The BeachLife Festival returned for its sixth year during the first weekend in May, transforming the Redondo Beach waterfront into a celebration of sound, surf, and soul. While headliners like Lenny Kravitz, Sublime, and Alanis Morissette drew tens of thousands to the Toyota HighTide main stage, a powerful undercurrent came from three local bands—Sitting on Saturn, Sullvn, and Long Beach Dub Allstars. Each group reflects a different chapter in Southern California’s ever-evolving music scene, yet they’re united by the same creative DNA—fueled by the coast, community, and commitment to their craft.
Sitting on Saturn: From Backyard Gigs to Big-Stage Dreams
Every band starts somewhere. Sitting on Saturn began in Ventura County and grew into backyard parties at San Diego State, where their mix of indie rock, punk, and ska found a devoted following. “San Diego was definitely more like a party school,” said vocalist and guitarist Hoyt Yeatman. “We’d just play in people's backyards—it was crazy. That’s where we got a lot of our exposure.”
BeachLife was a special stop for Sitting on Saturn because it reminded them of home. “What we love about Redondo is the culture and the community,” explained bassist Kyle Hart. “It’s really laid-back here, and that’s similar to Ventura County. The people are more real.”
Even with their national tour this summer and a new album, tentatively titled Kismet, due out this fall, the band carries the same unfiltered energy that made those backyard gigs unforgettable.
“We listen to everything,” said Yeatman when asked what’s on the tour bus playlist. “Country, 1930s jazz, Herb Alpert, The Elovaters. It’s all in there.”
And their guiding philosophy? “Some of the best shows are the ones where people put their phones away and just live in the moment,” added Yeatman. “That’s what music’s about.”
Sullvn: Reinvention Through Rhythm
While Sitting on Saturn’s vibe embodies the ambition of a band on the rise, Sullvn’s story is a testament to the power of reinvention. Once the house band at dive bars like The Kraken in San Diego, they’ve since become a fixture at iconic venues like the Belly Up, and are now breaking through nationally, decades into their careers.
Their journey from San Diego’s underground is the result of relentless gigging, adaptability, and landing national management through their connection with Rick DeVoe (Blink-182). Led by Robert “Sully” Sullivan, who is also a nationally syndicated radio/TV talk show host, the collective is built up of Grammy- and Emmy-nominated bassist James East, drummer Tres “Sojourn” Hodgens, saxophonist Tomoka Nomura-Jarvis, and others. “We couldn’t get arrested outside of Oceanside,” quipped frontman Sully. Now they’re on Spotify with hundreds of thousands of listeners. In May, they released a new single, Rooftop, which they co-wrote and produced with Rome Ramirez (formerly of Sublime). Their polished, retro soul sound feels both nostalgic and new, rooted in their San Diego upbringing but built for broader stages.
Performing at BeachLife felt like coming full circle—especially for Sully, who lived in the South Bay for a period of time. “You can’t duplicate this vibe,” he said. “There’s not an area that’s quite like this.”
Long Beach Dub Allstars: Legacy, Love, and the Long Road
Where Sitting on Saturn brings fresh energy and Sullvn shows the power of reinvention, the Long Beach Dub Allstars (LBDAS) represent legacy. Formed in the wake of Sublime frontman Bradley Nowell’s death, the band became torchbearers for Long Beach’s reggae-rock movement: one built on love, loss, and deep community roots.
With both LBDAS and Sublime playing BeachLife this year, it’s more than just another festival—it’s a reunion. “It’s nice to be back here, for this fest,” explained saxophonist and vocalist Tim Wu. “It’s almost like a family reunion. It’s fun.”
Raised in the vibrant Long Beach scene of the late 1980s and early ’90s, the band’s musicians grew up playing small clubs and backyard parties, surrounded by peers like No Doubt and Reel Big Fish. “We all used to play with them constantly,” said bassist Ed Kampwirth. “A lot of bands would support each other, with some healthy competition as well.”
Now, they’re not only keeping the spirit alive, they’re passing the torch. Sublime lives on through Bradley’s son, Jakob Nowell, who’s forging his own path with the blessing and support of his father’s bandmates. “Jakob is doing a lot of things,” said LBDAS lead singer Opie Ortiz. “He's discovering himself. He’s discovering his voice. He’s discovering his dad. He’s discovering his dad's friends—his uncles. It’s been healing for all of us.”
A Southern California Soundtrack
Three bands—each on different rungs of the music industry ladder—all united by their Southern California DNA. Their sounds may differ, but the source is the same: songs born in backyards and dive bars, sharpened on the road and rooted in the communities that shaped them. The 2025 BeachLife Festival reminds us that some musical journeys start right in one’s own backyard.
"What we love about Redondo is the culture and the community. It’s really laid-back here. The people are more real.”
"It’s nice to be back here, for this fest. It’s almost like a family reunion. It’s fun.”