Eddie Vedder and Lana Del Rey Reigned at Inaugural Ohana Festival

The grand debut of the Ohana Festival recently took place at Doheny State Beach in Dana Point. Curated by Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder, the event was in part a fundraiser for the San Onofre Parks Foundation, and Vedder was a friendly and welcoming host. The weekend was largely a success; concertgoers enjoyed perfect sunny weather, a light ocean breeze, violet-lit swaying palm trees and fantastic performances from the eclectic lineup.

The mood was happy and laidback, with a lot of the crowd dressed in flowing beach and festival wear or T-shirts from the Ohana merchandise stands. On the way to the stages, attendees could enter various tents for food samples and beach gear and could also learn more about the local wildlife and reach out and touch the sea stars at the Volcom Ocean Institute’s Science of Surf tent.

There was plenty of beer and cocktails available and while there were several food trucks selling burgers, kabobs, and tacos, they couldn’t quite keep up with the thousands of hungry customers. Lines near the end of Saturday night were over an hour long, although Sunday night the lines thinned out.

The layout for seating was much more comfortable. The bold could walk up close to the stage, while some preferred to sit on the outskirts with towels. Even a few hammocks were available. There was a side area where the show was projected for any overflow, and at the very back were a set of bleachers. Eddie Vedder said later those were the best seats in the house, since the top bleacher seats overlooked the ocean.

Saturday

The show started with a bang with sets from punk group White Reaper and the grunge rock of Mudhoney. The crowd seemed to like the vigorous set by X, who played “Los Angeles” and “Dancing with Tears in my Eyes.” Eddie Vedder really took ownership of the event, graciously supporting the other acts. He joined X for “The New World;” and later at the Tiki Stage, Vedder reunited with drummer Jack Irons (Pearl Jam’s  founding drummer) for a Pink Floyd jam with the crowd flocked to the side stage. Also playing the Tiki Stage that day was Lily Meola, who did a charming folk-influenced collection of songs.

Band of Horses came out strong with “Is There a Ghost.” Frontman Ben Bridwell sang his heart out and the band sounded tight throughout the set. They played a mix of old and new songs and left the crowd on a high note with the transcendent “The Funeral.”

Many were excited to see the legendary Elvis Costello. Even Vedder seemed star struck when later in the night he reminisced about their “(What’s so Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding” duet. Costello’s section was a little more subdued than the other acts, with acoustic versions of “Veronica” and “Everyday I Write the Book” and then later switching to a grand piano.

The night was clearly Vedder’s, and when he took center stage he did not disappoint. He opened with a ukulele set starting with Pearl Jam’s “Can’t Keep,” and progressively amped up as the night went on. Vedder explained his recent love of the ukulele, talking about how songs and instruments can change people, saying “It’s hard to feel too depressed or maniacal when you have a ukulele around.”

His versions of the Beatles’ “Hide Your Love Away” and Cat Stevens’ “Trouble” were crowd pleasers, with many singing along. For the former,  Vedder laughingly admitted that he couldn’t remember the intro, and maybe had the wrong harmonica for the song’s close, but the audience didn’t mind.

Instead of plowing through songs, Vedder created a warm and personalized experience. He talked about his connection to Doheney State Beach, sharing his first surfing experience in the Dana Point waters. Later, Vedder introduced iconic surfer Kelly Slater to the stage. Together they sang the Pearl Jam song “Indifference,” and actually sounded pretty impressive together. Vedder closed with his epic version of “Hard Sun,” and invited some of the artists from the day for a final number, Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World.”

Sunday

Sunday’s lineup seemed to attract a younger crowd. Opening the day was rock act, Jonny Two Bags and Americana singer Ryan Bingham. It was worth coming early for the gravel-voiced Bingham, who was one of the best of the day. Bingham, in a white cowboy hat, promised some country, blues, and rock n’ roll. The crowd loved the fiddle-heavy “Tell My Mother I Miss Her So” and the rock-fueled “Top Shelf Drug.”

The show then turned to neo-soul with Corinne Bailey Rae, who looked stunning in a red jumpsuit and long loose hair. Her vocals sounded smooth and lovely on “Is this Love.” She sang her popular tunes “Put Your Records On,” “Like as Star” and a knockout performance of “The Skies Will Break.”

On the side stage Polynesian dancers performed, and bands Wilderado and The Palms provided sunny indie pop to keep the audience entertained between the big stage sets. In the VIP section, Kelly Slater greeted fans and took pictures.

Eddie Vedder made another appearance to introduce Cat Powers, who he said is one of his “all time favorite singers.”  Cat’s smoky vocals sounded great on “Don’t Explain” and on a jazzy cover of “New York, New York.” Throughout she had a very gracious and humble demeanor. She ended with an acapella version of “I Can’t Give You Anything but Love,” and Vedder showed up for an adorable rendition of “Tonight You Belong to Me” (which they recorded on his “Ukulele Songs” album).

The mood got mellow as City and Colour (AKA Dallas Green) took the stage as the sun was going down over the waves. Behind him on the stage screen “beauty” was written in black and white. His voice sounded strong and moving as he played folk-tinged songs “Woman,” “Lover Come Back” and closing with “Comin’ Home.” The audience was mostly chill at this point, but there was a strong anticipation for Lana Del Rey.

Her staging was the most elaborate of the festival, with a glowing “del Rey” sign floating at the top with white beams radiating from it. The audience roared as del Ray came out in a retro white mini dress and said, “I can’t believe we’re back. This is my favorite place in the whole world!” She launched into her collection of blazing torch songs with “Cruel World” and a set that represented all her albums (even bringing back “Yayo” from her Lizzy Grant days). After “Honeymoon” and the festival appropriate “High by the Beach,” the audience started chanting for “Freak.” Del Rey seemed surprised but obliged if the audience promised to help her sing it.

The festival goers, enthralled with her dreamy performance, cheered loudly when she sang “Video Games” as the penultimate song. Twice Lana paused for an interlude where she walked down by the audience to take selfies and write autographs for fans. After saying how it was “such a dream” to be playing by the ocean, she closed the electrifying set with the rousing “Off to the Races.”

Between Vedder’s phenomenal presence and Del Rey’s lush presentation, all surrounded by the beauty of the beach, the festival was a unique and memorable experience. Vedder said of the event, “Every once and awhile you get a good invention.”

The Ohana Festival took place at Doheny State Beach on Aug. 27-28.