The Great Escape Announces Full 2025 Festival Schedule

The Great Escape, taking place May 14-17, 2025 in Brighton, England, has unveiled its full festival schedule for this year’s edition: 450-plus artists performing across more than 35 venues within walking distance.

For the first time in 2025, The Great Escape is expanding including the Wednesday of the festival for four full days of music programming. Radio station Platform B will once again host the opening party at Jubilee Square, including performances from Congratulations, SLAG, Goodbye, Bea Maher, asiedu, and REA.

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Over at the Paganini Ballroom, BBC Introducing Sussex and Surrey will present performances from Lonnie Gunn, Frances Mistry, Bones Ate Arfa, and CURRLS, while Brighton-based record label FatCat Records will showcase new artists including Water Machine, Heavy Lungs, Abdomen, TRAAMS, and Holiday Ghosts at Patterns; and fellow independent label Nice Swan Records will welcome Mount Palomar, Westside Cowboy, Stringrays, Fuzz Lightyear and Jagged Baptist Club to The Hope and Ruin.

Additionally, a separately ticketed show at The Deep End, will see renowned singer-songwriter and co-frontman of The Libertines, Peter Doherty, perform alongside eccentric post-punk six-piece Warmduscher, Welsh indie-punks Trampolene, Real Farmer, GANS, Vona Vella, Junior Brother, and Evan Williams. It’s part of a special showcase from Strap Originals, Doherty’s own independent record label, to celebrate the arrival of Doherty’s new album Felt Better Alive.

On Thursday, May 15, The Great Escape continues its celebration of new music. At the Paganini Ballroom, BBC 6 Music and BBC Introducing are presenting a hotly tipped selection of upcoming talent hosted by Huw Stephens, Steve Lamacq and Emily Pilbeam, including Westside Cowboy, Holybones, The None, and Brighton’s very own Welly.

The Charles Street Tap pub will host performances from Man/Woman/Chainsaw, Westside Cowboy, Rabbit Foot, Men An Tol, and Green Star. At Komedia, agency ATC Live will bring together a dynamic mix of new artists featuring Debby Friday, Adult DVD, Tyler Ballgame, Total Tommy, Woody, and Joshua Idehen. The Royal Albert Hall’s stage at Revenge will showcase corto.alto, Sirens Of Lesbos, Oreglo, and Common Goldfish.

Over at Deep End, Ticketmaster New Music offers a jam-packed lineup including The K’s, Chloe Slater, Brògeal, Sunday (1994), Nxdia, Laurie Wright, and Florence Road.

UTA’s industry showcase at The Arch will feature RUBII, Clara La San, Tough Cookie, Maleigh Zan, and Punchbag, while independent label Moshi Moshi return to Matinee Revenge with Nadeem Din Gabisi, Chinese American Bear, and Alice Costelloe.

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Standout showcases on Firday include charlieeeee, Just For Fun, DellaXOZ, and SLAG at Daltons; a headline performance by legendary British rock band Skunk Anansie hosted by The Independent at the Old Market; Jordan Adetunji, Nia Smith, Akemi Fox, and Tay Jordan, alongside late-night sets from sim0ne, Mechatok (LIVE), Meyy, and Mina Galán at The Arch.

Meanwhile at the Paganini Ballroom, BBC Radio 1Xtra will present an array of fresh talent including Hulton, Lola Moxom, and Billy Khan; Revenge hosts a genre-defying lineup with Getdown Services, Ruthven, Olive Jones, and Quiet Light; AWAL’s showcase at Komedia will present a selection of its diverse roster, with James Marriott, Keo, Luvcat, Miss Kaninna, and Orlando.

DIY Magazine curates the stage at Hortaio’s with a lineup featuring WELLY, Total Tommy, Mandrake Handshake, Ideal Living, and Paige Kennedy, whilst powerhouse label Transgressive returns to Chalk with a bill featuring The Moonlandingz, HotWax, Miso Extra, The New Eves, and Greg Freeman, plus DJ Huw Stephens closing out Friday with “a dose of raw energy and alternative brilliance,” according to a press release from The Great Escape.

The festival closes Saturday, May 17 with a final burst of new sound, including Global She’s Got Brass, Headmix, and Town of Cats at Daltons; debasement, LIONSTORM, and The Darklings at Chalk; and the festival’s closing party at The Deep End, featuring LYNKS, alongside Piri & Tommy, and Kabeaushe, with more surprise guests to be revealed.

Jubilee Square will showcase a forward-thinking lineup that includes Blue Lab Beats, Orla Rae, Dred, Hatter, Lori Asha, and REA; additionally, acclaimed label Bella Union will host a stage at The Arch featuring Divide + Dissolve, Goddess and Cubzoa, and Kamran Kaur.

The Great Escape’s official after-hours program, The Late Escape, will run throughout the duration of the festival, spotlighting cutting-edge electronic and club talent from 11:30 p.m. to 4 a.m. across key Brighton venues.

The Late Escape line-up includes Sim0ne, Mechatok, Meyy, Badger, IRAH, Mina Galán, Pretty Girl (DJ) and SWIM, with special guests still to be announced. Stand-alone tickets for The Late Escape only are available

Legendary rock festival Download Festival will host a stage at Volks from Thursday 15 May until Saturday 17 May, featuring performances from artists including Luna Kills, Bruise Control, Twenty One Children, Mouth Culture, Artio, Wayside, Zetra, Karen Dió, JAYLER, Letters Sent Home, Last Train, Angel Number, LOWEN, Defences, BEX, James and the Cold Gun, and VOWER.

The full conference schedule is also now available. Newly announced sessions include The Money Trench podcast with Mark Sutherland in conversation with Romain Vivien (global head of music, and president Europe at Believe), and Alice McLean (head of label & artist solutions at Believe UK), discussing the company’s success developing artists, and how to work independently in 2025.

Two advocates for the music community within Westminster – the UK’s parliament – Alex Sobel MP and Anneliese Midgley MP, will review the recent debates and discuss how the music industry can ensure its voice is heard by politics.

Finally, Red Bull Records will present “Tapped In: The Power of Short-Form Content for Artists on the Rise”, an “insightful discussion with leading marketing experts diving into the strategies behind short-form content and the pivotal role it plays in helping artists break through the noise,” according to the press release.

Previously announced speakers include Skunk Anansie’s Skin, Rizzle Kicks’ Jordan Stephens, and Cocteau Twins’ Simon Raymonde.

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