Keanu Reeves’ band Dogstar took the stage at Eddie Vedder’s Ohana Festival opening for Pearl Jam in Dana Point, California. As he was introduced, he made a gesture to the fans after receiving a warm ovation from them.
Keanu Reeves thanks the crowd
Dogstar was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1991 when Keanu Reeves saw a man wearing a hockey sweater in the supermarket. They got to talking, then jamming, then, as Reeves tells it, “You know, we started in a garage, and then you end up starting to write songs, and then you’re like ‘Let’s go out and play them!’, and then you’re like ‘Let’s go on tour!’, and then…you’re playing.”
The love that Vedder feels for Ohana, which he founded in 2016 and curates each year, was pretty clear on Friday. He popped on stage to welcome early birds at the start of the fest; hours later, he joined Crowded House on stage for a pair of songs; and throughout Pearl Jam’s first of two performances there this weekend.
“You can do a lot of touring and not end up in a place that feels as good as this,” said Vedder after Pearl Jam tore through a revved-up take on “Corduroy” early in its set.
“When you set up this close to the ocean, and this close to that great wave, you think about surf, and you think about surfing, and you think about that ocean.”
The ocean is a large part of why Vedder created Ohana, and why the festival works so well in a setting that makes it one of the most beautiful festivals around. Sitting at the top of the bleachers offers killer views of both the stage in front and the waves behind. It was fitting, then, that Pearl Jam mixed a few rarities into its set that reflected Vedder’s passion for protecting the marine environment.
