East London

TGE 2027 announces First Fifty Live Show Line-Up

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The UK’s premier new music festival, The Great Escape, today announces the line-up for FIRST FIFTY, its unique live launch of the 2027 festival, taking place on Thursday 12th November 2026 across seven venues in East London. Marking the first wave of artists confirmed to play The Great Escape in Brighton next May, FIRST FIFTY brings together some of the most exciting emerging music talent from the UK and beyond for a one night celebration of new sounds in intimate venues across the capital. From indie and alternative to punk, pop, electronic and everything in between, this year’s FIRST FIFTY line-up features 20 artists performing across seven Hackney venues, offering fans the chance to discover some of the artists set to make their mark on 2027. Tickets for each FIRST FIFTY show start from just £7.50 and are available now via the following link: https://greatescapefestival.com/first-fifty/.

THE GREAT ESCAPE FIRST FIFTY SHOWS


THURSDAY 12TH NOVEMBER

This year’s FIRST FIFTY live launch will see seven East London venues play host to a series of intimate shows on Thursday 12th November, presented by some of the UK’s leading music platforms and tastemakers.

At Oslo, Ticketmaster New Music presents an evening of new talent featuring Belfast indie fusion band Esmeralda Road, London five piece Xanadu, psychedelic rock and roll six piece Pack of Animals, and Irish singer songwriter Jordan Joy.

DIY Neu Nights takes over Moth Club, bringing together electro acoustic trio Compost Compost Compost, Melbourne trip hop trio Dumbhead, and alt rockers Die Twice.

At the Shacklewell Arms, So Young presents Irish indie artist State of Grace, indie rock band Spanish Horses, and Scottish folk dream pop band Angelface.
Dork return to Sebright Arms with a line-up featuring Leeds electronic noise pop band Bathing Suits, Parisian post punk quintet chest., and London singer songwriter Shrink.

Over at Folklore, Clash presents alt rock trio Half Star, Welsh singer songwriter Tesni, and Cardiff five piece Casual Smart.

BBC Introducing returns to FIRST FIFTY at Paper Dress Vintage, with genre blurring Walthamstow rapper simon a., rapper and producer J Casa, Nigerian singer songwriter Chiderah taking to the stage, with more to be announced.

Meanwhile, Ones to Watch presents Nashville singer songwriter Aubory Bugg, alt pop singer songwriter Gianna, and Scottish singer songwriter Abbie Gordon.

With performances spread across some of East London’s best-loved independent venues, FIRST FIFTY offers fans a first look at the artists set to shape the future of music, all for one night only.

Synonymous with new music discovery and acting as a springboard for rising artists, The Great Escape is the festival for new music. Playing host to over 450 up-and-coming artists and hotly tipped talent across 35+ walkable venues, alongside the music industry-led TGE conference, the festival will kick off the 2027 season from 12 – 15th May in Brighton, England. Tickets for The Great Escape festival are on sale here.

TICKETS FOR TGE 2027

greatescapefestival.com
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Eutopia Warehouse: East London’s New 4000-Capacity Music, Arts & Cultural Destination

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Eutopia fully awakens this Halloween – transforming its interconnected warehouses and canal-side courtyard into a living, breathing cultural playground.

East London’s famous nocturnal landscape is set for transformation with the arrival of Eutopia – a bold new 4,000-capacity indoor–outdoor music, arts and cultural space set across three interlinked warehouses and a sprawling open-air courtyard on the River Roding in Barking.

Following a £1.5 million reimagining of a former industrial site, Eutopia blends raw architectural heritage with contemporary design and world-class d&b Audiotechnik sound systems. A series of soft launch test events have already taken place at the site which is now fully operational. The result is a multi-dimensional venue built for exploration – where music, art and community collide under one roof and out into the open air.

Designed as a flexible, future-facing hub for the next generation of London’s cultural landscape, Eutopia will host everything from large-scale live shows, club events and festivals to exhibitions and local community events – each experience shaped by high-spec production, immersive design, and a community-first ethos.

Eutopia has already enlisted some of the most respected names in UK and international music culture. Promoters confirmed for the first wave of programming include; 51st State Festival, AEG, Appetite, Back to 95 (25th Anniversary), Breakin Science, Centerforce, Dance On Arrival, HOWL, Moon Dance, Recess, Sankeys, Space Ibiza, World Dance and Zulu Nation, spanning everything from minimal and house to bass, Afro, amapiano and beyond.

Eutopia is multi-dimensional venue consisting of four large-scale arenas; 

  • The Yard (1700 capacity) sits by the river – an open-air playground of sound, light and energy. With full staging, a bespoke pergola installation, raised dance platforms and elevated viewing areas, it’s designed for both intimacy and impact. Lined with seasonal foliage, art installations and street food traders, The Yard brings festival-scale atmosphere to a permanent East London setting. From sunlit afternoons to high-energy nights, The Yard is a place to explore, eat, dance and get lost. Inside, three unique warehouses each offer a distinct experience and capacity.
  • WHS 1 (800 capacity) – An immersive, tunnel-like room inspired by the golden age of New York club culture and London’s underground heritage. Precision-tuned d&b Audiotechnik sound, raised dance platforms and bespoke lighting make it the heartbeat of Eutopia. 
  • WHS 2 (1,200 capacity) – A vast, reconfigurable space built for scale and versatility. With both 360° and end-stage formats, it’s designed for club nights, live concerts, brand launches and large-scale cultural events.
  • WHS 3 (800 capacity) – The most intimate and design-led of the trio, this warehouse will host curated performances, exhibitions and social gatherings. The next phase of development will see WHS 3 evolve into a cocktail bar and listening space, hosting listening sessions, label launches and community-focused culture and lifestyle events.

Eutopia is led by a powerhouse team with more than a century of combined experience across music, events and culture:

  • Michael Hughes – A pioneering figure in UK club culture and radio, founder of landmark events Garage City, Back to 95 and Groove Odyssey, and a long-standing advocate for authentic house music.
  • Nikki Gordon – Co-founder of We Are FSTVL and former Head of Ministry of Sound, bringing almost three decades of creative and operational leadership.
  • Will Paterson – Veteran promoter behind over 20 festivals and 11 London venues, known for his work in artist development, large-scale events and mentoring future talent.
  • Tom Ranger – Acclaimed curator and programmer behind Dreamland Margate, Oval Space, Annabel’s, Percolate Live and Live Nation’s Soundcrash division, now consulting and programming events globally through Something Goes Right.

Combining world-class production with a community-first vision, Eutopia is set to redefine large-scale venues in London – a creative sanctuary built from the bones of East London’s industrial past, looking firmly to the future. Eutopia opens fully from Halloween 2025.

For upcoming event listings and information, visit www.eutopiawhs.com/or follow at https://www.instagram.com/eutopiawhs