Whatever its other breezy benefits might be, Santa Monica has not been much of a music destination since the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium stopped hosting concerts and especially since the beachside city’s famous Twilight Series on the pier came to an end a dozen years ago. But tens of thousands of music enthusiasts from across the Southern California area may be putting Santa Monica back into their collective GPS when the inaugural Ocean Way Festival takes place on the last weekend in September, presented by Goldenvoice, the company that does Coachella, Stagecoach and many other festivals in the Southern California region.
The first day and night, on Sept. 26, will be devoted to rockier fare, with the Killers topping a potent bill that also features Jack White, Sublime and Alvvays. A different sort of groove will prevail the following day, on Sept. 27, with Olivia Dean presiding atop a lineup that also includes Khruangbin and Durand Jones & the Indications. Single-day tickets will be available for fans who distinctly prefer one lineup over the other, as well as two-day passes.
The main stage will be set up against the Santa Monica Pier, with that structure serving some back-of-house duties. The audience will be setting out beach towels on the sand south of the pier, with a footprint that extends down about a half-mile to Bay Street, with a secondary stage and plenty of food and other attractions along the oceanside paths. The Ocean Way Festival is permitted for up to 35,000 concertgoers per day.
