Fringe by the Sea Showcases a Beautiful Side of British Music

Words: Sarah Milligan

The weekend may have been dubbed ‘Oasis’ Edinburgh Takeover’ by some, but just a few miles along the Scottish coast North Berwick’s Fringe by the Sea celebrated a completely different side of British music.

Of course, no festival could be complete without a DJ set, and the people of North Berwick were treated to a special one, with Dave Rowntree of Blur (take that Edinburgh!) running through a playlist of indie-rock tracks, allowing the crowd to do its thing.

Following the Blur drummer’s DJ set was the first live band of the evening, Cloth. The Glaswegian duo’s easy melodies and stunning vocals enchanted the crowd below them in their only half-hour set. Having been described by Wonderland Magazine as “one of Scotland’s best-kept secrets” with talented twins Rachael and Paul Swinton having been inspired by the likes of Alex G and the Pet Shop Boys, with references to such music apparent throughout their set.

In 2020, the band’s single ‘Old Bear’ was featured in the hit BBC adaption of Sally Rooney’s ‘Normal People’ – slotting in beautifully alongside the likes of Elliot Smith and Orla Gartland, clarifying their place as indie-rock experts.  Cloth may have only been playing to a small crowd at Fringe by the Sea, but if the Scottish music industry knows what’s best for it, they’ll share Cloth with the rest of the world. 

Next up on the wonderfully quaint lineup was Billy Nomates; the alias of English alt-rock musician Vicotria ‘Tor’ Maries, who may be described as the long-lost lovechild of Fiona Apple, Ian Curtis, and Robert Smith. The three-piece are creative, edgy, and unafraid – something the audience are well aware of within minutes of them taking the stage. The band primarily played tracks from their newest album, ‘Metalhorse’, with each track bringing with it a bloodthirsty mix of flailing limbs and soaring vocals driven by thumping basslines and unrelenting drumbeats. Being punk-rockers, indie-truthers, and alternative warriors themselves, Billy Nomates are everything you’d want from an enigmatic and angsty group, They can be best summarised through their track ‘No’: “No to your ivory towers/No is gonna start a war/So die if you think it’s worth fighting for.”

And then on came headline act Hamish Hawk, who transfixed the crowd with his hypnotising eyes and haunting opening performances of ‘Juliet as Epithet’, followed by ‘Machiavelli’s Room’ – both from his latest LP ‘A Firmer Hand’, performed in almost complete darkness. There is something otherworldly about the way Hawk commands a stage; he doesn’t need clashing guitars or strobe lights, simply a centred microphone stand and a thrumming synth behind him.

After these, his set moved into a compilation of songs from two of his earlier records, ‘Angel Numbers’ and ‘Heavy Elevator’, wherein his true magic lies. ‘A Firmer Hand’ may be his dark and brooding rebrand, but the essence of Hamish Hawk remains in the simple lines of his first certified hit. ‘The Mauritian Badminton Doubles Champion, 1973’: “To write a cathedral, I’ll need a ballpoint pen / It’ll sound like ‘Common People’ sung by Christopher Wren.”

Hawk is an artist who knows exactly who he is – what he can do with a stage, a wired mic, and his sharpened Morrissey-esque movements. And, accompanied by his incredible band, Hamish Hawk could take over the goddamn world.