Dialled In 2026

Dialled In is back for its fifth birthday, this time taking over iconic venues across Dalston on a gloriously sunny May day. On my journey over, I lost count of how many Arsenal shirts I spotted. In a last-minute addition to the day’s offerings, and in line with the grassroots, community ethos of the collective, the festival has responded to fan-requests by hosting the Champions League final in the Marquee Moon pub for ticket holders who pre-booked. Arsenal will go on to lose the final but — spoiler alert — the mood doesn’t dampen in the slightest.

Other stages hosting the diverse schedule include Cafe OTO, The Divine, Shacklewell Arms and all of EartH, where most of the bigger names are playing. It’s where I start my day, although I am a bit gutted to miss some of the short films and comedy screenings hosted by Rio Cinema. Instead, I find myself in the wonderful EartH Theatre, where Baria, one of the founding members of The xx, performs an intimate, shoegaze-y set. It’s sweet and promising — her first live show in 15 years — and I’m excited for an official release of some of the songs performed, with only demos currently available on DSPs. 

I then pop over to catch an experimental vinyl set by the duo behind the excellent Naya Beat Records in Total Refreshment Centre, which is serving exclusively non-alcoholic drinks. It’s lovely, chilled-out-vibes, but the heat gets the better of us and we don’t stay long.

A quick break from the music. Naya Beat Records has a space in the merch stall, where I pick up Punjabi Disco by Mohinder Kaur Bhamra — a fascinating story if you’ve never come across it. I also grab some delicious jerk rice from a Caribbean kitchen on offer there, although Dalston’s abundance of food spots means you’re not really short of options. During my walks between venues, I can hear cheers erupting from pubs, including the Marquee Moon. Arsenal have scored early. What a confident start.

There is also a sense of confidence running through the day. Even though Dialled In is only in its fifth year, it has already hosted festivals and events across the globe. Nothing feels disorganised, the crowd is genuinely there for the music, and you’re left with a real sense of community.

For example, I go from NYC’s Zainab (FKA Zeemuffin), whose set brings a fun party atmosphere, to Mumbai’s Bamboy, who opens with soundbites referencing socialism. It’s an overtly political set and my performance of the day, taking us on a thrilling journey through bass-heavy sounds that hit with real force. Highly percussive and relentlessly energetic, the crowd responds brilliantly to every turn. 

From there, I have time to catch the end of the outrageous Dhol Academy in the main EartH Hall space. Towering above the DJs, the dhol players are the stars of the show, weaving together bhangra, drum & bass, jungle and more. The energy is rapturous and perfectly sets the stage for our headliner and Dialled In co-founder, Ahadadream. 

Like Dialled In itself, Ahadadream has come on leaps and bounds over the past five years. His set is the perfect end to the day. The crowd is at its busiest and, in a moment that perfectly encapsulates everything the festival stands for, he brings his parents onto the stage. Attending one of his shows for the first time, they’re proudly wearing his tour merchandise and raving alongside the rest of us as recent viral hit and Skrillex collaboration ‘Bass Dhol’ rings out through the speakers.

Arsenal may have fallen short, but as the crowd spills out into the Dalston night, Dialled In feels like a festival, and collective, firmly on the rise.