Over September 26-28, 2025 a sold-out Ohana Festival returned to Doheny State Beach in Dana Point, California for its ninth year. Founded by Pearl Jam’s lead singer Eddie Vedder, the event reflects his deep connection to the Southern California coastline where he once lived and surfed. “Ohana” means family in Hawaiian, and the festival leans into that spirit – an all-ages gathering that pairs the power of music with activism for community and environmental causes.
The most dedicated fans gathered on the beach Thursday evening for The Earthlings’ soundcheck, which has become a tradition, and the chance to see Vedder, who came to the fence line last year to say hello to the fans. He didn’t do it this year, but the crowd stayed well past sundown and was treated to a two-hour long concert on the beach. Many of these same fans were in line not long after the music ended for entry into the festival the next morning and a spot on the rail.
Women featured prominently on Ohana’s stages on Friday – Jessica Dobson (Deep Sea Diver, a Seattle band who opened for Pearl Jam during their 2024 tour), Kim Deal (formerly of the Pixies and the Breeders), Akira Galaxy (niece of Pearl Jam’s bassist Jeff Ament), Hinds (an indie rock band from Madrid) and Shirley Manson (Garbage). This was not a coincidence, as Vedder has always been intentional about supporting women in music.
Garbage played several of their biggest hits, including “#1 Crush,” “I Think I’m Paranoid,” “Stupid Girl,” and “I’m Only Happy When It Rains.”
Other Day One performers included Makua (Hawaiian surfer Makua Rothman), Stereophonics (a Welsh rock band formed in the early ‘90s) and Lukas Nelson (who also gave an impromptu performance on a small stage sponsored by Jersey Mike’s). Vedder joined Lukas Nelson for “Just Breathe,” a beautiful acoustic Pearl Jam song that Lukas has covered with his father, Willie Nelson.
When introducing Kings of Leon (who had to withdraw from Ohana in 2021 due to a family emergency), Vedder joked that it was “better late than never.” They finished their set with “Sex on Fire,” which drew cheers from the crowd.
To close out the first day of the festival, The Earthlings delivered over twenty songs – five from Earthling (Vedder’s 2022 solo album), three Pearl Jam cuts, several Eddie Vedder songs from the soundtracks for Flag Day and Into the Wild, and a run of covers –- a brief snippet of Devo’s “Gut Feeling” as they hit the stage; The Who’s “I’m One”; Mono Men’s “Watch Outside”; The English Beat’s “Save It for Later” (although Vedder’s version is most likely a nod to Pete Townshend’s cover) into Pearl Jam’s “Betterman”; Led Zeppelin’s “The Song Remains the Same” into Pearl Jam’s “Rearviewmirror,” one of the highlights of the night; George Harrison’s “Isn’t It a Pity” into The Beatles’ “Hey Jude”; and Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World.” Mid-set, Chad Smith tore through an intense drum solo medley that opened with Led Zeppelin’s “Good Times Bad Times.”
The Earthlings last toured in 2022 after the release of Earthling. The band features Andrew Watt (guitarist and producer of Earthling, Pearl Jam’s Dark Matter, and records by Lady Gaga, Ozzy Osbourne and others), Glen Hansard (The Frames, The Swell Season), Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Chris Chaney (Jane’s Addiction) and Josh Klinghoffer (Red Hot Chili Peppers, now a touring member of Pearl Jam). Watt, a native of Great Neck in Long Island, and Smith play occasional shows in New York as Smith & Watt Steakhouse. Be sure to catch them; they are one of the best cover bands in town.
In a sweet gesture, Vedder, who sometimes throws some tambourines into the crowd, handed one to his mother, who was watching from the side of the stage.
The finale was classic Pearl Jam – a raucous “Porch” (Pearl Jam) and “Rockin’ in the Free World,” with Vedder’s daughters Olivia and Harper and other performers joining in.
The Who’s presence was felt throughout the weekend, ahead of the last show of their North American Farewell Tour on October 1. During the Earthlings set, Vedder thanked Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey for changing his life, and on Saturday, he joined Tedeschi Trucks Band for a cover of “The Seeker.”
The Alain Johannes Band kicked off Day Two with its heavy, guitar-driven sound. Before introducing them, Vedder spotted a young fan’s handmade poster and joked that he was not expecting gifts, promising that it would be sold in the Cove Gallery alongside next year’s artwork. He noted that among most of his favorite musicians, Johannes is their favorite musician, and reminded the crowd that Johannes played in a band called Eleven with Jack Irons (Pearl Jam’s former drummer) and later Matt Cameron (Pearl Jam’s most recent drummer) when Irons left to join Pearl Jam. Johannes has had a long career as a musician (guitar, bass, vocals) and producer, collaborating with Hillel Slovak, Chris Cornell, Dave Grohl and many others.
The main stage leaned Americana and southern rock through the afternoon, with Chaparelle (from Austin, Texas), Margo Price and Tedeschi Trucks Band. Susan Tedeschi brought out her green Telecaster, signed by B.B. King, Herbie Hancock and other legends. TTB closed with Jeff Beck’s “Beck’s Bolero” and The Beatles’/Joe Cocker’s “With a Little Help From My Friends.”
Breaking up the run, Mon Rovia, one of Spotify’s 2024 Juniper Artists to Watch, offered a mellow ukelele set, sharing songs from his EP, Act 4: Atonement, about being born into the conflict in Liberia and his hope to inspire support for political refugees and asylum seekers.
Over on the Tiki Stage, Vedder jokingly apologized for his hangover from staying up until 3:00 am drinking on the beach with Glen Hansard. Introducing David Duchovny (who has released several studio albums and tours with his band in addition to his acting and writing career), Vedder described him as the author of two of his favorite books. Duchovny was followed by Mdou Moctar, a Nigerien desert blues rock guitarist who gave performed some of the day’s most electrifying guitar solos.
The crowd skewed younger for the alternative indie rock/pop bands Royel Otis (a duo from Sydney, Australia), who played a cover of the Cranberries’ “Linger” towards the end of their set, and Rainbow Kitten Surprise.
Rainbow flags lined the rail for Rainbow Kitten Surprise’s lead singer, Ela Melo, who is transgender.
The night ended with the soulful Leon Bridges and Hozier. Bridges, who played Forest Hills on September 4, brought out the acoustic guitar for crowd favorite “Texas Sun” and finished with “Coming Home” off of his debut album.
Hozier, who also headlined the Sea.Hear.Now Festival a few weeks ago, talked about appreciating the ocean air, having grown up in Ireland. He played to a screaming audience and finished the set with “Take Me to Church.”
Day Three proved that punk rock is not dead, nor are crowd surfing or mosh pits. Skating Polly kicked things off (literally, with her high kicks in red platform boots).
The Criticals, an indie rock band from Tennessee, kept the energy going with a set that included a cover of Nine Inch Nails’ “Closer,” much to the delight of many fans who had just seen Nine Inch Nails on their Peel It Back Tour. Lambrini Girls, The Chats (another band from Australia) and Wet Leg all drew large crowds.
Lambrini Girls came to Ohana between two NYC shows, at Racket on September 24 and the CBGB Festival on September 27. Phoebe Lunny led anti-police and pro-Palestine chants and climbed over the barricade into the crowd.
Wet Leg, who played during SummerStage in Central Park on September 17, followed by a show at Brooklyn Paramount the next night, was also a favorite.
Other performers during the afternoon included the British bands High Vis (punk) and James (rock).
James’ lead singer, Tim Booth, danced around the stage and climbed over the barricade into the crowd. James concluded their set with their most well-known song (featured in the movie American Pie), “Laid.”
But the big surprise (to some) was Amanda Reckonwith, although hardcore Pearl Jam fans suspected this would be a special appearance by Vedder. While High Vis finished their set on the main stage, the crew began to set up for “Amanda,” and once Ed’s stickered suitcase and black and white Gibson guitar were set on the stage, and Simon Good (guitar tech for Glen Hansard and sometimes Vedder) appeared, it was confirmed. Slowly, word began to spread, and people scrambled to the Tiki Stage. Vedder joked about wondering whose idea it was to play an acoustic set in the middle of a punk rock afternoon and then realizing it was his. He also explained that Amanda Reckonwith, a play on words (“a man to reckon with”), was a code name he adopted from John Entwistle of The Who. Vedder played five songs, four of them with Glen Hansard. He cracked up when he flubbed the solo riff during “Society.” They played two more songs, “Far Behind” and “Hard Sun,” from the Into the Wild soundtrack, as well as Hansard’s “Song of Good Hope” and “Falling Slowly.”
Cage the Elephant, fresh off of Oasis’ North American tour, and Green Day closed out the night and the weekend. As the sun dipped behind the main stage, Cage the Elephant ignited their set with bursts of pyrotechnics while Matt Shultz jumped across the stage in his trademark style. Brad Shultz gifted a guitar to a fan near the rail, sending the crowd into a frenzy as the ecstatic young man hoisted it overhead. Cage the Elephant is playing two shows at The Capitol Theatre on October 28 and 29.
Just after 7:00pm, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base, its sunlit exhaust forming a “space jellyfish” over the festival. Referencing the rocket, Billie Joe Armstrong joked, “There goes the Epstein files!” Green Day, who concluded their 16-month long Saviors Tour on September 30, played their biggest hits (“American Idiot,” “Holiday,” “Know Your Enemy,” “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,””Welcome to Paradise,” “21 Guns”, “When I Come Around”) and tagged “Free Fallin’” (Tom Petty) and “Ziggy Stardust” (David Bowie). The finale was, of course, “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)”!
The musical performances switched between the main Ohana stage and the smaller Tiki stage, making it easy to bounce between acts. Those parked at one stage could still view the performance on the other stage on large screens. The lineup felt extremely well curated – Friday was 90’s rock and pop, Saturday was Americana and southern rock, and Sunday roared with punk rock (with some thoughtful exceptions). The bill also spanned continents (Europe, Australia and even West Africa) and balanced well-known musical legends and exciting newcomers. LGBTQ representation and support were visible throughout, capped by Green Day dedicating “Bobby Sox” in solidarity.
Meanwhile, in The Cove, the Storytellers Stage welcomed activists, researchers and surfers for talks about the core pillars of the festival: oceans, activism, environmental justice, art, community and indigenous voices. Hugo Tagholm, surfer, environmentalist and CEO of Surfers Against Sewage, hosted the conversations.
Perfect weather, surfside vibes and a weekend stitched together by music and purpose… With a capacity of only 15,000, the festival manages to feel pretty intimate, especially compared to the large venues many of the bigger artists can fill. Plenty of beautiful moments, new friendships and memories – exactly what “Ohana” promises.
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