Planetary Group Return with Global New Music Takeover for The Alternative Escape 2026

The Great Escape week in Brighton expands its global footprint this year with a high-energy Alternative Escape takeover from Planetary Group and Impressive PR, returning to the Secret Comedy Club for a third consecutive year. Positioned as one of the festival’s most consistently influential discovery showcases, the event has become a key industry stop-off point for tastemakers, A&Rs, and international press tracking the next wave of breakout talent.

Presented as an official Alternative Escape programme highlight, the all-day, two-part session underscores the growing importance of curated industry-led showcases within the wider festival ecosystem. With Planetary Group, long regarded for its US radio impact and artist export strategy, joining forces with UK publicity powerhouse Impressive PR, the partnership continues to bridge transatlantic industry networks and accelerate emerging artist visibility on a global scale.

This year’s edition brings a tightly curated international lineup spanning indie rock, experimental post-punk, alt-pop and genre-fluid new music, reflecting the increasingly borderless nature of contemporary artist development. Acts such as Fool Nelson, Bonnie Trash, Yoo Doo Right, Joan and the Giants, sundayclub, The Tullamarines, CHROMA, My Life Story, The Sick Fix, Sam Scherdel, Sonny E. and Sweet Unrest represent a cross-section of fast-rising talent already building momentum across radio, streaming and live circuits.

With a further “very special guest” still to be announced, the showcase continues its tradition of surprise appearances and breakout moments. Set within the intimate, high-density environment of the Secret Comedy Club, now a cult destination during The Great Escape, the event reinforces its reputation as a pressure-cooker setting where early-stage buzz often translates into international touring cycles, festival bookings and label attention.

In a week defined by discovery culture, this Planetary Group takeover remains one of the most direct pipelines between emerging global artists and the wider industry machinery watching from Brighton’s sidelines.

Afternoon Set List:

12.00-12.25 Fool Nelson

12.40-1.05 Very Special Guest (to be confirmed)

1.20-1.45 Yoo Doo Right

2.00-2.25 Joan And The Giants

2.40-3.05 sundayclub

3.20-3.45 Tullamarines

Evening Set List:

6.00-6.25 Chroma

6.40-7.05 My Life Story (acoustic)

7.20-7.45 The Sick Fix

8.00-8.25 Sam Scherdel

8.40-9.05 SONNY E.

9.20-9.45Sweet Unrest