PHOTOS: GREG VITALICH | BeachLife is quietly becoming one of the premier music festivals in the US. With nearly 40,000 turning out, attendees could not have asked for more over a picture perfect 3-day weekend in beautiful Redondo Beach. Fans from all over the world rocked out to over 55 bands across four unique stages featuring some of the best live music on the planet today. Whether you were into classic rock, alternative, or reggae, there was something for everybody at this year’s festival.
Sunday was the final day of BeachLife 2022, and the mission was to explore some of the incredible non-for-profit organizations that supported the festival this year. As one walked around the event, it was clear that many in attendance were there to do good and share their causes with the BeachLife faithful. Organizations such as The Wyland Foundation, Heal the Bay, and Life Rolls On were on hand and available for fans to learn more about their good works. In addition, there were a number of auctions where festival attendees could bid on BeachLife themed merchandise including signed surfboards, music memorabilia, and one-of-a-kind items donated by local sponsors.
From a musical perspective, the Steve Miller Band took the pole position on Sunday and was the perfect act to end BeachLife this year. This dude has been taking names and melting faces since 1962 and didn’t disappoint on one of the busiest days of the festival. Classics such as “Fly Like an Eagle, “Jet Airliner,” and “Abracadabra” were as crisp as ever while encore “Rock’n Me” was a fitting conclusion to a set for the ages. In addition, chart-toppers like Sheryl Crow and Lord Huron wowed the capacity crowd with amazing heartfelt performances. Special recognition goes out to Ozomatli, ALO, and UB40 (featuring Ali Campbell) for their brilliant Sunday performances.
Bottom line, Day 3 of BeachLife 2022 was exactly as billed and left little to the imagination. While different from the previous 2 days, Sunday’s classic lineup brought a uniquely different vibe to the festival—yet all the energy and then some—to what ended up being a near-capacity crowd. As I have mentioned previously, BeachLife is in a constant of evolution and continues to look for ways to break the mold of a prototypical music festival. And over the past few events, BeachLife attendees have seen exactly that happing and at breakneck speed. Whether you are into diverse lineups, delectable food, or tasty waves, this festival checked all the boxes and continues on its path to greatness. I’m excited to see where this festival goes (and grows) over the next few years and am sure it will continue on its upward trajectory towards greatness.
Overheard: “Steve Miller makes the youngsters on stage look like they’re running in slow motion—he’s the GOAT!” “I’m so glad that BeachLife affiliated with so many amazing local charities that care about OUR community.” “I don’t think Sheryl Crow ages at all, and her music…wow!” “ALO was awesome—great set, amazing music.”
