Article Contributed by L. Paul Mann
Published on 2026-05-07
Duran Duran | photos by L. Paul Mann
Nostalgia and modern energy collided as BeachLife Festival 2026 kicked off its seventh year in Redondo Beach. With the Pacific Ocean as its backdrop, Day 1 offered an energetic mix of indie-pop, high-energy alternative, and a headlining new wave masterpiece.
The festival gates opened at 2:00 PM, welcoming a crowd that quickly filled the sand in front of the HighTide Stage. Opening the seventh installment of BeachLife Festival on Friday, May 1, South Bay’s own Jeremy Buck delivered a high-octane set that flawlessly captured the spirit of Redondo Beach.
Performing on the HighTide Stage at 2:20 PM, Buck opened the festival with his signature spiked mohawk and a wall of sound from his nine-piece band, including longtime collaborators Chris Hanna on keyboards and Joel Geist on drums.
The performance featured the live debut of Buck’s new single, “Just a Little Bit,” a funk-punk rock anthem that immediately raised the energy level for the weekend.
Balancing polished showmanship with raw hometown-hero energy, Buck moved effortlessly from piano-driven melodies to guitar-heavy rockers like “Turn My Ship Around,” proving why he’s become a staple of the local scene while demonstrating that his music is tailor-made for the festival’s grandest stage.
While music drives BeachLife, the event’s spirit remains grounded in South Bay beach culture. The Seaside Lagoon transformed into a vivid multisensory playground, merging picturesque waterfront views with a relaxed local atmosphere.
The 2026 edition also featured significant infrastructure upgrades designed to better integrate with the coastal environment.
The free bike valet near the main entrance buzzed throughout the day, a nod to the area’s laid-back ride-in lifestyle. For those arriving from farther away, the Dive N Surf rideshare hub helped ease congestion near the busy pier.
The introduction of the Industry Sky Deck offered a premium suite experience for larger groups, complete with luxurious indoor-outdoor seating and personal concierge service.
The Portofino Hotel & Marina, a local landmark, naturally served as a gathering point for early arrivals and festivalgoers seeking a pre-show ritual, featuring the inviting “Portofino Pours” self-pour beverage wall.
Between sets, the festival grounds stayed alive with more than just music.
The SpeakEasy Stage, sponsored by STōK Cold Brew, invited fans into a chilled-out beachside lounge atmosphere with intimate, stripped-down performances just steps from the sand.
Immersive art installations were scattered throughout the grounds, often doubling as popular photo opportunities. This year’s focus on sustainability was apparent through widespread water refill stations and brand activations centered on ocean conservation.
A thoughtfully curated marketplace brought together local Southern California brands, with artisan surf gear and sustainable beachwear encouraging festivalgoers to linger between the HighTide and LowTide stages.
BeachLife also featured two smaller intimate stages, each with its own unique charm. The Riptide Stage spotlighted emerging artists, including one of the day’s breakout performances from The Only Bay Allstars.
Situated alongside heavy hitters like Duran Duran and The Chainsmokers, the young band brought an authentic gritty energy to the Redondo Beach waterfront.
Led by guitarist and vocalist Bay Melnick Virgolino, The Only Bay Allstars opened with a set rooted in classic rock and blues. The lineup also featured Nikolaija Virgolino on drums and Gabriel Padilla on bass, with the group citing Billy Gibbons, Slash, and Stevie Ray Vaughan as major influences.
Over at the SpeakEasy Stage, the mood turned more intimate but no less compelling as Triple Bueno delivered a groove-heavy performance that kept the STōK crowd engaged, proving once again that BeachLife’s smaller stages often produce some of the festival’s most memorable surprises.
The opening day of BeachLife 2026 delivered the quintessential Southern California festival experience, pairing a crisp Pacific breeze with a lineup leaning heavily toward high-energy pop and indie-glam. Among the standout afternoon performances were Børns and the ever-reliable Fitz and The Tantrums, both expertly guiding the transition from daylight into dusk.
Garrett Borns continues to master a dreamy glam-rock aesthetic. Opening with “Faded Heart,” his set immediately channeled shimmering ‘70s textures and soaring falsettos. While his quirky stage banter — including card tricks and balloon animals — entertained fans near the rail, the music remained the true centerpiece.
“American Money” drifted over the Seaside Lagoon like a warm coastal haze, perfectly fitting the festival’s laid-back atmosphere. By the time he reached the inevitable closer “Electric Love,” the cross-generational appeal was undeniable, with longtime locals and younger fans equally caught up in the anthem.
If Børns supplied the atmosphere, Fitz and The Tantrums delivered the adrenaline.
Nearly two decades into their career, the group has evolved into a polished festival machine. Touring behind their latest album Man on the Moon, the band balanced fresh material like “OK OK OK” with the soul-infused hits that first put them on the map.
The set leaned heavily into newer stadium-ready pop songs such as “I Just Wanna Shine” and “Out of My League,” while still leaving room for gritty early favorites like “MoneyGrabber,” a reminder of the blue-eyed soul edge that initially defined the band.
During the set, there was also a distinct buzz surrounding vocalist Noelle Scaggs, who had just released her highly anticipated debut solo album, Money Fame Love, only days earlier via her own label, Adventures With Scaggs.
The album — blending house, R&B, and alt-pop — reflected Scaggs’ growing artistic independence, something that carried directly into her commanding stage presence during the performance. Her chemistry with Michael Fitzpatrick remained as sharp as ever, culminating in huge crowd reactions during “The Walker” and the percussion-heavy finale of “HandClap.”
As golden hour approached, Grouplove brought their trademark frenetic joy to the HighTide Stage. Christian Zucconi and Hannah Hooper’s vocal interplay during “Tongue Tied” felt tailor-made for a South Bay celebration.
At the same time, Jen Pop of The Bombpops delivered a stripped-down acoustic punk performance at the SpeakEasy Stage, offering a grittier counterpoint to the colorful indie-pop energy dominating the main grounds.
As the sun slowly descended Friday evening, Flipturn delivered what many considered the must-see indie-rock set of Day 1.
Taking the stage at 5:20 PM, the Florida-based five-piece unleashed a cinematic wave of sound perfectly matched to the coastal breeze. Lead vocalist Dillon Basse delivered especially striking vocals, backed by Tristan Duncan on lead guitar, Madeline Jarman on bass, Mitch Fountain on synth, and Devon VonBalson on drums.
The centerpiece arrived with “August,” whose slow-burning introduction evolved into a massive beachwide singalong that felt custom-built for the Redondo sunset.
To close out Day 1, The Chainsmokers transformed Redondo Beach into a giant open-air nightclub before Duran Duran’s highly anticipated finale.
The duo leaned heavily into their signature blend of EDM, pop hooks, and indie-alt remixes, keeping the crowd moving with hits like “Closer” and “Something Just Like This.”
While their placement on a traditionally rock- and Americana-focused lineup initially raised eyebrows, the pair’s visual production — complete with pyrotechnics and immersive LED displays — delivered a cinematic spectacle that resonated strongly with younger attendees.
Then came the night’s centerpiece.
Following the explosive sets from The Chainsmokers and Grouplove, the legendary Duran Duran took the HighTide Stage at 9:00 PM to a sea of glowing phones and deafening cheers.
Bathed in vivid purples and neon magentas, the band proved their new romantic roots have evolved into one of live music’s most polished and enduring spectacles.
Simon Le Bon immediately made a fashion statement, stepping onstage in a bright highlighter-green jacket as the band launched into the atmospheric “Velvet Newton” before seamlessly transitioning into “The Wild Boys.”
The setlist balanced four decades of material with precision. Classics like “Hungry Like the Wolf” and “A View to a Kill” — preceded by a sultry rendition of “The James Bond Theme” — transformed the Seaside Lagoon into a giant beachside karaoke session.
One of the evening’s standout moments came when backup vocalist Anna Ross joined Le Bon for a hauntingly beautiful performance of “Come Undone.”
As the ocean breeze rolled through the venue, “Ordinary World” felt especially poignant, the cool coastal air adding another emotional layer to the band’s pristine sound.
Proving they remain far more than a legacy act, Duran Duran also incorporated newer material like “Invisible” and the Nile Rodgers-assisted “Free to Love,” while futuristic visuals gave “Planet Earth” a sleek contemporary edge.
The encore became a triumphant celebration of the band’s enduring legacy. Following “Save a Prayer,” Duran Duran closed with “Rio,” as John Taylor’s instantly recognizable bass line sent fans dancing into the sand until the final notes faded just after 10:30 PM.
Despite some playful social media debate regarding Le Bon’s fluorescent jacket and occasional jumbo-screen sync issues, the consensus was unmistakable: Duran Duran delivered a masterclass in professional showmanship and musical depth, setting an incredibly high bar for the remainder of the weekend.
Duran Duran – BeachLife Festival 2026 Setlist
Velvet Newton
The Wild Boys
Is There Something I Should Know?
A View to a Kill (with James Bond Theme)
Hungry Like the Wolf
Evil Woman (ELO cover)
Invisible
Notorious
Pressure Off
Come Undone (feat. Anna Ross)
Ordinary World
Planet Earth / Psycho Killer (Talking Heads cover)
The Reflex
Girls on Film
Encore
Save a Prayer
Rio
