Our Guide To Five Key Venues At The Great Escape

Image: The Great Escape 

We can only imagine that masterminding Europe's leading festival for new music with over 140 acts confirmed is no easy operation. Fronted by a number of cutting edge brands including NME and XL Recordings, there are stages scattered all over Brighton ranging from thriving live venues to grandiose spaces. 

After pondering over the ultra wedged programme, we narrowed our scope to five and put together a comprehensive guide to a quintet of stages to help you with your voyage into the new wave of live music.  

Coalition 

Located on Brighton's iconic seafront, where the venue boasts a popular terrace, Coalition is a renowned nightspot and regular watering hole for live music.

Flexing its muscles by sheltering the likes of XL Recordings' infantry, it's one of the more conventional venues at the festival, and one we definitely believe you should take in. 

Where: 171-181 Kings Road Arches, BN1 1NB 

Our picks of the venue: Lapsley, Ibeyi, Shamir, Mumdance & Novelist, Slaves, Boxed In 

Brighton Dome  

Brighton Dome is a spectacular cultural arts venue that has the makings of something special when it comes to music. It's not everyday you get to experience the cutting edge of the live circuit in a 200 year old space, and it's for that reason alone that it upholds in our key venue check-list. 

Where: Church Street, BN1 1UE 

Our picks of the venue: Alabama Shakes, The Strypes, Stormzy, Skepta & JME, Ghetts

Concorde 2

Another one of Brighton's revered live music portals, Concorde 2 is located on its promenade and remains synonymous with forward thinking music. Sporting optimum sound and lighting systems, it provides the ultimate platform for new music to thrive in such an intimate and enduring setting. 

Where: Madeira Drive, BN2 1EN 

Our picks of the venue: The Bohicas, Thurston Moore Band, Dutch Uncles, Remi, Pretty Vicious, The Cribs

The Haunt

Pinpointed at Brighton Bus Station across from the pier, The Haunt is an independent venue developed from an old cinema.

It comes complete with a heightened stage giving it an authentic cavern like feel, and plays host to none other than NME radar for the weekend, with special guests still to be unveiled.  

Where: 10 Pool Valley, BN1 1NJ

Our picks of the stage: LA Priest, Formation, Yung, Yak, Shamir, Gengahr 

Corn Exchange 

Previously used as a Prince's riding house, it's one of the largest concert venues in the city. Gradually moving from a bunch of headliners into an NME takeover at the Grade 1 listed building over the weekend, it's a great big dot on the festival map that should rightfully cease to be ignored.      

Where: Church Street, BN1 1UE

Our picks of the stage: Kate Tempest, George The Poet, Django Django, Girl Band, Slaves, Swim Deep

Get acquainted with the entire line up using our TGE Spotify Playlist 

The Great Escape takes place from Thursday 14th - Saturday 16th May and you can access all essential information using our Festival Guide.