Pioneering rock band Skunk Anansie will headline The Independent’s stage at The Great Escape Festival this year.
The performance will mark the only chance fans have to see the band in an intimate club setting as part of their upcoming sold-out UK tour, and a week ahead of the release of their hugely anticipated new album, The Painful Truth.
Meanwhile, The Independent is returning for the third consecutive year as The Great Escape’s exclusive news partner, bringing readers the latest coverage of the event along with interviews and special offers.
The Independent’s Music Editor, Roisin O’Connor, said: “I'm beyond thrilled that The Independent will host the phenomenal Skunk Anansie at The Great Escape 2025.
“One of the UK's most pioneering and radical rock bands, they are poised to release their brilliant new album, The Painful Truth, and remind us why they continue to hold such a special place in British music.
“I can't wait to join the TGE audience to see what I know will be an incredible and rare intimate performance, supported by some truly inspiring new talent.”
Adam Ryan, Head of Music, The Great Escape, comments: “We are thrilled to continue our partnership with The Independent for this year’s festival. With their shared commitment to celebrating groundbreaking talent, this collaboration allows us to amplify the reach of both the festival and the conference.
“We're especially excited to announce that the iconic Skunk Anansie will perform on their stage, bringing an electrifying energy to our already diverse lineup.”
Formed in 1994, Skunk Anansie quickly rose to national fame thanks to their distinctive blend of rock, punk and alternative, heard in songs such as “Hedonism”, “My Ugly Boy”, “Secretly” and “Charity”.
The Painful Truth, their first record in nine years, follows a lengthy period of change for the band’s members, from parenthood to illness and the departure of their longstanding manager.
Post-covid and frustrated with their attempts to write over video calls, the four-piece retreated to a farmhouse in Devon. There, their feelings began to take shape in songs, reminding them that they were still as innovative and ambitious as they were when they first formed.
“I don’t care that we were big in the Nineties,” Skin said in a statement about the album. “Creatively it’s irrelevant because in my rock bible the first commandment states, “If thy rest on them laurels thy shall wither up and die artistically, musically, mentally. And then financially.’”
This year’s TGE festival will include an additional day of music on Wednesday 14 May, offering guests a chance to discover a wealth of new bands and artists in some of Brighton’s best-loved music venues.
More than 175 new acts have been added this week to the already packed lineup, bringing the total number performing at this year’s festival to over 450. The remaining artists performing on The Independent’s stage will be announced soon.
The Great Escape Festival takes place between 14 to 17 May; tickets are on sale now.
