FIRST-TIMER’S GUIDE – ENG

In short: Left of the Dial is a 3-day multivenue festival in the centre of Rotterdam that showcases the best new music. This means that you’ll be running from venue to venue (all indoors) to see loads of artists you’ve probably never heard of, but will soon learn to love.

The two things we care about most is music and the well-being of all living creatures, so it’s very simple: be kind to your fellow-festivalgoer, don’t break stuff and show your appreciation for the Left of the Dial artists any way you can. If we all stick to these basic rules, we’re going to have a great time!

Your ticket is a 3-day pass. At the ticket desk you exchange it for a wristband which grants you access to all festival venues all days, with the exception of a few special events like Bands on a Boat for which you need an additional ticket.

If you purchase a group ticket, you’ll get 6 tickets for the price of 5. You’ll receive 6 individual tickets, so each member of your group can collect their wristband whenever they want.

When Left of the Dial is officially sold out and you still need a ticket, please try Ticketswap, the only resell platform that will guarantee you purchasing official tickets. You absolutely don’t have to, but to enhance your Left of the Dial experience, we have some ‘add-ons’: Tickets for additional events that take place during the weekend, like Bands on a Boat, or Dine Like a Star.

Please double check if you have your tickets well before arriving (preferably right now!) Can’t find your tickets? No problem, email us and we’ll help you out. We just need the email address with which you’ve purchased the tickets and we’ll resend them.

If you need a place to stay in Rotterdam, please check our get-a-room-page.

Of course, you can wear whatever you want at Left of the Dial. We’re not the Met Gala, no one cares. However, there are a few things you might want to consider when deciding on your outfit. October weather is unpredictable. We had amazing sunny days and we had non-stop pouring rain, so layer up and just to be sure pack a waterproof jacket. Also, it would be smart to wear comfortable shoes, because chances are you’re going to walk a lot.

We love all the artists on the lineup, so we’re pretty sure that you can walk into any venue at any moment and have a great time, but if you want to familiarize yourself with your new favourite bands, or learn the lyrics so you can sing a long, please check out our different playlists on Bandcamp or on Spotify.

There are so many Extra things to do at Left of the Dial that we will dedicate a special page to these Extra Extras later on. We strongly recommend checking it out, because it’s a sure way to more fun and to get free stuff!

It’s wise to extra carefully read the newsletters you’ll receive in the week leading up to Left of the Dial. Here you’ll find last-minute changes and other important things, including emergency information.

We stopped printing booklets with the Left of the Dial timetable, because we always printed way too much and we hate wasting paper. So please, either print your own, or download our app. Admittedly, not the most fancy app in the world of festival apps, but it has plenty of features that will make planning your festival easier.

We strongly suggest that you take public transportation, ride a bicycle, or take a cab/Uber to Left of the Dial. These are the most effective, environmentally sound, and neighbourly methods to get to the centre of Rotterdam. Besides, parking spaces are scarce and expensive. The ticket desk where you exchange your e-ticket for a wristband is located a 10 minute walk from Central Station, or take Tram 4.

Eendrachtsplein
3012 LA Rotterdam

If you need directions, just tell anyone you’re looking for the infamous Butt Plug Gnome statue (seriously!) and they will point you right to the location of our ticket desk.

At the ticket desk you present your e-ticket to our staff and they will hand you your wristband. No need to print your ticket as long as you have it on your phone. The wristband will grant you access to all Left of the Dial venues for all 3 days with the exception of special events like Bands on a Boat or Dine Like a Star for example, for which you need an additional ticket.

Opening hours of the ticket desk:

Thursday 17.00 – 22.00h (first show: 19.00h)
Friday 15.00 – 21.00h (first show: 16.00h)
Saturday 15.00 – 21.00h (first show: 16.00h)

Usually, the longest queue is on Thursday between 18.00 and 19.00h, so if there’s an early show you definitely don’t want miss, collect your wristband as soon as the ticket desk opens.

Once you’ve got your wristband, you’re free to roam from venue to venue. Walking distances from the ticket desk to the different venues vary from 3 to roughly 20 minutes.

All venues have a limited capacity, so if you absolutely want to see a certain show, come early, or try to get your hands on a priority pass. Most bands play more than one show (marked with # in the timetable), so usually you’ll get another chance to see them. Some venues are really tiny and more likely to be at capacity soon, so it’s worth checking our venue overview which also includes the accessibility and the beer prices of each venue.

Stay hydrated, eat well and get some rest whenever you feel you need it. If you need help in any way, please talk to our bar staff, our volunteers, or our security team. Also remember: the best way to take care of yourself is by having fun!

Left of the Dial has been known for its huge sense of community and we really like to keep it that way. As soon as we open our doors, the festival is all yours and it’s up to you to make it the best ever. So, be respectful, accept that some people are more outgoing than others and if you accidentally bump into someone, apologize. Oh, and if you’re planning to mosh, learn the pit etiquette (most importantly, if someone falls down, pick them up!)

Being on stage can be tough and the Left of the Dial artists are working really hard just for you, so cheer them on, sing a long, dance, follow them on social media, buy merchandise, and please, never ever use their shows as a moment to loudly catch up with your friends about your weekend plans. All our artists are usually very approachable, so don’t hesitate to compliment them after the show, they will really appreciate it.

So many awesome artists are performing, if one venue is at capacity, move on to the next. Chances are you’ll be pleasantly surprised. (Or maybe not pleasantly at all, but still, being surprised is usually a good thing. And better than queueing…)

The official Left of the Dial shows on Friday and Saturday take place between 16.00h and midnight-ish, but you don’t have to get bored during the day. Of course, you can go sightseeing as Rotterdam is an amazing city, but if you’re up for more music, check out The Official Unofficial festival. Officially this free daytime festival is not part of Left of the Dial, however we fully support our unofficial friends and we highly recommend checking out their events!

If you fancy yourself quite the influencer, please use #LOTD in all your social media outings. If you’re more like us and you just randomly post something every now and then, also feel free to tag us. We’re probably too busy during the festival to see it, but we love scrolling through all your posts when we finally get home on Sunday!