Cooler air. Light breeze. We all look like we have one more in us. I clear security and start the sand walk with extra batteries I swore I didn’t have. The field already feels like a Sunday that won’t slow down.
Marcy Playground eases us in. “Sex and Candy” floats over the merch tents. People sing without being asked. Strangers share space. It’s a soft open that keeps feet planted.
Burning Spear shifts the mood. Horns carry clean in the wind. The groove stacks and the crowd climbs with it. You can see the back half take a few steps closer and stay there.
Then the left turn that wakes everyone up. 4 Non Blondes hit and the hill stands at once. “What’s Up?” is hands high, full voice, all the way to the food court. Easy win.
Ziggy Marley brings the sway. Families move forward. Shoulders drop. Kids climb up for a better view. It feels like the weather finally picked a side.
DEVO snaps everything into time. Tight lines. No wasted motion. “Whip It” lands and the aisles bounce like they got a memo. The ponchos from yesterday turn into pogo sticks today.
O.A.R. & Friends plays like a living room with a big PA. Guests in, guests out. Covers that land because everyone wants to sing something they know. It’s loose in the right way.
Weezer comes on clean and loud. “My Name Is Jonas” pops the rail, then “Perfect Situation” rolls in and the whole beach answers the “whoa-oh” without being asked. The sky picks that exact moment to light up—pink over the towers, gold on the water, faces turned one way to sing and the other way to stare. A song about getting close and holding on, while the sunset gives us more than we expected. It fits. Here’s the clip from the call and response as the colors break.
Train leans into hooks and crowd work. You forget how many they have until you hear the beach feed them back. Even the vendors mouth words while making change. Aisles sway. Nobody minds.
Fall Out Boy lights the fuse. Early hits feel like muscle memory. Each one pulls the back fence forward a step. The pit turns into a moving belt under my shoes. Every call gets an answer you can feel in your chest rig. It’s the last big swing of the weekend and the beach takes it.
Three days in the sand and the crowd never blinked. Different weather, same sing backs. Cards full, batteries empty, voices still in my ears. Oceans Calling did its job. Thanks for making space at the rail and sharing the songs. We’ll be ready when they call us next time. Safe. Loud. Together.
Photos: T. Cody Strubel / Rock Documented – Oceans Calling Day 3
