The Great Escape: 2011 Festival Preview [Friday]

Words: Saam Das

You may or may not have read my preview of Thursday's shenanigans at The Great Escape but either way, here are a selection of bands to check out on Friday. The festival really seems to start hotting up on Friday afternoon. Saturday recommendations will also arrive at some point soon.

I haven't really talked about tips for getting through the event - use your head really. Do a bit of a research beforehand (reading our previews is a good start) and read the advice that Breaking More Waves put together. And if you have time, check out the collated list of previews at Sounds Good To Me Too.

By the by, think I dropped a clanger by saying Charli XCX was meant to be playing in the early hours of Friday in the previous preview - pretty sure now that she will be playing in the early hours of Saturday instead. I hope you caught the mistake if you were planning to catch her, sincere apologies if not. And now on with the band recommendations.

- Admiral Fallow (14.45, Green Door Store + 19.00, Fortune of War + 21.00, Above Audio)


STREAM: Admiral Fallow - Squealing Pigs

I just missed catching this Scottish collective support Frightened Rabbit a few months back, which was gutting. They're in a similar vain (vein?) to the aforementioned band albeit seemingly with more of a folk twinge.

- Bastille (13.15, Komedia Studio Bar)

I've gone on and on about Dan Smith's majestic pop for quite sometime now. Here's our chance to see whether he can pull it off live. I'm very hopeful.

- Breton (21.15, The Hope)


DOWNLOAD: Breton - RDI by Hemlockrecordings

Before Tom Vek's unexpected return earlier this year, there had been plenty of talk that perhaps he was involved in Breton. Clearly, the two share something of a penchant for experimental electronic pop.

- Dog Is Dead (14.45, Above Audio and late on Thursday night)


DOWNLOAD: Dog Is Dead - Motel by charmfactory

Aside from being one of my tips for 2011, Dog Is Dead were one of my highlights at this year's Camden Crawl. Majestic indie-pop, falling somewhere between Mystery Jets and The Rumble Strips.

- Funeral Suits (20.00, Hector's House and Sat, Prince Albert, 14.00)


STREAM: Funeral Suits - Colour Fade

I'm really surprised that so few people have picked up on Funeral Suits throughout the blogosphere. Admittedly their debut single only came out last week but the band have been going for quite some time now. Enjoy their dark, eighties-inspired anthems.

- Oh Land (20.45, Digital)


STREAM: Oh Land - Sun of a Gun

Just as Young British Artists were a bit of a wildcard choice for Thursday, Oh Land is something of a question mark for Friday. Her eccentric electro-pop could go down a storm or could flounder. I get the feeling that she might be one of the highlights of the festival though.

ALTERNATIVE ESCAPE:
- Mud Hut Digital showcase at Latest Music Bar featuring Tom Williams & The Boat, Daughter (come see Elena at our Joe Bloggers gig too)
- Republic of Music & Skint Records showcase at Shipwrights Yard featuring Idiot Glee, PS I Love You
- My Bands Better Than Your Band, So Darn So and Beyond Retro showcase at Beyond Retro featuring Kyla La Grange, Tribes, Michael Kiwunka
- Alcopop vs DIY showcase downstairs at the Pav Tav featuring You Animals, Tall Ships, My First Tooth, The Victorian English Gentlemens Club, Stagecoach and more.
- The Recommender vs Drowned In Sound showcase at featuring Alpines and Beat Connection
- Euphonios showcase at Fortune Of War featuring Admiral Fallow, Polarsets, Kid Adrift

PREVIOUSLY ON FG:
These acts are also playing on the Friday, and seeing as we've featured them before, they might worth a punt. If you're missing out on your first choice bands, you could do much worse than to catch some of these ones.

Alice Gold
Charli XCX + Creep
David's Lyre + Dinosaur Pile Up
Hot Horizons (also on Saturday)
Let’s Buy Happiness (also on Saturday)
Marina Gasolina (also on Thursday)
Paris Suit Yourself (also on Thursday)
Team Me + The Phantom Band + The Phoenix Foundation (also on Saturday) + The View
Visions Of Trees
Wild Palms
YAAKS

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