Our day 2 at Ohana Festival 2023 started off wet. Jumping on the shuttle from the hotel just after 2pm, raindrops could be felt spitting down slightly. As the van turned into the venue it was pouring rain.
I immediately seeked shelter after entering the grounds until the downpour subsided just as Shame started on the Tiki stage. Festival goers who arrived for the early acts were in good spirits and seemed well prepared for the weather.
Shame probably felt right at home in the drizzle considering the post-punk band is from London, England. Lead singer Charlie Steen ended up taking off his shirt and jumping down in to the front pit to stand at the security fence.
Two parts of the festival that wasn’t so prepared for inclement weather was The Cove Gallery and the Storytellers stage. Due to the rain all of the art was covered in blue tarps and the events at the Storytellers stage was suspended. While the fabric suspended overhead provided shade from the sun, it was no match for rainfall. The tarps were removed and everything was restored to normal by 4pm after the rain had passed.
Charley Crockett was an early afternoon Country music warmup for another country band later in the evening. Crockett performed on the Ohana main stage having just released a live album and concert film the day prior.
Indie pop band Lucius were next at the Tiki stage. This is the second time this year I’ve had the opportunity to see them perform. I caught their set at BottleRock Napa Valley 2023 back in May. This time frontwomen Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig were wearing matching pink coats. During their set, Wolfe and Laessig ended up going in to the audience (which I unfortunately missed) to perform ‘Two of Us on The Run’. The would later make guest apperances during The War on Drugs and Eddie Vedder’s headlining set.
By the time jam band Goose took to the main stage, the rain had fully gone away and some sunlight started to peak through the clouds. Goose had a large audience with many of them yelling “Goooooooose!” between songs.
The War on Drugs closed out the Tiki stage for day 2 of the festival. Considering the Philadelphia rock band’s history, I was a little surprised they weren’t on the main stage.
The Chicks were the second to last performers of the day. The festival was The Chicks final stop for the North American portion of their world tour before heading to Australia. Lead vocalist Natalie Maines seemed to struggle slightly vocally early on in the set but by the halfway mark her voice was back to full strength. Their 13-song set included their fan favourite cover of ‘Landslide’ as well as hits ‘Wide Open Spaces’, ‘Not Ready to Make Nice’ and of set closer ‘Goodbye Earl’.
Closing out Day 2 of Ohana was festival founder Eddie Vedder and Earthlings. Vedder’s backing band Earthlings typically consists of guitarist/keyboardist Josh Klinghoffer, The Swell Season’s Glen Hansard, producer/guitarist Andrew Watt, bassist Chris Chaney and Red Hot Chili Peppers Chad Smith. With Smith on tour with the Chilis, filling in this year was Paul McCartney’s drummer Abe Laboriel Jr.
The start of the show had to stop a number of times during the first four songs due to people fainting in the crowd. It was an unusual occurrence considering the mild temperatures after the afternoon rains.
The set included covers of Tom Petty, The Rolling Stones, U2, The cure, The Pretenders and Neil Young amongst Vedder’s solo work and Pearl Jam songs. Following a performance of The Rolling Stones’ ‘Wishlist’ Vedder told the audience that he offered a $1000 bonus to whomever in the band could sing the first part of the song. He then asked Glen Hansard if he could borrow a thousand bucks.
Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig of Luscious joined Vedder on stage for the final song before the encore, a cover of George Harrison’s ‘Isn’t It a Pity and The Beatles’ ‘Hey Jude’.
While the band left the stage for the encore break, Vedder stayed and told the audience, “Usually this is the time when I run back and have a big sip of wine, but I might as well do it right here and toast you all for supporting us here on the beach.” He then informed the audience he received a phone call that day that someone he knew lost his battle with ALS. The family asked him to record a version of ‘Just Breathe’ to play at his memorial. Vedder asked the audience to turn on their phone lights while he performed the song.
The band returned to the stage for a cover of U2’s ‘One’. Vedder and Glen Hansard shared lead vocals. Following a cover of The Pretenders’ ‘Precious’ Vedder proclaimed to the crowd “This next number, I predict if this were Name That Tune, you’re gonna get the song before even the first note. Just from the hit of the drum. I guarantee you’re gonna know this song.” The band immediately went into a sped up version of The Cure’s ‘Just Like Heaven’.
The final song of the evening was Neil Young’s ‘Rocking in The Free World’.
