Inspired by major music gatherings like South By Southwest in Texas and Eurosonic in the Netherlands, The Great Escape will see more than 100 bands play 14 intimate venues across Brighton.

Potentially, you could see The Futureheads at The Beach, The Kooks in the Spiegeltent, Martha Wainwright at Hanbury Ballroom and The Bees at the Pressure Point.

Just one £35 ticket (to be exchanged for a wristband) is needed for the three-dayer and because times are staggered, organisers estimate you could catch up to eight bands in one night.

However, tickets for individual gigs aren't available and entry is on a first-come, first-served basis, meaning you could also miss the acts you set out to see.

Event organiser Jon Mac says: "We recommend if you want to see a particular band you get to the venue early. For those gigs where the venue is at capacity and you can't get in, it's a chance to check out what's happening at other venues.

"The whole theme of the event is about discovering new music. You can't see all the bands but you can experience different bands in different spaces. "

The big-name acts include The Cribs, Richard Hawley, Guillemots, The Feeling, Morning Runner, Kubb and Aqualung. Jon and his music-loving team have spent the last year travelling the world hunting for acts to book. Cities including Vancouver, Toronto, New York, Tokyo and Sydney are represented, as well as European and local groups.

"They've all been carefully selected," says Jon. "If you can't see a particular band go to the venue next door. There could be a really great band who you haven't heard before."

Alongside the gigs, will be interviews, talks and seminars from the industry masters (for delegates only), including Robbie Williams' manager David Enthoven, chairman & CEO of EMI Tony Wadsworth, Glastonbury's Michael Eavis, New Order's Peter Hook, ex-Smith Andy Rourke and bassist extradonaire Mani.

Hovering will be label owners, promoters, agents, managers, lawyers and accountants: "We've got 500 delegates coming, from the small indie labels to the big internationals, every aspect of the global music industry will be represented," says Jon.

Organised by Barfly, the Great Escape comes from the same team which took indie bands like Bloc Party, Kaiser Chiefs and Babyshambles to Ibiza for the first time last year. The group runs six music venues and also hosts stages at the Download Festival and Isle of Wight's Bestival.

They believe an event like this has been long overdue in the UK and hope it will become an annual feature. "It's a festival of music for the public but also an opportunity for the music industry to see new artists in the right surroundings. We've taken the best bits from South By South West and Eurosonic, plus bits from other showcase events we've visited in the world and brought them to the UK. People spend a lot of time and resources going abroad for these events so we've brought it all here."

Brighton was their first choice of location: "It's a brilliant place to hold something like this. It's close to London and major airports and has a cluster of great venues. There are all these unusual spaces which can be used, like the Spiegeltent.

"We've been working with the Festival and the Festival Fringe for the past year and they've been really supportive. Venue-wise, I think we're only scraping the surface."

Although inspiration comes from international events, Jon says the Great Escape will make its own mark. "I'm a huge fan of South By South West but what we're doing will have a completely different flavour and atmosphere. That's the great thing about hosting it in Brighton. You've got the history of the city but also the talent.

"With bands like The Kooks and The Macabees, we couldn't have picked a better year to come to Brighton.

"British Sea Power were one of the first bands to confirm and they've been great throughout. It's taken months but we are really pleased with the line-up."

Jon's recommendation? "Metric, a Canadian band (The Beach, May 19, 8.30pm). I'd say to check out some of the bands who are in the UK for the first time. Go online and listen to them. This is all about discovering great music."

Most gigs take place during the evening, although there will be plenty happening during the afternoons, including talks, seminars, live sets at Fopp in North Street, and DJ sets in TopMan, Western Road, so you could make an all-dayer out of it.

For the line-up see www.theargus.co.uk/the_guide/great_escape.html