Music for the Mind: How Sometimes Fest 2023 Touched the Heart of Eastbourne

By now I’m sure many locals, and visitors alike, are aware that Eastbourne is no stranger to holding one hell of a gig. Since discovering our vibrant coastal town’s live music scene at the end of last year, it’s been growing on my radar like a disease. A welcome one, of course. But that rapid growth of the matter isn’t what strikes me most about this hidden gem within Eastbourne; it’s the community it’s harbouring. Infectiously close and supportive, these people share a love for live music in our town that cannot be denied. So, when the opportunity arose to get together and celebrate it, I couldn’t say no.

Sometimes Fest was held at Eastbourne’s Grove Theatre – a venue that’s become an invaluable staple in promoting the live music scene here. With a stellar line-up of acts, both upcoming and established, the day was gearing up to be a truly exciting one.

On arrival, a buzz could be felt in the air. It’s not often that Eastbourne is blessed with a full day of rock and metal, so folks attending knew it was going to be a blast. On top of that, the festival would be in support of mental health charity Samaritans, one that has aided countless people within our community. This added a further spirit to the event.

As the crowd settled in, it was time for the talent to take the stage. First up was the wonderfully charismatic Carys Mai, who kicked off with a number of original singer-songwriter style tunes. Despite being the only solo act on the roster, her presence in the room was undeniable as the pure strength of her voice spun currents. She ended by improvising a song based on words from the audience – an impressive part of her act that had us all involved. Watching Carys Mai open Sometimes Fest was a true joy.

Next up was a loud stint of boyish angst from three-piece grunge outfit Loose Endz. Their energy on stage was impeccably chaotic, playing a mix of originals old and new. One of which was their debut single Cigs and Perfume produced at Eastbourne’s very own Bad Habit studios. Crowd favourite Vegas Nerves followed. These boys made their live debut back in December, and you wouldn’t believe how far they’ve come on. They played their set tight as anything while maintaining that charm the audience loves.

Alternative singer-songwriter Estelle Mey then blew the roof off with her cutting vocals and mega guitar riffs, before opening up the room to the explosion that was Arcaeon. As a self-professed metalcore fan, Arcaeon were a real highlight of mine. Their set bought home the realness of just how much talent is embedded within our community. The audience were now fully geared up for an evening of rocking music in support of mental health.

As a break from the ear-splitting metal that had proceeded, young indie band The Veltmans took to the stage, where they proved themselves masters of the cool, laid-back sound. These guys should certainly be on the radars of many as their growth will be one to watch. Soon after The Veltmans came back-to-back sets from self-proclaimed “silly” band My Everest and Darlin, who had the crowd singing along in true party spirit.

While the evening drew in outside the theatre, the festival going on inside was yet to die as the final three heavily anticipated headliners were only just getting started. First up was Factor The Fiction, a brand-new project birthed by the organiser of Sometimes Fest himself, Orion Powell (BIG shoutout, by the way!). Not only was their performance wildly impressive for an on-stage debut, but you could see every ounce of passion as they tore up their craft. It became strikingly clear how much Powell cares for this scene as well as the charity the day was in support of, which made FTF all the more special to watch.

The day came to a close with eruptive performances from dynamically polished metalcore outfit Defences, followed by RXPTRS. These bands have been making tracks across the UK rock scene, playing national shows and festivals while being recognised by some of the most notable media outlets. It was an honour to see them in our hometown in support of a great cause.

Sometimes Fest can only be described as a wild triumph. The organisation was incredible, from the hospitality of the venue to the bands that graced the stage. It’s been tough to justly express how brilliant it was. Many “thank yous” are in order to show gratitude for Sometimes Fest. But sometimes, words aren’t needed; if you saw the crowd then you’d know exactly how they felt about it. Anticipation lingers to see what the organisers have in store for us next. Until then, Sometimes Fest 2024…? We can dream.

Huge shoutouts to the following crew who made the event possible:

George Hambleton - FOH tech & coordinator

Jasper Lyons - Stage Manager

Tom 'the man' Turner - Chief Stage Tech

Glenn Rice - Drum Tech

Jake Packham & Aisha Love - Supporting Stage Engineers

Mila Lyons, Lisa Edwards, Louise Parker, Dan Russel & Becky Loveridge - Event Support Staff

Ryan Monshall - Photography

Keep up with the talent over on their Instagrams:

Carys Mai - @/carysmaimusic

Loose Endz - @/looseendzmusic

Vegas Nerves - @/vegas.nerves

Estelle Mey - @/estellemeymusic

Arcaeon - @/arcaeon

The Veltmans - @/theveltmans

My Everest - @/myeverestmusic

Darlin - @/thebanddarlin

Factor The Fiction - @/factorthefiction

Defences - @/defencesuk

RXPTRS - @/rxptrs