UK: The Great Escape, the UK’s largest festival for new music, will open the UK festival season as it returns to Brighton from May 19 – 21 2016 to transform the city into a mecca for emerging talent. The festival will present 450+ of the hottest up and coming acts from across the world in 30+ venues across the seaside town of Brighton, spilling future sounds into the city’s streets, bandstands and open spaces.
The Great Escape has announced Songhoy Blues as the second Spotlight show at Old Market, supported by Malian singer Fatoumata Diawara.
An additional 100 artists will join the festival line-up including fiery West London MC A J Tracey, Berlin street performer turned folk sensation Alice Phoebe Lou and rising YouTube star and indie songwriter Alec Benjamin.
Stockport-based psych-rock five-piece Blossoms return to TGE for a second year after a stellar 12 months on the live circuit, alongside ambient pop outfit Cigarettes After Sex and guitar-wielding girl gang The Big Moon. Expect clanging three-chord roars from LA punk-grrrls Bleached, dreamy pop from Postiljonen and experimental footwork from teenage producer Iglooghost.
Grime veteran D Double E joins fearless rising stars Elf Kid and Jammz, as well as BBK old-timer Frisco, and Lady Leshurr, who is championing the rise of female rappers.
D Double E says: “I’m looking forward to coming to shell down The Great Escape Festival in Brighton with my brothers Frisco & Logan Sama! Bluku bluku!”
Self-described as ‘gritty, ferociously heavy indie rock & roll out of the mist of blues history’, Band of Skulls will perform their much-anticipated new material at the festival this year.
The daughter of critically acclaimed Neneh Cherry and producer Cameron McVey, Mabel will break out with her own heartfelt, vulnerable melodies at this years festival, as well as shape-shifting experimental pop act Lewis Del Mar, Anglo-Franco duo POSTAAL and charming Irish folk-pop two piece Little Hours.
Lewis Del Mar said: “[We’re] stoked to be a part of such a cultural festival and to travel places we’ve never seen before.”
The full line-up is available to perusehere.