Seaview Festival, Bexhill on Sea, 8th July 2023

Brought to life by Austerity Records, the first (hopefully of many) Seaview Festival took place on Saturday on the lawns of  the prestigious De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill.

The early slot at any festival can be a tough one, but if the crowd needs a little motivation then Office for Personal Development are the act to provide it – their office planner included children in suits, a water cooler doubling as a stage light, a pot plant and beach balls. Well crafted pop songs mixed with motivational speeches made for a fun start and saw the lunchtime rain off for the rest of the day.

Next up, Winter Gardens took to the stage, it’s interesting to see how their sound has evolved and they seem to have found their niche, adding heavier layers to their baseline shoegaze sound. Ironically and happily, the sun came out and we had summer gardens from thereon in. 

Time to get lively as punk trio SNAYX gave the Bexhill crowd a taste of what’s giving them a reputation as a must-see live band. A change in vibe with some early afternoon moshing, and thankfully no-one fell down the slope at the back of the stage area. There weren’t too many people wearing music T-shirts in attendance but, largely speaking, those who did were repping SNAYX loud and proud.

On to Pale Blue Eyes, and it’s difficult to describe their sound as it weaves through different eras and influences. From Ian Brodie undertones on the opening track to shades of Joy Division towards the end of their set, it was definitely worth waiting to see how things evolved. There’s a subtle optimism to their sound, and it won a lot of people over on the day.

Lots of industry buzz around the next act, and Heartworms made a strong impression – intense and intriguing with a delicate precision to the songs and performance, nudging towards art school poetry and reminiscent of the sardonic delivery of Audio Books at times. Edgy with a soft edge if you will. Ones to watch for sure.

And so to a much anticipated slot on the line-up from local heroes Aircooled – if anyone can be described as ‘musicians’ musicians’, this is the band. Lots of love for these guys from some huge names in the music business and deservedly so. Their combined CVs are enough to leave you in awe, their talent undeniable and best of all, they look like they’re having an absolute blast. 

The penultimate act of the evening came in the shape of BC Camplight, complete with full band playing together for the first time. The soundcheck was a curious mix of their array of instruments interspersed with a DJ driven Bollywood-esque backdrop. Thankfully overcoming initial obstacles, the Pavilion lawns were soon complimented by the mastery of deftly written songs old and new, a great fit for the ambience of the location.

So how do you end a day filled with the eclectic pot of talent that’s come before? Whoever booked Warmduscher made a seriously great decision in answering that question. Non-stop relentless talent, no dips, no filler, Warmduscher deliver every time and showcased what a solid band they are, popular of course but still way under-rated. The perfect headliner for a remarkable day by the seaside.

Seaview was a really well planned event – a beautiful location, an outdoor festival with indoor facilities (game changer), a fine line-up with no clashes, some inspired between-set tunes spun by James Endeacott, and a lovely space to catch up with friends and hear/see some excellent music. All in all, a great value day out and everyone left happy – let’s hope for more of the same next year.

Review/photos by Callum/Siobhan

Published 10th July 2023