From Roy Wilkinson:

Sea Change Festival in Totnes in Devon have been setting new heights in magnificent meta-mogul music-marketing. All by means of a tin of paint and a wrecked van.

This tale is rooted in an ancient disputed business deal in the Devon market town. For years rusting automobiles have been left around Totnes, crudely daubed with a request to “PAY THE £5,000 YOU OWE”. In turn, this led to the title of the debut album from Totnes pop-funk experts Metronomy. The 2006 album was called Pip Paine (Pay the £5000 You Owe).

As time has elapsed, and some recompense has seemingly been made, the Totnes banger-graffiti has been modified to “PAY THE £4,500 YOU OWE.” Now Drift Records of Totnes, the people behind Sea Change, have made merry with this noble tradition of al fresco Devon art-protest. Please see below. Delightfully completing this curious circle, Metronomy are one of the Sea Change headliners this year.

“One of my older memories,” says Rupert Morrison of Drift, “is these knackered cars with the weird custom paint jobs. Any early example was done on a black hearse… It was fun installing our own tribute in Totnes – and learning it’s actually bloody hard to write neatly with emulsion on the side of a van.”

Will Burns and Hannah Peel bring ‘Chalk Hill Blue’ to this year’s Sea Change; friends of the river Virginia Astley, Salena Godden, Emma Warren and Martha Sprackland also appear on the lineup.See the programme so far/get your tickets here.