The Great Escape announces ‘First Fifty’ 2027 launch shows with Bathing Suits and more

The Great Escape has announced the ‘First Fifty’ – a series of launch shows for the 2027 edition that will see performances from Bathing Suits, Xanadu, Chest., Jordan Joy and more.

The new run of launch shows come ahead of the hit UK festival set to return to Brighton next May – running between May 12 and 15. It will play host to over 450 up-and-coming artists and hotly tipped talent across over 35 walkable venues, alongside the music industry-led TGE conference.

Now, to celebrate the upcoming edition of the festival, organisers have announced a run of ‘First Fifty’ shows, which will see seven venues in East London host a series of intimate gigs from what it describes as “some of the most exciting emerging music talent from the UK and beyond”.

Set to be a one night celebration of new sounds, the venues are all spread around Hackney, and 20 artists are already lined-up to perform – spanning from across indie and alternative genres, to punk, pop and electronic.

Taking place on Thursday November 12, Oslo will join forces with Ticketmaster New Music to host performances from Belfast indie fusion band Esmeralda Road, London five-piece Xanadu, psychedelic rock band Pack of Animals, and Irish singer songwriter Jordan Joy.

At the Moth Club that same night, DIY Neu Nights will present performances from electro acoustic trio Compost Compost Compost, Melbourne trip hop trio Dumbhead, and alt rockers Die Twice, and at the Shacklewell Arms, So Young will host sets from Irish indie star State of Grace, indie rockers Spanish Horses, and Scottish folk dream pop band Angelface.

Other performances include Dork presenting electronic noise band Bathing Suits, NME 100 stars chest., and London singer songwriter Shrink at the Sebright Arms, and Clash presenting alt rock trio Half Star, Welsh singer Tesni, and Cardiff five piece Casual Smart at Folklore.

At Paper Dress Vintage, BBC Introducing will organise sets from Walthamstow rapper simon a., rapper J Casa, and Nigerian singer songwriter Chiderah, and meanwhile, Ones to Watch presents Nashville singer songwriter Aubory Bugg, alt pop singer songwriter Gianna, and Scottish singer songwriter Abbie Gordon at The Victoria.

Tickets for each ‘First Fifty’ show start from just £7.50 and are available now. Visit here for tickets and more information.

The Great Escape ‘First Fifty’ shows in London on November 12 are:

Ticketmaster New Music present (at Oslo)
Esmeralda Road
Xanadu
Pack of Animals
Jordan Joy

DIY Neu Nights present (at Moth Club)
Compost Compost Compost
Dumbhead
Die Twice

So Young present (at The Shacklewell Arms)
State of Grace
Spanish Horses
Angelface

Dork present (at Sebright Arms)
Bathing Suits
Chest.
Shrink

Clash present (at Folklore)
Half Star
Tesni
Casual Smart

BBC Introducing present (at Paper Dress Vintage)
simon. a
J Casa
Chiderah

Ones to Watch present (at The Victoria)
Aubory Bugg
Gianna
Abbie Gordon

At this year’s edition of the festival, Bathing Suits were named winners of the festival’s prestigious Steve Strange Award. That award is in memory of the late music agent, live music champion and longstanding supporter of emerging talent, and looks to celebrate one artist each year who is making a standout impact at The Great Escape festival.

With the victory, they were given £5,000 cash support the next steps in their career, and they joined previous winners Zetra, AGGRASOPPAR, Audio Books and more.

They were voted for by The Great Escape delegates after performing live at this year’s event, which ran between May 13 and 16 and welcomed over 20,000 attendees.

In attendance at the 2026 edition, NME writers also named the emerging Leeds band as one of the top sets that we caught at the event, along with performances from Angine de Poitrine, Gurriers and more.

“Late night is when The Great Escape really comes alive, inhibitions loosened and everyone ready to have a good time as they pack into Brighton’s intimate venues. Bathing Suits are a band perfectly suited to that environment,” the entry for Bathing Suits read.

“Their brand of electro-punk holds nothing back and each song in their short set encourages you to cut a little looser, whether in the elastic bass of ‘Empathy’ or thumping, liberatory ode ‘I Can Be A Freak’.”

This year’s event marked the 20th anniversary of The Great Escape and NME also got in on the action by presenting two stages: a packed opening weekend on Wednesday night at The Deep End and a stacked NME Stage at The Old Market on Friday.

More details about the 2027 edition will be announced at a later date.

As for Bathing Suits, since leaving a lasting impression at The Great Escape 2026, the band have also joined forces with Mandy, Indiana’s Valentine Caulfield for a new version of their song ‘I Can Be A Freak’.