The Brighton & Hove News & Sussex News Music Team were out in force at The Great Escape New Music Festival. Once again this year, we strived to cover as many new and up-and-coming artists as possible during the event, which took place right across the city of Brighton and Hove at numerous venues of varying sizes from Wednesday 14th to Saturday 17th May.
With an extended team of Nick Linazasoro, Sara-Louise Bowrey, Cris Watkins, Martin J Fuller, Mark Kelly, Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson, Christian Le Surf, Peter Greenfield, Ian Holman, Rinee Sinharay, Phil Newton, Kairen Kemp, Petra Ejuane, Graham Houston, Stephen Willcox, Jess Kemp, Rob Orchard, Cherie Elody, Max Tollworthy, Sophie Tebb, David McLean & Paul Jenkins, we were able to witness many exciting new acts from a whole host of different music genres from right across the globe. It was hard work and we have the blisters to prove it from running all around the city, but was it worth it? Hell yeah!
There are far too many acts to cover in just one article, so we have split them up in date order. This article refers to artists that the Brighton & Hove News & Sussex News team covered only on Wednesday 14th May, along with the venue and planned time of the performance, as well as who wrote each review. Part 2 on the acts that performed on Thursday 15th May can be found HERE, Part 3 on those who played on Friday 17th May can be found HERE and finally Part 4 for those on Saturday 17th May are available HERE.
There was also a whole host of ‘Unofficial Escape’ events happening throughout Brighton & Hove at the same time again this year, and so where possible, we dipped into some of these events for a full rounded perspective of things.
So without further ado, here’s our Official Great Escape reviews for Wednesday 14th May….Enjoy!
WEDNESDAY 14th MAY:
REA – Jubilee Square 17:15 – 17:45
I have a quick word with Rachel (aka REA – her stage persona named after her initials) before she’s due to perform and she tells me she’s excited to be the opening act of this year’s festival, but is worried that nobody will turn up. Fears allayed, the Jubilee Square hub is already buzzing with music fans and delegates alike as REA takes the stage for her six song set. It was just Rachel and her guitarist when I saw them at Homegrown recently, but on this occasion they’re joined by another couple of musicians on bass and what looks to be a lap steel guitar. REA’s songs are gentle alt-folk sounding, openers ‘Dark By 4’ and ‘2005’ perfect mellow numbers for those who like the music of fellow Sussex residents Lucy Rose and Bess Atwell. Woodland sounds are added for ‘Henfield’ (a song about running out of annual leave!) which was recorded up on the South Downs and ‘Outside’ which the singer describes as more of a jam than a finished track. The band finish their set with ‘Talk’ leaving the audience refreshed and inspired for the four days of live music that lie ahead.
(Phil Newton)
GOODBYE – Green Door Store 18:00 – 18:30
The first act I saw during the festival are one of my favourite new local bands, ‘Goodbye’, they are at the Green Door Store. The performance was one of the many unofficial alternative events being put on at the festival. Having rehearsed for nine months, Goodbye played their first gig at The Rossi Bar on 14th September 2024. Since then, they have gone on to play many times in Brighton, including local festivals, Mutations, Mumfest, and Homegrown, as well as gaining support slots with Man/Woman/Chainsaw, Welly, and Lambrini Girls. I first got to see them live at Alphabet when they supported Ladylike. I was impressed with that performance and I’ve seen them five times since. Today, they played a seven-song set starting with ‘MEAT’. A song that starts slowly and builds with Megan Wheeler on lead vocals, providing great range to match the jangly guitar work from Alfie Beer on lead guitar. Both Megan and Sarah Ryan provide beautiful harmony on the second song of the evening, ‘13A’. The third song, ‘Benji’s Collar’, is another that starts slowly with Megan singing along to Sarah’s guitar. It then bursts into a crescendo of sound before fading back down with Alfie adding vocal harmonies. For the fourth track ‘Take Time’, drummer Elik Eddy swaps his drumsticks for shakers at the start. This time Sarah provides the lead vocals with Megan adding harmonies. For the next song ‘The Boy’, Alfie takes over on lead vocals, Megan provides backing vocals, with Sarah using keys instead of guitar and Elik providing some faster drumming. After this song Alfie says “Hello, we are Goodbye”. This gets a cheer from the well-attended crowd and then Elik announces that he is wet (with sweat) already and it’s only the first day of the festival. This provides amusement among his fellow bandmates and some of the audience. Megan is back on lead vocal duty for the penultimate song of the evening, which is an unnamed new song. Both Sarah and Alfie provide backing vocals on this one. Alfie then wishes everyone a good week and the drums kick in for the last song ‘Tolgus Wartha’ with Megan sitting at the front of the stage. Megan returns to her mic to once again provide some fabulous angelic vocal range on another song that lifts and drops back to close a splendid set. This was a splendid start to the festival.
(Ian Holman)
JAGGED BAPTIST CLUB – The Hope & Ruin (Upstairs) 18:15 – 18:45
Having failed to do the most rudimentary amount of research I rock up to The Hope & Ruin somehow convinced that Jagged Baptist Club hail from Margate and that singer/guitarist Blake Stokes is putting on a comedy American accent to try and get us to believe they’ve come all the way from California to entertain us. My bad, turns out they really are from Los Angeles… Alongside CJ (bass), Morgan (drums) and Josh (synths) Blake is our lively host for the next half an hour, making us laugh with his between-song anecdotes and posturing to the crowd. Musically the band are equally energetic, mixing frantic synths and guitars with Blake’s shrieking vocals. ‘Blow Dry Nation’ and ‘You’re A Dog’ from debut album ‘Physical Surveillance’ are two highlights, with Blake calling the audience a bunch of dirty dogs – then clarifying that it’s meant as a compliment. Early cut ‘Temptation Death House’ sounds like a lost tune from the mid-noughties new wave of new rave, it’s like a more in-your-face version of Working Men’s Club. The combination of shouty beats and the band egging on the crowd certainly hit a sweet spot and provoke a rowdy reaction. As Blake addresses his new fans one more time, “it’s cool to clap your hands and have a good time.” And so we do, even if they are from LA and not from Margate after all.
(Phil Newton)
SLAG – Patterns (Upstairs) 18:15 – 18:45
The delicately titled Slag play upstairs at Patterns, which is a venue I’ve never visited before. Which only goes to show that it’s never too late to have new experiences. Front- person Amelie says the name with a mixture of apology and distaste. This simply isn’t good enough. Own the name! Shout it from the rooftops! Shout it in people’s faces!!! The band are a five piece, comprising two guitars (including Amelie), bass, drums and keyboards. They appear to have had two singles released: ‘Heaven’ and ‘Ripped’. Both of which are played today. ‘Heaven’ opens the set and is a driving piece of post-punk with suitably angular guitar arpeggios against the beat. They have plenty of other material aside from the singles though. ‘Gyro’ features some interesting time signature changes. ‘Still Here’ is funky in a rocky kinda way, with some ace drum fills and grungy vocals. ‘Ripped’ has a nice hi-hat intro and very impressive drumming, as indeed it is throughout. ‘Legs’ features an awesome guitar intro from Amelie. I’m impressed that she can play this and sing at the same time! After the song comes to a cataclysmic ending Amelie holds up her guitar: the band’s name is on the back. She can’t be that ashamed of it then. Slag: one to remember.
(Mark Kelly)
BLANKET – The Prince Albert 18:20 – 18:50
Kicking off my Great Escape this year are a quartet called Blanket who hail from Blackpool and their format is guitar and vocals, second guitar, bass, drums and laptop. We are witnessing all five bands on The Prince Albert bill this evening and the venue is very busy and suffice to say that we are packed in like sardines. With a “Check, check yeah” on the mic and we are away! Blanket are a mixture of shoegaze and grunge, thus grugaze. This evening this is delivered as a combination of an intense sound with sedately delivered melodic vocals atop, as can be heard in their critically acclaimed studio albums, ‘Modern Escapism’ and ‘Ceremonia’. Their opening number ‘Sea Of Bliss’ has a marching band style drumming and heavy bass riffage. This combination rattled my trousers as I was stood at the front by the speakers. We get a half dozen tunes, the others being ‘Blur’, ‘Porcelain’, ‘Levitate’, ‘Blue Eyes’ and ‘Where The Light Takes Us’. The best in set for me was ‘Levitate’ which is their new single, so the future bodes well and it’s a very encouraging start to the new music festival.
(Nick Linazasoro)
POLITE BUREAUX – The Hope & Ruin (Downstairs Bar) 18:45 – 19:15
Hailing from Bradford, the city of Culture, Joe Smith is otherwise known as Polite Bureaux. Smith is joined on stage by his blood sister Maya Lili and raver Viv Maher. The music style is beats, bass and some brutal honest lyrics delivered in an almost spoken word style. With their debut album ‘C*nt Monday’ released last year and already secured in own my LP collection, I’ve been super keen to see Polite Bureaux live in the flesh, the first time in Brighton I was ill so missed it, the next time one of them was ill so the gig was cancelled, so tonight marks their return and my first chance at long last. So keen was I that I made sure we were down nice and early to get right up front. I was not disappointed. The set opener was latest single ‘Bradford’ a slow and brooding number, with a very retro computer sounding beat throughout, something that is a common thing with a number of the tracks during the set, cool retro sounds, synths and keys often building and building. The bulk of the 9 song set came from their debut album, including the fast and beat heavy ‘Dollars & Dimes’, then perhaps the even more so apt ‘C*nt Monday’ with its references to Tesla, along with ‘Scratchcard’ with its Orbital-esqe like rhythm. Throughout the set Smith delivered the words with power and conviction, Maya’s bass work ever present as she bobbed and weaved behind Smith. We were treated to some new tracks from the upcoming out album hopefully to be released later this year, these added to the growing momentum of the set, until we hit the final climax of ‘Broke Biscuits’, a masterpiece to my ears. A fabulous start to the festival, 28 minutes was just not enough for me, fingers crossed Brighton gets a tour date when the album comes out. Bradford’s finest for sure.
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
MOON IDLE – The Freemasons 18:55 – 19:25
There were late changes to the start of my festival plans, as the day before Brighton independent alt rock/trip hop band Moon Idle announced they were playing the alternative escape. The Brighton four-piece are Quilla Robinson (vocals, keyboard and guitar), Jasper Fergus (guitar), Martin Eddington (bass) and Felix Burton (drums). From the opening distorted notes from Jasper’s guitar on ‘Godzilla’, I knew that the change to my schedule was the right decision. Vocalist Quilla portrayed real emotions as she softly sang over the distorted guitars. Felix’s upbeat drumming and Martin’s laid-back bass were more to the fore on ‘Gone’, while Jasper added a jangly guitar, with Quilla’s vocals soaring beautifully as the song built. ‘Girl In Blue’ showcased the ethereal side of Quilla’s vocals, while on ‘Seed’ the emotions in her voice again shone. There were several intertwined aspects to all Moon Idle’s songs, which came together seamlessly. ‘Delay Me’, Moon Idle’s closing number, was my favourite song of the festival, with its great use of effects, funkier sound with echoes of Massive Attack, before switching to an alt-rock sound later. What a perfect way to close one of the most memorable sets for me of the whole 4 days.
(Peter Greenfield)
CHITCHAT – Patterns (Upstairs) 19:15 – 19:45
All artists performing at Patterns Upstairs on Wednesday’s showcase attend the local BIMM Music Institute. ChitChat were the first act I witnessed from The Great Escape official line-up this year. A five-piece band I first heard about when trawling through the 500 plus artists appearing at the festival. From this first experience of seeing them perform, I’m sure it won’t be the last. They are a full-on female fronted rock band with a bunch of well-structured songs. They started off with a decent unreleased track, ‘Under My Skin’. They then played their debut single from May 2024, ‘Vicious Game’. After the third track ‘Cuts Deep’, it was time for their second single release, ‘Easy’. After the slow opening lines of this song, Rosie Crowhurst’s melodic vocals burst into life. This was a crowd favourite, with some of the younger members of the crowd singing along. ‘Dirty Rumour’ is another catchy song, then we had a full-on rock track titled ‘Frail’. There’s some wild drumming on ‘Hollow’, then the set culminates with new release ‘Hand It Over’, which was my highlight of the set.
(Ian Holman)
JUNIOR BROTHER – TGE Beach Soundwaves 19:15 – 19:45
Junior Brother has been being recommended to me for some time so I’m stoked to have the opportunity to see him live. His ‘Hungover At Mass’ is a storming piece of work and I’m sure that there are many severely lapsed Catholics like myself who can readily identify with it. Today Junior is joined by Tony McGlaughlin on mandolin and backing vocals, and Dan Walsh on drums, flute and backing vocals. The set kicks off with ‘Small Violence’ which was released as a single “about a month ago”. It has a wonderful descending intro from the guitar and mandolin, and deliberately discordant harmonies. One song has a flute intro courtesy of drummer Dan. It sounds very pastoral and delicate. The whole band rock out (relatively speaking) during the middle eight, but then the drums are abandoned and the delicateness returns. ‘Take Guilt’ also has discordant harmonies, which are once again very effective. Tony’s backing vocals sound oddly like a cello! The set closes with a brand new song about being lost in an Irish ring fort in a field. Drummer Dan plays the intro on flute. There’s then a quite lengthy full band instrumental which leads into quite a punchy song. An epic in the making methinks. They didn’t play ‘Hungover At Mass’!!! I’m not disappointed – there was plenty more to enjoy!
(Mark Kelly)
MERCURY – The Prince Albert 19:15 – 19:45
Next up are Mercury, who comprise Jake Ward (vocals/guitar), Harvey Magher (guitar), Ike Reed (bass/vocals) and Dean Boon (drums). The band released their debut EP titled ‘This Place I’m Forgetting, Replaced With An Ending’ in August 2024. They proudly inform us that they have come down from Stoke-on-Trent to play for us. To which I namedrop Discharge and Clay Records and their drummer is impressed and says that I know “my stuff”. The band are essentially a product of where they come from and thus this evening, with a crescendo they are away and offer us an alt rock / post-hardcore / grunge set which is influenced by the 90s rock scene, consisting of bands such as HUM, Helmet, Failure and more. The longer they played, the more accustomed to their sound I became. Fans of early 1970s rock and grunge would love these. They are a tight unit and the vocals are relatively melodic and the music is intense, with some shaking of the guitars in front of the speakers was to be had. The flashing white stage lights added to the performance when used.
(Nick Linazasoro)
GEN & THE DEGENERATES – The Font 19:30 – 20:00
‘Gen and the Degenerates’, a five-piece from Liverpool, were the first band to impress us. They call their music “garage punk with a queer-feminist broadside”. Their lively performance and catchy lyrics made them a great opening act. Headed by the eponymous ‘Gen’ (Genevieve Glynn-Reeves), and her ‘Degenerates’, Evan Reeves (drums), Jay Humphreys (bass), and on guitars, Sean Sloan and Jake Jones. Standout songs included, such as ‘Girls!’, which has some of the best lyrics I have heard in a long while. ‘Anti-Fun Propaganda’, and the opening track, which had us nailed and made sure we stayed to review that night, ‘Kids Wanna Dance’.
(Jess Kemp)
AVA MCKECHNIE – Patterns (Upstairs) 20:15 – 20:45
I remain upstairs at Patterns to see Ava McKechnie. A 21-year-old singer-songwriter from Wicklow in Ireland who has been studying at BIMM and draws inspiration from artists such as Damien Rice, Train, and The Script. Back in September 2024, Ava made her television debut performing solo on The Six Sessions on the Irish free-to-air Virgin Media One channel. This evening, Ava performed a seven-song set with a full backing band. Most of the set has a country feel to it. Zak McKenner on electric guitar and harmonica complemented Ava’s vocals and acoustic guitar playing. The first five songs played were unreleased material. The last of these, ‘Daydreaming’, is a happy song that Ava wrote back in Wicklow when she was 14. The final two songs of the set were the new single ‘Hey Australia’ and the beautifully played previous single ‘I’ll Wait’. Ava’s sweet voice captivated the audience throughout the performance, receiving generous applause between songs and at the end of the set.
(Ian Holman)
FORGETTING THE FUTURE – The Font 20:15 – 20:45
This band is an exact lesson in not judging a book by its cover. The four disruptively youthful band members took the stage, having travelled all the way down from Scotland to be the second act to perform on the new stage set-up. If the first band had effectively ‘blown the roof off’ the venue and impressed all present, this second act, at least in the audience’s mind, had a challenge to impress. However, I was impressed they did. From the second the four-piece started to play as if possessed by the need to deliver a set as impressive as the first and go one step better. The youthful exuberance and passion carried across in every note and lyric that sailed across the venue. Forgetting The Future is a 4-piece indie rock act from the Scottish Highlands Thurso. The band includes Robbie McNicol, Sam Cowan, Max Paul, and Jamie Mackay. Their captivating, energetic stage presence has earned them gigs alongside Sam Fender, THE HARA, The Luka State, King Charles, Neon Waltz and more. The pure power behind the band excelled in the tracks on the set, which included ‘Cherry’, ‘Fracture’ and ‘Pause’, all taken from their 2020 album ‘Broken Phones And Hormones.’
(Jess Kemp)
GOODBYE – Jubilee Square 20:15 – 20:45
Jubilee Square is the showcase of the opening evening of the festival, and Brighton band Goodbye weren’t even formed when the last Great Escape festival took place, such is their rapid rise. Goodbye are Megan Wheeler (vocals), Sarah Ryan (guitar, synth, vocals), Alfie Beer (guitar, vocals), Jake Smith (bass) and Elik Eddy (drums). From their opening number ‘Tolgus Wartha’, Goodbye showed their amazing ability to create rich soundscapes which rise and fall back beautifully filling the venue and captivating the audience. They expertly mixed the worlds of shoegaze and jangle-pop creating their fresh unique enigmatic sound. Over which are the stunning vocals, either the harmonies between Megan and Sarah or Megan’s solos. Megan’s voice on ‘Benji’s Collar’ was like vocal gymnastics with its pace and complexity. Goodbye’s set was full of both quality and variety, as shown with the dreamlike song ‘Take Time’ followed by the faster ‘The Boy’ with Alfie’s guitar sound and vocal reminiscent of 1980’s indie and The Smiths. Goodbye closed a great set with ‘Meat’ to huge applause from the appreciative crowd.
(Peter Greenfield)
GRAYWAVE – The Prince Albert 20:15 – 20:45
Graywave came into being in Birmingham in 2019 and yet this afternoon is our debut encounter with the band. The venue is pleasingly full which adds to the atmosphere, and it’s “atmosphere” that Greywave offer us across their handful of tunes: ‘Blur Into One’, ‘Rebirth’, Dark Spell’, ‘Undone’ and ‘Build’. A trio of these are from last year’s ‘Dancing In The Dust’ EP and the other two are from 2022’s ‘Rebirth’ EP. Their sound falls between the realm of shoegaze and grunge and vocalist Jess Webberley’s vocals remind me of Liz Frazer of the Cocteau Twins, as it’s absorbing and hypnotic, despite sadly being down in the mix. Jess has a trio of bandmates and there’s much tremolo and foot-pedal action going on here. They have the twangy guitar and solid drums interplay with ethereal vocals and meaty bass. Some guitar parts had that ‘Ceremony’ by New Order sound. They are a well rehearsed unit and their tunes flow into each other which sadly doesn’t allow the crowd the time for applause. Overall it’s as though The Cocteau Twins and Xmal Deutschland have found grunge. This is an interesting prospect, but sadly this is their only Escape concert this year, so hoping for a swift return.
(Nick Linazasoro)
WARMDUSCHER – TGE Beach The Deep End 20:30 – 21:15
Festival faves Warmduscher are of course unmissable, so I toddle across to the other side of the beach to catch their set. I haven’t seen them since Glastonbury 2022 and during that time they’ve dispensed with the services of their deliberately ‘bored’ looking backing singers. They’d be checking their phones, filing their nails and blowing bubblegum bubbles as their bandmates played. Warmduscher of course being a very exciting live band! Maybe the joke just grew old. Warmduscher are one of those bands that manage to be wild, out there, razor sharp and precise all at the same time. I don’t know how they do it, but they do. Vocalist Clams Baker Jr very much leads from the front. He’s on the rail from the start, but can’t get much further because of his mic lead. As always Mr Quicksand supplies some awesome distorted lead guitar, whilst ‘Midnight Dipper’ must have one of the greatest bass intros courtesy of Mr Salt Fingers Lovecraft. If ever there was a band designed for festivals, it’s Warmduscher. Nothing to fault here!
(Mark Kelly)
ASTRAL BAKERS – The Hope & Ruin (Downstairs Bar) 20:45 – 21:15
Back at The Hope & Ruin there’s already a queue outside but thankfully I only have to wait a few minutes before I’m allowed inside. Aiming for the downstairs bar this time I fight my way through the throng of delegates drinking and talking to get myself a decent viewpoint at the front left hand side of the stage. There’s a couple of bands I’m keen to see here tonight, starting off with French quartet Astral Bakers comprised of Sage (vocals/guitar), Theodora (bass/vocals), Nico (guitar) and Zoe (drums/vocals). This is their second time in the UK and their sound is dreamy shoegaze similar to fellow country-mate Melody’s Echo Chamber, but with vocals shared between three of the band members. They open strongly with ‘I Don’t Remember’ and ‘Shelter’ from last year’s debut album ‘The Whole Story’ before introducing new single ‘Within A Heartbeat.’ A second new song ‘Dog In A Manger’ sees Zoe come out from behind the drumkit to swap places with Sage to sing lead vocals on this track, plus a shortened cover of ‘Cherry-Coloured Funk’ by Cocteau Twins – I hope Simon Raymonde was lurking at the back to hear that one! Astral Bakers conclude their 7 song set with another album track ‘Beautiful Everything’ a winning combination of guitar melodies and sung harmonies that leave the audience smiling. Merci beaucoup!
(Phil Newton)
GUTTERFLY – Village 20:45 – 21:15
I began the first of the Alternative Escape shows just to the North East of Brighton, at a cosy independent café bar in Hanover called Village. Hosted by the boys at ‘I Flipping Luv Brighton’, I found myself in the midst of a ten-set show towards the start of the night, enjoying the sounds and excitements of bands such as Fire Escape, Collect Call and Josh Hazelden. My first review for the night comes in the form of art rockers Gutterfly, whose intricate guitar and bass lines made for some beautifully atmospheric, yet tense, pieces of music for a packed out Village. The trio made sure to take the crowd on a severity of twists and turns that reminded me of bands such as early Black Country, New Road, Japan, Mogwai and Interpol. Throughout the set, Gutterfly explored a stellar usage of polyrhythmic riffs, dark and foreboding textures and chord structures, and dynamic climaxes which shook the room! Fun fact: this show was also the second out of eight Great Escape-related shows for drummer James Devine, who also performs alongside Arcadia Residential, Shady Baby and Eliksa, so props to him!
(Christian Le Surf)
SLUMBER – The Font 21:00 – 21:30
Slumber is a 4-piece self-declared “Emo-Indie Rock Band” from Chelmsford, Essex. The band wear their influences on their sleeves. Taking their cue from 2000s UK Indie acts, including Arctic Monkeys, Bloc Party and The Wombats’. They also reference ‘heavier’ artists including Mineral, Sunny Day, Real Estate and Citizen. One thing was for sure from the start: no one would be taking a nap during this bombastic and thundering set. The current band members include Asher Courtney (vocals, guitar), Tom McGuire (drums), and James Coston (bass). Their set was relentless; it was a miracle the new staging stood up to the onslaught. The set genuinely made the hair on the back rise in the best possible ways. Songs from the set included 2025 singles ‘I Was Wondering’, ‘The First Song I Ever Played You’, and ‘Boys Will Be Boys’. With day one done and dusted, it had been an exuberant start to a weekend that was set to get better and better with an act that hit the stage.
(Jess Kemp)
GANS – TGE Beach Soundwaves 21:15 – 21:45
Birmingham noisy garage-punk duo Euan Woodman and Thomas Rhodes, known as GANS, played at TGE Beach Soundwaves. The venue was a small covered marquee. During the soundcheck, you instantly knew this performance was going to be a loud one. Euan was on drums and vocals, with Thomas on bass and vocals. Six of the eight tracks played were released material. The first, 2023’s ‘WHAT YOU MEAN’, featured Euan on lead vocals. It starts off with some striking bass playing, Euan then lets out a shriek, the drums kick in, and we are off and running. Next, we get a trio of 2024 releases. For ‘TALK TO MUCH’, Euan comes down to the front of the stage and over the barrier separating the crowd from the photography pit to join the audience. He returns to his drum kit for the third song of the set, ‘IN TIME’. Thomas takes over on vocals for this one. Next, we get the excellent ‘DIRTY COWBOY’. This one gets the crowd jumping. The unreleased ‘IT’S JUST A LIFE’ is next, then it’s the latest single and set highlight ‘I THINK I LIKE YOU’. This one I like a lot. Surprisingly, there is no mosh pit action going on. We are then asked by Thomas if we know how to spell, as it’s time for another 2024 release ‘BUSINESS’. This song closes with a bit of Tag Teams’ ‘Whoomp! There It Is’. The final song of an entertaining set is another unreleased one ‘THE KINGS HEAD’, which has the crowd singing along to the line “We all find ourselves in the pub”.
(Ian Holman)
KNIVES – The Prince Albert 21:15 – 21:45
We are next in the company of Jay Schottlander (vocals), Josh Cook (guitar), Dan Farren (guitar, bv’s), Ben Marshall (bass, bv’s), Erin Cook (drums) and Izzi Allard (saxophone, bv’s), who collectively are Bristol upward-trajectory outfit Knives. Now I’m not saying they bowed down to crowd pressure, but the band kicked off 9 minutes early! Mind you, looking at their setlists, there are a dozen tunes listed and it’s technically a half hour set. Seven of the songs are to be found on their new ‘Glitter’ album. There’s so much going on with this band, that you could get dizzy just watching them all, especially Ben with his high kicks. It’s no wonder Izzy and then Jay came for a wander in the crowd. They offer a blend of styles and can be likened to Fat Dog, but Knives are blending sounds akin to Cypress Hill and indie rock like DITZ and IDLES. They have attitude and some of their songs have jaunty rhythms and there’s more energy going on here than a spin dryer at full speed.
(Nick Linazasoro)
SLAG – Jubilee Square 21:15 – 21:45
Slag blend indie-pop, math-rock, and post-punk into the catchiest of tunes. The Brighton quintet are Amelie (vocals and guitar), Dan (guitar), Seb (keys), Luke (drums) and Freya (bass). Slag set the scene with their first number and latest single ‘Heaven’. Its jangly guitar intro and catchy clipped sound, (think Sparks meets indie), built and fell back with a mellow section before returning to a 1990’s indie feel. This clever change in tempo and volume with instantly catchy earworms that stay with you was delivered so well. Across their outstanding set, Slag provided good variety from the jazzy intros to the hints of prog rock and several funkier moments in between. Another striking feature of Slag’s sound was Amelie’s powerful voice. She matched those tempo changes perfectly from tender solos at the start of many songs with just a guitar accompaniment to snarling vocals on rock sections. The way she held those long screamed notes to close some songs with such quality towards the end of the set was simply spectacular. From the huge cheers at the close of their set, it was clear that Slag’s performance was something special.
(Peter Greenfield)
WATCHING ALICE – Village 21:30 – 22:00
Next for me came the indie rock mischief of Watching Alice, a band with whom I have crossed paths with on several occasions, whether it be through a previous ‘I Flipping Luv Brighton’ show, or even being on the same line-up at a Daltons gig back in November last year! These guys have a familiar, yet invigorating sound, fusing together elements of indie rock and art rock, all the while maintaining the energy and spirit of Sports Team or Welly. The band’s colourful line-up of sax, guitar, bass, drums and vocals from the titular Alice cascade together for a performance that is as exciting as it is moving, with some of their slower and more nuanced points in the set becoming ever-increasing highlights of theirs for me! Throughout the night, seeing particular bands in this set-up at Village made for some more unhinged or raucous performances; here with Watching Alice, they maintain their composure with finesse and the right amount of oomph that has made them special from my first experience with them!
(Christian Le Surf)
PETER DOHERTY – TGE Beach The Deep End 21:45 – 22:30
Over the past twenty years or so Peter Doherty has successfully made the transition from wasted junkie to national treasure. It hasn’t necessarily been an easy transition for him, but it’s one that he’s made. He seems to acknowledge this in part via his apparel tonight, taking the stage wearing a trilby hat and carrying a walking cane, looking not dissimilar to Laurence Olivier’s ageing music hall star Archie Rice from the 1960 film ‘The Entertainer’. Archie Rice was, of course, on his uppers. This is certainly not the case with Peter Doherty, with The Libertines very much at the top of their game, and a new solo album, ‘Felt Better Alive’ on the cusp of release. With a shit-hot band and a fairly partisan audience there’s not really a lot that Peter can do wrong, and he proceeds to play an absolute blinder! Starting with Babyshambles’ ‘Killamangiro’ is a great call. However, the place is only about 3/4s full, and I get the feeling that a lot of people are here out of sheer curiosity. Fair enough. By the end of this set they’ll know what the fuss is all about. There’s actually too many highlights! ‘Ed Belly’ from the new album is certainly one of them. It’s bluesy rock ‘n’ roll with lyrics that could be by a 21st century Kerouac. There’s a superb classicist guitar solo that Richard Hawley would be pleased with. ‘Felt Better Alive’ has a surf-style guitar part that makes it sound as if it comes from a Tarantino movie. ‘Flags Of The Old Regime’ is dedicated to Amy Winehouse, and there’s even room for a relatively obscure Velvet Underground cover: ‘Ride Into The Sun’ from the ‘Another VU’ compilation. Recent single ‘The Day The Baron Died’ is actually a re-worked ‘Baron’s Claw’ from the last Libertines album. The set closes with Babyshambles’ ‘F*ck Forever’ and a cover of The Smiths’ ‘Panic’. What a set!!! Hopefully the curious sightseers left assured that Mr Doherty still has plenty to say.
(Mark Kelly)
LONNIE GUNN – Paganini Ballroom (The Old Ship) 22:15 – 22:45
Before New Jersey born, Brighton-based Lonnie Gunn came onto the BBC Introducing stage, the presenter asked “Who likes their music filthy? Who likes their music queer?” That filthy queer music from Lonnie Gunn and her band was a mix of bubble gum pop and grungy rock, or as she aptly calls it “Lesbian Fembot Bubblegrunge”. The opening number ‘Lucky Girl’, was an indie pop song with a heavier bass. Unluckily there were technical problems and the song had to be restarted. As those issues were being sorted before the next song, Lonnie filled in with a story. Just let’s say the moral of that story was don’t forget to take a toilet break before an audition. Back to the music. ‘Kiss You’ was a softer mellow number with very emotional vocals, while ‘Dog In A Hot Car’ was more like a power ballad, and ‘I’m Not Gonna Teach Ur BF To Dance’ (a Black Kids cover) was a loud rock track. Lonnie rightly acknowledged her band, who were new and had only rehearsed together 3 times. It didn’t show as they were very tight and excelled with bursts of noise on the final song ‘EX GF’. Despite the technical problems, it was a very entertaining performance from Lonnie Gunn.
(Peter Greenfield)
MOUNT PALOMAR – The Hope & Ruin 22:15 – 22:45
Mount Palomar is the project of Belfast’s Neil Kerr. Standing behind a tier of unique modular synths, his set showcased pulsating techno beats and intricate textures, weaving nostalgic synth sounds with raw, emotive energy. The inclusion of drummer Max was the key to accentuating and expanding the sound, which had the whole room dancing. Neil said it was one of the shortest sets he had ever played. Notwithstanding, for the techno fans in attendance it was sensational – Mount Palomar is without doubt a force to be reckoned with in this genre.
(Martin J Fuller)
REAL FARMER – TGE Beach Soundwaves 22:15 – 22:45
I also saw Dutch DIY Art-Punk / Garage Band, Real Farmer, at TGE Beach Soundwaves. They are a four-piece from Groningen. The first two tracks from tonight’s set, ‘Big Stepper’ and ‘Hard Times’, are from the band’s just-released second EP, ‘RF II’. These have an 80’s Indie feel to them, as does the third track, ‘Driving Fast’, from their 2019 self-titled debut EP. Lead vocalist Jeroen Klootsema then launches a can into the crowd. The band then reeled off four tracks from their 2024 debut album, ‘Compare What’s There’, starting with the punkier track, ‘Straightest Line’, the darker ‘Empty’, and further punk tracks ‘Perry Boys’ and ‘Consequence’. ‘Perry Boys’ actually deviates from punk to sounding like Joy Division and then reverting back to punk. After a plug for merch, they play the only unreleased track from the set, ‘I’m Gone’. Next, it’s the quick-fire ‘My Island’ from their debut EP, and they close their ten-song set with the last tune off their debut album, ‘Never Enough’. Overall, an entertaining set and band I will be adding to my playlists. Hopefully, they return to Brighton again sometime soon.
(Ian Holman)
SHOOTING DAGGERS – The Prince Albert 22:15 – 22:45
Rounding off proceedings this evening at The Prince Albert are London based Queercore/Punk Hardcore trio (Sal, Bea, and Raquel) Shooting Daggers who perfectly sum themselves up with the title of last year’s album ‘Love & Rage’. Their sound is a visceral fusion of diverse influences from punk, shoegaze, and post-punk, to Riot Grrrl and straight-up hardcore. Their lyrics delve into subjects that revolve around angst, sorority, and vulnerability. Tonight we are rewarded with an 11 track set, with 8 of those coming from the ‘Love & Rage’ album, commencing with ‘Dare’ and ‘Not My Rival’. The often joint vocals are delivered with real conviction and they certainly are a band with a conscience. They are promoters of the marginalised in our society, but also look further afield, an example being their “free Palestine” chant during the album title track. They can however be melodic when they want to be, it’s not all ‘Teenage Lobotomy’ and ‘Wipe Out’. They celebrated queerness which Brighton is world famous for.
(Nick Linazasoro)
TELECOM – Village 22:15 – 23:00
Finally, wrapping up my Wednesday night at Village is one of my favourite local bands, the vintage-kissed and rowdy Telecom! Having crossed paths for many years at various stages during college, seeing these guys mutate and develop their sound into their current incarnation is incredibly gratifying, with a unique blend of 60s garage, psych and ol’ fashioned rock ‘n’ roll being the band’s cornerstone. Comprising of duelling guitars, bass, Mellotron and drums (not to mention some cheeky harmonica here and there), the Telecom boys have a one-of-a-kind presence that could only be replicated by the bands of yesterday that clearly play a huge part of their sonic blueprint, whether that be The Rolling Stones, Cream or The Kinks. For their entire runtime as the headliner, these guys traverse a marvellous journey from heartfelt swooners like ‘Honeybee’ or hypnotic krautrock trips like ‘Mister Mister’. Truthfully, I believe Telecom to be one of the best kept secrets of Brighton’s live scene; not enough attention given to these guys…!
(Christian Le Surf)
ELLiS·D – Green Door Store 23:00 – 23:30
Closing the opening night at the Green Door Store was drummer-turned-solo artist Ellis D (stylised as ELLiS·D), with his nervy brand of psychedelic gothic art-punk. Ellis was joined by a full band for an explosive, intoxicating performance. Throughout the set, just as you thought they couldn’t play any faster, Ellis would count to four and the pace would go up another gear. At other times they would stop instantly, often standing like statues on stage, before starting again even faster. Once when some of the crowd started to clap or cheer too early, thinking the song had finished, Ellis joked “You’d think you’d know by now”. At other times he teased the audience with a nod or a wink, before restarting the song. When the speed built no one in the band was left behind, being one of the fastest tightest bands I saw all festival. By the second song of the set ‘Humdrum’ many people were already dancing energetically along to Ellis D, by the closing number Ellis left the stage to play guitar in the audience. It was another charismatic, entertaining and intense performance from Ellis D leaving the audience sweaty, happy and calling for more.
(Peter Greenfield)
REAL LIES – Daltons 23:00 – 23:30
We next switched our focus to the last two of six bands on the ‘Ebb Music Presents’ bill at Daltons, which is located under the zipwire on the beach. We somehow made it in time to catch the start of the Real Lies set, and I’m pretty glad that we did as this was their only performance during the Escape dates and to be honest they were fabulous. These are a duo from north London who comprise Kev Kharas and Patrick King (although Kev refers to Patrick as Patrice) and they met 10 years ago on Brighton Pier. They have just released their ‘We Will Annihilate Our Enemies’ album. You would be wrong in thinking that they are a heavy metal outfit, judging by that album title, but they are far from it. It’s Balearic beats and the like with these guys, and they are joined on stage by two dancers, which adds to the club vibe. Kev’s on vocals and Patrice is on Pioneer DJ equipment, including a laptop, Akai unit with live keys and another unit that has rows of knobs to twiddle. They deliver banging dance beat tunes that are seriously solid and remind me at times of Elliot John Gleave who is better known as Example. We had 28 minutes of the feel good factor and I would love to see them again.
(Nick Linazasoro)
YARD – Daltons 00:00 – 00:35
I have been continually going to gigs since 8th November 1978, (this being the infamous Buzzcocks riot gig at Brighton’s Top Rank Suite), and during that period I can only recall seeing one band performing live twice on the same day before, this being Depeche Mode at Jenkinsons in Brighton on 2nd August 1981. That is until Thursday 16th May 2024, when I witnessed YARD performing three separate six tune sets in a matter of hours! These were at The Prince Albert at 4:00pm, The Black Lion at 8:00pm and The Folklore Rooms at 10:30pm, with The Prince Albert being my favourite performance of The Great Escape. So it came as no surprise to Emmet White (vocals and bass synth), Dan Malone (guitar) and George Ryan (beats and lead synth) aka YARD, that I was yet again standing right in front of them during their Daltons gig. The lads have just released their self titled EP and a trio of the seven tracks lasting across 35 minutes tonight were culled from it, these being ‘Trevor’, ‘Appetite’ and ‘Sunlight’. The remaining 4 (‘Bend’, ‘Call’, ‘Big Shoes’ and ‘Lawmaker’) all being previous singles. If you’re a fan of Combichrist, Nitzer Ebb, Front 242 and heavy electronic dance music served with a scream, then it goes without saying that you will absolutely adore YARD. Nuff said!
(Nick Linazasoro)
