Eddie Vedder kicked off his annual Ohana Festival Friday with a set filled with covers of songs by R.E.M., the Pretenders, and Prince, as well as his recent solo single “Long Way.”
Kings of Leon were originally scheduled to headline Friday night at the Vedder-founded festival in Dana Point, California’s Doheny State Beach, but the Followill clan returned home to be with their ailing mother Betty Ann Murphy; she died Friday, the band revealed.
Vedder served as the replacement headliner Friday — he’ll also headline Saturday night at the fest, with Pearl Jam playing Sunday — and the singer sent his condolences to Kings of Leon in the form of a rendition of their “Molly’s Chambers.”
Eddie Vedder
The setlist also included covers of R.E.M.’s “Drive,” the Pretenders’ “Precious” and the Who’s “I’m One”; the Who bassist Pino Palladino is a member of Vedder’s new live lineup, alongside Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, new Pearl Jam touring guitarist Josh Klinghoffer, guitarists Andrew Watt and Glen Hansard.
Vedder’s set also included Pearl Jam tracks (“Porch,” “Long Road,” “Corduroy”), his new song “Long Way” — the first single from his upcoming solo LP Earthling — and two songs from his Flag Day soundtrack, “Tender Mercies” and, with his daughter Olivia Vedder, “My Father’s Daughter”:
Following this weekend, Pearl Jam will return to Dana Point next weekend for an “encore” Ohana fest with two nights of headlining sets from the band, as well as performances by Beck, Brandi Carlile, Sleater-Kinney, Margo Price and more.
From Rolling Stone US
