TVD Live Shots: BeachLife Festival Day One, 5/2

WORDS AND IMAGES: CHRIS LOOMIS | The beginning of May means it’s time to hit the beach—Redondo Beach, that is—for the annual BeachLife Festival, a three-day celebration of music, art, and beach life culture. The 6th annual BeachLife Festival took over Redondo Beach from May 2-4, 2025, delivering a first-class festival experience under the warm California sun. As one of the premier festivals in the country, BeachLife once again exceeded expectations with a spectacular lineup and unforgettable vibes.

The 2025 edition of BeachLife featured headlining sets from Lenny Kravitz, Sublime, and Alanis Morissette, as well as performances from Aloe Blacc, Train, The Pretenders, Jackson Browne, The Beach Boys, and many more. The festival curates an eclectic lineup spanning rock, indie pop, country, new wave, punk, reggae, and everything in between, making it one of Southern California’s premier music events.

The festival grounds were set up with four stages strategically placed to maximize the experience. The Hightide and Lowtide stages hosted the larger, well-known acts, while the Speakeasy stage offered intimate acoustic performances from punk legends and indie artists. The Riptide stage mixed established artists with up-and-coming acts. What sets BeachLife apart is that the Hightide and Lowtide stages never overlap performances, and each artist gets a full 60 minutes on stage, eliminating the tough decisions of choosing between acts.

Gates opened at 1:30 PM on Friday, and husband-and-wife folk duo Shovels & Rope kicked off the music at 2:20 PM with a low-key set of folk-infused rock and roll with a country flair. Over on the Speakeasy stage, Phantom Planet delivered the first up-close, intimate performance of the weekend. Meanwhile, old-school hip-hop trio Digable Planets brought the funk to the Lowtide stage, with Butter Fly, Doodlebug, and Ladybug Mecca trading rhymes. Their set closed with the Grammy-winning single “Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat).”

The day really got rocking when The Struts hit the Hightide stage. Charismatic frontman Luke Spiller had the crowd fully engaged with songs like “Body Talk” and “Dirty Sexy Money.” Spiller, a blend of Mick Jagger and Freddie Mercury, led the band through an 11-song set that ended with “Could Have Been Me.” Over on the Lowtide stage, O.A.R. drew a large crowd with an animated 60-minute set that segued into the early evening hours.

Aloe Blacc had everyone dancing and singing during his set, which included a beautiful cover of The Mamas & the Papas’ “California Dreamin’.” On the Speakeasy stage, Jim Lindberg from Pennywise and Milo Aukerman from punk legends Descendents played jam-packed sets. Each artist performed songs from their respective bands, along with covers, while sharing stories in between.

Train headlined the Lowtide stage, rocking the crowd from start to finish. Their set began with the smash hit “Calling All Angels” and included fantastic covers of Led Zeppelin’s “Going to California” and The Eagles’ “Hotel California,” with vocalist Pat Monahan’s 10-year-old son, Rock, joining in on vocals.

The night closed with famed rocker Lenny Kravitz taking the Hightide stage for a 90-minute set that had thousands in attendance rocking their socks off. Highlights included his cover of The Guess Who’s “American Woman,” “Are You Gonna Go My Way,” and the epic closer “Let Love Rule.” Day one of the BeachLife Festival was officially in the books, and fans headed home to rest up for Day two.

In addition to bringing top live musical acts to fans, BeachLife Festival gives back to the community by partnering with local nonprofit organizations. The festival also offers multiple levels of VIP options, special culinary experiences with side-stage dining, art galleries featuring works by members of the music community, games, shopping, and, of course, the beautiful SoCal beach scenery.

What’s better than music on the beach? The BeachLife Festival continues to prove why it’s one of the most unique and beloved festivals in the country.

MILO AUKERMAN