Wednesday 13th May

Ribbon Skirt – The Deep End
We’re in to hottest of hot tents seconds before it’s one in one out, and the queue stretches off towards the pier. Timing is everything. The Montreal band take to the stage and play a heavy nineties alt rock reminiscent of Hole. Sadly It thuds about a bit in the tent acoustics and comes across a bit muffled. (NM)

Angine De Poitrine – The Deep End
Suffice to say this band have snowballed. The original booking was a day time show in Daltons on Thursday. Now they are the undisputed headliner of Wednesday and possibly the most talked about act before the festival. Excitement builds. The banner we all know and love goes up and they sit on the stage. Québécois chanted folk music trickles out of the speakers and electronic alien talk comes on. Now the sound system kicks. It’s a dirty trick but the contrast is noticeably huge. Seconds in and the music goes and by that we mean it ‘REALLY GOES!!’. So much more intense than the videos would have you believe. Rage Against the Machine level heaviness. The math rock music swirls and swirls, around the old folk rhythms that lie deep in the heart of their tunes. The sense of show business and drama is faultless. Most of all though lies two exceptionally talented musicians who took that silly probably late night conversation and actually really did it. Fair play to them. We truly salute you. The entire crowd lifts their hands and make the shape of Triangle. We are believers.(NM)

Big Wett – Alphabet
Big Wett is absolutely rocking the place. An unashamedly horny femme who is life affirming. Her sexy downright dirty lyrics are matched by equally deep booming sexy bass lines that have the crowd proper jumping. She has a real rapport with the crowd, and a playful provocative personality, which is amplified by the intimate small venue helping. Costume changes almost every song and some pretty wild rubber dildo action add to the super fun, super wet and sweaty madness. (BJ)

Thursday

Luxjury – The Hope and Ruin
We arrive late as a bass line worthy of ‘Rumours’ echoes its mellow groove through the Hope over delicately heavy jazz drums and some dreamy intricate guitars. It’s a fabulous start to proceedings. They finish with ‘Both Teams’ which adds a touch of Meters soul to the mix. It can be tough be the first band to get the crowd in, be we leave knowing we will not be late again. (NM)

Shaking Hand – The Bootlegger
Their debut album has brought alt rock joy to these ears, so with a bucket of cola and ice we roll down the stairs to a suddenly rammed Bootlegger cellar. A three piece with a Fender Jaguar and a fuzz pedal, may be a well-trodden classic band format but these youngsters take the lineage and deliver upon it with melody and songs you want to hum along too. There is a reason we are watching them play over Stuart from TRAMMS’ shoulder. (NM)

Brooki – The Deep End
After some fun at the Partisan electro party at the old Brighton Underground shop by the Volks, we turn up at the Deep End to see why, earlier that afternoon at the Albert, Brooki had people queueing 1 in 1 out all the way to toy museum. Vulnerable breathless grunge is the answer, and delivered with some passion. Perfect teenage grunge that should soon be working its way up the Reading Festival bill. (NM)

Neve Cariad – Jetstreem
Outdoors into the sunshine on the glistening airstream Jetty stage, the Welsh folk song writer, sends a clear message as to why news of her impending album is talked about in awe in some circles. Sprightly keyboard Melodies fly over the lurching building atmospheric folk songs. It is beautiful stuff. (NM)

Lipworms – Acidbox at Caravanserai
The 5pm Caravanserai tent is full straight away as the moogs face off in the dubby psych, to a crowd of serious Brighton music heads, in this most beautiful of venues. The tent adds a perfect festival spirit to proceedings. Then the ravey gravey side of this band aims for full lift off. (NM)

Angine de Poitrine – The Old Market
Day 2 and we get up close: we can see their little painted toes wriggling and their eye balls. The shear musicality drips through the makeup. The sound is so much stronger and purer and powerful. The microtonal explosion punches with full effect. How they take this forward to a career remains to be seen, but tonight we are there again; holding our hands aloft worshiping the cult of the pyramid; the crowd singing along joyfully to every riff, faces lit up with glee. (NM)

Persia Holder – Old Church
We learned three vital things as we land at this much anticipated showcase. Persia Holder gives a faultless and performance full of heart and indeed soul. And you can drink beer in a church! (JW)

Morn – Dust
Morn have Dust full and hot. It’s a confident racket. The combination of two male and female vocals adding power to the songs. “I just don’t get it” they sing; but we do. We really do. Sadly we have missed most of this set, but what we catch is enough to ensure they are very definitely filed in the box ‘We want to see a lot more of this!’ (NM)

Aura – Revenge
Euro gothpop of the very best kind and we are so down with anyone who has vocoder autotune and a fan for billowy FX on stage. (JW)

Madra Salach – Chalk
New Music Fix has clearly worked wonders for Madra Salach who have Chalk as full as you ever did see. Their mix of Irish folk and My bloody Valentine level noise is deeply compelling and it feels they are veering in a punkier direction than their debut EP hinted at. This is no bad thing. The set has a rawkus drive and energy to match the Pogues or Gogol Bordello while the sounds have a depth that invites headphones. The political undertow is strong. Talk of lizards and the Catholic Church while the drums crash and the harmonium gives a funereal dirge. I Was Just a Boy Then roars. The sound is truly perfect. Half of Fontaines DC are chearing away above us on the balcony. ‘The Man Who Seeks Pleasure’ draws the set to an emotive and powerful close. Exceptional stuff. (NM)

Bukky – One Church
Have we found our first future-super-massive-star of the day? Yep. After we abandoned Eurortripp because we’re just not yet in the mood for a trip back the nu-metal 90s, we arrive on the cool confines of the church and into the wide-eyed wonderland that is Bukky. Last song Heartburn is a syncopated stormer with some early Frank Ocean stylings and yes we are calling it, Bukky is One To Watch. (JW)

100 Rabbits – Komedia Downstairs
No joy with getting into ‘Pigeon’ so we completely forget we wanted to see ‘Bathing Suits’ and we wander across the field of Brighton to find some Rabbits who are playing an arresting arty performance folk. Clearly inspired by fellow windmill regulars Black Country New Road they are an altogether livelier and excitable proposition. To underline this note a propulsive cowbell rings out. (NM)

Suzan Köcher’s Suprafon -The Brighelm Centre
Just when you’re longing for German dream pop sparkly onesie action…The Great Escape delivers. Easy rock beats and 60s psychedelia is the order of the day and we’re already ordering our glittering disco ball shirts on Amazon. A super polished performance and Suzan Köcher is the real deal. (JW)

Theatre – Komedia Downstairs
Apparently someone who works for Rough Trade said you must see this band to someone or something. To us middle aged men, we are just happy we can stay sitting in these comfy Komedia chairs with a view of the stage. It’s late and this is a long game. We are rewarded with tuneful earnest distorted glacial alt rock. There is enough in the songs that tells you why record companies are interested. For a second they really remind us of Curve who released some amazing records in the 90s. The crowd nod away. People are enjoying it. (NM)

Annie-Claude Deschênes – Patterns Downstairs
Annie-Claude is brilliant fun mix of theatre, comedy and eurotrash electro. The crowds is slightly taken aback by the weirdness but definitely warms to their performance antics like riding piggy back on the audience member’s backs and filling people’s mouths with squirty whipped cream, transforming the venues into a nonsensical dada style fun house.(BJ)

Unsafe Space Garden – Green Door Store
Revived we give head for Piss, bet the main room of Green Door is so full we can barely even reach the bar. We chat. We wait. We are treated to something very weird. Unsafe Space Garden hit the stage like a kids tv show on steroids. They are pure Festival culture in their playful psychedelic nonsense. God knows if we’d ever play a record by this band, but the world is unquestionably a better for being able to watch a band from Portugal after midnight play silly prog funk songs whilst wearing hand painted costumes. All that and a Monty Python reference. When they go: they go heavy and hard. (NM)

The Great Escape 2026 – Wednesday 13th & Thursday 14th
Various Venues

Words: Bruce Jackson, Jason Warner and Nick McAllister
Photos: Bruce Jackson, Jason Warner and Nick McAllister