Breakout Festival

Brighton Racecourse, Race Hill, Brighton, Saturday, September 26

ONE of the biggest complaints about modern festival going is the clash – the two bands a fan wanted to see both appearing on stages either side of a festival site at the same time.

There’s no danger of that happening at this year’s rock and metal festival Breakout though, as the second edition is focusing solely on one main stage.

It doesn’t mean the quality of act has dropped though, with critically acclaimed Norfolk six-piece Deaf Havana headlining a bill which includes Sikth on their only UK festival appearance of the year, We Are The Ocean, Brighton’s own The Qemists, and Matyr Defiled.

The festival is the brainchild of Brighton rock and metal fans Stefan Curzon-Price and Becky Weatherley.

“We both grew up in Brighton and saw a lot of rock and metal gigs when we were younger,” says Curzon-Price.

“Over the last few years we had noticed the gigs were dying out, and we knew from our own experience there was a huge gap in the market and demand to bring the rock scene back to life.”

Last year’s inaugural Breakout Festival featured sets from Skindread, The Blackout and Funeral For A Friend across two stages.

“We learned a huge amount from last year,” says Curzon-Price. “We have come a long way with the production behind the festival.

“With only one stage we think we’re offering value for money – it all comes down to the talent and quality on stage. Some acts would charge the same amount for their own show.

“We’re starting to see a loyalty and fanbase growing, people were buying tickets before any of the acts were announced. We have a model of between 1,500 and 2,000 people this year.”

As well as the live music the festival will include an inflatable Gladiator arena, allowing festivalgoers to have a playful duel, and a range of food including vegan and vegetarian options.

And it’s worth heading down early to catch We Deny, an upcoming band selected by listeners to festival partners BBC Introducing: The South, and unsigned bands handpicked by headliners Deaf Havana and Sikth including Brighton’s The Gospel Youth and Portsmouth’s Seething Akira.

Starts 10am, tickets £29.50. Visit breakoutfestival.co.uk/