Indie sweethearts Sea Girls rocked up at Rock City to show Nottingham a good time at the latter end of last term. Beth Coldwell went down last minute to watch the boys let loose.
In my new-found urge of spontaneity, I agreed to head to Rock City to join a sold-out crowd for the first night of Sea Girls ‘Hometown’ tour; the offer of an opportunity that left me (quite literally) jumping with joy. Months before, I had been left empty-handed and devastated after the ticket release, as I have a real soft spot for Sea Girls and their relatable and painfully catchy discography which soundtracked many summer days through my teenage years- so how could I possibly turn down such an offer? I couldn’t! And I didn’t. And it was one of my favourite concerts of all time. Let me tell you why.
My fondness for their music has grown rapidly over the last few years, although still notable that they, for me, were a very ‘love at first listen’ type situation. Their accessible, heart-felt and beautifully crafted lyrics have tugged on my heart strings since my mid-teens, with All I Wanna Hear You Say being all too relatable, captivating me (heart and soul) even now into my twenties. Thus, I had high expectations for the night, with a selection of music like theirs, they were made for performing. And, as I imagined, the vulnerability of their words was delivered through an exceptional show that did nothing but exceed my hopes; a concert with such a diversity of energy, it most definitely had me on my toes.
...I experienced the most cathartic 4 minutes at a gig, unapologetically, and possibly slightly out of key, singing along as the band played...
Rock City was packed! The room buzzing with energy, and I was immediately engulfed in an air of excitement. As the lights went down, the beginning of ‘damage done’, an absolute classic from the band’s discography, began playing and the energy within the venue only increased more. The band went in, full force into a 21-song setlist full of twists and turns, showcasing the best they had to offer. Delivered with confidence, the 4-piece went on with a spectacle of some of their newest songs from their second album Homesick, with which high energy songs like Open Up Your Head were met with sweet and slow acoustics, my favourite being Transplant. I thought these versions were a beautiful addition to the show, and really showcased the raspy vocals of front man Henry Camamile.
The undeniable onstage chemistry between the group made for an extravagant show, the crowd singing along to every song. Encouraged to dance by the group early on, the high energy of within the room was kept up throughout, with mosh pits left, right and centre, and beaming faces all around. The night peaked at the first sign of All I Wanna Hear You Say, as I experienced the most cathartic 4 minutes at a gig, unapologetically, and possibly slightly out of key, singing along as the band played. The excitement and relationship between the band themselves reflected heavily on the crowd, with a really friendly, community atmosphere amongst fans of all ages. Ultimately (at least in my eyes) they really do deserve the growing fanbase they so clearly have, and their live performance and sound is arguably better than their recorded tracks. I really hope to witness them live again soon, hopefully somewhere in a field under the sun, bucket hat and all.
Beth Coldwell
Edited by: Jake Longhurst
All images and videos courtesy of Sea Girls.
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