West Lothians finest, Dictator took Dundee on a wild ride for their first Dundee headline show at Beat Generator as they stopped off in The Dee as part of their Scottish Tour.
Dictator played the penultimate date of their Scottish tour, marking their first ever headline show in the city. Having followed the band for a while but not yet managing to catch a live show I was super glad to make it along. Wih their debut EP released several days before the show it was a real treat to hear people had bought it ahead of the show and had been listening before of what was expected to be a quality night.
Denara
Dundee band Denara opened up the show and they definitley brought a crowd down for support. This band played as though it was their own headline show, showcasing everything they had to offer the Friday crowd. They are a mix of indie rock with touches of pscyhadelic rock and funk thrown in for some good measure – a band that weren’t ever going to aim to fit the mould. Denara provide catchy choruses, strong vocals and well utilised guitar solos. Throwing a curveball into their set playing Buzzcocks Ever Fallin In Love had everyone proper buzzing.
Hitlist
The four – piece indie rock band from the Granite City announced this was their penultimate gig. I’m a bit sad as have followed them for a little while and it was the first time I’ve managed to catch them live. Having played King Tuts New Year’s Revolution in January it was cool to have them at Beat Gen for the night. They might not be the most visually dynamic band to watch on stage, they make up for this with their music. A confident front man thanked Dundee for “being the best crowd we have had outside of Glasgow”. A highlight of their set for me was Dancing in the room, not only was the chorus memorable and had people sing along the drum pattern was captivating to watch played out. The band have just sold out Tunnels in Aberdeen as a goodbye show. I wish the guys all the best! Hopefully see them hitting the stage with other projects in the future.
Dictator
Opening up with Days gone by this five piece evidently came to Dundee to prove a point; they weren’t here to mess about. The band oozes confidence, groove, and purpose, creatively blending rock, rap, indie, pop, and funk into a wild, wonderful mix. Having just released their latest EP Middle of the road the day before this show it filled me with confidence that so many people in the crowd had checked it out ahead of the show, I’m sure that meant a lot to the band too.
Dictator are all about bringing the good vibes and I’m certain that everyone in that room will agree they delivered that in abundnace. The drummer, Allan and bassiest Joe are so locked in with their grooves and with limited eye contact throughout their set I can only make the assumption that they are telepathic, an absolute joy to watch.
The performance transported me back to my uni days, standing in DUSA (Dundee Student Union) watching The LaFontaines for the first time. Dictator’s frontman Mic reminded me a lot of Kerr Okan—the confidence, the purposeful swagger on stage and the ability to take the crowd on a journey from start to finish. It was surreal, but it also highlighted just how powerful live music can be and how moments in a set can spark connections to happy memories.
Dictator are anything but boring—you never know what’s coming next, and those are the kind of shows I love most. The unpredictability keeps the audience on their toes and allows for those “wow” moments. Beyond the groove, Dictator have a calmer, more soothing side too. Mic and the trumpet player Lesley stripped it right back with an acoustic guitar and jazzy trumpet for a rendition of Lullaby. As if the rap elements, ‘80s vibes, and cool drum fills weren’t enough to keep things interesting, this part of the set reminded us that Dictator are experimental and refuse to be pigeonholed into one genre—nor should they be!
It was fantastic to see a band use backing tracks to elevate their live show without letting them dominate the performance. Quirky sounds, voiceovers and selective backing vocals only enhanced their set, adding layers and textures for the audience to latch onto.
Dictator truly embodied the phrase “the show must go on.” Unfortunately, they had a battle with the tech gods during the gig, with both lead vocals and the bassist’s in-ear monitors failing at points. However, they handled it with absolute professionalism and grace, carrying on as if nothing was wrong—no diva behaviour, just getting on with it. It’s something no band ever wants to deal with on stage, but it’s part of the game, and Dictator showed true musicianship in pushing through. Credit where credit’s due!
It was a privilege to witness such a fun, high-energy show. Dictator bring the good vibes—from Rubik’s Cube battles to big singalongs—and they have energy in abundance. The hype is real and well-deserved. The band describe themselves as “daring and dynamic,” and I wholeheartedly agree. I go to so many gigs and listen to so much music, yet I haven’t come across anything quite like Dictator. I’m sure they gained a fair few new fans that night!
