The Kooks are set to headline a special Spotlight Show at this year's 20th anniversary edition of The Great Escape.
In a full-circle moment, the Brighton band will perform at TGE Beach Site on the first day of the festival (May 13), supported by Girl In The Year Above. They played the first edition of the Brighton festival back in 2006, the same year they released their debut album 'Inside In/Inside Out', which they're also celebrating the 20th anniversary of this year. Luke Pritchard of The Kooks said:
"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. 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!"
Organisers have also announced an additional 100 acts for the festival, including Adult DVD, Dea Matrona, Bella Barbe, Tony Bontana, Angine de Poitrine, dogworld, HEADSEND, Marsy, benchwarmer, Dead Dads Club, Wesley Joseph, Tom A. Smith, Chanpan, Julia Cumming of Sunflower Bean, The Orielles, Pigeon, Why Horses?, Heidi Curtis, Lauren Auder, and Matthew Ifield, with more acts still to be revealed.
It was previously announced that Kingfishr and Peaches will perform Spotlight Shows at Brighton Dome Concert Hall on May 14 and 15, respectively.
Other acts already announced for the festival include The Lottery Winners, BIG WETT, Villanelle, Haute & Freddy, Mother Soki, Min Taka, Keo and Tooth, among others you can check out below.
Playing host to over 450 up-and-coming artists and hotly tipped talent across more than 35 venues, the multi-day event known for providing a platform for rising artists and underground talent will return to Brighton in May.
Head below to keep up to date with the latest line-up developments.
What? Discover your new favourite emerging artists as you wander through the Brighton streets, soaking up the cultural history.
Where? Various venues, Brighton.
When? May 13 - 16, 2026.
Who? The Kooks are set to perform at Spotlight Show at TGE Beach Site on May 13, and Peaches and Kingfishr will play a Spotlight Show at Brighton Dome Concert Hall on May 14 and 15 , respectively.
Announces today are Adult Dvd, Ally Nicholas, Ana De Llor, Angine De Poitrine, Atomic Lobster, Benchwarmer, Bitterfly, Chanpan, Ciao Lucifer, Cusp, Dead Dads Club, Dea Matrona, Dogworld, East Exchange, Fellatio, Fez, Fool Nelson, Girl In The Year Above, Glasshouse Red Spider Mite, Goodbye, Half Happy, Hamish, Headsend, Henry Coke, Jackson Roy, Julia Cumming, Leao, Legss, Lemonsuckr, Lisl, Luca George, Lucia & The Best Boys, Luxjury, Maddie Ashman, Marsy, Maximilian, Mitch Santiago, Muroki, My Precious Bunny, Opal Mag, Pigeon, Pixie Mccann, Power Plush, Reece Bibby, Shaking Hand, Shtëpi, Spacestation, Spiral Drive, Steel., Suzan Köcher's Suprafon, The Cases, The North, The Orielles, The Slow Country, Tom A Smith, Trampolene, Ugly Ozo, Vera Ellen, Weston Loney, Why Horses?, Yumi And The Weather, Bella Barbe, Boutique Feelings, Joker Starr, Marius Dc, Meduulla Sorvina, Tony Bontana, Who Shot Scott, Essy Sparrow, Family Stereo, Tim Baker, Tygermylk, Jazz Cuti, Jnr Williams, Levitation Orchestra, Wesley Joseph, Bug Teeth, Greta Svabo Bech, Ibsxjaur, Jessie Mac, La Sécurité, Leila Shii, Taiga, Abbie Piper, Ak Patterson, Argyle, Blair Davie, Charli Lucas, Dirty Blond, Elín Hall, Heidi Curtis, Hope Winter, Izzy Withers, Jos Rivers, Kilu, Lauren Auder, Lina-Mariah, Luvis, Matthew Ifield, Samira Hills, Arson, Emnw, Eurotripp, Hank, Hetta, Martial Arts, Modern Guilt, Necry Talkie, Oversize, Problem Patterns, The Baby Seals, The Gnomes, Twat Union, and Yakkie.
Previously announced for the 2026 line-up (in alphabetical order) are 1000 Rabbits, Afternoon Bike Ride, Ain't, Alice Costelloe, Alice SK, Amanzi, Annie-Claude Deschênes, Annie-Dog, Any Young Mechanic, Archie, Ashaine White, Ava Joe, BABYRAT, Bathing Suits, Bert, Big Long Son, BIG WETT, Bleach 9:3, Blu Samu, Blue Bendy, Bnnyhunna, BombayMami, Bonnie Trash, Brodie Barclay, Brooki, Brother Wallace, BUKKY, Casual Smart, Charlie Houston, Cherym, Chinese American Bear, Chris Acker, Clothesline from Hell, Cobra the Impaler, Cold Court, Comastatic, Congratulations, Cowboy Hunters, Cowboyy, Cyn Cwsg, Darcie Haven, Dermot Henry, Dolder, Eaves Wilder, Eileen Alister, Elle Coves, Elsa, Em Beihold, Flooding, Frenzee, Frozemode, Garage Flower, Gently Tender, Georgia Knight, Girl Group, Girl Tones, Glazyhaze, GreenWing, Haute & Freddy, Heartworms, Heathers, Heave Blood & Die, Hemi Hemingway, Hetta Falzon, Hologramme, Hot Face, Hyphen, In Color, Isak Benjamin, Issac Frank, Jamaica Moana, James Emmanuel, Joan & the Giants, John from Dawson, Jude Kelly, KatzPascale, Keo, Kids Return, Kimmortal, Lady Of Mars, Ladylike, Lemon Suckr, LFay, Lily Moore, Lime Garden, Long Island, Lord Apex, Lukas Oscar, Lumï, Lynnie Snow, Madra Salach, Mae Hill, Max Baby, Micah Sage, Min Taka, Mira Taylor, Money Badoo, Monks, Mother Soki, MUDRAT, Nadia Loren, Natalie Wildgoose, Native James, NENDA, Ninush, Office Dog, Oslo Twins, Overgrown, Pat Hamilton, Peaches, Persia Holder, Pollyfromthedirt, Pozzy, Psychonaut, Quiet Man, Raghd, Ratbag, RAYNOR, Really Good Time, Ribbon Skirt, Salarymen, Saint Clair, SexyTadhg, Silverwingkiller, Skinny Dyck, Sleepazoid, Slow Leaves, SLAG, Status/Non-Status, Steinza, Storefront Church, sundayclub, Sunnbrella, Tanzana, Teenage Joans, The Bracknall, The Itch, The Kitchen Sink Band, The Lottery Winners, The Slates, THEATRE, Tooth, Tommy WÁ, Truthpaste, Tummyache, Tukki, Unsafe Space Garden, Vera Daisies, VILLANELLE, sean trelford, and SISTRA .
Unbelievably, more acts are still to be announced.
Tickets? Tickets for The Kooks' Spotlight Show go on general sale at 10am on March 13. Tickets for the Peaches and Kingfishr shows are on sale now.
Weekend tickets, as well as individual day tickets and two-day (Friday and Saturday) tickets are also on sale now. Click here to get yours via Stereoboard.
The Great Escape Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows
Wed May 13 2026 - BRIGHTON Various Venues
Thu May 14 2026 - BRIGHTON Various Venues
Fri May 15 2026 - BRIGHTON Various Venues
Sat May 16 2026 - BRIGHTON Various Venues
Compare & Buy The Great Escape Tickets at Stereoboard.com.
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
We don't run any advertising! Our editorial content is solely funded by lovely people like yourself using Stereoboard's listings when buying tickets for live events. To keep supporting us, next time you're looking for concert, festival, sport or theatre tickets, please search for "Stereoboard". It costs you nothing, you may find a better price than the usual outlets, and save yourself from waiting in an endless queue on Friday mornings as we list ALL available sellers!
Let Us Know Your Thoughts
Related News |
Wed 17 Sep 2025
The Great Escape Festival To Launch 2026 Edition With First Fifty Gigs In November
Wed 02 Apr 2025
Skunk Anansie And Courting Among Over 170 New Acts Announced For The Great Escape
