PREVIEW

Regular Glastonbury-goers may think they’ve braved watery conditions to get their musical fix but they’ve got nothing on those who took part in the Lower Keys Underwater Music Festival on 13 July 2024. The “concert”, staged to promote environmentally responsible diving and reef protection, took place for the 40th time last weekend. Performers donned their swimming gear, including fins, and picked up their instruments to play at Looe Key Reef an area of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary about six miles south of Big Pine Key. Organised by the Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce and Keys radio station US1 104.1 FM, the concert provided a “submerged soundtrack” for divers. Participants swayed to a sea-focused playlist that included Jimmy Buffett’s Bubbles Up,” the Beatles’ Yellow Submarine and the themes from Gilligan’s Island and The Little Mermaid. Awareness messages also explained how to enjoy the underwater world while minimising environmental impacts on the reef. There's no word yet on whether Katrina and the Waves, Seasick Steve, or The Waterboys are playing next year's event.