Great Escape Blog

6 Music @ Brighton's massive music fest

15 May 08 - The Great Escape festival takes place in Brighton this weekend, with 100s of bands playing at dozens of venues around the city.

Over 10,000 people are expected to check out the musical talent, including The Wombats, The Automatic, The Black Lips, Ida Maria and chart-topper Sam Sparro.

Industry talks, panel debates and celebrity interviews will also run alongside the performances from 200 new local and international artists, themed parties and club nights.

6 Music's reporter Jo Youle is there for the weekend and will be regularly blogging about the festival.....


7pm - 15/05/08

So the gigs are about to kick off across town, and it looks like the weekend starts here. Henry from Young Knives described Audio as one of those sweaty little venues that he loves, and reckons they're going to dish out a punk set tonight. Also caught up with Vampire Weekend over at Concorde 2, the last night of their UK tour, and that looks set to go off tonight in a big way. Although I caught up with them over a sweet n sour chicken, as the roadies were feasting when I turned up, which has put me off dinner! Also interviewed the Futureheads, who hit Digital tonight and are ready to unveil their new album material, which they're over the moon with, and how it's all been going down. So looks like it's time for a swift half and time to go see Ida Maria...the start of a long sweaty night!


3pm - 15/05/08

Well it's the calm before the storm, though the moody looking skies down here do look like somethings brewing, and it looks set to be wet! Snake hipped, skinny jeaned indie try hards are swarming around the seafront, culminating around the Pier, as they gear up for tonight's action. Just about to go meet Oliver and The House of Lords from The Young Knives at Audio where they'll be playing later….along with Ida Maria. Just been charged £4 for a dodgy organic stilton and chestnut pate sandwich…I hope Brighton rock shop sells chewing gum otherwise those boys might turn tail and run!


9am - 15/05/08

Waking up in London to grey drizzle, the kind of rain that looks harmless but after 4 hours soaks through to your smalls, is not welcome. Comfortable in the knowledge that the London to Brighton train takes an hour, I pray for sunshine, pack my brolly, check my line-up - which is thicker than a bible, and don my flip flops in defiance.

Jo Youle