The inaugural BeachLife Nights, a two-day “concert in the sand” presented on October 18 and 19 along the Redondo Beach waterfront, was an unmitigated success. A boutique version of the grander BeachLife Fest, which typically takes place in May, it featured eight bands with a concentration on reggae/roots-influenced rock, including Michael Franti & Spearhead, Iration, Fortunate Youth, SOJA, English Beat, and Anuhea.

It was a good day. Redondo Beach, California’s, inaugural BeachLife Festival got off to a splendid start on Friday, May 3, with Bob Weir, Chris Robinson, Slightly Stoopid, and Steel Pulse leading the way, and the undercard featuring lots of roots-reggae rock, all of which colorfully defined the SoCal beach vibe. Cool breezes from the adjacent Santa Monica Bay and the Pacific Ocean kept temperatures in the 60s while the early May SoCal sun beamed down on several thousand rosy-faced attendees.