Wind was not a band on the Sunday Beach Life Festival playlist, but nonetheless, it played the final song. Extreme wind gusts, swaying lights, blowing sand, and ZZ Top’s beards flowing like flags left and right were all the unfortunate signs of the imminent closure of the fest four hours early. While Fleet Foxes, Trey Anastasio, and My Morning Jacket were unable to
perform, there was still a great line-up for a Sunday musical brunch to partake of earlier in the day.
It began at 11:30 am on the Hightide main stage with a terrific, power-packed set from Australian pop rockers Atlas genius. Playing a heading mix of songs from 2012 to their latest album release just last week, End of the Tunnel.
The group was generous of time and spirit, strutting the cat walk and sharing stories from pandemic times between melodic hits, including “If So,” “Symptoms,” and “Trojans,” which captivated with extensive radio play in the States nine years ago, as well as new tunes such as “On A Wave.” It was a great start to the day and another festival highlight.
Next up: the lush harmonies and silky vocals of Sugar Ray on the Lowtide, interspersed with banter about aging, hangovers, and the veteran funk rock performer’s fourth performance with the fest.
The set began with “Someday,” and ran through a joyous set of hits including “When It’s Over” and pop hit “Fly.”
An unexpected and previously unheard delight was St. Paul and the Broken Bones out of Birmingham, Alabama. Preaching the gospel of “Wolf in Sheeps Clothes” and the semi-eponymous “Broken Bones and Pocket Change,” among others, this mix of New Orleans-style jazz and Southern Soul was absolutely riveting.
Lead singer Paul Janeway has an unbelievable set of pipes, and he took his magnetic personna and vocals off the stage and into the wind blown audience, even climbing up into the VIP viewing area to summon all listeners to his church of music and joy.
All revved up and ready to party, the crowd spilled out the sides and back of the small Riptide stage for the exuberant Latin jazz stylings of Tito Puente Jr.
Wild, profound, and danceable musicianship by Puente and his band, from “Junior’s Mambo” to “Unforgiven Love.”
Meanwhile, on the increasingly windblown Lowtide stage closest to the water, country girl Margo Price offered a virtuoso country rock n’ roll sound including melodic rockers like “Shelter Me” and “Cocaine Cowboys.”
Playing guitar and drums and belting out tunes of country life, painful love, and independent swagger, her heart was still showing for the simple pleasures of “Tennessee Song,” with lyrics like “Seasons go, seasons come/Who we are and where we’re from/The truth is clear to those who know/As above, so below.”
Another strong performance by a fine female rocker came from Courtney Barnett back at the Hightide main stage. A real wow of a performance from Barnett, her set list shone like a hard bright diamond in the late afternoon sunlight.
Barnett noted the wind several times, but didn’t let it stop her, offering up greats like “Rae Street,” “History Eraser,” and “Walking on Eggshells” before a strong finish with “Nobody Really Cares If You Don’t Go to the Party.” Her muscular indie alt rock sound has a bit of country twang and a bite of the blues. The Australian artist is one to watch with the release of her latest album at the end of last year, End of the Day.
Classic blues rock was next up from ZZ Top. Beards whipping around in the increasingly sand-strewn wind on the Lowtide stage, the band vibrated power-packed songs like “Under Pressure,” the band’s big radio hit “Legs,” and a cover of Merle Haggard’s “Sixteen Tons.”
While they got in 12 of 14 songs, the last two were cut off by wind cancelling the rest of the set as the lights swayed and palms bent dramatically above the stage rigging.
We’d alerady switched stages ourselves after the Haggard cover due to the blowing sand, catching the bottom half of a set packed with great tunes from the terrific Gaby Moreno at the Riptide.
Moreno’s music ranges from Latin to jazzy folk and Americana. Great lyrics and passionate vocals delivered to an attentive crowd dancing on the astroturf. “Dance the Night Away” is a gem; so to is the very different and vibrant “Solid Ground” from her new Dusk.
We were having a fantastic day, and super looking forward to Fleet Foxes back at Hightide, pausing to pick up a slice of pizza before grabbing a spot. But that was when the announcement was made for everyone to calmly evacuate from the nearest exit. We were close to the main entrance, so leave we did, pizza in hand, momentarily glad there’d be only an hour’s break and delay before resuming the fest when wind gusts ceased.
But as soon as we were out of the venue proper, watching fronds fall from palms and the waves crash up against the Redondo Beach pier, it became obvious to me at 5:30 that the fest wouldn’t be resuming an hour later. When we returned to the press office at 6:45, rumors abounded, and 15 minutes later the official call was made that the festival would not start back up.
While the wind had the last song – a real howler – the fest was a wide-ranging, smooth running, extremely fun event. It was a joy to hear artists new to me, such as Grace McKagan, Jordana, City and Colour, and St. Paul and the Broken Bones, as well as experience favorites like Local Natives, Atlas Genius, and Courtney Barnett all serving up generous full concert-length sets. Classic acts Seal, Sting, DEVO, and Incubus were great to hear live, too. Wind or not, we were blown away by the array of musical talent.
If you missed the event, you’re in luck – you can listen to the fest for free on YouTube – the recaps are on the Beach Life Festival Live You Tube channel. You can also stream via Soundcloud.
- Genie Davis; photos by Jack Burke