AS COOL AS IT GETS | BeachLife Festival pairs fine dining, music – VC Reporter

PICTURED: BeachLife organizer Allen Sanford. Photograph by JP Cordero 

by Alex Gallagher

Pasadena Weekly Workers Writer

Allen Sanford dreaded acquiring to sit via traffic and meander his way by way of Downtown Los Angeles to see a present at The Greek or The Hollywood Bowl. He was also fed up with live performance promoters scheduling displays west of Interstate 405, absent from what he identified as the mecca of lifestyle and style generating.

“I selfishly believed that if I could determine out how to toss an party that I did not have to travel to and could skateboard to it, that would be rather rad,” Sanford stated.

As a restaurateur with a portfolio spanning 14 eateries, Sanford wanted to offer you a pageant coupled with a culinary knowledge.

“I was talking to some friends when I begun this and we talked about how interesting it would be to have a cafe on the aspect of the phase,” he claimed. 

Sanford then regarded destinations, like Redondo Seaside, the place he typically surfs, swims and spends time with his daughter. These plans came to fruition in 2019 when the BeachLife Pageant was born. He wanted to retain the celebration going, but the good COVID-19 interrupter buried the festival in 2020. It returned in 2021 and will resume yet again this yr, using put Could 13-15 in Redondo Beach. This year’s lineup consists of Weezer, Black Pumas, 311, The Smashing Pumpkins, Stone Temple Pilots, Artwork Alexakis of Everclear  Lord Huron and Sheryl Crow.

“This is the 3rd calendar year we have performed this and very last calendar year we had been a person of the to start with festivals back from the pandemic,” Sanford explained. “Everything finished up turning out like something out of a storybook. Attendance was great. People today desired to have a superior time and smile. We were being extremely cautious with our COVID-19 protocols and the artistry that we put together in excess of-sent on the day.” 

Heading into this year’s pageant, Sanford aimed to curate a various lineup.

“What we’re hoping to do is e-book according to the emotion that you have at a festival alternatively than e book a bunch of good bands,” Sanford claimed. “Friday is when you’re usually amped and have a ton of electrical power. Our Friday evening is large-amount, raging party new music. Saturday is like a day off from work, hanging out with good friends and acquiring a excellent time with satisfying audio. Sunday is a lot more of the music lover’s working day, the place it is maybe a tiny additional musically superior or nostalgic as you spherical out the weekend.” 

With headline functions ranging basic rock to reggae to pop, each individual day features a blend of seems and ordeals. 

“It’s presently adequate enjoyable heading to the beach with your close friends on the weekend, but when you incorporate on these bands, it goes to the future amount,” Sanford explained. 

BeachLife will host 3 stages — two for headliners and a single for lesser functions. The fourth space pays homage to a person of California’s most celebrated genres. 

“The fourth stage is the speakeasy stage where by we’re displaying our punk rock roots by way of acoustic sets to where we can focus additional on the artist’s songwriting chops instead than the loud, distorted guitars,” Sanford defined. 

In addition to presenting a stacked lineup on the phase, BeachLife will provide an working experience that sets it aside from other festivals. 

“The dining element is key to the complete puzzle,” Sanford claimed. “Dining is one particular of those people items that goes hand in hand with reside tunes. Picture obtaining a five-study course dinner from a Michelin Star chef when you are 20 ft from Billy Corgan sipping on wonderful wine on the seaside at night. Which is about as great as it receives.” 

Michelin Star cooks will feel like rock stars, much too. 

“I just like that complete creativity that goes alongside with the culinary arts and the musical arts and placing people issues alongside one another,” Sanford mentioned.

He hopes the event will be unforgettable for everybody associated.

“If any person from all over the state comes and has this practical experience, I would feel that it gets to be a single of their treasured recollections or one of their times in time that they’re going to share for the next 30 yrs,” he said. 

The BeachLife Pageant will take position Could 13-15 at 137 N. Harbor Travel, Redondo Beach. Tickets get started at $159. To acquire and for more information and facts, go to beachlifefestival.com.