Ah, Rockaway Beach, you’ve gone & done it again.

We’re now into the seventh year of this fantastic boutique festival down in Bognor Regis &, as has been the case for the previous six editions, 2023 was an absolute belter.

Thanks to all that made the weekend so incredible, from Jude & her Butlin’s team that treated us so well to all the artists we enjoyed & the friendly new faces we had a beer & a chat with.

Immaculate vibes all round!

Check out Jim & Gaz’s top artist picks from across the weekend…

PANDA BEAR & SONIC BOOM (Centre Stage, Sun) // Listen on SPOTIFY

“For those unaware, Panda Bear & Sonic Boom are Animal Collective’s Noah Lennox & Peter Kember of Spacemen 3 fame, who just before Christmas released their first collaboration “Reset” (which, I may add, is a stunning piece of work & one of my albums of ’22). Complex tunes with many layers & samples, how was this incredible album going to sound live? Well, I needn’t worried. Stunning from start to finish, the duo's set was an absolute rollercoaster of soundscapes matched perfectly with dream-inspiring visuals. An unforgettable set & one of the best witnessed at Rockaway to date.” – Garry

W.H. LUNG (REDS, Fri) // Listen on SPOTIFY

“W.H. Lung played the REDS stage on the Friday night & was a band I had very much been looking forward to, having missed seeing them live previously in Brighton. I had high expectations & was definitely not disappointed. Perfect delivery & incredible musicianship, track highlights for me were “Inspiration!” & “Showstopper”. I certainly won’t be leaving it as long before I see them live again - a very memorable Rockaway moment.” – Garry

SELF ESTEEM (Centre Stage, Fri) // Listen on SPOTIFY

“Rebecca Lucy Taylor is somewhat of a rarity. To be able to create such compositions of epic-pop proportions & then flawlessly glue them together with one of the most captivating live sets is something almost unworldly. Musicianship that brings the songs into their own right in a live setting complimented by an ensemble of choreography & layered harmonies from three very talented backing singers/dancers, this performance was modest with an underlying sense of humour that almost makes you feel guilty for being a man. Bravo!” – Jim

WINTER GARDENS (REDS, Sat) // Listen on SPOTIFY

“Having previously played Rockaway Beach in 2019 as a four-piece, our very own Winter Gardens returned this year with a revised line-up & a highly energised new set. Although very close to my heart, this was my first opportunity to see the new line-up live. I had high expectations to hear songs I have grown to love being performed live once again, & performed they were! The harmonies introduced by new backing vocalist Jasmine were absolutely beautiful & fit in seamlessly with a scintillating, high-energy performance that delivered without fault. As expected, the new-look Winter Gardens were a highlight of the entire festival.” – Garry

SCALPING (REDS, Sat) // Listen on SPOTIFY

“Again a band I had been meaning to see for some time, SCALPING hit the REDS stage on the Saturday night & blew me away – literally. Ear plugs firmly inserted, I could feel the immense energy from start to finish. Featuring a wall of (very controlled) sound pounding the body with such intensity I feared for my internal organs, the SCALPING set was not only intense but mesmerising without let-up.” – Garry

PERSONAL TRAINER (REDS, Sat) // Listen on SPOTIFY

“Still reeling from the Winter Gardens set on Saturday afternoon, I was ready for more of the same & Personal Trainer, the seven-piece indie-poppers from Amsterdam, did not let me down. The energy was electrifying! A heady mix of guitar, synth & brass performed to perfection, PT smashed through a cracking back catalogue while delivering a very accomplished set.” – Garry

Rockaway Beach Festival returns in January 2024, with tickets available HERE.

See you all next year!