Just Like Heaven Music Festival 2025 was a revelatory celebration of indie and alternative music, seamlessly blending nostalgia with fresh performances and creating memories that will linger for years. The festival’s lineup testified to the diverse tastes of its dedicated audience, many of whom share a common love for indie favorites and bands that no longer regularly appear on mainstream festival circuits.

The one-day Just Like Heaven festival returned to Pasadena on Saturday, May 18th, for its fifth year. With so many acts overlapping, choosing which bands to watch was a challenge. The day began with DJs spinning tunes from the 00s on both stages. The timeline of the music seemed to be the one fact tying the diverse lineup together. Prioritizing becomes particularly challenging at a festival like Los Angeles’ Just Like Heaven, which features indie bands whose most acclaimed albums emerged in the early 2000s.