The Killers and Olivia Dean top new Ocean Way Festival in Santa Monica
The beachside September festival from Goldenvoice will also feature Jack White, Alvvays, Sublime, Khruangbin and more.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
3 min read
Santa Monica Beach is getting a two-day music blowout in September, with the Killers and Olivia Dean set for headline slots at the first Ocean Way Festival.
Organizers announced that the new event will run Sept. 26 and 27 on the sand in Santa Monica. The bill also brings Jack White, Alvvays, Sublime, Khruangbin, Hiatus Kaiyote and Durand Jones & The Indications to the coast.
The lineup stretches into dance and electronic-leaning territory, too. SG Lewis, Blond:ish and a DJ set from Hot Chip are among the acts named by organizers.
Tickets and presale details
Tickets go on sale to the general public Thursday, July 23, through the festival’s official website. Santa Monica residents get first crack with an exclusive presale on Wednesday, July 22.
Fans can buy two-day passes or single-day tickets. Organizers said both general admission and premium options will be available.
Ocean Way is being billed as the first major music festival on Santa Monica’s famous stretch of coastline. The event is produced by Goldenvoice, the company behind Coachella and Stagecoach.
Goldenvoice links festival to Santa Monica history
The City of Santa Monica selected Goldenvoice to produce the festival as part of its Realignment Plan. The city describes that effort as “a broad civic investment in public safety, business growth, and cultural vitality.”
Goldenvoice’s VP of Regional Festivals Nic Adler said in a statement that the city’s music past is part of the pitch for the new event.
“Santa Monica has an incredible music history, and Goldenvoice has been fortunate to be part of that story,” Adler said. “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.”
Santa Monica Mayor Caroline Torosis also framed the festival as part of a broader moment for the city.
“Santa Monica is in the middle of a renaissance,” Torosis said. “The city is welcoming the world to its shores, and Ocean Way Festival is how we’re making sure our own community is at the center of it.”
Free events before the festival
Organizers said Ocean Way will also come with free events before the main weekend. The planned lead-up programming includes concerts, youth water-sports activities, student leadership events and beach cleanups.
The full roster announced so far mixes arena-sized rock, soul, indie, funk and electronic sets, giving the new festival a broad first swing on one of Southern California’s best-known beaches.
This story draws on original reporting from Rolling Stone.