Ever since longtime Pearl Jam drummer Matt Cameron amicably split with the band last year, fans have been speculating about who might take his place. Well, it looks like Pearl Jam may’ve finally given us the answer, as they were joined by Abe Laboriel Jr. during their surprise set with frontman Eddie Vedder at Ohana Fest this past Friday (Sept. 25).
What Did Pearl Jam Play With Abe Laboriel Jr.?
Friday’s Ohana Festival kickoff (held at Doheny State Beach in Dana Point, Calif.) was billed as having Eddie Vedder & Friends headline, with Pearl Jam headlining tonight (Sept. 27). However, and according to SPIN, concertgoers got quite the surprise after Vedder went through a few acoustic tunes:
Vedder played five songs acoustic to begin the proceedings, including a tearful tribute to his dear friend, the late Glen Hansard, plus a cover of the Who’s “I’m One” with Billy Idol. But after he strapped on an electric guitar and began strumming “Corduroy,” the entirety of Pearl Jam then emerged onstage [from behind a curtain], including Laboriel, whose kick drum head was cleverly adorned with a large question mark.
Prior to unveiling his Pearl Jam bandmates, Vedder stated: “You know, I feel like I would need some friends to join me on that. Like, I would need, like, a whole – like, some really good friends. Do I got any extra friends back there? Are there more friends back there?”
This was Pearl Jam’s first show since Cameron left, and per Setlist.fm, their 15-song set included signature tunes such as “Even Flow,” “Better Man” and “Porch” alongside deeper cuts (“Do the Evolution,” “Hail, Hail”) and covers of the Who’s “Baba O’Riley” and the Dead Boys’ “Sonic Reducer.”
“I’m feeling pretty damned good myself,” Vedder announced at one point (via SPIN). “And I do believe I’m speaking on behalf of the band and the crew, and we’re excited to be on the stage together once again. Thank you for giving us such a perfect wave to surf. We’ve still got time to get barreled.”
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Back in May, guitarist Stone Gossard appeared on SiriusXM’s Pearl Jam Radio and alluded to revealing their new drummer at this years’ Ohana Festival:
“I love the mystery of it all. It’s so exciting,” he said [per Blunt Magazine]. “There’s not enough mystery in the world. . . . The fact that nobody knows who’s going to play drums with us even makes it triply exciting. So, it’s our mystery wrapped in an enigma and we’re relishing in it right now.”
This certainly wasn’t the first time Laboriel Jr. played with Vedder, either. In fact, he played on Vedder’s 2022 album, Earthling, and joined Vedder on stage during his 2023 Ohana Festival show. (He’s also been Paul McCartney’s drummer since around 2002, and he’s worked with Eric Clapton, Fiona Apple, B.B. King, Jerry Cantrell, Steve Winwood and Lady Gaga as well.)
Of course, Laboriel Jr. is expected to join Pearl Jam on stage tonight, too. However, as of this writing, neither the band nor Laboriel Jr. has officially confirmed that Laboriel Jr. is their permanent new drummer. In fact, Heavy Consequence noted that Vedder “told the crowd that [Laboriel Jr.] was ‘filling in tonight,’” whereas Stereogum reported that Vedder “introduced Laboriel as ‘helping us out on drums tonight.’”
You can see Pearl Jam’s entire Sept. 25 setlist from Ohana Festival – as well as fan-shot videos – below:
Pearl Jam Setlist (Sept. 25, 2026 – Ohana Festival)
1. “Corduroy” (initially presented as Eddie solo; curtain drop revealed surprise appearance of entire band)
2. “Hail, Hail”
3. “Scared of Fear” (no intro)
4. “Wishlist”
5. “Dark Matter”
6. “I Got Id” (with Neil Young’s “Cinnamon Girl” tag)
7. “Do the Evolution”
8. “Won’t Tell” (dedicated to Neil Young)
9. “Green Disease” (with tease of The Jam’s “Pretty Green” as intro; dedicated to Captain Paul Watson)
10. “Lukin”
11. “Porch” (extended)
12. “Better Man” (with The English Beat’s “Save It for Later” tag)
13. “Even Flow”
14. “Sonic Reducer” (Dead Boys cover) (dedicated to Cheetah Chrome)
15. Baba O’Riley (The Who cover)
per Setlist.fm
Pearl Jam, “Corduroy” (Sept. 25, 2026)
Pearl Jam, “Wishlist” (Sept. 25, 2026)
Pearl Jam, “Better Man” (Sept. 25, 2026)
Pearl Jam, “Sonic Reducer” (Sept. 25, 2026)
Pearl Jam, “I Got Id” (Sept. 25, 2026)
Pearl Jam, “Even Flow” (Sept. 25, 2026)
Pearl Jam, “Won’t Tell” (Sept. 25, 2026)
Pearl Jam, “Scared of Fear” (Sept. 25, 2026)
How do you feel about Abe Laboriel Jr. possibly joining Pearl Jam for good? What’d you think of their surprise Sept. 25 set at Ohana Festival? Let us know!
Also, be sure to check out our list of the best ‘sophomore slump’ busters of each year of the 1990s below!
The Best ‘Sophomore Slump’ Busters of Each Year of the 1990s
The pressure may be on after your debut album, but some bands just continued along with seeming ease on their second records.
Gallery Credit: Chad Childers, Loudwire
