Who To See At The Great Escape Festival 2026
words by Ella Hailey.
Open wide, Brighton. We’re landing.
We’re taking the What’s On Guide international this May, straight to the seaside sprawl of Brighton. The UK will be doing its thing, obviously, but there’s also a very loud, very undeniable Australian presence threaded through the lineup, and that’s where we’re focusing. If you’ve never done The Great Escape, it’s less a festival and more a beautifully chaotic seaside takeover. 450 artists, 30+ venues, all technically walkable if you’re ambitious.
I’m going to be highlighting my top picks flying all the way from home to play. For me, they feel like a really honest snapshot of the Australian music scene right now. Different pockets, different sounds, but all carrying something that feels distinctly alive and unique.
A lot of these bands I’ve been quietly following for a while now, from early gigs to small lineups and in-between moments that never really felt like they’d stay small for long. There’s something pretty special about seeing that kind of growth take shape from a distance, and even more so watching it land in a completely new place, in front of a crowd that’s never seen them before.
There’ll be something in there for whatever you’re into. And if you are going, first off, see you there. Secondly, it’s worth making the effort to show up early, wander into something unfamiliar, and support a few genuinely exciting bands while they’re right at the beginning of it all.
WAY DYNAMIC
First on the list is Way Dynamic. A project I’ve had on rotation for a while now. I stumbled across Miffed It late last year and it immediately stuck. There’s something so gentle and quietly affecting about the sound; it feels like the kind of record that ends up defining a very specific moment in your life.
Led by Melbourne-based multi-instrumentalist Dylan Young, Way Dynamic sits somewhere between soft rock, folk-pop and something slightly off-centre. The debut EP What’s It All For Now written and recorded over just a few days at home in Carlton, carries this beautifully loose, intimate quality. There’s a real tension between the lyrics and melodies that keeps everything feeling just slightly unsettled in the best way. Lately, they’ve been popping up alongside acts like Black Country, New Road, MJ Lenderman and Kate Bollinger, which makes perfect sense. It all lives in that same emotionally rich, indie space. There’s a melancholic, longing tone running through the music, but it never feels heavy-handed. Just thoughtful, understated, and a little bit left of centre.
To be honest, I had no idea they were Australian, or even Melbourne-based, when I first heard them, and there’s something I really like about that. It feels like music that isn’t tied too tightly to place or context, like it could drift in from anywhere and still make perfect sense.
There’s a kind of timelessness to it, for lack of a better word, and a quiet comfort in that. It doesn’t demand attention so much as it settles into the room with you and stays there.
If you like The replacements, Jack Davies, Cameron Winter, Nick Drake, Alex G, Brian Wilson, you will love Way Dynamic.
Set times
Komedia Basement Thu 3:25pm
Patterns Downstairs Thu 9:30pm
ANY YOUNG MECHANIC
This one feels personal. Any Young Mechanic are part of a wave of experimental, folk-leaning indie that’s been building serious momentum, and it’s especially exciting to see so much of it coming out of Australia right now.
The Adelaide five-piece make music that feels cinematic without losing its grounding. Formerly known as Wake in Fright, their songs are rich with narrative. Detailed scenes, shifting characters, and a real sense of emotional range. It’s folk music at its core, but stretched into something more textured and expansive. There’s a real sense of presence in their music, like everything is happening in the same room, at the same time. You can hear the listening, the small adjustments, the push and pull between players. Nothing feels isolated or overworked; it feels shared. The last time I saw them live I genuinely just stood there wanting more. I watch a lot of indie gigs, it’s part of the fun of this job - but rarely do I stick around the entire set, let alone wanting even more.
There’s an interesting parallel here with the UK’s Windmill scene. That same emphasis on live performance, experimentation, and community. While that scene (with artists like Black Country, New Road, black midi and Squid) leaned heavily into post-punk and “crank wave” energy, what’s happening here feels like its own evolution. Less imitation, more reinterpretation.
Any Young Mechanic tap into that spirit: pushing structure, playing with mood, and prioritising feeling over polish. It’s music that unfolds slowly and rewards attention.
There’s been a noticeable rise in bands coming out of Adelaide and Brisbane lately, and honestly, it feels like the beginning of something. If this is the direction things are heading, I’m very on board. It’s the kind of scene that, looking back, will probably define this era in a really meaningful way.
If you like Joni Mitchell, Wilco, Big Thief, Twine, Yo La Tengo, Belle and Sebastian, Black Country New Road, Neil Young, you will love Any Young Mechanic.
Set times
Komedia Basement Thu 1:55pm
The Old Market Fri 7:15pm
One Church Fri 10:15pm
SLEEPAZOID
Naarm five-piece Sleepazoid pull from grunge, shoegaze and post-punk, but it never feels like a checklist of references, more like a fully realised atmosphere. It’s immersive, textured, and instinctive.
Having caught them at SXSW and on lineups alongside artists like Beryl, it’s clear they’re carving out their own lane within the broader shoegaze space. There’s a real sense of intent behind what they’re doing. Not just sonically, but in how they show up live. Supporting Faye Webster last year felt like a perfect point of contrast; their weight and intensity sitting against her softer, melancholic world only highlighted how adaptable they are.
They’re a band that genuinely feels like they want to be in the room. Fully present, fully invested. That kind of energy translates. Where some bands can feel disjointed on stage, Sleepazoid are completely locked in. There’s an ever-present sense of cohesion, with layered vocals and built-up tension that never tips into excess. Nothing feels overdone, just immersive, dynamic, and considered.
It’s loud, but it’s not blunt. It pulls you in rather than pushing you out.
If you love Faye Webster, Fcukers, Gut Health, Hole, Mannequin Pussy, Wolf Alice, Slow Pulp, Radiohead, you will love Sleepazoid.
Set times
Volks Thu 7:45pm
TGE Beach (The Deep End) Sat 3:35pm
LOOSE CONTENT
A little grungier for this pick, and, funnily enough, out of Byron Bay, which makes the contrast even better.
This trio sit somewhere between urgency and melody: instinctive, immediate, and just unpredictable enough to keep things interesting. I’ve followed them across a range of settings. From backyard gigs to crawl lineups to festival stages, and they’ve always felt like a natural fit for something like The Great Escape. Their sound taps into a specific slice of the Australian scene that translates effortlessly into the UK grunge, post-punk world. A blend of 1990s-influenced alt-rock grit, punk and an ever so slight take on britpop.
There’s also a strong visual identity at play. A kind of Blondie-esque aesthetic paired with a darker, punchier sound, a really effective dichotomy that sticks. It doesn’t feel accidental either; they’re clearly building something cohesive around the music. “Post-punk” gets thrown around a lot at the moment, but Loose Content wear it well. There’s a sense of control and intention behind it, rather than just borrowing from the label.
The UK feels like a smart next step. There’s a sense they’re ready to take what they’ve been developing locally and push it into something bigger.
If you love Wunderhorse, Wolf Alice, Horsegirl, Smashing Pumpkins, the Pixies, The Cranberries, Courtney Barnett, you will love Loose Content.
Set time
TGE Beach (The Jetty) Sat 1:20pm
MEL BLUE
Moving into something completely different, although honestly, I wouldn’t mind seeing everything so far on the same lineup. It’d make for a pretty perfect, slightly chaotic mix.
This corner of the scene keeps popping up on lineups lately, Albeit it’s a new genre for me to be getting into, but im really enjoying seeing it evolve. The house music scene sits on such a wide spectrum and I think mel blue bring a really unique touch to it. Playing alongside other sydney favourites like manfredo lament, they tap into that experimental, fluid jazz scene that seems to be all the rage right now.
Not their first time at The Great Escape either, which makes sense. Their sound fits neatly into what London’s dance and indie scenes have been leaning toward; expansive, genre-blurring, and emotionally driven. Mel Blue make music for big feelings with big synthesisers, sitting somewhere between house, indie, pop, R&B and electronica without ever feeling scattered.
The group relocated from Sydney to London in 2023, immersing themselves in European club culture before returning home in 2026. That movement between places, scenes, and influences really shows in the music. There’s a sense of reflection and atmosphere running through it..
It also feels like a bit of a snapshot of young adulthood. Exploratory, slightly restless, and open-ended. I think there's a misconception about house music being functional or surface-level, but Mel Blue push against that. As the more I learn about this scene, I am genuinely coming to believe that it can hold so much emotion and depth, without needing lyrics or an acoustic guitar.
If you like Frank Ocean, Daft Punk, Underworld, Air, Disclosure, Paradis, Phoenix, and Cut Copy, Jungle, Mall Grab, Vegyn, The Radio Dept, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Berlioz, you will love Mel Blue.
Set times
Charles Street Tap Fri 12:15am
TGE Beach (The Deep End) Sat 1:20pm
SALARYMEN
Salarymen are a duo on the move, and it shows. There’s a warmth to what they do that feels both nostalgic and immediate, pulling from vintage textures without ever sounding stuck in the past.
Their sound leans psych and dance-adjacent, with clear nods to artists like The Beatles, Tame Impala, Arctic Monkeys and The Strokes. All touchstones that make sense when you hear how naturally it all comes together. There’s something familiar in their songwriting, but it’s never predictable. More like a reworking of classic ideas through a modern lens.
A big part of what makes the project feel so cohesive is the world they’re building around it. There’s a strong visual identity; romantic, 60s-inspired styling that ties directly into the music. It doesn’t feel like an add-on either; more like an extension of the same creative instinct. For them, fashion, music and art are all part of the same language, a way of signalling who you are and finding your people.
That attention to detail carries through to how they approach their music more broadly. Most of what they do is DIY, and there’s a real commitment to letting things evolve naturally rather than rushing the process. In a landscape that often rewards speed and virality, Salarymen feel a little more deliberate, focused on building something lasting.
There’s also a clear appreciation for artists who’ve constantly reinvented themselves. You can hear that influence in how their sound stretches between eras and genres, without ever settling too comfortably in one place.
It feels considered, intentional, and genuinely collaborative, the kind of project that grows as they do. And just to top it off. They are two, very lovely people.
If you like The Beatles, Tame Impala, The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, Beach House, Arcade Fire, Foxygen, POND, and Alvvays, you will love SalaryMen.
Set times
Dust Thu 10:15pm
TGE Beach (The Jetty) Sat 2:10pm
What feels most exciting about all of these artists isn’t just that they’re making good music, it’s that they each represent the different slices of what Australian music is becoming. There’s no single sound tying any of this together. Across all of these acts, there’s a real willingness to trust instinct over perfection.
A lot of these bands exist in that in-between stage where things are beginning to shift: still playing smaller rooms, still building slowly, but very obviously on the edge of something bigger. And maybe that’s part of why following them feels so special. You get to watch scenes form in real time. You start recognising the same names on lineups, the same people in rooms, the same sense of momentum building underneath it all.
The Great Escape feels like the perfect place for that collision to happen. Different cities, different scenes, different sounds, all briefly occupying the same stretch of coastline for a few days.
And for Australian music specifically, it feels like a bit of a moment. Not in an industry buzzword kind of way, but in a genuine sense. There’s a confidence and openness emerging across so many of these projects that feels exciting to witness from afar, and even more exciting to see travelling overseas.
So if you’re there, make the effort to wander into something unfamiliar. Some of the best festival sets happen by complete accident anyway.
WHO TO SEE AND WHEN
THURSDAY
WAY DYNAMIC
Komedia Basement — 3:25pm
Patterns Downstairs — 9:30pm
ANY YOUNG MECHANIC
Komedia Basement — 1:55pm
BIG WETT
Komedia Basement — 2:40pm
Patterns Downstairs — 12:30am
MUD RAT
Daltons — Wed 7:15pm
Komedia Basement — Thu 1:10pm
PAMELA
Komedia Studio — Thu 12:10pm
TGE Beach (Soundwaves) — Thu 3:30pm
SALARYMEN
Dust — Thu 10:15pm
TGE Beach (The Jetty) — Sat 2:10pm
SLEEPAZOID
Volks — Thu 7:45pm
TGE Beach (The Deep End) — Sat 3:35pm
THE TULLAMARINES
TGE Beach (Soundwaves) — Thu 10:15pm
TGE Beach (The Deep End) — Sat 12:35pm
FRIDAY
ANY YOUNG MECHANIC
The Old Market — 7:15pm
One Church — 10:15pm
NGAIIRE
Patterns Upstairs — 7:15pm
TGE Beach (The Jetty) — Sat 3:50pm
SATURDAY
CHARLI LUCAS
Revenge — Thu 2:30pm
TGE Beach (The Jetty) — 4:40pm
DARCIE HAVEN
Fabrica — Fri 10:30pm
TGE Beach (The Jetty) — Sat 3:00pm
JOAN AND THE GIANTS
Komedia Studio — Wed 9:15pm
TGE Beach (Soundwaves) — Sat 1:40pm
LOOSE CONTENT
TGE Beach (The Jetty) — Sat 1:20pm
MEL BLUE
Charles Street Tap — Fri 12:15am
TGE Beach (The Deep End) — Sat 1:20pm
