Brighton during The Great Escape is buzzing. Whether that’s good or bad depends on your perspective. For both the music industry and gig goers it is a melting pot of live music across the city. The Great Escape’s informal side, The Alt Escape, runs at the same time and allows the whole of Brighton to participate, accommodating those without tickets to still revel in live music which seems to take place in every nook and cranny of Brighton from 13 – 16 May 2026. Thanks to friends a couple of years ago I was introduced to The Alt Escape. I had the best time at venues including Pipeline, Black Lion and Fiddlers Elbow. And so for 2026 I am going all in with The Alt Escape.
After a ton of research and some tips from those in the know, below is a list of just some of the sets I hope to catch over the next few days. Inevitably this is far from a definitive list and has my usual caveat, these artists on the dancier, noisier end of the spectrum. I have also listed only one of their appearances, each band will most likely be performing more than once. I have also collated a handy playlist.
So ignore the naysayers, welcome the chaos, remember your earplugs but most of all embrace the JOMO (Joy Of Missing Out).
I’ll see you down the front.
Daffodildos (UK – Brighton)
Sat 16 May (check for details) . Pipeline.
Daufødt (Norway)
Thurs 14 May – 9.30pm. Hope and Ruin Bar.
Honeybadger (UK – Brighton)
Sat 16 May – 2.30am (Sunday). Fiddlers Elbow.
Kitchen Lover (UK – Brighton)
Fri 15 May – 4pm. Rossi Bar.
LIPWORMS (UK – Portsmouth)
Thurs 14 May – 11pm. Pink Moon.
Lttl Mort (UK – Brighton)
Fri 15 May – 10.30pm. Hope and Ruin Bar.
Maquina (Portugal)
Sat 16 May – 12.30am (Sunday). Fiddlers Elbow.
Monks (UK – Liverpool)
Fri 15 May – 7.30pm. Hope and Ruin Bar.
MORN (UK – Monmouth)
Sat 16 May – 9pm. Alphabet.
Oral Habit (UK – Brighton)
Wed 13 May (check for details). Pipeline.
paper hats (UK – London)
Sat 16 May – 6pm. The Shovel.
Patche (Canada)
Fri 15 May – 4pm. Bella Union Vinyl Shop.
Pedestrian Band (UK – London)
Thurs 14 May – 4pm. The Brunswick.
Polite Bureaux (UK – Bradford)
Fri 15 May (check details. Between 8pm – 12mid). Alphabet.
Public Circuit (USA – New York)
Fri 15 May – 7.15pm. The Oak.
Punchbag (UK – London)
Thurs 14 May (check details. Between 8pm – 2am). The Folklore Rooms.
Rampressure (UK – London)
Sat 16 May – 5pm. The Shovel.
Smag På Dig Selv (Denmark)
Fri 15 May – 5pm. The Black Lion.
The Wrong Trousers (UK – Brighton)
Fri 15 May – 10.30pm. Pipeline.