Brighton’s Great Escape week is never short on noise, but this one is set to cut through the chaos. Alternative Escape 2026 is back, and it is shaping up to be one of the most essential day parties of the festival.
Taking over the Secret Comedy Club on Thursday 14th May, Planetary Group and Impressive PR return for their third year with a stacked, all-day showcase that has quietly become a word-of-mouth institution. Split across afternoon and evening sessions, this is where industry heads, curious punters and the genuinely clued-in collide in a sweatbox room built for discovery. If you want to see tomorrow’s headliners before the queues catch up, this is where you go.
The afternoon session leans into global buzz and rising heat. Australia’s Fool Nelson arrive with serious momentum, bringing their huge, grunge-tinged indie hooks off the back of sold-out shows at home and growing BBC support. There is also the promise of a Very Special Guest, still under wraps, which feels like it could tip the day into chaos in the best possible way.
Montreal duo Yoo Doo Right offer something more expansive and transportive, their hypnotic, motorik-driven post-rock built for total immersion. Expect volume, repetition and release. Joan & The Giants shift the mood again, delivering emotionally charged alt-pop rock that balances vulnerability with arena-sized ambition, while Winnipeg’s sundayclub bring a softer kind of intensity, all hazy textures and introspective songwriting.
Rounding out the first half, The Tullamarines lean into their self-styled cosy-pop, offering warmth and intimacy that feels almost disarming in a festival setting.
Then comes the evening, and things get sharper.
CHROMA hit first, armed with biting political edge and a reputation for confrontational, no-nonsense live shows. Their new material suggests a band levelling up fast, louder and more fearless than ever. My Life Story follow with a rare acoustic set that strips back decades of orchestral pop into something raw and immediate, landing just a day before Jake Shillingford’s 60th birthday.
Manchester’s The Sick Fix bring pure adrenaline next, a teenage garage-punk blast that feels like it could fall apart at any second but never quite does. Sam Scherdel keeps the energy high with his gritty, hook-heavy indie rock, before SONNY E. dives headfirst into his futuristic Cyberbilly world, equal parts rockabilly, electro and sci-fi weirdness.
Closing the night, Sweet Unrest feel like the perfect full stop. Their volatile mix of melody and chaos has already built a cult following in London, and in a room like this, it is likely to go off.
From midday through to late evening, this is a marathon of discovery packed into one of Brighton’s most beloved rooms. No filler, no wasted slots, just a relentless stream of artists on the brink.
If The Great Escape is about finding what is next, this is where you start.
Afternoon Line up:
12.00-12.25 Fool Nelson
12.40-1.05 Very Special Guest (to be confirmed)
1.20-1.45 Yoo Doo Right
2.00-2.25 Joan And The Giants
2.40-3.05 sundayclub
3.20-3.45 Tullamarines
Evening Line Up :
6.00-6.25 Chroma
6.40-7.05 My Life Story (acoustic)
7.20-7.45 The Sick Fix
8.00-8.25 Sam Scherdel
8.40-9.05 SONNY E.
9.20-9.45 Sweet Unrest
