Highly Anticipated Artists from Japan Gather in Brighton! The Great Escape 2026 Official Showcase "Inspired by Tokyo" Live Report
The official Japanese showcase 'Inspired by Tokyo' was held at 'The Great Escape Festival' in Brighton, UK. Four Japanese acts, including 'the cabs', performed, vividly presenting the 'now' of the Japanese music scene to the local audience.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 22, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: May 22, 2026 at 10:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 22, 2026 at 10:40 (8 min after Collected)
An official showcase by Japanese artists, "Inspired by Tokyo," was held at the music festival "The Great Escape Festival" in Brighton, in the southeast of England. We report on this event where highly anticipated Japanese artists gathered.
This season has arrived again this year.
From May 13 to 16, the music festival "The Great Escape Festival" took place in Brighton, southeastern England. Over 450 emerging artists from around the world gather for this festival, performing live across more than 30 venues. Its greatest appeal lies in "encountering new music." Visitors can hop around venues across the city to quickly experience the performances of still-unknown artists with intense individuality and talents poised to lead the next generation. In fact, many artists who have achieved global success started here, and new music scenes are born from Brighton every year. Furthermore, 2026 marks the milestone 20th anniversary for The Great Escape. At this commemorative timing of supporting new talents and pioneering the future of the global music scene for 20 years, highly anticipated artists from Japan gathered in Brighton again this year.
"The Great Escape 2026 Official Showcase 'Inspired by Tokyo'" is an official international showcase project jointly planned by five companies: Columbia Marketing, FRIENDSHIP., Spincoaster, TuneCore Japan, and The Orchard Japan, aiming to broadcast the Japanese music scene to the world. With the theme of delivering the diverse sounds and creativity of the modern Japanese music scene to the world, the project focuses on introducing "new generation artists transcending genre boundaries" who embody the creative energy unique to Tokyo.
This time, four acts—the cabs, Necry Talkie, luvis, and TAMIW—performed at this showcase representing Japan. While each possesses completely different individuality and sounds, they vividly presented the "now" of the Japanese music scene to the Brighton audience.
The venue was "DUST," located conveniently just a few minutes' walk from the Brighton coast. This live house, an intimate space with a capacity of about 180, actively supports the creative activities of grassroots artists and embodies Brighton's culture of freedom and respect for diversity, such as supporting the LGBTQIA+ community. Furthermore, it is popular as a place where music and trends of a wide range of genres are born.
As doors opened at 12:00 PM, music fans began entering DUST one after another. Despite it still being early afternoon, an atmosphere of elation and anticipation drifted around the venue, bustling with audiences seeking to encounter new music ahead of the curve.
Following a careful soundcheck, the cabs served as the top batter for this showcase. As the three members stood side-by-side on stage from left to right—Ichita Nakamura (Dr), Yoshikatsu Shuto (Vo, B), and Kunimitsu Takahashi (G, Vo)—the live performance started with "anschluss." When Shuto's clear vocals echoed over the melodious intro, the audience listened attentively, swaying their bodies slowly. However, the atmosphere completely changed when Takahashi's almost violent guitar overwhelmed the venue and Nakamura's fast-paced drumming gave the song sharp momentum. The audience was instantly drawn into the dynamic sound where stillness and roars intertwined, spreading heat and excitement across the floor. Their music is built upon an intricate rhythm and bold undulations of dynamics, brilliantly contrasting soft melody parts with rough guitars and tight, impulsive drumming. This contrast simultaneously brings tension and liberation to the entire song, creating a unique soundscape that deeply draws in the listener. It featured a heavy sound and masculine performance that could never be imagined from their recorded sources. Judging from reports of intense mosh pits that shook the venue during their London gig held right before this, the overwhelming energy they unleash clearly developed into enthusiastic unity. Nakamura spoke in fluent English, "Even though it's called 'Inspired by Tokyo,' we are actually from the more rural Saitama," drawing laughter from the venue. In the middle of the set, the new song "Paris, ours (paris, our)" was performed for the first time, making the audience incredibly lucky to experience their latest sound ahead of everyone else. And the final song "The Spiral of Kielce
This season has arrived again this year.
From May 13 to 16, the music festival "The Great Escape Festival" took place in Brighton, southeastern England. Over 450 emerging artists from around the world gather for this festival, performing live across more than 30 venues. Its greatest appeal lies in "encountering new music." Visitors can hop around venues across the city to quickly experience the performances of still-unknown artists with intense individuality and talents poised to lead the next generation. In fact, many artists who have achieved global success started here, and new music scenes are born from Brighton every year. Furthermore, 2026 marks the milestone 20th anniversary for The Great Escape. At this commemorative timing of supporting new talents and pioneering the future of the global music scene for 20 years, highly anticipated artists from Japan gathered in Brighton again this year.
"The Great Escape 2026 Official Showcase 'Inspired by Tokyo'" is an official international showcase project jointly planned by five companies: Columbia Marketing, FRIENDSHIP., Spincoaster, TuneCore Japan, and The Orchard Japan, aiming to broadcast the Japanese music scene to the world. With the theme of delivering the diverse sounds and creativity of the modern Japanese music scene to the world, the project focuses on introducing "new generation artists transcending genre boundaries" who embody the creative energy unique to Tokyo.
This time, four acts—the cabs, Necry Talkie, luvis, and TAMIW—performed at this showcase representing Japan. While each possesses completely different individuality and sounds, they vividly presented the "now" of the Japanese music scene to the Brighton audience.
The venue was "DUST," located conveniently just a few minutes' walk from the Brighton coast. This live house, an intimate space with a capacity of about 180, actively supports the creative activities of grassroots artists and embodies Brighton's culture of freedom and respect for diversity, such as supporting the LGBTQIA+ community. Furthermore, it is popular as a place where music and trends of a wide range of genres are born.
As doors opened at 12:00 PM, music fans began entering DUST one after another. Despite it still being early afternoon, an atmosphere of elation and anticipation drifted around the venue, bustling with audiences seeking to encounter new music ahead of the curve.
Following a careful soundcheck, the cabs served as the top batter for this showcase. As the three members stood side-by-side on stage from left to right—Ichita Nakamura (Dr), Yoshikatsu Shuto (Vo, B), and Kunimitsu Takahashi (G, Vo)—the live performance started with "anschluss." When Shuto's clear vocals echoed over the melodious intro, the audience listened attentively, swaying their bodies slowly. However, the atmosphere completely changed when Takahashi's almost violent guitar overwhelmed the venue and Nakamura's fast-paced drumming gave the song sharp momentum. The audience was instantly drawn into the dynamic sound where stillness and roars intertwined, spreading heat and excitement across the floor. Their music is built upon an intricate rhythm and bold undulations of dynamics, brilliantly contrasting soft melody parts with rough guitars and tight, impulsive drumming. This contrast simultaneously brings tension and liberation to the entire song, creating a unique soundscape that deeply draws in the listener. It featured a heavy sound and masculine performance that could never be imagined from their recorded sources. Judging from reports of intense mosh pits that shook the venue during their London gig held right before this, the overwhelming energy they unleash clearly developed into enthusiastic unity. Nakamura spoke in fluent English, "Even though it's called 'Inspired by Tokyo,' we are actually from the more rural Saitama," drawing laughter from the venue. In the middle of the set, the new song "Paris, ours (paris, our)" was performed for the first time, making the audience incredibly lucky to experience their latest sound ahead of everyone else. And the final song "The Spiral of Kielce
FAQ
What is The Great Escape 2026 Official Showcase 'Inspired by Tokyo'?
It is an official international showcase project planned jointly by Columbia Marketing, FRIENDSHIP., Spincoaster, TuneCore Japan, and The Orchard Japan, aiming to promote the Japanese music scene to the world.
Which Japanese artists performed at the showcase?
the cabs, Necry Talkie, luvis, and TAMIW performed.
Where was The Great Escape Festival held?
It was held in Brighton, southeast England.
What are the highlights of The Great Escape Festival 2026?
2026 marks the 20th anniversary of the festival, featuring over 450 emerging artists from around the world performing at more than 30 venues.
Who are the members of the cabs, the opening act of the showcase?
The members are Kenta Nakamura (drums), Yoshihiro Kubota (vocals, bass), and Kunihiro Takahashi (guitar, vocals).