Ohana Festival’s opening day is a proud moment for Eddie Vedder

Whenever Eddie Vedder introduced a musical act at Ohana Festival in Dana Point on Friday, Sept. 26, he came across like a proud papa who has watched his child grow and flourish. A personal connection to many performers was obvious too. No surprise there: the Pearl Jam leader started the Doheny State Beach event nine years ago and curates the multifaceted lineup.

Before Kings of Leon took the stage for its dazzling penultimate evening set, Vedder said, “When the idea came upon us to do a music festival close to the beach, this is one of the artists we thought of first” and although it took several years and “lots of effort,” they were finally here.

Vedder also relayed how much he enjoyed watching Seattle indie rock group Deep Sea Diver — whose Ohana set was mighty impressive — open for Pearl Jam on tour last year. Regarding The Breeders’ Kim Deal, he said: “We like our legends living”; On Stereophonics: “I got to know (frontman) Kelly Jones while raising money for Teenage Cancer Trust” (The Who-supported U.K. charity) and Pearl Jam shared a stage with them at London’s Hyde Park.

Earlier this year, Ohana won another prestigious Music Festival of the Year award from industry trade publication Pollstar under the category Global: Under 30K Attendance.

Drawing about 15,000 attendees daily, Ohana stands out as being a more relaxed affair than fellow SoCal music festivals like Coachella and Stagecoach. With only two side-by-side stages, smartly scheduled set times and fewer than a dozen acts, catching favorite bands is easy.

The event’s vibe and purpose revolve around informing and celebrating beach culture, particularly at The Cove area, where activists and conservationists enlighten attendees about environmental issues. The Gallery, curated by Charles Adler, features an awesome assortment of classic concert photos and posters, memorabilia and more.

Eddie Vedder and Earthlings delivered an energized 21-song set to close Day 1. The supergroup freatured drummer Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Josh Klinghoffer (RHCP, Pearl Jam), acoustic guitarist/backing vocalist Glen Hansard (Swell Season, Frames), guitarist/backing vocalist/producer Andrew Watt (Rolling Stones), and bassist Chris Chaney (Jane’s Addiction).

After launching with an instrumental, Earthlings did powerful covers of Pearl Jam’s “Corduroy,” “Lukin,” and “Better Man,” as well as Mono Men’s “Watch Outside” and The Who’s “I’m One” (prefaced by a heartfelt introduction about what the legendary British rock band meant to Vedder). Early in the performance, the singer recalled his formative years in Encinitas, surfing his first ocean wave at age 12 and eventually finding “this sacred spot” to present Ohana.

The musicians did some songs from their 2022 studio album “Earthling,” notably the comforting, Tom Petty-styled “Long Way,” “The Dark,” bolstered by a passionate Vedder vocal and needling guitars and an intense “Brother the Cloud,” which saw Vedder hunched over a monitor as he sang. Everyone onstage was having a blast.

Kings of Leon brought its complete eye-catching visual tour presentation for its Ohana debut, which singer/guitarist Caleb Followill admitted was delayed because they had to get “real life” (stuff) together…better late than never.” The alt-rock band was in fine form throughout the 90-minute, 18-song set which was chockful of soaring anthems dating back to the 2000s.

Highlights included “Use Somebody” (where the full-on harmonies still proved shiver-inducing), a gleaming “Manhattan,” the sleek “Revelry,” Matthew Followill’s chunky lead guitar work amid “On Call,” the quieter, folksy “Back Down South,” the driving pace of “Waste a Moment” (bolstered by Matthew’s The Edge-inspired effects) and of course, Kings of Leon’s signature hit closer “Sex on Fire,” where fans sang along loudly.

Garbage recently announced that the current tour for latest album “Let All That We Imagine Be the Light” will be its last major one (the band headlines The Palladium on Nov. 5). During the band’s dynamic Ohana set, singer Shirley Manson genuinely complimented other acts on the bill. She was fierce and defiant as ever onstage, even flipping the bird a few times to make lyrical points. A veritable modern rock hit parade of the past 20 years, Garbage was firing on all mechanical rocking cylinders, especially during “Vow,” “#1 Crush,” “Stupid Girl” and “Push It.”

Lukas Nelson, on the heels of last weekend’s appearances at Farm Aid, brought good old country strains (fiddle, pedal steel) to the beach. The life-affirming, frequently soulful set started with an acoustic guitar-led duet with Vedder on Pearl Jam’s “Just Beathe.” Among the standouts: some terrific Promise of the Real tunes (“Carolina,” “Fool Me Once,” a jaw-dropping “Find Yourself”) and the lovely “Pretty Much” off the new album “American Romance.”

Stereophonics was a wonder to behold, showing why it still headlines huge UK/European festivals after 25+ years. Kelly Jones marveled about being at Vedder’s fest, considering he used to do Pearl Jam covers as a young unknown musician. The Welsh rock band opened with the in-your-face thrust of “Vegas Two Times.” Jones prompted and effortlessly received audience participation (a Fender Rhodes-infused “Maybe Tomorrow”; exhilarating synth-fueled set closer “Dakota”). Other high points included a tension-filled “Geronimo,” complete with sax solo, and the breezy “Have a Nice Day,” reminiscent of 1970s American pop.

Much of Kim Deal’s interesting latest effort “Nobody Loves You More” is orchestral-tinged, so she brought along a few string and horn players for an endearingly ragged Ohana set. Her songs from The Breeders (“No Aloha,” “Cannonball”) and Pixies (“Gigantic”) got the most enthusiastic responses, though.

Ohana Festival continues Saturday with Hozier, Leon Bridges, Margo Price, Tedeschi Trucks Band, others; Sunday’s lineup features Green Day, Cage the Elephant, Wet Leg and more. Gates open at noon. Tickets are sold out but can still be purchased through verified resale via www.ohanafest.com/tickets.