Sand, Surf, & The Strokes: Sea.Hear.Now Festival Review

Despite the weather, the Sept. 20 lineup forecasted a wonderful day at Sea.Hear.Now Festival in Asbury Park, New Jersey. From indie rock giants like The Strokes and Pixies, to new-gens like Fontaines D.C., to classics like The Goo Goo Dolls, and punks like Die Spitz, there was a wide range of music to explore. Sea.Hear.Now, a festival that promises to celebrate musicians, artists, and surfers, was a fantastic way to close out the summer.  

The festival lies on the beachfront in Asbury Park. Three of the four stages sit directly in the sand. It was supposed to rain all day, but stopped just in time for the doors to open at noon. 

Sunday at the Surf Stage began with King Stingray, an Australian rock band that blends Yolŋu influences with classic indie rock. The five-piece offered an upbeat start to the day, singing surf rock-y songs both in English and Yolŋu. Many of their songs featured the didgeridoo, which was such a cool touch to hear in person. Their set perfectly matched the beach ambiance and was a great way to kick off the day.  

The large festival grounds spanned six blocks of Asbury Park’s boardwalk. It also included the town’s Convention Hall, which featured local shops, restaurants, a marching band, and an art gallery. The food and drink selection was average for a festival, with long queues and pricey options. By 2 p.m., every area of the festival was packed. 

Unlike Vans Warped Tour’s BMX and skateboarding competitions, Sea.Hear.Now’s surfing competition was displayed on the screens in between sets, which is a unique aspect of the festival. Because the stages are quite literally on the beach, adding in the surf competition is a fun way to make Sea.Hear.Now stand out and embrace their local culture. 

Because of the widespread lineup, the festival drew in a mixed crowd, from families with young children to college students and elderly people. This was the beauty of Sea.Hear.Now; everyone is there for the love of music. Bring friends and expect to make lots of new ones, because the crowd is made up of friendly faces. 

By 4 p.m., Fontaines D.C. had already gathered a large crowd, even though they weren’t set to take the stage until 5 p.m. The Irish quintet did not disappoint, electrifying the crowd with their hits “Bug,” “I Love You,” and “Starburster,” and bringing everyone to tears with “Favourite.” The band even played two new songs from their upcoming album Dopamine Chamber. 

The beauty of Fontaines D.C. lies in their effortless combination of post-punk, indie rock, traditional Irish elements, and even hip-hop mixes. They cross these genre lines to create a new sound that is utterly unique and fresh. This is something that guitar music has been lacking in recent years. Frontman Grian Chatten always has a welcoming stage presence as he is skipping around, playing with the microphone wire, and leaning in to draw the crowd towards him. Fontaines D.C. are well on their way to being the next big band, and their set at Sea.Hear.Now only proved that.   

The Goo Goo Dolls set that followed seemed to drag on a bit, as the crowd had gathered for The Strokes. They were clean performers, but just seemed to bore the younger Strokes audience. However, they managed to win the group back with their global hit “Iris,” even giving different fans the microphone for each verse.  

The crowd became restless waiting for The Strokes, who characteristically took the Surf Stage seven minutes late. They’re in the middle of their Reality Awaits tour, and launched into a diverse setlist, bringing out both deep cuts like “12:51” and all-time hits like “Last Nite.” 

Their latest album, Reality Awaits, received mixed reviews critically. It draws from similar 1980s influences as their previous album, The New Abnormal, but has a more futuristic tone, incorporating autotune and synthesizers. Even with these developments, it still remains true to the iconic garage rock sound they pioneered in the early 2000s.

Extremely tight and seemingly happier than on previous tours, The Strokes are in their element. If there was ever a time to see them live, it’s now. The only component that could improve their performance is their original guitarist, Nick Valensi, who is missing this tour for undisclosed reasons. Frontman Julian Casablancas rambled a bit in between songs, though not as much as usual. It isn’t a Strokes show without some nonsensical stage banter. 

The rain decided to fall just as the opening riff of “Ode To The Mets” began. This elevated the moment from a religious experience to a life-changing one. It doesn’t matter how many times the emotional ballad is played, it never gets old. The song builds slowly, bringing in one instrument at a time. Casablancas’s droning yet somehow gut-wrenching vocals, paired with the mesmerizing stage design and steady rainfall, is just the way this song is meant to be experienced. 

Overall, Sea.Hear.Now was a superb time. Its strengths were not in its infrastructure, but its stellar lineup. The acts delivered incredible performances that exceeded expectations. Even though everyone was soaked, the atmosphere of fans leaving Sea.Hear.Now was cheery and bright. Some shows are just better in the rain.

• entertainment
• festival
• music
• sea.hear.now
• The Strokes