It was another great year on the sand and boards, under the shadow of the massive Ferris Wheel. It started with rain. Small bands of thunderstorms rolled over Ocean City, Maryland, and day one of my third Oceans Calling seemed like it might literally be a wash. Luckily, the flat grey clouds had shifted into big puffy cumulus clouds against the brilliant blue sky. The weather had done a complete 180, and day one's dreary demeanor shifted. The smell of salty sea air met the pungent, but appetizing, smell of malt vinegar. A gentle breeze came through, and the seagulls began to swarm, impatiently swirling over the boardwalk, ready to dive bomb unsuspecting patrons and rob them of their fries and pizza slices. The gates opened, and a stream of fans, young and old, ran through the gates hoping to secure a coveted spot along the rails of one of the 3 main stages.
Oceans Calling had officially kicked off its third year, and the excitement in the air was a clear indication that I would be in for a wild weekend. Passing through the gates, I immediately noticed it was a far less bumpy experience than I had in the past. I also noticed they seemed to open up more of the grounds on both the beach and the boardwalk. This was a welcome change from the previous year, where it seemed like food and beverage vendors were placed aggressively, seemingly to box the crowd in. Now, with vendors, VIP areas, and bleachers pushed back or rearranged altogether, it felt more open, and it had really relieved quite a bit of foot traffic. That being said, the crowd was still massive, and as the night went on, it became a massive sea of people and was still a bit hard to navigate, but it was altogether a smoother experience than the previous years.
Now on to the music! Oceans Calling's lineup is always impressive, and this year is no different. Monsters of music, both past and present, took the stage over the weekend.
Day 1
People flooded through the gates, the rail riders sprinted to their chosen stages, and the mass of people never stopped pouring in. From the boardwalk to the sea, all you could see was a never-ending wave of people. The beautiful weather provided the perfect start to this end-of-summer fest. Giant lines formed, people jumped in the Thrasher’s line as if they paid admission just for a bucket of fries, the Ferris Wheel began to spin, kids demanded Dumser’s ice cream cones, and the seagulls became emboldened. They swooped and swirled overhead, while veterans of the boardwalk ignored their advances. As the music started and the crowd settled in, it was clear that people were there to eat, drink, sing out loud, and smile.
I started with a personal blast from the past, Live, and they still rip! Their lead singer, Ed Kowalczyk, is still delivering the gravelly growl I remember hearing on the radio. They hit the crowd with distorted riffs and crunchy bass. Their performance got the blood pumping and jolted the Oceans Calling crowd with pure, unfiltered rock and roll.
The Fray put on a great live set on the now tentless Carousel stage. They gave an honest and emotional performance. Frontman Joe King’s falsetto vocals floated over the gathering crowd, and when they performed “How to Save a Life,” the crowd sang it back in full form, and it almost sounded like a choir.
O.A.R. Of course, the festival founders had to do their thing, and they always have fun. Their gratitude towards festival attendees is apparent in every song. From the moment you hear the intro bass line, they come out with visible joy. Their setlist was perfectly curated for a beach party. Fest goers danced and relaxed on blankets. O.A.R. 's performance of “Turn It Up Slow” was a real treat and, in between songs, lead singer Marc Roberge proclaimed his excitement not only for performing, but also for catching other sets over the weekend. He’s no doubt proud of the stellar lineup they have provided this year. It was a great performance, and gave the crowd time to just sit back, sing, and enjoy the calm before the blissful chaos of night one’s closer.
Green Day was next! The enormous crowd was supercharged for one of the biggest bands in the world to take the stage. The energy seemed to go to the next level when Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” boomed out of the speakers. You better believe the crowd sang that out loud. And then they switched it up, playing The Ramones' “Blitzkrieg Bop.” The drunk bunny mascot came out and amped everyone up, and as the lyric “hey ho, let’s go” rang out, Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tre Cool walked on to the stage. The crowd roared, their homemade signs shooting into the air. Green Day stood on stage, holding the audience's attention, as a giant inflatable hand holding a red, heart-shaped grenade expanded behind them. Flames and fireworks shot into the air, and they hit us with “American Idiot” right out of the gate. Billie Joe strutted to the extended stage, mic in hand, and the crowd's hands shot into the air. I have never had the opportunity to see Green Day live before, and let me tell you, it is a production. The visuals on the screen and the well-timed pops of explosions made for a fantastically exciting show. They didn’t hold back; any Green Day song you can think of, I guarantee they played it. They gave explosive performances of “Longview,” and a favorite of mine, “Brain Stew.” It was all the hits that still dominate the airwaves. Green Day are definitely the performers you think they are, engaging directly with members of the crowd, and even stopping mid guitar solo to help a fan in need. They absolutely exceeded my expectations and left an impression that will last a lifetime.
Day 2
Day 2 was altogether different, at least in terms of weather. It started normally enough, walking down the boardwalk, taking in the sights of various surf shops and food establishments that offer far too many options. One-stop shops for pizza, cheeseburgers, tacos, and ice cream. But, gone were the clear blue skies and gentle ocean breeze, and in their place were murky grey skies, bitter sea winds, and rain. It didn't start with rain, just random light showers here and there, but by 4pm, the skies opened up and never stopped. It was a human ocean of wet hair, running makeup, and festival fits hidden by odd-sized ponchos in a variety of colors. Those who couldn’t hack it crammed into the boardwalk bar, Purple Moose, attempting to wait out the storm. It was rainy, windy, and, by the end of the day, I was a waterlogged prune. The music is what kept me going, and I did not want to miss my opportunity to shoot some of my favorite artists.
Collective Soul came out with boundless energy. They showed no signs of slowing down. The guitars ripped, and vocalist Ed Roland danced and wielded his mic stand like only a seasoned professional can. Spirits were high, and the rain hadn’t made a full appearance yet.
Modest Mouse drew a huge crowd and treated everyone to a color-filled wonderland of sorts. The different colored lights brought all the color back to the beach that the grey cloud had leeched out. The pinks, purples, and yellows were an interesting contrast against the gloomy day. It paid off, though, as people barely noticed it had started raining as they sang every word to “Fire It Up.” The band and the crowd were not holding anything back when “The Ocean Breathes Salty” started, and getting a roar from the crowd. They played mostly older tracks from Lonesome Crowded West, all the way to No One’s First, and You're Next, and only played “We Are Inbetween” from their most recent venture, The Golden Casket. They kept their transitions short and sweet, their set list perfectly crafted, and craziness that delivered hit after hit with zero filler.
O.A.R. and Friends: these are always fun. O.A.R. performed on their own on day one, but on days 2 and 3, they were joined by special guests. Almost like a giant karaoke sing-along, O.A.R. and guests like Andrew McMahon, Joel Madden, and even Jason Biggs performed music hits from Metallica's “Enter Sandman” to Lit’s “My Own Worst Enemy.” Even though the rain started to get heavier, the set still had unmatched audience participation. It was like being in a crowded bar with all your friends, and the jukebox is spitting out every infectious song in existence.
Jack's Mannequin, one of Andrew McMahon's projects, never disappoints. The faster falling rain may have denied us the famous piano jump, but Andrew had boundless energy. Smiling from ear to ear, he performed “The Mixtape” and “Spinning,” dancing from one side of the stage to the other, and back to the bench of his piano. His fingers hammered the keys as he belted the opening lyrics to “Release Me.” He seemed to welcome the rain as he stretched his arms out wide, embracing the night and the cheers of the crowd.
Vampire Weekend were greeted by a gigantic crowd standing in the sand. The rain started coming down as the band stepped on stage. The bass player, Chris Baio, donned a yellow fisherman’s hat, and lead singer Ezra Koenig wore a blue raincoat. Hood down at first, but even he had to pull it up one song in. Having just seen Vampire Weekend in Atlanta, at Shaky Knees, it was interesting to see them in two completely different settings. The new set list seemed to mirror the new environment, matching the energy and even the gloomy weather. A familiar sound of an organ echoed out, as they performed “Mansard Roof,” and the drenched crowd went nuts. Putting his hood up, Ezra thanked the crowd for hanging around, introduced the band, and got the crowd moving with the next tune, “Holiday.” Fighting the elements, Vampire Weekend fans sang into the stormy skies, from “Connect” to “Harmony Hall,” and finally closing it out with fan favorite “Walcot.”
Next up was Noah Kahan. Love him or hate him, he’s one of the biggest stars in music right now. Twice now, I have seen Noah Kahan draw some of the biggest and loudest crowds I have ever seen. I found Noah at a super rough time in my life. Not knowing anything about how he blew up on TikTok, he had popped up in a random Spotify mix, and his lyrics really spoke to me. His music is sad, melancholy, and, sometimes, that just feels so right. Maybe it’s because so many of us are manic-depressive, but his music speaks to people, and you can’t take that away from him.
As rapid rain fell, an audience that spanned from the Sea Bright stage to the Ferris wheel began to chant his name. His band stepped on stage, and Noah Kahan strolled out, smiling and said, “Thanks for hanging out in the rain. My name is Noah Kahan, and we’re here to make you feel sad and shit.” It was honestly perfect. They aren’t flashy performers, but they are having fun. Opening with “All of My Love” and transitioning into “New Perspective,” he then offered an apology for not putting out new music before treating the enormous crowd to a brand new song, “Deny, Deny, Deny,” and if it’s any indication of how his new album will be, we’re in for a treat. Even in the downpour, he walked out into the crowd and performed solo acoustic versions of “Call Your Mom” and “You’re Gonna Go Far.” The weather was a rainy, dark, and chilly mess, but it honestly made his performance even more special. It was hard not to get goosebumps hearing a sea of people sing “Orange Juice” and “View Between Villages” in the pouring rain.
Day 3
Day 3 offered a bit of touch-and-go weather at first. There was a mist early morning that soon cleared, as people wandered out of their hotels that have appealing names, and what I'm assuming were stylish facades from a distant past. The crowd seemed to move a bit slower on the boards, taking a late breakfast or coffee on the decks of various cleverly named restaurants. I took my time walking to the main gate, taking in the beach and boardwalk, and chuckling at the amount of graphic t-shirts the boardwalk had to offer. By the time I made it in, the veil of grey clouds had separated, revealing beautiful blue skies. The chilly coastal wind from the night before had evolved into a warm breeze, creating the perfect weather for the last day of Oceans Calling.
Day 3 was all throwbacks for me, starting with Marcy Playground. You are cheating yourselves if you haven’t seen Marcy Playground live. Everyone knows “Sex and Candy,” but if you dig deeper, you’ll find they have several bangers, right on the same album. They put on a great live show; their pulpy, grungy sound woke up a dreary crowd with songs like “Poppies,” “Rock and Roll Heroes,” and “Wave Motion Gun.” They took full advantage of the emerging sunny weather, rocking out in shades and t-shirts. The perfect performance to start my 3rd day.
Michelle Branch was a welcome change of pace. The singer-songwriter took to the stage and delivered a beautiful performance, both musically and vocally. I only really knew one of her songs, “Everywhere,” but after watching her performance of “Breath” and “All You Wanted,” I have become a fan and will be delving deeper into her catalog.
Weezer lit the fuse for day three. Under a pink and blue sky, Weezer rocked the crowd right out of the gate. Performing “My Name is Jonas,” a Blue Album classic. “Hash Pipe” and “Surf Wax America” hit differently against the setting sun with the waves crashing in the distance. Pinkerton fans were not disappointed; they performed “Why Bother?”, “Pink Triangle” and “El Scorcho.” The crowd ate it up during the performance of “Beverly Hills,” and thrashed during their cover of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman.” Honestly, it was one of their more subdued sets than I have seen in the past, but it was still a great performance. The visuals on the screens transported the audience over colorful landscapes and planets, adding a visual journey for the crowd. It was the perfect set for the sun down, and to tee up the festival closers.
Fall Out Boy wasted no time starting their set with the throwback “Grand Theft Autumn/Where is Your Boy” and, without missing a beat, struck the crowd with the anthem “Sugar, We’re Goin’ Down.” Fireworks erupted, and so did the crowd. The energy of that song was hair-raising. I have heard that song so many times, and it never disappoints, but seeing them perform it live and with that massive crowd was something special. Fan favorite “Dance, Dance,” was up next, and the crowd began to jump up and down. Patrick Stump struck his SG and belted out the lyrics with his infectious voice, while bass player Pete Wentz marched around the stage, stepping to the edge, and prompting the crowd to sing along, as if he needed to. The setlist was perfectly crafted: whether you're into new F.O.B. or older F.O.B., you would not have left disappointed either way. At one point, to my surprise, Pete Wentz shot flames from his bass, while masked dancers hypnotized on stage, and a giant crown was lowered from the rafters. I also realized that Fall Out Boy has written so many hype songs, and the hype of the Oceans Calling crowd was insane. Their performance of “Centuries” was epic as Patrick nailed the high notes, and the crowd did their best to match. Fireworks popped in time with the music, illuminating the crowd with brilliant colors that slowly faded. It was magical. They closed out their 25-song set with another throwback, “Saturday”, a high-energy bookend to their setlist. Also, a very nostalgic song for me, and as the last note rang out and faded out, I took a second to reflect on my time at one of my favorite festivals.
I love Oceans Calling, from its lineup to its setting. This year saw many much-needed improvements to the festival layout, which I believe worked heavily in their favor. I heard no complaints about navigating the festival; foot traffic was manageable, and people seemed to be greatly enjoying the fest this year. I saw more families this year than I have in previous years, with kids placed comfortably in wagons or perched on their parents' shoulders, eager to be influenced by what they will in the future refer to as “oldies." Oceans Calling is now a family thing, and I’m ok with that. It brought a smile to my face seeing all the little future fest-goers.
I’ve said it before, and I'll say it again, Oceans Calling is the perfect fest to end the summer. The weather is perfect (for the most part), the music is killer, the performances memorable, and the atmosphere and setting are just too fun.
