The first weekend of May in Redondo Beach was full of sunshine, good music, and just a bit of wind for good measure. This year’s BeachLife Festival was the 6th iteration, boasting a 3-day lineup blending reggae, rock, latin, alternative, soul, and folk together across 4 stages. Luckily this year, I was able to catch all of the action and attend BeachLife Festival 2024!
Many brand names were on display at interactive booths, such as The Los Angeles Kings, Jack Daniel’s, Kona Big Wave, Gray Whale Gin, BodyGlove Apparel, Grillo’s Pickles, IKON Pass, Cutwater, LaMarca Prosecco, Gelato Pure Water, Golden Road Brewing Co., and Sketchers VIP Booth, with several other food and beverage brands offered throughout the festival grounds, including free merch!
I was very excited to see what BeachLife was all about. Below is a rundown of all of the performances I saw over that weekend:
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FRIDAY, MAY 3rd
Seal
One of the ultimate stage personas in music, Seal took the HighTide (main) stage for an iconic sunset performance. Coming out to a cover of T. Rex’s hard-rocking “20th Century Boy,” Seal commanded the stage with his strong performance and blazing all-white outfit. His cadence towards the BeachLife audience was compassionate and human, choosing to perform several songs from within the crowd, and speaking about how important connection and love is to “the human experience,” making direct eye contact with members of the crowd. Once the crowd had enough time to digest his evocative monologue, Seal gave his performance of the world-famous “Kiss From A Rose” as the California sun shimmered through the palm trees and cascaded down into night time.
Dirty Heads
Few bands embody the California spirit like Dirty Heads. Blending elements of rock, reggae, and hip-hop, the SoCal-native group displayed quite the ensemble onstage at LowTide (second stage), with electric/acoustic guitars, drums, synthesizers, trumpets, and trombones all coming together for their set. Vocalists Jared “Dirty J” Watson and Dustin “Duddy B” Bushnell traded off verses and choruses for most of the set, combining each individual’s unique sound. They began their set with “Heavy Water” and transitioned into the bass-heavy banger “Medusa” to get the crowd bouncing. Their setlist also included fan-favorites “Oxygen,” “Vacation,” and “Lay Me Down,” but did not include my personal favorite “Stand Tall.”
Surfer Blood
Overlapping with Dirty Heads, I was able to catch the last half of Surfer Blood’s set over at Riptide (Tito’s) stage. Surfer Blood is a surf-rock group from West Palm Beach, Florida, and claim that they are “the cleanest and nicest band in existence” according to their website–and honestly after watching their set, I believe it. The intimate stage layout allowed lead vocalist/guitarst John Paul Pitts to interact with the crowd in a casual way, giving their whole show a local garage show-feel. My standout song was their closer “Swim” which feels like the soundtrack to your favorite summer memory at the beach.
SATURDAY, MAY 4th
Steel Pulse
For true reggae fans, this set was the perfect way to start Day 2. Steel Pulse is a roots reggae band hailing from across the pond in England, due to members Basil Gabbidon’s (guitarist/vocalist) and David Hinds’s (lead vocals/guitar) heavy influence from Bob Marley & The Wailers. Steel Pulse is a group rooted in music history, initially forming in 1975 during the UK’s growing punk rock scene, finding a common ground in their shared views on racial injustice, human freedom, and unification for all. Steel Pulse shared several songs from their 2019 release Mass Manipulation, such as “Rize” and spoke directly to the crowd in hopes to spread the band’s message of “bettering mankind through music” and “halting the disarray of humanity by rejecting false ideals and breaking down the walls of systemic greed.” Their soulful grooves, poignant political lyricism, and unforgettable stage outfits made them a “can’t miss” show for Saturday’s slate.
Pepper
Fan-favorite Hawaiian reggae band Pepper has been rocking in the music scene since 1996. Bringing all of that good energy from Hawaii to San Diego where the band is currently located, the three-piece group features lead singer/guitarist Kaleo Wassman, bassist Bret Bollinger, and drummer Yesod Williams. The band opened with rock/reggae blend “Back Home” which got the crowd on the feet from the beginning. The rest of their set was full of surprises, including their hits “B.O.O.T.,” “Stone Love,” and “Ashes,” new songs such as “Tides” from their 2024 album Makai, and even closing their set with a cover of the 80s ballad “Careless Whisper” by George Michael– Pepper style. The band also made a nod to the date of their show landing on May The 4th [the colloquial Star Wars holiday] and led into their song “Stormtrooper.”
Santigold
The multi-genre Santigold has found her way in a variety of lineups, finding a home with almost any crowd due to her hypnotic melodies and one-of-a-kind stage presence. While Saturday’s weather began cloudy and overcast, even the sunshine couldn’t resist catching Santigold’s performance, and decided to shine through during her set. Santi White, known by her artist name, mentioned that she had been battling a bad cold during the show, but knew that the show must go on as she delivered a high-energy performance, with the help of her backing band and performance dancers that got the crowd involved– literally. There was never a down-time for Santigold’s set as she began with “L.E.S. Artistes” and and effortlessly transitioned to her many hits like “GO!,” “Run the Road,” “Lights Out,” and “Chasing Shadows.” She then brought out many fans from the crowd to dance along to “Creator,” even bringing her children out on stage to participate in the jamboree. Lastly, she electrified the crowd by closing with her well-known indie anthem “Disparate Youth.”
Local Natives
Hailing from next door over in Orange County, CA, Local Natives embraced the SoCal crowd with their wonderful harmonies and striking guitar tones. Indie fans joined in and sang along to songs as the band began with “I Saw You Close Your Eyes” and “Megaton Mile.” Lead vocalist/guitarist Taylor Rice kept the vibe going with a variety of songs from their albums over the years, including “Coins,” “NYE” and “Wide Eyes” before reintroducing BeachLife Festival-featured artist Jordana back to the stage for the smooth “Dark Days.” Local Natives’s set was the perfect mix of great melodies and mellow mood that allowed people in the crowd to dance and sing, and others to chill out and lay on the grass to enjoy some rest. The band finished with their anthem “When Am I Gonna Lose You.”
Incubus
While walking around the BeachLife grounds, I spotted countless Incubus merch items, whether they were purchased at the fest or were from fans’ personal closets (I was guilty of purchasing a hoodie myself.) The buzz ahead of their set was palpable; as the sun set for Day 2, the anticipation for their set to begin gravitated everyone towards HighTide stage as a large crowd loomed 30 minutes before the band took the stage. Finally, Incubus took the stage to “Quicksand,” a deeper cut that hypnotized the crowd leading into their next song “Nice To Know You” which felt like a seismic shift in tone that emulated the rocking waves of the ocean on a stormy night.
Throughout the set, Incubus oscillated back-and-forth in tone, casting a whirlwind of rock energy over the audience for some of their hits like “Pardon Me,” “Anna Molly,” “Vitamin,” “Circles,” and “Stellar,” and then slowing it down to a swaying melody with songs like “I Miss You,” and their iconic hit “Drive.” The band also left room for several interesting covers, including the Beatles’s “Come Together,” Portishead’s “Glory Box,” David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance,” and “Riders On The Storm” by The Doors which transitioned Incubus’s own into “Are You In?” perfectly. Lead singer Brandon Boyd shared his love for growing up in Southern California and how much it has meant for him and the band to still be playing shows like this now. The band recently revisited one of their most iconic albums and rerecorded it, producing Morning View XXIII with fresh ears and a more matured perspective. After a monumental show, the band contrasted their closing songs, with heavy hitter “Wish You Were Here” leading into “Aqueous Transmission” to close the night and “zen out” the crowd before sending them home for Day 3.
SUNDAY, MAY 5th
Atlas Genius
Australia’s own Atlas Genius began Day 3 for a noon show on the HighTide stage, waking the crowd up with infectious indie rock hooks. Vocalist/guitarist Keith Jeffrey from Adelaide, Australia pulled from a variety of upbeat songs such as “If So” and “Molecules” before giving the audience a taste of his new upcoming record by playing a track titled “63 Days.” In line with the unspoken common theme of BeachLife Festival, Atlas Genius also featured a few 80s covers like “Don’t You Want Me” by The Human League and “You Spin Me Round” by Dead or Alive. Lastly, he ended with his hit “Trojans.” After his set, I was able to sit down with Keith and discuss the new album, playing in the United States, changes in music culture, and what it’s like to have TWO songs featured in the illustrious FIFA video game soundtrack, so more on that is soon to come!
Update May 18, 2024: You can read the interview with Atlas Genius’s Keith Jeffery here!
Sugar Ray
BeachLife Festival veterans Sugar Ray have played every single lineup since the festival’s debut in 2019, and the group still can’t seem to get enough! Lead singer Mark McGrath dished out jokes as easily as their beach party hits, wasting no opportunities to crack a joke and connect with the crowd in between songs. Fans came to expect their hits like “Someday,” “Into Yesterday,” “Fly” and “Every Morning,” but I did not expect Mark’s genuine remarks of gratitude to the crowd, thanking his fans for sticking with him through the 90s mirage of frosted tips and radio hits alike. The Newport Beach native also payed homage to true Ska roots, performing a cover of “What’s Gone Wrong” by local legends The Untouchables.
St. Paul & The Broken Bones
Perhaps one of the top vocal performance I’ve seen in person, vocalist Paul Janeway of St. Paul & The Broken Bones absolutely blew me away. Bringing the soul of Birmingham, Alabama to Southern California, the crowd at BeachLife Festival couldn’t help but stare in awe of Janeway’s incredible range, along with the band’s full harmonious and multi-instrumental sound. Songs like “Call Me” and “Apollo” displayed their full blend of funk, soul, and blues. Many fans left their set as new fans of St. Paul & The Broken Bones.
Tito Puente Jr.
From Puerto Rico to Redondo Beach, Tito Puente Jr. honored the legacy of his late father by making the crowd sing and dance to his Caribbean grooves. Fittingly on the Tito’s stage, lead percussionist Tito Puente Jr. spread joy with songs like “Salsa Na’Ma”, as well as borrowing from his father’s hits with “Oye Como Va.” With Tito’s music playing and a drink in hand, you might as well be dancing in the streets of old San Juan.
Courtney Barnett
New age rock icon Courtney Barnett brought folk and blues to the HighTide stage among engaged fans. A product of Melbourne, Australia, Barnett has been featured in some of the biggest music festival lineups across the globe over the past decade. Her enthralling mix of easy going folk rock and punchy garage rock always keeps fans on their toes. Her true stardom shone through on songs like “Avant Gardener,” “History Eraser,” “Nameless, Faceless,” and her closing track “Nobody Really Cares If You Don’t Go To The Party.” Her head-banging guitar breaks told the crowd that she feels at home onstage.
ZZ Top
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, rock legends ZZ Top need no sort of introduction. Their rock/blues tone is absolutely irreplaceable, and with people filling up the entire LowTide stage, the crowd was ready to rock. The onstage band consisted of drummer Frank Beard and lead singer/guitarist Billy Gibbons since 1969, adding bassist Elwood Francis to fill in for member Dusty Hill, who passed away in 2021.Their setlist contained many monumental hits, including ‘Gimme All Your Lovin’, ‘Just Got Paid’, ‘Jesus Just Left Chicago’, ‘Legs’, and ‘Sharp Dressed Man’, and opting to tease the crowd by only playing the first few notes of ‘La Grange’ before the BeachLife Festival team made a shocking announcement.
Unfortunately, this is where BeachLife Festival 2024 ended. Due to high winds monitored by the event team, an announcement was made for festival-goers to exit the grounds for everyone’s safety immediately. They declared the festival would wait one hour to reassess conditions with hopes that the wind would die down, but later stated that the conditions were still unsafe to continue and officially closed the festival, missing out on remaining acts such as Fleet Foxes, Trey Anastasio, Classic Tab, and My Morning Jacket. The BeachLife Festival team apologized for the inconvenience, and assured that this was in the best interest and safety of everybody attending.
While this marked a bummer for the end of the individual day, this mishap did not cast a shadow over my experience that weekend. I learned that BeachLife Festival is a very homegrown experience and celebrates the South Bay communities of Redondo, Manhattan, and Hermosa Beach by coming together to celebrate together for a weekend. That grassroots effect is felt throughout the festival, from the vendors to the attendees to the artists. I got the chance to meet several friendly strangers, hear some awesome music, and enjoy the many accommodations that BeachLife Festival promised and delivered on. Being a first-time BeachLifer, I can guarantee I’ll have my eyes on next year’s lineup announcement.
crowdsurfermag.com 