Sea Girls are the epitome of feel-good indie rock. Touring their 2022 album Homesick on The Hometown Tour, the band did not fail to make the show seem as if they were in their hometown, taking place at the Victoria Warehouse. It’s a tricky venue, with the levelled flooring and excruciatingly expensive pints, but they managed to make every individual in the room feel as if they had the best spot in the house.
Support act Lauren Hibberd gave off a similar vibe to that of Baby Queen, jokingly dedicating one of her songs to fellow IBS sufferers. The crowd seemed to enjoy her interactivity and rock songs. This wasn’t her first time supporting a band, as she accompanied The Snuts on their 2022 tour, which took place in Manchester at the Academy.
There was a real sense of intimacy that could be felt between Sea Girls and the fans, and it was refreshing to see an audience that was not strictly limited to the younger generation. There was an impressive mix of genders and ages, who ultimately when the lights turned down, were all unified by this intimacy, and excitement for the band. Even before the lights turned down, the pre-show playlist perfectly thrilled and enthused its listeners as anticipation grew. Tracks like ‘Seventeen Going Under’ by Sam Fender, ‘British Bombs’ by Declan McKenna, and ‘Don’t Delete The Kisses’ by Wolf Alice were featured. They know their audience well, giving them what they want; a real dark-fruits indie vibe.
There was a genuine sense of gratefulness from the band, as lead singer Henry Camamile commented on their growth in fanbase, going from a sell-out gig at the Deaf Institute to selling out the Warehouse. A special moment that again reinforced this sense of intimacy and relationship between musician and fan. The crowd then roared, as if to give them a hug and cheer of support for what was still to come.
He also noted that for the tour, they specifically set up Wellness Areas, located by the merch stand, which could be used if things felt a little too overwhelming; there was a genuine sense of care. Safety and the experience of the audience were their priority, and they certainly delivered on both fronts.
Opening with ‘Lucky’, the crowd went wild. A staggering number of pints were sprayed, filling the air with Carling, and nobody cared. The audience felt as if “they were on fire”; a fire of burning excitement, as the bass rippled through the venue and arms flew as everybody collectively jumped. Nothing else seemed to matter.
The set itself was simplistic, but enough. With the Sea Girls logo projected on the back, there was no mistaking what they came to do: imprinting their name on the industry. This was enough for the crowd, no fancy production, a focus instead on the music. The lighting seamlessly switched from orangey-red to yellowy hues during those more wholesome songs like ‘Sleeping With You’, turning to a fierce bluey purple during ‘Violet’, helping to direct the atmosphere.
Towards the end of the set, we were treated to ‘Do You Really Wanna Know?’, signalling the start of a strong run of six songs that define the band, helping them to get to where they are today. If you’re a 42s-regular, I’m sure you’ll recognise them. Someone behind me screamed “it’s pure banger after banger from here” and they were not wrong. Followed by ‘Friends’, ‘Paracetamol Blues’, ‘Daisy Daisy’, ‘All I Want To Hear You Say’, and penultimately, their debut single ‘Call Me Out’. ‘All I Want To Hear You Say’ was particularly special, with the floor shaking during the lyric “If you’re in Manchester / Will you come to my show?” being screamed with passion and emotion. Again, a real sense of intimacy, and favouritism, for the Manchester fans, as if they had individually been shouted out in the song.
Whilst all these songs were devoured by the crowd, with every lyric being screamed to perfection, the placement of ‘Daisy Daisy’ felt like an anomaly. Although it is one of their more popular songs, and it was given a beautiful rendition, it just felt out of place with the mood of the songs that surrounded it. It would’ve done better being placed towards the centre of the set, between ‘Falling Apart’ and ‘Transplant’, perhaps.
A particular stand-out moment was just before the encore, when Sea Girls played ‘Friends’ from their most recent album, Homesick. The band didn’t seem homesick; they made their home with the crowd. It was surreal, to say the least. It acted as the universal signalling for everyone to lock arms, get on shoulders, and hug. Love was infectious and it was as if time did not exist, as the band encouraged its audience to live in the moment and not sweat the small stuff. You could feel the warmth in the room, and not just because of the number of sweating bodies who had been jumping around for over an hour in the boiling venue.
“So grab your friends”, and give Sea Girls a listen. When you’re getting ready for a belter of a night at 42s, make sure to add them to your pre-drinks playlist, take note from their pre-show setlist, and keep an eye out for when they’re next touring. They are a force to be reckoned with and are rapidly becoming integral to the indie-rock world of music.
Stream their album Homesick below:
You can keep up with the latest news from Sea Girls on their official website here.
