Ringlets Performance at The Great Escape 2026

If you're already planning your May 2026 calendar, keep an eye on Brighton. The Great Escape (TGE) festival is celebrating its 20th anniversary, running from May 13th to the 16th, and the first wave of artists, known as the 'First Fifty', has been announced. Among them is the post-punk quartet Ringlets, signed to the legendary New Zealand independent label Flying Nun. This is a notable booking because Ringlets is the first artist confirmed from Aotearoa/New Zealand for this edition. Their performance is scheduled for Wednesday, May 13th, which is the opening day of the festival and also coincides with the conference theme focused on 'Live Music & Night Time Culture'.

TGE is known as the UK's essential new music festival and conference, spreading 450 emerging artists across more than 30 walkable venues throughout Brighton, England, including a pop-up site on Brighton Beach. While the festival runs for four days, the conference aspect, which attracts over 4,000 global delegates, runs from May 13th to the 15th, focusing on topics like 'Artist Careers, Rights & Resilience' and 'Next Gen Day'. The focus this year is heavily on New Zealand, which has been named the Lead Country Partner. This partnership, organized with The New Zealand Music Commission and Live Nation New Zealand, means we can expect at least two dedicated showcases of NZ music, along with industry panels and networking receptions centered on the country's music scene.

The festival caters to two main groups: the industry professionals attending the conference, and general music fans looking to discover new talent. If you plan on catching Ringlets or any of the other 450 acts, remember that TGE is a paid event. Access requires purchasing either a general 'FESTIVAL TICKET' for the performances or a 'DELEGATE PASS' if you also want access to the conference sessions. It’s worth keeping these dates in mind if you’re heading down to East Sussex next spring, especially if you’re keen to see what the New Zealand music scene is bringing to the global stage.