Alternative Escapism in The People's Republic of Brighton this weekend.
‘The Great Escape has established itself as the best place in Europe to discover new bands.” (The Times)
So much happening in so many venues, nooks and crannies that every individual experience will be unique.
We'll all see and miss so much and can only make wish lists and recommendations like everybody else.
It was our first official @AltEscape stage last year. A saturday lunch time of madness. Really chuffed to have been invited back.
This year, the Zine Sessions are a gathering from 10pm at Latest Music Bar for an 11pm-2am SHOW!
A whole weekend of potential adventures lead up to that...
A few recommends – check profiles/dates/times at http://greatescapefestival.com/ and if anybody is there pls tweet feedback tag @TheZineUK with any feedback
Thursday 14th May 2015
Mid Day to 11pm GigSlutz all dayer with Blastbeat Rising at The Mesmerist – line up includes Northern English alt pop star turns, The Tapestry AND Gramotones. Quality. As ever.
3.15pm Longy at The Joker
Motorcycle Display Team play the Inspired Artists Agency showcase at 3.30pm
7pm Concorde 2 – The Bohicas (who also play 11.30pm at Wagner Hall)
8pm-9.30pm Corn Exchange – Kate Tempest ('Hold Your Own') then George The Poet then Kate Tempest ('Everybody Down') - aww, amazing.
8.30pm Formation play The Haunt
9.15pm Saint Agnes (who recently played with The Bohicas at their residency in The Heavenly Social) at The Joker
9.15pm Black Honey – Green Door Store
8pm Charles Howl at the Hope & Run
8.15pm Ibeyi at The Coalition
10pm Savage Nomads at The Joker
10pm Queen Kwong at The Hub
And just like that, the weekend has started early. May has a Band Holiday Weekend as well as two Bank Holiday Weekends. This year's mecca of new music celebrates it's tenth anniversary a week after 63% of the disunited queendom of Britain woke up to dismay and depression. Time for some much needed Escapism. This festival ‘tops the pile in the UK for value and variety alone.’ (Virtual Festivals). Place to be then. The faces are in town and more arrive every day...
Friday 15th May
7pm Hyena (played for us last year) at The Hub, love seeing everybody's story move on
Black Honey play the Smashing Blouse evening at The Mesmerist.
Fable plays 6pm at The Fiddlers Party @AltEscape Weekender which is on 14th-16th
George The Poet at the Island Life event in the North Laine.
7.45pm Lazy Talk play the Dr Marten's Stage for Strummerville at Green Door Store
8.30pm Pink Cigar play The Fishbowl for End Of The Trail showcase
10pm Slaves play at Coalition and Stormzy at The Old Market
11.30pm Nao plays the Komedia Bar
K i T (Kuenta i Tambu) 1am at the Brighton's Finest showcase.
Late Late Late Friday or Early Early Early Saturday its all gonna go off for Eighteen Nightmares At The Lux playing Sticky Mikes!
11pm Rat Boy at The Haunt
11.15pm Ho99o9 will play Patterns Downstairs
11.30pm Nao is at the Komedia
11.30pm George The Poet followed by The Cribs at Wagner Hall
Midnight at Dome Theatre Studios – The Bohicas
Patterns Upstairs and The Haunt both have very special unannounced guests playing from midnight
Cor, I'm gonna need to clone myself to get to everything. As usual, it probably depends on what friends get bumped into, when and where. This is the festival that a lot of them can actually afford to be at. @AltEscape is the biggest showcase of hand picked emerging artists to scout at close range. Its completely free entry. Perfect for our times. Perfect for creators and documentors to network with friends old and new. Brighton is crawling with musicians, fans, crews, party animals, industry, media and rock n roll seaside surreality. Conventions, secret gigs, speeches, networking opportunities, club nights and spontaneous flash mobs of fun. ‘The Cannes of the music world’ Steve Lamacq". Just needs a drag queen parade and I'd it would be perfect for me.
Saturday 16th May
10:30am kick off to TGE DIY Day at The Old Court Room
12pm PRS DIY talk at The Old Court Room until 1pm
deux furieuses 2.30pm Royal Albion Hotel at Earworm Showcase
4-6pm The Zine Team social email if you would like to meet up
7pm Gramotones at Paganini Ballroom
7.30pm Gaz Coombes at St Georges Church
8.30pm Pretty Vicious at Concorde 2
9pm Swim Deep at The Corn Exchange
10pm - Saturday night is Alternative Escapism all the way and the place to be is at Latest Music Bar for 11pm Saint Agnes, 11.45pm Mourning Birds, 0030 Savage Nomads, 0115 Bad For Lazarus. Free Entry (FB Event with full info). Intimate venue, come early.
Then in the early hours of Sunday 17th May dance until the sun is well up with Paul Hartnoll of Orbital at The Fiddlers Party
Alongside all the high profile faces in town for the weekend and secret gigs, the Rock'n'Word (r)evolution is well mixed into this year's event. @VevoUK also have daily acoustic sessions from 11.30am
Very much on The Zine's (r)Evolution wavelength, over 8,000 Brighton & Hove residents have proposed a micro-state that already has a flag, a passport and the makings of a constitution. What a weekend for our ArtBeat circus of uniqjulture to be in town! Vive la révolution!