THE GREAT Escape music festival has announced a new seafront site in what has been described as the most exciting news in its history.

The Beach is effectively a mini-event within the festival – a designated space that will hold two music venues and 2,000 revellers.

Its exact location on Brighton seafront is still to be confirmed.

It comes as 80 more acts were added to the line-up for the three-day bash which takes place from May 17 to 19.

The Great Escape is the biggest event of its kind in Europe.

Rory Bett, chief executive of MAMA Festivals that runs TGE, said the site was a response to the increasing hunger for new bands and artists.

“With the current demand and drive for new music and an ever-expanding festival, creating our first very own site on the beach is the most exciting news in The Great Escape’s history,” he said.

“We couldn’t have a more perfect spot than right on the seafront. The Beach will become a magnet for music lovers during the festival and we can’t wait to open the doors.”

The new venues will add to the existing 30 that are already set to host gigs at the festival.

The Beach has attracted some high-profile commercial partners such as YouTube and Island Records, both of who will curate the programme on different nights of the festival.

Among the bands to be announced to perform at the site are Superorganism, the much-hyped band who prompted a record label scrum before signing to Domino Records late last year.

You can read an interview with the group on page 26 of today’s Argus.

The Great Escape is also partnering with charity FareShare Sussex, which raises awareness about food waste. The organisation delivers about ten tonnes of food every week to impoverished people around the county.

Development manager of FareShare Rachel Carless said the link-up with the festival would give the charity a timely boost.

She said: “We are so thrilled to be working together with The Great Escape.

“As a small charity it is really exciting for us and will make a real impact, boosting our profile as well as raising much-needed funds to keep up our work.”

This year’s edition of the event is the most extensive since it launched in 2006.

The festival’s marketing manager Carolyn Bates said: “It’s set to be the biggest Great Escape on record, with more acts than ever before – 2018 is already looking to be the hottest year for new music yet, so where better to kick off the festival season than in our home of Brighton?”

Other new additions to TGE, which takes place alongside Brighton Festival and Fringe on the busiest weekend of the year in May, include the Download stage dedicated to heavy metal music.

DJ Gilles Peterson is curating his Future Bubbles arena, which will showcase his favourite upcoming acts.

Like last year, the 2018 edition will feature two Spotlight Shows that give a platform to an artist slightly more established than the rest of the line-up.

So far, rapper Mist has been announced for one of these events with the other still to be confirmed.

Other draws at TGE include all-female rock band Goat Girl, who signed to renowned label Rough Trade, and indie sister duo Let’s Eat Grandma.

For more information visit greatescapefestival.com