The Eddie Vedder-founded Ohana Festival will return to southern California for three days in September, with the opening and closing nights headlined by Pearl Jam, sandwiching a performance by Neil Young & Crazy Horse in the top-billed Saturday evening slot.
Other performers joining the eclectic lineup, scheduled for Sept. 27-29, include Alanis Morissette, Turnpike Troubadours, Garbage, Black Pumas, Maren Morris, Crowded House, the Breeders, Idles and Jenny Lewis.
Since Vedder started the festival in 2016, various headliners have rotated in and out, and he has led Ohana in some years with his solo band — but as far as the general public is concerned, there is no better headliner he could pick than Pearl Jam, whose presence ensures a sellout. And since this is an “on” year for the group, as they just released the “Dark Matter” album this past weekend, the band will be in fighting trim for a tour and presumably able to put on two fairly different sets for Ohana passholders.
As always, the gathering takes place on Doheny State Beach in Dana Point. Calif. A presale for the Pearl Jam-affiliated Ten Club began Tuesday morning, to be followed by a “general presale” Thursday. A “public” on-sale will follow at an unspecified date if passes remain, Ohaha’s announcement said.
The Ohana Festival has received the festival of the year award twice from the industry voters who select the Pollstar Awards, and Variety and other publications have heralded it as one of the best-curated festivals in the U.S., with undercard bookings that stray from predictable festival fare.
Beyond the above-mentioned act, Ohana — an intermediate-sized festival with just two stages — is bringing in Cat Power (doing her “Dylan ’66” set), Glen Hansard, Kim Gordon, Ryan Beatty, Gabriels, Dogstar and Flipturn. The bill is rounded out by the Moss, La Lom, Peter Cat Recording Co., Jaime Wyatt, Ibibio Sound Machine, Joe Wong, Nite Creatures, La Santa Cecilia, Teen Jesus & the Jean Teasers, Bad Nerves, John Cruz, Linka Moja, Pillow Queens, Goldie Boutilier and Very Nice Person.
While the presence of Pearl Jam alone augurs for full festival grounds in September, the presence of Young with Crazy Horse will be a significant draw as well. The reunited group is embarking on a real tour this summer for the first time since the mid-2010s, with a lineup consisting of bassist Billy Talbot, drummer Ralph Molina and guitarist Micah Nelson. (Nils Lofgren, who had done isolated dates as part of Crazy Horse in recent years, including playing on the new “Fuckin’ Up” live album, was unavailable, having duties with the E Street Band.) The tour starts Wednesday in San Diego and runs through the en of July. Although it initially looked like it might pass over the greater L.A. and Orange County area, Young fans in the region now have two engagements to choose between, both just announced this past week — Ohana Fest on Sept. 28, or the Hollywood Bowl Sept. 29.
More information on the Ohana Festival’s lineup, ticketing and VIP offers can be found here.
