Pearl Jam is set to close the final night of Eddie Vedder’s Ohana Festival in Dana Point on Sunday, Sept. 27, marking the band's first scheduled performance since longtime drummer Matt Cameron announced his departure in July 2025 after a 27 year run. The surprise booking puts the Seattle veterans on a seaside stage curated by their own frontman while they navigate a rare lineup shakeup off the road.
The three day festival runs Sept. 25 to 27 at Doheny State Beach and lists Vedder & Friends, Maná and Tyler Childers among its headliners, with Pearl Jam tapped to cap the festival’s final night. The weekend bill also includes Fontaines D.C., Pixies, Alabama Shakes and dozens more acts across multiple stages, according to Rock Cellar.
Matt Cameron publicly announced his departure from Pearl Jam on July 7, 2025, saying he had "taken [his] final steps down the drum riser" after a decades long tenure, and the band posted a warm statement in response. The group has not named a permanent replacement, leaving Dana Point as the first scheduled test of the post Cameron lineup, per reporting by MusicRadar.
Guitarist Mike McCready told SPIN that the band has been in regular contact and that, "It's going to happen, but I just don't know when," reflecting a cautious approach to booking new dates. Frontman Eddie Vedder has described the group as "woodshedding" while they workshop material and ideas, a characterization noted in coverage by Louder Sound.
Why Ohana Is a Logical Soft Landing
Ohana is Vedder’s boutique, oceanfront festival, a curated weekend that tends to favor intimate, artist led sets over full scale arena spectacle. That makes it a low pressure place for Pearl Jam to reintroduce itself in front of a crowd that is likely to be stacked with die hards. The festival also emphasizes conservation and community programming, giving Pearl Jam a built in narrative frame for a measured comeback, per Rock Cellar.
Tickets, Presales and What To Watch
Ohana's official site lists a presale beginning Thursday, May 14 at 10 a.m. PT, with sign up required for access and a public on sale to follow if tickets remain. Fans eyeing spots for Pearl Jam’s set are encouraged to register through the festival’s presale page and keep an eye on fan club channels for any exclusive allotments, according to Ohana Festival.
Where Matt Cameron Has Been Since Leaving
Since stepping away from Pearl Jam, Cameron has fronted a Wipers tribute project called Is This Real? and teamed up with Seattle singer Caspian Coberly on two cover tracks, "Shock Me" and "Snow Blind," released in January 2026 and credited to Caspian Coberly & Matt Cameron. The project has been playing local venues in Washington, a sign that Cameron has stayed active in smaller, hometown settings, per setlist.fm.
Fan Reaction and What Comes Next
Fan boards are already buzzing about who might take the drum stool and whether Pearl Jam will follow Ohana with a broader tour. Some longtime followers expect the band to trial a new lineup at Dana Point before committing to more dates. Discussion on the official Pearl Jam community shows a mix of excitement and cautious optimism as fans weigh the band’s next moves, per the Pearl Jam Community.
The festival lineup and Pearl Jam’s appearance were widely reported when the poster dropped on May 12, and The Seattle Times ran a write up on the announcement and its context. For ticketing details and the full daily schedule, fans can check the festival’s official site.
