TVD Live Shots: BeachLife Festival, 5/3–5/5

WORDS AND IMAGES: CHRIS LOOMIS | The fifth annual BeachLife Festival took over Redondo Beach for a 3 day celebration of music, artwork, and seashore life tradition. The 2024 version of BeachLife included headlining units from Sting and Incubus in addition to performances from Seal, ZZ Top, Devo, Dirty Heads and lots of extra. BeachLife curates its performances with an eclectic grouping of artists who span the whole lot from rock to indie pop, nation, new wave, punk, reggae and the whole lot in between which makes for one of many premier festivals within the state of California.

Set up with 4 phases strategically positioned all through the pageant grounds, the Hightide and Lowtide phases cater to the bigger well-known acts, the Speakeasy stage permits for intimate acoustic performances from punk legends and indie artists whereas the Riptide stage mixes established artists and up and coming acts. What makes BeachLife standout amongst festivals is the Hightide and Lowtide phases NEVER overlap performances, and every artist will get a full 60 minutes on stage so that you don’t should make these powerful selections on what artists to look at and which to overlook.

In addition to bringing high reside musical acts to followers, the pageant offers again to the group by partnering with nonprofit organizations within the space in addition to providing a number of ranges of VIP choices, particular culinary decisions whereas eating aspect stage, galleries with artwork created by members of the music group, stunning SoCal seashore surroundings, video games, purchasing and the chance to say “I used to be there” . . . what’s higher than music on the seashore.

While the climate was partly sunny and delicate on Friday and overcast on Saturday, Sunday was plagued with excessive winds which in the end pressured the pageant to close down early (about 5:30PM) as harmful wind gusts kicked up forcing Fleet Foxes, Trey Anastasio, and Sunday’s headliners My Morning Jacket to not play their respective units—an unlucky scenario for paying followers and the bands, however security first all the time wins.

BeachLife kicked off Friday at 2:00PM with the laid-back reggae/rock sounds of The Samples, however the vibe rapidly went from chill to excessive power when Seal hit the Hightide stage and jumped down into the group halfway by way of his set. Also, Dirty Heads closed the Lowtide stage on the seashore to a very amped up and rowdy crowd. Day one concluded with a 90-minute set by Sting in entrance of about 10,000 individuals as he took us all by way of his time machine of solo classics, coupled with a number of hits from The Police.

Saturday is all the time essentially the most crowded and jam-packed day of the three and this yr was no totally different. The final rock ‘n’ roll cowl band Chevy Metal performed early within the day and jammed covers by Van Halen, Rolling Stones, Thin Lizzy and extra. The late Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters was as soon as their drummer, however after his passing his 16-year-old son Shane has taken over the drum throne in high-quality trend. Punk rock legend Lee Ving joined Chevy Metal onstage to jam some Black Sabbath and Van Halen.

Other highlights on Saturday included reggae rockers Pepper and Steel Pulse in addition to new-wave pioneers Devo closing out the Lowtide stage to a capability crowd. After the solar set, Incubus took the stage and Brandon Boyd and band performed a thumping set of mid-tempo rockers that had the group completely engaged for his or her 90 minutes on stage.

Sunday introduced the final day of the pageant in addition to excessive winds. Sugar Ray as soon as once more made an look on stage, making this their fifth straight BeachLife Festival and the one artists to seem for all 5 years. Female rockers have been properly represented by units from Margo Price and Courtney Barnett. With Trey Anastasio and My Morning Jacket’s units being canceled, ZZ Top had the dignity of closing the pageant with a killer set of Texas-fried classics equivalent to “Sharp Dressed Man,” “La Grange,” and “Legs.”

Another yr and one other profitable BeachLife Festival—SoCal music followers eagerly await the 2025 BeachLife Festival lineup announcement because it appears to get higher and larger yearly.