LIVE REVIEW + PHOTOS: THE GREAT ESCAPE FESTIVAL 2026
This year’s edition of The Great Escape kicked off in Brighton on May 13th with a line-up packed full of rising artists across indie rock, pop, electronic, punk and more. Designed as a festival for discovering music, it featured more than 450 emerging artists performing across over 30 venues throughout the city. British indie-rock band The Kooks were forced to withdraw after lead singer Luke Pritchard suffered an injury. Stepping in to open the festival on May 13th were Canadian experimental duo Angine de Poitrine, who drew a huge queue outside the TGE Beach stage, hoping to make it inside the tent. Known for their absurd visuals and costumes, the band delivered a performance that felt like stepping into another world and seemingly captivated the loyal fans at the front. Alongside the official line-up, Brighton also hosted The Alternative Escape, which offered another opportunity to discover more than 150 emerging artists performing for free across venues around Brighton.
Also on May 13th, UK alternative rock band Die Twice played the Komedia Basement, drawing a large crowd despite it being only the festival’s opening day. During their set, they performed their recently released single ‘Wishbone‘ which was met with huge applause from the packed room. ‘‘We’re happy to be playing and kicking off the festival today“ lead singer Olly Bayton told the audience. Later, before performing ‘Between The Lines‘ he added ‘‘Thank you for coming down to see us tonight. Thank you for coming down early“.
Shortly afterwards, award-winning Canadian artist Micah Sage took to the Komedia Upstairs stage and attracted an equally impressive crowd. It was her first time performing in the UK and her first show outside of Canada. ‘‘I expected three people but so many of you showed up“ she said before delivering a fun, playful set with her band that even featured a small bubble machine.
Back downstairs in the Komedia Basement, indie rock four-piece Fletchr Fletchr took over, adding a fun element to the evening by revealing that they had hidden vinyl records around the room before their set and joking about whether the audience would manage to find them.
The day’s grand finale came from Angine De Poitrine, who drew crowds down to Brighton Beach for an extraordinary performance. With their eccentric costumes, absurd stage presence and unique music, the duo created an atmosphere that felt both surreal and completely absorbing.
Day two promised even more highlights, as the streets of Brighton filled with people moving from venue to venue to catch their favorite artists or discover someone new.
As part of The Alternative Escape, Welsh alt-rock band Chroma delivered an explosive set that brought intensity to a small room, proving themselves to be a powerful presence live. Irish band Brooki kicked off the TGE Beach stage that day at 4pm, winning over the audience with their guitar-driven sound.
One of the day’s biggest highlights, however, was Kingfishr’s standalone show at the Brighton Dome, joined by support acts Jack Cullen and Charlie Noordewier.
Jack Cullen opened the night with a powerful acoustic set in the beautiful setting of the Brighton Dome. With his striking voice and natural charisma, he reminded of artists such as Noah Kahan. During the set, Cullen spoke about his plan to run from Berlin to London after finishing his European tour, the equivalent of 22 marathons in 22 days.
Next up was Charlie Noordewier, who mentioned that this was the first night of the tour supporting Kingfishr. He also performed his song ‘Armageddon Blues‘, which had been released that day. The young folk singer delivered a warm and emotional set with his band, setting the tone for the main act: Kingfishr.
When the Irish trio took to the stage, the room erupted in applause. Fans in the front row were jumping and singing along as the atmosphere inside the Dome shifted instantly and the crowd grew louder with every song. Their song was energetic yet intimate, transforming the Brighton Dome into a goosebump-inducing singalong that felt like being in an Irish pub. The band even moved into the audience and performed a song in the middle of the crowd, something they have made a tradition at their shows.
Back at the Komedia Basement, Irish rock band THEATRE delivered a set that felt both energetic and emotional, driven by powerful guitars and the commanding stage presence of lead singer Maeve O’Shea. There were moments in their performance that recalled another well-loved Irish band named The Cranberries.
Right afterwards, Irish grunge-rock band Bleech 9:3 took to the stage. Known for their strong live performances, they quickly left a lasting impression as the Komedia Basement descended into mosh pits, jumping crowds and full-on chaos from the moment they opened their set with ‘Jacky‘.
On Friday, May 15th, 19-year-old American indie-pop singer Bella Kay performed at the TGE Beach stage. Having recently gained significant attention on TikTok through several of her songs, she drew a large crowd to watch her perform. ‘‘This is my first ever festival but it’s been so much fun“ she told the crowd. Performing acoustically, Kay proved that she needed nothing more than her voice to make an impression, delivering a strong and captivating set.
Australian band Fool Nelson followed on another one of the TGE stages at Brighton beach with a high-energy performance, winning over the audience with their catchy songs.
Right afterwards, Irish rock band Bleech 9:3 took to the TGE Beach stage for a bigger set than the one they had played the previous night. The tent quickly filled with people eager to see the upcoming band. Although their show at the Komedia Basement had felt more intense and chaotic, they still brought plenty of charm and energy to the TGE Beach stage.
A little later, Irish band Madra Salach were due to perform at TGE Beach but technical difficulties left the group stranded on stage and unable to perform. The six-piece folk band handled the situation with humour as lead singer Paul Banks entertained the audience with jokes and bottle flips while they waited. In the end, they were only able to perform one song but arguably that single performance became one of the day’s highlights. Playing ‘The Man Who Seeks Pleasure‘ the band poured all of their frustration, emotion and talent into the song, earning a huge applause from the crowd. Despite the disappointment of both the band and the fans who had been looking forward to a full set, it still felt like a uniquely special moment.
The night was then brought to a close by British band KEO, whose set many in the tent had clearly been waiting for. Raw and energetic, their performance was driven by grungy guitars and Finn Keogh’s powerful vocals, providing a fitting end to another busy day at the festival.
The Great Escape once again proved why it remains one of the most exciting festivals for discovering new music. Over the course of three days, Brighton was transformed into a city-wide celebration of emerging talent with packed venues, passionate crowds and standout performances around every corner. From intimate acoustic sets to chaotic, high-energy shows, the festival captured the thrill of watching artists at the very beginning of what could become remarkable careers.
What makes the festival feel so special is not only the huge line-up but also the atmosphere it creates across the city. Each venue brings its own character, while the streets of Brighton were filled with music lovers moving from one set to the next, eager to discover a new favourite artist or reconnect with one they already knew. It is the kind of festival where you can stumble into a venue knowing nothing about the band on stage and leave as a fan. More than just a showcase for emerging talent, The Great Escape felt like a reminder of how powerful live music can be, bringing people together, creating unexpected moments and turning a few days in Brighton into something memorable long after it had ended.
Words and photos by Nadine Goetz.