‘VARIOUS ARTISTS’ – ‘VARIOUS VENUES’ – THE GREAT ESCAPE, BRIGHTON 13-16.5.26
Taking over the city of Brighton every May, The Great Escape is the world’s leading new music festival for discovery, bringing together 450+ emerging artists from around the world across 35+ walkable venues, alongside a globally respected music industry conference. There was also a whole host of ‘Unofficial Escape’ events happening throughout Brighton & Hove at the same time again this year, featuring literally hundreds of additional acts to see, and so where possible, we dipped into some of these events for a full rounded perspective of things.
This is our second installment. If you missed the first one you can find it HERE.
THURSDAY 14th MAY (PART ONE – 12:00 TO 18:15):
BUKKY – The Prince Albert – 12:00 – 12:30
After grabbing a flat white courtesy of Dice, the Prince Albert is an easy destination for the first show of the day. Bukky opens up the Music from Ireland showcase, a multi-hyphenate with a voice that can swing from Bel Cobain to Mary J. Blige faster than you can say “FrootyLoops.” From the opening notes of the hi-hat-driven echo of ‘Forget The Rubbish’ to the downcast synth-R&B of ‘Don’t Tell Them You Suffer’, Bukky’s sound is somewhat indecisive. “I was meant to have a full band with me… I had a few dropouts”, they explain, working through a setlist only assisted by a MacBook. With an EP ‘ICEBERG’ perfectly timed with a release on Monday, there’s a tangible sense that the early audience will put their AirPods straight in after to go check it out. “This is me experimenting…” they candidly offer, between tracks that evoke Iyamah with a slightly unpolished electronic feel. Their vocals throughout are elastic, with a melismatic approach exemplified on ‘West’, a real highlight of the set, the identity-dysphoric lyrics of “I saw you change your name/to make it easier for other people” being particularly powerful. While a live band would’ve enhanced what sometimes feels like karaoke, Bukky absolves themself with endearing honesty; their genuine joy in not having settled on a creative direction is refreshing, even if the set is spent tirelessly self-promoting and shouting out every song before it has the chance to leave their laptop.
(Keir Shields)
MANNEQUIN DEATH SQUAD – The Font 12:00 – 12:40
To start day two of the festival, I visit The Font in Union Street. It’s the first time I’ve been in the pub, and I’m impressed. The stage is set above the bar, and for best viewing, you go upstairs where you have the chance to sit down and watch the performances. First up are Mannequin Death Squad, who are a punk rock/grunge duo from Melbourne, Australia, formed in 2016. They consist of Elly Vex and Dan Muszynski. The pair share vocals, with Elly starting off on electric guitar with Dan on drums. After the opening two songs, Elly says, “We’ve never played in a ceiling before. Welcome to our first ceiling show.” After the opening four songs of the 37-minute set, Elly and Dan switch positions for three songs, with Dan now on guitar and Elly on drums. Elly says, “I feel like an angel; this is an amazing venue.” ‘Addicted To You’ and ‘Heavy Punch’ with driving guitars and heavy drumming are the set highlights for me.
(Ian Holman)
AIMEÉ FATALE – TGE Beach Soundwaves 12:10 – 12:40
Fresh off the back of an April tour, Aimée Fatale and her three bandmates brought a shimmering, sun-drenched dose of retro-alt-pop to the Beach Soundwaves stage at The Great Escape 2026, kicking off day two with a wonderful mid-day set. Hailing from Kingston upon Hull, Aimée and her band blend 1960s nostalgia and the twang of surf guitars with dreamy alt-pop – think Lana Del Rey’s cinematic melancholy meets a dash of Nancy Sinatra cool but very much with her own stamp. Tracks from her debut EP ‘A Modern Girl’ (already over 1.5 million streams) came alive with sultry vocals, and groovy, nostalgic arrangements that had the early crowd enchanted. If you’re into stylish, hook-laden indie-pop with a vintage heart, Aimée Fatale is for you.
(Martin J Fuller)
AFTERNOON BIKE RIDE – Daltons 12:15 – 12:45
Kicking off today’s Pour Montreal, Canada showcase, we have Montreal based indie trio Afternoon Bike Ride. The band consists of Lia Kurihara on vocals and acoustic guitar, Éloi Le Blanc-Ringuette on the electronics and David Tanton on his G&L ASAT Classic guitar. I made sure to arrive early and stand at the front, the place packed out superfast and I don’t think that was down to the free sandwiches on offer. But, what a start to the day this was with a magical 30 minute, 8 song set. The first song was ‘Running With Scissors’ from their 2025 album of the same name, Lia’s beautifully soft voice coupled with slow acoustic guitar, David picking gently at his electric guitar and Éloi bringing interesting yet soothing sounds from his set of electronics which included a Korg. The second song of the set saw Lia put her guitar down and start up a drum sequencer attached to her Pedletron, what a hauntingly good song this was, her vocals soaring and soaring. She told us a lot of the songs were written about her father who sadly suffered from dementia, the next song was ‘Beautiful And Treacherous’ as that was how her dad described the world. This was followed by ‘Oh No!’, then one about falling in love called ‘New Bliss’. The following song had David ramp up his guitar, before we were treated to the more upbeat ‘Good Company’, which had a little more guitar and some more dance-like beat backing. The last song was ‘Abigail’ . This one was about re-incarnation. This was quite the set, a journey into low-fi ethereal bliss, songs feeling so simple and stripped back, but at the same time loaded with emotion and coming deep from the heart. It’s bands like Afternoon Bike Ride that make you feel happy in life.
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
TRAMPOLENE – Revenge 12:30 – 13:00
I’ve known the boys for about 10 years, so I’m well aware of their journey. It all started with Jack Jones — a Welsh poet — who teamed up with his mate Wayne Thomas to form the band. There have been various line‑up changes along the way; original drummer Kyle Williams has returned to the fold, and they now have a new permanent guitarist in Lee Thomas, Wayne’s brother. They kicked off with ‘Sort Me Out’, and its catchy indie hooks and vocals soon had everyone dancing at the Revenge Bar — it was absolutely packed, with punters crammed in to get a piece of the action. Jack is a natural frontman, full of charisma and cheeky banter. He even mentioned how he once slept rough on a nearby doorstep after one too many drinks. Next up was ‘Alcohol Kiss’, with a soaring guitar intro that brought raw energy to the stage and saw Jack really letting rip on guitar — he also plays lead in Pete Doherty’s band, so he’s no stranger to causing a stir with lively stage antics. They also played a new track, ‘Here’s Johnny’, which has that classic Tramps‑style chorus the crowd were quick to shout back. They finished with crowd favourite ‘Brian’s Abbatoir’, leaving everyone exhausted, out of breath, and blown away by just how good the gig was.
(Stephen Willcox)
BROOKI – The Prince Albert 13:00 – 13:30
With faces filing out, Carhartt and beanies rush the room: Dublin’s Brooki follow Bukky’s R&B in a huge left field turn. Comprising Sarah Brookfield, Dara Gooney, Jake Brennan, and Anna Kelly, they blend straight into the 90s lineage of fellow scenesters Keo – even sharing a track named after an Amber. From start to finish, it is utter Albini abrasion in tone, threatening to topple a queue snaking all the way down the stairs like the Saturday-night drunks. Each track thrashes with similarly jumpscaring loud-quiet dynamics, utilising slicing riffs to shudder a room. They’re notoriously fluid in their approach to setlists from show to show, making their 30-minute slot only identifiable to superfans. While their third offering has Brookfield drop the guitar and channel Sofia Isella speak-singing, the lyrics of “Go home/I wanna be alone” give the band free rein to once again go ballistic. Throughout, there is precious little said, save for Brookfield’s obligatory “Thanks for having us. We’re down to our last two songs… We’ll see you soon.” This bookends a setlist that, despite its noise, features surprisingly tender vocals on the set’s penultimate track, before closing with a cymbal-smashing reverberator in ‘Amber.’ Brooki are emphatic, devastating, and ear-destroying purveyors of a new generation of splatty tones, bleeding hearts directly on their sleeves, alongside Bleech 9:3 in the latest crop of Irish bands to pierce the UK.
(Keir Shields)
LOOSE CONTENT – The Font 13:00 – 13:40
Loose Content are a three-piece Australian indie/alt-rock band who started playing together in high school. They are now in their very early twenties and have quickly become a fixture on the Australian live circuit, playing major festivals. At BIGSOUND, Blur’s Dave Rowntree named them his favourite act of the festival. They are Milla (vocals/bass), Sam Sanders (guitar), and Aquila Porter (drums/backing vocals). Bleached blonde Milla tells us it’s the first time they have played outside of Australia. They play a five-song 25-minute set that features two songs from their new ‘Forth & Back’ EP. These are set opener ‘No One Left To Call’ and ‘Big Bright Burning Sun’, which is the punkiest song they perform. The standout song for me though is the cleverly worked ‘Swoon’, that features Aquila on backing vocals and Milla starting off on acoustic guitar before switching to bass later on as the song evolves. Also worth noting is some great guitar work from Sam during the final track ‘Silent Cryer’.
(Ian Holman)
KARIN PARK – Inn On The Square 13:15 – 13:55
Astonishingly this is my very first ever time in this centrally located Brighton pub. I’m here to grab some Moog, Mellotron, Denon DJ and Model 1 synth action from Swedish-Norwegian singer, songwriter and music producer Karin Park. Karin’s name has cropped up several times on my radar over the past decade or so, most notably when she opened for Gary Numan on tour. She also co-wrote Norway’s entry for the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest and in 2017–2018 she played the role as Fantine in Les Misérables at Folketeateret in Oslo. The show sold over 150 000 tickets and is the most popular musical in Norwegian history. This afternoon it’s an up-close-and-personal fabulously uplifting electronic dance set, which to me sounds quite similar to Robyn. There are two banks of synths on the go here. Karin beavers away between stands with great effect just like Grimes used to do. The electronic dance beat sounds boom out the door and over Churchill Square. Karin informed us that she’s just released her brand new EP titled ‘EVO’ and I for one will seriously be checking it out. This performance made it into my Top 5 ‘Escapes’.
(Nick Linazasoro)
MIRA TAYLOR – The Hope & Ruin Upstairs 13:15 – 13:45
Mira Taylor turned some technical hiccups into pure magic, delivering a charming improvised set after her guitar broke before she was due on. With her engaging personality shining through, she stayed calm as a loaned guitar arrived after the first song and was tuned live on stage. Once sorted, she continued the intimate, heartfelt performance that felt even more special. Highlights included the tender ‘Little Me,’ the soaring ballad ‘Charlotte,’ the emotional ‘Miss You,’ and ‘Angel Numbers’ – a great track that had the room hooked. Blending vulnerable indie-folk-pop with real resilience and warmth, it was one of those genuine, feel-good moments that makes these festivals unforgettable.
(Martin J Fuller)
FRIGHT YEARS – Horatios 13:30 – 14:00
There was a real buzz about the next band I was heading to see as I walked to the venue at the end of Brighton Pier. It was already crowded, and luckily I’d brought my earplugs as I was only inches away from the huge speakers right in front of me. This showcase was put on by Wide Days Scotland; I remember them bringing acts like Vlure and Dead Pony to The Great Escape a few years ago. Edinburgh’s Fright Years have been getting plenty of radio play, so I was keen to see if they lived up to the hype in such a packed room. They opened with ‘Evil’, serving up indie-pop vibes alongside effortless vocals from Jules Kelly, who also plays guitar and synths — she has a hauntingly perfect voice. With fellow founding member and lead guitarist Harrison MacLeod Bonnar by her side, they played their latest single ‘Never Been Wrong’, which got the crowd moving, driven by Struan Blacklick’s percussive beats and Christopher Jamieson’s bass riffs. The venue has great acoustics, which made the band sound fantastic — especially during the final song, ‘Wait For Nothing’, which built in tension and had a huge, anthemic sound. This is one band I’m really glad I got to see, and I’m sure I’ll catch them again, even though Brighton isn’t included on their November tour (hint hint).
(Stephen Willcox)
ANY YOUNG MECHANIC – Komedia Basement 13:55 – 14:20
With the enthusiasm of Dom Alessio’s ‘feeling like breathing out’ introduction, Any Young Mechanic bundles onto the ‘Sound of Australia’ stage. With a more Violent Femmes take on modern folk than stomp-clap-hey, it feels like one of the most anticipated sets of the day. Before a note has been played, frontman Sam Wilson states, “We exist on stolen land. Australia is and always will be Aboriginal land.” A precedent set before ‘Write You Wrong’ introduces its contemplative storytelling in a slightly downtempo fashion. Mercifully, Sam Wilson and his banjo-laden, double-bass band pick up the pace on the line-dance Appalachian bounce of ‘Captain And Compass’ – with the pace evidently too much for drummer Jachin Mee’s brush as he states “clean up aisle snare drum.” While played for laughs, the consistent shouts to buy the upcoming album ‘The Modern Shoe Is Ruining the Foot’ are somewhat sullied by the knowledge they’re signed to Warner. This feels especially cynical when the next track, ‘There’s A New Place On The Market’, is a fiddle-opened anti-gentrification anthem. However, their artistry is impeccable, honed over years of performance; again, speeding up proceedings for the garage-country of ‘Snug Barber’, introduced with a thank-you to Fabrizio Moretti for the drums. There’s a feeling the comparisons with Mumford & Sons will be inevitable, yet Any Young Mechanic feels categorically less performative in appearance, entirely winning the crowd over with the staccato-induced urgency on divorce anthem ‘My House Divides.’ This caps off a set that proves banjo does belong in music west of the Mississippi Delta, when private-school kids aren’t playing it. Any Young Mechanic are a suitably infectious outfit; Wilson’s genuinely impressive countrified warble cuts through the warts-and-all approach, rightfully signed to Warner on quality grounds, despite it affecting their morally grandstanding statements.
(Keir Shields)
ANNIE-DOG – The Prince Albert 14:00 – 14:30
The first act I saw at The Prince Albert this year was Dublin-based DIY bedroom producer and alt-pop artist Annie-Dog. She writes and self-produces all her own music, blending together pop, indie-electronica, and drum ’n’ bass. Her ethereal vocals are provided over infectious breakbeats and electronic soundscapes. Unfortunately for Annie-Dog (named after a Smashing Pumpkins track), she had technical issues from the off and was not happy with the sound engineer who hadn’t added reverb to her vocals. Despite this, Annie-Dog showed great spirit to get through the set and received generous applause between tracks. The set featured seven tracks. These were ‘Violence’66’, ‘Hare Krishna’, ‘My Honey’, ‘The Pressures Of The Heart’, ‘Moonlight’, ‘Double Cherry’, and ‘Please Forgive Me, David Gray’. The highlight for me was the 2024 single ‘The Pressures Of The Heart’. As Annie-Dog left, she wished “Peace, love, and goodwill”.
(Ian Holman)
RIBBON SKIRT – Daltons 14:15 – 14:45
Ribbon Skirt are a four piece band based in Montreal, Canada. The band is helmed by Anishinaabe musician Tashiina Buswa and guitarist Billy Riley. The band name is in reference to Tashiina’s heritage. Today’s 8 song set is virtually all taken from their 2025 album ‘Bite Down’ and took in ‘Deadhorse’, ‘Cellophane’,’ Off Rez’, ‘Cut’, ‘Lucky8’, ‘Earth Eater’, ‘Wrong Planet’ and ‘Look What You Did’. Their sound is very much post punk grunge. Tashiina’s vocal style is quite unique, with lyrics delivered more in a darker deadpan, breathy way. Coupled with the raging engine noise of the guitars, it made the whole set feel quite brooding, punky and on the brink of chaos. Visually the vibe was the same, perhaps it’s the smaller stage and low ceiling of Daltons that magnified this. Billy constantly was lurching forwards and backwards throwing around his battle scarred Fender Mustang about, often standing on the front monitors with his guitar against the ceiling, his eyes closed, totally in the vibe. I kept thinking someone is going to get their head taken off, how he and Tashiina didn’t collide as she moodily paced about the stage and him spinning around, but it all added to the fun. The crowd were loving it and the place was at capacity. There were really grungy undertones to their sound, which reminded me of Nirvana, Hole and The Breeders. What a set, that’s another album I am now going to have to buy.
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
MUROKI – Patterns Upstairs 14:30 – 15:00
Muroki turned Patterns Upstairs into a sun-drenched smile-fest, delivering a mesmerising soulful afternoon set together with his bandmates Harry and Sam during the New Zealand takeover. With seriously laid-back grooves and a voice that wraps around you, the charismatic Kenyan-New Zealander (Berlin-based) jammed straight from the heart. Standouts included the smooth opener ‘On My Knees’ and a brilliant story and song about ‘Popo’, a Moroccan taxi driver, that had the whole room grinning. Warm, intimate with pure feel-good vibes, his debut album landed in January and is worth checking out. A joyful half hour.
(Martin J Fuller)
BIG WETT – Komedia Basement 14:40 – 15:05
Flanked by two security guards in shades from stripped, Big Wett lands on stage like a horny hurricane in just a red robe and a bikini. Bringing the sex-positive hyperpop to an afternoon set in Komedia’s basement is a bold choice, especially between folk-influenced acts. However, Big Wett is utterly transfixing, flipping from Fcukers style club tracks to out-and-out hard techno with lyrics read from the most sexually-charged late-night text you’ve ever sent. Opener ‘SHE GOT THAT THING’ is a 90s throwback with looped lyrics of “She got that thing/I like it/sit on my face and ride it”. Throughout her madcap set, she is so relentless you don’t even get the chance to contemplate the insanity of an artist running around the stage with a pink strap-on on a Thursday afternoon. Yet, this genuinely happens during ‘Royal Dick.’ While many acts would falter sandwiched between two sets of the same ilk, Big Wett thrives on it: even stating “I want everyone moving their hips… being over 50 isn’t an excuse” in a clear nod to the skewed age demographic in her audience. Closing on the aptly titled ‘Eat My Ass’ that has the same raw (no pun intended) feel of ‘F*ck The Pain Away,’ Big Wett is pure queer pride and sexual empowerment, with a breakneck live show that would win over even the most uptight attendees before they had a chance to realise what was going on.
(Keir Shields)
BABYRAT – The Prince Albert 15:00 – 15:30
Babyrat are a young five-piece power-pop band from Cork, Ireland consisting of Zoe “Mother Rat” Callanan (vocals), Jamie “Jamo Rat” Kierans (guitar), Matthew “Chewie” Lucas (guitar), Patrick Griffin (bass) and Stevie Healy (drums). They have great stage presence, show great confidence and going by today’s performance at The Prince Albert are certainly a band to look out for in the future. They are a guitar driven band blending indie grit and razor-sharp pop hooks and have been described as “bitch-pop”. They walk on stage to The White Stripes ‘I Think I Smell A Rat’ and burst straight into life with ‘Roses’. This being the first of nine songs they rattle through. One of the set highlights is ‘Talk Talk’ with its “nah nah nah nah’s”, while ‘Kickstart’ and ‘Bullet’ both featured crowd participation. Zoe is off the stage and into the audience for ‘Bullet’ while Jaimie joins them and gets them to crouch down and then jump up during ‘Realise’. There was so much energy throughout the lively set.
(Ian Holman)
WAY DYNAMIC – Komedia Basement 15:25 – 15:50
Channelling the era of both legends he shares a name with, Way Dynamic is Dylan Young’s project. Described as a “time traveller”, Young & Co channels Brian Wilson’s harmonies into retro-inflected bedroom pop. It’s a remarkably chill affair with playful opener ‘People Settle Down’ primed for smooth radio with harmonies of “I wanna be your best friend.” This energy is maintained perfectly throughout, with beachy swaying from the relentless hypnosis of ‘Ibiza’ to the unreleased country twang of ‘Officially.’ Throughout, Young’s porcelain lilting vocals are strikingly reminiscent of Nick Drake, right down to cadence. With precious little stage interaction, save for “These are all songs from our recent record”, the breezy, finger-tapped ‘Miffed It’ is finally aired to cheers from a packed-out audience; for most people in attendance today, it’s their first hearing of the catchy riff introduction. As a finale, ‘I Was The Dancer’ channels warm harmony, with slightly sharper guitar work, finishing on a small upswing of energy to conclude, at least by the band’s standards. Way Dynamic’s set is a winner: a pure slice of joy, channelling sounds that half the room is too young to be nostalgic for into something intricate yet simplistic, capturing the ephemera of not being scared to grow up.
(Keir Shields)
EMNW – Revenge 15:30 – 16:00
After catching EMNW at Daltons the previous night, there was no way I was missing their return set at Revenge. If that first show felt like it was teetering on the edge of going off, today it fully explodes. From the opening crunch of ‘Good Vibes Only’, the packed crowd are bouncing, and things only get wilder as the band crash through the set with twin vocalists Emma Yuki and Menu leading the charge, the former jumping and high-kicking her way through almost every moment. Things are already rowdy, but the arrival of their Limp Bizkit cover ‘Rollin’ (Air Raid Vehicle)’ sends the room properly over the edge, the crowd surging, swelling and losing it with every breakdown. EMNW might just be the most fun you can have with your clothes on at TGE.
(Cris Watkins)
FEATURETTE – Green Door Store 15:35 – 15:55
I went into this gig blind, knowing almost nothing about Featurette, a Toronto-based band making waves across the pond, but luckily I arrived early, as the venue soon filled to capacity. As the Canadian trio took the stage, they were surrounded by upright fluorescent lights that glowed against the Canada House Great Escape backdrop. They immediately launched into last month’s single ‘Badlook’’, featuring haunting vocals from singer Lexie Jay, dressed in emo-inspired black clothing. Meanwhile, Marc Koecher on guitar and Jon Fedorsen on drums played brilliantly, balancing tuneful melodies against a heavy, emo-tinged metal sound. The set grew progressively faster, with their latest single ‘Animal’ bringing plenty of synth layers, plus thrashing guitars and crashing drums. Lexie’s voice also got a real workout, soaring through every octave until she was practically screaming — all while the crowd danced and lapped up every moment gleefully. They are back in the UK this Autumn, with a new EP due out soon.
(Stephen Willcox)
THEATRE – The Prince Albert 16:00 – 16:30
Next up at The Prince Albert were Theatre. A five-piece alternative rock and shoegaze band from Limerick, Ireland. They are Maeve O’Shea (lead vocals), Dara Gooney (guitar), Oscar Hatpin (guitar), Gerry “Sonny” Sheil (bass), and Sean Storan (drums). I’ve seen them once before in London earlier in the year. I was impressed then, and they are even more impressive today. They play a cracking six-song set that features all five tracks from their forthcoming debut ‘Incarnate’ EP, including their debut single ‘The Fall’. Maeve provides amazing, haunting, and ethereal vocals that in parts have similarities to Sinead O’Connor and Dolores O’Riordan. The guitars provide melodic, moody textures and at times evoke the noisy, brooding grit of late 80s and early 90s alternative rock. The rhythm section of drums and bass feels tight and works well to anchor the band’s dense wall of noise. Prior to playing the last song of the set, the recently released second single ‘You Are’, Maeve thanked everyone who has given it so much love.
(Ian Holman)
LINDOW MAN – The Hope & Ruin (Downstairs) 16:30 – 17:10
I made my way to The Hope & Ruin bar in plenty of time in order to catch Oslo Twins in action. Before them we have the matter of new local outfit Lindow Man, who are a project born from the ashes of post-rock and folk group Van Zon. Lindown Man features Mina-Mae Alexander (of Big Long Sun fame) on violin and vocals, and Charlie West on left-handed guitar and vocals, plus a bassist and drummer. With an intense avant-garde jam in order to alert the punters that they were about to begin, the quartet launched into their unique blend of rough edged proggy psych folk rock with an added uncontrolled freestyle jazz vibe. It’s jaunty stuff indeed with the added occasional (uncontrolled) screams from Charlie adding to their intensity. Performing in a corner of a bar does have its hazards with some of the punters still continually loudly nattering during the performance. Others in attendance did enjoy what Lindow Man were trying to achieve, but for me personally, they left me numb as though I just lost a fight. Their next Brighton gig is in support to Paper Hats at The Prince Albert on Thursday 11th June.
(Nick Linazasoro)
RIBBON SKIRT – UnBarred Brewery 17:00 – 17:40
This Montreal-based post-punk/grunge band brought raw, animated energy to the annual JOY. x UnBarred Party. Led by Anishinaabe vocalist/guitarist Tashiina Buswa, the band ripped through angular guitars, driving rhythms and songs from their acclaimed 2025 debut ‘Bite Down’, blending a grunge edge with art-rock intensity and personal storytelling. High-tempo, heartfelt and engaging, it was great to witness them at a venue of this more intimate size having played bigger stages at this year’s Escape festival.
(Martin J Fuller)
OSLO TWINS – The Hope & Ruin (Downstairs) 17:30 – 18:10
Having recently had the pleasure of witnessing Bristol formed now London-based indie-synth-poppers Oslo Twins in action less than a month ago at The Prince Albert, I was pretty sure that today’s performance would be ending up in my Top 5 ‘Escape’ sets: I wasn’t wrong! The band aren’t actually twins but comprise Claudia Vulliamy (vocals), Ed Lyness (keys, synth) and Eric Davies (drum machines, bass synth). Their critically acclaimed ‘Tresor’ EP from last year, featuring their danceable hit ‘I Wake Up Slowly’, (which thankfully gets an outing today) explores memory, dreams, and emotion through intimate vocals, minimal beats, and haunting textures. Oslo Twins’s dream pop sound includes hints and influences from dance, industrial and lo-fi, making them more than your usual dream pop act. Their performance at times was truly hypnotic, especially so their 2025 single ‘All In Your Mind’, the beats of which trip me out just like Kraftwerk’s ‘Neon Lights’ and System F’s ‘Out Of The Blue’ have done for decades, although this tune barely scrapes it over 3 minutes. Having said that, it was THE best song I heard delivered by any of the 36 acts that I witnessed over the 4-day jaunt.
(Nick Linazasoro)
THE HOOSIERS – Black Lion 18:00 – 18:40
The Black Lion pub has been taken over by Smithereen X Republic of Music to host three days of gigs for the unofficial Great Escape event we call Alt Alt Escape. It’s been excellent over the past few years — but how on earth did they manage to get The Hoosiers?! Expecting an acoustic two‑piece set, we got the full band instead. The bar was packed right to the edges with fans — we knew it was going to get messy. They opened with 2010’s ‘Choices’, which warmed up singer Irwin Sparkes vocals perfectly as the crowd began to sway, despite the lack of space. Next up, ‘Worried About Ray’ drew even more people in from the street, everyone remembering this Top 5 hit. Irwin is such a confident frontman; he hopped over the barriers to sing right among the crowd, before launching into a cover of Chappell Roan’s ‘Pink Pony Club’ — it felt like brilliant, chaotic karaoke, with all of us joining in as backing singers. The band have played most of these songs for 20 years now, and they’re incredibly tight, yet they still find time to tease and joke with each other — that obvious bond between them really shines through. ‘Goodbye Mr A’ was the absolute icing on the cake. This Top 4 smash echoed through the whole pub; a little piece of music history left its mark here. I really hope you were there too!
(Stephen Willcox)
RAYNOR – Players 18:15 – 18:45
19-year-old Peterborough (“middle of nowhere”) based Raynor and his 3 bandmates performed a polished 22-minute show of feel-good radio-friendly indie pop at Players. With three guitars locked in, they opened with the punchy ‘Brake Lights’ a single released only this month, dialled the tempo down half way through with ‘Minute From The Moment’ and closed out with the bouncy ‘Brighter Than Before’, a 2026 single which has already reached almost 2 million plays on Spotify. A real gem of a set.
(Martin J Fuller)
Further Great Escape reviews will follow…………
