Artist Guide [The Great Escape Uncut]

Artist Guide

Posted on April 23, 2008 5:00 PM
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There are so many bands to check out, and if like us, you are spoilt for choice, then take a look at our band guide (by venue) and see what takes your fancy.

VENUE: Above Audio

Thursday

Sammy Decoster
Sammy Decoster is a French musician with a raw and retro sound. Sometimes it is hard to pick apart one solo artist and his guitar from the rest of budding singer/songwriters, but Sammy Decoster has a unique, gravely edge. His music is jumpy and defiantly worth a foot tap or two, but it is also etched with a manic kind of darkness.

Miss Sills
Miss Sills has created an array of summary Poppy/Folk songs that are carved from various light-sounding instruments and heartbeat like drums, topped with the silvery vocals of Miss Sills.

Derek Meins
Derek Meins is a classic acoustic artist whose lyrics are undeniably a vital part of the music that he makes. Alongside the swelling guitars and the poetry threaded though Derek Meins’ songs, it encapsulates a strong air of insight. Derek Meins is more than just a musician, and if you listen carefully, he may just reveal some of the answers you have been looking for.

Friday

Boy Cried Wolf
Boy Cried Wolf are a friendly sounding band that incorporate sunny sounding melodies and fluffy vocals, resulting in a pleasant Indie vibe.

Allan Pownal
Allan Pownal slips in nicely with the soft, acoustic, festival type vibe. He is the best way to begin you night, especially if you are feeling fragile from Thursday night’s antics.

Kris Demeanor
Kris Demeanor was obviously the kid at school that was scribbling lyrics into a notebook during lessons and wondering about on his own at lunch time sucking in the nature and thinking about what his next song will be. Kris Demeanor is a typically Indie artist with soft melodies and swirling vocals.

Saturday

Flykiller
Flykiller are a funky Electo-type girl/boy duo. Their sound is grimy and funky, it is guaranteed to get the party started.

Doping Panda
Doping Panda are your classic Indie type band with fast, witty, lyrics and some heavier sounding choruses.

Dr Usui
Any band from Tokyo is bound to be pretty cool and Dr Usui is no exception. Get ready for some shuddering Electro and extremely danceable tracks. A definite band to see live.

VENUE: Arc

Thursday

Chris T-T
Making a comfortable shelter for his fans, Chris T-T sings about things the way they are. He makes no effort to be clever with his lyrics which has an undeniably refreshing effect: ‘I still ate meat in the 80s. It’s too late for me.’ His thoughts spill out through various plucky guitar riffs and a light smattering of piano resulting in a clean and alluring Indie sound.

Torngat
Torngat are a Canadian band that fit in perfectly alongside true Indie scenesters like Belle and Sebastian and Mark Lanegan, but resemble the likes of Broken Social Scene. Torngat provide disarming instrumentals that have a delectable nature to them due to the use of a French horn and a keyboard. If there was any band that made music to be lying in the sun to, it’s Torngat.

Sometime
Sometime are the first Electro/Pop act on the Great Escape bill - and what an act they are. Sometime are a colourful ensemble that use drowning synths and warming keyboards to entice their obeying audience, all the while reeking of a raw, stiff 80s vibe. Diva De La Rosa magically works her girlie yet hauntingly fragmented vocals into Sometime completing the almost mystical ensemble.

Buffalo 77
Buffalo 77 are an Indie band that lean away from predictable Indie and veer towards the like of the Editors and Interpol - an intelligent form of Indie. Their sound is fast, absorbable and catchy.

Friday

Sam Isaac
Sam Isaac is another artist who blurs the line between Indie and Pop, fusing a handful of light-hearted lyrics and a smattering of colourful guitars. You will know him well from that over played song, Fire Fire.

Tellison
Tellison are a catchy band with a Rock edge. They teeter away from classic sounding Indie tracks and lace their music with a seductive battering of guitars and even sounding vocals.

Luke Leighfield
Luke Leighfield – FYI pronounced leefield – makes almost dramatic sounding songs fuelled by a piano and a violin. With interesting lyrics that are almost story like, Luke Leighfield has hit the female Kate Nash sound on the hit. Not sure if he is going to be happy with that comparison…

Tim and Sam’s Tim and Sam band featuring Tim and Sam
If the name is anything to go by, you would imagine that you are in for something a bit crap and a bit ‘funny.’ Upon listening to the Tim and Sam band, you will be pleasantly surprised to find a loose and flowing collection of soft and sultry experimental tracks.

Saturday

Look See Proof
Look See Proof provide lashings of regular Indie melodies and circular vocals that will be stuck in your head for days, months and maybe even years.

The Pack A.D.
The Pack A.D are a cool Rocky Blues band that certainly stands out from the reams of Indie bands that are currently dominating the music scene.

Damn Shames
With the description of ‘Children, Children. Children’ on their MySpace, you will be pleasantly surprised to find that the music is in no way related to children. It’s fast and Punky – we like it.

The Clik Clik
Although they look young, their sound is innovative – kind of like funky, mature Pop. If it’s anything to go by, they’re in the Hadouken genre, but less 'youth Garage.'

VENUE: Audio

Thursday

Young Knives
The Young Knives are really making their mark on the music scene at the moment, getting a load of air play and throwing themselves into the live scene. Their Punky undertones make for a great live show of crashing guitars threaded with catchy vocals and an undeniable air of domination.

Johnny Foreigner
Johnny Foreigner brings the magic back to music. The distorted guitar solos mixed with Johnny Foreigner’s chattering lyrics create loud Pop tracks that are tinged with a sense of irresistible wildness. This is a band that excels through their live performances bringing the Foreigner sound to life.

Ida Maria
Ida Maria is the hottest female artist around at the moment. She is cool, quirky and unfeasibly Rock ‘n’ Roll. Her live performances are exhilarating and sweat drenched. Ida Maria has a voice not far from the gravely and oh so powerful voice of Bjork. She makes ferocious Pop songs that begged to be played full blast and need to be screamed to.

The Laurel Collective
The Laurel Collective are a funky Indie band that make danceable tunes etched with Poppy melodies and excited guitars. Their feel-good melodies are inspirational and easy to listen to. They may not set you on fire, but they are guaranteed to sink some cracking songs and leave you feeling content.

Friday

Late of the Pier
Late of the Pier are described as 'Latin Glam Thrash' on their MySpace which is bound to be interesting. Bringing a bit of life to the Friday night bill, Late of the Pier leave all those acousic Indie acts quivering their wake. Late of the Pier really do make Latin Glam Thrash tunes so check them out and be engulfed by their hard, grimy and dancing sound.

Dead Kids
Dead Kids are an act that is hard to generalise – which is obviously a good thing. They tease a mix of thumping bass sounds underneath the almost strained vocals. They sound like they could be a cheesy Rock band from the 80s but have some how managed to make it sound cool.

Cage The Elephant
Cage the Elephant are a noisy bunch that have mastered the Rock Funk genre – if there is one. If you listen hard enough, there is a slight, very vague, Rage Against the Machine vibe that flies in and out of their music. The edge of Punk to Cage the Elephant makes for some interesting viewing.

Collapsing Cities.
The New Zealand band, Collapsing Cities, would make a pleasant soundtrack for a city to collapse to. With lyrics like ‘If I’m still a telemarketer next year, I think I will kill myself’ Callapsing Cities will have the British fans hooked what with most of them, at some point in their life, having had somekind of marketing sales job that has made them want to end it all. Their tracks are funky, catchy, and pretty funny.

Saturday

Friendly Fires
Friendly Fires sound like good Euro Pop/Disco and will definately be a great way to kick start your evening.

Team Water Polo
Team Water Polo are a subtle Indie band boasting a string of feel-good, almost Power pop, tracks.

Broken Records
Broken Records are a band that are a bit different from the rest. Their use of more than just a guitar pushes Broken Records into a realm that is nearing towards bands like the Arcade Fire than your predictable Indie bands like The friggin Wombats.

The Displacements
The Displacements are a cool band who make stuttering Indie tunes and covered by wonderfully drawn out vocals that side step the typical Indie shout-not-sing thing.

VENUE: Barfly

Thursday

Yeasayer
American band, Yeasayer, are a strangely inviting group – unique with their echoing sound and shadowy 80s vibe. Their music is heavily textured featuring snippets of gospel giving their songs a feel like no other band at the moment.

The Ting Tings
The Ting Tings are an alternative/Pop, girl/boy duo, who are currently storming the music scene with their funky, irrepressible, live shows and their electric and oh so catchy tunes such as That’s Not My Name and Great DJ. Set to be huge in 2008, The Ting Tings are a must see at the Great Escape this year.

The Video Nasties
The Video Nasties, a Pop Punk ensemble, have just come off tour with Late of the Pier. They are an enigmatic band who are formed of heaving guitars and stuttering Punk-like vocals.

Ungdomskulen
Ungdomskulen are a New Wave band, who incorporate a dash of Punk, mixed with God Knows what else. They sound pretty good though and look set to be a good live act.

Stricken City
Stricken City are a cool, gravely and distorted band. With a girl named Rebekah Rahh on vocals, you can expect only good things from Stricken City. They have a vague Brit Pop air to them resembling the likes of Sleeper, one of Brit Pop’s faves.

Boys in a Band
With a name possibly ripped from a Libertine's song, you may expect some Libertine-esque sounding tracks. That twagny Libertine guitar is definitely in there somewhere, but the rawness of the Albion boys is not. Boys in a Band are a poppy and playful band who experiment with various live techniques.

Friday

Ipso Facto
Ipso Facto conjures up images of witch craft and magic. They have a willowing, almost eerie, sound that floats about like an mysterious ghost. Their sound is dark but glorious. Definatly one to catch at this years Great Escape.

The Black Lips
The Black Lips are an American band that blend a quirky Indie vibe and a retro Rock vibe. They are an act which promises to be a fun live act.

Ebony Bones
Ebony Bones is boisterous, colourful and looks to be a whole heap of fun on stage. She makes jarring Electro/Pop that will command you to move your feet. Bring your dancing shoes

We Smoke Fags
Not sure about the name, but they sound pretty good. We Smoke Fags reckon they’re the future sound of London – they could well be. They play hard at making electrified punk covered in quirky repetitive lyrics like ‘she likes drinking gun.’ Don’t we all?

The Shoes
The Shoes don’t try to be anything but cool-sounding Pop. The Shoes make music that you can have a little dance to or sit down and drink to. Either way is fine by us.

Saturday

The Rascals
The Rascals are a Rock/Indie band who will obliterate the likes of some of the bands circulating the scene at the moment. Their sound is edgy and underlined by something mysteriously inviting.

Emmy the Great
Emmy the Great are a silky sounding, old school type Indie band. Their music is soft, summary and rather enjoyable. It makes you want to lie down, smoke a rollie, and drink home-made lemonade. Nice.

Wildbirds and Peacedrums
Wildbirds and Peacedrums have trapped us with their strange and very unique sounding tunes. They are a cross between Bluesy Pop and Nancy Sinatra. If you’re looking for something a bit different, then they are definately a band to check out.