Photo by Nick Karp, Written by Danielle Chelosky.

“This is our last one — probably ever,” muttered lead vocalist Kyle Soto before playing the finale. Seahaven has been M.I.A. since 2016, when they released “Find a Way,” a more pop song, diverging from their typical emo sound. Instead of ignoring this excruciating hiatus for which fans have been relentlessly begging for answers, Soto mocked it and milked it — confirming that the band is still hiding in the shadows, and this is only one wake from hibernation. Still, Seahaven hasn’t lost their zeal after all that time as they opened for the sold out Man Overboard show in New Jersey at the relatively compacted House of Independents.

Their comeback commenced with “Black & White,” proving that their old sound won’t be left behind. “Don’t you know that I am exactly what you wanted?” yelled Soto, his voice upholding the same raspy fury as seven years ago. New Jersey native fans were few and far between, but the fervor of those few was evident. Words were echoed back and some eager fistpumpers climbed onto the shoulders of the fan in front of them (and were subsequently told by a security guard that that type of behavior was not allowed). It was a reunion full of warmth and dedication sprinkled across the room arbitrarily. Whether it was the tranquil Reverie Lagoon that yielded your love for Seahaven, the emo staple Winter Forever, or the chaotic Ghost, the band acknowledged all of their albums (even if only touching on one song) and sparked the same excitement within all fans. The following night in New York City at The Gramercy Theater would progress similarly — same setlist, same mysterious attitude, and same select bunch of fans.

At neither shows did the band play “Find a Way” from 2016, which could explain their absence — a disinterest in the direction in which they were heading. At this point, we can only hope that Seahaven will find their way. “Honey Bee” and “On the Floor” were also neglected, despite being two undeniably notable songs in their discography. However, the repertoire cocktail was a swift mix of ‘escapist’ by-the-water ambient music and angsty anthems about ambivalent relationships. It’s safe to say that Seahaven satisfied their fans musically, but only temporarily. We are again left to more waiting, but the band’s home state of California will be seeing the last of them on December 26th and 27th. Here’s to hoping some announcement will be made…

Setlist: