More about: The Great Escape Festival

The Great Escape is just around the corner as basically every up-and-comer ever preps to head to Brighton for the huge weekend showcase. Taking over every venue across the city for a big weekend of new musical talent, you better start getting your schedule prepped and your running shoes ready.

As we get ready to head to the beach and gorge ourselves on chips and donuts, the Gigwise team picked their must-see acts they're keen to catch...

Willie J Healey 

I don’t really reach for his music all too often but he just seems like a really nice guy. I think he’s funny, and I think his fans will be sweet - so i’m down for a lovely time. - Beth Mountford

Thursday 11th: 9:15pm, Komedia Basement

Fat Dog

I have never seen this band. I have never even heard this band. But a trusted source recently described them as an “incredible live band” and told me “they're gonna blow up soon 100%”. I’ll take those odds. - Beth Mountford

Friday 12th: 10:30pm, TGE Beach Stage
Saturday 13th: 1am, The Hope And Ruin

Lambrini Girls 

These gritty Brighton locals will definitely bring the hometown passion sure to work up a mosh pit as aggressive as I need to get off these days. The sheer thought of how this set is going to make me feel sends shivers down my spine. - Beth Mountford

Friday 12th: 8:30pm, Chalk

Tapir!

Conveniently playing at 4pm on Friday afternoon, on the eve of an absolute rager, I intend to share a tender moment with Tapir!. All going well, their gentle, reflective storytelling will send me into a meditative trance and I’ll emerge anew, energised and ready for anything. - Beth Mountford

Friday 12th: 4pm, Charles Street Tap
Friday 12th: 8:30pm, Prince Albert

Blondshell

NYC-based Blondshell has had a meteoric rise and ever since seeing that first video of her belting the climax of ‘Kiss City’, I knew I had to see it IRL. With her debut album newly out in the world, housing bangers like ‘Sepsis’ and the huge ‘Salad’ - i’ll be there screaming every word. - Lucy Harbron

Thursday 11th: 10:15pm, Komedia Basement
Friday 12th: 9:15pm, The Old Market

October + The Eyes

I caught October And The Eyes at 100 Club once and they kind of scared the shit out of me. I’ve never seen a singer hold such sturdy eye contact or captivate a room quite like it. With some incredibly intense energy, dark grungy sound and artsy edge, I'm keen to go in for a second round. - Lucy Harbron

Friday 12th: 10:30pm, Queen’s Hotel

STONE

Liverpool’s STONE has been dominating my playlists lately. Swaying between outright politics and pure silliness, recently singles like ‘MONEY’ and ‘Left, Right, Forward’ feel custom-made for the live experience so i won’t be missing out on this one. Quickly gaining a reputation as one of the best live bands around, lets see if they live up to it. Maybe i’ll bring a bucket hat for the full experience, drink a beer maybe. - Lucy Harbron

Friday 12th: 6:15pm, Amazon New Music Stage

The Last Dinner Party

The queens of the twitter discourse, The Last Dinner Party blew up the other week as their incredible debut track ‘Nothing Matters’ hit the ground running with major streams and a whirlwind of industry plant accusations. But honestly, who cares. They’re fun to watch, fun to listen to and this set is guaranteed to have a queue round the corner that i will without a doubt be in. - Lucy Harbron

Thursday 11th: 8:30pm, Chalk

Katie Gregson-McLeod

I’m going to go here to cry when i no doubt get overstimulated and/or have an emotional hangover. See you there. - Lucy Harbron

Thursday 11th: 3:30pm, Horatios
Friday 12th: 8:15pm, Amazon New Music Stage

FIZZ 

Can’t say much about FIZZ, it’s all very secretive - but we have it on good authority that you’re going to want to be there…

Thursday 11th: 9:30pm, Shooshh

Tiggs Da Author 

One of the most energetic acts heading to The Great Escape is Tiggs Da Author. His set is only half an hour but it promises to be filled with catchy hooks, funky instrumentals and general good times. This Tanzanian-born London-raised vocalist is without a doubt one of my most anticipated acts of the weekend, ‘Blame It On The Youts’ was one of the best albums of 2021 and the quality of his work remained consistent with 2022’s ‘MOREFIRE 2’. Some songs are more heartfelt than ever, but generally speaking, if you want half an hour of fun-fuelled dancing then this set is the place to be. - Dale Maplethorpe

Friday 12th: 7:45pm, Concorde 2 

Chalk 

This post-punk noise driven chaotic trio from Belfast have been making serious noise in the past few months, both literally and figuratively. With the release of their new EP on the horizon, Chalk promise to make bigger waves than the shores of Brighton have ever seen with a heavy, messy pounding of sonic rebellion. - Dale Maplethorpe

Thursday 11th: 3:25pm, Queens Hotel 
Friday 12th: 7:30pm, Chalk 

Debby Friday 

Debby Friday is one of the most innovative artists making music at the minute. She combines experimental music, rapping and singing with beautiful visuals and never lacks ambition with every project she takes on. She hasn’t done shows in the UK for some time so getting the chance to see her at The Great Escape is a real treat that you shouldn’t miss out on. - Dale Maplethorpe 

Saturday 13th: 8:30pm, Patterns Downstairs 

Melin Melyn 

The first time I saw Melin Melyn was at The Great Escape First Fifty Launch and their show is something that has stayed with me since. They’re the perfect combination of a band who don’t take themselves seriously but yet musically have perfected their craft. Their songs are upbeat and urge swaying, with the gig itself welcoming the likes of painting wizards and dancing birds to the stage. It’s a tough one to describe without sounding like I’m making it up, just go watch and thank me later. - Dale Maplethorpe  

Thursday 11th: 9:15om, Latest Music Bar 
Friday 12th: 2:15pm, One Church 

Venbee

Enough about indie, I'm in it for the rave. Venbee’s own brand of DnB gets the blood pumping with imaginative lyrics, catchy hooks and pure serotonin. Quickly rising as a key name on the new DnB circuit, bagging slots at Glasto, Reading + Leeds, Splendour and more, new track ‘Gutter’ is sure to go off. - Zoe Kent

Thursday 11th: 11pm, Patterns Downstairs

Jessica Winter

Hyperpop has a new poster girl and I’m obsessed. Filling my headphones for a while now, I’m keen to see the chaos IRL and fascinated to see how her genre-less, hard to pin down sound gets translated into a live set up. Bring on the boogie. - Zoe Kent

Friday 12th: 7:45pm, Revenge

Grab your copy of the Gigwise print magazine here.

More about: The Great Escape Festival