Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock
Pearl Jam delivered a surprise early performance at the Ohana Festival in Dana Point, California, on September 25, as per theprp. While the grunge legends were originally only scheduled to headline the closing night on September 27 — at the festival co-founded by frontman Eddie Vedder — they took the stage two nights early to unveil a major lineup change.
The set marked the band’s first public appearance with drummer Abe Laboriel Jr., taking over behind the kit following Matt Cameron’s exit. Guitarist Stone Gossard had hinted earlier this year that the group had chosen Cameron’s successor while keeping the identity under wraps. Best known for his decades-long tenure in Sir Paul McCartney’s touring band since 2001, Laboriel’s debut with the group comes as both parties have yet to issue an official public statement regarding the permanent nature of the pairing.
The American rock group Pearl Jam was founded in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Pearl Jam, one of the most important bands of the early 1990s grunge movement, has outsold and outlived many of its peers and is regarded as one of the decade’s most important acts. Since its founding, the band has included bassist Jeff Ament, vocalist/guitarist Eddie Vedder, and guitarists Stone Gossard and Mike McCready. Dave Krusen, Matt Chamberlain, Dave Abbruzzese, and Jack Irons were among the band’s early drummers. Matt Cameron, who joined the group in 1998 and left in 2025, was the drummer with the longest stay. Since 2002, keyboardist Boom Gaspar has also performed in sessions and on tour with the group.
