The Great Escape First Fifty

About The Great Escape First Fifty

The Great Escape reaches its 20th anniversary in 2026, two decades on from its first year in 2006. For 2026, The Great Escape First Fifty lands in East London as the music festival’s one-night live launch, putting the first wave of artists for the following May’s Great Escape into small rooms before the Brighton event. It runs on 12 November 2026.

Lineup and Programme

The bill leans into discovery rather than traditional headline billing. The 2026 showcase puts 20 artists across Oslo, Moth Club, Shacklewell Arms, Sebright Arms, Folklore, Paper Dress Vintage and The Victoria.

Genre-wise it runs through indie, pop, soul, electronic and folk. Venue-hopping is part of the format, with separate tickets available for individual venue showcases.

Who Is It For?

This is an adult new-music crowd: emerging-artist followers, industry attendees and listeners tracking what The Great Escape will take to Brighton next. The venues used by The Great Escape are 18+; separate Spotlight Shows are 14+ but sit outside First Fifty.

The Venue and Site

There is no single arena. The site is a run of independent East London venues, with the 2026 route split across Oslo, Moth Club, Shacklewell Arms, Sebright Arms, Folklore, Paper Dress Vintage and The Victoria.

Oslo, Moth Club and Paper Dress Vintage sit around Hackney Central and Hackney Downs; The Victoria and Shacklewell Arms are on the Dalston side, while Folklore is by Hoxton and Sebright Arms is served by Cambridge Heath and Bethnal Green.

Travel to The Great Escape First Fifty

The shows sit across East London, with nearby stations carrying most of the useful access points. Parking is limited around several venues.

• Hackney Central: close to Moth Club, Oslo and Paper Dress Vintage.
• Hackney Downs: close to Oslo, Paper Dress Vintage and The Victoria.
• Dalston Kingsland, Rectory Road and Dalston Junction: access for Shacklewell Arms and The Victoria.
• Cambridge Heath and Bethnal Green: nearest stations for Sebright Arms.
• Hoxton: nearest station for Folklore.
• London Fields: near Paper Dress Vintage.
• Road access: venue streets include Valette Street, Amhurst Road, Shacklewell Lane, Coate Street, Hackney Road, Mare Street, Queensbridge Road and Dalston Lane.
• Parking: Paper Dress Vintage has no dedicated parking, Shacklewell Arms has limited on-street parking and Sebright Arms has no private car park.