The rain had lifted and whilst the sun might not have been shining, day 3 of The Great Escape had another action-packed lineup.
Heading back to the TGE Beach stages, the Australian contingent was in full force again – occupying all three stages during the afternoon. Tamara & the Dreams was first up, an act we’ve supported in the past yet I hadn’t seen live. Tamara was fun, self-deprecating and upbeat. The perfect start to the day.
Bringing goth-rock to an early arvo billing might have been a challenge for many, but not for Johnny Hunter. Lead singer Nick Hutt ensured that the cobwebs were well and truly blown away. Garage rockers Platonic Sex continue to charm, and are proving to be festival favourites.
On the Pirates Stage, Rowena Wise and Rum Jungle backed from their showcases on day 1 at Komedia.
Special mention should go to The Southern River Band. They are old-school rock n roll. All that was missing was a can of KB.
Gretta Ray was a fan-favourite on the Soundwaves stage. She is riding a massive high at the moment. From supporting Maisie Peters, to having just sold out her headline show at Lafayette, she oozed class.
There then was a brutal clash with the Deep End Stage hosting Battlesnake, and their crazy intergallactic bafflement, and the hypnotising Full Flower Moon Band on the Soundwaves Stage. Both tents were packed, and punters seemed happy with their choice.
It was then time to head back into Brighton Centre. At The Black Lion, Scottish rockers The Shambolics provided another dose of old school rock n roll. They were cool, loud and delivered great guitar-driven indie rock.
Heading over to Rossi’s bar, and down into the Basement, Sydney’s Salarymen charmed with their beautiful songs blending rock, psych, and dream pop. They were on the tail-end of a European tour, so it was great to catch an AU favourite at The Great Escape.
Finally, we headed back to The Prince Albert, to witness the gorgeous harmonies of Canada’s Vox Rea, featuring siblings Lauren and Kate Kurdyak .
The Great Escape is a fabulous festival. The perfect festival to experience new music, whether heading to the larger stages for the better-known acts, or to the wee basements to find a new and emerging act. Bring on 2025.
You can see more of Bruce’s photos below.
