Opening the evening were the duo Baba Ali. They have obvious synergy with the Kills, being a duo using guitar and samples with an American singer and British guitarist. They bought their post-punk disco vibes to the Troxy. It’s very much a dark and sweaty 80s club vibe. I’m not sure the Troxy was the right venue. Having seen an intimate performance, despite their energy, some of that sweaty vibe was lost in the big space. But if you get a chance to see them play a smaller venue, definitely go and see them.

I have been hearing a lot of good things about Picture Parlour. The music I’d heard, hadn’t done much for me. But I had heard their live shows were really good. I was pleased to see them on the bill.

Musically, they didn’t do much for me. it would be easy to say they sounded a bit old fashioned, a bit ‘classic rock’, but music is recycled and old sounds become fresh again. But that’s what they felt to me.

Performance wise, they were very tight. In their front person, Katherine Parlour, they have a very strong presence. She breezes around the stage with a confident swagger you rarely see. Not brash or in your face. Somebody confidently leading their band from the front with a really good voice. It’s just a shame that despite this, I didn’t connect with their music.

It was great to catch up with the Kills. It had been far too long since I had seem them. Playing the majority of their God Games album, the new material seemed to fit in well with their back catalogue. I used to think they needed to have a live band. A few years ago they did briefly toy with a live band but this tour was just them and their amazing chemistry. It is their chemistry that makes them so special to me. They know each other so well and seem so comfortable with each other that they react to each other as if they are finishing each other’s sentences. Tonight was no different. Hopefully, I won’t have to wait so long to catch them again.

Set List

• Kissy Kissy
• U.R.A. Fever
• Love and Tenderness
• 103
• Going to Heaven
• Baby Says
• New York
• Wasterpiece
• Kingdom Come
• Hard Habit to Break
• God Games
• Black Balloon
• DNA
• LA Hex
• Doing It to Death
• Future Starts Slow
• Blank
• Better Days
• My Girls My Girls
• Sour Cherry

Earlier in the year, SXSW was hit by an artist boycott over SXSW Interactive featuring talks by arms manufacturers and SXSW’s sponsorship by the US Army. Given that for the last few years we have seen many more bands engage with politics, it is not surprising some bands see it as important that they are consistent with their principles.

In April, feminist punk band, Menstrual Cramps highlighted Barclay’s sponsorship of The Great Escape. Barclays and especially Barclaycard have a long connection with festival sponsorship and to be honest, I don’t think many of us have ever given them a second thought. However, Barclays, like many international banks, are tied up with many non-ethical investments including arms manufacturers and some of these companies supply arms to Israel.

Whatever your position on Gaza is, I would hope you have enough humanity to agree that some of Israel’s actions are leading to the avoidable death of civilians in Gaza and even if you are pro-Israel, maybe you should reflect on how unconditional your support is? For many, Israel’s long history of ignoring international law meant sympathy for the October attack quickly dissipated when their reaction lead to deaths of civilians and see their actions as collective punishment and therefore a war crime. By extension, anyone supporting these actions are complicit in these war crimes putting Barclays in their target. Understandably, a political band like Menstrual Cramps, felt it was important to lead a call for artists to boycott the festival and show their support for the killing of innocent people. Their call picked up steam in the last two weeks, with over 150 artists pulling out of the festival.

The Great Escape’s response…… silence

Their PR team’s approach appears to have been to stick their head in the sand and thereby showing utter contempt to their customers. In advance of the festival, there had been no communications from the festival regarding the boycott. A few extra bands were quietly drafted in, but it was clear with a few days to go, the lineup was looking depleted. During the festival, there were no communications about last minute drop-outs, except one, headliner Soft Play, which appeared as a notification in the app, but with no actual statement. Bands just disappeared from the schedule. Apparently TGE even deleted negative comments on their social media posts. When a quarter of bands pull-out of the festival and there are big gaps in the schedule, there should not be total silence.

The lack of challenge from the music press was equally unacceptable. While most had published something about the pull-out. I didn’t see any of them challenge the festival organisers over the lack of comms to fans. I guess they didn’t want to lose their press passes and their freebie ticket.

The poor comms wasn’t helped by artists finding their principles very late. I guess many lost them down the back of the sofa and only discovered them at the last minute, deciding to pull out during the festival leaving fans not sure if they were going to find an empty venue. I spent most of the festival checking bands’ social accounts to make sure they hadn’t pulled out before walking to a distant venue. At times the TGE app felt like ‘Schrödinger’s cat’. If I didn’t open the app, at least there was a chance the event was taking place.

I know it is really difficult being a young band. TGE is really important during their early career. Good press or generating a ‘word of mouth’ buzz can make a band. Putting principles first, potentially suffocates their career before it has started. Bands like Menstrual Cramps, building a career out of being a political band, it is understandable why they want to pull out. For bands who don’t have any political songs, pulling out of TGE is a really difficult decision. Weirdly, many of the bands who found it unacceptable to play TGE early in the campaign, somehow managed to find alternative ‘not TGE’ events to play during TGE and were quick to tell everyone where they could be found. Personally, I think there’s some double standards at play. Some bands happy to play both sides. Leach off the TGE brand by using their crowd, but presenting the front that they were boycotting the festival. The bands who got most respect were those who played, pulled out completely or only played the protest events.

It will be interesting to see how the festival season plays out. Hopefully other festivals will be looking closely at their sponsors. Several festivals are sponsored by Barclaycard. Will the ‘Boycott Barclays’ campaign hit them too? Festivals are one of the main incomes for many bands. Will ethics be as strong when an artist could lose a large slab of their income and in fairness, should bands be forced to give up their income over something that ultimately won’t make any difference to the war?

Luckily for The Great Escape, I think many people stayed away or were resigned to experiencing a very different festival. Many like me, hit alternative events and ironically, it was all the ‘principled’ bands who found alternative shows that probably staved off a more vocal backlash towards The Great Escape. If anything, I saw less queues than at previous festivals because I used the side events more than usual.

The protests weren’t too visible during the festival. I was expecting to see protesters every day, but it seemed to be confined to the first evening. On the Wednesday evening a large crowd of pro-Palestinian supporters gathered outside of Jubilee square with police present. They named the bands that pulled out, called people scabs who were playing or attending. Given that one of the songs they sung seemed to suggest there should be a Palestine ‘from the river to the sea’ I’m not exactly sure some of these people should be confident they have the moral high ground. A two state solution is the only solution. We need the Hamas terrorists and the terrorist state of Israel, to talk to each other. But as it stands both Hamas and right-wing Israelis want the irradiation of the other. Israel will continue to arm itself against terrorist and Western governments will continue to support Israel while Hama’s state aim is the irradiation of Israel.

Until the Hamas attack, I was pretty much 100% pro-Palestine, but nothing justifies an attack on civilians and given we were at a musical festival I reflected how lucky we were to only be dealing with protestors and not a genocidal murderous act. While Hamas are around, I’ve reflected my support for Palestine has to be more conditional.

I’ve said for the last few years how great it is to see more political bands. While, the actions of a small minority of bands like the Menstrual Cramps, in some ways spoilt my annual holiday, music needs these bands and the disruption was probably a good thing for music. It shows music can still be to voice of rebellion and have the power to shape ideas.

Sometimes we have to recognise we are getting older and the next generation will take up causes that we may have abandoned as unwinnable. The TGE crowd is generally older than many festivals. From chats over the weekend, it seems many have gradually accepted the world is a messy compromise. The Barclays sponsorship really didn’t bother them and the very best the protestors will achieve is that music festivals might check their sponsors activities. It also meant that we accepted TGE were in an unenviable position and there was very little they could do other than proceed with the reduced schedule and we would have to make the best of it.

It was evident from the first minute that this festival was going to be different. Collecting my wristband on the Wednesday evening, there were a lot police and security keeping an eye on a sizeable protest. One aggressive guy was pulled away from the protestors, but there was no threat from them. When I returned to see the opening act, Baba Ali, the protest had moved on and this was the last time I saw any sizeable protest. I was expecting pockets of protestors outside some of the venues. But throughout the festival, other than pro-Palestinian flags at some of music venues, the only sign on the protest was the tumbleweed blowing across the schedule.

The opening act at Jubilee Square were Baba Ali, a duo using guitars and samples to create a grimy 80s post-punk disco sound. I always imagine their music playing in a sweaty 80s New York art-house club. This is partially the music, but also the way singer Baba Doherty dances in a style very reminiscent of the 1980s, slightly robotic but also very sensual. I believe they are making a TV show of Neuromancer. Baba Ali’s should be asked to do the soundtrack. Worth catching in a small space.

Usually I head to the Green Door Store for their warmup evening. There was an evening for Gaza with the first 150 being allowed into the venue space and as I didn’t expect I would get in, I headed off to the Pipeline. Highlight, was Van Zon, another ‘Guildhall’ noodly, doodly band of the BCNR ilk with textured songs that gradually built up into a cacophony of instruments. They do it well. But I’m not sure we need any more noodly doodly bands.

Heavy rain greeted us the next morning, dampening my will to traipse between venues and to queue in the rain. First up was Canadian band, La Securite playing Patterns Upstairs, with their dancy art-punk. A great way to warm the crowd up for the day ahead.

Dropping in on the Mesmerist’s off-festival event, I ended up staying for a few acts as there was a late pull-out at the Prince Albert. But the impressive vocals of Nèome made the stay worthwhile.

At the Sidewinder, Teesside’s, Avalanche Party, stormed through their set. I haven’t seen them since before lockdown and thankfully they haven’t lost any of their energy or presence. These guys always put on a great show. If they were based in London, I suspect they would be far bigger than they are. Hopefully, with a new album coming out later in the year, they will finally see the traction they deserve.

Huw Stephens over at Jubilee Square, failed to mention anything about the issues around TGE as he interviewed Wunderhorse and Fabiana Palladino. Surely, if anyone is in a position to question TGE, it’s the BBC?

I meant to catch Sailor Honeymoon, a Korean pop-punk band, in London before TGE, but decided to have a relatively early night before travelling down to Brighton. According to the drummer’s t-shirt, ‘Korean girls invented punk rock not England.’. Maybe not. But their performance was fun nevertheless.

An example of how you can ‘do the right thing’ while doing the wrong thing, Brighton-based The New Eves ‘pulled out of TGE’ fairly early on but managed to ‘not play the Great Escape’ across five different venues. That said, they were my highlight of this year’s Great Escape. The New Eves are four talented multi-instrumentalists who I admit, I had thought were a Last Dinner Party adjacent band, as all images seemed to have them dressed in similar vintage clothing. But that’s where the comparisons end. Featuring cello, flute, violin, accordion, drums and guitars, they create an eclectic blend of sounds, routed in folk but with also a sprinkling of post-punk to add an edge to their crafted sound. I found them completely captivating.

Starting Day 2, the sun was out and things felt more positive. I started the day with the venue nearest to my hotel were Welsh band MELLT sand in their native language – I have to admit, I don’t find Welsh the most musical language – it can all sound all a bit phlegmy.

Off-festival, Norwich psychedelic band Floral Image playing at the Mesmerist, did everything you want from a psychedelic band. Full of energy, wandering rhythms and fun.

Gothy Venus Grrrls brought their enchantments to Fabrica. Indie-rock with supernatural themes. I’m afraid their hexes didn’t quite work on me but they are worth catching, especially in a darkened venue at the end of the evening.

More enchanting was Rachael Lavelle (who pulled out of the main festival during the festival) playing her off-festival gig at the Folkroom. Her singing is more like poetry. The rise and fall of the words are like incantations and spellbinding. The set seemed to be over too quickly.

The evening was a mixture of bands I had seen before, like Avalanche Party and another enjoyable, Enjoyable Listens performances. Both playing in a venue that is usually full of stag parties. Both did well to hold a drinking crowd’s attention, especially as they were showing football on the main screen.

On-festival, there really was very little that was interesting me in the schedule that I knew wasn’t going to have massive queues. So I just stuck to venues that usually don’t require queuing or had and an off-festival venue close by. Liz Lawrence was my only real highlight.

Traditionally, I find the Saturday slim pickings. Artists that have created a buzz will have queues and there are generally more people around, so I end up sticking to the quieter venues. This year, I seemed to be pretty much all off-festival for the whole day. Looking Glass Alice and Ellis-D both entertained at Daltons. On festival, Dog Race were interesting and favourites John J Presley were a great way to close my festival. During the day I came to the conclusion that the best way to tackle the Saturday is to pick one of the stronger off-festival lineups and stay there for the whole day and maybe in future I don’t need a TGE ticket.

Going back to the issue I have highlighted in every review of TGE, the sprawl of venues has to be improved. This year, with fluid schedules, I stuck to venues were there was an alternative near by incase the band pulled out. However, even the off-festival venues were full by mid-afternoon, leaving few alternatives. But there was music to be found. It just took more effort than usual.

As the off-festival events pretty much saved the festival and given next year TGE is going to have the threat of the new SXSW London, they have to stop discouraging off-festival activity and instead encourage more of Brighton’s pubs and arts venues to get involved and to put their own lineups together. My view is that the weakness of TGE is how little bands play. More off-festival activity means the bands who down for TGE play more and the buzz increases around them. Let’s face it, everyone sees the off-festival activity as part of ‘The Great Escape’ anyway. So embrace it.

This was actually my 10th anniversary since my first TGE. But I’ve never quite felt the love for this festival. I had done two SXSW before this and it has always seemed to be a pale imitator. As it tried harder and harder to be SXSW, the shortcomings became more obvious. With the increase in queues, priority for delegates and stupidly expensive hotels, previous years I have been close to not buying a ticket. Then ‘just in case I change my mind’, I end up buying a Super Early Bird ticket. However, given the way TGE have shown contempt towards us, plus the perennial issue of queuing, I have not taken them up on the offer of buying a Super Early Bird ticket. If they had shown some acknowledgement, say by offering a discount to this year’s ticket holders, I probably would have bought a ticket. However, with the festival organisers showing us contempt. I will not support them next year. I hope many others vote with their feet and The Great Escape use the next 12 months to reflect on more ethical sponsorship and how they deal with fans when things don’t go smoothly. Until then, I am going to keep my eyes open for an alternative escape and I’m sure SXSW London will tempt me too. Sadly, I’m afraid this year was definitely not a Great Escape.

Artists:

Baba Ali, Mickey Callisto, Swan Deep, Van Zon, La Sécurité, LLSN, Grace Moore, Nèome, Avalanche Party (2), Daisy Chute, Wunderhorse, Fabiana Palladino, Sailor Honeymoon, The New Eves, MELLT, Velvet Moon, Floral Image, Venus Grrrls, Bon Enfant, Rachael Levelle, Fraülein, Bouys, Eve Owen, Safari Inn, Enjoyable Listens, Ellie Bleach, Holly Macve, Liz Lawrence, Chum?, Ruby, Jopy, Marnie Marie, Dog Race, Kovak, Owners Club, Harmony Bo, Generation, Looking Glass Alice, Ellis-D, Laurie Wright, Sock Drawer, BIRD, John J Presley.

This year was about making the festival sustainable. The biggest change was a switch from a four day festival, to a three day festival. This new format worked better. The four day format had two shorter days. Three full days meant the festival was busy throughout and also meant on the Monday, we weren’t fighting with the Bank Holiday traffic returning from a day in the Lake District.

There was also a big increase in numbers and a more sensible ticket price, with a ‘supporter’ tier which included a meet and greet with Sea Power in the ‘salubrious’ backstage area. I have to admit I had some trepidation about the increased numbers, however, I should not have worried. With a few minor tweaks to the layout of the festival site, I hardly noticed the increase. The festival site was busy, but comfortable and the barn, full, but not overcrowded. 

Like previous years, the micro festival had a DIY charm. Based at Muncaster Castle on the edge of the Lake District. The Sea Power and Muncaster Castle teams work hard to make everyone welcome, creating a nice laid back and friendly atmosphere.

For this year’s festival the courtyard had been altered, with the introduction of a much bigger bar area under the covered barn. The range of food options was improved in both in quality and options. I never had to wait too long to be served and the prices were reasonable.

With the increase in numbers and non-Sea Power fans there was a chance that the DIY ethic might have been lost or not appeal to the new audience. But I spoke to so many people over the weekend who were not Sea Power fans, who absolutely loved the welcoming and safe vibe, many saying they want to come back. This is a credit to the organisers. 

The festival had the usual mix of talks, fell walks, train rides, dog shows, birds of prey, oh and some music.

As is customary, the festival was opened by Peter Frost-Pennington and along with castle staff, the family were helping throughout the weekend. One of the major reasons why this festival is so great is you feel like they are welcoming you into their home.

On Friday night, for the first time in the festival’s history, a big storm hit the festival site. While the barn offered protection from the thunder and heavy rains, the courtyard looked like it might wash away. Luckily, I hadn’t been drinking and was able to drive back to me B&B in the town. But the road to the town was flowing with water coming off the hills and the road was flooded. Next day, I feared the worst, but the Penningtons and their team were helping cars that had become stranded in the fields and shoring up the festival site. By late afternoon, with the sun out, you wouldn’t have known there had been a massive storm the night before (which apparently only hit Muncaster and not the rest of the Lake District)

This year’s lineup was strong, with headline sets from Deefhoof, The Go Team and Sea Power playing Do You Like Rock Music in full. Highlights were too many to mention. I liked something in every performance. But there were a few standout performances.

Despite some technical issues constraining their set, Bodega blasted through their set in double quick time to make sure no one was short changed, winning many new fans. The Lovely Eggs fun filled set warmed up the crowd for a truly epic Sea Power set that built until it felt like the roof was going to come off the barn. Their performance of Lately was stunning. Bo Ningen put in another stellar performance. When Bo Ningen announced with 20 minutes left of their slot that they were going to play their last song, I knew we were going to get a special set. There are few better live bands than Bo Ningen. A real surprise for me were Haress who created stunning layered, textured music. Hamish Hawk continued to cast his charms. Gwenno’s set, with full band, also impressed. But there were no weak performances this year. Sea Power’s closing set, was also notable for a marriage proposal for Sea Power’s drummer, Tom. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house.

In some ways, it isn’t the music that makes this festival special. While, the festival has managed to curate good lineups. This festival is about community. Yes, it is a Sea Power fan’s festival. While there were loads of friends and familiar faces. What was so nice about this year’s festival was the number of people who were not Sea Power fans who universally loved the friendly atmosphere we have built over the last few years. I spoke to several families who had brought their kids to their first festival and their kids loved how they could meet the bands and their parents felt it was safe to let their kids a little bit off the leash. This is the testament to the success of this year’s festival. Just like the Penningtons have welcomed us to their home. This year, Sea Power fans welcomed new fans to our festival. I’m already counting the days to next year’s festival.

Day 1

Opening the music part of the festival were Queer Freedom Drone Ensemble playing some transcendental, mediative, drone music, featuring Tom, Sea Power’s new drummer. The ensemble featured many familiar faces.

Playing their first festival, Cruush, played St Albans earlier in the year. At the time, I was impressed, thinking that I would be hearing more from them. I was really good to see their fine shoegaze, dream pop sound on a big stage. It won’t be the last time.

Warrington-Runcorn Newtown Development Plan’s electronica was not to my taste but many in the audience found this set to be one of their favourite of the weekend.

Stepping in at the last minute, Rachel Aggs played an infectious set of guitar-driven danceable lo-fi music.

Sex Swing

The DSM IV had played the 2019 festival and really didn’t work for me. This time, their performance clicked with me.

Excellent performance from Baba Ali.

I’m a big fan of H. Hawkline’s low-key music. Just him and an old tape machine. At times he was sublime.

Bodega were the only band to experience sound issues. Rather than getting annoyed and going into a huff. Being the professionals they are, they shifted songs around and blasted through another brilliant fun set, so we didn’t feel short changed.

I was looking forward to Deerhoof’s, but after Bodega, the set just felt flat.

Day Two

Simon Armitage

Lost Map Presents Weird Wave. Johnny knows how to work a crowd.

WH Lung impressed again.

Rozi Plain

Jeffrey Lewis and the Voltage

The Lovely Eggs are glorious fun.

Sea Power’s set was EPIC……

I’ve never been a fan of The Go Team. After Sea Power’s epic set, they had a mountain to climb. They didn’t work for me. But I was in a minority.

Day Three

Morning talks about Goth with goth royalty in the form of John Robb and Simon Price and the Lovely Eggs talking to Shaun Keaveny about their TV show.

The annual dog show with Shaun Keaveny

Brìghde Chaimbeul

Hayden Thorpe and Jack McNeil.

Unknown to me. Haress were a big surprise.

Personal Trainer are fun. The perfect festival band.

Cosmic Bingo featuring Utopia Strong and Bo Ningen

The Utopia Strong

When Bo Ningen say they are playing their last song and you look at your watch and there’s still 20 minutes of their set left, expect it to be epic. It was.

Hamish Hawk bringing his charm and wit to Muncaster

The Waeve, featuring long-time Sea Power friend, Rose Elinor Dougall, and her partner, Blur’s Graham Coxon.

Gwenno with band was brilliant

Sea Power closing the weekend playing Do You Like Rock Music.

Other photos

Full photo set is available at https://www.flickr.com/photos/pahudson/albums/72177720310720009