With so many brilliant artists lined up to play The Great Escape 2013, we asked a few friends to give us their top tips on who to see at this year's festival, here's what they had to say.

Matt Wilkinson, NME
www.nme.com
Last year, Peace were one of Great Escape's big breakout acts, and this time round I think their Midlands counterparts Superfood will be looking for the same reaction.
On a similar tip, London indie kids Childhood have just released one of the year's best singles in "Solemn Skies', so this is their chance to capitalise on all the fuss it's caused. Elsewhere, I'm eager to see how Chicago punks The Orwells do on their first UK visit, while the likes of Arthur Beatrice, The Family Rain, Jagwar Ma and Swim Deep are all likely to graduate into the big leagues before the year is out - so catch them somewhere small while you still can.
That just leaves Merchandise and Parquet Courts, who are without doubt my favourite new bands in the world right now - hands down the two most promising US acts around.

Kasia Mitrovic, Adam Mickiewicz Institute
www.iam.pl
It will come as no surprise that I think all of the Polish acts selected by The Great Escape team are incredible! Brodka, Très.B and Daniel Drumz - some of Poland's biggest and best current acts - might be familiar to some of you already, but I'd also recommend the bewitching Pictorial Candi and Enchanted Hunters, and for those of you who brought along your dancing shoes, The KDMS, Kamp! and Teielte will not disappoint.
In addition to all the Polish acts, I can't wait to see Jacco Gardner's neo-psych grooves from the Netherlands, Mutiny On The Bounty with their math-rock beats from Luxembourg, and for some good old fashioned rock and roll, there can only be one, Canada's Mac Demarco.

Marika Hackman
www.marikahackman.com
This is my first time at The Great Escape, and I'm super psyched to be here, especially as there are so many awesome bands playing. The first name that jumps out for me is Wolf Alice. Having just listened to their second single "Bros' I am in love already, especially that bit when all the crazy stuff drops out and it goes all chilled and melancholy. I reckon they'll be a great band to see live, there's so much energy in the music.
I played a gig with Drop Out Venus a few weeks ago and was really sad to have missed half of their set, they've got this other worldy sort of sound and the lead vocalist has a really eerie stage presence, so I'm intrigued to see them again. I'm also keen to see Mary Epworth. I've only ever seen YouTube clips and would love to see her live, she's got such an amazing voice and her music is sort of folk with a serious arse on it.
The 1975! Yes! Them, they're great. Go see them. At SXSW I saw their show ten times and didn't get bored once, and I'm really fussy. They've got this 80s funkalicious vibe going on, but it's really up to date; semi-dark funk. They go a bit mental on stage too, which is always good. I wish I could do that. I've seen half sets of WALL, but again have never been able to catch a full one, so I'm going to be seeing her as well while in Brighton. Her song "Shoestring' has got a muted grungey, electronic style, and it just sounds cool. Plus the video is pretty weird. In a good way.

Adam Ryan, The Great Escape
www.mamacolive.com/thegreatescape
I've attended The Great Escape every year since its launch. TGE is about watching amazing emerging talent before it reaches the wider public and I've had some amazing times at the festival over the years. Though, away from the bands, personal highlights have included flooding hotel rooms (2011) and/or being the only person staying in a tent at a city-based festival (bitter, freezing-cold 2009).
This is my first year programming The Great Escape and it has been a lot of fun and hard work in equal measure. There are tons of artists I would recommend to see play at this year's event. Kodaline and King Krule are two bands which I'm sure will be on everyone's list, while Jacco Gardner, Rainy Milo, and Syron are all going to have big futures ahead of them.
We are really pleased to have the legend that is David Ram Jam Rodigan MBE bring his Ram Jam night to the Concorde 2 on Saturday, and do get yourself to St Bart's on Friday for Aufgang. Plus Polish acts Enchanted Hunters and Daniel Drumz are just two of the many acts from our host nation of Poland I'm pleased to have confirmed. Enjoy the weekend and don't go flooding any hotel rooms.

JJ Dunning, The Fly
www.the-fly.co.uk
OK, here goes: King Krule is unmissable because he is so enigmatic. Nobody really seems sure if he'll actually do an album or just bugger off without bothering, leaving nothing but a scorch mark of unfulfilled excitement in the minds of those who saw him. From North America come Allah-Las, Mac DeMarco and Chris Cohen - each essential in their own way.
Popstrangers, meanwhile, are a Kiwi threesome redolent of Slint at their supreme Slintiest, while you should be sure to watch fellow countryman Ruban Nielson, aka Unknown Mortal Orchestra, whose latest is one of the most soulful albums of the year. As for new British bands, try Cheatahs (though they're only one quarter British), Drenge and Superfood.

James Watts, XYZ Magazine
www.xyzmagazine.co.uk
With a Dome Show from XYZ cover artists Everything Everything, and no shortage of must-see acts on the bill, a few we won't miss at XYZ this year include: Iggy Azalea - one of the best new acts out of Mercury and a must-see, check out "Pu$$y'. IYES a local act XYZ tipped for the festival bill - their glorious dream-pop is dripping with summer, listen to "Glow' and "Lighthouse'. More summer soundtracks, this time from Birmingham - XYZ February cover Swim Deep will seduce you with their beachy doss-pop. Next up, we reviewed single "Bloodsports' as " ...a brilliantly urgent melee of trashy drums, chugging guitar riffage and gritty simplistic vocals" - don't miss Drenge. Finally, check out Owlle, Velcro Hooks, Chvrches and Bear's Den.

Susanne Sundfor
www.susannesundfor.com
Here we go then, just some of the artists I'd recommend who are also playing The Great Escape this year! First, Chvrches, what brilliant pop songs, and the combination of girly vocals and harsh beats is irresistible. How To Dress Well has beautiful, deep, sensitive vocals and mysterious songs. He has also collaborated with Luke Gilford, who did the video for my song "The Silicone Veil', and that video is amazing.
Jenny Hval is one of my all-time favourites. Her vocal style is different from anything I've heard. She's daring, she's a poet, and she's a great songwriter. Her last album is already favourited on Pitchfork and I wouldn't be surprised if this year sees her break through outside Scandinavia (maybe she already has, I'm bad at keeping track of these things!) And if there's time for a couple more, Darkstar, one of my favourite electronic bands, and Highasakite, talented songwriters with lush, ethereal vocals. Love it!

Ally McCrae, BBC Introducing/Radio 1
www.bbc.co.uk/introducing
Where to start! Scots beat-melter Sega Bodega is premiering his live show at TGE and if his twisting, dense but deliciously melodic debut "34' is anything to go by, then this will be pretty special. Holy Esque are, in my book, one of the most passionate, ballsy and memorable guitar bands breaking in the UK right now, astounding vocals. Scrufizzer is a West London emcee with devastating flow and lightening fast delivery, and after a recent collab with Angel Haze he is getting all the attention he deserves. IYES are euphoric boy/girl synth pop newcomers from Brighton, Fatherson provide soaring, heartfelt indie with the biggest of hooks, really tender breakdowns and spot on harmonies; while a sweaty room is guaranteed for Blackeye with their super-open, spat out lyrics and crunching guitars. Irresistible punk-pop. And some final quick shout outs must go to The Physics House Band, Findlay, Eliza and the Bear and Honningbarna.

Tom Connaughton, vevo
www.vevo.com
We've loads going on at our venue, The Warren, with the likes of Tom Odell, Deap Vally, Crystal Fighters, Swim Deep, Kodaline, Nina Nesbitt, Iggy Azalea, Little Green Cars, Guards, Arlissa and The Strypes all featuring, but if I get time to nip out around the festival I'll definitely be checking out Wolf Alice and Drenge who are amazing live, so definitely worth heading to see them along with Indiana and SOAK (amazing young singer from Derry).
There's also a good showing from US acts that caused a stir at SXSW this year, so in no particular order get yourself along to see Merchandise, Rdgldgrn and Parquet Courts. Oh and don't miss Unknown Mortal Orchestra!

Tom Odell
www.tomodell.com
Having been to TGE as punter for many years in a row now, I always feel like the best gigs you see are the ones you stumble across. It's always some band you've never heard of that blows your mind. I like it when that happens. But for those who like to remain organised, I would recommend going to see Findlay. I toured with her and Jake Bugg last year, and she and the band are just brilliant. Kinda reminds me of Patti Smith. A force of flirtation guitar hooks, I love it. There's this guy Luke Sital Singh who should also be good, I think he went to the same music school as me in Brighton and I love the music he has up online. The Family Rain are a band I'll definitely be going to see. I met them a while back, when they were signing their publishing deal. I think I possibly crashed their signing party actually... but they seemed very friendly, and I like their tunes very much. London Grammar have this song called "Hey Now' that I really like. They kindly came and supported me when I played in Brighton on tour in March. And finally, I like the way Chloe Howl kind of cheekily smiles at the camera in all of her videos. I wonder if she does it live? I hope so.

Andy Malt, CMU
www.completemusicupdate.com
Two solo artists guaranteed to put on an incredible show are Norwegians Susanne Sundfør and Jenny Hval. Both create dark and utterly enthralling music, Sundfør's built with rich layers of electronic sounds surrounded in religious imagery, Hval's a world of sexually charged, guitar-driven storytelling. Another pairing well worth making the effort to see are Three Trapped Tigers who take post-rock out of morbid shoegazing and add a new level of energy and technical prowess. So, that's our acts for you to check out, but of course there are many more. Nearing the top of any list should be Danish pop singer MØ, indie rock singer-songwriters Nadine Shah and Mikal Cronin, plus soon-to-be-huge UK pop act Chloe Howl.

View our full line up HERE.