Pearl Jam Surprise Ohana With Abe Laboriel Jr. Behind the Kit

WHAT WENT DOWN

An "Eddie Vedder & Friends" set at Ohana Festival turned into a full Pearl Jam show when a curtain dropped mid-"Corduroy" ^*, ^¶. Behind the kit: Abe Laboriel Jr., Paul McCartney's drummer since 2001, with a large question mark painted on his kick drum head ^*, ^§.

THE DETAILS

Friday, Sept. 25, 2026 at Doheny State Beach in Dana Point, California — Vedder played five acoustic songs before switching to electric ^*.
The acoustic portion included a tribute to Glen Hansard and the Who's "I'm One" with Billy Idol ^*.
The 15-song set ran "Even Flow," "Do the Evolution," "Hail, Hail" and "Porch," plus covers of the Dead Boys' "Sonic Reducer" — dedicated to Cheetah Chrome — and "Baba O'Riley" ^*.
First Pearl Jam show since Matt Cameron's amicable exit after 27 years ^*, ^‡.
Vedder called Laboriel Jr. "helping us out on drums tonight" ^**.

THE TAKE

Stone Gossard said in May the drummer would be revealed at Ohana, and the question mark suggests the band knows exactly how much mystery it's selling ^*. Nothing is confirmed — Laboriel Jr. was expected back for Sunday's headline slot ^*, ^‡.

Source ArticlesShow Inline Citations

^* Pearl Jam Play With New Drummer at Ohana Fest – Setlist + Video — Jordan Blum, Loudwire, 2026-09-27T14:36:38+00:00 — https://loudwire.com/pearl-jam-new-drummer-ohana-festival-setlist-video/
^† Watch: PEARL JAM Plays Surprise Set With Drummer ABE LABORIEL JR. At OHANA FESTIVAL — Blabbermouth, Blabbermouth, 2026-09-26T07:56:30+00:00 — https://blabbermouth.net/news/watch-pearl-jam-plays-surprise-set-with-drummer-abe-laboriel-jr-at-ohana-festival
^‡ Drummer Abe Laboriel Jr. Joins Pearl Jam at Ohana Festival — Spencer Kaufman, Consequence, 2026-09-26T04:58:14+00:00 — https://consequence.net/2026/09/pearl-jam-new-drummer-ohana-festival/
^§ Did Paul McCartney's Longtime Drummer Just Join Pearl Jam? — Matthew Wilkening, Ultimate Classic Rock, 2026-09-26T12:47:54+00:00 — https://ultimateclassicrock.com/pearl-jam-abe-laboriel/
^¶ Drummer Abe Laboriel Jr. performs with members of Pearl Jam ahead of band's Ohana Festival slot — Stef Lach, Louder Sound, 2026-09-26T21:00:00+00:00 — https://www.loudersound.com/bands-artists/drummer-abe-laboriel-jr-performs-with-members-of-pearl-jam-ahead-of-bands-ohana-festival-slot
^** Pearl Jam Appear To Reveal New Drummer At Ohana Festival — Scott Lapatine, Stereogum, 2026-09-26T05:41:00+00:00 — https://stereogum.com/2512693/pearl-jam-reveal-new-drummer-at-ohana-festival/news/

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WHAT WENT DOWN

THE DETAILS

THE TAKE

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