Pearl Jam Perform with New Drummer Abe Laboriel Jr. at Ohana Festival

What began as an intimate “Eddie Vedder and Friends” set at the Ohana Festival on Friday night quickly blossomed into a full-scale Pearl Jam performance. The landmark show marked the band’s first live appearance since longtime drummer Matt Cameron departed the group last summer after 27 years behind the kit.

Stepping behind the drums for the Dana Point event was Abe Laboriel Jr., a highly accomplished 55-year-old session musician who has been a core member of Paul McCartney’s live band since 2001. Beyond his extensive work with McCartney, Laboriel Jr. has shared stages with legendary artists like Sting, Eric Clapton, and Steve Vai. He also contributed to Vedder’s 2022 solo album, Earthling. Notably, he carries a musical lineage as the son of the late acclaimed session bassist Abe Laboriel Sr., a founding member of the groups Friendship and Koinonia.

Laboriel’s history with Vedder runs deep, having previously stepped in to play with Vedder and the Earthlings during their 2023 Ohana Festival set when he filled in for Chad Smith. In a fun twist of musical favors, Smith returned the gesture by filling in for Laboriel when McCartney performed on Saturday Night Live in May.

Onstage, Vedder introduced Laboriel as “filling in,” clarifying that the performance did not constitute a formal hiring announcement. However, the move largely validates long-standing speculation among fans on the r/pearljam subreddit, who had widely predicted that he would be the one to step into Matt Cameron’s shoes.

The setlist featured an array of covers, including selections from the Dead Boys and The Who. The first track to feature the newly configured rhythm section was the classic Vitalogy cut, “Corduroy”—a live staple once hailed by Stereogum as the band’s greatest song. Watch the performance below.

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