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 11:30 AM on Saturday, and Tomorrow’s Bad Seeds kicked off the day at noon to a light crowd. By 2:00 PM, when Sugar Ray hit the Hightide stage, the area was already jam-packed. Frontman Mark McGrath knows how to work a crowd, and the band, decked out in all-white suits, opened with a cover of Ginuwine’s “Pony.” Their set was full of hits, including “Fly,” “Someday,” and “Every Morning.” Hailing from nearby Newport Beach, Sugar Ray is the only band to have played every BeachLife Festival since its inception.
On the Lowtide stage, Long Beach Dub Allstars delivered their signature ska-infused reggae rock, while back on the Hightide stage, Susanna Hoffs of The Bangles had everyone “walking like an Egyptian.” Her set was packed with Bangles classics, including “Manic Monday,” “Eternal Flame,” and, of course, “Walk Like an Egyptian.” Hoffs was all smiles, clearly having a blast on stage, and she looked and sounded fantastic
The iconic Marley family was represented by Skip Marley, grandson of Bob Marley, who carried on the family legacy with a soulful and authentic performance. Then it was time for some fun as Cake hit the stage with their trademark sarcastic lyrics, monotone singing, and plenty of vibraslap noise. Their set included “Sheep Go to Heaven,” “Meanwhile, Rick James,” and ended with their two biggest hits, “Short Skirt/Long Jacket” and “The Distance.” Cake was undoubtedly a highlight of not only the day but the entire festival.
Another standout performance came from The Pretenders, who packed the Lowtide stage area to capacity. Led by the nearly 74-year-old Chrissie Hynde, the band delivered a killer 90-minute set that was arguably the best of the entire festival. Hynde rocked out on her guitar and delivered spot-on vocals in an age-defying performance that left the crowd in awe.
As the sun set and the cool evening air rolled in, the energy heated up when Sublime took the Hightide stage. Led by Jakob Nowell, son of the late Bradley Nowell, and backed by original members Eric Wilson on bass and keyboards and Bud Gaugh on drums, the Long Beach natives recreated the magic of their early days. Jakob does his father proud, sounding remarkably similar and bringing the same wild onstage flair that makes Sublime so much fun to see live. The set was a 90-minute party featuring all the hits, ending, of course, with “Santeria.”
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.
Day 2 of the BeachLife Festival was officially in the books, and fans headed home to rest up for Day 3. What’s better than music on the beach?
CAKE
SUSANNA HOFFS
LONG BEACH DUB ALLSTARS
SKIP MARLEY
THE PRETENDERS
SUBLIME
SUGAR RAY
BEACHLIFE FESTIVAL, MAY 3, 2025
