Live Review :: The Great Escape: Day 2 :: Various venues, Brighton - May 9 - 11 2019

Credit: Steve Willcox

Live 

The Great Escape: Day 2

Various venues, Brighton 

May 9 - 11 2019

Reviewing team: Steve Willcox, Izzy Butler, Linn Branson, Neil Cole

Pictures: As credits 

Those who retired early to bed after the day of The Great Escape, awake refreshed to a brighter, sunnier day; while those bravehearts who stuck with it til 3am, are probably feeling slightly less ready for action, as they nurse triple shot espressos before setting their mojo in action for another day.

Skinny Living (Steve Willcox)

Wakefield's Skinny Living are up and raring to go for their early lunchtime swt at The Walrus. Bringing in indie pop with a slice of soul, they have a solid musical base with songs that can keep you enticed. Starting off with the punchy ‘No Low’, its deep basslines holding its own alongside Ryan Johnston’s sharp vocals in front of this packed venue. ‘Messiah’ strikes up an emotional chord, a song about trying help a lost cause and brings tears to faces amongst the audience. (SW)

Jack Perrett (Steve Willcox)

Jack Perrett was on fine form too for his early afternoon acoustic set at Latest Music Bar. The Welsh singer-songwriter continued the theme of recapturing the 90s with a perfectly delivered set in the mould of early Oasis. (NC)

Over in the Queens Hotel, Fontaines D.C. were the order of the day, though sadly not as they were originally intended to be, as a performer, but discussed in their absence by a panel of label bods and promoters on how they put together the band's very successful release campaign. Full text can be read here. (LB)

Eädyth (Izzy Butler)

As part of the Horizons: New Music From Wales programme at the Latest Music Bar Upstairs, solo songstress Eädyth from Merthyr Tydfil - just she and her Apple Mac - allowed her exquisite voice to layer supremely over electronic beats. Her soulful delivery was both restful and stirring in the near hushed room. (IB)

Boniface

(Steve Willcox)

Canada's Boniface at Green Door Store brings an unashamedly indie pop groove into this small stables tucked behind the main rail station that brings with it a family feel to the gig. Vocalist Micah Visser soon got the crowd dancing with ‘Ghosts’ while last year's bouncing ‘Dear Megan’ brought joy to the maddening crowd. You could tell by the band’s expressions that they knew they’d hit audience jackpot today as the packed venue moved as one. Ending the set on synth and bass driven ‘I Will Not Return a Tourist’ brings the thought that they’ve made their spiritual home here in Brighton. (SW)

Snapped Ankles (Joel Mills)

Experimental East London trio Snapped Ankles are biting hard in The Deep End down at the beach. They have been hotly touted by Radio X's John Kennedy who is hosting this X-Posure stage. The sunny weather has brought out the punters, who are snapping up the noisy, angular rhythms. (IB)

The Snuts 

(Steve Willcox)

With Buckfast being the drink of choice at One Church, West Lothian’s indie quartet The Snuts are already fuelled up on the Creative Scotland stage. Vocalist Jack Cochrane takes a swig and starts their set with latest single ‘Manhattan Project’ as the crowded venue starts to sway Jack seems to be put out, but he’s teasing and jokingly tells them start dancing. ‘Glasgow’ lifts the mood as its anthemic riff fills the room ‘Seasons’ brings the group together as the crowd starts dancing to its catchy tune. 2016’s ‘Sing For Your Supper’ closes their set and from the applause, it's well appreciated. (SW)

FEET

(Linn Branson)

If you want some bright festival vibes, then look no further than FEET; not your feet, but the plantar fascia of the five-man band who ram the The Deep End in the late afternoon. Kitted out in natty hats and tropical shirts, their bouncy tunes like 'English Weather’ and ‘Ad Blue’ are infectious and perfectly executed. (LB)

INHALER (Steve Willcox)

Outside on the open-air Ditto Stage Beach Site, they are competing with new teen wonders from Dublin, INHALER. Fronted by the son of U2's Bono, Eli Hewson has obviously picked up a few tips from dad, aside from sounding like the young Bono. There's a laid-back quality to them - the occasional smoke fire bursts aside - and they hold a crowded area for this set after the previous day's show at the Prince Albert had queues running out the building. A band certainly on the way to bigger things. (LB)

Average Sex (Izzy Butler)

The beachside Hideout venue has seen lengthy queues for all its acts over the two days so far, and new outfit Working Men's Club are no exception. They throw in cowbells, synths and sharp guitars to augment their decent array of alt-indie rock tunes (IB). Average Sex fill the Shipwrights Yard, where it's one in, one out for their Alternative Escape set; a set rather spoilt by a woman in the front row wafting cigarette smoke everywhere (really? No consideration for those around you?). It's an easy, free-flowing set from the indie pop with dashings of post-punk, band. (IB)

Lady Bird 

(Steve Willcox)

Tunbridge Wells indie punks Lady Bird bring their mischievous band antics to the Fender Stage at The Old Market in the early evening which means loads of fun for us. Brilliant setlist of songs with ‘Social Potions’ near the start with guitarist Alex Deadman playing to the crowd shouting. The guys seem really tight as a band and they work the full (800) venue accordingly to get the best out of everyone. Current single ‘Love’ is something special to see live and segues seamlessly into ‘Spoons’,
as Joe gets hot and sweaty from behind his drum-kit. (SW)

Viagra Boys

(Steve Willcox)

Stockholm’s post-punks Viagra Boys bring a lively display of destruction to The Haunt. ‘Research Chemicals’ shows the musical capabilities of the band while vocalist Sebastian Murphy struts around and teases the mosh pit to push a bit harder. ‘Sports’ is the most fun you can have at a gig without being maimed, the crowd here is joyous as it is dangerous. Ending their raucous set with ‘Shrimp Shack’, it was pretty epic, a full barrage of noise and truly a sight to behold. (SW)

Friendly Fires (Rebekah Few)

Friendly Fires hold court at The Deep End for their late evening set, where for nearly an hour they fizz and spark with undiluted energy, and set alight the spring night. The dancing, irrepressible Ed Macfarlane, commands attention as he and Jack Savidge and Edd Gibson present songs such as 'Jump In The Pool', 'In The Hospital', 'Heaven Let Me In', for an exhilarating night. (IB)

Gently Tender (Neil Cole)

The evening showcase was given to The Haunt, where Gently Tender have picked up the pieces of what was Palma Violets and created a more mature, almost-Americana sound and a much more accomplished set than we were accustomed to from PV. (NC)

Sports Team

(Steve Willcox)

However, they were soon blown out of the water by one of the shows of the weekend, as Sports Team took to the stage. An energetic and at times eccentric frontman, Alex Rice bounded around the stage and completely owned the performance. The crowd went bananas for tracks like ‘M5’ (yes it’s about the motorway) and ‘Margate’; the former saw one giy makea beeline for the stage from behind and launched himself off into the crowd - with his arm still in a cast... probably from last time he saw the band. (NC)

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The Great Escape: Day 1