THE GREAT ESCAPE

Music From Ireland returns to The Great Escape in Brighton, UK again this year, where a number of top class Irish acts will showcase to thousands of international music industry and lovers alike.

The Great Escape 2026 takes place May 13th - 16th.

  • Dublin newcomer Annie-Dog has created a significant early buzz with her debut releases via revered indie label Dance To The Radio (Ellur, Far Caspian, Low Hummer, Youth Sector).

    Annie-Dog’s material sees her delve into the shapeshifting pop landscape, incorporating the influences of Grimes and Pinkpantheress within her own sublime self-production, attracting several early plaudits in the process.

    Taking her moniker from a Smashing Pumpkins deep cut (and receiving praise from the band themselves across social media), the indie riser has already won early nods of approval from key tastemakers including Dork Magazine, DIY, So Young Magazine, The Fader and The Line Of Best Fit, in addition to BBC Radio 1 (Jess Izatt ), BBC 6 Music (Deb Grant, Tom Ravenscroft, Emily Pilbeam) Radio X (John Kennedy), RTÉ 2fm (Dan Hegarty & Jenny Greene )and SiriusXM airplay etc etc She has also been included on numerous Spotify editorial playlists and cover features.

Irish Artists Announced

  • BROOKI are a 4-piece alt rock band formed in Dublin in 2023. Blending raw emotion with atmospheric guitar lines and infectious melodies.

    With a sound that feels both intimate and cinematic, the band delivers powerful live performances and songs that stay with you long after the last note fades.

    BROOKI are a highly anticipated band making waves in the Irish music scene, and they are not one to miss.

  • We are thrilled to announce that Irish indie-folk trio Kingfishr will headline a Spotlight Show at Brighton Dome Concert Hall on Thursday 14 May 2026.

    Hailing from Limerick, Kingfishr have rapidly emerged as one of the most exciting new voices in alternative folk. Formed during lockdown by Eddie Keogh, Eoin “Fitz” Fitzgibbon, and Eoghan “McGoo” McGrath, the trio are known for their soaring soundscapes, emotive lyrics, and anthemic energy. Their breakout hit “Killeagh” – a heartfelt ode to their local hurling club – spent 18 weeks in the Irish Top 10 and went four times platinum.

    Following a standout performance at The Great Escape 2024, their return for a full Spotlight Show promises an unforgettable night from one of Ireland’s fastest-rising acts.

    Standalone tickets for Kingfishr’s Spotlight Show go on general sale at 10AM on Friday 21 November via greatescapefestival.com, with artist and venue presales opening Wednesday 19 November, and a Live Nation presale on Thursday 20 November.

  • We are thrilled to announce that Irish indie-folk trio Kingfishr will headline a Spotlight Show at Brighton Dome Concert Hall on Thursday 14 May 2026.

    Hailing from Limerick, Kingfishr have rapidly emerged as one of the most exciting new voices in alternative folk. Formed during lockdown by Eddie Keogh, Eoin “Fitz” Fitzgibbon, and Eoghan “McGoo” McGrath, the trio are known for their soaring soundscapes, emotive lyrics, and anthemic energy. Their breakout hit “Killeagh” – a heartfelt ode to their local hurling club – spent 18 weeks in the Irish Top 10 and went four times platinum.

    Following a standout performance at The Great Escape 2024, their return for a full Spotlight Show promises an unforgettable night from one of Ireland’s fastest-rising acts.

    Standalone tickets for Kingfishr’s Spotlight Show go on general sale at 10AM on Friday 21 November via greatescapefestival.com, with artist and venue presales opening Wednesday 19 November, and a Live Nation presale on Thursday 20 November.

  • Madra Salach met whilst playing in different outfits on the city’s indie scene and bonded over a shared love of the Irish traditional canon which led to them playing impromptu pub sessions. Taking inspiration from the growing experimental folk scene in Ireland, the group added members, instruments and electronic elements to emerge with their own compositions, which are at the same time strikingly modern and written with a voice that could have emerged at any point throughout the last century.

  • Bursting out of the heart of Cork City, BABYRAT is cutting through the noise with razor-sharp riffs, anthemic choruses and the kind of edge that power-pop has been missing.
    Their self-proclaimed ‘bitch-pop’ sound has sonically landed the bright-eyed five somewhere between The Strokes and Olivia Rodrigo, a sound which they have taken from local bars to arenas in just one year after forming in late 2024. BABYRAT delivers “an infectious energy with a confidence and chemistry that is unmatched” – Mia Tobin Power, University Express.


  • Really Good Time are a power trio from Dublin, Ireland, blending the raw edge of desert rock with the urgency of post-punk, and the infectious build-and-drop energy of 00s electro.

    Since emerging in 2021, the band have become a live force to be reckoned with, drawing comparisons to a mutant hybrid of early Queens of the Stone Age and The Walkmen (as heard on Steve Lamacq’s roundtable). From their earliest shows (semi-legal) on sheep farms and squats to commanding 7,000-person stages at Irish festivals, Really Good Time have consistently proven their live show is a force that’s impossible to ignore.

  • BUKKY cuts through the noise without trying to. A Nigerian producer, songwriter, and guitarist raised in Ireland, their music unfolds slowly and stays with you longer than you expect.

    Shaped by feeling as much as craft, BUKKY’s songs feel intimate and deliberate, drawing influence from artists like Frank Ocean, The Strokes, and Outkast. That sensibility carries into live shows, from London’s grassroots circuit – Peckham Audio, The Waiting Room, Camden Assembly, The Shacklewell Arms – to stages including Southbank and Electric Picnic. BUKKY also appeared in Little Simz’ “Young” video, a subtle marker of alignment within a wider cultural conversation.

  • When Bleech 9:3 songwriters/guitarists Barry Quinlan and Sam Duffy first crossed paths, it almost seemed inconceivable that they hadn’t met before. Throughout their tumultuous teenage years spent gigging in various projects around Dublin, they’d lived near-parallel lives mired by the chaos-purgatory spiral of addiction.

    Completed by James Quinlan and Luke O’Neill, the band are one of the most in-demand acts on the circuit. Opening for Keo and Shame, they became a word-of-mouth wonder in a matter of months, earning early acclaim from press and radio, before the year culminated in an electrifying three-night residency at London’s Blue Basement.

  • For the members of Black Nylon, the band formed from the debris of initial musical projects, Black Nylon don’t disservice the synchronicities that brought them together, from a need and a want to create something fresh, a cocktail of ideas formed aspects of their emotional and polarising sound. Warped by shimmers and fuelled with a heavy rhythm section, the listener’s emotions are polarised by lyrics that pose the listener to question their relationship with the universe.

  • Galway songwriter Jamie McIntyre has enjoyed a breakthrough year, with his summer single “Over Galway Town” becoming a viral hit, amassing over 2.5 million Spotify streams and charting alongside some of the world’s biggest artists. The song’s success has carried his music far beyond Ireland and shows no signs of slowing. In 2024, McIntyre was hand-picked by Gavin James to support him in Paris on his European tour, leading to further opportunities including working with Imelda May and performing at Electric Picnic. He also joined Jamie Webster for sold-out shows in Dublin and Belfast. Momentum has continued into 2025, with McIntyre selling out his debut Irish tour in Dublin, Limerick, and Galway, before announcing larger shows for October. His recent EP, “Chapter 23”, has surpassed 750,000 streams, with tracks like “West Is Home” and “Grá” quickly becoming fan favourites.

  • Dea Matrona’s rise has been fuelled by authenticity. The Irish duo self-released their debut album, which broke into the Top 10 indie charts, and they have grown a devoted fanbase through non stop touring. Fresh off The Beaches UK support and then heading to Europe for their sold out headline shows, then UK Summer Festivals IoW, Kendal Calling and Y Not. They have always forged their own path, defying expectations and staying true to their creative vision, which continues with the new album, ‘Hate That I Care’ that lands on June 5

  • From WhatsApp to the big stage and Kimmage to the world, Sugaboo has been building a buzz in the Dublin underground. Off the back of a sold-out debut headliner in Whelans main room and most recently touring the US

    Sugaboo’s momentum is building now with 18K Spotify monthly listeners. Having opened for Mik Pyro of Republic of Loose fame to a sold-out crowd in Whelan’s main room, Sugaboo has proven his live credentials. With a string of shows under his belt, having toured Ireland and the UK. Expect live versions of the tracks you’ve had on repeat, plus a few surprises. Bring the crew, bring the energy. This isn’t just a show – it’s a statement of raw energy. Dublin 12 inside the place; real bars, no industry fluff, No hype merchants, no messing just a room full of heads who’ve been watching this build from the shack days.

  • There’s very little, if anything, known about the Limerick band, THEATRE, who seem to be moving in the shadows of Ireland’s explosive music scene. The five-piece, made up of Dara, Oscar, Gerry and Sean, have whipped up a storm of excitement through their outstanding live shows; gorgeous, emotive melodies and the stunning vocals of lead singer, Maeve. Blending ethereal rock music with folk and shoegaze, the music is understated yet feels timeless, and their songs seem to enter your body, trance-like, and never leave. Despite the spotlight shining so heavily on Irish music at the moment, they have spent a year writing and building their live set and have quietly become the ones to look out for on any line up.

  • Rooted in Dublin city’s DIY music scene and shaped by late-night sessions, worn-out tape decks, and a deep love for raw, honest songwriting.
    SELL EVERYTHING blends swirling textures with off-kilter grooves to create music that feels both intimate and expansive.