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L.A. old-timers: Remember rolling out a blanket on the beach and listening to tunes float over from the Santa Monica Pier? The Twilight series and its various incarnations may be gone (blame overcrowding and security concerns), but live music is returning to the beachfront there in a big—in fact, full-blown festival-sized—way.
Goldenvoice, the same promoter behind Coachella, announced the lineup today for Ocean Way, a debut beachfront music festival first teased late last year. The Killers, Olivia Dean, Jack White and Khruangbin will headline the two-day fest, which will set up two stages on the sand just east of the pier on September 26 and 27—and which will, notably, offer zero on-site parking and instead opt for a transit-friendly strategy.
There’s a noticeable generational divide to the mostly-chill-vibes lineup, so it makes sense that both single-day and two-day tickets will be available. The Killers, Jack White, Sublime and Alvvays lead the rock-leaning Saturday lineup, while Olivia Dean, Khruangbin, Durand Jones & the Indications and Hiatus Kaiyote top the slightly more soulful Sunday bill.
A two-day ticket costs between $399 and $459 while single-day tickets run $229 to $269. The VIP-equivalent tier adds premium pit access by the main stage and costs $749 to $799 for a two-day pass, or $449 to $499 for one day. There’s also a hospitality package put together by the nearby Proper Hotel that runs in the thousands. Tickets go on sale Thursday, July 23 at 11am, though Santa Monica residents get a shot at tickets a day earlier with a presale on Wednesday, July 22 at 11am.
Each day, five acts will take to the main stage by the pier, with a smaller stage positioned near Pico Boulevard (gates open at noon, and there’s an 11pm curfew). There’ll be designated areas to roll out a beach towel, with standing areas directly in front of the stages. The festival grounds run as far east as Bay Street, where you’ll find the main entrance. Since that’s less than a mile from the Downtown Santa Monica station on Metro’s E Line, there will be zero on-site parking available. Instead, the beach parking lot closest to the fest will be turned into a bike and scooter valet, while the one on the other side of Ocean Park Boulevard will host ride share and shuttles; off-site, shuttle-served parking is available at four inland locations for $60 per day.
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The fest takes its name from nearby street Ocean Way, which itself lent its name to the storied Ocean Way Recording studios. It also sits down the street from the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, the site of some of Goldenvoice’s early shows. “Santa Monica has an incredible music history, and Goldenvoice has been fortunate to be part of that story,” said Nic Adler, Goldenvoice’s vice president of regional festivals, in a statement. “From legendary shows at the Civic Auditorium to the origins of Ocean Way Recording just steps from the beach, there’s a creative legacy here that’s unlike anywhere else. Ocean Way Festival is our opportunity to celebrate that history while building something that feels authentically Santa Monica for years to come.”
When the then-nameless Ocean Way was announced late last year, it arrived as part of Santa Monica’s larger plan to reenergize its iconic pier and the surrounding downtown district. The plans called for a 30,000-to-35,000-attendee event with 12 to 15 artists on the lineup. And if all goes well, the proposal has already planned for Ocean Way’s return in 2027 and 2028.
Check out the full lineup below.
54 Ultra
Alvvays
Austin Millz
BLOND:ISH
Carlita
Coco & Breezy
DJ Harvey
Durand Jones & The Indications
EREZ
Good Neighbours
Heidi Lawden
Hiatus Kaiyote
Hot Chip DJs
Jack White
Khruangbin
Nala
Olivia Dean
Poolside
SG Lewis
Sublime
The Killers
Vandelux