Opening Night Review by Thomas Carter, Editor in Chief
“We’re all music lovers here, right?” – those were the opening words of lead singer Henry Camamile as Sea Girls took to the stage at the O2 Academy in Leicester last night. His presumption would prove to be correct.
Supported by the energetic female-led Coach Party, the evening was the perfect first stop on the band’s mammoth UK tour. And after nearly two years of lockdowns and cancelled gigs, Sea Girls did not disappoint, putting on a high-octane display to a packed house.
Clad in their signature retro shirts and armed with an industrious stack of indie anthems, the band’s tour kick off was a resounding success.
As with many bands, the Sea Girls following is one of loyalty and shared experience. The connection between artist and fan was palpable. This was especially evident in the live rendition of “Do You Really Wanna Know?”, which Henry had been “thinking about (playing) all night”.
And as a front man, Camamile’s talent is obvious. Strong vocals bolstered by bundles of charisma seem to appear effortless to the Leicestershire-born lad – a homecoming well worth the wait.
His connection with the audience is equally indisputable, at one point almost being physically dragged into the ocean of fans in attendance. The lead singer’s solo acoustic rendition of “You Over Anyone”, to the backdrop of a single white spotlight, was especially poignant.
The same, however, can be applied to the rest of the band. While understandably not with the same vacuous affinity Camamile receives, the affection for Rory Young (lead guitar), Andrew Dawson (bass) and Oli Khan (drums) is still noticeably present.
Starting the show with “Call Me Out”, the eminently popular “Open Up Your Head” and “All I Wanna Hear You Say” also featured, in addition to some new tracks from the band’s latest album Homesick (due for release in January 2022).
With a string of impressive festival slots at Reading and Leeds, the accumulation of over 735,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, and a set list of organic anthems, it is clear that Sea Girls will be making waves in the music industry for years to come.
Cover photo credit: Chuff Media
