On a dull, grey, cold afternoon, there is nothing like daydreaming about days spent in the sun with friends, rolling from venue to venue watching band after band after band. Team Source is starting to feel better already, just writing that. We can almost taste the beer and feel ourselves lost in the moment.
But to really get us going, The Great Escape have announced 100 new names for this year’s event. As ever, the list includes just enough bands you know to get you excited, a good few local bands you love, and loads and loads of soon to be new favorite bands from all over the world. There is also the announcement that after a couple of years where a few bands have played on the Wednesday, this year there will be more, across the various venues, with a separately ticketed album launch Showcase event for Peter Docherty on the beach with Warmduscher in support.
Of the 100 names added to the line-up there is much to get excited about. This writer was lucky enough to be down the front in The Haunt last time The Moonlandingz played this city. With a new album ‘No Rocket Required’ announced and single ‘Sign of a Man’ unleashed, the fried egg loving, cling film clad monkeys should offer a night of true filth and depravity before Mr Rocket crawls back to his dark k-hole.
Other more well known bands include: London art punks Man/Woman/Chainsaw, dirty sassy guitar rock from Hastings’ own Hotwax, theatrical ensemble folk from Bishopskin, hard hitting punk from Joe Talbot’s immigrant blood brother Danny Nadelko and Heavy Lungs, queer cabaret dance pop from the genuine national treasure that is Lynks, Source’s favorite coven of beautiful creative witches The New Eves, as well as the greatest melodic guitar band ever to come from Bognor Regis, the truly superb Traams.
Amongst the newer names, the standout announcement for these ears is nasty Irish noise punk from Makeshift Art Bar, whose debut EP really should be making all right-thinking households shake, much to the annoyance of long suffering neighbours. Source also found it impossible to scroll past the photo of Canadian two-piece Grimelda, who look like they are about to make you squeal like the proverbial piggy, which seems appropriate for a two-piece who make a heavy racket not unlike all of Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs. There is also Scottish indie folk from Brògeal, artful melodic pop from the Bon Ivor loving Callinsick, noise rock from the Nice Swan records signees Fuzz Lightyear, and Dutch Crass fans Real Farmer.
Lovers of the Brighton scene will see deserved spots for Ladylike, Goodbye and Van Zon, all of whom deserve to follow the wave of recent Brighton bands to get proper attention and proper record deals.
All in all, it will be great to escape once more and whirl through the joy of this festival.
The Great Escape – Various Venues
May 14th to 17th
Tickets available here
Words: Nick McAllister
Photo: Spela
