Our Mutual Friend, Suggestions 27/11/25
15 December 2025
Yeah, yeah, we know it was a couple of months ago but we did just want to note how special TGE 2025 was to us at TNAM. For the first time ever we got not one but two festival stages where we were allowed to display some of our favourite artists on the Loud LDN lineup (who we couldn’t have done it without!) as well as open the stage for anyone else out there who wanted to play but didn’t get selected through the official routes with our open mic.
Our Friday early afternoon slot at Daltons right on the beach was a dream come true. We worked with the amazing female and non-binary focused collective Loud LDN to select artists we believe are on the frontlines of new music, each bringing something new to TGE. To start with we had Brighton natives Slag, one of those bands you should really get to know if you don’t already. They were super in demand this season with 6 shows all over Brighton just that week so we’re grateful they gave up their time to open for us. They’re new, exciting, and definitely one to remain firmly on your radar.
Next we had DellaXOZ, social media star and someone who has such a brilliant grasp on the female experience. She’s big online and fully deserves to be, her delicate lyrics and beautiful guitar playing are difficult to look away from. At just 5ft 2 she dominated the stage, NME even gave her performance a shout out in their write up. Since our show she’s gone on to open up for fellow short queen Sabrina Carpenter at Hyde Park.
We feel so insanely privileged to have had Just For Fun on our lineup. It was their second gig ever which most of the audience seemed unable to believe. Charlotte Boyle is a natural star, with her aesthetic similar to old school Charli XCX, chucking out condoms and throwing her body around without sacrificing her impressive vocals. Neave Applebaum is a genius producer, it’s only up from here for the duo.
Closing out we had Charlieee. A visual firework with their green hair and shrek ears, they’re bursting with positive energy – the exact kind of person you want as part of your lineup. They’re such a fun artist who’s doing some super exciting stuff at the moment, from playing the Mighty Hoopla to having their own matcha?! A brilliant trans advocate we’re so happy to have worked with.
The next day we had our open mic at Patterns upstairs venue which our lovely friends at Loud LDN decked out in balloons and other sparkly decorations. There was such a fun array of artists who took time out of their weeks to play for us, including but not limited to half human half reptiles The Dinosaur’s Skin, Frances Mistry, Liv Mair (who you may recognise as the bassist for some of your other favorite artists), Maisi and Martha Jean. Closing out Piri & Tommy took the spotlight, playing their TikTok hits but also some classic tunes after admitting they’re keen to head down a more disco route in the future.
Generally though, this year’s Great Escape was the best we’ve been to. Some of our favourites we caught throughout the week were the self-described “precociously talented” Man/Woman/Chainsaw (my personal favorite of the festival), the heavy but incredibly endearing Divide & Dissolve who brought a powerful political message to their show, TNAM favourites Blood Wizard, and some beautiful sets from up-and-coming superstars Ugly and English Teacher.
We loved starting the summer season with such a bang and were grateful to have such an amazing list of new artists to add to our playlists.
