The Great Escape 2023 Preview

It’s that time of year again: the venues might have different names, the old showcases replaced with something new, maybe you now have childcare to consider – time marches on, etc. The Great Escape though, along with the continual threat of rain in Brighton, remains reliable as ever.

If you’re going along with a pass and you/your artists/your company care about any of these issues , then you should head along to the panel discussions and either learn more, or find a way to contribute further. The conference (this year at Leonardo Royal Hotel, formerly Jury’s Inn Waterfront) is always a great place to have those first conversations about future collaborative working, and crucially, to hear from people potentially outside of your own circle.

On to the music though, this year they’ve booked 500+ artists across the next few days, with a handy planner for the official line up here, and the Alternative Escape here. As with any live event, some shows are subject to last minute changes - your best way of staying up to date is by downloading the official app, available for both iPhone and Android, for free. Full app info is at this link.

Thursday:
If you fancy a VERY LOUD start to your festival then C.O.F.F.I.N at 12:15pm are a must-see. All the way from Sydney and playing the Sounds Australia showcase (Komedia Basement), they’re never not fun. If you prefer to ease yourself in to one of their sets then you can catch them later that same night at Volks, at the more suitable time of 10pm. C.O.F.F.I.N are a recent addition to ATC Live, with an album due later this year via Bad Vibrations in the U.K.

From 1:30pm at Inn On The Square you can see Man/Woman/Chainsaw – more here. If much-touted Ethan.P.Flynn is more your bag you can find him at Shortt’s Bar, followed by the (always excellent) Jessica Winter at 2:30pm.

For the name alone we suggest checking out Freddy Merkky at The Hope and Ruin, that’s at 1:25pm. Recently signed CLT DRP play the same venue at 3:10pm too. If you fancy something far more intimate (and emotional) then Katie Gregson-MacLeod is playing from 3:30pm at Horatios. Thanks to her insanely viral song Complex (and the subsequent huge deal with Columbia Records) there’ll absolutely definitely be a queue, so get down early if you’re keen.

Colombian/British jazz group the Mestizo Collective can be found in Jubilee Square from 2:15 pm, one not to be missed if you’re into wildly talented multi-instrumentalists creating unique sounds.

Later in the day, Patterns has a wealth of great artists on a more alt-pop/left-field lean. Patterns Downstairs has Seraphina Simone at 7pm, fresh off a massive tour with Self Esteem – more here. The always entertaining Grove is in the same venue from 10pm, followed by wildly popular Venbee on stage from 11pm. Upstairs in the same building you have ENNY , responsible for one of the most vital tracks of the last two years in our opinion - you can watch the video for Keisha’s and Brenda’s here , and see her at 10pm.

Lastly for Thursday, we’ve been asked about FIZZ three of four times this week alone, they don’t have an agent and are playing just one show – SHOOSHH at 9.30pm.

Friday:
Depending on your Thursday evening, Friday has plenty of options for an early start. South London duo AE are well worth watching – they’ve done pretty much everything themselves so far and we’re looking forward to seeing them live. Catch them at Zahara at 2pm. Lizzie Esau is a star in the making, from the North East and backed by a band of close friends, they’ve just finished a U.K. tour and will be a highlight if you’re into guitar driven alt-pop with a massive chorus or two. Catch Lizzie at 2:30pm at Revenge.

Jubilee Square is where you’ll find Nell Mescal at 3:15pm - she supported Phoebe Green on tour last year and was a joy throughout. Not only talented as a writer and vocalist, but also innately funny, adding balance to her live shows. Nell plays from 3:15pm. If there are any Euphoria fans amongst you then you may already be familiar with the sounds of Sam Austins - the Detroit native has had plenty of love Stateside, catch his set at Patterns Downstairs from 6:30pm.

If you want some insight into a night out in Glasgow, head to Charles Street Tap for 7pm and see VLURE . A mad mix of their influences VLURE are immensely watchable, their show at Moth Club in London this year was sold out weeks in advance. From 7:15pm at The Paganini Ballroom you’ll find Asha Gold , an artist with plenty of support in the U.K they played Glastonbury last year for BBC Introducing, worth catching if you’re into softer pop/R&B.

The Old Market on Friday has a great run of artists, Island Records signed and old favourites of ours English Teacher had a big year in 2022, if you somehow missed them then 7:15pm is your chance to make amends. Egyptian Blue had some time out to regroup and it’s made a world of difference: at Oslo earlier this year they were visibly confident, far more sure of their sound, and faultless on stage – a genuinely impressive watch. They’re on 8:15pm. Still in the same venue, NYC/LA based Blondshell has been the soundtrack to much of the last year or so, specifically Sepsis , Kiss City, and now a debut album’s worth of songs via Partisan . Latest track Salad kills us every time – it should get you too . She plays at 9:15pm, followed by THE PRETENDERS.

From NZ but based in London, October & The Eyes play at Queens Hotel from 10:30pm - we’ve caught them live a few times over the last year and they’re always exceptional. October is completely captivating. Equally enthralling, Dream Wife are back and play Chalk at midnight - they have a new record this summer and some great merch too . Buzzy band Fat Dog have a couple of shows on Friday night, TGE’s Beach Stage at 10:30pm, then The Hope & Ruin at 1am.

The Bad Vibrations team are hosting their own all-dayer as part of the Alternative Escape on Friday, at the North Laine pub from Midday – full line-up includes Compass faves Heka, Butch Kassidy, Mickey Callisto and another set from C.O.F.F.I.N.

Also on Friday, the Alt-Escape has a bunch of newer artists you can find in the app – back at Shortt’s Bar you can catch AIKO at 12:50pm, followed by previously featured Shrimp Eyes at 3:20pm. The now Sub Pop signed Girl and Girl play the Mucky Duck at 7pm. If it’s the newest of the new you’re looking for then this lot on the Alt-Escape is worth your time – we’re impressed by the sheer amount of surely un-googleable names for 2023, many of which we’ll be doing our best to see.

Saturday:
Our current highlights for Saturday include Delilah Holliday at midday down at Horatios, Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers at 12:20pm on the Amazon Music Stage, plus the Courtney Love endorsed Liverpool duo Picture Parlour who have some great new demos and much more to come. There’s no music online and this will be busy, so get to Zahara early for their 12:30pm set if you’re keen.

Denzel Himself is always incredible, head to the Komedia Basement at 2pm to catch his set. At 2:15pm at Komedia Studio you’ll find Compass featured Porij , recently announced as support for Coldplay on their massive summer tour. Over at Patterns downstairs come 8pm you can see Vancouver’s Debby Friday - anyone who references Artemisia’s “Judith Beheading Holofernes” in a video is fine by us.