A Weekend at Sea.Hear.Now 2026: Review and Photos of a Weekend by the Shore
Zany Waves headed to Asbury Park, New Jersey this month for Sea.Hear.Now, spending two days at the shore for a perfect close to the summer season. The festival has been held in Asbury Park since its inception in 2018, bringing together music, surf and the community that makes the Jersey Shore what it is. While rain threatened on day two, there was nothing that could dull the buzz of people filling the beach.
Sea.Hear.Now | by Emma Zoe Polyak for Zany Waves Sea.Hear.Now | by Emma Zoe Polyak for Zany Waves
In addition to sets rotating across three stages throughout the day, festival-goers could watch surfing competitions taking place in the ocean. In a lucky turn of events, the overcast weather made for some great surfing conditions. The Transparent Clinch Art Gallery also provided some respite, hosting a series of stripped-down performances which offered a quieter change of pace from the stages outside. Created by Danny Clinch, the gallery also featured Clinch’s photography alongside artwork and instruments from artists who were playing Sea.Hear.Now.
My Saturday started in the Art Gallery tent, with Tom Odell sitting at the piano for a few stripped-down songs. While introducing him, Clinch recalled meeting Odell at Newport Folk Festival last year and knowing he wanted him to play Sea.Hear.Now. Later, on the Sand Stage, Odell’s set felt like a completely different version of his music. His songs have always carried a certain melancholy, and much of them soundtracked my own teens, but tracks like “Somebody Else” took on a much bigger, rockier life on the beach.
Some other acts that got the day off to a good start included New Jersey’s own 54 Ultra, Australian rockers Men at Work, and the queen of funk, Chaka Khan. As the sun started to set, the crowd was further treated to sets from Susanna Hoffs, The Offspring and The War on Drugs. Toward the end of their set, The Offspring paid tribute to two musical legends, Ozzy Osbourne and Dolly Parton, with covers of “War Pigs” and “Crazy Train,” and Parton’s “Jolene.”
Chaka Khan | by Emma Zoe Polyak for Zany Waves The Offspring | by Emma Zoe Polyak for Zany Waves
Mumford & Sons closed out day one, looking like they were having the time of their lives. It was refreshing to watch a group that has played these songs hundreds of times still look genuinely excited to be onstage. Their cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Atlantic City” was an obvious choice in tribute to a local legend, but it was a fitting addition to the setlist. Fireworks lit up the beach as “I Will Wait” rang out to end the night.
Luckily, we didn’t have to wait long for day two. Sunday brought a lineup that leaned further into rock artists, but my day started on a softer note with the delicate, playful songs of Alice Phoebe Lou.
Die Spitz brought a completely different kind of energy to their set. The Austin trio made the most of their time, turning a patch of sand into a mosh pit, with Eleanor Livingston jumping down from the stage to join in. I knew I was in for a treat as soon as bassist Kate Halter entered the stage doing a handstand. The next hour proved me right. There was absolutely nothing delicate about their performance, and that was exactly the point. They were loud, messy and completely committed to it.
In between the larger sets, I had the chance to catch Blaise, Asbury Park’s “people’s popstar,” in the Art Tent, bringing some lovely hometown energy to the weekend. It was wholesome to see a festival so rooted in its setting make space for local artists, and I’d love to see even more of them on future lineups.
Fontaines D.C. took over the main stage at 5 p.m., a slot that felt a little early compared to their recent festival headlining sets. With new music on the way (and a couple of them making their way into the setlist) the crowd didn’t seem to mind that they weren’t headlining this time. It was special to see them during what may have been their last daytime set, and Fontaines D.C. are a band that never fail to deliver in a live setting. Frontman Grian Chatten was his usual animated self, anchored by the rest of the band around him.
Sunday’s lineup also included Flipturn, Kim Gordon, Goo Goo Dolls, Pixies, and Moby. With so many iconic acts playing overlapping sets, choosing where to go next was a challenge, and my step count certainly benefited from trudging between stages. Hearing the Goo Goo Dolls’ “Iris” ring out across the beach, with the crowd singing along, was nothing short of cathartic. It was a stark contrast to the electronic dance party waiting for me at Moby’s set on the Park Stage.
Kim Gordon | by Emma Zoe Polyak for Zany Waves Moby | by Emma Zoe Polyak for Zany Waves
The rain held out until The Strokes’ encore, somehow making the set feel even more fitting as the weekend came to a close. When the band last played in the area, their seventh album, Reality Awaits, hadn’t yet been released. Hearing tracks like “Lonely in the Future,” “Dine N’Dash” and “Going to Babble On” live gave me a greater appreciation for an album that had drawn scrutiny for its heavy use of autotune. Whatever prior thoughts I had about the album, Julian Casablancas sounded great onstage, and the light show fit the energy of the songs perfectly, casting the whole band in moody shadows.
The Strokes | by Emma Zoe Polyak for Zany Waves The Strokes | by Emma Zoe Polyak for Zany Waves
It was my first time at Sea.Hear.Now, and I can’t wait to return. In addition to its unique beach setting, the festival has a little something for everyone. With most artists playing hour-long sets, it's a festival worth going to if you’re a big fan of only a couple artists on the bill, or just looking to hang out in Asbury Park and discover new artists. There’s a level of care to Sea.Hear.Now that can get lost at bigger festivals. Despite drawing major international acts, it still feels connected to Asbury Park, from the local artists on the lineup to the surfing competitions and the gallery performances. Sea you next year!
Check out Zany Waves’ gallery from both days of Sea.Hear.Now here. You can also still purchase art from the Transparent Clinch Gallery to help support local charities. Follow Sea.Hear.Now. on Instagram for news about next year’s lineup.
