Great Escape’s Alternative Escape

About

The Planetary Group US and Impressive PR UK have joined forces for the third year running to bring you the cream of international music on one stage as part of the Great Escape’s Alternative Escape.

The Dinosaur’s Skin and Lab Rat will be performing exclusively on this stage whilst Day We Ran, Sly Withers, Annie DiRusso & Gordi will also have other Great Escape stages.

Day We Ran: are a guitar-driven rock band hailing from New South Wales, Australia. Fusing the laid-back vibes of indie surf rock with captivating vocal harmonies, the band have captivated audiences across Australia and New Zealand. With a growing international following and a recent sync feature on Netflix's Outer Banks, Day We Ran are ready to take their unique sound to a global stage. The band have over 490,000 monthly Spotify listeners and counting with over 1 million streams in their first 3 months!

Lab Rat: The Australian based alt-rock grunge rap artist releases his debut album ‘In The Walls, We Wait” on 9th May via Mushroom Pillow and he has just released a single, ‘Lost In Soho’. His previous critically acclaimed singles are ‘Drunk’, ‘Exit Path’ and ‘Rolling Loud’. One of the album tracks ‘Car Crash’ is featured in the forthcoming new Netflix series ‘Olympo’ this June. ‘In The Walls, We Wait’ sees LAB RAT transforms struggle into sound, forging a powerful collection of songs that rise from the depths of despair toward a future fueled by resilience. Each track channels raw emotion through intense riffs and anthemic melodies, turning personal lows into fuel for reinvention. In 2014, having reclaimed his life from the clutches of addiction, Dylan found himself at a crossroads. Fueled by the memory of his late brother (who tragically died in a car accident) and driven by an unyielding determination, he sought refuge in Singing Bird Recording Studios in Melbourne, determined to carve out a path in the music industry. Despite facing numerous hardships, including physical altercations on stage and bouts of hunger, Dylan persevered, finding solace in a community of kindred spirits who shared his vision. Through triumph and adversity, he continues to defy the odds, inspiring others to persevere in the face of darkness and uncertainty. As he navigates the uncharted waters of the international music scene, Dylan remains steadfast in his commitment to authenticity, channeling his experiences into art that resonates deeply with audiences worldwide.

Sly Withers: The messiness of growing up. The ongoing challenges of adulthood. The simultaneous weight and fragility of one’s mental health. Relationships with others, yourself, and the world around you. These are weighty, unwieldy topics – yet, they’re all par for the course when it comes to Sly Withers. The emotive alt-rock band hold nothing back in their songs, hitting home with both lyrical home truths and their signature sonic intensity. The band have continued to evolve and mature, resulting in their rise to become a powerful force in the Australian music scene. After several critically acclaimed singles on indie label Dew Process the band scored a gong at the West Australian Music Industry (WAMI) awards for Best Punk/Hardcore Act – the first of many industry accolades to follow. In a make-or-break moment, their debut album Gardens ensured that Sly Withers were well and truly made. It debuted at #10 in the ARIA album charts the week of release, ranking higher than global megastars like The Weeknd, Harry Styles and Billie Eilish.

Annie DiRusso: The week before July 4, 2023, Annie declared her own personal month of independence. The 23-year-old pop-rock singer and guitarist had been living on the road with her dynamic band for two and a half years, a surreal adventure that involved opening for Haim and beabadoobee, debuting her EP on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and having a song go viral.

Gordi: The Australian indie-pop singer, songwriter and producer Gordi – aka Sophie Payten – announces her third studio solo album, Like Plasticine, out May 30th via Mushroom Music. Like Plasticine chronicles the last few transformative years of Gordi’s life. From coming out and having to adjust the vision of her future, to working as a doctor on the frontline during the pandemic. She celebrates the announce with the release of “Peripheral Lover,” a celebratory queer, pop anthem that blends yearning, sensitive lyrics with a contagious synth beat, positioning Gordi alongside Robyn, Róisín Murphy and other masters of the craft. The song was mixed by Rich Costey (Death Cab For Cutie, HAIM, Sigur Ros). An award-winning and beloved Aussie export with tens of millions of streams to her name across DSPs, Gordi has an impressive catalogue and history behind her, including two full-length album releases and collaborations with Troye Sivan, Bon Iver, Ben Bohmer, Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and more. The documentation of her journey through self-discovery, sexuality and identity shines through on albums Reservoir and Our Two Skins, the latter of which was recognised with an AIR Award and nominated for an ARIA and two J Awards. Gordi also co-wrote the theme song to the Oscar-nominated animated feature film The Mitchells vs the Machines.

The Great Escape is a festival for new music, showcasing 500 emerging artists from all over the world in 30+ walkable venues across the city and a pop-up festival site on Brighton Beach. It’s the first place to discover your new favorite artist and see them in an intimate setting before they go on to headline major festival stages.