The Great Escape, the UK’s premier festival for new music, has announced a major wave of over 175 rising artists set to join the 2025 line-upm plus a headline show by Skunk Anansie. This year’s festival, taking place from May 14 to 17 in Brighton, will host more than 450 acts across 35+ venues, cementing its reputation as the ultimate platform for emerging talent.
Among the latest additions are artists from across the globe, including the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, France, Japan, Ireland, and the USA. The festival’s extended four-day format promises a diverse showcase of cutting-edge music, with a newly expanded late-night programme featuring genre-defying performances well into the early hours.
Punk and alternative fans can look forward to electrifying sets from feminist electro-punk trio CLT DRP, Liverpool’s indie disruptors Courting, and Manchester’s intense jazz-punk fusion band Maruja. Heavy-hitting acts like Melbourne’s instrumental doom metal group Divide and Dissolve, the raw energy of The Molotovs, and DIY punk four-piece Bruise Control add to the festival’s fierce line-up.
For those craving soulful and experimental sounds, The Great Escape 2025 will feature performances from Brixton-based soul singer Nia Smith, guitarist and vocalist Zinadelphia, and Geordie jazz outfit Knats. Meanwhile, fans of dreamy indie and alternative rock can catch Carol Ades and Atlanta’s Girlpuppy, alongside psychedelic collective Mandrake Handshake and 90s-inspired indie-electronic fusion act RIP Magic.
In a major highlight, British rock icons Skunk Anansie will headline The Independent Stage on May 16 as part of their UK tour, just a week before the release of their highly anticipated album, The Painful Truth. This intimate club show offers a rare chance to see the legendary band up close, with access granted via festival wristbands, subject to venue capacity.
The Great Escape’s Late Escape after-hours programme will also return, running from 11:30pm to 4am across key Brighton venues. The line-up includes euphoric DJ sets from Sim0ne, Mechatok, Meyy, Badger, IRAH, Mina Galán, Pretty Girl, and SWIM, with special guests yet to be announced. Stand-alone tickets for The Late Escape are now available, with TGE wristband holders gaining access subject to capacity.
Renowned for discovering and championing the next big names in music, The Great Escape offers an unmissable experience for music lovers and industry professionals alike. Tickets for the festival start from £81.24 and are on sale now.
Website: https://greatescapefestival.com/
