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, 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. You can find our reviews of the artists that played on Wednesday 14th May HERE; those that performed on Thursday 15th May HERE; and those that played on Friday 16th May HERE.
This article refers to artists that the Brighton & Hove News & Sussex News team covered only on Saturday 17th May.
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 Saturday 17th May….Enjoy!
SATURDAY 17th MAY:
SANSOM – Molly Malones 12:00 – 12:30
Never heard of local lad Sansom before but all kudos to him. Having to play first on the bill at noon when the pub has just opened. There’s barely ten people in and they’re showing footy on the telly, which thankfully didn’t bother him one bit. He played a really good set of catchy indie rock, and was extremely funny and engaging and his vocal plus guitar playing alongside the musicianship of his drummer and bassist couldn’t be faulted either. I thought he was far too good an act to be playing that slot myself and it was only later on when I found out that he’s had a single that was BBC Introducing track of the day, as well as a track on Spotify with more than 40,000 hits, that I began to think that perhaps, just perhaps, my assumption may have been correct!
(Graeme Houston)
JAYLER – Volks 12:45 – 13:15
Saturday for me starts at Volks with the men who would be Led Zeppelin, otherwise known as Jayler. For all the world they sound like a Led Zeppelin tribute band playing original material. This is by no means meant to be a negative comment. The key thing here is that they more than have the chops to carry this off. Vocalist James Bartholemew looks and sounds like a young Robert Plant. He is also similarly articulate. Guitarist Tyler Arrowsmith has his Jimmy Page-isms off pat, whilst the rhythm section of bassist Ricky Hodgkiss (who also plays keyboards) and Ed Evans on drums do a more than fair approximation of John Paul Jones and John Bonham. My only concern is that some of their material is just a little bit too close to Led Zeppelin. The vocal intro to one song is very closely related to Zeppelin’s cover of Willie Dixon’s ‘I Can’t Quit You Baby’, whilst another is not dissimilar to the funky blues-rock of ‘Nobody’s Fault But Mine’. However, there are plenty of their other songs that sound Zeppelin influenced, rather than sounding like specific tracks. Their half-hour set, ending with Tyler Arrowsmith soloing behind his head, has been wildly enjoyable. The venue is unsurprisingly rammed. I suppose really you ought to go and see for yourselves. They’re playing a number of festivals this summer, including Download and Steelhouse. Give ‘em a try!
(Mark Kelly)
AFTER LONDON – The Font 12:55 – 13:30
Yet another band I’ve never heard of before and yet another one who gets a brownie point before they even play a note due to the fact that the drummer (and occasional keyboard player) is wearing a Patriarchy t-shirt. A band who made my list of 2024’s Top 5 gigs. So how about the band rather than the drummer’s attire? Well, I liked them a lot. They were dark. They were grungy. They rocked. The singer had a brilliant voice and for added measure, they were a bit electronic too (hence the keys). So pretty hard to pigeonhole, which I like in a band. A lot. Their debut LP is coming out in July so hopefully they’ll tour to support it and come play Brighton again soon.
(Graeme Houston)
REDD. TGE Beach Soundwaves 12:55 – 13:20
Woah, REDD. is here all the way from Melbourne, Australia and did they land with a bang. Ah to be young again, well I don’t have to be when I watch. REDD. who most certainly are lightning in a bottle and the top just popped off here on at the Sounds Australia TGE Beach Soundwaves stage. REDD.’s music is a cool blend of hip hop and punk, oozing with energy and funky vibes. Some proper catchy stuff was played in the set including the lively opener ‘Fugh Shi’ which set the tone for what was to come. “Put your dancing shoes on as well, I wanna shake a little” REDD. called out encouragingly to the crowd. ‘Raunch’, the new single coming out in June, got played along with ‘Push Me Away’ to name another. An artist that smiles while they sing, I think really helps make that connection with the audience, it makes you feel loved and you want to reciprocate. It’s hard to do, go on, you try it, that’s why you have a real talent here who I am sure is going to go supernova. This performance was high energy with dancing, jumping about, REDD. did not stand still, a real demonstration of visual and audio joy with plenty of great crowd engagement. What surprised me was just how much heavier their sound is in drums and guitar terms compared to the studio output. At the end REDD. jumped down to the front and handed out sticker and badge packs to those still there, REDD. was even good enough to jump over the rail for a photo, a star in the making, that 25 hours of flying to the UK was well worth it.
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
RAGNAR FINSSON – Three Wise Cats (Casablanca) 13:00 – 13:30
Ragnar Finsson is a singer-songwriter and guitarist from the Faroe Islands. This afternoon, he performed a six-song set of unreleased material at Three Wise Cats in Middle Street, along with his manager Marianna Winter on keys and Hjørtur P. Háberg on drums. After the first song, ‘Tell Me’, Ragnar welcomes the audience with, “Hi, my name is Ragnar Finsson, I’m from the Faroe Islands, and this is my band. This is my first visit to England, and I’m very happy to be here.” The second song, ‘POV’, is a more upbeat Americana track than the earlier one we heard. ‘Ghost’ starts slow, builds up, and then slows back down. Ragnar then says, “We arrived on Thursday. We have Brighton as one of our places to move to.” The fourth track starts with a distorted vocal effect through the use of an alternative microphone. It also features some spooky electronics. The best song of the set, in my opinion, was track five, ‘Purple Pond’, an Americana/Rock track. The final song of the set, ‘Hey Paul’, switches between distorted and normal vocals. The song reminds me of the US band Weezer. Overall, this was a good set, and there was generous applause throughout and at the end.
(Ian Holman)
TOWN OF CATS – Daltons 13:15 – 13:45
No fewer than nine musicians filled the stage at Daltons to give us an energetic 30 minutes of genre-defying sound. Blending ska, afrobeat, calypso, hip-hop and funk, Town of Cats set featured punchy brass, skanking rhythms and witty wordplay that swung from whimsical to politically charged – all whilst performing with big smiles on their faces. Usually playing much bigger stages at festivals, this was a lively feel-good show from start to finish, with the only surprise being that I’d never heard of Town of Cats despite them being Brighton natives. They’re most certainly on my radar now!
(Martin J Fuller)
KITA ALEXANDER – The Beach The Deep End 13:20 – 13:45
A friend and I caught Kita Alexander’s set at a half-empty Fabrica the previous night and left feeling a little underwhelmed. Giving the Australian singer-songwriter a second chance down on the beach proves to be a wise decision, however as she’s clearly more comfortable on a bigger stage and with a larger audience, having recently opened for Dua Lipa on her Australian & New Zealand dates. Taking to the stage barefoot her set starts tentatively, but once she ditches her guitar and is able to spin across the floor with mic in hand then her airy pop anthems really come to life, ‘Queen’ being an early highlight. There’s a contemplative pause as the guitar comes back out for ‘Hotel’, written in memory of the singer’s late sister which is delivered with maximum emotion. Then it’s back to the dancefloor for ‘Atmosphere’, a song she collaborated on with Fisher and which went viral after his Coachella appearance – it’s annoyingly catchy and has the crowd joining in with its “la la la la lalalalala” refrain. With no time left to showcase current single ‘Press Pause’ (we did get to hear that one at Fabrica) Kita is forced to end her short showcase with ‘Between You & I’, another earworm that brings the sunny vibes from outside into the packed tent. It’s a much more confident and uplifting performance this time around, and we leave the beach as converted fans.
(Phil Newton)
VELVETINE – The Mesmerist 13:30 – 14:00
Opening at The Mesmerist for ‘Smithereen x The Hidden Herd’ event was Velvetine, an exciting alternative rock band from London. It was the first of their two shows that day. The quartet are Mia Scarlet (vocals), Ross Fernyhough (guitar), Josh Rowell (bass) and Nate Wicks (drums). Across their set they blended influences, from post-punk to art-rock to shoegaze. Their early afternoon set started softer and more shoegazy and built spectacularly. Mia’s haunting vocals, reminiscent at times of Mazzy Star’s Hope Sandoval, were sung beautifully over lush soundscapes. As the tempo and volume of the music increased, her vocals rose and she became more animated dancing along. The bewitching soundscapes worked exceptionally well in a sunny lunchtime session. Velvetine changed their set for their evening show at Revenge, a review of which appears below.
(Peter Greenfield)
GEN & THE DEGENERATES – The Hope & Ruin 13:30 – 14:00
Gen and the Degenerates were the first act of the day as we were all still waking up and yawning, but their joie de vivre indie-punk, similar to Panic Shack, The Pill et al was great fun and woke us all up. They are known for their mischievous spirit, unique sound, and tongue-in-cheek lyrics, and they are breathing fresh life into the indie music sphere. Led by charismatic force of nature Genevieve Glynn, their unique blend of punk attitude and anthemic songwriting has proven capable of simultaneously charming the oldest of hats, and igniting a new generation of music fans.
(David McLean)
LETTERS SENT HOME – Volks 13:45 – 14:15
It must be my tinnitus, but whilst Letters Sent Home were sound-checking I became convinced that they were Irish. They’re actually German. In my defence, vocalist Emily Paschke and bassist Lara Ripke spent a couple of years studying in North America. Maybe that caused the Irish-sounding accents? Maybe not. Anyway, they’re a four-piece trading in very kinetic modern rock with a hint of nu-metal. Emily seems to spend the bulk of the set standing atop a flight case at the front of the stage. And why not? We’re told that ‘Hope & Happiness’ is “a very emotional song”, and indeed it is. Emily’s vocals have a lovely keening quality during this song. They’ve just released their first single for a year, entitled ‘September 29’. They refrain from playing it today though. I’m sure that it’s very good. Emily is a good frontwoman. She asks the audience to jump, and they do. She asks everyone to get down and jump up, and most of the audience do that too. Now she wants us to mosh!!! My moshing days are way behind me. However guitarist Robin Werner goes into the crowd, with his guitar, and verily – people mosh!!! Letters Sent Home are a very entertaining live band, but unfortunately they have no UK gigs scheduled at present. They do however have their debut album ‘Forever Undone’ out now.
(Mark Kelly)
RIFKA – Three Wise Cats (Casablanca) 14:00 – 14:30
The second performance on the final day at Three Wise Cats was from 22-year-old Brighton-born singer-songwriter, Rifka, who is just finishing a songwriting/performance degree in Leeds. Playing as a four-piece band, we were later told all the other band members are named Harry. The crowd found this quite amusing. Unfortunately, there were technical issues which meant the set was delayed by 13 minutes. Thankfully for Rifka, her set was not cut short because of this. Rifka and her band members performed a six-song set. She played some songs using an acoustic guitar and others with a Nord Electro 5 keyboard. Rifka’s keyboard playing was of great quality, and her vocals at times remind me of Yorkshire-born vocalist Ellur. The set includes the 2024 release ‘Rainy Day’, the unreleased ‘My Person’, which she tells us she has to play because her parents are here and they love it, and the latest single ‘Mother Cradle Me’, which she dedicates to her mum. There was loud applause from some in the audience after each song that was played. This left Rifka beaming and saying “thank you”.
(Ian Holman)
MEL BLUE – TGE Beach The Jetty 14:10 – 14:40
As the sun was shining, I thought I’d take a quick food break on the pebbles and found myself being serenaded by the sounds of Mel Blue, an electronic pop duo hailing from Sydney, Australia. Their mantra is “We make music for big feelings with our big synthesisers”. The duo’s tunes were indeed coming from an electronic set up, which included an MS-101 synthesiser and drum machine helmed by Luke Gerber, whilst Oscar Sharah delivered the vocals. I must admit I was happy to just lay on the pebbles and enjoy the sounds for this set. I noticed the first few songs Ocsar had a real computer sound effect to his vocals, which is not necessarily my cup of tea, but this did ease off as the set progressed. It really took me back to that late 90s, early 00’s dance sound, it was smooth, it was mellow, real comfort music, but don’t get me wrong, whilst it had me relaxing, it had another group of people on the pebbles that danced non-stop throughout, something for everyone in their music. Well worth checking out.
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
ADORE – The Hope & Ruin 14:30 – 15:00
Adore are the last band of the weekend that I hadn’t heard of, but again a few folk had recommended that I go see them and I’m so glad that I did. This Irish three piece gave us a set of brilliant garage punk with great vocals, crunching guitar and thumping drums and bass. In fact the bass got thumped a bit too hard, and as rare as it is for hen to have teeth, our bass player broke a string. Not for the first time obviously, as he had a spare. While he was going about mending his instrument, frontwoman Lara kept us engaged with her witty banter and at one point tried to get passers by to come into the pub and hear their set. I don’t think anyone took her up on her offer which is their loss because they missed out on an amazing show.
(Graeme Houston)
PRIYAJI – Waterbear Venue 14:30 – 15:00
As the sun shone intensely outside, I found myself in the darkened atmospheric tunnel at Waterbear witnessing a cool set from Priyaji (the alternative pseudonym of London based Noni-Mouse) who spent the performance studiously attending her midi-controller and laptop as the music ebbed and flowed through chilled, ambient, euphoric and techno beats, with a twist of 90’s trip-hop. I really enjoyed the contrast and transitions within her compositions – and with no crowd interaction, she let her wonderful music speak for itself.
(Martin J Fuller)
SWEET UNREST – The Hope & Ruin 14:30 – 15:00
The Great Escape blurb says that “Sweet Unrest collided in 2022, discovering an undeniable musical chemistry that burns with raw energy and poetic fire. We create for the sake of creation—songs that shiver down spines and ignite souls. Emotion bleeds through every note, morphing meaning beyond words, where sadness meets joy, and longing tangles with frustration. Our choruses don’t just land—they hit like a freight train. Call it indie, call it punk, call it ‘Gritpop’—we’re here to shake things up……”. Confused? Then I will make it simple for you “For fans of Kula Shaker!”.
(David McLean)
LEMONSUCKR – Three Wise Cats (Casablanca) 15:00 – 15:30
Today Lemonsuckr are having something of a personnel crisis. Their bassist has to work, whilst their drummer is stuck in Greece, the victim of cancelled flights over the past two days. What to do? The band were considering cancelling the gig when swooping to the rescue like two caped crusaders came bassist Jacob Whitear and drummer Elliot Hall from Welly! Who knew that Elliot could play drums??? He doesn’t just play drums, he’s a bloody good drummer!!! Apparently they’ve rehearsed for a couple of hours and they’re good to go! Stylistically Lemonsuckr aren’t a million miles from Welly, as is demonstrated by opening song ‘Disco’. ‘Money’ displays some pleasing shoegaze characteristics, which is always something to celebrate. ‘H.E.A.T’ is a definite highlight of the set, which is lucky as it’s being released as a single on Wednesday. They finish the set with ‘Rugrat’, which features one of the guitarists on drums, whilst Elliot is on percussion. Before long Elliot is in the crowd, playing percussion and heading towards either the bar or the exit – possibly both! Incidentally, the band used to be called Rugrats before a large Hollywood studio told them to ‘cease and desist’! Can you believe it?!!!
(Mark Kelly)
SHE’S GOT BRASS – Daltons 15:15 – 15:45
Daltons possibly broke the record for the most musicians performing on its relatively compact stage twice in one day, with no fewer than TEN lining up in ‘She’s Got Brass’, a diverse and trailblazing all-female brass band from London. The audience were treated to an electrifying fusion of funk, soul, and jazz featuring a dynamic rhythm section and powerful horns. This strident set showcased both their original compositions and vibrant covers such as Gwen Stefani’s 2005 hit ‘Hollaback Girl’ and Crystal Waters 1991 hit ‘Gypsy Woman’ which featured a stunning sax solo. Their inclusive spirit and infectious energy gave the appreciative crowd a significant shot of dopamine before we wandered off into the afternoon sunshine. Go see!
(Martin J Fuller)
JOCK – The Hope & Ruin 15:30 – 16:00
So here we have a band that I’d heard soooo much about, but never seen or heard. Would this Northern Irish garage-punk trio, now based out of Brighton, live up to all the hype or have my friends just been having a laugh with me because I’m Scottish? Well I can tell you the hype didn’t do them justice. So much so that I placed this gig in second spot in my Top 5 of the festival. The tunes were incredible. They were as raw as they were powerful…..and boy were they powerful. Nobody had to shout though. The power and the energy came through in the music. If you haven’t had a chance to see Jock yet then I urge you to do so. They’re incredible. And the bass player doesn’t just have a wah wah pedal but he knows how to use it.
(Graeme Houston)
THE MOLOTOVS – The Hope & Ruin 15:30 – 16:00
I was a bit suspicious of the hype surrounding this band to begin with, but this was a blistering set of Jam inspired original punk 76-79 style. All the necessary ingredients were here, 100mph tunes, and good looking band members, namely Matt Molotov (vocals, guitar), Issey Carts (bass, vocals) and Noah Riley (formerly of Noah & The Loners on drums). Their guitar and bass posing looked good (a rarity) and even a small scuffle involving Matt and a member of the previous act as they came on stage!
(David McLean)
JOPY – The Actors Pub Theatre Stage 16:30 – 17:00
This is a first; a review from The Actors pub, which is well known for being a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community. The theatre space upstairs is an intimate and yet quite grand venue. Jopy are part of the Alternative Escape and a gem of a band. Jopy are a Brighton based three piece comprising Jo Parnell (vocals/guitar), Clown Baby (bass) and Louis Relf (drums). They have diverse Influences, for example, The Clash and Beach Boys creating a punk-surf sound. They open the set with ‘Graveyard Romance’ and follow this with ‘Whackamole’ which has a slight 60s feel with a heavy, grungy vibe. Jo certainly has a frenetic infectious energy and she celebrates her trans identity through their music. The band maintained its tight catchy rhythms throughout on ‘Monster’, ‘Planet Zombie’, ‘Headhunters’, ‘Twisting’, ‘This House Is Haunted’ before ending with an absolute banger; ‘Purchase Number Three’. Jopy clearly have a loyal local fan base. They are certainly one to watch as their popularity grows.
(Rinee Sinharay)
SLY WITHERS – TGE Beach The Jetty 17:30 – 18:00
Straight outta Perth, Australia come Sly Withers. They sound like an early 1990s alt rock band with a touch of Counting Crows thrown in, although generally they’re much heavier than that particular band. This festival is the first time that I’ve heard of them, but they have three studio albums to their name and have been operational for twelve years. Further investigation is in order methinks. This has been their first visit to the UK. They’ve been here for two weeks and their departure is imminent. So imminent in fact that they give away their remaining merch! Naturally I’m too slow to get anything. ‘Restless’ is their most recent release and is their first as independent artists. It’s punchy and fresh sounding. The band tell us that it’s available to stream for free, and indeed it is!!! Their material is varied and inventive, and I sincerely hope that they get themselves over here again soon.
(Mark Kelly)
DABO LANG – Patterns (Upstairs) 18:15 – 18:45
I must confess that I hadn’t actually heard of Beijing based Dabo Lang prior to checking them out on The Great Escape website when the acts were first announced, but what I listened to, I very much liked and they were near the top of my ‘must see acts’ at the festival. The band are a pioneering Chinese avant-garde electronic band whose style fuses New Wave retro charm with futuristic electronic vibes, whilst at the same time spanning synth-pop, industrial dance, and experimental genres. Apparently they have already released seven albums and have been honing their sound on the way. Annoyingly there’s a queue to get in to see them, but all is well when we enter, although the venue is rammed. The three guys are already on stage and are just starting up playing their drums with electronic presets, bass, guitar, and three keys. They kick off and they sound like New Order’s dancey numbers. The audience are very much up for their half dozen set, which comprised these electronic earworms ‘No Such Disease’, ‘马戏团’ (Mǎxì Tuán) (‘Circus’), ‘Fill In’, ‘The Change Must Be Mad’, ‘Mickey’ and ‘Show Me Your Super Face’. Their frontman is very much the showman and comes into the crowd and demands he gets slapped in the face. He also nearly exited the venue as well, but his mic lead would go any further. It was a great spectacle and I’m glad that I attended and that they more than delivered.
(Nick Linazasoro)
KAMRAN KAUR – The Arch 18:15 – 18:45
I find myself at The Arch for a set by Kamran Kaur who has worked with the likes of Frankie Stew and Harvey Gunn and C.REM on their debut singles. I must say that atmospheric electronica is usually best listened to at home in a comfy armchair, but this set (which I attended only as a least worst option during an afternoon lull) was an unexpected bonus for me. Reminded me of Purity Ring from a few years ago….whatever happened to them?
(David McLean)
NOT RIGHT HERE – The Bootlegger 18:30 – 19:00
Born out of the ashes of the West Sussex band TEAL, Not Right Here is the collaborative brainchild of guitarists and co-vocalists Charlie Thomas and Tom Bruce, drummer Alex Glossop and bassist Ben Douglas, dedicating their musical prowess to an indie rock musing akin to that of bands such as Catfish and the Bottlemen and Arctic Monkeys. Having seen them a handful of times around Brighton and Worthing venues across the last couple of years, it’s been a thrill watching them further cement and refine their sound to an expansive, yet tight rock soundscape with heights that their contemporaries could only dream of reaching. Tracks like ‘Save Myself’, ‘Between The Lines’, and my personal favourite, ‘Ghost’ were played with such finesse and drive from the band’s electrifying stage presence, which only seems to become more visibly connective with each passing song in the set. The inclusion of further backing textures, synths, vocals and other atmospheric amenities are always a nice touch within a Not Right Here performance, elevating each song to a different plane of sonic scope and dynamic strengths. In a climate where the sounds of indie rock is ever-changing, Not Right Here continue to be hot favourites of mine that deserve more attention within the Brighton live scene.
(Christian Le Surf)
Y – Patterns (Downstairs) 18:30 – 19:00
I was really looking forward to seeing Y, but I must admit that ultimately I was a little disappointed. I really like their saxophone driven glam rock, like early Roxy Music and Sparks with a touch of psych rock thrown in. Things manage to sound quite ethereal at times as well, which is a very good thing. There’s nothing wrong with their live performance either. All boxes soundly ticked so far. There is something of a problem however. Whilst the band undoubtedly have a brilliant sound, their songs are simply too similar to each other. It’s possible that half an hour is not long enough to fully appreciate the range of their material. Maybe they’ll play for longer at the Brighton Psych Fest on 29th August. I’ll be there to find out.
(Mark Kelly)
MOWFY – The Actors (Side Bar) 18:45 – 19:15
This is the third time that I’ve seen local Queercore trio Mowfy now and they really do just keep getting better and better. The singer has the most beautiful and powerful voice while the sounds that emanate from the bass make Mike Kerr from Royal Blood sound as though he is playing a banjo…..and they’ve got the tunes to do the voice, the bass and the unfussy, but certainly not in the background, drums justice.
(Graeme Houston)
ANGELICA MODE – East Street Tap 19:00 – 19:30
Having caught the Angelica Mode performance yesterday in the heart of The Lanes at The Font high up on their balcony stage, I had concluded that it wasn’t quite as suitable as being up close face-to-face with the guys in order to feed off their energy, thus I’m here at the popular and compact East Street Tap where they have thankfully excelled and enthralled a cheering crowd. You don’t come upon many identical twins in this business, but the Hughes boys are just that. Martin is the more extravagant style-wise however with his leather trousers and military inspired jacket. Brian’s voice beautifully mirrors the lyrical songs he’s written. They’re a very earnest band who are passionate about their art and it shows. They’ve management behind them and hopefully the new releases will benefit from that support. The standout track for me in the set was ‘Foolish Me’ which was beautiful and heartfelt.
(Kairen Kemp)
HANNAH ROBINSON – The Hope & Ruin 19:00 – 19:30
Kicking off Saturday night upstairs at The Hope & Ruin I’m here to see Northern rock chick Hannah Robinson. Hailing from Newcastle-upon-Tyne (as if you couldn’t tell from the thick Geordie accent) the singer/guitarist is joined on stage by three bandmates on guitar, bass and drums respectively. Opener ‘When I Was High’ is a particularly guitar-heavy track, as is current single ‘Who I Am’ which is all about being narcissistic. Elsewhere ‘Rosie’, a song about feeling empowered is a softer, melodic number that leans into a more psychedelic shoegaze sound. Hannah finishes her compact 6 song set with perhaps her strongest track ‘Blissfully Miles Away’, a slice of classic alternative-rock that I could have imagined hearing on a festival stage in the mid-90s. Perhaps a little nervous of playing to a Southern audience of hardened music fans and industry bods, any fears are allayed as her set concludes to much applause. “You were such a lovely crowd, really made us feel at home” Hannah tells me afterwards.
(Phil Newton)
ZOLA BLOOD – TGE Beach The Deep End 19:01 – 19:31
On reading The Great Escape blurb about Zola Blood, they cite both Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Portishead as reference points to this London based electronic act. How is this possible I think? Then I check out their 2022 ‘Black Blossom’ album which is an exploration into our relationship with the internet – more specifically the nature of social media and its polarising effect. Its opener ‘Indigo Skies’ makes it totally clear for me. Unfortunately the lads don’t play this tune at The Deep End this evening, but we do get ‘Nothing’, ‘Good Love’, ‘Get Free’, ‘Together’, ‘By Ourselves’ and ‘Play Out’. One can easily note that Zola Blood have earned a reputation for poignant songcraft and elegant production, whilst building a loyal fan base along the way. Their music is intricate, atmospheric and soulful. Both melancholy and uplifting. There’s deep synth cuts, pulsating rhythms and intricate production on offer here and it’s no wonder they have amassed over 100 million streams over the course of two albums. To call this techno/electronica pop would do this band a grave disservice, however their set is full of soaring vocals and synths which provide, at times, an ethereal feel with a trance vibe. Add Moderat and Jamie XX into the mix and you are there! Without doubt Zola Blood will get you moving, especially the last track of the set, ‘Play Out’.
(Rinee Sinharay)
MARIA UZOR – TGE Beach – Soundwaves 19:15 – 19:45
Although there are always clashes at The Great Escape, I can recall my colleague witnessing Sink Ya Teeth a number of years ago and raving about them and stating how much I would like them. One half of said duo is Norwich based Maria Uzor and so I make my way along the seafront to catch her set at the Soundwaves tent. Maria merges elements from electro, trip-hop, porto-rave, psychedelia, and techno, in a playful and yet uncompromising way. A while back I noted that she had collaborated with the rather wonderful Acid Klaus (who had appeared at The Great Escape at Chalk yesterday with The Moonlandingz). Maria has also worked with Chk Chk Chk, Baba Ali and A Certain Ratio, so there’s quality on offer here during her six song set: ‘Cockstrutter’, ‘Ventolin’, ‘Sometimes They Look At You’, ‘Over This’, ‘Innocence’ and ‘What U Need’. Last year she dropped her debut full-length ‘Soft Cuts’ but we only hear a couple from that today. We get booming bass synth beats via the Ableton unit and laptop. It’s banging, chugging dance tunes with crisp clear talky vocals atop. There’s techno, a smidge of drum and bass in there, and Maria clambers off the stage through the metal gate and joins us punters for a boogie. ‘Sometimes They Look At You’ is a banger, ‘Innocence’ was a real belter and closing track ‘What U Need’ was the pinnacle and reminded me of Benny Benassi and The Biz’ ‘Satisfaction’ – as they say “Tuuuuunneee”!.
(Nick Linazasoro)
SULK – Revenge 19:15 – 19:45
East London outfit Sulk originally came together as the duo of Lily Noble (lead vocals and guitar) and Filipp Krisan (drums) and after a year added Elliot Thomas (bass) to the band. This evening they offer us Sonic Youth/MBV style noise rock with a pair of silk panties hanging from the mic from a coat hanger for no reason that was forthcoming. Such bands require a good sound mix at the best of times and that was missing tonight with vocals inaudible, but a good set anyway. They take inspiration from variety of genres, ranging from punk and riot grrrl to blues to shoegaze.
(David McLean)
BIG LONG SUN – The Prince Albert 19:30 – 20:00
I saw Big Long Sun at the Great Escape launch gig at the Old Blue Last in Shoreditch a week or so ago, and they were so gloriously anarchic I simply had to see them again. The anarchy is present on set opener “Orpheus Wakes Up”,with one of the backing singers sounding a siren through a loudhailer and then making announcements through it. Together with the Pink Floyd guitarisms it makes for a near perfect start. Jamie Broughton’s vocals are pretty ethereal most of the time, both in terms of sound and content. When not singing the backing vocalists (and Alexandra the violinist) busy themselves with very enthusiastic percussion, whilst at one point Jamie appears to be performing a vertical cossack dance. Later there’s a guitar duel which involves all of the band screaming. I don’t know what Big Long Sun are on, but I think I’d quite like some of it. There’s a smell of smoke at one point, and everybody stops to try to ascertain from whence it is coming. It’s all okay though. There are no flames anyway, which is always a good sign. The set ends with “When The Mood’s Right” and “Moth Star”, both of which are starting to seem like oldies to me. What a great band! I don’t know when they’re playing again. Possibly not for a little while as they’ve just played five gigs in four days. However, when they do play again – be there!!
(Mark Kelly)
ELECTRIC COWBOY CLUB – The Actors (Side Bar) 19:30 – 20:00
The Side Bar at The Actors pub is packed out and balancing on some side benches, it’s the only safe space as I’m about to discover. Lead singer Brandon Parker who has his mic-lead taunt and clenched in his teeth suddenly gets up like spring, pacing around and launches into opener ‘Reality’. At the same moment he throws himself into the already moshing crowd and by the second song, ‘78 RPM’ he’s already spread across the bar upside down with glasses smashed all around without a care in the world. I would describe the genre of the band as psycho-billy punk with a fun edge reminiscent of King Kurt back in the late 70s. ‘Creature’ with James Lissimore’s driving guitar riff alongside the new recruit Criss Damage with his drums beating an urgency into the song that’s delivered by Brandon’s high octane voice. An E.C.C concert isn’t just about the music, it’s art/horror theatre wrapped with musical mayhem. 2 minute slasher ‘Coconut Tree’ with its bass heavy notes provided by Jacob O’Shea who looks great in his trademark mohawk and black sunglasses is a sight to behold. ‘Jungle Fever’ which has Brandon sounding like John Lydon’s and Chris Rock’s love child whilst gurning and grimacing for England, as the crowd moshes he jumps next to me and falls deliberately into the crowd below and gets lifted and moved aloft to the back of the bar and then crawls back on the floor to the stage before the songs end. Last song ‘Snakebite Gunfight’ gives the crowd one more chance to get a final mosh going before Brandon destroys its harmony and creates mayhem in his midst as they all follow his lead until the songs final death throes. One of the most exciting-dangerous live show’s I’ve seen this weekend. Next playing at the Brighton Fringe 30th May Positive Deviants presents – Mayhem – Brighton Fringe.
(Stephen Willcox)
HUTCH – The Folklore Rooms 20:00 – 20:30
A friend of mine I bumped into on Thursday joked that seeing Hutch over The Great Escape weekend was a bit like Whamaggedon: you’re likely to see them at some point, it’s just a matter of when. This year they played six sets, the most notable of which was at The Folklore Rooms on Saturday evening. The upstairs space at The Quadrant was packed full of friends singing along with their catchy choruses and festival goers encountering them for the first time and falling for their infectious optimism and slick harmonies – there was a lot of love in the room. Over the course of half an hour they played a mix of new and old material, covering tracks from last year’s ‘Smile & Wave’ EP and a long time live favourite about snails, complete with actions for the antenna. There’s magic that happens at festivals when unexpected collaborations occur, and it was a treat for the band to be joined by Folklore Rooms sound engineer (and former LibraLibra bassist) Guy Jones on flute for a few tracks, not actually on stage, but from the sound desk. The icing on the cake however was the band’s finale – a frantic track called ‘Sandworms’ that they used to close their sets with which I wasn’t expecting at all, after bumping into frontman JP the previous day and being told that they were playing it for the very last time at their set at Pink Moon that night. If hearing a track that you never expected to hear again wasn’t enough, Ideal Living’s Billy Marsh came up on stage to join them on vocals and a riotous finish.
(Rob Orchard)
THE ROLLING PEOPLE – The Hope & Ruin (Upstairs) 20:00 – 20:30
Hailing from Stockport, four piece indie rock band The Rolling People (aka TRP) are Charlie (vocals & guitar), Asa (bass), George (drums) and Elliott (guitar). Another band bizarrely I’d not picked up on before tonight, but I guess that’s the whole point of The Great Escape, finding new music I then fall in love with and then comes the inevitable relieving of my wallet when I realise I must buy the EP, but hellfire am I glad I got along to this one tonight, it was their first ever Brighton gig. I should have known this was going to be an audio treat when the front stage area was cleared to bring in racks of guitars and boy o boy this band don’t half create a full on wall of guitar sound. The 8 song set took in 2 tracks from their 2024 debut EP ‘Before It’s Gone’ plus their most recent single ‘Reign’. There was not a lot of in between song chat, the band let their music do the talking and why not when it is this good. Elliott’s guitar work was sublime and a big shout out to George who was beating those drums. A guitar tech was on hand swapping and handing over the many guitars between songs, and then tuning them ready for the next song, there was no rest for him. This really is an incredibly polished group of musicians and all so young, they are all 18 years old I believe, maybe 19 now perhaps, a very bright future surely awaits them. They are playing support to Andrew Cushin at the Concorde 2 on the 30th May, so go check them out.
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
VERMANTICS – The Black Lion 20:00 – 20:30
SMITHEREEN have done it again with their lineup for Saturday. Vermantics rounded off The Black Lion stage on this Great Escape weekend. Brothers Stefan (vocals/guitar) and Daniel Fedele (bass) grew up playing music in the suburbs of Adelaide, South Australia. They wallowed in the pop punk scene touring as support for major acts across. As soon as they were old enough the brothers moved to Melbourne to fulfil their dreams of playing the rock music on which they grew up. Recruiting band members Jack Stevenson (lead guitar) who strangely enough had also travelled up from Adelaide as is their drummer Julian Perrotta, a cousin of Stephan and Daniel. They completely nailed the set with their hot, power packed rock. These guys look good and sound even better. The Black Lion was heaving with the band winning over their delighted fans new and old.
(Kairen Kemp)
BABY BERSERK – Daltons 20:15 – 20:45
This is the most fun you can have at a gig. Baby Berserk consists of three beautiful people; the lead singer, Lieselot Elzinga, in a short fuchsia pink dress with a huge bow, a statuesque slicked-back hair leather clad supermodel Eva Wijnbergen on synth and backing vocals, the guitarist/ synth player, Mano Hollestelle, handsome in a black suit and beret. Lieselot is so exuberant with getting the crowd going, it’s impossible not to be swept up with her energy. At several points, she was climbing the amp towers with audience members in front of her anxiously watching in case she did herself a mischief. Liesalot also danced her way into the crowd with everyone ensuring the cable went with her. Baby Berserk are an upbeat, fun electronica trio. Imagine Goldfrapp and St Etienne speeded up. The band performed ‘Rum N Kola’, ‘Eat Your Dollar’, ‘Piggy Piggy’, ‘Accessories’, ‘Dancing With The Fish’ plus ‘Mind Explodes’ and earned themselves the loudest applause of The Great Escape.
(Rinee Sinharay)
NIGHTICKET – Patterns (Upstairs) 20:15 – 20:45
One of the great things about The Great Escape is getting the chance to experience artists from overseas that you might otherwise never have the opportunity to see. Nighticket are a duo from Beijing, China, comprised of Xiao Ying Zhu (vocals/guitars/synths) and Gaku (synths/programming) who are billed as injecting Progressive House elements into Synth Pop. Upstairs at Patterns there’s a buzz in the room even as the band soundcheck, the girl behind me already wide-eyed and vocally expressing her delight. Joined by a session musician on percussion for their first two numbers, Nighticket open their set with ‘Run’ and ‘Perfect Mistake’ which immediately get the crowd going. It’s hard to describe but I feel like I’ve been transported back in time to some dark club in Berlin in the early ‘80s… it’s like Kraftwerk meets Propaganda, all dark synth with fleeting icy vocals. When Xiao picks up the guitar for the instrumental parts the audience are enrapt, I’m swaying to the beats with a huge smile on my face. Gaku removes his sunglasses while Xiao switches to her synth for ‘Feel It, Touch It’ and suddenly we’re in full on club mode, the older lady to my right dancing her socks off as if she’s back in Ibiza. The band finish with ‘Take Me To The Light’ which sees the singer momentarily off stage and dancing with the crowd. Rightfully receiving a huge round of applause, Nighticket have just given us the most joyful set I witnessed this weekend.
(Phil Newton)
VELVETINE – Revenge 20:15 – 20:45
After their afternoon set at The Mesmerist, Velvetine returned to play Revenge that evening. The alternative rock band are Mia Scarlet (vocals), Ross Fernyhough (guitar), Josh Rowell (bass) and Nate Wicks (drums). Unlike their afternoon set, there was no slow build, going straight in to their dark immense wall of sound and explosive bursts of noise mixed with Mia’s haunting ethereal vocals on ‘Miss Together’. What an amazing start to a special performance. The contrast between the frenzy of noise and Mia’s calmness both in her stage presence and vocals added not just to the sound but the whole performance. ‘Just This Time’ started with Mia singing over Ross’s guitar strumming. The loud quiet fast slow changes within this, their latest single, worked well. In parts it was more upbeat, dare I say poppier but not lighter, in between both the louder and quieter parts of ‘Just This Time’. It was one of many examples of the quality and range of Mia’s vocals. From the quieter poignant moments to its strength and confidence, she effortlessly matched or contrasted brilliantly with the music. There were many special vocal performances over the festival, for me Mia’s was up there with the best. Especially how she matched the intensity of Velvetine’s noisy walls of sound. The band closed a great show with the heavier sounds of ‘Ecstasy’. Mia’s jumping and stamping seemed to act as a signal for the clever changes within the song and to increase the noise levels. Both of Velvetine’s two shows on Saturday were among my Great Escape highlights.
(Peter Greenfield)
DUMP BABES – The Prince Albert 20:30 – 21:00
Dump Babes hail from Saskatchewan, Canada, and tonight is their last gig of their short trip to the UK. They trade in late 1970s influenced rock with elements of psych pop. I must confess that initially the band don’t really grab me, giving me a real feeling that I’ve heard it all before. Vocalist Aurora Wolfe’s efforts are great however. Her vocals having a hint of Lene Lovich. Some of their material is quite danceable. Not disco per se, but getting there. I must confess it feels a little ‘safe’ for my particular taste. It’s Aurora’s birthday today, and the crowd sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to her. ‘Too Much’ sees the band go up a gear or two. It features a couple of excellent guitar solos in which the lead guitarist taps. This is indeed much better! In the penultimate song the guitarist goes a bit shoegaze with his pedals, especially his wah-wah. As a frontwoman Aurora demands the audience’s attention throughout. The final song is a love song with a huge Blondie influence. Aurora shoves her capo into a can of beer and attempts to drink it through the hole. She manages to spill most of it over herself, but top marks for trying! Dump Babes may wish to pay more attention to their setlist, and put some of their more interesting material towards the beginning. They clearly have quite a lot to choose from.
(Mark Kelly)
NIL BY HABIT – The Rossi Bar 20:30 – 21:00
On the off-chance, I stumbled down the spiral staircase of The Rossi Bar into its basement venue and already it’s busy, found a spare spot and stood on-top of some benches and waited. As the crowd gets to its capacity (100) the keyboardist goes amongst the people and starts a Calypso beat on some samba bells, then the drums start and the rest of Nil By Habit start playing creating a party atmosphere that have the crowd swaying to the song ‘Squeamish At The Sight Of Love’. Main vocalist Ronan dressed in a dashing RAF jacket and has got a Brandon Flowers/David Byrne look about him along with a punchy voice and verses to match. ‘Do it Yourself’ starts with a repeated one finger synth note by keyboardist Josh alongside some rapid beats by drummer Sam, which this time turns the band into The B52’s and gets the floor dancing. You can sense we’re all gonna have a great time with lots of smiling happy faces and I like the way the whole band is fully on board with this feeling. ‘Formidable Machine’ has guitarist Stan sharing vocals against the deep notes of bassist Alex and once again the crowd hasn’t stopped dancing! The Last song ‘Television’ must have a cult following as most of the people were chanting it and I can see why, with its infectious beat and punk infused lyrics almost Iggy Pop’ish. The top synth gets ripped off its stand wires attached and brought to the front while the guitarist flays into the crowd to its rapturous ending. They are Playing again on 26th July at The Folklore Rooms and would definitely recommend it. Nil by Habit have certainly made its mark, hence this review- what a find !!
(Stephen Willcox)
SAMETIME – The Mesmerist 20:30 – 21:00
Sametime were formed by two Aussie brothers living in Brighton and they create indie rock at its best. The energy and joy transfers to the audience who’ve packed out the Mesmerist with lots of them singing back at the band. There’s a large number of fans who have clearly come specifically for them. Sametime certainly didn’t disappoint. The vocals were fabulous and the rest of the band were ‘on it’. Great show.
(Kairen Kemp)
EIGHTY EIGHT MILES The Hope & Ruin (Upstairs) 21:00 – 21:30
This evening at The Hope & Ruin, the line-up has been stellar and now we are going to be taken on a journey with Eighty Eight Miles, a fun and colourful indie pop/rock five piece from the Midlands. I caught the band at a previous Great Escape, I liked them then, so I was excited to see if they had developed since then. The good news is I like them even more now. The band all with their trademark sunglasses played a whirlwind of a set, such positive and happy vibes coming from them all, smiles, laughter, lots of band interaction on stage. Lead singer and guitarist Ellie Grice has fine stage presence indeed and really played it up to the heaving full house. The rest of the band were drummer Dan Hobday, bassist Bekka Redfern, lead guitarist Max Bets-Patel and finally Ollie Newbury on keys and guitar, who I should also note was playing with Leah Wilcox the day before. As mentioned, I saw them last year and I would have thought by now they’d have been a household name, the band certainly have honed and tightened things since I saw them a year ago, so my verdict is there are still big things ahead for them, surely a full album must be on the cards soon, go check them out.
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
PIRI AND TOMMY – TGE Beach The Deep End 21:00 – 21:30
Having witnessed their music festival debut in 2022 at The Arch in Brighton as part of that year’s TGE, I was delighted to see Piri and Tommy back again and they delivered as expected, giving us a performance of infectious, nostalgic D&B infused pop – Sophie “Piri” McBurnie’s soft, melodic vocals floating over Tommy Villiers’ vibrant, garage-infused beats and guitar, creating a sunny, Gen-Z dance vibe. Lining up with a drummer and keyboardist, they included old faves like ‘Beachin’ and ‘On And On’ and newer singles such as ‘Lemons’ as well as covers of Crystal Waters 1991 hit ‘Gypsy Woman’ and Chic’s 1978 disco smash ‘Everybody Dance’ and although enjoyable, they didn’t quite hit the mark like their own songs did.
(Martin J Fuller)
ALIEN CHICKS – Revenge 21:10 – 21:40
Alien Chicks are a trio hailing from South London, who are Josef Lindsay (vocals and guitar), Stefan Parker-Steele (bass) and Martha Daniels (drums). Their set was an electrifying mix of punk, rap and jazz, which had a refreshing raw quality. Josef mixed up his sharp shouted punk vocals a few times, once with a softness as if telling a nursery rhyme, and later with a fast tongue twisting delivery. Stefan’s pulsating basslines added a funkier feel which helped differentiate Alien Chicks from most post-punk guitar bands. Martha’s explosive drumming set the fast pace and energy levels throughout the set. The band’s enthusiasm and energy soon spread to the large crowd in Revenge. The jumping and dancing soon developed into a mosh pit mostly of Radio 6 Music dads. By the end bassist Stefan joined in with the crowd surfing. Half way through the set, Josef declared “This is our best gig in Brighton.” By the end I and everybody there would agree with his bold statement. It was the best showing by Alien Chicks, which I have seen, and there was a real buzz around Revenge at the end of Alien Chicks’s show.
(Peter Greenfield)
HOT SALAD – The Mesmerist 21:30 – 22:00
You can sum up Hot Salad with one word – groove! The band are a slick professional outfit surrounding singer/songwriter and keyboard player Matt Jones whose songs and voice are astonishingly good. Although they record, this was, they said, only their second gig with the first being the previous year at this same event.There’s a strong Billy Joel and Joshua Kadison vibe. These guys aren’t messing – this is serious musicianship. Someone shouts the band name asking how it came about and Jones remarks that they just threw some words into a hat and got it that way. It sums up the humour and also the slick way that he deals with the mad, drunk male superfans.
(Kairen Kemp)
JOOLS – The Hope & Ruin (Downstairs Bar) 21:30 – 22:00
Having witnessed Jools tear up The Prince Albert on Thursday, missing their second and final Great Escape set at The Hope & Ruin wasn’t an option. With no stage, the downstairs space made for an intense, face-to-face show, and Jools thrived in it. Fronted by twin vocalists Mitch Gordon and Kate Price, backed by guitarists Callum Connachie and Chris Johnston, with Joe Dodd and Chelsea Wrones locking in the rhythm section, this Leicester outfit didn’t waste a second of their 30-minute slot. They opened with ‘Spineless’, a furious early single that instantly grabbed the crowd, Mitch’s vocals channelling IDLES-level intensity over thick, post-punk riffage. ‘Mother Monica’ followed with Kate up front, her voice and presence commanding. Jools look as good as they sound. Mitch and Kate matched in leopard print—Mitch in a corset and shirt, Kate in a two-piece with calf-length boots. Chris sported a leopard-print beret, Joe leopard-print trousers, while Chelsea, in a lace bodice and leather-look skirt, brought even more glamour to the kit. ‘Cardinal And Guts’ hit hard, but ‘97%’ was a clear highlight—tackling male violence against women with haunting melody and explosive urgency. Then came ‘Dunoon’, dedicated to Mitch’s late father. Mitch is visibly emotional as he sings this track, tears streaming down his face as he screams out the words like some personal exorcism of grief. It’s a devastating, unforgettable moment. The final stretch saw new single, ‘Limerence’, with Kate on lead, and an explosive closer in ‘FKA’, dedicated to fashion icons and ending with both vocalists in the crowd for a sweat-drenched finale. If there’s one band to see live right now, it’s Jools. They won’t be playing venues this intimate for much longer. Their debut album drops on 6th June—don’t sleep on it.
(Cris Watkins)
POLITE BUREAUX – The Bootlegger 21:30 – 22:00
I arrive at The Bootlegger, which is a cocktail bar and venue, for the Alternative Escape this year and I notice some familiar faces, so I manage to weave my way towards them. I have not seen Polite Bureaux since last year as they’ve been working on an album due in late August so I was eager to see them again. With a full venue, the band launch into their hometown song named ‘Bradford’ with vocalist Joseph Smith waxing lyrical against what sounds like an old Atari games console gone Disco thru the synths of keyboardist Maya Lili. ‘C*NT Monday’ increases the ante as an upright standing (literally) drummer Connor Griffith provides the beat with its fast rhythmic pulse as the crowd starts to get excited and begins to move in time. ‘Scratchcard’ is one of my faves so I’m too busy dancing and soaking up the vitriol of Joe’s frustration while Viv Maher’s bass reverbs around the room as the synth repeats its coding with a backdrop of cymbals and drums. The crowd are loving this gig watching Joe’s onstage gestures and passion along with an 80’s synth sound, solid bass-lines and hard hitting percussion. ‘Bodyrocker’ and ‘Except Your Skint’ makes the room unable to do anything but dance along to its tribalistic beats. ‘Broke Biscuits’ is highly charged and emotional song during which Joes says “Thank you Brighton, We love you!“ and starts into the song with its orchestrated synth, acid tweaks, train beats and grinding bass throughout – profund lyrics “Broke biscuits like me, broke biscuits in a world full of c*nts, lots and lots for you to do, lots and lots for you to see, we’re all broke biscuits living in this place” with a rising tempo onwards it fades into a single synth key till it’s bittersweet end. What an amazing performance tonight as the crowd starts clapping and yells support for these guys, one to remember!
(Stephen Willcox)
RICH AUCOIN – The Prince Albert 21:30 – 22:00
Rich Aucoin from Halifax in Canada made a name for himself in the late 2000s when he went on a coast-to-coast tour travelling by bicycle and another that involved long-distance running, each of which was supported by a different charity. Tonight he provides a rousing dance set using a Moog and an Akai MPK Mini. A white sheet has been placed behind Rich as a backdrop with a projector in use for the show. All lights have been turned off and with the ceiling in The Prince Albert being quite low, the bottom third of the screen is taken up with shadows of some of the crowd’s heads. The performance gets underway with the punters joining in to the ‘20th Century Fox’ theme. Cheers ring out as the first dance-themed tune is played. Moments into the second track, Rich gets a bit carried away with his dance movements on stage and knocks the Akai MPK Mini to the ground. He says, “Oh no, I should have taped it down.” This was quickly resolved and we were back up and running in no time. Later in the set, Rich picks up his mic for the first time, then grabs a multi-coloured sheet from the side of the stage and hands it to those down the front. Moments later, the sheet was being held up over the entire audience. Rich comes down off the stage and joins the middle of the crowd, and we are now bouncing along to what is to be the final track.
(Ian Holman)
LYNKS – TGE Beach – The Deep End 22:00 – 22:45
Lynks played to a packed stage at The Deep End; the closing set for this year’s event. They didn’t disappoint. Intriguingly Lynks has never revealed his face. His costume was shaggy sandy coloured shorts, jacket, hat and face mask. At one point he took off his sunglasses so we could see his eyes. He was accompanied by two dancers, Lynks Shower Gel. The choreography from all three was sharp and energetic. Lynks certainly burned off some calories singing and dancing in his costume. In an electro-punk style, Lynks raps his way through issues around queer culture about casual sex, sexuality, being attractive and aging. Lynks’ music is visceral. The lyrics are witty, heart-felt and yet cutting. The most astonishing track was ‘How To Make A Béchamel Sauce In 10 Steps (With Pictures)’. Lynks Shower Gel even showed pictures of the process. The slow ballet pirouettes in the dance routine and the audience chanting “Continue adding milk” enhanced this massively entertaining and camp performance. Lynks himself was funny and warm when he spoke to the crowd. The setlist reads: ‘Abomination’, ‘Pedestrian At Best’, ‘CPR’, ‘(What Did You Expect From) Sex With A Stranger’, ‘How To Make A Béchamel Sauce In 10 Steps (With Pictures)’, ‘New Boyfriend’, ‘Everyone’s Hot (And I’m Not)’, ‘Silly Boy’, ‘Use It Or Lose It’ and ‘Str8 Acting’. If you haven’t seen Lynks before, prepare to be blown away by them.
(Rinee Sinharay)
SUNBEAM – The Hope & Ruin (Upstairs) 22:00 – 22:30
Sunbeam were a new one on me, so I had no idea what to expect. He who has no expectations will probably be blown away, and that’s exactly what happened. During the band’s soundcheck they already had got the audience in the palm of their hands, each of the 5 band members testing their instruments one by one to very recognisable and audience friendly songs followed by the singing of half of one of their own tunes. Vocalist Jimmy even got the crowd joining in with a chorus, and the crowd very much did. The band left the stage pre-announcing their return a few minutes later which brought much banter and cheers. I have no idea how I’ve not heard of Sunbeam before, I can only think perhaps as they are Whitby based they rarely head down to the south coast for gigs. But this gig had it all, indie songs that were incredibly quick to learn the words to and sing along, anthemic chorus sections built for the crowd to all chant back. It has been a while since I’ve been to a gig, let alone a gig upstairs at The Hope & Ruin that had the whole audience in unison singing back, I don’t think even the band could believe it when this happened during ‘You’re Not Alone’. Jimmy said they’d driven 6 and half hours to be here today and was a coiled spring having thought about the gig all day long, he was up for it, but were we Brighton? Yes was the resounding reply. Lyrically the songs were fun, honest and from the heart. There was plenty of band to audience interaction, which made you want to be part of it. It truly has been a while since I’ve seen a band that can evoke so much joy and fun and make you feel like we are all in together, hence the set pushing out to almost 37 minutes. I’ll be trawling their Bandcamp now to buy their EP and keeping my fingers crossed that tonight’s gig will make them consider another long drive down here at some point. Sunbeam are just that and definitely have made my Top 5 list for the festival.
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
GOODBYE – The Prince Albert 22:30 – 23:00
Goodbye were the first band I saw at this year’s festival as part of an unofficial show at The Green Door Store on Wednesday. I then saw them on day three as part of another unofficial show at Unbarred Brewery, and I got to see them again as one of the last performances of the festival, as they made their debut Prince Albert appearance. This time around, it was part of the official festival line-up. Once again, they rotated their seven-song set, with ‘The Boy’ returning in place of ‘Tolgus Wartha’. To me, this was their best performance yet and was also my choice of best performance of the festival. The venue seemed to suit them very well, and despite playing their fifth show of the festival, they all looked fresh and in their usual good, relaxing moods. There was a bit of a worry mid-set as Sarah noticed smoke from her guitar amp. Luckily, this was swapped over in no time, and they were able to continue. Lead guitarist Alfie then mentioned one of his pedals had jammed, so he would get no reverb. This didn’t seem to faze him one bit. They sounded just as good. Everyone was on top form, with Megan’s angelic vocals sounding better than ever.
(Ian Holman)
WREX – The Bootlegger 22:30 -2 3:00
WREX’s music encompasses themes of mental health, honesty and ultimately a route through to the other side. Combining dark themes and lifting melodies with heavy guitars and synths. Mae Seaton and George Donaghue create their music together and when playing live they’re joined by a top notch band of drums, bass and guitar clad in black boilersuits. It’s an electrifying set during which Mae dances, contorts and screams into the mic. Both George and Mae break free from the stage at intervals jumping into the audience and climbing on furniture. This is gig 3 of their appearances on The Great Escape today with the final one being after midnight. It is also the 22nd gig on their current tour. This is beautiful, insane mayhem and total theatre.
(Kairen Kemp)
THE ROSADOCS – The Hope & Ruin (Upstairs) 23:00 – 23:30
The Sheffield based anthemic indie rock five piece made up from Keelan Graney (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Joe Egan (lead guitar, backing vocals), Adam Sleight (bass, backing vocals), Kyle Holmes (drums), and Myles Henderson (keyboard and guitar) took to the stage. The venue’s crowd was still at one in one out capacity but were in good form. The lineup this evening truly has been on fire, and each time the following band have had to really pull it out of the bag to keep the momentum up, no easy feat. Fear not The Rosadocs were not going to let us down. Keelan had great humour often addressing the crowd between the songs in this seven song set. Keelan has a very unique voice, quite Rod Stewart in tone which makes them stand out in the ever-growing indie rock scene. We had full on loud electric bangers in the set before most of the band left the stage for Keelan to perform a solo acoustic song. After that the band returned and he went out into the crowd for the final number ‘Run Away Instead’, this song really ramped up and was one for a crowd sing-along, at one he made everyone get down on the floor. The set ended with true rock and roll fashion with the instruments being flung about and eventually the keyboard set up totally crashing down. This set really had it all and displayed the band’s excellent range. ‘The City’s No Good For Reflection’ EP is coming out very soon, well worth checking out.
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
LADYLIKE – The Prince Albert 23:30 – 00:00
The final artists to play at The Prince Albert at this year’s festival were the locally based quartet Ladylike. A band that creates a unique, shifting sound that blends folk, post-rock, and shoegaze. I’ve seen them on four occasions before and have been impressed with the way their songs play out like a rollercoaster, slowly climbing to a lofty peak and then quickly dropping back down again. They’ve released two singles so far. 2023’s ‘Southbound’ doesn’t feature in tonight’s set, but 2024’s excellent follow-up ‘Harse’s Mouth’ does. It’s the fourth song played and features wonderfully crafted soft vocals from Georgia Butler as she plucks away at her guitar, with Spencer Withey (guitarist / synth player) adding backing vocals. The song reaches a peak with crashing cymbals from drummer James Ely. The opening song of the night is an untitled new one. They then play unreleased songs ‘Mountains’ and ‘See No Evil’. The set closes after ‘Harse’s Mouth’ with ‘Fresh Linen’ and ‘Sour Carol’. An interesting fact about this band is that Archie Sagers uses a six-string bass. If you’ve not seen Ladylike before, I recommend you check them out.
(Ian Holman)
WREX – Waterbear Venue 00:30 – 01:00
There was me thinking my Great Escape Weekend was over, but whilst I was taking my shoes off back at the AirBnB, where I had now retired, I still had an itch that had to be scratched, I’d not seen WREX, a band I had promised myself last year I’d go see soon when the opportunity arose. Could I make it from Brighton Station all the way to the Waterbear Venue in ten minutes, damn it, I was going to try, I can’t remember a time I’ve had to run so fast, but run I did and I made it with 30 seconds to spare. The tiny Waterbear as you can imagine was already packed, but I squeezed in a small gap by the side door. Boy am I glad I did, this was the band’s fifth and final set in two days, were they tired? Well if they were they showed no sign of it. This was one lively, energetic, and full on show. The Brighton based band are fronted by duo Mae Seaton and George Donoghue, the flavour of music is alt rock, with vibes of punk and nu-metal. The crowd were lapping up the raging guitars, those powerful vocals. Mae’s stage presence is off the chart, her look is just stunning as leaned and leered at the crowd. This sure was one hot and sweaty show, at one point they created a channel in the crowd with George bringing his microphone stand and guitar right out, starting proceedings, before Mae came running at him, before everyone started bouncing. George exclaimed, you bounced so hard, my guitar string broke. This set was so enjoyable, I decided to take out my ear plugs to get myself a pure hit of sonic pleasure, I even bounced too, WREX were so good they warranted my t-shirt purchase for the weekend. What a set to close The Great Escape.
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
PASTEL – The Hope & Ruin 01:00 – 01:30
I finished off my festival by seeing Pastel playing for a second time. This time it’s a 1:00am start and the venue is The Hope & Ruin in Queens Road. I arrived in good time to take up a decent position down the front next to the barrier on the left-hand side of the stage, despite the venue being close to capacity. As the band set up, you could see that some members of them looked tired. They played the same set as the previous evening at Daltons, and having seen them the day before, you could see the tiredness did make a bit of a difference as this performance was not as good as the first one. Anyway, it wouldn’t stop me from seeing them again next time they return to Brighton.
(Ian Holman)
FILTHY PIG – Waterbear Venue 01:30 – 02:00
To close proceedings at the Waterbear Venue was Filthy Pig, a person of mystery described only as that they play mash-ups of Drum & Bass fused with metal. I figured what better way to burn off those remaining fibres of energy in the early hours before I eventually collapse in bed. Filthy Pig was scheduled to start at 01:30 on Sunday morning, but what I thought was early sound checking morphed into a fine 40 minute DJ set 10 minutes early. Who is Filthy Pig? Sorry I don’t know, but a person of mystery was positioned behind two laptops linked with a Pioneer DJ mixer. The figure with tattooed arms, a black t-shirt and black pig mask looked like they were here to bring fun as they bounced about, gesturing to the crowd, taking the odd swig from a nearby can of beer. The music was as described on the tin, drum and bass, but blending in recognisable song and artists, such as Blur and The Prodigy to name a couple. The crowd and I danced ourselves silly to the bitter end at which point Filthy Pig turned with no goodbye and rushed towards the green room door behind, only to find it was locked, prompting a change of tactic to quickly exit via the crowd and in a flash they were gone! Where will the Filthy Pig play next? We shall have to wait and see.
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
