Left of the Dial shows you every corner of the city

Showcase festival Left of the Dial turns Rotterdam into one big festival ground. The best new bands from all kinds of alternative music will perform at various locations from 17 to 19 October. From fragile indie pop to metal, from alt-folk to dance punk and everything in between.

Since its first edition in 2018, Left of the Dial has been an integral part of the Rotterdam festival calendar. ''From the beginning, we wanted to show Rotterdam at its very best, and let people wander through the city,'' says Minke Weeda, director of Rotown and driving force behind Left of the Dial. ''We have enormous love for Rotterdam, nightlife, pop culture and music. That all comes together at the festival.''

Stage parade

In mid-October, between 120 and 130 up-and-coming bands from the alternative music scene flock to Rotterdam. Mainly from the UK, but also from other European countries, as well as America and Canada. Left of the Dial appears to convey this enthusiasm for the city well: some bands do not want to return home at all after the festival, and decide to settle here. Minke: ''Three musicians have already moved here because they love the atmosphere so much.''

During the festival, 16 major concert halls, popular pop venues and the city's more hidden corners open up to audiences who come to Rotterdam from all corners of Europe. ''But more than half of the audience is simply from Rotterdam. And locals also discover places they wouldn't normally easily come to, because our venues go from church to nightclub. It gives a broad picture of what you can do, see and experience here.''

Those places include Roodkapje, Salsability, WORM, de Doelen and Rotown, and the regular audience takes the trouble to tick as many venues off the bingo card as possible. Minke: ''The Arminius Church is a venue everyone wants to go to. It is such an impressive place. But people also love the lightship V11, and people who usually mainly attend rock concerts find it cool to go inside nightclub Perron.'' New venues to discover this year are TR8 and UNIQUE.

Electoral Compass

Minke has a few pro-tips to get as much out of the festival as possible, because with more than 120 bands, the choice is vast. ''We have six playlists on Spotify, from the more danceable music to hard guitars, so with that you can discover what suits you best. And just speak to a band you've seen play and thought was cool, and ask where they're going. They love to tell you what they like. And seek adventure and just walk in somewhere. It might not always be your taste, but you will always come across something cool.''

To complete the festival feel, Left of the Dial also offers a fringe programme, so that festival-goers do not have to get bored during the hours when the regular programme has not yet started. Minke: ''People may not want to spend all day with music. That's why we also try to come up with other activities.''

Visitors are sent on an exploration of the city in various ways. For example, with the Scavanger Hunt, a scavenger hunt where you get to know the favourite spots of the Left of the Dial crew, while completing tasks in the meantime.

A popular part of the fringe programming is Bands on a Boat, where two bands perform on a canal boat as it sails through Rotterdam's harbours. Minke: ''Not only the visitors, but also the bands love this. They get crazy excited by the idea of sailing around while playing, with the iconic skyline in the background, on a boat normally used for weddings and parties.''

Treasure Hunt

Coveted are the limited-edition souvenirs that, if you are lucky, you can get your hands on during the festival. ''These are really collector's items,'' said Minke. ''ls you go to the festival and pay a bit of attention, you can collect all sorts of things. The fishing hats you score at Bands on a Boat are always popular. And the great thing is that at any given time, you'll see tufts of people walking all over town wearing one of these hats. And even at Down the Rabbit Hole, for example, I still come across them. People like to show off "Look, I've got it!" It's the ultimate souvenir.

But what I most want people to take away is the feeling that music is so much fun and Rotterdam is so beautiful. Rotterdam is the best backdrop you can have for a festival. You can show that very well with this festival.''

Cover photo: Guus van der Aa