The Great Escape 2012: Ten To See

09 May 2012, 13:45 | Written by Josh Hall

(News)

The lineup for this year’s Great Escape is disconcertingly good. From Niki & The Dove to The Twilight Sad, and from Maximo Park to Mystery Jets, there is no shortage of top-drawer acts vying for your attention.

But in fact The Great Escape excels not because of its headliners, but because of the wealth of lesser-known acts playing in little venues around town. We’ve compiled ten of the very best of those acts, in an attempt to make your itinerary planning as easy as possible.

Dauwd

Thursday – Audio – 7:30pm

Frequently heartrending, 2-steppy electronica from the increasingly impressive Pictures stable.

Spoek Mathambo

Thursday – Coalition – 8:00pm

Forward-tilting South African Afro-futurist continues his Father Creeper tour, mixing Saul Williams vocals with a sprinkling of the Strut catalogue.

Trippple Nippples

Thursday – The Warren – 9:15pm

Without doubt one of the most entertaining live bands on the lineup. Crunchy electropop played by barely-clad, hyper-colourful, fruit-scoffing Tokyo girls.

Dante

Friday - Horatio’s -12:30pm

A new Best Fit favourite, thanks in great part to his creeping, Adele-appropriating ‘Won’t Go’. It’s safe to say it’s going to be like an INFERNO in there. No? Sorry.

Rolo Tomassi

Friday - The Haunt - 10:30pm

Despite a lineup change the Steel City mathcore outfit remain a startlingly good live proposition. Better in the flesh, in fact, than on their Diplo-produced second record.

Disclosure

Friday - Green Door Store - 10:30pm

Frighteningly sprightly brothers playing a startling array of instruments. One of the most impressive live options in the current crop of bass-inflected pop acts.

Koreless

Friday - Coalition - 1:15am

The sound of industrial estates on the edge of minor cities at unreasonable times in the morning. Beautiful productions endorsed by all your favourite DJs.

Africa Express Sound System

Saturday - Brighton Dome - 9:30pm

African party rhythms courtesy of a revolving cast of collaborators from Ghana, Senegal, and beyond.

Micachu & The Shapes

Saturday - The Haunt - 9:45pm

Deconstructing pop formulas, knocking the edges off the constituent parts, and then trying to piece them back together again, Micachu and her Shapes draw as much from European art music as they do from conventional guitar bands. Not to be missed.