The gray skies opened up just in time for the return of the BeachLife Festival to Redondo Beach on Friday, May 5, and conguero Poncho Sánchez set the laid-back party tone early in the day right on the sand.
“It’s going to be a beautiful day, just look around ” said Long Beach resident Belinda Delgado as she pointed to the ocean and danced on the sand during Sánchez’s early afternoon set at the Lowtide stage, one of the first performances of day one of the May 5-7 festival.
Sánchez, who lives in nearby Whittier, performed a lively and danceable set that included his Latin jazz and Afro-Cuban percussion-driven original music as well as covers such as Carlos Santana’s “Oye Como Va.”
At one point the band even led the crowd in a “whoop there it is,” shout.
Nearly 50 bands make up the lineup for the fourth installment of the festival with music that spans rock, indie, pop, reggae and other genres.
Day one included a headlining performance by the Black Keys as well as sets by Pixies, Modest Mouse, Tegan and Sara and others while day two included headliner Gwen Stefani, plus Sublime with Rome, Band of Horses, Sugar Ray, who have performed at every single BeachLife Festival, and Tomorrows Bad Seeds.
Sunday’s closing day acts will include The Black Crowes, John Fogerty, The Head and the Heart and Trampled by Turtles.
The festival also celebrates food with a side stage pop-up restaurant where celebrated chefs cook multi-course meals next to the main stage as the music plays. It’s also a celebration of art, with a newly expanded art show with art pieces created by musicians and athletes displayed along the festival grounds.
The Music
The Black Keys closed out day one with a bluesy set that included hits like “Fever,” and “Gold on the…
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