Of Montreal, Beach Fossils and Slowdive Thrill at Fest
Photos and review by ALYSON CAMUS
LOS ANGELES – The 2025 edition of Just Like Heaven turned out to be extremely hot, with temperatures closer to hell as Beach Fossils remarked mid-set. But the heat didn’t stop the crowd, who braved 100ºF weather to witness the reunion of Rilo Kiley and performances from many other bands.
Slightly smaller than Cruel World – the other festival happening next week on the same grounds, at the Brookside Golf Club at the Rose Bowl – Just Like Heaven featured two stages instead of three. Still, seeing 21 bands was more than enough to fill an afternoon and evening – and that’s not even counting the food, drinks, and extra-musical activities. All day long, the crowd moved between the Orion Stage, headlined by Vampire Weekend, and the Stardust Stage, headlined by Rilo Kiley. Their reunion brought a wave of nostalgia to the festival, as it marked only the band’s third show in 17 years, as Jenny Lewis noted on stage.
Since 2019, the annual festival has brought together indie rock bands from the late ’90s to early ’00s, giving people a chance to relive that era for a day of fun under the sun. With so many options, choices were inevitably hard to make – as is always the case at a festival. Of all the bands playing on Saturday, I missed Grouplove, Wild Nothing, Toro y Moi, and Unknown Mortal Orchestra. Still, it was possible to catch both headliners back-to-back – if you were willing to sprint from one stage to the other.
Of Montreal was one of the early performers on the Orion Stage, and their colorful, eccentric set quickly drew a sizable crowd. Fronted by Kevin Barnes, the band’s genre-defying indie pop/rock – often unpredictable but always theatrical – had the audience dancing and jumping to popular tracks like “Gronlandic Edit,” “It’s Different for Girls,” and “The Party’s Crashing Us” during their half-hour set.
Bands followed in quick succession on the Orion Stage, with Peter Bjorn and John taking the stage immediately to perform all the songs from their album Writer’s Block – though in a random order. Their experimental take on romance themes made the album their most commercially successful, and that success was especially evident during the crowd’s reaction to “Young Folks.”
Meanwhile, over on the Stardust Stage, Panda Bear’s set appeared slightly shorter than expected. Playing guitar rather than standing behind his usual electronic setup, he and his band offered a dreamy blend of his solo psychedelic pop work, with dense, hypnotic arrangements on tracks like “The Preakness” and “Buoys.”
Wearing retro Ozzy Osbourne and Triple 6 Mafia shirts, the Brooklyn band Beach Fossils cultivated nostalgia with a dynamic dream-pop set – providing a sharp contrast to the club-like atmosphere of Hercules and Love Affair, who blended disco, electronic, and house beats.
On the Orion Stage, The Sounds announced that lead singer Maja Ivarsson was unable to attend due to visa issues, but Shiny Toy Guns’ Carah Charnow stepped in at the last minute. She quickly won over the crowd with her powerful stage presence and energetic renditions of songs like “Painted by Numbers,” “No One Sleeps When I’m Awake,” and “Living in America.”
You can always count on Perfume Genius to electrify a crowd – even on such a sweaty day. With his signature vulnerability and expressive movement around a single chair, he delivered both new material from his latest album Glory and standout tracks from his beloved Too Bright, including “My Body” and “Queen,” blending emotional depth with dynamic energy.
Courtney Barnett’s set was full of energy and emotion, with a standout moment when she invited Kurt Vile on stage to perform their song “Over Everything.” She opened with one of her most well-known tracks, “Avant Gardener,” and alternated between fan favorites – like “Pedestrian at Best” and “Before You Gotta Go” – and deeper cuts that aren’t as widely known.
The Drums powered through their indie-pop catalog, delivering plenty of fan favorites –“Money,” “Let’s Go Surfing,” “I Don’t Know How to Love,” “Book of Revelation,” “What You Were,” and “Days” – that had the crowd dancing and singing along. Frontman Jonathan Pierce’s infectious energy and stage presence were on full display as he walked along the edge of the stage, much to the delight of the euphoric crowd.
Back in December, TV on the Radio played a series of shows at the El Rey Theatre, marking their return after a five-year hiatus and celebrating the 20th anniversary of their debut album, “Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes.” Their performance at Just Like Heaven was their first major U.S. festival appearance since reuniting, and they delivered a set packed with fan favorites such as “Young Liars,” “Wolf Like Me,” “Trouble,” and “Staring at the Sun.” Frontman Tunde Adebimpe’s expressive gestures and emotive vocals were met with enthusiasm, while the band’s long-standing political engagement was reflected in bandmate Kyp Malone’s shirt, which read “Somebody I love is Palestinian.”
Bloc Party followed with a high-energy set that marked the kickoff of their North American tour, celebrating the 20th anniversary of their debut album, “Silent Alarm. “They played numerous tracks from the album, with the performance driven by frontman Kele Okereke’s dynamic stage presence and the band’s signature blend of indie rock, post-punk, and electronic influences.
On the Stardust Stage, Slowdive hypnotized the audience with their signature shoegaze soundscapes. Billed as “very special guests,” they blended a few fan favorites – “Alison,” “Machine Gun,” “Souvlaki Space Station,” and “When the Sun Hits” – with tracks from their most recent album, “Everything is Alive” (“Shanty,” “Kisses”). Wearing an electric blue, vaporous dress, Rachel Goswell enchanted the crowd with her haunting vocals, while Neil Halstead’s intricate guitar work built a unique sonic world. Watching the captivated audience, I was reminded of My Bloody Valentine’s set at Desert Daze a few years ago – though Slowdive’s performance was far less loud and abrasive.
Empire of the Sun brought a completely different vibe, blending synth-pop, glam rock, and electronic dance with a highly theatrical performance. Dressed in futuristic costumes inspired by Asian culture, the Australian duo delivered a visually stunning set, featuring massive, striking projections and elaborate choreography. The crowd danced to fan favorites like “Walking on a Dream,” “We Are the People,” “Half Mast,” “High and Low,” and “Alive.” Though they weren’t the headliners on the Orion Stage, their larger-than-life set and fantasy-inspired aesthetic made it feel like a grand finale.
Rilo Kiley’s reunion was undoubtedly a highlight of Just Like Heaven, and by 8:40 p.m. at the Stardust Stage, the atmosphere was charged with nostalgia. Jenny Lewis took the stage wearing a polka-dot dress and a tiara, joined by her bandmates Blake Sennett on lead guitar, Pierre De Reeder on bass, and Jason Boesel on drums. Back in 2002, I had the chance to catch one of their early performances at the Echo in LA, where they opened for the late Elliott Smith.
This triumphant return, 23 years later, was a striking contrast. Jenny looked genuinely happy to be back on stage with her band. “It’s amazing to be here with you all,” she said, and the joy was palpable among the audience. With their enigmatic name and four studio albums, Rilo Kiley left an indelible mark on the LA music scene with their original indie-pop compositions, anchored by Lewis’ sweet, distinctive vocals. Rilo Kiley represented a successful songwriting collaboration between Jenny Lewis and Blake Sennett, a partnership that ended after the release of their final album, “Under the Blacklight.”
Their hour-long set at the festival showcased the impressive versatility of their catalog, with songs like “The Execution of All Things,” “Silver Lining,” and “With Arms Outstretched” sparking massive singalongs. Jenny Lewis especially shone during the emotive “I Never,” while songs like “Does He Love You?” encapsulated Rilo Kiley’s themes of romantic drama and young adult’s disappointment. With a video camera in hand, Lewis sent a close-up of herself to the giant screens, playfully sticking out her tongue and affectionately giving the finger to the awestruck crowd.
With undeniable charisma and stage presence, she was undoubtedly the star of the show, delivering their earworm tunes with confident nonchalance, while the band’s tight instrumentation and harmonies resonated deeply with their longtime fans. Of course, they closed their set with the infectious “Portions for Foxes,” which, curiously, isn’t their most popular song on Spotify. Nevertheless, everyone was singing along to “And it’s bad news/Baby, I’m bad news/I’m just bad news, bad news, bad news” as I rushed to the other stage to catch Vampire Weekend.
Rilo Kiley’s full setlist: The Execution of All Things, Wires and Waves, Spectacular Views, The Moneymaker, Dreamworld, I Never, Paint’s Peeling, Does He Love You?, Silver Lining, With Arms Outstretched, A Better Son/Daughter, Frug, Portions for Foxes.
Headliners Vampire Weekend likely drew the largest crowd of the night at the Orion Stage. They delivered a vibrant performance that spanned their entire discography, all while paying homage to fellow indie artists. Their humility and smooth grooves brought the festival to a beautiful close. Frontman Ezra Koenig and two of his bandmates initially performed behind a large black curtain with bold white letters spelling “Vampire Weekend.” The curtain dropped in the middle of a song, dramatically revealing the full band to the crowd. With songs from the beloved “Vampire Weekend” and “Contra” albums, which blend African-inspired guitar lines with indie rock’s youthful exuberance, the fans were right at home.
Their most recent material retains the sweetness of Vampire Weekend’s signature sound, now fully orchestrated with keys, horns, and strings, while adding impulsive vivacity and abrupt accelerations. In its live incarnation, Vampire Weekend has become a more eclectic band, incorporating jazzy piano lines and funky departures, like the jam-like experience of “This Life” and the Grateful Dead-esque grooves of “Harmony Hall.” Crowd-pleasers like “A-Punk,” “Campus,” and “Oxford Comma” sent the audience into an ecstatic state, while Koenig’s splendid melodies always took center stage. “Diane Young” was a punchy highlight, and the irresistible lightness and energetic delivery of most of the tunes had everyone in the crowd dancing. Toward the end of the show, they gave “a salute to indie” with snippets of hit songs by Phoenix, Tame Impala, Beach House, Grizzly Bear, and TV on the Radio, before closing, as they often do, with “Walcott” from their self-titled album.
Just Like Heaven was a brilliant day filled with creative music. It’s amazing to think that most of these bands broke out 15 years ago and still sound as fresh and inventive as ever.
Vampire Weekend’s full setlist: Mansard Roof, Holiday, Ice Cream Piano, Classical, Unbelievers, Step, This Life, Sympathy, Capricorn, Gen-X Cops, Diane Young, A-Punk, Campus, Oxford Comma, Mary Boone, Harmony Hall, Lisztomania (Phoenix cover), The Less I Know the Better (Tame Impala cover), Space Song (Beach House cover), Two Weeks (Grizzly Bear cover), Wolf Like Me (TV on the Radio cover), Walcott.
