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Trip & Gig Review: Bridlington Spa Weekend
Seaside sunshine, emerging bands and mixed headliner vibes
🎤 Bridlington Spa Weekend 29th to 31st August 2025
Another August bank holiday, another trip to Bridlington Spa and once again This Feeling By The Sea delivered a weekend packed with emerging bands, seaside atmosphere and plenty to talk about.
As ever, it’s not just about the gigs; it’s about the whole weekend experience.
🎶 Friday A Strong Opening Night
Friday’s main stage set the tone nicely, led by a confident performance from Lottery Winners, supported by an exciting crop of rising acts:
- Lottery Winners
- Stanleys
- Finn Forster
- Tom A. Smith
- Sunbeam
- Cruz
- Jericho Keys DJ
The acoustic stage added a more intimate contrast, with stripped back performances from Michael Gallagher and Harriet Rose.
Some major technical issues with the Lottery Winners set with mentions of being electrocuted from the mic 😱 they are the type of band who can ride the wave though and fill those awkward gaps. Never taking themsemselves too seriously, I like that about them.
Friday felt vibrant and forward looking exactly what a This Feeling event should be.
🎸 Saturday Highlights, Energy and a Divisive Headliner
Saturday’s bill looked strong on paper and delivered for most of the day:
- Stone
- The Lilacs
- The Covasettes
- Keyside
- Ark*Ayla
- Lock-In
- Eighty Eight Miles
- John Kennedy DJ (Radio X)
The Lilacs and The Covasettes were particular highlights, keeping the crowd engaged and the atmosphere lively. Eighty Eight Miles impressed too tight, confident and clearly comfortable on a stage like this.
However, the headline slot told a different story. Stone, while undeniably talented, remain a very niche band. As their set progressed, large sections of the crowd drifted away, and we ended up leaving early ourselves. That’s always disappointing for a headline act and a shame after such a strong day overall. Hopefully, it’s something the organisers will reflect on matching headliners to the broader audience makes a big difference at festivals like this.
☕ Saturday Morning: Seaside Rituals & Band Connections
Saturday morning began in classic fashion with breakfast and a strong coffee, where we ended up chatting to the parents of the drummer from Eighty Eight Miles one of those small festival-world moments you only really get at weekends like this. They were rightly proud, and later that day their son went on to deliver a solid, energetic set that fully justified that pride.
After breakfast, we had our usual mooch around Bridlington. It’s a proper, no frills seaside town arcades, promenades, chippies and that slightly faded charm that never really changes. Nothing flashy, but that’s part of the appeal, especially before diving back into a full day of bands.
🍽️ Venue & Facilities
A big positive was that the café was open and accessible, making food stops easy between sets something that shouldn’t be underestimated over a long day. Some areas of the building were closed off, which slightly limited space, but overall the venue still worked well. The bar area is well organised also avoiding those massive frustrating queues.
📝 Final Thoughts
Bridlington Spa Weekend 2025 once again proved why we keep coming back:
✔ Great showcase for emerging UK bands
✔ Strong Friday energy and daytime Saturday sets
✔ Friendly atmosphere and classic seaside setting
✔ Proper food options on site
✖ Saturday headliner didn’t hold the crowd
✖ Some venue areas inaccessible
Despite a slightly flat ending, it was another memorable weekend good music, good company, and those little moments (like breakfast chats with band parents) that make live music culture what it is.
Roll on next year 🎸
📸 Photo Gallery
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