The Great Escape announces First Fifty acts plus taster East London gigs

Tuesday 17th September 2024 – Today, the UK’s leading new music festival, The Great Escape announces the highly anticipated line up for this year’s FIRST FIFTY live launch gigs, which will take place on Wednesday 13th November 2024 across eight East London venues. Introducing The Great Escape 2025’s exciting line-up, the live launch will showcase a selection of the first fifty artists announced to play the Brighton festival in May, seeing some of the world’s freshest and most promising emerging artists take to the stage ahead of their festival appearances next year. Tickets for each FIRST FIFTY gigs start from £10 and go on sale 10am Wednesday 18th September from HERE.

THE GREAT ESCAPE FIRST FIFTY SHOWS – WEDNESDAY 13TH NOVEMBER:

Taking place across eight East London venues, the FIRST FIFTY live launch is partnering this year with BBC Introducing, DIY, Dork, Notion, Ticketmaster New Music, Clash and the festival’s exclusive news partner The Independent to present live performances from the freshest emerging talent on Wednesday 13th November.

Returning as the festival’s exclusive news partner this year, The Independent will continue its commitment to championing emerging talent. The news outlet will host an evening of new music at The Shacklewell Arms with performances from Scottish folk-punk five piece Brògeal, playful and precise Irish rapper Curtisy, and femme-queer alt-rock trio Queen Cult.

Ticketmaster New Music will host an evening of emerging talent at MOTH Club, featuring dark and playful theatrical-rock from Liverpool’s Luvcat, Manchester bedroom-based shoegazer TTSSFU, and grunge-laden melodic angst four piece Keo.

BBC Introducing are set to take over Oslo for a dynamic evening of new music featuring Birmingham RnB inspired rapper RUBII, vibrant and ear catching melodies from Tottenham’s common goldfish, and soulful singer-songwriter and producer Saïna.

At the Sebright Arms, Manchester based sprechgesang indie artist Chloe Slater, electrifying Irish five-piece Cliffords, and hazy psychedelic daydreamers The Stingrays will take to the stage in an evening of music hosted by Dork.

At Paper Dress Vintage, Clash will present the seven strong fidgety power-pop group The Orchestra (For Now), static-soaked LA artist ulrika’s bedroom, and lo-fi indie rocker mudi sama.

Notion will showcase an exciting selection of artists at Folklore, with hotly-tipped sets from soulful and expressive rising talent Konyikeh, Irish sensation and breath-taking street performer Allie Sherlock and mesmerising soul songwriter Jessy Blakemore.

Over at The Victoria, DIY will host a buzzy bill of new music featuring Brooklyn-based retro-pop duo Ray Bull, versatile and nostalgic Malaysian-born alt-pop artist Chloe Qisha and fresh electronic sibling-duo Disgusting Sisters.

To complete the evening’s festivities, The Great Escape will be taking over Two Palms with an unmissable night of new talent as throwback indie electronic artist Betty, experimental soul-funk polymath Loshh and genre-bending Faroese singer-songwriter Elinborg each take to the stage.

Additionally, The Great Escape has announced the first wave of partners for its highly anticipated 2025 edition, including this year’s Lead Country Partner, the Faroe Islands.

The Great Escape has been blown away by Faroese artists before, with performances from the likes of Joe & The Shitboys, Aggrasoppar, Elinborg and Brimheim. Stepping into the international spotlight as Lead Country Partner at this year’s event, The Faroe Music Export office will now programme a bigger selection of the country’s hottest talent than ever for 2025.

Glenn Larsen, Head of Faroe Music Export said “The music scene in the Faroe Islands has really taken off in the past few years, and we’re seeing Faroese artists making a big impression not only at the major showcase festivals in Europe but touring around the world as well. It is undoubtedly impressive that such a small, remote country can offer so much, both in terms of quantity and quality, but also across genres. After gaining more global attention, alongside some great successes and “you had to be there” moments at The Great Escape, we are now extremely happy to be the lead country partner at what we see as the most exciting and well-curated showcase festival in the UK. I’m sure we won’t disappoint anyone, quite the opposite”

Rory Bett, CEO of MAMA Festivals & VIP Nation Europe shared: “It’s a privilege to highlight the incredible talent coming out of such a unique nation as the Faroe Islands. We’ve enjoyed some great shows from Faroese artists before and we can’t wait to see the full breadth of talent and creativity coming out of the Faroese musical community this year. I’ve no doubt it’ll enrich another brilliant edition of The Great Escape.”

The Great Escape Festival also unveils the first wave of media partners for 2025 with Clash, BBC Introducing, DIY, Dork, Gay Times, Notion, Ticketmaster New Music, Upset, and The Independent – the festival’s exclusive news partner on board for this year’s festival.

AudioActive, a non-profit organisation that creates social change through music and develops emerging talent across the south coast, has been announced as charity partner for next year’s festival. Members of AudioActive alumni that have gone on to grace the stages of The Great Escape and beyond include Ardee, Frankie Stew, Harvey Gunn and patron Rag’n’Bone Man.

With several thousands of music fans from across the country and globe descending on the Brighton seaside for The Great Escape every May, fans are urged to book their accommodation early. Festival dates at recommended hotels are available for booking now via The Great Escape website HERE.

Synonymous with new music discovery and acting as a springboard for rising artists, The Great Escape is the festival for new music. Playing host to over 450 up-and-coming artists and hotly tipped talent across 35+ walkable venues, alongside the music industry-led TGE conference, the festival will kick off the 2025 season from 14 – 17th May in Brighton. Tickets for The Great Escape festival start from £81.24 and are on sale HERE.

THE GREAT ESCAPE 2025 LINE UP SO FAR (A-Z):
Allie Sherlock
Betty
Brògeal
Chloe Qisha
Chloe Slater
Cliffords
common goldfish
Curtisy
Disgusting Sisters
Elinborg
Jessy Blakemore
Keo
Konyikeh
Loshh
Luvcat
mudi sama
Queen Cult
Ray Bull
RUBII
Saïna
The Orchestra (For Now)
The Stingrays
TTSSFU
urika’s bedroom

Elinborg (pic Nick Linazasoro), The Orchestra (For Now) (pic Max Tollworthy), TTSSFU (pic Nick Linazasoro), Queen Cult

THE GREAT ESCAPE 2025 FIRST FIFTY LIVE LAUNCH – LONDON, WEDNESDAY 13TH NOVEMBER (All shows 18+):

Ticketmaster present at Moth Club, Valette Street, E9 6NU
Luvcat
TTSSFU
Keo