The Great Escape Festival returns to Brighton from May 14 to 17, giving 450 emerging artists
the opportunity to perform in Brighton’s cherished venues. Running alongside this, The
Alternative Escape specifically allows independent promoters to showcase their artists with
the key part being that the performances are free. On Thursday 15, The Secret Comedy
Club hosted six artists on their Alternative Stage with acts from America, Australia and
Taiwan, giving audience members exclusive performances and UK debuts.
Sly Withers
Australian alt-rock band, Sly Withers, kicked off the day with electric guitar and vocal
harmonies that made me weirdly nostalgic of the early 2000s brit-pop bands I grew up
listening to. After a decade of playing together, the band’s chemistry and talent are
undeniable and getting to watch them really felt like I was seeing them in their element.
Lab Rat
Okay, to be fair, I knew Lab Rat’s alt-rock grunge rap wasn’t exactly going to be ‘my thing as a solid 99% of my music taste revolves around the likes of Sabrina Carpenter and
Rihanna. However, what I will say is that there is no questioning Lab Rat’s passion for his
art. Throughout his 20 minute set, he left it all on the stage, with there being few moments
where he wasn’t head banging, dancing or jumping, I felt exhausted just watching him!
Day We Ran
A personal favourite of mine was the indie band, Day We Ran, hailing from Australia. They
manage to pull off the ‘chill surfer dude’ persona without it coming across as try-hard or
pretentious. Their music, full of reverb-y electric guitar and clean vocals, feels like the perfect
Brighton soundtrack to listen to over summer at the beach.
Annie DiRusso
DiRusso’s set was one I was particularly looking forward to after giving her the obligator
‘pre-set social media stalk’ and realising I used to obsessively listen to her old EP ‘Don’t
Swerve’ back when I was 16. During her set, she sang about the hectic messiness of being
in your early 20s that I found myself relating to all too well. Her lyrics were cheeky, charming
and breathtakingly vulnerable, and are also currently playing on repeat in my bedroom as I
write this review.
The Dinosaur’s Skin
Intriguingly wacky is one way I can describe this duo who are in the UK for the first time after
travelling from their home in Taiwan. After announcing that they were the last two remaining
dinosaurs on Earth and on the search for fellow surviving dinosaurs, the pair ‘Trex’ and
‘Triceratops’ took us on an adventure of synth, dreamy pop and loft-beats. Their playful
energy was endearing and was a standout of the day.
Gordi
By far one of the most technical sets, complete with distorted vocal, loop pedals, and a synth
pad. Gordi’s ‘folktronic’ genre was a first for me. She talked candidly about her time after graduating medical school and working as a doctor during the Covid-19 pandemic and all the
writer’s block that accompanied this time. The writer’s block is clearly no more if her song
‘Cutting Room Floor’ is anything to go by, exploring distancing relationships and inevitable
change.
Address: 42 Brighton Square, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 1HD
