We can’t quite believe it’s been a year already since the last Great Escape Festival, but here we are. The three day event which quite literally takes over Brighton returns this week, and it looks to be bigger and better than ever. The Great Escape plays host to the best new music from across the world and crams them into every pub, club and venue the city has to offer, but with hundreds of acts playing across the three days how do you decide who to see? We’re here to help and have picked ten acts which should definitely make it onto your ‘must see’ list!
Oh Wonder
Oh Wonder are taking the world by storm with their effortless and dreamy musical delights. The duo gradually released tracks from their self-titled debut album across a number of months teasing fans with beautiful lyrics, vocals and their laid back musical talents. Each song is jam packed with emotion and will pull at the strings of even the hardest of hearts. Josephine’s vocals and Anthony’s musicality will provide the perfect soundtrack to a summers day and audience are sure to flock to see the band take to the stage. Head down to see them if you’re looking for your new favourite summer chill out band.
KYKO
South London based indie pop singer KYKO has had one hell of a twelve months. His debut single, Animals, racked up over 85,000 plays in its early days and is now pushing the heights of 450,000. Debut EP of the same name and following tracks Pull Me Up and Native are jam packed with summery feel good vibes that instantly transport you to lazy days on a beach in Ibiza. Having recently been featured on the soundtrack to E4’s Made In Chelsea he is sure to find himself in more demand than ever. Catch him while you can!
Zoax
Personal space will become non-existent during this set as frontman Adam Carroll isn’t a fan of being a dull, onstage personality but one who will quite literally be up in your face… if this isn’t your thing we’d warn you away from Zoax. Having just released their debut album, TGE is your perfect chance to check out the quintet as they’re heading towards greater heights in their career. Their ferocious live show is high octane, bold, thrashy and pretty ferocious at times but what more could you want from your weekend?
Black Foxxes
If you like your music loud and atmospheric then Black Foxxes are the ones for you. With a sound merging emotive rock, with grunge twists and at times a metal edge, when performed live a musical cocktail is created and we can’t get enough. Working on their debut album, single Husk will become a festival highlight with razor sharp riffs and rolling drum lines matched with aggressive choruses. Chaos will definitely ensue in Brighton once these guys head to the stage and we’d be surprised if the seaside town escapes unharmed.
Twin Wild
With a talent for writing bright, uplifting pop-rock tracks, Twin Wild are a band to not be missed at TGE. We love that this quartet has a natural star quality about them when performing their material confidently onstage, with Richard Hutchinson rousing the crowd into a frenzy with bold sing-along vocals. There’s a high chance when you hear most recognised track Fear that you’ll be taken back to a bright, summer’s day with its anthemic qualities making you want to get up and have a little boogie. Let’s hope that Twin Wild’s dreamy sound brings the sunshine to Brighton over the weekend.
Grumble Bee
It’s such a great name we wish we’d thought of it sooner. Grumble Bee, northern singer songwriter Jack Bennett, is slowly but surely collecting some brilliant support slots with bands such as Lonely The Brave, and he’ll slot in nicely to Brighton’s line up. With songs that defy clinical genre definitions and a dynamic that bridges the charming pop rock with the technically deeper, emotional moments, debut EP Disconnect is a treasure that already fans are holding close to their hearts. Although it’s short at only five tracks long, there will be plenty of opportunity for a singalong at TGE.
Beasts
You’d be forgiven for asking who Beasts are. While they’ve been around a fair while, their fanbase – for some unknown reason – hasn’t quite grown beyond the threesome’s fellow Londoners. Judging by snippets we’ve heard of their new EP recordings, however, maybe it’s time for that to change. With dark basslines, growling vocals, and a grungy sound, songs like My Girl Is A Serpent and Annie stand out in a sea of pop-punk and indie. The Great Escape is a great place to discover new music and a show in Brighton is bound to win over some new fans.
SWMRS
Get ready for some crowd surfing. These youthful, California rock and rollers are going to bring energy, fun, and no holds barred punk to The Great Escape this year. Formerly known as Emily’s Army, the newly-named band sound frantic, and bursting with the sort of recklessness all the best punk bands have. Who knows what’ll go down at a live show, but with a member’s Dad like Billie Joe from Green Day as a legacy, they’ve got a lot to live up to. One thing’s for sure: it’s gonna be a riot.
The Hunna
The Great Escape being a festival for new music, spoils you for choice. With a line up list as long as the great the Great Wall of China, it’s good to know who you want to see from the get go. One of these bands should be The Hunna, why? Well, in their own words they’re “not just a band, a family” and their on stage chemistry and energy proves that statement every time we see them. If you like an indie sound with a peppy kick in its step, this is a band not to be missed!
Muncie Girls
Ahh, Muncie Girls, how great you are. You might not have heard of them this time last year but, my, what a year it’s been. From Caplan to Belsize, their debut album that got full marks reviews from almost everyone, is a ten track thrill of opinionated indie punk, covering topics like politics and feminism with intelligence and wit. They’re already being called the soundtrack to a generation, and any self-respecting young adult could relate to their lyrics. By the looks of what they’ve done so far, their protest songs are going to sound amazing in the small venues they were made for, and we can’t wait to see the trio bouncing along with the crowd.
If you want to get a taste of what these acts have to offer, check out the playlist below!
For more information and tickets, visit: http://greatescapefestival.com/
Written By: Laura Brown, Nicola Craig, Kathryn Black and Charly Phillips
