THE GREAT ESCAPE 2025: VOCAL GIRLS HIGHLIGHTS
Our favourite sets from a weekend packed to the rafters with fresh talent.
Brighton’s premiere showcase of musical ones to watch hit the pebbled beach with renewed energy this year, offering another vast lineup to accommodate any style and genre you might fancy - and team VG were there to soak it all in. Here are our fave artists who stood out from the pack.
CATTY
CATTY seems perpetually (pleasantly) surprised that people actually bother to show up to her gigs, but the crowd filling out Chalk have good reason to be here. Fresh off the back of releasing her new single ‘Joyride’, she hits the stage with palpable energy, dancing her way through her rock-tinged pop catalogue to secure her spot as one of the best live performers of the weekend. Caitlin Chatterton
Chloe Qisha
“This is basically the most hyped show of the whole thing,” an Australian man can be heard telling his mate as people jostle inside the packed basement of Patterns (which has taken on the vibe of a windowless commuter train). It soon becomes clear why this slot is indeed so hyped, as Chloe Qisha delivers her menu of sleek alt-pop with a serene confidence that belies the fact that live shows are still a relatively new part of her repertoire. Worn-in singles ‘21st Century Cool Girl’ and ‘I Lied, I’m Sorry’ are met with impassioned sing-alongs (and as much dancing as is possible in the sardine-esque surroundings), while newer tracks ‘The Boys’ and ‘A-Game’ earn their own appreciation. Gulping down fresh air on the way out, it’s undeniable that braving the sweaty heat was worth it. CC
Dog Race
There are queues out the door for our VOCAL GIRLS headliners Dog Race come Saturday afternoon - and for good reason. Singer Katie Healy’s stage presence is unmatched as she settles herself into the show; her vocals - both haunting and commanding - are truly like no other. From the jagged pulse of fan favourites like ‘The Squeeze’ and ‘There’s A Mouse In My House’, to brand new single ‘Return The Day (Colours)’, the band hold the crowd rapt throughout. The room stays packed, the atmosphere charged with an infectious energy: Dog Race haven’t just closed the weekend – they’ve owned it. Rebecca Kesteven
Folk Bitch Trio
Fresh from the announcement of their upcoming debut album ‘Now Would Be a Good Time’, Melbourne’s Folk Bitch Trio truly cast a spell over the Brighthelm Centre. With just three spotlights and a couple of guitars, the stage might be stripped back, but the sound is anything but. Their harmonies melt together like honey - whether sung a capella or woven through gentle, fingerpicked guitar lines - and you can hear a pin drop as the band work through the beautiful ‘Cathode Ray’, ‘God’s A Different Sword’ and closer ‘Moth Song’. In a weekend packed with noise and chaos, this set stands out for its stillness, sincerity, and sheer beauty - one of the festival’s most moving moments. RK
Hank
London four-piece Hank is a band that oozes cool, their overdriven guitars and smoky, half-laconic vocals blurring the line between post-punk urgency and shoegaze haze. Singer Lola - whose bright red hair repeatedly catches the afternoon sun - cuts a striking figure as she thrashes through set highlights like ‘DYLM’ and ‘Angel Says’. There isn’t much talking between songs, but, frankly, the music speaks for itself. RK
Paige Kennedy
A lot of artists performing across the weekend take the opportunity between songs to crack a joke about the awkward industry showcase of it all, but none so hilariously as Paige Kennedy. Nailing the balance between stand-up comic and musician, they encourage all label execs present to get low before the beat drop and waggle their fingers in the air throughout the set’s bouncing, cowbell-laden highlight ‘Finga’. That most people in the room happily play along is proof of Paige’s enviable onstage charm. CC
Picture Parlour
Picture Parlour’s return to Brighton beach comes backed by some new faces, fresh material, and the easy confidence people have come to expect from frontwoman Katherine (who’s decked out this time in sunglasses and a fur coat). Their comeback single ‘Who’s There To Love Without You?’ help point the way for the band’s new direction, while early singles 'Norwegian Wood’ and ‘Judgement Day’ serve to remind the crowd why the duo found such favour in the first place. CC
The Pill
Hailing from the Isle of Wight, The Pill’s Lottie and Lily write about really very serious topics - the mullet epidemic chief among them. The pair’s satirical, frantic punk and deadpan gags go down a storm in Charles Street Tap - particularly their standout hit, an as-yet unreleased PSA about online grooming via Club Penguin in the late 2000s - prompting a bouncing mosh pit and near-compulsory crowd participation. CC
Ugly
If anyone can get a rather jaded crowd going early on a Saturday morning, it’s Ugly. Opening our VOCAL GIRLS stage at the end of the pier, the Cambridge-hailing group start the day with a folk-infused bang, their new single ‘Next To Die’ only complimenting the sounds of the waves below and the seagulls flying overhead. A healthy mixture of melodic, complex guitar riffs, unpredictable time signatures, and pretty harmonies, they’re an art rock extravaganza. Singer Jasmine also mentions that they’ve just returned from a songwriting retreat - safe to say, we’re excited to see what they come up with next. RK
Westside Cowboy
There’s a real air of anticipation as we squeeze into Charles Street Tap to see hyped Manchester-based newcomers Westside Cowboy. Performing hot on the heels of their Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition win, the quartet certainly don’t disappoint; their energetic, self-labelled ‘Britainicana’ makes for a set that’s bright, buzzing, and mood lifting. The most powerful moment, though, is saved until last, as the band gather to sing into the same mic, soundtracked only by a single hand-held floor tom. RK