Sea Girls have had a whirlwind 2018. With new releases earning the attention of some of the BBC’s hottest DJs, and performing at some of the country’s biggest and best festivals, 2018 certainly won’t be a year to forget for the four-piece. Having taken to the stages at Reading and Leeds merely weeks beforehand, it was now the turn of Nottingham’s Bodega to feel the full force of a Sea Girls show.
Having walked up the stairs into the venue, I was stopped dead in my tracks. Not metaphorically – the crowd, a pleasant mixture of young and old, had literally filled the room as far back as I’ve ever seen it, which surprised me given I’d heard it wasn’t even a sell-out show! As Sea Girls started their set, all my fears of being stuck at the back against the merch stand quickly evaporated, as the crowd, clearly not in any mood to stand around, begun to mosh. Facing this eager audience, Henry looked like a commanding frontman in the making. One minute he was standing on the drums, the next minute he was on his knees, all to the delight of his fans. Although performing in a relatively intimate venue, Henry was ambitious enough to crowd surf during ‘Adored’, something I don’t think I’ve ever seen at a Bodega show. Then again, maybe I need to get to more gigs!
While every song was received with open arms, ‘All I Want To Hear You Say’ was no doubt one of the highlights. Like so many of their other songs, it was punchy, incredibly easy to sing along to, and caused the crowd to shake the room. As expected, as the final song came to a close, the crowd called for encore, resulting in Henry’s impressive crowd surfing display. After the show, I was lucky enough meet him and ask for a quote for the mag. “F*cking sick mate” was the response, when asked what it felt like to play to the raucous Bodega crowd.
Supporting Sea Girls were Newcastle three-piece The Pale White, and although I had missed their set, when I asked various members of the crowd, I received only glowing reviews. Furthermore, I admitted to Henry that I messed up my timings, and he too spoke incredibly highly of them. They must have done something right, as by the time I arrived, the crowd were raring to go for the main act.
Admittedly, I arrived that night without a clear idea of who Sea Girls were. Armed with merely a few of their songs in mind, I was undoubtedly impressed by their energetic performance and their willingness to speak to as many fans as they could after the show. So far, they’ve had a busy year, but as long as they are delivering shows like that – I don’t see life slowing down for them any time soon.
Photo credit: Jemma Dodd
Like what you’ve read? Check out our interview with lead singer Henry!
Edit: It WAS sold out!
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