Amazing weekend! I spent months looking forward to Sea Hear Now and I loved it even more than I thought I would. So I want to write about my experiences and memories of the really fun time I had!
When this lineup was announced, I knew I had to be there. I did plan to just get tickets for the Sunday so I could see The Strokes and Fontaines DC, but after they sold out and only 2-day tickets were available, I was excited that I'd also get to see Mumford & Sons and The All-American Rejects.
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Day 1
Sweater: Wildfox Shorts: American Apparel Boots: Saint Laurent
Ever since I got this Wildfox White Label American flag print sweater, I wondered: where the hell should I wear this?? I figured that a music festival in New Jersey would be the right occasion. I was scared that I would look too patriotic with it paired with my red American Apparel disco shorts, but whatever. I think I looked cute. But I will say, I was cold. I thought it would be a slightly warmer day.
I finally got to wear my Saint Laurent SS16 festival boots to a festival! They seriously saved me from the sand.
About a month prior, I had checked the festival rules and read that bags over a certain size need to be clear. Knowing that I could not survive a day with just a tiny bag, I had an excuse to search for something I always wanted but never really needed: the clear backpack from the American Apparel Cali Sun & Fun line! Thankfully, it was on Depop for a great price.
Random Day 1 Photos Before The Headlining Act:
Tito's vodka strawberry lemonade
Dolly memorial <3
New Jersey Lottery fanny pack that I won by
spinning a wheel
Listening to Men At Work
The All-American Rejects!
Obtained the Tumblr water (and took teeny sips of it over the course of 2 hours)
Julian :')
The All-American Rejects!
Later, after seeing Shaggy perform a few songs, I made my way over to the main stage to see Mumford & Sons. I absolutely loved their show, and there was an incredibly memorable moment. Marcus Mumford sat down at the drums, and I hear him sing this opening line:
"Well, they blew up the chicken man in Philly last night...."
I lost it. A cover of Atlantic City by Bruce Springsteen! Things only got better when we realised they even brought out Jake Clemons from the E Street Band!
Cool moment when he snuck up behind me in the crowd
I Will Wait was obviously amazing live, and it finished with fireworks going off from the top of the stage.
Upon arriving back at home, I made a heartbreaking discovery. My pink Alexander McQueen skull bracelet (scroll back up to see it) was no longer on my wrist. I have no idea when it had snapped off, or how.
I showered and got a few hours of sleep before getting up for day 2.
Day 2
Tired from the day before, and sad about losing my bracelet, I decided to wear a simple outfit for day 2 with no bracelets to risk falling off my wrist. It was meant to rain the whole day, so I just wore an Old Navy Halloween shirt I had recently bought from eBay (which I featured in this post), black skinny jeans, the same Saint Laurent boots from day 1, and a grey beanie.
Bad outfit choice. On day 1, I dressed for warmer weather on a cool day. On day 2, I dressed for cool weather on a humid day.
The ghosts glow in the dark!
There was some time to kill before heading into the festival, so I had some avocado toast for breakfast in a local Asbury Park cafe, and had a look around an antique/vintage shop. This place was a giant maze full of cool things. It took everything in me to not to buy any tiny porcelain cats.
Lots of Bruce Springsteen, obviously.
The one thing I did buy? A Bruce Springsteen calendar from the year 2000. The dates from 2000 will line up perfectly with 2028, meaning I will get to use the calendar in a little over a year! In the meantime, I might search for a different vintage music calendar that I can use in 2027.
Anyway, back to Sea Hear Now.
Day 2 was the serious day. I had to get a good spot for The Strokes. My plan was to get into the festival, buy merch, eat some eggrolls (the cheapest food I could find there, they were $10), use the bathroom, head to the main stage, and stay there for the rest of the day.
I made it to the Surf Stage around 3:15 PM and caught the end of Ben Howard's set. I was already pretty up front, and would inch closer and closer as the night went on.
At 5 PM, it was time for Fontaines DC! This was my third time seeing them live. I loved Grian Chatten's Rihanna tee. It said "Bad Girl" on it.
7 PM: time for Goo Goo Dolls. I have never listened to them properly but I was looking forward to hearing Iris live. It was obviously amazing to be in that giant crowd singing along to every word. Now whenever I hear that song anywhere, I will be reminded of this great time I had.
9PM. The Strokes were about to walk out. And this is was my view.
From that photo you would think that I was seeing them in a small venue and not in a giant festival crowd. I couldn't believe I was in the third row and I was about to be so close to one of my favorite bands! I had seen The Strokes live a couple times before, but never had this good of a view.
They opened with Lonely In The Future, one of my favorite songs from their latest album, Reality Awaits.
Setlist:
- Lonely in the Future
- Hard to Explain
- Going Shopping
- Juicebox
- Someday
- Bad Decisions
- Take It or Leave It
- Threat of Joy
- Dine N' Dash
- You Only Live Once
- What Ever Happened?
- Going to Babble On
- Automatic Stop
- The Adults Are Talking
- Reptilia
16. 12:51
17. Ode to the Mets
18. Last Nite
I had the best time at this show. I'll never forget the salty scent of the ocean that the wind brought in while I was hearing some of my favorite songs live.
And it hardly even rained! There was a bit of drizzling during the middle of The Stroke's set which really cooled me off. It started to properly rain during the final song, Last Nite. It was actually an amazing end to the show.
After it was over, and attempted to get a setlist (no luck), I walked out of the festival in the rain. Thankfully I had my rain jacket with me.
As I type up this blog post, I am currently sick with a cold that I assume I caught from the festival. That's what I get for going outside and having fun :D
ahhh so amazing
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