I think we all knew Point Break Fest in Virginia Beach was going to be good, but I don’t think we knew it was going to be this good. Regardless of how psyched I was about the lineup–boasting names like Sublime, Wiz Khalifa, and Rebelution–I managed my expectations for a first year festival, because, hey, you just never know with live music.
by Allie Adams
Courtesy of Point Break Festival/Hunter Nickless Photography
Little did I know we’d be blessed with a stress-free weekend of vacation vibes in our bikinis, perfect weather, the biggest variety of canned cocktails known to man, an impromptu late-night ocean dip with Jakob Nowell, and the craziest laser and light shows from Rebelution in recent memory.
My first clue that it was going to be epic was the producers and talent buyers, IMGoing (Something in the Water Festival) and Silverback Music (Closer to the Sun). They know what they’re doing. Okay, one box checked.
Second clue: the location. They really just put a festival in the sand ON THE WATER and said, “have fun!”. Two boxes checked, because I don’t know about you, but anything other than asphalt is an immediate “yes!” in my book. Beyond that, the hotels are literal steps away from the venue, overlooking the boardwalk and main stage.
There were lots of people on their balconies watching the show later on in the day, drinking, smoking, hanging out, generally just maxxin’ & relaxin’. It reminded me of Mardi Gras, minus the beads and feathers.
Courtesy of Point Break Festival/Evan Kinnear Photography
Third clue: the lineup. Everyone has Sublime Fever right now (and for good reason!) and this is only their second East Coast appearance together as a band since Jakob joined. Wiz Khalifa needs no introduction, and neither does Rebelution, a band with arguably the best live production in the scene. On top of that was the legendary Stephen Marley and OG’s Steel Pulse alongside newer acts like HIRIE, Passafire, Tropidelic, as well as local acts like Ganjacat and Cultivated Mind. Alright, three boxes checked.
The theme of the weekend at Point Break was that it was simply easy. Easy to get to, easy to have fun, easy to get in and out, easy to get to your hotel, easy to get food, easy to go to the bathroom, easy to get a spot up front for Sublime, you get the picture. At no point was anything stressful, crowded, ill-managed. At no point were the vibes anything but absolutely immaculate.
You could feel it in the air: people were having fun. Everyone was living their best life last weekend at Point Break Festival, and to me, that’s the definition of success. Will we see them next year? It seems to be going that way—the Point Break socials are awash with 2025 queries and future lineup requests, although they have not confirmed or denied.
Courtesy of Point Break Festival/Allie Adams