Publication Date: April 10, 2026
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April 9, 2026UncategorizedLive at St. George Art Festival
April 10th, 2026 Review by Alaina Pierce
Thousands swarmed the streets of St. George, Utah last Friday night, as The Aquabats charged onto the mainstage in their signature blue rashguards and iconic masks.
Each year, the annual St. George Art Festival transforms its quaint little downtown into rows of white tents hosting over 160 artists, food trucks, and performers, with bands playing on three stages.
Typically, this festival receives 30,000 art-loving visitors, however the buzz about The Aquabats headlining traveled to surrounding states, which pushed festival organizers to anticipate nearly 50,000 attendees. While impossible to get an exact headcount, the band’s merch sold out within minutes and fans sporting their superhero look could be seen for blocks.
What made The Aquabats the perfect headliner for the festival is their cross-generational appeal. With over 30 years of making music, international tours (most recently in England), seven studio albums, and a live-action tv show under their belt, their music bridges generational gaps, which I witnessed in the all-age mosh pit.
A frenzy of life-sized inflatable sharks infested the sea of fans when the band kicked off their 90-minute set with “Shark Fighter,” followed by “Cat with Two Heads.” MC Bat Commander may have retired from doing his classic onstage backflips, but his vocal gymnastics are still in peak condition!
The MC Bat Commander (Christian Jacobs) delivered an electric performance and non-stop witty entertainment. During the chorus of “Martian Girl,” he conducted the entire audience in a call-and-response of “Wo-wo-wo” with participatory choreographed hand motions.
Another surge of excitement ensued at the sight of enormous inflatable pizzas being launched into the audience along with actual pizza slices when the band began playing “Pizza Day.”
Some danced, some sang along, some ate the pizza thrown at them, and some elbowed their way onto the giant pizza slice floaties to surf the crowd.
At one point, a seven-year-old named Maizie was invited onstage to sing with The Commander, then he lovingly sent her crowd surfing on one of the slices to have the thrill of her (very short) life.
It was pretty special seeing the return of early band members Cat Boy (Boyd Terry, trumpet) and Chainsaw (Corey Pollock, guitar) reunited with long-standing members like Crash (Chad Larson, bass). Their set was jam packed with surprises, killer solos by Eaglebones (Ian Fowles, guitar), and solid hits like “Red Sweater,” “My Skateboard,” “Play Doh,” “Whatever Forever,” “Dr. Space Mummy,” and “Burger Rain.” Of course, huge inflatable burgers “rained” into the mix of crowd surfing toys.
During fan favorite “Fashion Zombie,” a larger-than-life Frankenstein made a special appearance, as well as the Professor, who was later the catalyst for a theatrical fight sequence between The Aquabats against the wrestlers, cyclops and other villains.
I am happy to report no one was seriously injured, and The Aquabats won because they’re super rad.
Speaking of which, they closed their set playing “Super Rad” with such palpable energy, it intoxicated the entire festival. Everyone was up on their feet dancing and singing.
Demands for “One more song!” immediately followed. That was quickly swallowed up by loud repetitive chants for “Pool Party!” The band indulged the audience’s wishes and gave them a finale they won’t soon forget. An absurd amount of pool toys was unleashed onto the crowd. All the characters from the show came out to celebrate, and fans were invited on stage to sing and dance.
After the concert, I asked Christian Jacobs the circumstances that led to the band playing at the festival. Jacobs had been struggling to find a local venue in Washington County, suitable for the band to play. A friend of his presented the matter to St. George City, who then suggested the festival. Playing the Art Festival made sense to Jacobs because “we (The Aquabats) are art on wheels.” He then added that the concert may have had a little more chaos than St. George is used to, but “a little bit of controlled chaos can be fun.”
Moms, dads, kids, even grandparents were moving their feet and it was pretty evident everyone had a fun time!
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by Alaina Pierce
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April 9, 2026UncategorizedSHOCK*WIEDLIN*LWIN & The Reflexx
Coming to Garden Amp
April 9th, 2026 by Amberlee Meyer
If you are into early new wave, the Garden Amp has a show on May 9th that you won’t want to miss! THREE darlings – who are also badasses – of the new wave scene will join forces for a night of music sure to make you dance!
As co-founder of The Go-Go’s, Jane Wiedlin’s rhythm guitar and vocals left an imprint on all those poppy songs they are known for. The legend keeping the beat with her was drummer Gina Schock, who remains one of the most popular drummers around.
The all-girl band with roots in the LA punk movement moved into new wave and pop, churning out hits like “Vacation,” “Our Lips Are Sealed,” “We Got the Beat,” “Turn to You,” “How Much More,” and “Head Over Heels.”
As their legendary story goes, the band went on to solo careers that took them to the top of the charts and the big screen. In the end, the mark they left on a generation was so significant, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021.
As for the third powerful woman that night, Annabella Lwin of British band Bow Wow Wow, whose vocal prowess defined the band’s sound with the ‘80s smash hit, “I Want Candy.”
Bow Wow Wow put out other era defining classics, “Aphrodisiac,” “Do You Wanna Hold Me,” and “Baby, Oh No.” Since then, Annabella has remained active in music, evolving into a solo artist, collaborating on EDM projects, and has an impactful place in her heart for charity work.
The Reflexx will open the night and provide support for Shock and Wiedlan. Get to the Garden Amp early as this band is not only one of the most prolific cover bands on the planet, but they also bring an electricity to the stage that you have to see and hear to believe. They are fan favorites who have played with some of the biggest names in the music business and performed on the biggest stages. In other words, this band can bring it!
The Garden Amp is a perfect place for an early summer evening to enjoy a show with a packed ‘80s punch! The open-air seating and the huge dance floor will not disappoint.
Tickets for this larger-than-life event are available now, so get yours!
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April 7, 2026UncategorizedSURPRISE
New Music & Coachella is Calling
April 7th, 2026 by Jimmy Alvarez
As another epic opening weekend at Coachella draws near, one of the featured acts has just dropped a surprise new single.
The Strokes have been part of the musical landscape since 1998 and as they get ready to take the stage in front of a mega-crowd at the Polo Grounds, they gave all their fans a taste of what’s coming.
It was 1998 when we got our first taste of the New York alt rockers. It’s hard to explain, but the Casablancas hit parade has given us ear candy with songs for years.
For me, I could not hear “Last Nite” enough when it first dropped. It was just so different, cool guitar riffs with just enough of a quirky twist.
Since then, their hit parade took off with songs like “12:51,” “Someday,” “Reptilia,” “Under Cover of Darkness,” and “Juicebox” among a number of other songs that mean so many things to so many people for so many different reasons!
The upcoming album, “Reality Awaits” is the first since 2020’s “The New Abnormal,” which garnered Julian Casablancas & Co. its first Grammy. Now, with a new single release to really excite the fanbase, they are making noise, the good noise… new music!
The Strokes are playing Coachella this weekend; they’re also headlining Bonnaroo and Outside Lands this summer. So get out and catch them whenever they come to a city near you!
As for “Reality Waits,” we have to wait just a little longer for the drop date, but it will land this summer… so stay tuned!
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April 6, 2026UncategorizedLive at Garden Amp
April 3rd, 2026 by Amberlee Meyer
This swing revival, jump blues, and jazz ensemble from Ventura is definitely not something you see every day. They stand with style and elegance on every stage they grace – even the world’s largest stage when they performed as part of the 1999 Super Bowl halftime show with the legendary Stevie Wonder!
Amazingly, the band has spent nearly 30 years together recording, touring, and playing across the globe without a line-up change; that’s an incredible feat for a band.
Opening was the Jessica Kaczmarek band and with a wink and a smile she immediately took control of the crowd.
The supporting cast were the perfect bandmates as they were energetic and electrifying.
The crowd was so captivated by their onstage antics, they moved their set to the crowd and the response was so good, we knew this was going to be a very fun night.
Nobody seemed to mind that they became part of the show as they jumped, jived and whaled in their laps!
Because they were an opener, the set was short and before we all knew it, the band was saying goodnight after a job well done.
Scotty Morris leads the band on vocals and guitar, Joshua Levy is on the keys, Kurt Sodergren on the kit, Karl Hunter is on tenor saxophone, clarinet and just about every other reed instrument, Andy Rowley on baritone saxophone, Glen “The Kid” Marhevka takes trumpet, and Dirk Shumaker on double bass.
Their set was tight and perfectly executed, opening with a rendition of Cab Calloway’s “Come On With the ‘Come on,’” and the crowd immediately started moving. They followed up with another Calloway favorite, “The Calloway Boogie,” and fans were proving they definitely love BBVD’s sixth album, “How Big Can You Get? The Music of Cab Calloway.”
BBVD is a sharply-dressed bunch, donning suits and hats, and with their style of music, they could have easily just stepped off the stage of a big band era performance. Think the Paramount Theatre in New York City, or the Paradise Lounge in Los Angeles.
“Jumpin’ Jack,” a Big Bad Voodoo Daddy original, turned up the vibe! When these boys are performing, it’s easy to see how much fun the band is having connecting with the audience.
Moving into “I Wan’na Be Like You (The Monkey Song),” a cover from the Disney classic movie “The Jungle Book,” was absolutely infectious; the entire place erupted in song and dance.
“Minnie the Moocher” is a favorite of mine; it is another famous Cab Calloway tune, and they could not have done it with more style and class.
They also took time for other legends by showcasing works by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra with “Diga Diga Doo,” and again with “The Jitters” by Frankie Newton and His Café Society Orchestra. The set flowed beautifully, allowing the band to showcase the mastery of this musical genre.
Original hits like “You Me and the Bottle Makes 3 Tonight,” “Mambo Swing,” “Mr. Pinstripe Suit,” “King of Swing,” and “Go Daddy-O” were phenomenal and the crowd about lost their minds.
Every single song featured top-shelf solos from every band member, and believe me, these boys can play! I have a sneaking suspicion that frontman Scotty Morris has perfect pitch. If I were a betting lady like Minnie the Moocher, I would bet on that.
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy is outstanding live. It is an absolute delight to spend an evening seeing this band! BBVD’s next dates take them to Florida and New Orleans, so keep checking their calendar for your chance. It’s a night worth experiencing, so catch them if you can!
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by Todd Markel Rock Images
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April 3, 2026UncategorizedLive at House of Blues San Diego
April 2nd, 2026 Review by Joey Clark
Hawthorne Heights packed the House of Blues San Diego during their Lonely World Tour, devised to celebrate their second studio release, “If Only You Were Lonely.”
Within the confines of those 12 tracks was an emotional journey that resonated with many pop-punk and emo fans alike, which is why the album remains the band’s highest charting record to date. It was evident that the passion for their 2006 release was stronger than ever.
As I scanned the barricade, it was easy to see the love for Hawthorne Heights was not limited to the fans who caught them on the Vans Warped Tour over two decades ago; their fan base had expanded to the high school/college kids now carrying pop-punk torch.
Before Hawthorne Heights was unleashed upon the audience, the horror punk band, Creeper from Southampton, England took command of the stage. All of the members emerged with a sense of mystique and intrigue as they donned a uniformed, black and white facial make up design.
The ringleader of this spectacle was frontman Will Gould. He led the group with ferocity and excitement through their six-song set. It’d be criminal to not mention the secret weapon of the group, Hannah Greenwood. Providing backup vocals and keys earlier in the show she remained a subtle presence in the background, but when she emerged as a lead vocalist, the audience was shocked.
She came out in full force. Greenwood’s vocals were powerful and her intention was clear: she was here to cement this show into the concertgoer’s minds. She accomplished just that. The band performed like a headliner and delivered a performance that reminded the crowd of early Misfits shows combined with the theatrics of glam rockers from ‘80s.
As the changeover occurred the audience was buzzing from Creeper’s standout set and awaiting SoCal’s own, letlive. The house lights fell and two figures emerged: drummer Ryan Seaman, and rhythm guitarist Jeff Sahyoun.
Both had drumsticks in hand as the stage became bathed in an eerie, red light. Seaman approached his kit and Sahyoun poised himself in front of a metal trash can, in unison they began pounding away and within seconds the rest of the band took to the stage. What was about to unfold would be arguably the best set of the night.
Lead vocalist, Jason Aaron Butler went off like a powder keg as he dove headfirst into the set. Sweat began to fly within a couple of songs, and the band made sure they gave each moment their absolute best during their nine-song performance.
Spitting powder, high jumps, Butler turning the stage into a Slip ’N Slide and treating the balcony like a personal jungle gym left the audience clamoring for more.
What was truly amazing about their time on stage is that on top of the wild antics, letlive.’s musicianship rang true throughout every single song. They have mastered their craft and are thankfully moving forward together as a band despite doing a farewell tour last year after an eight-year hiatus.
Following some much-needed stage clean up, the house lights went down again, this time for the band we all came to witness, Hawthorne Heights.
The Warped Tour veterans strolled across the stage, they paused, gauging the audience’s excitement for a moment then launched into first track off “If Only You Were Lonely,” “This Is Who We Are,” the perfect sentiment to open up the evening.
March 23rd, 2026
After the first song, frontman JT Woodruff took a moment to reminisce on the band’s past performances in the San Diego area and let everyone know that, “The rules are still the same: we’re here to have a good time.”
As the band progressed through the rest of record it was wonderful to see that the fans weren’t just singing along to the hits like “Saying Sorry” and “Pens and Needles,” they gave it their all with deep cuts too, like the melancholy “Dead in the Water,” and cathartic anthem “Where Can I Stab Myself In The Ears?” They left the stage triumphantly after wrapping up the 20th anniversary set.
To close out the celebration Hawthorne Heights performed an encore consisting of “Bring You Back” off of “Skeletons,” “Dandelions” from the “Lost Lights” EP, their latest song, “Like a Cardinal” (released earlier this month), “Niki FM,” and the final song of the night, “Ohio Is For Lovers” (off of their label debut, “The Silence in Black and White”).
Hawthorne Heights didn’t concoct a half-baked anniversary tour; they cultivated a phenomenal night of music to gift their diehard fans. With the theatrics of Creeper, the high-octane performance of letlive. and Hawthorne Heights’ stage prowess, I can’t recommend enough catching a date on their Lonely World Tour while you can!
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by Joey Clark | Highway One Photography
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April 2, 2026UncategorizedLive at House of Blues Anaheim
April 2nd, 2026 Review by Amberlee Meyer
If you grew up in the ‘80s – especially in SoCal – there is no way you have never heard of Oingo Boingo. I fell in love with the first self-titled, 10-inch EP in 1980 – all very Devo-esque, with the analog synth, tight, turned-up guitar – as people were leaving punk and moving into new wave.
For many Boingo fans, the music is part of their personal soundtrack, especially those who have been following them since the beginning. I finally had a chance to catch Oingo Boingo Former Members in March at the House of Blues in Anaheim. Seeing this new wave ska, skippy, trippy, sometimes spooky, art rock mash-up was definitely worth it, especially with a packed house on Friday the 13th.
To get the night started was America’s first ska band, The Untouchables! Given Orange County is the epicenter of Third-Wave ska-punk, this band is not only a fan favorite, but there were hardcore skankers throughout the venue.
The passing of lead singer Jerry Miller was on everyone’s mind, but luckily for all of us, founding member Chuck Askerneese has taken the reins of primary vocals and he does Jerry and the band’s legacy justice.
As the emcee brought out the band, they were treated to new and classic UT’s music. Opening with “Whiplash,” Askerneese segued into “Be Alright,” then fan favorite “I Spy (For the F.B.I.).”
Needless to say, the crowd went nuts! Other songs from their kick-ass set included “Lebanon,” “Jade,” and “Tear Gate Down.”
Because they were the opener, the set was abbreviated, that was the only drawback because the UT’s were on fire.
The horn section was prominent, one could even say they were Boingo-esque. The brass section for UTs is solid, it features Jack Sneddon on trombone, Nick Ramos on trumpet, William Overholtzer on tenor sax, Ian Baritone on sax and keys. These guys delivered an amazing version of “What’s Gone Wrong,” and the crowd ate it up!
Rounding out The Untouchables with an electric and soul piercing glow are Bubba Sanchez on keytar (backing vocals), Dave Cassell on guitar, Ryan Roberts on bass, and James Robertson on the skins.
As the crowd slowly re-grouped, I overheard the chatter. Clearly, most knew OBFM contains original Boingo members.
Original core members include Johnny Vatos (drums), Sam “Sluggo” Phipps (saxophone), Carl Graves (keyboards), Steve Bartek (guitar), and John Avila (bass) although Avila was not there that night.
The Former Members were rounded out by Freddy Hernandez (bass), Brian Swartz (trumpet), Mike “The Spike” Glendinning (rhythm box), and new frontman, José Maldonado.
Opening with “Dead or Alive” the band showcased the vocals prowess of Maldonado, who many know him as the frontman from Sweet and Tender Hooligans (The Smiths, Morrissey tribute bands); many were eager to see how this first real gig on front of a large crowd would shake out for the Boingo enthusiast. The feedback was a very quick thumbs up!
Up next was the 1985 hit “War Again,” followed by “Controller,” one of the best-performed songs of the set in my opinion. Fun, on point, it got the crowd revved up for the rest of the night.
“Nothing to Fear (But Fear Itself)” is a personal favorite of mine; the intro always reminds me of what could be a James Bond theme song, before it scattered across many musical genres.
“Just Another Day” makes me think of a very cool sped-up Duran Duran tune, and it was performed with sheer reverence, and “Private Life” took the crowd to another level of insanity.
Then the crowd heard the beginning of “Weird Science,” from the ‘80s cult classic film of the same name, and the roar of the crowd was insane, as it should be; it was the band’s highest-charting single. Then, they followed with another crowd favorite, “Not My Slave.”
The talent on the stage was immeasurable. No kitschy getups, no organized dance moves, the saxophone solos, epic guitar solos (Bartek wow!), and every musician on the stage was recreating the world of Boingo that fans have come to love, and there were a ton of people onstage to facilitate it. It all just worked!
Further into the set, we heard “Gratitude,” a Danny Elfman song from his “So-Lo,” and an up-tempo ska/new wave tune with a punk rock heart, “Life is Good,” written by sax player Sam “Sluggo” Phipps. Also in the mix was “Grey Matter,” “Sweat,” “Stay” and “We Close Our Eyes.” The way Maldonado delivered those last two songs impressed the heck out of everyone!
The last four songs went off without a hitch, and the crowd was definitely feeling it! “Wild Sex (In the Working Class)” and “Only A Lad” were met with cheers and lyrics singing by the crowd, while the next song, “Dead Man’s Party,” had everyone jumping and getting their groove on! Finishing with “Goodbye Goodbye” was the perfect way to end the night.
In the end, the crowd got what they came for, a kick-ass Boingo show and the band delivered. For Maldonado, a self-professed Boingo fan, this was a dream come true. Any normal person would be nervous as hell, but I will give Maldonado much credit for not letting nerves get the best of him as his delivery wasn’t the talk of the after show; it was how great the band sounded. That is the testament of not just a great lead singer, but an accomplished band filled with accomplished musicians that made the night sound fantastic!
For Boingo fans, rest assured, this band is ready to hit the road again. Next time you see this band listed to play, do yourself a favor and go!
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by Shane Pase Photography
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April 1, 2026UncategorizedAnnounce 40th Anniversary Shows
April 1st, 2026 by Traci Turner
In news that will make you clutch your chest, our beloved Pixies are turning 40! The legendary alt rockers formed in Boston in 1986, and it is time to tour the globe in celebration.
So far, the US only has a few dates, but their site states more will be added. The little trek kicks off in September and hits Greenville (SC), Wilmington (NC), East Aurora (NY – Borderland Music Festival), Asbury Park (NJ – Sea Hear Now Festival), Louisville (KY), Columbia (MO), Santa Fe (NM), and Tucson (AZ). Pixies will spend the summer in Asia and Europe, hitting all the major cities and countries.
The band released “The Night the Zombies Came” last year, their first record with bassist Emma Richardson. Richardson replaced Paz Lenchantin in 2024.
Pixies remain Black Francis on vocals and guitar, Joey Santiago on guitar, Magic Man David Lovering on drums, and the previously mentioned Richardson on bass.
Hopefully the additional dates will land them closer to SoCal so we can get our “Where Is My Mind,” “Wave of Mutilation,” “Monkey Gone to Heaven,” “Gigantic,” “Dog for Fire,” “Velouria,” “Here Comes Your Man,” and “Is She Weird” up close and in person!
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March 31, 2026UncategorizedStraight from Long Beach Exhibit
at Grammy Museum
March 30th, 2026 by Kevin Gomez
Bradley Nowell, the late-great lead singer and guitarist of Sublime once said, “It’s about coming up and staying on top.”
The seminal group from Long Beach has stayed on top for over 30 years now as the Grammy Museum celebrates Sublime with an impressive exhibit showcasing the band’s storied career.
“Straight from Long Beach” is now open to the public and will run through September 7th, 2026. A soft opening for press took place Wednesday night featuring Bradley’s son and Sublime’s new frontman, Jakob Nowell, and the band’s bassist, Eric Wilson.
The exhibit features everything from portraits of the original trio, including drummer Bud Gaugh, and the new lineup (my favorite being a side-by-side photograph of Bradley then, and Jakob, now playing guitar), handwritten lyrics, Wilson’s bass keyboard, and even a want ad from the ‘90s looking for a new keyboard player. The photos tell the journey of the band’s humble beginnings rooted in Long Beach.
As you first enter the hallway, a large poster details the events of the infamous first live show from Sublime on July 4th, 1988. The event later referenced as “The Peninsula Riot of 1988” took place right outside of Bradley’s Long Beach home on the beach. The concert ended early when police arrived; when all was said and done seven people were arrested.
Before the soft opening at the Grammy Museum Wednesday, Nowell and Wilson had a busy morning as the pair stopped by the KROQ studios to premiere their new single, “Until the Sun Explodes,” the title track from their forthcoming album on The Klein/Ally Show. Fans have been patiently awaiting the new album since the first track, “Ensenada,” dropped last year, immediately climbing to the number one spot on the charts.
The accompanying video for “Until the Sun Explodes” was also released and the album drops June 12th. “We had a lot of fun ,” Nowell told me, “putting on this backyard party with a bunch of bands from the Southern California music scene playing.” The video captures the classic Sublime party vibe.
As you can imagine a lot of nostalgia and emotion went into curating all of the memorabilia gathered for this exhibit. Nowell mentioned that some of these items, including photos and posters, hung above his childhood bedroom in San Diego growing up. Wilson half-jokingly said, “a couple of these things I thought went to the pawn shop.” I laughed, not sure if he was making a reference to the Sublime song of the same name, and chimed in, “Had to buy some of this stuff back, huh?”
I asked about the Me Gusta Festival, Sublime’s first multi-city music festival rolling through this summer in Fort Worth, Texas on May 9th, Portland, Oregon on June 27th, and Salt Lake City, Utah on July 18th. Nowell confided, “We just always wanted an excuse to hire a bunch of our favorite bands to get together and party.” He then added, “I hope it keeps growing every year.”
Nowell has his own solo project, Jakobs Castle, which will also be playing the Me Gusta Festival. I caught them a few weeks ago in Venice, along with Codefendants, who will be playing the festival, as well as support on several of Sublime’s dates this year. He told me that Sublime crossed paths with Coefendants thanks to mutual management group, Regime Music Group, with a special, “shoutout to Kevin Zinger.” He also credited their manager, Joe Escalante (bassist and founding member of The Vandals) and said he’s looking forward to playing together with Codefendants this year. “Always rad playing with them, and here’s to many, many more.”
I thanked Nowell for playing the oft-forgotten, “Fire Water Burn” by The Bloodhound Gang with Jakobs Castle the last time I saw them. “Oh, wow, you caught that, huh?” Nowell exclaimed. After the song finished he confessed that even his band was not familiar with the song. “More people got to know Bloodhound Gang. That was a formative part of my youth.”
Sublime is such an important part of the California experience. They paved the way for skunk music, a genre that combined elements of punk, ska, and reggae, later inspiring The Dirty Heads, Slightly Stoopid, Pepper, and countless others. Their songs can still be heard three decades later on a daily rotation on KROQ 106.7 and Alt 98.7.
The Grammy exhibit celebrates not just the band but acts as a love letter to the city that inspired their story.
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by Joey Clark | Highway One Photography
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March 31, 2026Uncategorizedand FRIENDS
Give Long Beach Another Kind of Homecoming
March 31st, 2026 by Jimmy Alvarez
Mad, Bad and Dangerous to know, that describes so many things in life and yeah, it’s the name of an album too. But it also aptly describes one of the most prolific artists to ever come out of the LBC, Snoop Dogg.
Not long ago we all got the news about the opening of the newly formed Long Beach Amphitheatre which is located on Queens Highway on Long beach, local music lovers are losing their minds that this venue will bring the biggest names in music to town.
Best known for his mega-hit “Who Am I (What’s My Name) Doggie Style,” and collabs and associations with bands like N.W.A., Snoop Dogg has managed to navigate the media landscape and become one of the most successful name brands on the planet.
Bad-ass and uber-likeable, a lethal combination that has seen Calvin Broadus, Jr. aka Snoop Dogg do it all.
So let’s raise our Gin and Juice to the promoters who put this one together; Snoop Dogg & Friends will take the stage to launch the venue on Saturday, June 6th.
The show’s Artist Presale is April 1st: The Live Nation presale begins April 2nd. General tickets go on sale April 3rd.
Seriously, get out and support a local legend, because you just never know who will show up at a Snoop Dogg show!
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March 29, 2026UncategorizedGUTTERFEST Vol. 5
Returns to Garden Amp
March 29th, 2026 by Kevin Gomez
July 11th is special because it’s “7-11 Day,” where you can get a free small Slurpee at your favorite local convince store. This year be sure to grab one on the way to the Garden Amp in Garden Grove for the 5th Annual Gutterfest. For those unfamiliar, Guttermouth will take over the entire venue as an all-day festival with bands playing the main stage and the smaller indoor stage, the Locker Room.
What started as a small gathering in Big Bear in 2021 has turned into a must-see summer event that sells out every year.
Guttermouth will kick off April playing Southern California at the Whisky a Go Go, a show in Murrieta, and supporting Agent Orange at the Observatory in Santa Ana. The band of misfits will then take over Florida in May – they should fit right in
Making their debut at Gutterfest this year is Orange County’s melodic hardcore band, Ignite. In April they will embark on a European tour, before touring Canada in May through June. They should be well-rested to rock your faces off with the high energy performances they’ve become known for.
Also making their debut this year that I’m most excited about is Los Angeles hometown heroes, The Briggs. Perhaps best known for creating the LA Kings’ victory song, “This is LA.” Frontman, Joey Briggs announced the band has some dates scheduled for this year, and this is just the first to be announced.
Fans will be eager to catch a long-awaited set from White Kaps. The band was supposed to play the 2024 Gutterfest but had to pull out just a few days before.
River Ratts and Taken Days will be kicking off the main stage Saturday afternoon. River Ratts will be playing the Punk Rock Museum’s third anniversary concert in support of Spike & the Gimme Gimmes. Taken Days will be supporting Raging Nathans and Urethane for a short stint of Vegas and California in June.
Headlining the Locker Room will be the return of Long Beach Allday, for their first performance in years. Their first performance back will be in May supporting LA’s Wasted Youth at Alex’s Bar. Also playing the Locker Room will be The Uprising. Following a successful set at Dr Strange Records’ showcase in February, they will play alongside El Nada at Bobby V’s in April.
Cheeseball has already had some high-profile gigs in 2025. They kicked off the year playing TSOL’s annual show at the Observatory and even made an appearance on the Heidi & Frank Show on KLOS 95.5 to see if their song voted to “stay” in rotation.
Opening the day’s events in the Locker Room will be Huntington Beach’s Chemical Control and No Current, out of Orange County.
Tickets for Gutterfest are on sale now.
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March 29, 2026UncategorizedAnnounces The Gathering Tour
March 29th, 2026 by Kevin Gomez
For quite a while now Weezer has really stepped up their concert going experience, even coming up with specific themes and names. In 2023 they took fans aboard the Indie Rock Road Trip along with Spoon and White Reaper. The set design was meant to look like a car’s dashboard, complete with radio and a front windshield with video made to make you feel like you were traveling across the country.
Their 2024-2025 tour saw the band blast into space, taking fans on the Voyage to the Blue Planet, celebrating 30 years of their iconic self-titled “Blue Album.”
On March 20th, the band posted a short video with a snippet of what appeared to be a new song as a young boy taped a piece of paper onto a pole. The paper featured three cryptic, hard-drawn symbols along with the Weezer logo in the middle. Before the video’s end, the date 3/26/26 appeared. I haven’t seen top cryptologists work this hard 24/7 to decipher a code since The Zodiac, but the general message was understood: new Weezer album info was dropping next Thursday.
True to their word, lead singer Rivers Cuomo and guitarist Brian Bell stopped by the Klein.Ally.Show on KROQ to drop the news of their upcoming album, to release their new single, “Shine Again” and announce a national tour called The Gathering. The boys will be bringing along some indie alt-rock heavyweights.
The Shins will be supporting Weezer on all dates. The band was launched into superstardom after their song “New Slang” became the theme song of Zach Braff’s “Garden State.” The famous scene where Natalie Portman puts her headphones on Braff’s head as the song begins to play is forever etched into a whole generation.
Also playing The Gathering will be Silversun Pickups. In February the Silver Lake band released their latest effort, the Butch Vig-produced “Tenterhooks.” They became radio darlings with their debut album in 2006 as KROQ and Indie 103 played “Lazy Eye” and “Little Lover So Polite” in heavy rotation.
Weezer has really been giving back to fans this week to garner hype for the upcoming tour. Thursday night, select lucky fans who had registered were picked to participate in a trivia night at Barney’s Beanery in Santa Monica. Guests were extremely surprised as Cuomo and Bell dropped by to host and play the new single. Friday night, additional guests were invited to come down to Hinano Cafe in Venice, where fans were treated to an acoustic rooftop performance reminiscent of The Beatles or U2.
Weezer played four of their biggest hits and their latest single, which has become a hit 10 years in the making. “Go Away” features guest vocals from Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino and was released on 2014’s “Everything Will Be Alright in the End,” but only recently went viral on TikTok. The band were reunited with Cosentino Friday evening for a performance of the song.
Weezer will bring The Gathering to Viejas Arena in San Diego on October 21st, and their final stop will be at home at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on October 24th. Tickets for the tour are on sale now.
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SID 260327 | TRACI TURNER | EDITOR [...]
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March 27, 2026UncategorizedAnnounces The WOW! Signal Tour
March 27th, 2026 by Traci Turner
Well, we said it would be happening and it’s official… it’s happening! After announcing their new album, The WOW! Signal – English mega-band MUSE has announced their North American Tour.
Muse is famously known for their over-the-top live performances and mega-hits “Supermassive Black Hole,” “Hysteria,” “Uprising,” “Starlight,” and “Time is Running Out,” and now they are ready to hit the road with a few friends.
Tour support for this one will feature the likes of Bloc Party and Portugal. The Man on select dates with anchor support from The Temper Trap.
The band features a trio of bandmates that have been dazzling us for years. Matt Bellamy on guitar and vocals, Chris Wolstenholme on bass and backing vocals while Dominic Howard slaps the drums. They are collectively lightning in a bottle.
As for the new album, it drops June 26th, as for the tour – it is simply called The Wow! Signal Tour. It will kick off July 2nd in Milwaukee and traverse the country before landing in SoCal where Muse will play North Island Credit Union Amp in Chula Vista on August 29th, then they will close-out the tour at the iconic Hollywood Bowl on August 31st.
Tickets go on sale on Friday April 3rd at 10 a.m. local time. This will be a seriously insane show, so go see them wherever you can!
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SID 260328 | JIMMMY ALVAREZ | EDITOR [...]
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