The Great Escape festival has carved out a reputation as the UK's answer to America's SXSW festival, serving to showcase some of the world's best new bands. Here's our picks of the bands you really, really should take time to check out.
ROYAL BLOOD
Where: Corn Exchange
When: Friday, 11pm
No UK rock band currently has a bigger buzz than Brighton’s Royal Blood. The only rock band to feature in the BBC’s Sound Of 2014 music industry poll, the duo make an impossibly big noise for a two-piece, and combine the sexy swagger of QOTSA, the anthemic qualities of Muse and the stripped-down punch of The White Stripes. The fact that their single Little Monster has been the best selling rock/metal song in the UK for the past month suggests that they’ll be outgrowing venues this size very, very soon.
CALLING ALL CARS
Where: Prince Albert
When: Friday, 11pm
Recently relocated to London from Australia, Melbourne trio Calling All Cars have yet to release a record in the UK, but come with a glowing CV: tours with AC/DC, Green Day, Biffy Clyro and QOTSA have made them one of the most talked-about new bands Down Under. A sleek, modern rock band pitched somewhere between Muse, Biffy Clyro and Arctic Monkeys, they will release their third album Raise The People this summer on Cooking Vinyl, home of The Prodigy, Marilyn Manson and The Pretty Reckless.
TWIN ATLANTIC
Where: The East Wing / The Warren
When: Saturday 2:15pm / 11:15pm
Once upon a time Twin Atlantic were written off as Biffy Clyro Jr: those days are long gone. One of the UK’s brightest and best alternative rock bands, the Glasgow quartet’s forthcoming Great Divide album is stuffed full of powerful, emotive, widescreen rock songs which already sound like festival headline set encores. Oh, and frontman Sam McTrusty is a born star.
VON HERTZEN BROTHERS
Where: Dome Studio
When: Saturday 2:30pm
Last seen in the UK supporting The Wildhearts, the Finns are already stars in their native land, and give every indication of repeating that success across Europe. Spinning classic rock, metal, prog and psychedelic rock influences into stirring, soaring songs of love and loss, they’re as fine as live band as you could wish to see.
SLAVES
Where: Brighton Coalition
When: Saturday 6:45pm
Recently signed to major label Virgin EMI, Kent duo Slaves are a gloriously scrappy, snotty punk rock band with biting, sardonic lyrics and riffs thicker and angrier than a UKIP voter. Think Gallows-meets-Killing Joke-meets-The Stooges and then stand well back.
MARMOZETS
Where: Bermuda Triangle
When: Saturday 10pm
Having recently graduated from the Gallows-curated Venn Records to Roadrunner, big things are expected from this feisty, ferocious Yorkshire quintet in 2014. Fronted by the captivating, charismatic Becca Macintyre, whose brothers Sam and Josh are the band’s guitarist and drummer, respectively – the ‘Zets, as they’re known to no-one yet, are influenced by the Dillinger Escape Plan, The Mars Volta and the UK underground hardcore scene, and sound suspiciously like the future.
WHITE LUNG
Where: Brighton Coalition
When: Saturday 9pm
As fierce and fearless as fellow Canadians Fucked Up, White Lung are a snarling, biting, shit-kicking two girl/one boy trio from Vancouver, with two albums and a host of vicious-sounding seven inch singles under their belts. Newly signed to Domino records, who’ll release their third album Deep Fantasy next month, the trio stormed the SXSW festival in March and will look to blow minds with equal force this weekend.
BABY IN VAIN
Where: The Hope
When: 7:45pm
A three-piece all-girl band from Denmark, Baby In Vain were one of the buzz bands of this year’s SXSW festival. Influenced by ‘90s grunge, underground rock and the rawest urban blues, the trio have yet to release their debut album, but already sound like they want to own the world.
