THEY may be accustomed to performing in dark, sweaty rooms but rock band Slaves have never played anywhere quite so dingy as a haunted house.

This will change at The Great Escape 2017 music festival when the Tunbridge Wells duo will perform from the balcony of the Horror Hotel ghost train attraction on Brighton Palace Pier.

Laurie Vincent (guitar, vocals) and Isaac Holman (drums, vocals) are curating a mini-festival from 7pm on May 18 as part of the music event, which runs from May 18-20 across different venues in Brighton and Hove.

Slaves’ performance is one of two “Spotlight Shows” at The Great Escape – gigs featuring higher-profile acts on the line-up. Uckfield singer Rag ‘N’ Bone Man is the other Spotlight artist.

Vincent and Holman have hand-picked a number of new bands to play alongside them at the pier, to be announced on April 18. These acts will perform in Horatio’s bar.

During a visit to Brighton to promote their festival appearance, the duo said it was a “bizarre” to put the event together.

Vincent said: “It’s kind of weird to be in a position where a gig this size is being curated by us. It’s strange to feel you’re at a stage as a band where people come to you for this kind of thing.”

Having formed in 2012, Slaves’ performances at The Great Escape 2015 were well-received, and especially a gig at Coalition.

“That was exciting because there were a lot of music industry people from around the world that came to the show,” said Vincent. “I know for a fact that we played some shows in Russia later year that came directly off the back of that gig.”

Slaves have become known for their high-energy concerts and political lyrical focus. Their second record Take Control, released last year, was praised for its social awareness.

“We’re just two people with something to say,” said Holman. “But it doesn’t have to be social and political – if we saw something funny happening outside (on Brighton seafront), we might write about it.”

Vincent added that the band was born “out of a desire to do something more than the nine to five”.

“If people ask why we’re angry, it’s because we’re brought up in this middle-class society where all my mates are now miserable because they did what the teachers told them to do.”

The Great Escape sees 450 emerging acts from across the globe play in over 30 venues across the city. The festival has a reputation for providing a springboard for new acts – as Slaves can testify.

For more information and tickets, visit: greatescapefestival.com