Green Day Rocks Explosive, Career-Spanning Set at U.S. Festival

The sound of punk rock thundered across Dana Point's coastline on Oct. 6. Green Day's performance at Doheny State Beach shook windows. At center stage, Billie Joe Armstrong led his bandmates through their biggest songs. Fans went wild for "American Idiot," jumped to "Basket Case," swayed to "Wake Me Up When September Ends," and sang every word of "When I Come Around." This marked year nine for the Ohana Festival.

The band mixed their classic tracks with fresh material. Their performance combined nostalgia, rebellion, and mastery, creating an energizing atmosphere. The crowd sang in a massive chorus with their voices carrying across the sand.

The day started with fierce sets from Skating Polly and Lambrini Girls. British rockers James took the stage as the sun climbed high. Tim Booth, the lead singer, dove into the mass of fans below. "We just kinda come up here and improvise. We don't know what ... we're doing," he said to the crowd, according to We Write About Music. Before the main act, Matt Shultz with Cage the Elephant got the crowd moving. 

A surprise came when Eddie Vedder stepped on stage as Amanda Reckonwith. His set mixed other artists' songs with his own work, and his performance had an intimate, funny, and campy vibe. Glen Hansard joined in for several numbers. Wet Leg brought their quirky sound to the beach, playing old and new songs. High Vis blasted through a raw punk set that spoke to current world problems.

Waves crashed behind three stages at Doheny State Beach all weekend. Stars and newcomers alike found their groove against the ocean backdrop, as salt air mixed with sound.