Sea Power
The Corn Exchange, Brighton

IN August 2021 British Sea Power did something few bands with a successful 20-year career under their belts would consider – they changed their name.

In something of a political statement they became simply Sea Power, issuing a statement against the stop the boats rhetoric: “In recent times there’s been a rise in a certain kind of nationalism in this world – an isolationist, antagonistic nationalism that we don’t want to run any risk of being confused with.”

They also pointed to the fact that “several of our songs are filled with love and awe for this place.” And the crowd at the special gig held at the Corn Exchange as part of the Brighton Festival were similarly still filled with love and awe for this band.

It was a sort of homecoming, being hosted in the the city where they first tasted success, which made for a charged, party atmosphere in the newly refurbished venue.

Sea Power commanded a stage bedecked with their trademark tree branches with, if not quite the unbridled energy of their youth, then certainly the poise and confidence of a band who demonstrate an effortless synergy built on years of experience.

In the first half of the set the band’s most recent studio album, 2022’s Everything Was Forever, was showcased. A triple whammy of Transmitter, Two Fingers and Fire Escape in the Sea is proof that Sea Power are still a musical force to be reckoned with.

Mid set there was a slight lull, but the excitement ramped up as the band’s seminal third album 2008’s Do You Like Rock Music, just re-released to celebrate the 15th anniversary, provided the majority of songs for the second half, with No Lucifer and Lights Out For Darker Skies getting the crowd jumping.

The most memorable moment of the night was the impromptu pre-encore singalong to the low-key chant All In It, which left lead singer Jan Scott Wilkinson visibly moved.

Of course after that they had to come back for more and the set closed with The Great Suka, and before what is probably their best-known song, Waving Flags, which is early proof of their anti-nationalistic values.

On tour. For more details see: seapowerband.com