Crank up those Dials as the new music festival returns to Southsea

Following successful events in 2015 and 2016, the multi-venue urban festival is back and will be working with its official charity partner Solent Mind, who provide a range of services to support people with mental health problems.

And they have released the first wave of acts exclusively through The Guide.

Heading up the bill will be alternative rockers and Brighton favourites Tigercub, who are Alcopop! Records signings. They released their debut album Abstract Figures in the Dark in 2016 and in 2018 have returned with new song Faking Laughter.

Hot on their heels will be Estrons from Wales, one of the highlights of Dials in 2016.  Estrons will be hitting The Wedgewood Rooms mainstage before heading out on a full UK tour in November.

Other acts to join the bill of 30 artists announced today include Margate's Art School Girlfriend who is the most recent signing to Wolf Tone records (also home to The Horrors and Glass Animals). Their beautiful mood music  has been compared to the likes of Massive Attack and Portishead and she's sure to win new fans in Portsmouth after her performance.

Also on the bill is psychedelic-rock quartet Vinyl Staircase, described by Paste magazine as one of the 15 British bands you need to know in 2018. For those who want to dance, electro-pop artist Salt Ashes, who the Guardian described as '˜Kylie meeting Kate Bush', will be on hand whilst electrifying indie rockers Thyla will be demonstrating why the NME chose them as ones to watch for 2018.

Alongside the national touring artists Dials will also be bringing some of the best and most popular local talent to its five stages including Barbudo, Jerry Williams, Melt Dunes and Hotel Lux.

Festival director Robin Seamer says: '˜Dials is all about showcasing great new music, providing a platform for both national touring acts as well as local artists, giving a great day out for music fans, whilst supporting the charity Solent Mind.

'˜Mental health has been discussed far more openly over the last few years and the Dials team think it's important that we do what we can to help raise awareness and funds for the valuable work the charity does.'

The previous Dials events were praised for their friendly community spirit, quality of acts, value for money and gender diversity of the bill. A number of Dials alumni such as Dream Wife, Fickle Friends and Black Honey have all gone on to gain wider national recognition. In 2015 the event won ULX's Best Small Festival award.

Dials festival is a single-access wristband event on Albert Road. Some of the organisations involved include the Wedgewood Rooms, Strong Island Recordings, Hong Kong Gardeners Club and Breaking More Waves Music Blog.

The line-up so far, with more acts to be announced soon is: Tigercub, Art School Girlfriend, Attack the Fire, Barbudo, Bella Spinks, Bokito, Breathe Panel, Curxes, Estrons, Fake Empire, Highlights of Our Modern World, Horseflies, Hotel Lux, Jerry Williams, Lauran Hibberd, LibraLibra, Lice, Los Bitchos, Margot, Melt Dunes, MystIc Peach, Omar Baba, Penelope Isles, Sad Palace, Salt Ashes, Sleep Eaters, Temples of Youth, Thyla, Ugly, Vinyl Staircase, Violet Mud.

Tickets are on sale from tomorrow. Limited super early bird tickets are £12, or £16 when they sell out.

Various venues, Southsea

Saturday, October 6 

dialsfestival.com