New beachside music venue to open on July Fourth in Huntington Beach
A new seaside concert venue will open in Huntington Beach on the Fourth of July with a show from rapper Sir Mix-a-Lot.
Concert-goers will be able to stand on the sand at SeaLegs Live, which will be part of SeaLegs at the Beach, a restaurant and bar at 17851 Pacific Coast Highway.
The venue will have a capacity of 1,200, with special deals in which guests can reserve spots next to bonfires or under cabanas.
“I have traveled all over the world and the vibe and beauty of [SeaLegs] is special,” said John Reese, a concert producer who has worked with Guns N’ Roses and The Cure and in the past few months worked with Alicia Whitney, owner of SeaLegs at the Beach, to organize the new venue.
Whitney opened SeaLegs at the Beach last year, calling it a “trailblazing” effort because of its unique location on the sand. The Huntington Beach-based entrepreneur’s company, Prjkt Restaurant Group, owns several other establishments in the city, including SeaSalt Woodfire Grill, SeaSalt Burger and SeaLegs Wine Bar.
She began offering live music at SeaLegs at the Beach at the end of the summer in its inaugural year, and its success led her to hope for expansion.
She was introduced to Reese in November through a mutual friend. Reese, who founded Laguna Hills-based Synergy Global Entertainment, discussed the possibility of a music festival at SeaLegs.
The establishment hosted a pop-up concert in April with reggae group Sublime with Rome, and the performance helped fuel the decision to establish a regular concert venue there.
“People just loved it,” Reese said. “You felt alive and free.”
The marriage of music with the night sky, ocean waves and salty breeze made its mark on Reese.
“That show just confirmed to us that it would be a viable venue,” he said.
Huntington Beach has been devoid of a substantial musical venue for years. The most memorable, the Golden Bear, was torn down more than three decades ago after hosting famed musicians such as Jimi Hendrix, the Doors and the Ramones.
Reese, who has lived in Orange County for years, said he’s glad he can bring a notable venue to the city for people to be entertained and “make memories.”
Most guests will stand on the sand, but two cabanas and four fire pits can be reserved as VIP areas with seats and servers.
Reese said SeaLegs is trying to provide entertainment for fans of every genre, with about 35 shows currently planned.
Following Sir Mix-a-Lot’s concert will be rock band Unwritten Law (July 6), Circa Survive lead singer Anthony Green (July 7), rapper Waka Flocka Flame (July 8), rock bands P.O.D. and Alien Ant Farm (July 15), singer Uncle Kracker (July 29), rock bands Slaughter and Great White (July 30), country music group Love and Theft (Aug. 6), country band Parmalee (Aug. 10), rapper Kid Ink (Aug. 26), country star Cam (Aug. 31), singer Drew Baldridge (Sept. 28) and country star Kellie Pickler (Oct. 20).
Disc jockey Richard Blades will provide beach-themed entertainment July 28, Aug. 27, Sept. 24 and Oct. 22.
Tickets will range from $5 to $40 and can be purchased at sealegslive.com. Most shows will run from 8 to 10 p.m., primarily on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, with occasional concerts on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Reese said.
Twitter:@benbrazilpilot
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