Good start on the lineup.
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Can confirm that this is still the most fun you can have in early January.
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It gets a bit busier each year which is great to see
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*might have booked for next year already
*definitely have
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Last year, 2 of us went. This year, 4. About to rebook for 6 for 2025.
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Just back home from Bognor, and another successful weekend (this was our 4th Rockaway Beach). Took a hotel room for the first time rather than a chalet and for not a lot more money we were warm and avoided all the queues on Friday - well worth the extra expense.
Band highlights? Particularly enjoyed The Selector, Traams and Fat Dog. Fat dog were the discovery of the weekend, hadn’t heard of them before but they had quite a big slot on the Saturday night and got one of the best crowd responses of the weekend. Like Black Country New Road with a sense of humour and a liking of kletzmer.
Other highlights? The silent disco, of course. Generally well ran and friendly. The Chumbawamba film last night was great - coming on streaming soon and well worth watching - with bonus q&a afterwards.
Seems churlish to give disappointments given there’s little else that’s more fun in the first week of January …. But … was probably the least rewarding weekend of music in the four festivals I’ve been to. I don’t mind some in moderation but there was a bit too much shouty social commentary music for my liking (of those that were there Bob Vylan was the band I enjoyed most). The second stage over-running by 75 minutes on Friday night and it ending up being an endurance test to make it to Hinds headlining set. Turning up to watch Meet Me In the Bathroom and them showing a Peter Gabriel tour movie instead (still, it had a happy ending as went to see Fat dog instead).
Also in for next year already.
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Had a very nice time and agree that it’s the best way to kick start the year. Thought the lineup was generally fairly weak but there were some real standouts. Was there for a friends stag do although didn’t really see much of them as I was catching up with other friends and having a festival.
Really enjoyed Benefits, M(H)aol, The Selecter and Bob Vylan on Friday night. Highlight was definitely the silent disco and having a big old dance to some classic rock though.
Saturday morning I was grotesquely hungover, went for a Wetherspoons breakfast followed by a nap which sorted me out. Got in to Reds in time for Frozemode who were absolutely righteous. A little out of place on the bill but it was great to see that kind of variety (also, nu metal is BACK!) and the promotors taking more risks on smaller acts. Really liked GENN, Heartworms were fun but JOHN were the band of the weekend for me, just the right blend of churning 90s style noisy alt rock and punk for me. The Skids were also surprisingly good - knew they were there to blast through In To The Valley, Here Come The Saints etc. and were a lot of fun. Didn’t see any of the headliners, absolutely hate Sleaford Mods.
Came home yesterday afternoon after a nice swim as I was tired and done in. Missed my pal falling down the stairs to Centre Stage just before the Cribs and being carted off in an ambulance. Luckily he’s OK, think he was so drunk he went limp and avoided anything more serious than a few cuts and bruises.
Looking forward to next years!
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What happened there? We watched the bands at 5 and 6 on that stage and they played on schedule so something extreme must have happened. Hinds were due on at midnight.
Had a great time. I’d agree that the lineup wasn’t quite as strong as previous years (this was only the second one we had attended), and that loud shouters were definitely in this year (I did enjoy Big Special though who I hadn’t seen before, and Benefits and Sleaford Mods). But for £100 each, with all the fun stuff going on, and the ace times at the pool parties, it’d be good value if I only saw one good band a day. Can’t wait for next year.
We arrived at midnight expecting Hinds to be starting, but Patrick Wolf was on and played until about 20 past. Hinds then took an extraordinary amount of time pfaffing around and tuning up. By the time they came on at 01:15 all momentum gained at the silent disco had gone out of my evening and I managed a couple of songs before crawling to bed. Shame, as I’ve enjoyed them before and they were probably the band I most wanted to see on Friday.
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Same with the line up being too focused on the shouty bands but still had a great time as always. Saying that, enjoyed Bob Vylan, Deadletter, Ditz, Snayx and Traams the most. The silent discos were great (apparently I’d moved 19 miles worth of steps /dancing on the Saturday).
Next year is the 10th anniversary so hoping for a strong line up
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Line-up never grabs me enough to go but every one I know has a great time there
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yeah only seen Hinds once on a friends suggestion and had a great time even though i knew two songs at most
Indeed. I don’t think the line up has ever been particularly great for me or anyone I’ve gone with, but I’ve been five or six times now and everyone who comes with us once comes again the following years.
I thought his year had some really good vibes and felt more like a typical festival thanks to the various discos and Reds having bands on after Central Stage had opened (thank you whoever put Dream Wife on against Sleaford Mods). It feels like it could be at a tipping point of turning into something REALLY good.
And by that what I really mean is that they could leverage the large amount of loyal regulars and turn it into a proper ATP-like if they find the right headliners/curators. A man can dream
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There was less for me in the lineup this year than last, but I counted and I still saw 15 bands and enjoyed most of them. While attending two pool parties, playing two bowling games a day and occasionally dicking about in the arcade.
Last year was amazing I thought. OMD, Self Esteem, The Futureheads, Anna Meredith are all acts I’d pay good money for anytime. OMD tickets probably cost more than half the price of a Rockaway Beach ticket. My favourite act this year was HiFi Sean and David McAlmont.
But in all honesty, at that price with all the fun stuff at such a gloomy time of year, one good band a day and I’d still be happy.
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Just FYI for anyone not following them and had maybe fancied going next year, the headliners are being announced today and there’s apparently only 500 tickets left.
They’ve also announced some changes - the Centre Stage will become the second stage, with the main stage moving to that new building where they had wristband pick up a couple of years ago. Reds becomes a full disco venue. All good stuff.
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Yep. All three headliners and a decent chunk of the rest of the bill at midday. The changes to the site sound very positive. Will sort of miss being in Reds as much, but in all honesty the sound wasn’t always amazing in there for gigs.
I just wish someone with Barry’s taste in music was curating these. The line-up is never quite there for me.
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Leftfield! That will delight me and annoy the rock purists. Although that said it’s always seemed very open minded despite the older (including me) demographic.