Another year, another city-wide deluge of skinny-jeans, frantic industry types and hundreds of great bands. Here’s what we made it to on Friday at The Great Escape.
FRIDAY
The Amazing Snakeheads, Haunt
A Friday night of noise and special guests at The Haunt kicked off with Scottish proto-rockabilly three piece – and I’m guessing, new NME favourite – The Amazing Snakeheads. Positives first: the roughneck, Iggy-with-a-coif attitude was beyond reproach, with the band’s gold-laméd frontman snarling and sweating his way to arguably the performance of the weekend. Less endearing unfortunately was the music, which at this stage seems to consist entirely of angry sub-Cramps twang backed by a brutal motorik rhythm section. Their best song – something about a bullfighter – came with the arrival of a mystery gothabilly chanteuse – who, once finished, was herded backstage as disappointingly quickly as she was ushered on. (PM)
Ed Harcourt, St Mary’s Church
It’s been an age since we first saw Ed Harcourt live, as teenage bassist for toilet circuit grungers Snug. Some 20 years later he’s a mature singer-songwriter, performing his broad catalogue of songs on a grand piano in a grander church, while we’re still running from pillar to post, half drunk on afternoon boozing and chucking chips down our gob, professionals that we are. Joined by his wife Gita Langley on vocals, Harcourt’s an engaging presence, picking up his guitar and warming the reverential atmosphere with his songs. It’s a quality diversion, before we’re off downhill for more teenage grunge. (SH)
E M B E R S, Above Audio
E M B E R S create an epic noise on the heavier side of post-rock that on some songs such as ‘Sins Unknown’ sound apocalyptic in nature. Hope Of The States and Explosions In The Sky spring to mind during most of the set, but there are a few less intense moments that recall ‘Sam’s Town’ era Killers that provide a few lighter moments before the incoming storm. They close with ‘Hollow Cage’ which is perhaps what the end of the world will sound like. (SE)
Fear Of Men, Basement
It may be that The Basement is too off-track for many TGE festival-goers, as Fear Of Men open one of several appearances this weekend to a very sparse turnout. As the band reel through a sparkling set of largely familiar tunes it’s clear that where the bookish Brighton indiepop quartet win out is in the strength of their songs. All their recent run of 7″s get an airing, as does their indulgent interpretation of The Chills’ unimprovable ‘Pink Frost’, although a rare new song is abandoned as their organ overloads. A good band having a middling night. (SH)
IYES, Blind Tiger
Although last year’s initial set of rich r’n’b demos got IYES’ name out around Brighton, it’s this year’s even more confident recordings that have seen their profile rise. IYES are all over town this weekend, and tonight’s slot for BBC Introducing is being recorded for imminent broadcast. While petite singer Melis Soyaslanova is the focus, bobbing away while triggering her keyboard, it’s her vocal partner Josh Christopher who’s in overall control of the sound. It’s a vibrant pop suite with great radio potential, although Josh and guitarist Tom’s concluding, Mogwai-esque jam dispenses with Melis altogether, a little bafflingly. (SH)
Klaxons, Corn Exchange
We doubt that there was a better opening to any of the Great Escape gigs than ‘Atlantis To Interzone’. The Klaxons (pictured) managed to whip the audience into a complete frenzy with a song that still sounds as fresh as it did over six years ago. They have taken some time to record their new album, but you wouldn’t know as the crowd were lapping up classics like ‘Magik’ and ‘Echoes’. Some of the new material even had a distinct KLF feel about them, which is no bad thing. It seemed that the time out has done them good as they, along with the audience, seemed to be having a whale of a time. (SE)
Lauren Aquilina, Blind Tiger
Teen musical prodigy Lauren Aquilina hails from Bristol and has started developing a loyal fan base through performances on YouTube. Although she has a bit of Taylor Swift and Vanessa Carlton about her, some of her own songs show a maturity that goes beyond that of teen idols. ‘Wonder’ for example has heartfelt lyrics that are more akin to Cyndi Lauper at her most delicate. ‘Fools’ is how a pop song should sound and it is slightly reminiscent of Daughter. Hers is the sound of youth growing up and she even joked about missing most of the festival due to her A-levels. (SE)
Mutiny On The Bounty, Queen’s Hotel
Crossing the sea from Luxembourg, Mutiny On The Bounty arrive on the stage with a intense violent wall of sound that hits you hard with nowhere to run. Complex math rock time signatures combine with the melody and energy of post hardcore to create a sound which in places can simply described as a tsunami. They’re even bring a smile to our faces with their ability to play songs at a blistering pace and still manage to throw in a few riffs that Iron Maiden would be proud of. (SE)
Three Trapped Tigers, Smack
Once again One Inch Badge, with co-promoters Rockfeedback, have put on two days of local favourites and surprise guests in a tiny venue, open to everyone and plugging the late afternoon lull in the Great Escape schedule. The first day is topped by instrumental experimentalists Three Trapped Tigers and by the time we squeeze in, Smack is rammed and fellow guests Bo Ningen are struggling to drag their gear away through the throng. Once they get going, TTT’s rhythmically complex constructions buffer the unsteady crowd every which way, bursts of synth and colour flashing across our heads in synaesthetic delight. (SH)
The Great Escape, Friday 17th May 2013
Words by Philip Mason, Simon England and Stuart Huggett
Read our review of Wednesday and Thursday here
Read our review of Saturday here
