Spring will swing at the BeachLife Festival
by Gavin Heaney
Springtime in the South Bay is more of a cross-up of winter and summer than its own season. The sun finally emerges from cold grey winter storms, flashing summery prospects of dazzling green gold and blue, warming up backyards and baseball games. But the beach remains windswept and unowned, brisk with stiff sea breezes still chilled by winter water. Surf sessions are dogged by mid morning onshore winds, which peskily persist and sting at sunset. It’s shoulder season and bare skin begins to reappear and live in the scattered sun.
It is between the last blast of Aleutian April and the moody marine layer of June gloom that the BeachLife Festival blossoms. Locals and visitors will again descend on the Redondo Beach waterfront for three days of live music at the festival’s sixth installment. This year will feature rock god Lenny Kravitz, snarky songstress Alanis Morrisette, and SoCal legends Sublime as headliners, plus many more international touring acts like Train, Pretenders, Jackson Browne and The Beach Boys.
Although the festival prides itself on bringing big artists to the beach, it also hopes to bring our beach to the world.
”BeachLife Festival has always been about more than just music, it’s about community, culture, and celebrating the coastal spirit that makes Redondo Beach so special.” said BeachLife Festival Director Sam Meyers. “As we gear up for BeachLife 2025, we are thrilled to welcome the largest crowd we’ve ever had in what will be a completely sold out show. This year, we’re seeing more fans than ever traveling in from outside California and the country, which speaks volumes about the impact of BeachLife and the love people have for our unique festival experience,” he said.
Ambitions for this year’s festival go beyond the music to establish the South Bay as a destination for its beach lifestyle.
“Bringing new audiences to our beloved South Bay isn’t just exciting, it’s essential. The more we expose people to this incredible area, the more we help its events grow and thrive for generations to come. We are so grateful for the unwavering support of our fans and community. Together, we’re building something meaningful that not only celebrates our beachside roots but gives our homegrown music scene the platform it deserves.” Meyers said.
Local music will be represented once again by reggae rockers Too Rude, Tomorrows Bad Seeds and others on the Riptide and High Tide stages. South Bay punk legends Milo Aukerman of The Descendents and Jim Lindberg of Pennywise will play on the Speakeasy stage, which will continue to offer the proximate performances it has become known for.
“The Speakeasy stage is a smaller, more intimate setting,” said Lindberg. “It’s not some huge stage where you’re separated from your audience by a barricade. Instead, they’re right there in front of you, singing along like you’re in someone’s living room or at a backyard barbecue. For me it’s extra special because the crowd is mostly close friends and family and people I went to grade school with. The Speakeasy is where you really get that family vibe and it will always be my favorite corner of the festival.” he said.
If the Speakeasy stage represents the heart of BeachLife, festival founder Allen Sanford hopes to keep the beat going with the integration of the California Surf Club, his new onsite venue, into the festival.
“With the opening of the California Surf Club alongside the BeachLife Festival this year, our team is especially excited to deliver the BeachLife experience to our fans. We are heads down in the details of each and every decision to make sure the consumer experience is second to none.” he said.
The club will host an exclusive show with 80’s rocker Rick Springfield for the BeachLife Festival’s third annual “Evening by the Sea” philanthropy gala, which kicks off the festival weekend and promises to be just the beginning of a whole new level of intimate musical performances by big time artists on the waterfront.
Winter is waning and the wait is almost over. The golden days of South Bay summer are approaching and The BeachLife Festival will be here to herald it May 2 – 4 in Redondo Beach.
For more information, visit BeachLifeFestival.com. ER
