THOUSANDS of music fans and industry experts descended on Brighton over the weekend as Europe’s biggest and best new music festival The Great Escape took over the stunning seaside town for three days of brilliant live music and thrilling discovery.  Showcasing an eclectic mix of up and coming, breakthrough and established artists from all different genres, the mecca for new music surpassed all expectations once again as a variety of acts from around the UK and further afield set the festival alight with a series of impressive performances and memorable gigs.

The only disappointment on the opening day was perhaps the weather; however, those expecting to turn up on Thursday to clear blue skies and glorious sunshine refused to have their spirits dampened by the torrential rain. From midday, buzzing punters filled the town’s countless venues as they sought shelter from the downpour; from its dingy basement bars, old-fashioned pubs and decadent churches to its busy street pop-ups and the landmark pier.

Kicking things off for Team TTV was Emme Woods who was first on the bill at the Showcasing Scotland shows curated by Creative Scotland. To follow, were packed shows for the entire day featuring The Van T’s, The LaFontaines and Be Charlotte. All of these sets were full of energy and showcased Scottish bands who are quite simply in their prime. Day 2 saw another packed venue with TeenCanteen, Saint PHNX, Shogun and Spinning Coin taking to the stage- a true melting pot of genres and skills spanning across pop, indie and grime.

And while the hugely successful Showcasing Scotland gigs got underway at the Brighthelm Centre, other bands who made a strong first impression included Austrian shoegaze duo MOLLY and New Zealand outfit Fazerdaze. The former, who dedicated their set to the late Chris Cornell, combined the fuzzy melodics of Slowdive with the dark atmospherics of Mogwai to win over a packed out room in The Prince Albert. Meanwhile those who made their way down to the Queens Hotel to see the hotly tipped Fazerdaze were equally enthused by what was on show. With the help of three additional musicians, young New Zealander Amelia Murray brought her hazy DIY bedroom recordings to life in more emphatic fashion; the outfit’s combination of dulcet vocals, fuzzy guitars and dreamy melodies going down a storm with the swelling crowd.

A strong opening day line-up also saw a memorable performance from Anteros at Bleach where they very much lived up to the growing hype; Laura Hayden showed all the qualities of a standout frontwoman while the band matched their catchy choruses and grooving basslines with a blistering live energy.

A quick jaunt over to the underground venue at Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar was most definitely worth it to see German indie band Gurr. Fitting in a crowd-pleasing singalong of Gwen Stefani’s ‘Hollaback Girl’ alongside material from their 2016 debut album All In My Head, the band fizzed with jangly choruses and a warm, punky B-52s-esque energy throughout their rapturously received set. A band to watch out for if this set is anything to go by.

Thursday night was all about unrelenting punk rock which came in the shape of Hull band LIFE and South Londoners Shame.  The former got the party started over at Horatio’s with some jerky dance moves and quick-witted anthems; frontman Mez Green injecting a new lease of life into the rain-soaked crowd with his captivating performance. Meanwhile Shame tore the roof off the Haunt with yet another exhilarating live show as Charlie Steen once again proved why he is one of the most compelling frontmen around at the moment thanks to his ruthless delivery and commanding stage presence.

Slaves played to a massively rowdy crowd in the rain on Thursday evening during one of the Spotlight shows. Taking their noise to the Horror Hotel on the Pier, the band played to a huge crowd but it was cut short due to the weather, it became structurally unsafe.

However, it was The Parrots who ensured that the opening day ended on a feel-good high. Attracting an impressive crowd over at the other end of town at Bleach, it didn’t take long for the whole room to get into the spirit as the Spanish three-piece lived up to their raucous reputation with massive tunes such as ‘No Me Gustas Te Quiero’ and ‘Let’s Do It Again’ . Throwing it back to the days of primordial rock & roll, they’re a band who must be seen live to fully appreciate; inciting frenzied dancing and a joyous atmosphere wherever they turn.

The feel-good atmosphere of Thursday night carried into the following day thanks to the welcome appearance of the sun. It didn’t stop music fans piling into the Komedia to catch Pip Blom though; a Dutch artist who has already received acclaim from the likes of BBC Radio 1 and BBC 6Music. With hints of Blur and Parquet Courts alongside some grungy inspiration, her gritty indie pop gems provided a peppy start to the day.

Those nursing any day 2 hangovers however needn’t have gone any further than Bleach where Welsh punks Estrons were making some serious noise. With what can only be described as a sonic assault of gargantuan proportions, the four-piece were ready to blow the cobwebs away with their early set at 3pm. Volatile and uncompromising in their delivery, the band blasted through massive tunes such as ‘I’m Not Your Girl’ and ‘Drop’ to a fully receptive crowd.

Queues formed outside Horatio’s at the end of the pier as fans waited to catch a glimpse of Childhood later in the afternoon. A perfect accompaniment to the sunny weather, the band used their bustling set as an opportunity to showcase a great deal of new material from their highly anticipated second album Universal High. With elements of soul, funk and flourishes of brass on show, the set was a far cry from the laid-back indie the band previously made their name for. However while they may have returned an entirely different beast, it’s a transformation that has definitely pulled off.

Later in the night, Dead Pretties left a lot of fans waiting outside as their thrilling set played out at The Haunt; rumbling basslines and menacing riffs dominated the venue before the band burst into their popular single ‘Social Experiment’. Meanwhile over at Horatios, Slotface put in another triumphant performance; with three shows over the weekend, the Norwegian punk force certainly left their mark on Brighton and the huge crowds who made the effort to see them. We can only predict big things from here.

Philadelphia outfit The Districts brought the night to a close over at The East Wing where they filled the large room with their hugely anthemic and distinctly intense sound. Dynamic and explosive from start to finish, their incendiary guitar lines, blown-out drums and searing vocals came together with dramatic lighting to great effect.

Saturday kicked off with glorious sunshine and a delectable homegrown line-up over at Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar featuring the likes of Our Girl – the fuzz-pop trio fronted by Soph Nathan, more well known as the lead guitarist for The Big Moon. Ahead of her other band’s highly anticipated headline show at Horatio’s later in the night though, she excelled in her position as frontwoman – her vocals, delicate one moment and roaring the next, providing the perfect match to the dynamic fuzz-laden melodies.

Injecting the life and party spirit into a disheveled crowd early afternoon was Australian retro-funk dance outfit Confidence Man. They’re pretty much one of the best things we’ve seen in a while, merging influences from the likes of LCD Soundsystem and Chemical Brothers; they’re energy is electric and what they bring to their performance can only be likened to fire.

Local band Abattoir Blues proved a thrilling discovery thanks to their formidable live show and menacing brand of post-punk. Frontman Harry Waugh bore a powerful presence, not only in his stature but also in his deep-throated delivery, as mosh pits erupted in time to the sludgy, monstrous rock that was bellowing from the stage. Deeply intense and compelling in equal measure, the show certainly left an impact on those in attendance.

Arguably one of the most eagerly anticipated bands on the bill, Dream Wife won the crowd with their viciously punky pop tunes. While it surprisingly took a couple of songs to get the room warmed up, Rakel Mjoll captivated the room with her cutting delivery; moving effortlessly from deceptively sweet to blood-curdling fury. Live favourite ‘FUU’  was undoubtedly the highlight with its anthemic chanting and chaotic finale.

With just enough time to catch some crowd-pleasing and upbeat singalongs from The Magic Gang, it was The Big Moon who saw the festival out in style at the end of the pier in Horatio’s. Playing fan favourites ‘Sucker’ and ‘The Road’ alongside cuts from their recently released debut album such as ‘Bonfire’, there was a celebratory atmosphere in the room that stemmed from their electric onstage energy. Full of singalongs and dancing, it was a grin-inducing end to another triumphant weekend at The Great Escape.

Watch the 2017 festival video below: