NEWS
The Great Escape Festival has added 120 names to its 2025 line-up and announced a spotlight show with Pete Doherty and Warmduscher.
Taking place in Brighton from May 14-17, the festival welcomes Doherty and Warmduscher for a special Spotlight Show curated by Doherty’s record label, Strap Originals. It takes place at the Deep End venue on Brighton’s beachfront.
Further additions to the festival’s weekend bill include: Jordan Adetunji, Lynks, The K’s, Donny Benét, The Moonlandingz, Black Fondu, Real Farmer, Shortstraw, Bold Love, and Namesbliss.
The festival has also shared that The Road To Great Escape, its annual showcase of events, will take place in the preceding week at Glasgow’s King Tut’s (May 9-10) and Dublin’s Whelan’s (May 12-13). Here, some of the acts who are billed for the festival will perform in their hometowns before going down to Brighton to play at The Great Escape 2025.
Last year over 125 artists boycotted the event due to its ties with Barclays Bank, who were accused of investing in a number of companies that supply arms to Israel. In October it was announced that Barclays will no longer be a partner of The Great Escape Festival in 2025.
Campaign group Bands Boycott Barclays shared on social media: “CONFIRMED: Barclays is not a partner of The Great Escape 2025! BOYCOTTS WORK!”
“After hundreds of artists and music industry professionals took collective action in solidarity with Palestine this year, Barclays are no longer in any way affiliated with The Great Escape Festival!”
Every artist that had been booked to play the 2024 opening party in Brighton cancelled their appearance, alongside more than 100 others, including Picture Parlour, Miso Extra and Alfie Templeman. Over 1,200 artists including IDLES, Squid and Massive Attack also signed an open letter addressed to The Great Escape, asking them to remove Barclays as a sponsor.
The festival has been running since 2006, and previous performers include Charli XCX, Sam Fender and Fontaines DC.
Gary Glitter entered not guilty pleas on Wednesday to eight allegations involving sexual offences from decades ago.
The Rock and Roll performer, whose legal name is Paul Gadd, joined proceedings at London's Southwark Crown Court by video from prison and denied every allegation.
The charges include four allegations of indecent assault, two of indecency involving a child and two of sexual intercourse with a girl younger than 13.
BBC News reported that the 82 year old declared he was "absolutely not guilty" when answering two allegations before responding "not guilty" to the other six.
Judge Tony Baumgartner set the case to begin on 22 November 2027, with proceedings anticipated to continue for approximately three weeks.
Each allegation concerns the same person and relates to events said to have occurred at Gadd's residence in London's Kensington area from 12 March 1978 through 31 December 1981. She was reportedly between eight and 11 years old during that period.
The Crown Prosecution Service, also known as the CPS, confirmed the charges involving the former glam rock musician in July.
The claims were initially brought to the Metropolitan Police in January 2025. Gadd later faced questioning connected to the investigation in July of the same year.
The I'm the Leader of the Gang (I Am) vocalist, who became widely known during the 1970s, remained in custody following the court appearance.
