Community continues to be the theme of Ohana Fest.
One of the most remarkable things about Ohana is how it truly feels like a family affair. The bands all have wonderful stories about how they came to meet the legendary Eddie Vedder, whether its in Japan with ties to Jack White, or a memorial for the late Leslie Jordan in Nashville. But it doesn’t stop there. The barricades are lined with folks who have been coming to the festival year after year, forming bonds that feel like family. The staff working the festival are a common sight. And so are the members of the press I found myself photographing alongside and bonding over just how incredible this festival is all weekend. Tight-knit would be putting it lightly. The lineup, as positively eclectic as ever, proved to show just how the close-knit philosophy of the festival persists, year in and year out, as the festival marched strongly into its 10th year of bringing music and community to the sands of Doheny.
Friday
Day one began (for me) curiously. Walking into the fest and making my way quickly to the Ohana stage (the larger of the two side by side stages that enable the absolute rarity in 2026 of a lineup with zero set crossover, enabling fans to see every single band without having to make the ever-challenging this or that decision process) to catch Florence Road. Unfortunately, and unbeknownst to most in the early Friday crowd, was that all of the band’s gear had been stolen following a show the night before in Los Angeles, CA. They had been trying to get borrowed gear sorted and setup to enable them to still play their Friday afternoon set, but ultimately, their set had to be cancelled. To say it was a bummer would be an understatement, but come day two, the nature of the Ohana community would become so amazingly apparent it was incredible, but we’ll get to that later.
The day quickly transitioned over to Japan’s Otoboke Beaver. Loud. Brash. Undeniably punk as hell. The four-piece ripped through their setlist, reviving the energy of the crowd baking beneath the Southern California sun. The heat didn’t matter. The energy was there, from band and crowd alike. Then the transition to Sugar. I, admittedly, did not realize just who Sugar was prior to doing some googling Friday morning. But once I had, I was excited. Sugar are comprised of Bob Mould (Hüsker Dü) as well as David Barbe on bass and Malcom Travis on drums, playing a set heavily covering their 1992 record Copper Blue.
Courtney Barnett then took to the Tiki stage, hitting crowd favorite “Avant Gardner” as the second song in the Australian’s eight-song set. The punk would continue with two, and I don’t say this lightly, absolute legends who found their way to the stage. First, Los Angeles’ own Bad Religion. Holy shit, what a set. Ramping up the tempo and slinging 15 songs squarely at the South County waves. Full tilt, Southern California punk. The highlight, beyond the hit-laden set list, was the set’s closer. Why? They were joined by Eddie Vedder for “American Jesus.” I was in awe as singer Greg Graffin and Vedder’s harmonies elevated a song I’ve heard countless times live to another level, so much so that I found myself texting a friend who is a massive Bad Religion fan about it, and I was then informed that not only was this rad as hell, it was as the song was recorded, with Vedder appearing on Recipe for Hate singing those very same backing vocals. Cool. As. Hell.
And just in case you hadn’t had enough punk legends for the hour, Billy Idol was up next on the Tiki stage, where he played with an energy and presence that was nothing short of remarkable as he and his band ripped through a set that include iconic songs like “White Wedding” and “Rebel Yell.” He also took the time to cover Tommy James and the Shondells “Mony Mony.” It was my first time seeing Billy Idol. It did not disappoint. Not by a long shot.
And as we were just one step away from the return of Eddie Vedder for a full set on the Ohana stage, it only makes sense that we would pick up one more legend, right? And we did, with Mexican band Maná. Introduced by Vedder, singing their praises as not just one of the most prolific Latin bands of all time, but one of the most prolific rock bands of all time, playing a record number of arena shows in Los Angeles, surpassing another legend, Bruce Springsteen, and were the first band to ever hold an arena residency in Los Angeles, over the course of the band’s 40-year career with north of 50 million albums world wide. Maná provided the perfect setup before stepping into the Eddie Vedder and Friends set that would be an incredible surprise to close out Friday night.
t’s not unusual to see festival originator and patron saint of Doheny, Eddie Vedder, find his way to stage more than once over the course of the weekend festival—in 2025, Vedder appeared both with Eddie Vedder and Earthlings, but also as a secret set on the fest’s smaller Tiki stage, being joined for an acoustic performance by friends. So seeing Eddie Vedder and Friends plus Pearl Jam on the line up on Friday and Sunday, it didn’t seem all that odd. Friday night’s Eddie Vedder and Friends set started about like how most people probably would have expected; Eddie on stage, a guitar in hand, singing, playing, Pearl Jam and solo songs “Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town” and “Far Behind.” Then Vedder was joined by Simon Good and the two performed Glen Hansard’s “Song of Good Hope,” dedicating the song to the late Hansard and bringing tears to the eyes of many, this photographer/writer included.
It wasn’t unexpected to find mentions of Glen, covers, or references to the Irish musician over the weekend; his ties to the festival were abundant and well known. But it was a remarkably moving moment nonetheless, and was a moment that I certainly won’t forget any time soon. Nor will Billy Idol and Vedder playing The Who’s “I’m One,” or Jeff Ament joining for “Bee Girl,” at which point most the crowd started to stir just a bit more. Up to this point, Vedder (and friends) had been seated on stools at the apron of the stage, surrounded by wedges and flanked by a large blackout curtain. Hell, I found myself wondering what was going on. We had stayed through three songs, and then four, and then five. I was, to be somewhat succinct, confused. Twenty years in a photo pit, and I don’t think I had ever been surprised by a festival’s media partner telling me to stay after the first three, let alone five.
As “Bee Girl” ended and Vedder hugged Ament, the blackout curtain ceased to be a blackout, but became a scrim, with still unknown players entering the stage as backlit silhouettes. Eyes darted about. Just who were the friends slated to join Eddie Vedder on Friday night? And that answer came quickly. Jeff Ament. Mike McCready. Stone Gossard. It hit the crowd immediately. They’re getting a surprise Pearl Jam set. Then eyes were swung back to the drum kit to see who would be taking the helm. Rumors had swirled for the weeks running into Ohana for Sunday’s Pearl Jam set, the band hadn’t announced a new drummer since long time member Matt Cameron’s departure in 2025. And what a surprise it was. Pearl Jam was joined by long-time drummer for Paul McCartney Abe Laboriel Jr. for the remaining fifteen songs. Vedder made note that this set he’d be playing with “some really good friends” as the band launched into a set comprised largely of Pearl Jam songs, but also adding in covers like “Sonic Reducer” and “Baba O’Riley” in the set’s encore. An unreal surprise to close out night one of the three night festival. Ten years of Ohana was off to one hell of a start, now guaranteeing not just one, but two Pearl Jam sets for the weekend.
Saturday
If day one was largely full of punk energy, Saturday was laced with acoustic guitars and a bit of country and Americana twang (positive). That’s not the say the day was a day of oops, all country, but it would be impossible to not see the thread tying so many artists together. The day began with Missouri’s Jake Wesley Rogers, who opened his set with an early 19th century hymn “I’ll Fly Away,” which felt like an incredibly appropriate way to both start the set and the day, before launching into his own set that included a duet with Olivia Vedder for “Pluto,” and a cover of Dolly Parton’s “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” to close the set a cappella.
Rogers made note that he normally performs with a full band, and that playing mostly alone with just an acoustic guitar was a bit of a departure, but the stripped back nature of the set brought what felt like an increased connection. After Rogers’ set wrapped, it was over to the Ohana stage for Ellery Harper. The Los Angeles native brought out what felt like a remarkably healthy dose of coastal country. The 25 year old felt remarkably appreciative of the chance to play Ohana, making note that he’s been coming more or less since the festival began. A wonderful full-circle moment.
Harper’s set transitioned into possibly the biggest curveball of the day—P.E.S.T. And what Ohana Fest weekend isn’t complete without one or two … sometimes three … curveballs. P.E.S.T. are a punk side project of Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam, and Eddie took the time to welcome the band to the stage and note that Jeff might just be Ohana 2026’s MVP—playing three sets over the weekend. P.E.S.T.’s set was rowdy, raucous, and just the right dose of energy to deliver after a gentle ramp into Saturday’s lineup for a barricade lined with fans donning the band’s merch.
Before the next set I’d cover, I took a minute to check out some of the activations and also pickup some lunch because no one wants to crash out 10 minutes before the headliner because they forgot to eat, photographers included. Which then led me to Alice Phoebe Lou. The South African singer, guitarist, and songwriter brought back a more mellow vibe but engaging heavily with the crowd as she and her band performed songs from her catalog. Then came The Front Bottoms. New Jersey’s own. Fitting in nicely into the largely folk energy of the day, the band, fronted as ever by Brian Sella, had the crowd sufficiently amped up. As a photographer, you spend a lot of time between fans and the stage and you can feel the energy fans can have as they connect with an artist, or when they don’t. It was felt. Personally, I couldn’t wipe the smile off of my face as I watched just about every human on that rail shouting along with Sella as he led the band through a career spanning set before ultimately closing out, aptly, with “Au Revoir,” which is French, and I do know what it means.
Following a band like The Front Bottoms would probably not feel like an easy task for most, but then came, for me, the biggest damn surprise of the weekend, Stephen Wilson Jr. Hot damn. Whether talking about Garys (plural) and their presence in the midwest and ability to fix just about anything you put in front of them, or playing guitar like there is absolutely not a tomorrow, the man who simply calls himself his father’s son (Stephen Wilson Sr., obviously), knows how to play a guitar and get a crowd going. That is for damn certain. It makes sense how the former food scientist earned his nomination for New Artist of the Year at the County Music Association Awards.
But what really gets folks excited at Ohana is a surprise appearance on stage, particularly one from our favorite fest hero Eddie Vedder. And boy did the crowd get a surprise during Wilson Jr.’s set. He was joined by Vedder to cover Hunger Strike. If I couldn’t see the stage, I could have sworn they were joined by Chris Cornell in that moment. Easily a weekend highlight. Easily.
After a pause while Men I Trust took the stage, I got back out for Jon Batiste’s set. Holy joy felt during that set, y’all. If you can watch Batiste on stage and not smile, you must be having a bad freaking day. I was not having a bad day at all. Nope, not one bit. The Louisiana-born, Juilliard School-educated, former Colbert band leader, frequent collaborator, and absolute legend brought forth the energy you’d expect and a smile that couldn’t leave his face either as he and his band moved the crowd to dance as they played one of the best sets I have seen in my concert-going life, playing not only his own works, but covering legends like Prince and Tom Petty, or playing what felt like the most perfect rendition of “When the Saints Go Marching in.” Batiste’s set was perfect and beautiful.
I’d say it’s only up from here for the day, but that’s a given when you’re at Doheny State Beach for Ohana. I don’t think there’s a downside all weekend. So the climb continued into Alabama Shakes, as Brittany Howard and band crushed their set. The Grammy award-winning band brought their blues laden rock from Alabama to the shores of California, and my word did it land. The band’s hours set was filled to the brim with music, hitting 14 songs, including “Hold On.” Howard, Cockrell, and Fogg brought the energy that Alabama Shakes are known for and I’m grateful to have finally had the chance to experience it in person.
Normally, this would be the point in the night where we have a changeover on the main stage; everyone grabs some food (or tries to), maybe a drink and waits for the headliner to take to the stage. Saturday was not normal in the best of ways. Friday afternoon’s Florence Road set was left empty, again because of a massive bummer of gear theft. I was bummed, as were many others in the crowd. But remember the Ohana family note? The community that I seem to not be able to stop talking about? Yeah, it shows up here. Through some serious efforts not only by Florence Road, but also by Eddie Vedder and his team, they found the perfect slot for Florence Road to play. The Saturday changeover. Revive the Tiki for one more set that felt like a secret show. Wild. And what a set it was. Everyone was excited to see the Irish band take the stage. What was even more remarkable was to find out that not only did Vedder work to get the band sorted with gear, he insisted that Florence Road vocalist and guitarist play his guitar. Hot. Damn. Such a cool moment.
Closing out Saturday night was Tyler Childers, an inimitable performer who’s lyrics can have you buckling in laughter, folding in sorrow, or lifted by love and yearning. The Kentucky singer delivered all of the above to the California coast. Whether it was his arguably classic (at this point) unpredictable mid-set speeches (in the best of ways), like preceding “Jersey Giant” with something to the effect of, “Here’s that TikTok song,” or jumping straight into “Shake the Frost” as song two of he and his band’s 17-song set. Or maybe it’s commentary about the … ahem … raciness of “Rustin’ in the Rain” before jumping into the unshakeable love song “All Your’n.” Childers, accompanied by his band, The Food Stamps, brought a healthy dose of their own brand of traditional country music to Ohana and it put a smile upon my face. My third time seeing Childers, second photographing, and first time photographing with the full production of his current tour, it was a blast and a hell of a way to close down night two of the fest.
On the way out of the fest grounds Saturday night, I couldn’t help but notice something different from Friday night. Folks had settled into camping chairs running along the fence near the venue entrances. It clicked quick; they were camping out in an effort to secure the best possible spot on the barricade for Sunday’s Pearl Jam set … in 24 hours. The commitment was unreal to see. And after seeing Pearl Jam’s set the next night, I’d think I’d say that it was probably worth it.
Sunday
After an unfortunately late arrival on my part to Doheny Sunday afternoon (the 5 … always unpredictable … even on a Sunday morning), my day started with Linka Moja’s set. Emma Routhier, The Truckee, CA resident got the day started (for me) with a healthy dose of rock before closing her set with a cover of The Cranberries “Zombie” that echoed through the fest grounds. Following Linka Moja was Horsegirl, a trio from Chicago, IL. The band’s pop-laden indie rock had a fun energy as the band played through their set while encouraging everyone in the crowd to dance.
Then came an artist who immediately dialed the energy up to 11 … maybe 12. Ecca Vandal. The Australia-based artist had an energy that might have been unmatched over the course of the weekend. It was loud. It was fast. And it was a set that felt almost impossible to contain to a genre. Hip hop, hardcore, punk, pop, and it worked. Quite well. I loved it. Then came a few back to back acts where I (mostly) knew what to expect. Hitting lead was The Format. The early ’00’s indie pop duo has returned from hiatus, released new music, and found their way to the beach. An absolute treat. Starting their set with “If Work Permits,” and singer Nate Ruess and guitarist Sam Means perfectly pausing before “Hey I’m doing alright,” to check in on the Ohana crowd before the song’s natural intensity dialed up. Much like Saturday’s The Front Bottoms set, the crowd was beyond engaged, shouting every word right back to Ruess through the set.
Perhaps one of my favorite things seen along the barricade was this shared connection between families. Parents and their kids both singing along, presumably from those very parents sharing their music (because who hasn’t had that experience with their own parents growing up?). It was so. Damn. Cool. After If Work Permits, the band played “Tie the Rope” before playing two new songs, “Holy Roller” and “Leave it Alone (Till the Morning)” off of Boycott Heaven, their latest record released in January of this year. They would close their set with the song of the same title after playing a perfectly balanced set between Boycott Heaven, Dog Problems, and Interventions + Lullabies. The set was perfect. A smile never left my face from when the first note struck until the last one rang out. A
nd a juxtaposition that couldn’t be any better was the transition from The Format to members of what in my mind is a shared musical cohort, Rilo Kiley. Reunited last year after over a decade of hiatus, the band, notably fronted by Jenny Lewis (also of The Postal Service), brought their indie rock to the Ohana stage. The band’s set was largely well received, though a medical emergency in the crowd brought about a lengthy delay before the band played their final song for the day, “With Arms Outstretched.”
Pixies would close out the Tiki stage (no secret set tonight). The Boston band would, of course, play “Where is My Mind?” but the coolest moment of the 16-song set was probably song five, when they would be joined by … yeah, you guessed it, Eddie Vedder. “Wave of Mutilation” was introduced as a perfect song to play on the beach, and to see Vedder on stage with Black Francis. Fontaines D.C. would go onto play immediately before Sunday’s Pearl Jam set, playing a set that sounded absolutely massive.
Sunday was the scripted and transparently known-about Pearl Jam set, but that didn’t make it any less special. It started with Vedder on stage, speaking at length about his friend, Glen Hansard, before playing a video showing the many memories and moments of Hansard and Vedder together, as well as at Ohana, interacting with fans, family, etc., in an absolutely emotional start to the band’s set. Vedder’s introduction was clearly emotional, with multiple pauses taken to find composure.
The first song was “Long Road,” followed by “Given to Fly” and “Daughter,” but the big moments were saved for later. Michigan singer, songwriter, and guitarist Billy Strings had been spotted by a few fans making his way around the venue earlier in the day, and that brought on questions like … will we see him take the stage at some point, or is he just here to enjoy the music? It seems the answer was probably both, but absolutely to the former. Vedder would bring Billy Strings to stage to perform “Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town,” the second time for Vedder to perform this song this weekend, followed by “Throw Your Hatred Down,” a Neil Young cover. Other notable moments would be Vedder dedicating “Better Man” to Abe Laboriel Jr., thanking him for joining the band that weekend (and seeming to later clarify that Abe was filling in for the weekend, not necessarily becoming a permanent member of the band), and in the encore, Pearl Jam was once again joined by Billy Strings to play another Neil Young cover, this time “Rockin’ in the Free World.” Quite the way to close out three days in Dana Point.
There’s an abundance of festivals out there in 2026, many of them in Southern California. I can say that there aren’t many festivals anywhere that feel like Ohana. I can count ones that feel similar on one hand. But to see a festival where bands step up to help out others with rescheduling a set, providing gear, and making sure everyone is taken care of? The community is unmatched. Everyone is united by the music. Fans are looking out for one another. Security is making sure folks are staying hydrated while baking beneath the September sun. And the lineup has something for literally everyone. You don’t build a fest like this overnight, but to see it built with such resounding success and stability after 10 years? You don’t see that that often either. When weekend passes sell out in a matter of minutes, and you run into the same friends in the press area, on the barricade, and pretty much everywhere you go, you start to realize just how special a festival is. And this one? This one is special.
