The Great Escape's First Fifty and Dork team up to showcase some of the buzziest acts for 2025

What comes next is always a big question. The answer tonight? Chloe Slater. Words: Jamie Muir. Photos: Derek Bremner.

It’s that time of year again. As the nights draw in and the chill sets, everyone's turning their gaze towards the year to come, and Hackney’s streets come alive with The Great Escape’s First Fifty. Giving London an early taste of the acts poised to make waves at Brighton’s festival of new music next May, your friendly neighbourhood Dork couldn’t resist the call, taking over the Sebright Arms for a night spotlighting three exciting names set to make their mark in 2025. What did you expect?

The evening kicks off with The Stingrays, delivering a beguiling and confident set. Comprised of Yellow Days and members of his live band, The Stingrays have already carved out a distinct sound. Blending warm, slack guitar riffs with an undercurrent of modern soul, they weave elements of psychedelia, funk, and indie into a sound both timeless and refreshingly current. It’s a performance that signals their potential, where passion is foremost and genre is a throwaway rule.

There’s already talk around the town about Cliffords, and they take to the stage with an energy that has the Sebright Arms packed to capacity, fans squeezing in wherever they can. Tonight is a statement of intent, with every song brimming with heart-on-sleeve sincerity. The soaring alternative rock of ‘If The Shoe Fits’ pairs perfectly with the cinematic grandeur of ‘Shattered Glass’, transforming the small venue into something truly epic. With every note and lyric, Cliffords lay bare their emotions—whether it’s heartbreak, release, or sheer joy. The unreleased ‘My Favourite Monster’ stands out as a secret weapon, and as ‘Sleeping With Ghosts’ closes their set, one thing is certain: Cliffords are ready to make 2025 their year.

It may be Chloe Slater's first headline show, but it's fizzing from the get-go as she commands the room with an ease that suggests it definitely won’t be her last. Opening with ‘Nothing Shines On This Island’, she effortlessly combines electric indie rhythms with lyrical depth. ‘Death Trap’ has her diving into the crowd, while ‘Tiny Screens’ captures attention with its widescreen ambition.

Tonight’s set feels like a rare chance to witness Chloe in such an intimate space, as her lyrics on modern life, politics, and social divides strike a chord. Tracks like ‘Price On Fun’ are met with word-for-word singalongs, while closer ‘24 Hours’ sees Chloe rally against class divide.

Two unreleased tracks previewed tonight — ‘Harriet’ and ‘Fig Tree’ — suggest that what’s next for Chloe is bound to push her even further. The former is a hook-laden banger in waiting, while the latter sees Chloe expanding her sound with a newfound scale and ambition.

As the evening draws to a close, it’s clear that Chloe Slater is not just one to watch but one to listen to, urgently and repeatedly.