The Kooks to headline special 20th anniversary seaside show

The Kooks are set to headline a special seaside show for The Great Escape. The Brighton festival are partnering with NME to bring the indie group to the South Coast on Wednesday 13th May 2026, in what is a 20th anniversary event both for the festival and the band’s debut record Inside In/Inside Out.

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Having formed at the Brighton Institute of Modern Music (now known as BIMM) in the early 2000s, The Kooks played at the inaugural Great Escape in 2006, the same year their revered debut album hit the shelves. Returning to both the city and the festival where it all began, the special anniversary show will be supported by Irish/Cornish fivepiece Girl In The Year Above. 

“Brighton always feels like coming home in a way no other city does. The Great Escape is special because it’s fundamentally about music happening in rooms where you can feel people breathing.” The Kooks frontman, Luke Pritchard, said, “It always takes us back to the beginning and why we started this in the first place.” NME Managing Editor, Karen Gwee, added, “We’re thrilled to partner with The Great Escape to celebrate two decades of music discovery – and to bring The Kooks back to the festival for a special show in a full-circle moment.”

The Great Escape recently added over 100 names to its 2026 lineup, spanning more than 35 walkable venues scattered across Brighton, from Wednesday 13th - Saturday 16th May. 

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