**Great Escape 2013** 16-18 May

[Braders]

Thanks for the heads up recommendation wise , got my ticket but everything seemed to be Saturdays for me so will check the others out.

Got the likes of CHVRCHES , Bears Den , The Strypes , Echo & The Empress on my to do list

 

[Cranky]

Every year I seem to know fewer bands playing. Some that I have penciled in so far are Brodka, Cut Ribbons, Crystal Fighters and Big Deal. I have only listened up to D on the play list so far on Spotify.

 

[CorgiRegisteredFriend]

Every year I seem to know fewer bands playing. Some that I have penciled in so far are Brodka, Cut Ribbons, Crystal Fighters and Big Deal. I have only listened up to D on the play list so far on Spotify.

The last few years organisers have stuck the premise that the festival is for new bands. Where else would you get to see 30 plus acts for £40 over three days? I love the festival and always see it as the start of the summer festival calendar.

 

[spring hall convert]

Brief guide on Louder than War written by my friend Cath, who knows a good band when she sees one!

Great Escape 2013 - Preview And Playlist - Louder Than War

Cath's tips are always worth a look - thanks for posting that, I shall be adding those names to my ever expanding schedule. As for me, I feel a bit like there is nothing really unknown I'm desperate to see as there has been in previous years.

However, the act I'm most bothered about seeing is Mac De Marco, he was a top ten album of the year for me last year as well as doing one of my favourite shows of last year at Green Door. He's a Canadian lo-fi singer songwriter with a genuinely bizarre slant.

Otherwise things I've got my eye on are

Dingus Khan - 2 drummers!
Girls Names - Moody Bunnymen esque post punk.
Halls - Reminiscent of Thom Yorke, Eraser
Klaxons - Regardless of what the new material is like this will be fun, fun, fun.
Merchandise - The rest of the world appears to be waking up to this Tampa Bay based DIY indie-rock band. I could see them blowing up in the same way as The Killers, they certainly have the same anglo-phile reference points.
Parquet Courts - Sound very Pavement esque to me. Good thing.
80's Matchbox - Ever reliable, it will be their first show debuting new material since last year's triumphant Concorde return.
Physics House Band - One of the highlights of the already excellent current Brighton music scene. Very math rock sounding a la Battles.
Three Trapped Tigers - See above Physics House Band, except they aren't from Brighton.
The Wytches - Brighton based psychadelic garage rock band. Like a more direct Brian Jonestown Massacre.
Tripwires - Reading based shoegaze
White Fence - West coast USA lo-fi psychadelia. Did last years marvellous collaboration with Ty Segall, as well a being part of the Reformation post TLC Fall line-up. His solo stuff can be a little hit and miss but I'd imagine it is excellent live.
Mazes - One of the UK's most unsung bands, current album Ores & Minerals is a diverse treat.

Otherwise, I implore you Brighton based peeps to keep an eye on what the local promoters are doing outside of TGE. Last year, the One Inch Badge Thursday afternoon/ evening show was one of the highlights of my whole weekend. I caught both Pond & Odonis Odonis in Fitzerherberts with about 50 other people. I don't even think it was part of The Alternative Escape.

 

[kevo]

Otherwise, I implore you Brighton based peeps to keep an eye on what the local promoters are doing outside of TGE. Last year, the One Inch Badge Thursday afternoon/ evening show was one of the highlights of my whole weekend. I caught both Pond & Odonis Odonis in Fitzerherberts with about 50 other people. I don't even think it was part of The Alternative Escape.

Yes, last year the Pav Tav had a Manchester showcase on all weekend and I ended most nights in there seeing late-night bands, including the fantastic Longcut. Pretty sure none of them featured in the GE schedule.

 

[spring hall convert]

Yes, last year the Pav Tav had a Manchester showcase on all weekend and I ended most nights in there seeing late-night bands, including the fantastic Longcut. Pretty sure none of them featured in the GE schedule.

My Last fm user name is "latenightbus." Love(d) the Longcut.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

The last few years organisers have stuck the premise that the festival is for new bands. Where else would you get to see 30 plus acts for £40 over three days? I love the festival and always see it as the start of the summer festival calendar.

Very much this. You need to do some research, swop thoughts with others and go with an open mind and roll with the misses. I have seen some utter rubbish at this festival and but equally I have seen some utterly mesmerising acts worthy of the £40 alone....well, maybe £20. Go easy on the booze though. One year I steadily drank all day and ended up at a gig at the Concorde at 2am...by which point I literally could not see; I could not focus and everything was a blur. Decided to go home at that point but forgot I'd left a friend who was staying at my house in the venue. Great day, but awful evening.

 

[kevo]

Very much this. You need to do some research, swop thoughts with others and go with an open mind and roll with the misses. I have seen some utter rubbish at this festival and but equally I have seen some utterly mesmerising acts worthy of the £40 alone....well, maybe £20. Go easy on the booze though. One year I steadily drank all day and ended up at a gig at the Concorde at 2am...by which point I literally could not see; I could not focus and everything was a blur. Decided to go home at that point but forgot I'd left a friend who was staying at my house in the venue. Great day, but awful evening.

We always seem to end up in Coalition at 5am and then on the beach to watch the sun rise. Hardcore!

 

[narly101]

Chvrches and Mo at Digital will be fantastic

 

[CorgiRegisteredFriend]

Very much this. You need to do some research, swop thoughts with others and go with an open mind and roll with the misses. I have seen some utter rubbish at this festival and but equally I have seen some utterly mesmerising acts worthy of the £40 alone....well, maybe £20. Go easy on the booze though. One year I steadily drank all day and ended up at a gig at the Concorde at 2am...by which point I literally could not see; I could not focus and everything was a blur. Decided to go home at that point but forgot I'd left a friend who was staying at my house in the venue. Great day, but awful evening.

I have a friend who got a ticket two years ago just so he could see The Phantom Band who played for half an hour at Audio. The rest of the festival he spent in pubs drinking and clearly missing some excellent bands. Shame you are not able to make it this year. I have been to every one and have enjoyed the way it has developed and expanded. 2012 was the best so far for me and as you say its all about discovering new acts and preparing for the fact you may not get into places.

 

[herecomesaregular]

i want a ticket purely to see the allah-las, phosphorescent and unknown mortal orchestra but i'm a bit reticent to get one as i have major doubts about being able to get in due to venue capacity. i went to the first two great escapes but i here it's a lot busier now.

 

[CorgiRegisteredFriend]

i want a ticket purely to see the allah-las, phosphorescent and unknown mortal orchestra but i'm a bit reticent to get one as i have major doubts about being able to get in due to venue capacity. i went to the first two great escapes but i here it's a lot busier now.

if those three bands are playing three different days then you should be ok. Get to each venue early and be prepared to watch stuff you may not rate beforehand.

 

[spring hall convert]

Had a listen to Blue Hawaii today without realizing it's a Braids side project. Very nice dark, beat laden but melodic synth pop.

 

[spring hall convert]

Sign up for the One Inch Badge party if you can, last year's line up for their Fitzherberts show was the best of the festival for me. Seeing Pond with more band than audience was pretty fun.

One Inch Badge

I think I've decided upon my evening routes:

Thurs: Girls Names/ Dingus Khan/ Beach Fossils / Mac De Marco/ On an on/ Jets
Fri: Tripwires/ Chris Cohen/ Allah Las/ Mikal Cronin/ Merchandise
Sat: Halls/ Eagulls/ 80's Matchbox/ White Fence/ Woods.

Once tonight is over I can start getting excited for this.

 

[spring hall convert]

Sad news - 80's Matchbox have split up (again.) I'm glad I caught the original line-up at the Concorde last year, t'was an absolutely blistering show. I didn't really get my hopes up that the reformation would last for too long. Allah-Las will take their headline slot at Coalition.

The One Inch Badge party that I posted above has announced its headliners - Bo Ningen & Egyptian Hip Hop. An excellent start.

 

[Cranky]

Sign up for the One Inch Badge party if you can, last year's line up for their Fitzherberts show was the best of the festival for me. Seeing Pond with more band than audience was pretty fun.

One Inch Badge

I think I've decided upon my evening routes:

Thurs: Girls Names/ Dingus Khan/ Beach Fossils / Mac De Marco/ On an on/ Jets
Fri: Tripwires/ Chris Cohen/ Allah Las/ Mikal Cronin/ Merchandise
Sat: Halls/ Eagulls/ 80's Matchbox/ White Fence/ Woods.

Once tonight is over I can start getting excited for this.

Thanks for the tip, have signed up for that.

Is anybody out tonight? Got any tips that aren't on the Alt Escape website?

 

[CorgiRegisteredFriend]

Getting pretty excited about this now. Due to work can only do the Thursday and Friday evenings which is a bit of a pain. Plan tomorrow is to see Girls Names and Finlay. Friday Martin Rossiter. Apart from that going to take a few risks and just see whats occurring.
Is any one else finding it difficult to access the gig listing from the official site? I can only get them form Kevos links at the start of this thread.

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Can anyone recommend a venue for the Thursday/Friday/Saturday evening for someone that likes their guitar music lo-fi?

 

[Hyperion]

Can anyone recommend a venue for the Thursday/Friday/Saturday evening for someone that likes their guitar music lo-fi?

The Latest Bar in Manchester street has 4/5 bands in tomorrow night(Thurs) Free Entry. A few really good indie bands on

 

[spring hall convert]

Getting pretty excited about this now. Due to work can only do the Thursday and Friday evenings which is a bit of a pain. Plan tomorrow is to see Girls Names and Finlay. Friday Martin Rossiter. Apart from that going to take a few risks and just see whats occurring.
Is any one else finding it difficult to access the gig listing from the official site? I can only get them form Kevos links at the start of this thread.

I've got the same thing at work but not home - I think it might be internet browser related perhaps.