In the space of just a few weeks we've lost two music legends to cancer.
David Bowie and Lemmy both passed away following a battle with the disease, leaving fans shattered.
A new London show in aid of Stand Up To Cancer, then, could scarcely have come at a more appropriate time. Taking place at the Union Chapel, the show on February 1st will feature acoustic sets from Kodaline, James Morrison and Seafret, with Edith Bowman acting as compere.
Tickets sold out within minutes, and Clash will be there on the night to show support. Young lads from the small town of Bridlington, Seafret are set to have a very successful 2016 – but they've got some personal reasons for taking time out in aid of Stand Up To Cancer, as vocalist Jack Sedman explains…
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So how did you get involved with this show?
Since living down here we’ve been working with a company called Charm Factory, and the lady who set up the night is called Lorraine Long – she works there. When she was thinking of the idea she said, "would you be a part of it?" This was last year. She said “nothing is confirmed as yet, we don’t have any acts, really. Kodaline might do it!” She spread the word to James Morrison and the rest, and everyone is obviously keen to do it as it’s for a brilliant cause. So she offered us the show and it’s good to be a part of it and help raise money.
Have you done a lot of charity shows before?
No, but it’s something that we’ve been interested in doing right from the start. We told our live agent that we’d love to do more and that’s the plan, I think. Music can obviously generate money through tickets and things like that but it’s good to do more. Actually, when we first started out I used to just have a bucket at the front of the stage, so I thought about doing it like that but then I thought it might have been too much like begging! (laughs) Anyone want to give some money to charity?!
The show is in support of Stand Up To Cancer – is that something that’s close to your heart?
Yes. I mean, my granddad had it, my auntie has got it. I’ve had a lot of people in my life develop cancer. I’ve just lost a friend who was a year older than me, Tom. So yes, I’ve had a lot of people affected by it, so I guess it’ll be emotional. I haven’t sat down and thought about what it’s going to be like. The response of people coming to it has been amazing and obviously there’s some big names on there, so that’s going to attract attention. The tickets sold out in no time at all, I think!
Do those big names put extra pressure on you to go out and give the best Seafret performance you possibly can?
Yeah! We’re really comfortable with it because we met James Morrison briefly before, outside the studio. He’s really cool! We know the Kodaline lads. The show is stripped back, everyone is acoustic. It’ll be intimate – it’s a one off to see people like that. The first song I learned on guitar and sang to myself to see if I could sing, was James Morrison’s ‘Please Don't Stop The Rain’. So to meet him at the studio was like, “oh shit!” And to follow it up and do a gig with him is just even madder – and for the cause, as well… it’s going to be a brilliant gig!
The Union Chapel is an incredible venue in itself…
I’ve never been, actually. But I’ve heard good things.
The acoustics are amazing.
That’s great. We’ve been doing shows with the full band just before Christmas, and it’ll be good to come back and do acoustic shows.
You’ve done covers before, will you drop something unexpected into the set?
Should be do some James Morrison covers?! (laughs) Maybe, I’m not sure how long the set is. We’ve got new songs to play. We can always work on the ground. When it’s a night like that and people are supporting the cause you just want people to have a good time.
And you’ve got plenty of material because your new album is coming out in a matter of days.
The 29th! This month. It’s a big day, that. The countdown has begun! It’s all going to become real. The album is called ‘Tell Me It’s Real’ as well, which is quite good as it’s going to become real.
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I’ve just lost a friend who was a year older than me… so I guess it’ll be emotional.
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How was the studio process?
It’s been a journey. It’s been experimental all the way, because it was just me and Harry to start with, going to the studio and deciding how we want the album to sound. When we started out we didn’t want any production, really. Each track was added on what we thought complimented the track – if it benefits from some type of drum, or some type of bass or synth. There are a lot of sounds that we haven’t really worked with because obviously we’d started as acoustic, come down here and played. So it’s been learning as we go and playing around with sound.
We wanted each track to sound unique in terms of production but then work together as a whole. So you could listen to it and there’d be some acoustic, some synths, there’s an Irish girl on one. It’s a real mix. It’s going to be one of my proudest moments when that comes out.
Will it surprise people?
I hope so! That’s the aim. I mean, there’s so much new stuff on there that people have been asking from live shows, anyway, that they’ve liked. We’re happy with the versions that were recorded, the finished, final studio versions. So we can kind of do them live now, as they were recorded. So yeah, I hope it does.
Seafret have a few headline dates coming up, are you heading back to Bridlington any time soon?
We’re doing the Bridlington Spa on the 8th of February. Then on the 3rd we’re playing the 100 Club in London. Then we start doing in-stores for the album. We’ll be doing different independent record stores around the country each day from the day of release. We played Bridlington Spa last Easter, on Easter Sunday. But that was the theatre, and we’re playing the Main Room this time. It can hold 3000 people, if it’s full, so we’d better remember to bring some CDs!
The merch table will be busy!
Yeah. It’ll be crazy. We’ve always wanted to play that room but we never thought we’d get there. It always seemed like so much more than what we thought we’d do in reality. But we’re actually going to be onstage playing for our gig, which is just unreal. The year is getting off to a good start.
To finish, who are you most looking forward to seeing perform at the charity show?
I’d say James Morrison is the guy I want to see purely because he’s changed a lot since the first time I listened to him. Last I heard he was doing a bit of rapping and stuff – so I’ve no idea what it’s going to be like! But that’s exciting.
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Seafret's debut album 'Tell Me It's Real' will be released on January 29th. Catch the band live at London's 100 Club on February 3rd.
Can't make the show? Support Stand Up To Cancer online.
