A Greater Escape TGE17 seaside funshine
It has been a week when we delayed what we were doing, because a nation is united in shock, but also brought closer together in defiant love. The LOVE is important magic which created TheZineUK in the first place. Our extended family were in full swing all weekend as End Of The Trail Records flew the flag at the AltEscape (Europe's biggest free scouting convention) at The Great Escape. The busiest and buzziest (HOW many artists on the radio, in the press etc?) independent label in the land have such a reputation that, as per previous years, this stage was packed from start to finish on Thursday and Friday, doing the one-in-one-out thing quite often.
Could not believe how warm and sunny it was after cold rainy days. Brighton was so packed and colourful with The Great Escape AND Brighton Festival on at the same weekend.
Allied with Amazing Radio, Fierce Panda, Blackstar Amps and TheZineUK, loaded with stars from our tale including The Velvet Hands making their TGE debut (and already confirmed for more festivals), 485C who, at time of writing, are about to play for Abbie McCarthy of BBC Introducing at her Good Karma Club, Great work Kelly Munro (now also a visual icon in his own right, courtesy of the Coquin Migale (went down a storm, new single 'Plans' being hailed a tune of the year already) debut album 'Munro' t shirts. Oh, it was basically a smorgasboard of whos who of woohoo! Jam Pond Photography was at Brighton's East Street Tap to capture the vibes of brilliancy x international intimacy. Click here to view.
Hallo beautiful ladies. It is, indeed sad that this is the last year of Secret Garden Party, but we will all keep the festival spirit alive to create little pockets of #heaven17 because we are not all a bunch of brexits.
We are not ashamed that TheZineUK is created, and largely peopled, by skint music lovers. On and off stage. Ourselves included. Doesn't stop us having a great time. We (Dizzy n Caffy) could afford a budget day trip to the seaside. Luckily Saturday was sunny. Just LOVE Brighton, visual art joy and fellow quirksters around every corner. The sea can make your heart sing. Did some snap shots and rocking, the usual situationist adventures of zeenagers... Thank you everybody - the musical - in pictures below:
Above: Always good to bump into fellow fans of the band SONS. The rock-face of Rock music duo were snapped up for appearances all over the place all weekend and are having success all over again with their latest single/anthem 'A Love Song?' (End Of The Trail Records), Radio 1, Kerrang, Radio X and more... but a SONS fan with the baby blue shirt AND logo. Now that's proper! Below; We stopped off at the Spotify artists lounge for a bit, thank you to them for the hospitality, the peach beer, the goodies, and for making our day bumping into Michelle O Faith, one of our 2017 #OnesToHear picks and a multi talented star in her own right. Be prepare to be amazed by 'Blood On The Leaves' on, of course, Spotify (click here). thanks for the heads up, Dizzy xx
We basically just walked around having adventures all day. Down one alleyway way we saw Tim Burgess of The Charlatans at a Bella Union book signing and took this cheeky pap through the window as the shop was bulging with folks. At the time of writing it is going to be a Different Day in Manchester tomorrow, organised by the band and bringing people together through the heart of art...
Some of our magic happened here. Our exclusive dining and boozing seat in what we called Crack Head Park, in honour of this seat we kept returning to. Later that night, having a quick tipple before braving the crowd outside the Hope & Ruin's Jack Rocks This Feeling Stage (packed all weekend) we bumped into an old friend in the dark and bless beautiful hearts, had somewhere to stay that night (chuffed n blessed). Some mates did the beach thing until the sun came up, but it was luxury to have a bed. The park is actually called Scuzzy Park, ha ha, living the dream, as ever. Talking of which, on the way to proper chips, went past BBC Sussex (below), saw Blackwaters (now a regular name in TheZineUK story) through the window and got an extra treat. Not surprised all the fests want them. Love at first aural bite...
Stuffed with chips and booze, we were over the road to the Jack Rocks This Feeling stage mayhem where we caught some of the action on stage. Basically, music fans just came into that venue, packed it 'til the walls were heaving, and went fucking nuts for the whole weekend. Another of those "one in one out" locations.
Above: White Room and below: The Blinders are two of the #JackRocks7 bands on a magnificent gang of rising star talent that Jack Daniels have picked to tour their stages at Festivals around the UK. The Great Escape is the first of four. Next stop, The Isle Of Wight.
Above, a White Room club sandwich of a finale. Below, The Blinders, half past midnight, half past mad night...
It's been a beautiful day and night. The Blinders, had just finished their month long tour with The View in Glasgow, Scotland the night before, then driven to Leeds in the North East of England for Gold Sounds Festival that afternoon and gone down a treat, before driving down to Brighton on the South Coast for their show. Their hard work and drive represents the musicians of Britain who are being told that now is not the time to be a musician, and who are directly affected by austerity and dystopia in equal measures. They take our minds off of what passes for real life. Even for just a few hours. Here's to a brave new world in the near future. We're voting Labour, on the side of music. You?
