“It’s a beautiful day,” Brittany Howard said to the crowd as she played her guitar and squinted into the sunset during the first day of the three-day Ohana Festival at Doheny State Beach in Dana Point on Friday.
She was right. It was a gorgeous day: Temperatures peaked in the upper 80s, there was a cool breeze, the sun was shining. It was a stark difference from the kick-off of Ohana last year when a random rain and lightning storm caused a temporary festival evacuation. Under a few puffy clouds in the sky, music fans showed up eager and ready to enjoy the weather, music and each other.
People gathered on the sand to play games and cruise the makeshift boardwalk for festival swag and snacks. They also took in a variety of panel discussions with conservationists, environmentalists, researchers and professional surfers over on the Storytellers Stage, which included several art galleries.
They danced along to the sounds coming from the two main alternating stages, which included earlier sets by The Alive, Beach Goons, Habibi, Dope Lemon, Cautious Clay and St. Paul & The Broken Bones.
Howard delivered a soul-stirring set. The crowd joined her in singing along to covers of Jackie Wilson’s “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher” and Nina Simone’s “Revolution” and cheered her on as she sang “13th Century Metal,” during which she passionately repeats/reminds, “We are all brothers and sisters.”
Louisiana rock band The Revivalists brought some sax to the beach and got the venue grooving with its hit, “Wish I Knew You,” and the Texas trio Khruangbin impressed with its moody funk and songs like “August 10” and a turn mixed with instrumental bits of familiar songs like Dick Dale’s “Misirlou,” Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game” and Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg’s “Nuthin’ but a “G” Thang.”
Friday’s headliner Stevie Nicks brought some magic to the beachside venue. As waves lapped at the shore, Nicks cast her spell over Ohana, putting on an enchanting set filled with hits and factoids that she felt like sharing with the crowd.
Did you know Nicks hasn’t been to bed before 8 a.m. in nearly three decades? She shared that before a cover of Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth.” When she feels tapped out while writing, she said she still drags her mattress off of its frame, puts it on the floor, and covers it with beautiful linens and paper flowers to bring herself back to 1973 before she was “famous and rich,” she said.
She also admitted that there’s a song she cranks when she’s getting ready for the stage: Pink’s single “Try.” Nicks said she puts it “super loud on repeat,” and pointed out that Pink, who is closing out Ohana on Sunday, was in attendance and said she adored her as she dedicated the song “Landslide” to her. She also called festival curator and Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder “sneaky” for suddenly appearing on stage to sing Tom Petty’s vocal parts on “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around.”
“We should always remember Eddie Vedder in our hearts for making this possible,” Nicks said toward the end of the set.
She twirled around on stage during “Gold Dust Woman” and the audience sang loudly along to a cover of Petty’s “Free Fallin’.” She rocked through “Edge of Seventeen” and closed day one of Ohana with Fleetwood Mac’s “Rhiannon.”
The sixth annual Ohana continues through the weekend with performances by Vedder, Jack White, Billy Strings, Manchester Orchestra, Pink, St. Vincent, Dermot Kennedy, Grouplove, Broken Social Scene and more.
Ohana Festival
When: Sept. 30
Where: Doheny State Beach, Dana Point
Also: Noon Oct. 1-2 at Doheny State Beach, 25300 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point. Single-day tickets are $159-$499 at ohanafest.com.
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