Sunset soul and shoreline swagger: Lenny Kravitz shines at BeachLife Festival day one amid vintage sounds, cool vibes, and genre-spanning grooves.
The opening day of the BeachLife Festival unfolded like a love letter to California cool: golden-hour sun, salty ocean air, cool weather, and a kaleidoscope of sounds pulsing from the edge of the Pacific. But it was Lenny Kravitz—equal parts rock deity and sartorial icon—who brought the crowd to its feet and reminded everyone why live music still matters.
Before Kravitz, a genre-defying lineup warmed the stage—and the sand beneath thousands of bare feet. Digable Planets transported the afternoon crowd to the 90s underground, their jazzy flows on “Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)” gliding effortlessly over boom-bap beats.
Following Digable Planets, The Struts, led by the flamboyant Luke Spiller, detonated a glam-rock bomb of Queen-worthy bravado and eyeliner, pulling teens and Gen X dads into a sing-along frenzy.
O.A.R. leaned into breezy jams and crowd-favorite choruses, offering a kind of collegiate nostalgia that paired perfectly with craft beer and sunset selfies.
Aloe Blacc brought polish and poignancy to the early evening, his velvet baritone floating across “I Need a Dollar” and “Wake Me Up,” casting a soulful spell on sun-kissed festival-goers swaying on beach blankets.
Train, polished and radio-ready as ever, served up a hit-laden set culminating in a raucous rendition of “Drops of Jupiter,” turning the beachfront into one massive karaoke session.
With his unmistakable silhouette framed by the lights behind him and the early evening darkness, Lenny Kravitz emerged in a blue leather jacket, layers of gold jewelry, a gold blouse, and sunglasses that seemed surgically attached, even after dark. His hair—half halo, half rebellion—swirled in the ocean breeze like its own performer. At 60, Kravitz glided across the stage with the kinetic grace of someone who’s long mastered the art of being effortlessly magnetic.
Backed by a blistering band and flanked by Hoonch ‘The Wolf’ Choi on bass and guitarist Craig Ross, Kravitz dove into “Bring it On” with the confidence of a man who knows his catalog is carved into cultural memory. “Minister of Rock ‘n Roll” followed, molten and swaggering. Eventually, the set found its way to “It Ain’t Over ’Til It’s Over,” with Kravitz switching from prophet of rock to preacher of soul.
As Kravitz closed out the set with a searing version of “Are You Gonna Go My Way,” sparks flew—figuratively—from the stage. The encore consisted of a passionate “Let Love Rule” as the final notes rang out, he bowed low, lips curled in a sly grin, and slipped backstage as effortlessly as he entered, leaving a trail of sand, sweat, and style in his wake.
BeachLife’s first day ended not with a whisper, but with a roar—and the echo of Kravitz’s cool still hanging in the south bay air.
