The Kooks are set to perform a special spotlight concert to mark the 20th anniversary of The Great Escape, with the event proudly presented by NME.
The British indie favourites were among the early breakout acts connected to The Great Escape, appearing at the Brighton festival’s inaugural edition in 2006. That same year also saw the release of their influential debut record ‘Inside In/Inside Out’, which produced some of the band’s best known songs including ‘Naïve’, ‘She Moves In Her Own Way’ and ‘Seaside’.
Twenty years after that first appearance, The Kooks will return for a special ‘Spotlight’ performance at the festival, presented by NME. The show will feature support from Irish and Cornish group Girl In The Year Above and is scheduled to take place on TGE Beach on May 13, which also marks the festival’s opening day. Individual tickets for the event will be released soon. Presale access begins on March 10, while general sale starts on March 13. You can get tickets here.
“Brighton always feels like coming home in a way no other city does. The Great Escape is special because it’s fundamentally about music happening in rooms where you can feel people breathing,” The Kooks’ Luke Pritchard said about the upcoming performance.
“There’s something really powerful about when the distance between the band and the crowd just disappears. It always takes us back to the beginning and why we started this in the first place. I hope people leave feeling like they caught something rare, we can’t wait to see you there!”
NME Managing Editor for Music Karen Gwee also shared her excitement about the event, saying: “We’re thrilled to partner with The Great Escape to celebrate two decades of music discovery – and to bring The Kooks back to the festival for a special show in a full-circle moment. Here’s to 20 years of new music and many more ahead.”
The festival has also revealed that Irish indie folk group Kingfishr and electroclash trailblazer Peaches will take part in their own Spotlight performances on May 14 and May 15.
Adult DVD, Lauren Auder, Dead Dad’s Club, Sunflower Bean’s Julia Cumming, Legss, Maddie Ashman, Oversize, The Orielles, Bella Barbe, Wesley Joseph and Bug Teeth are among many artists newly announced today, March 5, for The Great Escape, which remains the UK’s leading event dedicated to discovering emerging music.
They join previously confirmed performers such as Blue Bendy, Chinese American Bear, Elle Coves, Frozemode, Girl Group, Haute & Freddy, Heartworms, KEO, Lord Apex, Ratbag, Silverwingkiller, Sword II, Truthpaste, Villanelle, Westside Cowboy and many others already announced for this year’s festival. See the most recent lineup below.
Last week, The Great Escape also revealed speakers for its conference programme, including former Spice Girl Mel C and Ian Murrap MP, a minister at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
