Music: The Great Escape

Celebrating ten years

Amazing to think that this annual showcase for music from around the globe is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. Firmly established, it has grown to become one of the premier events of its kind, anywhere in the world. And, as always, it will feature plenty of new music, some old favourites, an alternative escape, and loads of secret shows and street gigs, which won’t be announced until the festival actually kicks off.

Headliners for this year are Alabama Shakes, Kate Tempest and Skepta & JME, all playing sold out shows at the Dome. But the real fun of the Great Escape, whether as a one-day, two-day or three-day ticket holder, is when you have to decide what to see via the extensive gig planer, where over 400 acts perform in 30 venues across the city, from midday to the early hours. Acts such as Django Django, The Cribs, Real Lies, Swim Deep, The Thurston Moore Band, Tropics, Gaz Coombes, DeMob Happy, Lion Babe, Ibeyi, AK/DK, Pins, The Bohicas, Rag ‘n’ Bone Man, George The Poet, CC Smugglers, Matthew the oxx and Common Tongues and just the tip of the iceberg. It really is a brilliant opportunity to see your favourite new band, as well as more established favourites in relatively intimate settings.
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A new feature for this year is the pop-up restaurant The Plate Escape (geddit?), taking place in One Church Brighton for Friday night supper and Saturday morning brunch, where refuelling will be at a premium… Other highlights include Great Day Out, a mini multi-venue festival for ages 14+ on the Saturday, Brighton’s first International Record Label Market, the new artist and delegate hangout space in Jubilee Gardens, open to all festival-goers from 7pm each evening, and of course, The Alternative Escape, which features an additional 200 artists.