In Brighton, Friday’s Great Escape lineup delivered a wide range of sets, from raucous post-punk to intimate balladry. The day’s highlights proved the festival’s curatorial sharpness.
Mixed weather didn’t slow down Friday at The Great Escape. Brighton’s venues were packed from early on, and the programming held up across the board. It was a day of sharp contrasts: raunchy R&B, shimmering electronics, and some bare acoustic moments all within a few hours.
Rombo’s photographer Sophie Vaughan was on the ground, capturing the energy. She caught Bella Kayy’s set early, a pop performance that felt precise and confident. Then Bleech 9:3 played to a full room. The hype around them made sense once they started. Bombaymami shook off any afternoon fatigue with an effervescent show, while Cowboy Hunters brought a different kind of chaos.
There were discoveries, too. Eileen Alister’s songwriting landed directly, no filler. Glasgow’s Lucia & The Best Boys mixed goth undertones with a sharp aesthetic. Mel Blue played a set that was oddly enchanting, hard to pin down. But it was SLAG who caused the weekend’s biggest stir, a magnetic, almighty performance that won’t be forgotten quickly.
The day closed with Tommy Wa’s solo set, understated and emphatic, before Wesley Joseph wrapped things in soulful alt-R&B.
Join the Club
Like this story? You’ll love our monthly newsletter.
Thank you for subscribing to the newsletter.
Oops. Something went wrong. Please try again later.
ROMBO Editorial Staff
The collective voice behind ROMBO Magazine’s news, reviews, features, and cultural coverage.
