THIS FEELING BY THE SEA FESTIVAL

SIX BRILLIANT NEW ARTISTS HAVE WON THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY

THIS YEAR’S FESTIVAL – JOINING THE LILACS, THE CLAUSE AND MORE

DREAMING OF CITRA / OLIVIA BOOTH

COUNTERPRODUCTS / ASTORIA
THE VELVET TUXEDO / THE GLASSHOUSE

LESS THAN A MONTH TO GO! APRIL 17TH & 18TH AT BRIDLINGTON SPA

A rising tide lifts all boats, and that’s a phrase that sums up the This Feeling family as this year’s By The Sea festival on April 17th-18th approaches. This Feeling has helped guide every band on the bill from modest early gigs to now achieving much bigger things. That’s particularly true of headliners The Lilacs, who sold-out their recent 2600-capacity headline show at Manchester Academy, and The Clause, who powered in the Top 20 of the UK Official Album charts last year – and who are both still going from strength-to-strength.

The Lilacs’ vocalist/guitarist Ollie Anglesea says, “We first played This Feeling By The Sea back in 2023 when we were younger and a lot more naive. It has definitely played a huge part in us being the band we are today. So many people still say ‘We first saw you at This Feeling By The Sea’, so it’s clear to see the power of the festival. So to now be headlining it really feels like a full circle moment and is a really proud moment for us.

I even remember being stood in the crowd watching the headliners of the night we played thinking, wouldn’t it be great to be headlining one day and here we are, three years on. I think it goes without saying how crucial This Feeling have been in our careers and no doubt hundreds of other bands out there. They give so many up-and-coming bands the chance to show their worth, putting them on a platform to build from and we wouldn’t be where we are today without them, so we genuinely owe them the world.”

The Clause frontman Pearce Macca adds, “The first time we played Bridlington Spa was to around 30 or 40 people in the small upstairs room in 2023. I remember getting a peek into the main room there and we all fell in love with it. We said to each other, ‘We’ll headline this room one day.’

We’re buzzing to be headlining it for the first time as This Feeling By The Sea’s headliner. We’ve been working with Mikey and the crew at This Feeling since we were kids and they’ve followed us every step of the way, we love them. We feel blessed to be headlining this festival alongside some of our favourite people, can’t wait to get up on that stage.”

And with their subsequent tours again packed-to-the-rafters as their rises continue, who will be the next underdogs to make a similar impact to The Lilacs and The Clause? Today brings news of six new artists who have everything it takes to be next up contenders, who have triumphed against intense competition to win the Apply To Play and the Road To By The Sea events. Their reward is the massive opportunity to play This Feeling By The Sea’ at the beautiful seaside ballroom Bridlington Spa.

Radio X legend John Kennedy has chosen two artists who have won the nationwide heat. Manchester’s Dreaming Of Citra play euphoric indie-pop built for big summer festivals, and the band will have a chance to showcase that mammoth potential when they open proceedings on the main stage on Saturday. Meanwhile, Warrington-based solo artist Olivia Booth will hit the Sessions stage with a beguiling style that brings her own class to echoes of Blondie, Amy Winehouse and Courtney Love.

BBC Introducing’s Jericho Keys was trusted with choosing bands from the Yorkshire region. He chose the buzzsaw melodics of Counterproducts to provide the perfect burst of energy to get Friday’s main stage underway. Over on the SessionsStage, he opted for Astoria, a five-piece from Leeds who specialise in ambitious, stadium-sized alt-rock.

The final two new names have been selected by local music promoters Live In Bridlington and Metalines Promotions. Full-throttle psyche and uninhibited garage-rock makes the sharp-suited The Velvet Tuxedo a thrilling prospect to bring the noise to open Sessions on Saturday. There’s no holding back from The Glasshouse either, whose classic 2000s-era indie influences are infused with everything from punk intensity to slow-burning reflection – perfect to open Friday’s Sessions stage with a bang.

Today’s wave of new names is completed by The Juice, who will headline the Acoustic Stage. Featuring two pairs of brothers – Joe and Jack Allen, James and Ross Fearns – and Joe Leach, the band recently released their new single ‘The Boots’ and have been compared to the likes of The Kooks and The Libertines.

Factor in an array of other must-see bands (The Rosadocs, Girlband!, The Bracknall, Crystal Tides and many many more) and the joyous atmosphere of its fan and artist community, and it’s clear that This Feeling By The Sea is the perfect way to kick-off the 2026 festival season.

This Feeling By The Sea will be hosted by Lifejacket podcast host and Soccer AM legend Fenners. He previewed the festival in conversation with the BBC: “There’s a lot of talk about where are the great bands, where’s all of the new music, it can be easy to fall into that trap of thinking that it’s not out there but it is! There are so many talented artists and musicians out there. I remember a couple of years ago when I was there and a band called CVC played. I hadn’t heard them and half an hour later I was messaging people saying you’ve got to hear this band. That’s not a one-off, on so many occasions I’ve been listening and gone this band is great this artist is great.

We need to keep doing this and spreading the word that this talent is out there. It’s a remarkable thing that the guys at This Feeling have been doing over the years Mikey and George have created a movement, what they’ve done for new music and for live music is absolutely phenomenal.”

This Feeling founder Mikey Jonns says, “From grassroots venues and festival stages to the glorious Brid Spa every act playing and everyone coming we’ve been on a journey and it makes for a special atmosphere. It’s 100% real and I am very proud of that. I’m not sure if there’s another festival like By The Sea so if you’ve got your tickets, thank you, and if you’ve not, grab yours now and we’ll see you down the seafront!”

And there’s still time to be part of the action! Very limited tickets remain available HERE, priced at £30 for day tickets, £50 for weekend tickets, and £10 for those under 12-years-old.