Festival season is officially in full swing, especially in Pasadena, where Just Like Heaven returns this Saturday, May 10. The festival – a mainstay for fans of 2000s bands in the indie, electronic, and post-punk revival – is set to see Vampire Weekend, Rilo Kiley, Bloc Party, and more headline. Aside from seeing reunions for some of the biggest indie bands of the aughts, many set times at Just Like Heaven this year mark anniversaries for the decade’s defining albums, making it an edition full of full-circle moments.

Tickets are still available for general admission, VIP, and Club House.

1. Peter Bjorn and John

Celebrating the 19th anniversary of Writer’s Block, Swedish indie-pop band Peter Bjorn and John return to LA. Having last played at Just Like Heaven in 2019, the trio makes their return while touring Writer’s Block, which includes their timeless hit, “Young Folks.”

Despite busy solo careers and successful work as producers, Peter Morén, Björn Yttling, and John Eriksson’s collaboration remains a most significant and beloved work, having made ripples on the indie and pop scene post the album’s release in 2006. Considering they will be playing Writer’s Block in full, their set will be a chance to relive that seminal period in music.

See Peter Bjorn and John at the Orion Stage from 1:10-2:00 PM.

This post may contain affiliate links, and Grimy Goods may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting our independent, fan-powered media network.

2. The Sounds

After their 2023 Just Like Heaven appearance was canceled due to visa issues, The Sounds will finally return to Los Angeles for the first time in eight years. Having last toured in 2023, the Swedish rockers had built a significant following with their Living In America debut (2003), which had all the indie cool kids moving and shaking; however, it was 2006’s Dying to Say This to You that delivered the mainstream indie fame.

Songs like “Living In America” and “Painted By Numbers” impressively pulled off a balancing act between their ‘80s post-punk influences and electro indie pop. And while it’s been five years since their newest material, which came in the form of 2020’s Things We Do For Love, there’s no shortage of songs in their robust catalog to play.

See The Sounds at the Orion Stage from 2:40-3:20 PM.

Cool Gifts for Music Lovers 

The best concert earplugs to protect your hearing
This guitar is adorable! Aspiring musician?
Style & Function: Impress friends at your next party

3. TV On The Radio

Hot off the release of a 20th anniversary edition of their debut album, Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes, TV On The Radio is going on tour and making a stop at Just Like Heaven. While they played three shows for the album last year at El Rey, Just Like Heaven is the sort of festival that fosters bands like TV On The Radio, whose music remains synonymous with the decade.

For the Brooklyn band, recent exposure, thanks to “Staring at the Sun” being featured on the new season of Marvel’s “Daredevil” and the enduring popularity of “Wolf Like Me,” shows how the genre benders were ahead of their time. 

See TV On The Radio at the Orion Stage from 5:40-6:35 PM.

4. Bloc Party

20 years after the release of the instantly classic Silent Alarm, Bloc Party is returning to LA for the first time in six years – just in time for the rerelease of their debut. Although they toured the album in 2019, the 20th anniversary of Silent Alarm marks a milestone for the band that got its start thanks to the record’s roaring reception.

Between 2005 and now, they’ve remained consistent in their output while also honoring the first few years of the band’s existence thanks to reissues and anniversary shows. With Just Like Heaven, they will be playing Silent Alarm, which includes hits like “Banquet” and “Helicopter,” in its entirety.

See Bloc Party at the Orion Stage from 6:45-7:45 PM.

5. Rilo Kiley

Just Like Heaven has made a habit of catching bands reuniting after a long hiatus, which happens to be the case for indie-rock band Rilo Kiley. It’s been 14 years since the group disbanded in 2011, and May marks the first time they will be performing together as a band in nearly two decades.

In 2015, fans at Coachella got a mini-dose of what a Rilo Kiley reunion would feel like when guitarist Blake Sennett joined Jenny Lewis and her band for a performance of “Portions for Foxes.”

“We are so very excited to come back together for Just Like Heaven in Pasadena, California—Los Angeles. As a band, we began here, and we feel so fortunate to return among so many artists and friends, to this community we hold so dear, in such a beautiful and meaningful place.” – Rilo Kiley

RELATED: Where To Eat and Drink in Pasadena and Altadena While in Town for Just Like Heaven

Their return, whether or not it means new music from Rilo Kiley, is a defining example of what separates Just Like Heaven from other festivals in LA and anywhere in the world.

See Rilo Kiley at the Stardust Stage from 8:40-9:40 PM.

ARTISTS YOU SHOULD KNOW

BEST NEW MUSIC

RELATED:Just Like Heaven 2024 Resurrects a Generational Indie Wonderland