the sound is ringing in our ears all the way to Rock City to watch the awesome Mystery Jets.
They've given up on their knowingly-wacky indie idiosyncrasies of yore in favour of glorious 80s pop, and with their second album 'Twenty One' reigned in a new era of their career which is peppered with memorable sing-a-long pop songs. The crowd at Rock City are having a great time and it's not hard to tell why.
Finally, this reviewer's Dot To Dot 2008 finishes with a struggle to get through the huge crowds bottlenecking outside Rescue Rooms to see Santogold. We get in eventually, and though the Brooklyn rapper's show is fun enough her backing dancers booty-shakin' moves get the whole crowd dancing somewhere along the line it becomes apparent that most of her songs are linked by a thread of monotony and that perhaps all the hyperbole being ping-ponged around circles who discuss this type of thing isn't really worth it.
We go over to Stealth for Buraka Som Sistema, who DJ Portuguese baile funk late into the night. Everyone's drunk by this point and why not? It's a festival! Waking up on Monday morning it's clear that Dot To Dot 2008 has been great fun... the only regret being the filthy hangover it has left us with.
Thai Green Curry, Sweetchilli chicken stirfry, Veggie noodles
Healthy, interesting and delicious Thai food for festivals. No artificial anything just good, fresh ingredients, generous portions and fair prices. more >>
Dot To Dot Festival 
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