THE GREAT ESCAPE: Day One [The Great Escape Uncut]

THE GREAT ESCAPE: Day One

Posted on May 16, 2008 2:17 PM
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The Great Escape 2008
Thursday 15th May

Review by Zarina Raja

It’s true – you can never be bored by the sea, especially when it’s the Great Escape.

After collecting our delegate passes from The Queen's hotel – which was swarming with various dodgy looking Indie types – we embedded ourselves amid fellow musos to plan the next three days.

‘If you’re looking for something to do, you could try the Music Quiz at the Komedia,’ the guy behind a table full of flyers said. ‘You could try to take on all those music journalists.’

Pfffft. We might be dusted in glitter and adorned in sparkling trinkets, but don’t underestimate the power of the Seatwave dream team, alright?

Although enjoying the abundance of males in skinny jeans and pointed shoes, clutching our timetable, we set off along the sea front to see The Boxer Rebellion at the Brighton Coalition.

I am, however, very lucky that I made it in one piece to the venue after having been attacked by a ferocious looking hound on the beach.

The Boxer Rebellion took to the stage at 8pm after City Riots kicked off the evening. Sometimes, when a band is on so early in the evening, you expect it to be a bit of a slow start. The Boxer Rebellion, however, had an excited swarm of fans there, who looked to be thoroughly enjoying the set.

They played loud, they played fast, they were furious, and obviously fanatic about their music. The enjoyable and animated set was certainly a great way to kick off three nights of gig going.

Next on at the Brighton Coalition was Sarah McLeod. I’m not one to use the term Rock Chick – but there was no other way to describe her. Although the venue had emptied out, McLeod soared through her set, creating an electric atmosphere that pulled people from the bar to the stage.

Clad in a short skirt, knee boots, and eyes full of black eyeliner, Sarah represented everything that a girl with a guitar should be. She bullied her guitar into creating a thrashing Rock vibe whilst throwing her small body around to the music and making all the necessary ‘impassioned musician’ facial expressions.

Vampire Weekend were the next on our carefully thought through timetable, but after having been alerted by the VERY useful Great Escape texts that Concorde 2 was full, we headed back into town towards the Barfly.

Intrigued by the hype surrounding Late of the Pier, perched above the stage on the rammed balcony, we watched as they performed a set of thrashing Electro Rock tunes. Late of the Pier bring something new to the ‘getting a bit boring’ Klaxon sound, and join fellow Electro/Thrash band, Does it Offend You, Yeah? in hyping up a sweaty crowd with some shattering tunes.

Now well on our way to midnight, we made the decision to leave the already full Barfly. As we strolled passed the thick queue waiting patiently to see Pop duo The Ting Tings, we wondered whether we had made the right choice. But, for us, the Great Escape is checking out new talent before they break, and catching bands a little different to usual.

With this in mind, we headed back to the Brighton Coalition for Sometime, an arty Electro/Synth band from Reykjavik.

The lead singer (who I had seen in the toilets dressed like a 20s flapper girl and had said ‘God, you look good,’ not realising who she was) had an alluring vibe which was like soothing mixture of Bjork, merged with a Goldfrapp air, layered over some thumping beats.

Tiredness got the better of us after Sometime, so, after toying with the idea of seeing My Federation or going for a Subway, we choose the latter – obviously.

Tomorrow, I’m having a foot long.

Keep your eyes peeled for the next installment.