Considering Angelenos had been surrounded by gloomy days for the past three weeks or so, we had high hopes for cool temperatures and a decent amount of cloud coverage for Just Like Heaven. But no, that was not the case. The sun came in with a ferocious swath of heat while there were no clouds in sight. As one attendee called it—and I say this playfully—just like heaven? More like just like hell.
With few pockets of shade between festival tents and trees scattered throughout Brookside, fans rushed toward any shaded nook and cranny for some relief. While there were moments of dread (especially for those parents with little ones), there were mostly moments of pure joy.
But it wasn’t just fans battling the heat. Bands had to weather the sun while they performed on stage, playing and singing their hearts out. I have no idea how they managed to do that. I got winded trying to sing along with Peter Bjorn and John. Who, by the way, performed around 1 PM in the peak 98-degree heat. But it didn’t matter; fans came out in droves to hear the entirety of Writer’s Block, played backwards, from the final song to the first. I must hand it to these fellas, and especially Peter, for hopping down the stage to sing in the crowd, and then jumping back up the very high stage wall. He got by with a little help from his friends. Kudos to the man-bun, stagehand for the extra boost. I guess we’re all the old folk talking about the old style now.
To much dismay, fans were once again let down by Swedish indie rockers, The Sounds. It appears lead singer Maja Ivarsson must not like “living in America,” or has something preventing her from entering the U.S. After bailing out of their 2023 Just Like Heaven due to “visa issues”, like déjà vu, the scenario was all too the same. While the band kept on, Ivarsson‘s signature vocals, spunky energy, and especially those notorious high kicks were not present. Instead, with very tough heels to fill, Carah Charnow of Shiny Toy Guns subbed in with a Le Disko twist. Considering the circumstances, she did a pretty sensational job. Sure, some lyrics and notes were missed, but taking this performance on was no easy feat (especially in this crazy heat). Charnow and The Sounds got the crowd dancing and singing along, and I applaud them for that.
The drums were one of the best performances of the day. There’s something so special about lead singer Jonathan Pearce and his gorgeous vocals, style, and dance moves. Even 15 years later, Jonathan Pierce’s voice and stage presence were so infectious and joy-inducing. Hearing “Let’s Go Surfing” live was full of emotion, as I personally have many fun memories associated with this song and much of their early catalog, which soundtracked the early days of Grimy Goods, when we covered garage and punk shows in East Hollywood nearly seven days a week.
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TV On the Radio reminded us of what delightful badasses they are. While I had to retreat to the cozy confines of the clubhouse for copious amounts of hydration and air conditioning, otherwise, passing out from the heat, I was able to hear and see them from the screens inside the lounge. The crowd roared for songs like “Wolf Like Me,” and I wished to be dancing amongst them.
The UK’s Bloc Party was quite the cathartic set and not just because we were finally getting some shelter from the sun as the moon started her rise, but because this band creates such beautiful indie rock. Kele Okereke is a vision live. His vocals sounded like the first time I saw Bloc Party perform live at Coachella in 2006. Regardless of how tired we were, many of us who are parents, and some who were actually there with their kids (because awesome Cosmic Kids Land), weathered the fatigue and rocked out to Bloc Party. But it was certainly nice when slower tracks, like “This Modern Love,” took center stage and we rested on our festival blankets; many of us cuddling our partners, which made the moment all the more heartfelt.
As always, Empire of the Sun was fantastic. And damn could look Luke Steele shred on the guitar. We had caught Empire just two years ago at Just Like Heaven, but each time they deliver a sort of new colorful dream-like experience full of pure ecstasy.
Towards the end of Empire of the Sun’s set, fans packed up and made the great migration to the Stardust stage to see the newly reunited Rilo Kiley. I must admit, and I actually wish people would normalize admitting they are not huge fans of certain bands (instead of pretending), but I was never a fan of Rilo Kiley, so I can’t speak on this experience. During their rise, I was more into bands like Metric, Peaches, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. But judging by the post-festival chatter and the size of the crowd, Rilo Kiley brought much joy to their fans who had been drooling over their reunion.
Vampire Weekend closed the night with such an exhilarating performance. We saw the band last year at the Hollywood Bowl, and it’s kind of hard to compare after that experience, but their Just Like Heaven set was sensational. They are truly one of the best live bands, especially with the diversity of their new album, Only God Was Above Us. That record was made to be played and blasted live. Performing many songs from their critically acclaimed record, as well as fan favorites, they closed their set with a tribute to some of their favorite indie bands that shared the same spotlight as Vampire Weekend during the early indie rock days (Grizzly Bear, TV On The Radio, Beach House, Tame Impala). Some called it a tribute; others called it a foreshadowing of the Just Like Heaven 2026 lineup. Only time will tell.
On a personal note, since Pasadena and Los Angeles is our home, major props to all of our friends and community who ventured to Just Like Heaven in this wild heat. I loved seeing so many friends, even for just a minute between hydration/shade breaks. And to all of you that brought your kids, my goodness, you deserve a damn award. I had planned to bring my kiddo, but I didn’t think it was a wise choice for our family. And after the work and play experience we had, I know we made the right choice. And lastly, to all of our friends who make Just Like Heaven happen, especially those laboring under the sun, you guys and the bands are the real MVPs. It was another Just Like Heaven for the books.
Are you in our Just Like Heaven photo gallery? Swipe through for all of our band, crowd, and festival lifestyle photos!
Photography by Lilly Duran
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