Enjoy our gallery of superb images of some of the best and most interesting acts from day # 2 [Weds] of TGE across many different stages and venues, including some exclusive portrait shoots…
UK festival season has started with The Great Escape 2025 in Brighton…
Blessed with four days of blazing sunshine and decent temperatures, more than 450 bands and artists took over across the city’s venues for four days – Weds 14th May to Saturday 17th – in circa 32 official venues, plus the free entry fringe gigs.
TGE is very focused on brand new artists and giving bands their first taste of festival crowds, and 2025’s edition delivered a brilliantly diverse and vibrant mass showcase for new music. Plus a few major names such as Peter Doherty, Skunk Anansie, Mercury-Prize winners English Teacher, The K’s, The Horrors and Rizzle Kicks.
The festival attracted acts from circa 35 countries around the world such as USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Iran, Faroe Islands, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Indonesia, Brazil, England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and The Republic of Ireland, and most countries across Europe.
Thousands of fans from across the globe flocked to this eclectic festival which was founded in 2006 – plus there is the conference side of TGE, with VIP guest speakers and industry events all week.
The festival was cancelled in 2020 due to the Panedemic, and it was an on-line virtual event in 2021. Last year, 2024, there was controversy when many acts pulled out in protest at Barclaycard being a sponsor.
But the event is back with a bang in 2025, hailed a big success by fans and the bands and artists who performed, and this year the organisers has made sure the city that hosts the event had many of their own bands and artists getting a slot and a chance to shine.
Music Republic Magazine were invited along for the third consecutive year of our coverage of the festival, to soak up the atmosphere and for our snappers ace to capture some stunning photographs; catching a bunch of cracking bands and talented artists in action.
The brace of our fab photographers Alex Asprey and Manja Williams were out and about about on all four days, covering a slew of bands and artists in many venues, including fringe gigs. The eclectic lineup really was top notch…
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The Great Escape Festival next year is scheduled for 13th – 16th May 2026.
As The Horrors approach their 20th anniversary as a band, their new album “Night Life” sees a new lineup centred around the core duo of vocalist Faris Badwan and bassist Rhys Webb – joined by Amelia Kidd on keyboards and Telegram’s Jordan Cook on drums.
The new album is the first to not feature all five original members. Demos began modestly in Webb’s basement flat in North London before recording in LA with producer Yves Rothman before finishing touches were applied back in London along with guitarist Josh Hayward, with Amelia Kidd bouncing parts and production ideas remotely from Glasgow.
Best name of the festival has got to be awarded to quirky Japanese artist Chameleon Lime Whoopiepie [aka CWLP], supported by her mask-wearing band: Whoopies No.1 and No.2.
CLWP is the solo project of Chi, debuting with “Dear Idiot” in 2019, and getting two slots at TGE 2025, on Thursday at Patterns and on Friday at Manchester Street Arts Club.
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Born and raised in rural Wales, Catty is an independent London-based artist whose lyrics explore same-sex relationships from a queer female perspective.
Bursting back onto the scene in 2024 with her powerful pop sound, she debuted “I Dated A Monster” at the Eventim Apollo during Dylan’s UK and Ireland tour.
With more nearly four million Spotify streams and 41 million more across co-writes, she’s a rising star. Her debut headline show sold out in 15 minutes, and she has supported artists including Stevie Nicks, performing at iconic venues BST Hyde Park and Eventim Apollo.
Born in Sheffield and with family roots in Zambia, Precious Pepala delivers alternative pop with soul and gospel flavours drawn from her years growing up in church as a pastor’s daughter.
The 19-year-old-artist stands at just five feet tall but has vocal power and strength in her song writing talents – offering up a flawless TGE performance at Daltons early evening on day two, featuring tracks from her debut EP “Eve”.
Chaii was a big hit with her two appearance at TGE 2025 on day two. The Iranian-New Zealander artist, producer, and creative director has has her music featured in FIFA 21, Ms. Marvel, Apple’s iPhone 12 launch, Netflix’s The Old Guard, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, and FENDI’s global campaign.
She was named one of the most globally synched artist by Rolling Stone and last year Chaii became New Zealand’s first Coke Studio artist, collaborating with Tones and I and Young Franco.
Born in Iran and raised in New Zealand, Chaii blends Persian roots with modern sounds. We caught her as part of the The New Zealand Music Commission’s “New Zealand @ The Great Escape 2025”, showcasing four of the best New Zealand artists, along with Drax Project, No Cigar and the superb Borderline [who replaced Muroki at late notice.]
After the NZ showcase on Thursday lunchtime at Patterns, Chaii had a second show the same day, at the Waterbear venue. Big talent.
Egyptian-Sudanese singer-songwriter Nxdia [pronounced Nadia] was born in Cairo and Manchester raised.
Nxdia released “Boy Clothes” in February 2025, an infectious punk-pop banger, exploring their experience of gender dysphoria and the freedom of gender expression.
- Nxdia’s performance was one of the best of the festival…
Music Republic Magazine tipped Irish band Cliffords for big things a while back, so it was good to catch them at TGE 2025. They were a hit…
Fronted by Iona Lynch, Cliffords deal in a “melody-rich, guitar-heavy merging of both shoegaze and grunge”.
The Cork band self-financed and self-released a debut EP last year, but their recent single “Bittersweet” marked their first steps working alongside a producer in Richie Kennedy [at Battery Studios in London], aiming their sights beyond the confines of their home city.
Catch one of Cliffords’ remaining tour dates:
24th May – Live at Leeds, 25th May – Neighbourhood Festival, Warrington, 14th June – Best Kept Secret, Hilvarenbeek, 21st June – Bludfest, Milton Keynes Bowl, 6th July – Rock Werchter, Germany, 25th July – Latitude Festival, Suffolk, 26th July – Truck Festival, Oxfordshire, 27th July – Tramlines, Sheffield, 3rd August – Y Not Festival, Derbyshire, 23rd August – Victorious Festival, Portsmouth.
J-pop artist Ako (pronounced ay-ko) launched her career in 2020, and she is part of the creative team “londog” led by Ako and plays a key role in producing music
videos and pioneering diverse artistic projects.
In 2024, she made her major debut single “Planet” and performed at SXSW ‘24 in Texas for three different showcases. Her first full album, “Gene” dropped in July last year.
Earlier in 2025, she completed her first headlining tour of the year, “Ako Live Tour 2025 ‘LOVE PROPHET.’ ” She pulled a good crowd for her one slot at TGE, at Queen’s hotel on Thursday afternoon.
Australian alt-rock four-piece Sly Withers closed their eight show UK tour with three slots at TGE 2025: Planetary Group & Impressive PR Day Stage @ The Secret Comedy Club on Thursday, a Friday gig at The Hope & Ruin and on Saturday, the Australian Stage @ The Beach Jetty. Well worth a look/listen…
They release new single “Restless” to coincide with the tour – recorded and produced by Stevie Knight (Stand Atlantic, RedHook), mixed by James Paul Wisner (Paramore, Underoath) and mastered by Grant Berry (Boston Manor, All Time Low).
Sly Withers are Jono Mata (guitar and vocals), Sam Blitvich (guitar and vocals), Shea Moriarty (bass) and Fraser Cringle (drums). The band has more than 20 million Spotify streams, 2 ARIA Top 10 albums, multiple triple j Hottest 100 entries, and a string of sell-out Australian tours. They have supported acts including Amy Shark and Tones & I, and headlined major theatre shows.
A cool band from down under who we tip to breakthrough internationally very soon, based on their power-house performances at The Great Escape Festival in Brighton…
One of the big hits of the festival this year is Arista/RCA artists Sunday (1994). The L.A.-based band released their second EP, “Devotion” on 9th May 2025, follow-up to their 2024 self-titled debut EP. ”
A collaboration 10 years in the making, Paige Turner and Lee Newell knew they would make music together the second their relationship started. Without ever needing to discuss the sound, style or direction it would take. It just happened naturally.
Big crowds for their Thursday night slot at TGE beach The Deep End and at Komedia basement on Friday afternoon. A big future for this effervescent outfit with a fabulous singer in Paige.
Catty: Excellent performance on Thursday night at Chalk…
Born in West London, Olympia Vitalis stands out boldly in the soul scene, with seven years of experience singing in a gospel choir, Olympia has honed her impressive improvisational style.
We loved her set at Dust on Thursday afternoon as part of the iluvlive black British music showcase, which featured Olympia along with DeeRiginal, JERUB and the fabulous Storry [the Canadian artist who shot to fame via UK TV show The Voice in 2024, when she got a four chair turn and chose to be on Team will.i.am and was a runner-up in the final.
Celebrating 21 years of the organisation, Rachael Bee, CEO of iluvlive says: “iluvulive was where Tinie Tempah and Ed Sheeran performed their final performances as independent artists, where Jessie J performed her own songs the first time. It is where Emeli Sande met Naughty Boy, where Wretch 32 performed with a live band for the first time, where Mahalia performed at 14, where Ed Sheeran met Jamal Edwards and where Krept and Konan cut their teeth”.
- Music Republic Magazine has made a vow to see Olympia again asap on her own headline gig somewhere. One to watch…
Chloe Qisha is a singer, songwriter and self-taught multi-instrumentalist who makes alternative pop. Born in Malaysia but educated mostly in Britain, Chloe is influenced by the likes of Troye Sivan, Chappell Roan, Christine And The Queens and Olivia Rodrigo. Chloe’s set at Patterns on Thursday night went down very well indeed…
Photos by:
Alex Asprey (captioned AA) – including Nxdia by Brighton pier at the top of the page
Manja Williams (captioned MW)
3 x images supplied by the festival’s PR (captioned TGE)
Words by Steve Best
* Check out our coverage of day 1, 3 & 4… *
