Left Of The Dial: Top tips, bars and hangover healers
Around the world, each and every year, countless festivals take place, and they all boast they’re the best of something: the best lineup, the best scenery, the best parties, the best vibes. But if you talk to any up-and-coming musician, one always seems to unanimously win out and take the crown when it comes to showcasing new music: that’s Left Of The Dial.
Happening in Rotterdam each October, the festival attempts to carve out space for the rising stars. In the grand scheme of things, it’s still a relatively new event, as it only began in 2018, but since its start, it has quickly gained traction.
Part of that rise is because of the ethos and ethics of the event. There are no headliners at Left Of The Dial, and you can only buy a three-day ticket. The idea is to showcase emerging talent, without the notion of a hierarchy. No day wins over the other, every artist is treated equally, there is no star of the show. Instead, it’s a festival where the organisers have done everything possible to ensure that the musical idealism of egalitarianism is reflected in the way the running of the event unfurls.
“Left of the Dial is an independent festival, and we can do whatever we want,” Minke Weeda, one of the festival organisers, tells me, and instantly I’m on board with the attitude. “Basically, we’re organising a festival that we would want to go to ourselves. With bands we love, in venues we like, and the way we talk to people on social media is the way we want to be talked to.”
She adds, ”We try to take care of everybody – artists, crew, ticketholders – the best way we can, because that’s how we want to be treated. And at the same time, we really don’t care what the rest of the world thinks of us.” After a summer where Glastonbury was marred with censorship and controversy, I want to get to my feet and applaud. When I ask what she’s most proud of about working for Left Of The Dial, she says it’s simply that they’ve stuck to that attitude, and that attitude has found people who resonate with it.
As for what makes the event special, it comes down to those people too, as Weeda says, “To sum it up in one slightly airy-fairy sentence: it’s the atmosphere created by over 5,000 people who really love music.”
From my own experience talking to musicians about the festival, it’s an event that seems to remind them that they love music too. When Weeda shares her favourite memory from the event, it’s clear how much they care about making it special for the artists. This is something pretty rare on the circuit, where bands are typically carted in and out, given a few rider beers, and small fee and sent on their way, unless they’re the big names.
Weeda explained, “Months before the festival, and using some lame excuse, we asked the first band playing there for their setlist. Without them knowing, we had the organ player learn their opening song. We told the band to get ready on stage and start their set as soon as the organ finished.”
These are the kinds of moments you can create if you care about creating something special for the band just as much as the crowd. As Weeda said, “Bands at Left of the Dial aren’t world-famous, and we knew the audience probably wouldn’t recognise the song, so we handed out notes to explain what was going on. Everyone was watching the band expectantly to see what would happen, and the moment they realised the organ was playing their song was pretty amazing.”
But, as with any inner-city, multi-venue festival, some degree of preparation must be done for optimum fun. Showcase festivals can be strange places, and if you’re not a booking agent with a pre-arranged roster, where is best to go? Well, for anyone who’s never been to Rotterdam, a degree of research is likely helpful, but I’m lazy, so I asked the organisers instead…
Left Of The Dial’s top tips and recommendations for a great Left Of The Dial:
- Skip the queues – ‘All artists are worth checking out, so don’t waste your time queueing. Look for the less crowded venues, and you just might discover your new favourite band.’
- Be social – ‘Talk to as many people as possible. Ask fellow punters for their gig tips and say thank you to musicians whose act you liked. It may seem uncomfortable at first, but it’s the best way to feel totally immersed in the festival.’
- Get moving – ‘If at all possible, rent a bicycle. It’s the fastest way to tick off all the architectural highlights and to see the city in all its glory. Just be careful though; Rotterdam is not for the inexperienced cyclist.’
- Learn the lingo – ‘If you want to communicate with the locals, learn the word ‘joh’. It’s used to express a wide variety of feelings and, depending on the tone, can mean anything from ‘yeah right’ to ‘I’m so sorry to hear that’ to ‘aren’t you a champ!’
- Reconsider your team – ‘Don’t wear an Ajax jersey. There’s nothing wrong with Amsterdam, but wearing their football team’s shirt is a sure way to get into trouble.’
Left Of The Dial’s map points to save:
- Best bar – Cafe Voigt: It’s a small bar just around the corner from Rotown, and it attracts a wonderful mix of people from all walks of life.
- Best hungover breakfast – Figaro: “It has great sandwiches at reasonable prices and the friendliest staff ever. It’s also the place where all the Left of the Dial artists have breakfast. If Figaro’s coffee doesn’t make you feel better, watching all the hungover rock stars will.”
- Best place to go for a break – Hit the water: “Take a water taxi to the south bank and walk back to the centre across the Erasmus Bridge. The boat ride is a great way to clear your head, and Rotterdam’s skyline is stunning. It will take you about an hour, and you’ll feel reenergised and festival-ready again.”
- A venue not to miss – Waterfront: “In the early-2000s, Rotterdam had this legendary venue called Waterfront. It was a dark and gritty bunker-like place under a bridge. Mainly due to mismanagement, the venue has been closed for years, but we got permission from the local government to reopen it just for Left of the Dial. It may not seem that special if you’re not from Rotterdam, but for locals it’s quite a big deal to finally see shows again at Waterfront.”
