The Great Escape Uncut

THE GREAT ESCAPE: Day Three

2008-05-19T18:07:59Z

Robots In Disguise Crystal Castles Review by Zarina Raja With The Great Escape drawing to an end, Saturday night looked set to be a big one. After catching Ida Maria doing a midday gig on the balcony of the Theatre Royal, we headed to the Unitarian Church to interview Sarabeth Tucek � a solo artist who has toured with the legendary Bob Dylan. As the night drew in, the Brighton Coalition looked set to be the only place to be with Robots In Disguise performing. Obvious Boosh fans and Electro/Pop wannabes (including myself) huddled in at the front of the stage in order to get as close as possible to Dee Plume and Sue Denim. The girls burst on to the stage, adorned in ultra-tight trousers and skin-tight tops. They had fat, black, tear drops dripping from one eye giving them that Coco Rosie edge. As always, they looked � and sounded � the part. The set was as exuberant as usual. Sue and Dee churned out their screechy vocals, fell in to early 90s girl band type dance routines, and jammed along to ultra cool Android�s drum beats. ]]> Related Links Buy Ida Maria tickets Buy Crystal Castle tickets Buy Robots In Disguise tickets

THE GREAT ESCAPE: Day Two

2008-05-19T17:53:18Z

Operator Please Review by Zarina Raja A day of interviews saw in a relaxed second night of The Great Escape. We spent the day running around after bands and going to �industry� type conferences. God, we�re so damn music biz. The first interview took place at the Spiegel tent with Tom Baxter and later, Born Ruffians. Hungry and tired, we then hot footed it down to the Pavilion Theatre to chat to The Young Knives. Interview footage coming soon. After all the interviews were done, squashed into The Water Margin - a venue with ridiculously low ceilings � we eagerly awaited for Australian band, Operator Please. Half way through the set, I pointed out - to the delight of my little Aussie colleague - that so far, the best acts that we had seen were from Australia: Sarah Mcleod at the Brighton Coalition and Operator Please. This, however, all changed by Saturday, but more on that later. ]]> Being crammed in at the back of the Water Margin meant that we couldn�t see the band during the set. Although this decreased the atmosphere of the performance, it forced me to be focused on really listening to the music. Operator Please are a young band - all jumpy-Punk-fun � but their vocals sounded like they were being sung by someone a lot older. Lead singer, Amandah, has a strong, determined voice that easily filled the venue, her charged screaming hit the walls and zigzagged back into the hungry crowd. Fans screeched along to Operator Please classics such as Just a Song About Ping Pong and Get What You Want, all the while sloshing their beer and jumping up and down like over excited monkeys. Operator Please put on a enthusiastic gig that heightened the end of an exhausting day.

THE GREAT ESCAPE: Day One

2008-05-16T13:17:36Z

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. ]]> Keep your eyes peeled for the next installment.

Countdown

2008-05-15T12:07:11Z

After a two hour journey into work (what was it with London traffic this morning?) we are packed and ready to head to Brighton. The only place to be this weekend. We've got video cameras, voice recorder, sturdy shoes, and a hangover with us (the River Rat Pack Tour at Gibson studios has a lot to answer for). We still haven't decided which gigs to attend... there really is a hell of a lot to choose from. An argument between Zed and I is imminent. Don't even mention the secret street gigs (we've sworn not to). The Gibson Bus is amongst our stop off points... Sarah McLeod (ex Superjesus frontwoman) is also a must see. We damn near fell in love with Jay Jay Pistolet when he performed for us this week so he's on the cards too. john and Jehn have just announced a secret (or not so now) gig at Above Audio at 2pm. Wahey! Less typing and more action will get us there faster. We'll report back throughout the festival with band interviews, fan feedback and seminar reports. At this point, a nice big glass of water is probably a wise move. See you there! - Katie

Artist Guide

2008-04-23T16:00:34Z

The Great Escape 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.

Thursday line-up

2008-04-21T18:45:13Z

It's enough to make a grown woman wet herself with anticipation. Here's the Great Escape line-up so far. Oh the joy! Thursday the 15th of May Above Audio 9:30pm Sammy Decoster 8:30pm Miss Sills 7:30pm Derek Meins Arc 9:30pm Chris T T 8:45pm Torngat 8:00pm Sometime 7:15pm Buffalo 77 Audio 9:15pm Young Knives 8:25pm Johnny Foreigner 7:35pm Ida Maria 6:45pm The Laurel Collective ]]> Barfly Yeasayer 1:30am The Ting Tings 10:15pm Late of the Pier 9:15pm The Video Nasties 8:15pm Ungdomskulen 7:15pm Stricken City 2:30pm Doll and the Kicks 1:30pm Boys in a Band Concorde 2 10:00pm Vampire Weekend 9:00pm School of Language 8:00pm FrYars Digital (DrownedinSound) 9:45pm The Futureheads 8:45pm Fanfarlo 7:45pm Broken Records 6:45pm Eugene McGuinness Hector�s House 11:00pm Envelopes 10:00pm Nic Nell 9:00pm The Pepys 8:00pm Public Service Announcers Horatio�s Bar 10:15pm Alphabeat 9:15pm The Boat People 8:15pm The Crash 7:15pm Brandon Steep King and Queen 10:15pm Cage the Elephant 9:15pm Volcanoless in Canada 8:15pm Monobright 7:15pm The Dirty Disco Komedia 10:15pm Ben Ottewell 9:15pm Jeremy Warmsley 8:15pm The Rushes 7:15pm Nic Dawson Kelly Komedia Studio Bar 1:15am Jacobs Stories 12:30am Elizabeth Walling 11:45pm Peter Lyons 11:15pm Twenty-One Crows Ocean Rooms (Basement) 10:00pm The Whip 9:05pm Ladyhawke 8:10pm The Lionheart Brothers 7:15pm David E Sugar Ocean Rooms (Ground) 10:00pm Future of the Left 9:05pm Post War Years 8:10pm The XX 7:15pm Hold Fire Prince Albert 11:00pm The Velvet Hearts 10:00pm Peanut Albino 9:00pm Oddur 8:00pm Phoenix Williams Redroaster 10:30pm Wintersleep 9:45pm Dylan Mondegreen 9:00pm Alexander G. Muertos 8:15pm The Valentines Revenge (1st Floor) 9:15pm Twisted Wheel 8:25pm Restlesslist 7:35pm The More Assured 6:45pm Passenger Revenge (2nd Floor) 9:15pm Soweto Kinch 8:25pm Mum Dance 7:35pm Cadence Weapon 6:45pm Ainsley Jones Spiegel Tent 10:15pm Beach House 9:15pm Emmy the Great 8:15pm The Burning Leaves 7:15pm Paul Marshall The Brighton Coalition 9:45pm One Night Only 8:45pm Sarah McLeod 7:45pm The Boxer Rebellion 6:45pm City Riots The Brighton Coalition Lovebox DJs My Federation The Freebutt 10:15pm The King Blues 9:15pm Ill Scarlet 8:15pm smallwhitelight The Honeyclub 9:15pm Captain 8:25pm The Dykeenies 7:35pm Goyte 6:45pm Black Cherry The Hope 11:00pm Peggy Sue and the Pirates 10:00pm Friends of the Bride 9:00pm Rodney Fisher 8:00pm Alessi The Old Market 10:00pm Iron and Wine 9:00pm Tunng 8:00pm Peter von Poehl The Pressure Point Arun Gosh 2:00am Foreign Beggars 1:15am Nathan �Flutebox� Lee plus guests 10:00pm No Age 9:00pm Wild Beasts 8:00pm Bon Iver The Providence 10:15pm Soiled Mattress and the Springs 9:15pm Eastern Conference Champions 8:15pm Envy and Other Sins 7:15pm Astrid Swan The Volks 9:15pm Make Model 8:25pm Yelps 7:35pm We Are Wolves 6:45pm Seeing Scarlet Unitarian Church 10:15pm Valgeir Sigurdsson 9:25pm Sam Amidon 8:35pm Kris Demeanour 7:45pm Polly Scattergood Water Margin 9:45pm Bombay Bicycle Club 8:55pm Cut Off Your Hands 8:05pm Elle S�appelle 7:15pm Sky Larkin

Friday line-up

2008-04-21T18:40:55Z

Friday the 16th of May Above Audio 9:30pm Boy Cried Wolf 8:30pm Allan Pownal 7:30pm Kris Demeanour Arc 9:30pm Sam Isaac 8:45pm Tellison 8:00pm Luke Leighfield 7:15pm Tim and Sam�s Tim and Sam band featuring Tim and Sam Audio 9:15pm Late of the Pier 8:25pm Dead Kids 7:35pm Cage the Elephant 6:45pm Collapsing Cities ]]> Barfly Ipso Facto 1:30am The Black Lips 10:15pm Friendly Fires 9:15m Ebony Bones 8:15pm We Smoke Fags 7:15pm The Shoes Concorde 2 2:00am The Ting Tings 1:00am Magistrates 10:00pm The Wombats 9:00pm Pete and the Pirates 8:00pm White Lies Digital (DrownedinSound) 9:45pm Crystal Castles 8:45pm Cadence Weapon 7:45pm George Pringle 6:45pm Lovvers Dome Concert Hall The Fratellis Sergeant Gary Go Duke of York�s 12:45pm Devon Sproule 12:00pm Eamon Hamilton (Brakes) 11:20pm Melodica, Melody and Me Hector�s House 11:00pm Alphabeat 10:00pm Sportsday Megaphone 9:00pm Team Waterpolo 8:00pm Stricken City Horatio�s Bar 10:15pm Hot Club de Paris 9:15pm The Mae Shi 8:15pm Slow Club 7:15pm Tubelord King and Queen 10:15pm Ida Maria 9:15pm Krief 8:15pm The Golden Dogs 7:15pm Frank Hamilton Komedia Greco Roman Soundsystem 11:15pm Joe Hot Chip/Dels 10:15pm Primary 1 9:15pm David E Sugar 8:15pm Bitchee Bitchee Ya Ya Ya 7:15pm Drums of Death Komedia Studio Bar 1:15am Thomas White 12:30am Blah Blah Blah 11:45pm Derek Meins 11:15pm The Recoil Ocean Rooms (Basement) 10:00pm This City 9:15pm Canterbury 8:15pm 4 or 5 Magicians 7:15pm Turncoat Ocean Rooms (Ground) 10:00pm The Strange Death of Liberal England 9:05pm Magic Wands 8:10pm Clocks 7:15pm Olympian Fall Pavilion Theatre 10:15pm The Young Knives 9:15pm Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man 8:15pm Jeremy Warmsley 7:15pm Johnny Flynn Prince Albert 11:00pm Turning Green 10:00pm Intervurt 9:00pm The MFV 8:00pm Peter Lyons Redroaster 10:30pm Syd Matters 9:45pm Dylan Mondegreen 9:00pm littlelostdavid 8:15pm Bryn Christopher Revenge (1st Floor) stopmakingme DJ 9:15pm AIDS Wolf 8:25pm Rolo Tomassi 7:35pm Telepathe 6:45pm Gentle Friendly Revenge (2nd Floor) Tomb Crew DJs 9:15pm Beardy Man 8:25pm Inner City Dwellers 7:35pm Yun Gun Sallis Benney Theatre The Rifles Twisted Wheel The Electric City Dash Delete Spiegel Tent 10:15pm Tom Baxter 9:15pm Royworld 8:15pm Astrid Swan 7:15pm Leon Jean Marie The Brighton Coalition 9:45pm One Night Only 8:45pm Sarah McLeod 7:45pm The Boxer Rebellion 6:45pm City Riots The Brighton Coalition Lovebox DJs Adam Freeland Alex Metric PNAU The Slips 9:45pm Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong 8:45pm Wild Beasts 7:45pm Born Ruffians 6:45pm Red Stripe Music Award Winner The Freebutt 10:15pm Kid Harpoon 9:15pm Eugene McGuinness 8:15pm The Pack A.D. 7:15pm Bobby Cook The Honeyclub 9:15pm The Teenagers 8:25pm Johnny Foreigner 7:35pm Cocknbull Kid 6:45pm The Boat People The Hope 11:00pm Gloria Cycles 10:00pm Figure 5 9:00pm Jennifer Gentle 8:00pm Operahouse The Old Market 10:15pm The Hold Steady 9:15pm The Lionheart Brothers 8:15pm The New York Fund 7:15pm Peggy Sue and the Pirates The Pressure Point Aziz 2:00am Nila Raja 1:15am Bishi 10:00pm Yeasayer 9:00pm Kelly Stoltz 8:00pm Broken Records The Providence 10:15pm A Place to Bury Strangers 9:15pm Lucero 8:15pm Times New Viking 7:30pm Woodhands The Volks 9:00pm Saul Williams 8:15pm The Black Angels 7:30pm Natty 6:45pm Alamo Race Track Theatre Royal Vashti Bunyan Vetiver Tom Brosseau Hauschka Unitarian Church 10:15pm Noah and the Whale 9:25pm Soko 8:35pm Torngat 7:45pm Wintersleep Water Margin 9:45pm Operator Please 8:55pm Hatcham Social 8:05pm Official Secrets Act 7:15pm We Are The Physics

Satruday line-up

2008-04-21T18:34:16Z

Saturday the 17th of May Above Audio 9:30pm Flykkiller 8:30pm Doping Panda 7:30pm Dr Usui Arc 9:30pm Look See Proof 8:45pm The Pack A.D. 8:00pm Damn Shames 7:15pm The Clik Clik ]]> Audio 9:15pm Friendly Fires 8:25pm Team Waterpolo 7:35pm Broken Records 6:45pm The Displacements Barfly The Rascals Sigh and Explode 9:45pm Lightspeed Champion 8:45pm Emmy the Great 7:45pm Wildbirds and Peacedrums Concorde 2 2:00am Santogold 10:00pm The Subways 9:00pm Ebony Bones 8:00pm Soko Digital (DrownedinSound) 9:45pm These New Puritans 8:45pm Santogold 7:45pm Times New Viking 6:45pm Telepathe Duke of York�s 12:45pm Ane Brun 12:00pm Nils Bech 11:20pm Silje Nes Hector�s House 11:00pm Esser 10:00pm The XX 9:00pm Cassie and the Cassettes 8:00pm Micachu Horatio�s Bar 10:15pm Pete and the Pirates 9:30pm Let�s Wrestle 8:45pm Screaming Tea Party 8:00pm Artefacts for Space Travel 7:15pm Mathew Saywer and the Ghosts King and Queen 10:15pm Stricken City 9:15pm The Ruby Suns 8:15pm krief 7:15pm Dead Wolf Club Komedia 10:15pm Glasvegas 9:15pm The Displacements 8:15pm White Lies 7:15pm The Bookhouse Boys Komedia Studio Bar 11:00am FatCat DJs Ocean Rooms (Basement) 10:00pm Hot Club de Paris 9:05pm The Satin Peaches 8:10pm The Golden Dogs 7:15pm Talk Taxis Ocean Rooms (Ground) 10:00pm Flamboyant Bella 9:05pm I Haunt Wizards 8:10pm Haunts 7:15pm The Modelz Pavilion Theatre 10:15pm One Night Only 9:15pm Volcanoless in Canada 8:15pm City Riots 7:15pm Man from Michael Prince Albert 11:00pm Absent Elk 10:00pm Satellite State 9:00pm Betika 8:00pm Frank Hamilton Redroaster 10:30pm Bon Iver 9:45pm Natty 9:00pm The Wallbirds 8:15pm Gavin Thorpe Revenge (1st Floor) 9:15pm Elle Milano 8:25pm The Natives 7:35pm Lowline 6:45pm Cheeky Cheeky and the Nosebleeds Revenge (2nd Floor) Tomb Crew DJs Yun Gun 9:15pm Wiley 7:35pm Bunny Rabbit Sallis Benney Theatre 10:15pm Laura Marling 9:25pm Noah and the Whale 8:35pm Jay Jay Pistolet 7:45pm Mumford and Sons Spiegel Tent 10:00pm Rachel Unthank and the Winter Set 9:00pm Dawn Kinnard The Brighton Coalition 9:45pm One Night Only 8:45pm Sarah McLeod 7:45pm The Boxer Rebellion 6:45pm City Riots The Brighton Coalition Lovebox DJs 2:00am Sam Sparro 1:00am The RGB�s 9:45pm The Automatic 8:45pm Robots in Disguise 7:45pm Viva Machine 6:45pm OK Tokyo The Freebutt 10:15pm Reuben 9:15pm Sigh and Explode 8:15pm Whiskey vs. Faith 7:15pm Telegraphs The Honeyclub 8:25pm Buttonhead 7:35pm Semifinalists 6:45pm Munch Munch The Hope 11:00pm The Bad Robots 10:00pm Godwits 9:00pm Little Fish 8:00pm Baddies The Old Market 10:15pm Black Mountain 9:15pm Fujiya and Miyagi 8:15pm Lightspeed Champion 7:15pm School of Language The Pressure Point Fallout DJs Tapedeck DJs 2:00am Semifinalists 1:00am Times New Viking 9:45pm Example 8:55pm Goyte 8:05pm Christopher D Ashley 7:15pm Bloodgroup The Providence 10:15pm Little Barrie 9:15pm The Shortwave Set 8:15pm A.Human 7:15pm The Xcerts The Volks 9:00pm Beat Union 8:15pm The Ghost Frequency 7:30pm Ill Scarlet 6:45pm The Crash Theatre Royal Nina Nastasia The Twilight Sad Vetiver Stilje Nes Unitarian Church 10:15pm Sarabeth Tucek 9:25pm Syd Matters 8:35pm Lucy and the Caterpillar 7:45pm Sammy Decoster Water Margin 9:45pm XX Teens 8:55pm Thomas Tantrum 8:05pm We Are Wolves 7:15pm Pivot

The Conference

2008-03-11T13:46:57Z

The music is always the highlight of The Great Escape but last year's delegate conference sessions proved very interesting (hangover and all). Industry big guns spilled the contents of their collective brains while the masses hoovered the information up like starved hounds. We learnt stuff. Lots of stuff. We also made some priceless contacts... and even remembered to swap business cards. You don't get THAT in a pub - not since the Hawley Arms burnt down anyway. This year's speakers include: Lara Baker - AIM Tom Baker - barry Michael Bayler - Rights Marketing Company Fredrico Bolza - Sony BMG Brett Booth - MTV Sticky Richard Buck Tabitha Capaldi - BMI Howard Marks Steve Mayall - MusicAlly Terry McBride - Nettwerk Music Group Charlotte Moore - MTV Networks International Annie Nightingale - BBC Greg Parmley - IQ Magazine Miranda Sawyer - The Observer Julian Wall - BPI Jon Webster - MMF Steve Zapp - ITB

Current line-up

2008-03-11T13:32:54Z

If last year was anything to go by, you'd better start your music marathon training now. There's nothing better than a weekend of gigs in Brighton... but when the line-up includes more gems than your ears know what to do with, it can turn into a cross-beachside-town-sprint to catch them all. We can't tell you who's playing where just yet... but we can tell you who's in line to grace the multitude of stages. The bouncers might not be pretty, but the line-up so far sure is. From Ping Pong playing Aussies to blood-sucking vampires - wrap your bloodshot eyes around this lot: THE WOMBATS YOUNG KNIVES IRON AND WINE VAMPIRE WEEKEND LIGHTSPEED CHAMPION BLACK LIPS LAURA MARLING PETE AND THE PIRATES BLACK MOUNTAIN THE SUBWAYS THE HOLD STEADY JOE LEAN AND THE JING JANG JONG IDA MARIA FUJIYA & MIYAGI TUNNG GLASVEGAS ONE NIGHT ONLY CRYSTAL CASTLES THESE NEW PURITANS TEENAGERS THE DYKEENIES KELLEY STOLTZ THE WHIP CAGE THE ELEPHANT THE AUTOMATIC XX TEENS SAUL WILLIAMS OX.EAGLE.LION.MAN OPERATOR PLEASE JOHNNY FLYNN OKKERVIL RIVER LADYHAWKE CUT OFF YOUR HANDS ENVY AND OTHER SINS FUTURE OF THE LEFT SUNSET RUBDOWN FRIENDLY FIRES WHITE LIES MONOBRIGHT IPSO FACTO BORN RUFFIANS BROKEN MIRRORS THIS CITY YEASAYER NO AGE VOLCANOLESS IN CANADA TORNGAT SCHOOL OF LANGUAGE WILD BEASTS MOTHER MOTHER JOHNNY FOREIGNER PETER VON POEHL ROYWORLD EBONY BONES TEAM WATERPOLO BEAT UNION BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB JAY JAY PISTOLET THE BLACK ANGELS THOMAS TANTRUM SATIN PEACHES YELPS JEREMY WARMSLEY HATCHAM SOCIAL THE PACK A.D. WE ARE WOLVES SOKO 4 OR 5 MAGICIANS THE BOAT PEOPLE THE BOXER REBELLION THE BAD ROBOTS ELLE S'APPELLE WE SMOKE FAGS LUCERO LATE OF THE PIER LOVVERS THE VIDEO NASTIES TOM BAXTER ROLO TOMASSI PIVOT THE SLIPS POST WAR YEARS CHEEKY CHEEKY AND THE NOSEBLEEDS THE VIDEO NASTIES GENTLE FRIENDLY A.A BONDY THE MAE SHI'S FLAMBOYANT BELLA LIONHEART BROTHERS CANTERBURY SLOW CLUB DAVID E SUGAR TIMES NEW VIKING GEORGE PRINGLE OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT LETS WRESTLE ARTIFACTS OF SPACE TRAVEL SCREAMING TEA PARTY

Hello 2008!

2008-03-11T10:49:40Z

It's that time of year again... music festival rumours are buzzing, the air isn't quite so nippy (okay, it's blowing its bullocks off out there but we live in hope) and The Great Escape is well and truly on its way. We were there for last year's event... reporting from the sidelines, stoking brain cells into life during the conference sessions and eradicating them just as quickly at the after parties. We made friends with homeless bands, downed pints with roadies and danced in the moonlight under the big purple cow. This year's event looks like it'll be a corker. We'll be there in force, video camera at the ready and microphones poised. No band member or civilian will escape our slightly cross-eyed gaze. We'll report on the dodgy hotels, best cafes, bands, punter reviews and dog grooming services. Keep your eyes and ears on this blog. Band interviews, previews and gossip to follow. Now where did we put that complete map of Brighton? For more info, check out the official Great Escape site. Great Escapre tickets. The Great Escape MySpace. Barfly official site.

The Wallbirds on the Funky Bus

2007-06-28T11:48:48Z

This had to be one of the best gigs I saw - for the unique, wind swept values alone! The band were great too... saw them later on at Ocean Rooms. Great stuff! Enjoy... You can catch The Wallbirds at:

Jack Penate

2007-05-25T16:35:45Z

Elvis Perkins, Kid Harpoon, Jack Penate The Red Roaster - The Great Escape May 18th 2007 I've decided to play it safe and settle at the Red Roaster for the night. It almost turns out to be anything but safe. I've walked past this cosy little venue every day on my way to the hellish hotel. From the outside, it looks like a cafe but there are no crowds or cappuccinos to be seen now. Tonight, alfresco dining is replaced by a queue and a big one at that. They're well behaved though - I guess Jack Penate fans have less nervous energy than CSS addicts. I saw a man shove a woman in a Brighton high road domestic earlier... by comparison, this lot are perky... ]]> Elvis Perkins. He reminds me of one of my mates back at home in Australia. Dishevelled, Hugh Grant-inspired hair, glasses perched precariously on his nose and the type of nerdy, yet confident demeanour that only a talented musician call pull of. I like him instantly. His tunes bounce, his voice bounces with it and the guitar tells a story of its own. This USA lad recently supported Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Willy Mason; I've since seen him scheduled in at the Luminaire in north London - we'll see more of him for sure. Let�s hope he brings his drum banging, foot stomping friend. I wonder if he stole the instrument from a cheerleaders' squad back home. Kid Harpoon steps on to the stage next. This Brit wows me every time. I've seen him play with his band in an advertising agencies' basement but today he goes solo. Tonight, I prefer the acoustic Kid... though I'm sure I'll change my mind when I see him next. His front row fans whoop along to his haunting vocals and jerky movements as he flits between guitar and piano. Mr Harpoon tells a story with every tune and a ditty with every story. As he holds his guitar high, he's omits enough on-stage energy to challenge the best of them... Jack Penate included. By The Riverside is a crowd pleaser and my suspicions are confirmed - Kid Harpoon is here to stay. He's definitely converted a few Brighton Bods - catch him in Camden while you can. On to Jack... I'm bursting for the amenities but I'm not risking this prime position at the front. Behind me, the venue is packed to the gills with sweaty bodies and funky fans. There's something about Brighton... people have an edge that you don't find elsewhere. I want to know the secret but my guess is that it comes with a beach-town postcode. The security staff look apologetic; there is still a line up of hopeful fans peering past the doorway in a desperate attempt to spot a gap in the crowd. Management are having none of it... they're at capacity and won't budge an inch. The crowd remain amazingly high-spirited - it's a testament to Jack Penate fans. My only guess is that the Red Roaster team appreciate this and make a brave gesture. The sound guys turn into labourers and pull back the thick curtains separated us from the hoards outside. Faces are instantly pressed against the glass, the odd blow-fish is blown against the window and the upper panes are opened to let the music out. There may not be alfresco dining but there's going to be a healthy serving of outdoor gigging. Unfazed by the multi-level audience, Jack Penate launches into song. I've heard tales about this East London solo artist... tales of originality, high-tempo performances and a solid fan base. They were right; this man has 'em all. The doors threaten to break as the outdoor observers get frantic with enthusiasm. Jack somehow manages to play to us, and the people behind him. Maybe is has a lot to do with the erratic dancing. He reminds me of a short Patrick Swayze - (with jerky, not dirty) moves. His set is a whirlwind of tunes broken up by anecdotes and banter galore. He has an openness we don't see often enough in the music industry and his music has all the more relevance because of it. Most young Londoners can relate to Jack... and if not, they can dance with him. Later, as I trundle home hungover (still) but happy, I hear that fights, hissing and general gig-envy was happening outside. I feel very lucky all of a sudden. Rest assured people - Jack has a full tour scheduled for June and July. There's plenty more Penate pie where that came from. Right, where did I put that bed?

A fan's experience

2007-05-21T17:54:34Z

Robots In Disguise, Barfly, Friday 18th May By Zarina Raja There is no better venue in Brighton than the Barfly (formally known as the Gloucester) to watch a band like Robots in Disguise. Despite the slimy walls, the sticky floors and dingy red lighting, the Barfly oozes a certain grimy charisma that seems to guarantee a damn good party. The place is practically falling apart and definitely not ideal to watch bands, but it worked for the Robots. With RID, there is no need to for professional venues in the hope of polishing their music because that would crush everything that RID epitomizes. As RID strutted on stage at the end of the night, the largely drunk crowd surged towards the tiny dance floor and instantaneously began moving around to the electro noise of the Robots. Robot Dee Plume worked the excited audience by singing over the crowd, barely keeping to the edge of the stage and sporadically jumping in to the audience. They played all the classics off the current album �Get RID�. Turn it up and Hot Gossip went down particularly well as did the short dance routine-slightly reminiscent of 90s classic �Saturday Night� which involved a lot of clapping and lazy spins. Had the venue not been so packed out, I�m sure the intoxicated fans would have attempted some kind of dance routine themselves. The atmosphere was buzzing as Dee and Sue jammed on their guitars, pumping out screamy-shouty lyrics backed by a keyboards and an energetic drummer. Towards the end, one of the Robots uttered something along the lines of inviting people on stage which resulted in a rampage of about fifty people surging forward and crashing the stage, the Robots getting lost amid the crowd. The music, however, carried on, the Robots-who were seemingly unfazed by it all- pushed on through the set unnerved and enthused. This was an excellent performance by the Robots who successfully trampled on the boundaries of your average indie gig. RID are definitely a band to be seen live as their fervour for their music is wildly intensified on stage.

Hilltop Hoods - Ocean Rooms

2007-05-21T14:10:47Z

Hilltop Hoods - The Ocean Rooms, 19th May 2007 Review and video by Katie Spain The mood is hot, the venue is heaving and the people are sweaty so I warm up for Australian Hip-Hop masters 'Hilltop Hoods' with a double vodka and a loo break. A call of nature is not the way to lose a prime spot in the crowd, especially when the band has travelled all the way from the 'Land Down Under'. On my way back to the basement of The Ocean Rooms, Belgian band 'Hollywood Porn Stars' catch my attention. I only catch the tail end of their set but the lads are catchy. They don't look much like porn stars but I don't mix with many so I guess I'm no pro. They do however, whip the crowd into a state of frenzy with their jagged guitars and catchy Alt Rock choruses. No need for any porn star flashing here - the music says it all. Somehow, I manage to locate my new gig buddy Laure and convince her that her little Swiss body needs a shot of Aussie music. We're a small pair and manage to secure a spot right at the front of the stage. It's small in here... and the stage is tiny and low to the ground. This makes my short-arsed job easier but for bands such as 'Birdy Nam Nam' the story wasn't quite so sweet. They cancelled their gig here earlier - allegedly due to a lack of space... ]]> For a glimpse of the Nosebleed Section action, see the video: Were you there? Did the Hilltop Hoods do it for you too? We want to hear from you. We'll do our best to chat to the guys during the London leg of their tour... post your questions below.