The Great Escape Announce the First Fifty
Another year drawing to a close; another week spent pining for those long summer nights, reminiscing on all of the good music we've discovered on the way. As if to aide us in putting together preparations for our chosen festivals of the new decade, The Great Escape - based in Brighton, and one of the leading festivals for new music - have announced the line-up for their First Fifty showcases in East London.
The festival are celebrating their 15th anniversary next year, so we can guarantee that it’s going to be a big one. In collaboration with BBC Music Introducing, DIY, Amazing Radio and Clash, The Great Escape are gathering a mix of acts from around the world, to hit the Brighton shores next summer.
The First Fifty will take place on 13-14th November. For the price of a pint in your local boozer, you can head to venues like The Macbeth, Old Blue Last, Colours, The Sebright Arms and Courtyard Theatre to see some of the best up and coming artists on the scene right now. From the indie-folk of Boy Scouts, alt-pop Moyka, rap collective House of Pharaohs and punk powerhouses Girls in Synthesis, there's something for everyone.
Words by Tyler Damara Kelly
2020 will mark 15 years of The Great Escape, which has grown to become the festival for new music, on a truly global scale. The Great Escape will take place from 13-16 May 2020 and hosts over 450 of the world’s most exciting up-and-coming artists across 30+ walkable venues in Brighton, England. All this alongside a must-attend music industry-led TGE conference taking place under one roof at the Jury’s Inn, Brighton Waterfront. Tickets for The Great Escape festival start from £70 and are on sale here.
WEDNESDAY 13 NOVEMBER
In Stereo will take over The Sebright Arms, a new venue addition to The Great Escape’s FIRST FIFTY showcases. Expect to hear Indian-inspired nouveau Jazz from Sarathy Korwar, Glaswegian rapper songwriter Chlobocop’s hypnotic trap beats, Layfullstop’s hybrid of hip hop and vintage soul, and ethereal London vocalist Mysie.
Over at The Old Blue Last, Metropolis will host London lo-fi singer-songwriter Oscar Lang, Auckland’s stirring vocalist Molly Payton, Dublin indie rock artist Somebody’s Child and Brighton-native pop talent Amber Van Day.
Hosting at The Macbeth, Cool Brother will present Dublin art-punks Silverbacks, Scottish alt-rock band AVAERA, alternative pop trio NOISY, and the dreamy vintage rock sounds of Sons of Raphael.
BBC Music Introducing will be at The Courtyard Theatre with London vintage-tinged indie pop act Weird Milk, punk rapper Master Peace, and bedroom pop singer/songwriter Tragic Sasha.
Brand new venue Colours will see Live Nation Source in residency, with abrasive alt-punk from London duo JOHN, enigmatic funk rock from Lazarus Kane, Leeds indie pop outfit full colour, and WARGASM will bring alt-punk as bold as their name.
THURSDAY 14 NOVEMBER
Clash will be at The Courtyard Theatre, with Oslo electro-pop trio SASSY 009, London blissful jazz artist Lucy Lu and Norwegian alt-pop artist Moyka.
Amazing Radio will be at The Sebright Arms hosting Californian indie folk artist Boy Scouts, London Jazz virtuoso and musical polymath Nardeydey, and L.A. soul-pop star Hana Vu take to the stage.
DIY Magazine takes over The Old Blue Last, with performances from Nottingham art-rock Do Nothing, London punks Girls In Synthesis and post-punk sounds from The Cool Greenhouse.
Over at the The Macbeth, which will be taken over by Ticketmaster New Music, soul-jazz artist Joseph Lawrence & The Garden, smooth Belgian soul pop duo YellowStraps, and New York synth-pop guru Grace Ives are set to perform.
GRM Daily will host London rap collective House Of Pharaohs, Manchester urban duo Ayo Britain, and emerging London hip hop artist Knucks at The Curtain’s L.P. Rooms.