Publication Date October 30, 2026
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October 29, 2026UncategorizedINDUSTRY REPORT # 75
KLEIN.ALLY.SHOW
KROQ’s # 1 Morning Show
October 30th, 2026 by Jimmy Alvarez
In our ongoing Industry Report series, we get to go back to The World Famous KROQ. This Los Angeles radio juggernaut really has lived up to its mantra of being world Famous.
Music, specifically radio is better when stations like KROQ are firing on all cylinders. Needless to say, things are looking very-very good at our favorite alternative radio station.
In the most recent ratings book, KROQ did very well across the board. Quite the contrast from a few years ago. There was a vision as to how they would get back to the ratings promised land when new ownership (Audacy) announced that Kevin Weatherly would return to the helm as the station’s Senior Vice President of Programming for Alternative at Audacy and Program Director of KROQ‑FM.
Since then, music is back to what their listeners know and love. Some of the voices they know and love are back; the shows they put on are over the top and their morning show is # 1 in Los Angeles.
I had mentioned for the turnaround and success to be stable all cylinders need to be firing. We took a quick look at the music and yes, programming does prove that music does matter and KROQ is listening. We spoke with Music Director Miles Alendoabga aka Miles the DJ and he was very open and direct about what they are doing. He said, “we need to play music that matters and ius consequential, music that fits – for the listeners that grew up on KROQ music, and the new listeners that we need to earn their trust.”
I asked Miles what was the number one issue he wanted to address when he first started. He said, “I think making sure that listeners identify with what KROQ has always been to them, and what direction music that fits takes us.” I asked him to clarify that last part, he said, “There are different ways to program music, I like to think that if I were a listener I want music I know and music I can get into. That’s not music that is just a tik-tok hit, again it’s got to fit the overall format.”
He went on to say, “If we do our job right, listeners will tune in and keep coming back for what next.” I want to make sure anyone tuning in has a good experience when they tune in.”
We then considered checking in with the department that puts on all those great shows that come to the In-N-Out Sound Space at KROQ. For that, we spoke with Promotions Manager, Ricky Darling. It’s nuts the number of great shows that have passed through Sound Space. Just in the past few month’s bands like Fontaines D.C., Death Cab for Cutie, Joyce Manor, Bleachers, The Paradox and Social Distortion have played there.
I asked Darling how were they able to pull some of this off? He said, “Programming music that our listeners really love is a big reason. Having the backing of Audacy makes this possible from the big picture perspective, and working with In-N-Out really brings it together. I mean, if you live in SoCal, you know In-N-Out and to have them here at every show just make it feel like home.”
I then asked, so what’s the goal, Darling paused and said, “I think making sure whoever attends on of our shows they have the time of their life. Whatever we can do to make that happen we do our best to make it so.” We both laughed.
I then asked, “You have the on-air staff do interviews, how do fans like that.” He smiled and said, “They absolutely love it – they love seeing in person the voices behind the mic.” I then asked – “It helps having the # 1 morning show, right?”
He replied, “YES! And we’re very proud of that.”
By now, it was time to chat with Kevin Klein and Ally Johnson. As usual Vanessa got us and with a big smile and led to the morning show room and said, “I’ll be back in 30 minutes.”
Vanessa said that very authoritatively which made me and OCMN Photographer Shane Pase look at each other and smile.
As we entered the room there was Klein and Ally waiting to chat with us. After greetings I noticed the cool stuff they had in their office. Klein gave us the tour of their walls filled with memorabilia gifted to them by listeners.
It was cool how much detail some people put into their gifts. I personally lived the Klein and Ally dolls someone made.
It was impressive – (down to the packaging) – what effort this person made to gift them these dolls.
As we sat, I thanked them for making time for us. I said, I can’t tell you how happy I am for you and the staff, wow # 1… what an accomplishment” Both Klein and Ally simultaneously said, “Thank you” and Klien added “It’s hard to believe, but here we are.”
I started off with, “The first time we chatted you were just 6 months on the job and you were getting little support from management at that time and be it unfair or just bad luck you guys got the hate you got from just able every angle for the way previous management had handled business.” Klein responded, “Yeah, those were challenging times, but it is like anything else in life, you keep your head down and keep working and working until something good happens or they give you your walking papers, which was coming we didn’t know back then,” we all laughed at that. He went on, “Today is much different, it’s different because we get support from management.”
I then said, let’s focus on the here and now – where the morning show is headed. We know where you’ve been, but the story is no longer that – it’s where you are now. What do you think was the main motivation to get you through those dark days to where you are today?”
Ally responded, “I think being sincere in what we do matters and people can see through it if you’re just phoning it in. You have to be able to laugh at yourself and not take some things not so serious that they affect your day.” She went on, “It’s the authenticity that everyone can be themselves – that has resonated with our listeners.” I asked, “You all seem like family, you are friends – that’s how it comes off.” Klein responded, “We are, I mean everyone here knows everything about me and they still like me.” We all laughed at that.
Ally continued, “Honestly, we are a family, we do things at events and outside stuff too. I think you can tell when someone is putting on an act, we all care about each other and it shows on air.”
I segued into another topic, “Over the years your fans have really gravitated to Johhny, Jake, Omar and Vanessa – why do you think that is?”
Ally responded, “How can you not be drawn to them, they are funny, honest to a fault and they work hard at putting on this show on every day. They don’t phone it in and you can tell they love what they do. They are the same persons on the air as they are off the air and people love that about them.”
I then asked, “Over the years you have had fans that have become part of the show. There’s The Bud Light Bros, Blind Charlie and Moist Joyce. How inspiring is it that everyday people have taken to your show so much that they have become part of it. Klein said, “It means a lot… some become the on-air part of the show while others support us through letters, texts and other messages. Then, there are these crazy gifts you see on our walls – that means everything to us that people care that much.”
I then asked, “A question that was sent in to us from a reader was to ask when you put the shock collar on Klein, does anyone think his head is going to pop-off?” We all laughed.
Klein laughed and said, “First, I am so mad at myself for suggesting we do this, because it really is not fun – sounds great and funny but for me it really does suck. Somehow, it seems I get it more than anybody else and don’t get me wrong everyone on the show are good people, but when it comes to this, they are vicious and they smell blood and they love to see me struggle.” That made us all laugh.
The next question from our readers was for Ally, I asked, “Ally we got a lot of e-mails for you, when you disclosed on air that your pregnancy attempt failed, people were taken by how open you were and felt your tears. We got so many e-mails – mostly women who felt your paid and asked us to tell her they felt her pain and wish her the best now that she is on track.”
Ally paused and looked like she wanted to tear up but she didn’t … she said, “Yeah that was tough, I mean we tried everything leading up to it to make it funny, you know who gave me injections, how and where. But this news was hard for me to talk about. I spoke with my family about it the night before and they said it was OK if I didn’t do this on the show.”
She paused then said, “My position was this is a journey and I always knew this was a possibility that it would not take. I felt it was part of the journey that I was on with our listeners so that is why I did it – you know… that authenticity thing we believe in around here. So, I did it and I got so much support from everyone – I didn’t feel like I was on an island, I felt love.” I told her, “You touched a lot of people with that segment, people care about you and this show, the numbers reflect that.”
We finished with a lesser emotional topic, Jake! Earlier in the day they did a segment where Jake the Nerd debated independent investigator Michelle Wilkins of the “Who Killed Kurt?” Needless to say, that segment was intense. Both hitting salient points, Jake got animated but was able to compose himself with the help of Klein and Ally. Whereas Wilkins also maintained her wits. In the end, it was really good radio.
I asked, how nervous were you going into this? “Klein answered, “Very, Jake is very passionate and sometimes it can get escalated, but luckily this turned out to be really good.” Ally added “That the authentic part of the show – it can be nerve racking because you don’t know if it will hit or miss, but if you play it safe all the time, you won’t have these kinds of moments that make for great radio.”
I closed with asking, when the news broke about the ratings, did either of them have a “WOW” moment. Klein smiled and said, “It wasn’t like a WOW moment, for me it was more of a humbling experience… one of the first persons to congratulate us was Kevin Ryder. All I can say is that guy is a class act!”
In the end, there is a reason this show is # 1 in Los Angeles. Rumor has it that this is the best morning show ratings in the last 40 years in the L.A. market and possible the best morning show rating ever at KROQ. We’re still trying to verify all that, but the # 1 thing – that’s a fact.
The bottom line is this group never quit, so they could never be beaten down – those obstacles thrown at them turned out to be an advantage and nothing else; a motivation so to speak. What’s next for the show? Ally said, “we’ll continue to work hard and be real.” Klein added “We’ll give 100% every day, I don’t think this group knows any other way to do it.”
Truthfully, we don’t know what the future holds for KROQ’s Klein.Ally.Show – syndication, Radio Hall of Fame? Who knows, only time will tell. At that point, Vanessa knocked on the door (firmly) and said “times up!”
In the end, KROQ has the # 1 Morning show in Los Angeles. No matter what anyone says to the contrary, this group earned this accomplishment, and nobody can take that away from them.
Catch L.A.’s # 1 morning show Monday through Friday 5am to 11 am (Pacific time) on The World Famous KROQ.
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October 28, 2026UncategorizedRISE AGAINST
Ricochet Tour at Great Park Live
October 28th, 2026 Review by Todd Markel
Chicago’s Rise Against brought their Ricochet 2026 Tour to the Southland in support of their 2025 album of the same name. Joining them were fellow Chicagoans Alkaline Trio and the Washington, D.C., duo Teen Mortgage.
With that lineup, it was shaping up to be a fantastic night of music. As I made my way into the venue, the sky was blue, with big, fluffy pink clouds and no obvious signs of what was about to come.
The City of Irvine has seen its fair share of live music venues come and go, from the legendary Irvine Meadows to FivePoint Amphitheatre and, most recently, Great Park Live. With a more permanent venue planned for 2027 or 2028, the city’s concert scene continues to evolve. After spending plenty of time standing on hot asphalt at outdoor shows, it was nice to have a large green field to walk across for a change.
To kick things off, the Grim Reaper appeared onstage and made his way down into the pit to menace the crowd. It was certainly one way to get everyone’s attention. Teen Mortgage, consisting of guitarist and vocalist James Guile along with drummer Ed Barakauskas, got things started with a loud, fast, and energetic set. Formed in 2017, the duo has a sound that makes it hard to believe there are only two people onstage.
The band tore through songs including “Burn,” “Democracy Manifest,” and their cover of Woody Guthrie’s “I Ain’t Got No Home.” They were only a few songs into their set when Guile suddenly announced, “I’m sorry, we have to end our set due to inclement weather.”
At first, I thought he was kidding. It had just started sprinkling, and I couldn’t imagine a little rain bringing the show to a sudden halt. Then a notice appeared on the big screen, followed by an announcement instructing everyone to leave the venue and take shelter in their cars because of the expected thunder and lightning. Almost on cue, I heard the thunder crack as the approaching storm made itself known. Okay, I guess they were serious.
I followed the crowd out to the parking lot and waited out the storm in my car, checking Instagram for updates. After almost an hour, the storm appeared to have passed, and a post announced that the venue would reopen at 8:30 p.m. The crowd lined up to get back inside, with the show scheduled to resume at 9:00 p.m.
You might think an interruption like that would take some of the momentum out of the evening, but plenty of people returned, and the crowd was ready to get back to the music. Once inside, a quick look at the stage confirmed that Alkaline Trio was still up next. At that point, I think a lot of us were just happy to see that the show was actually going to continue.
When the lights dimmed, Matt Skiba and the rest of Alkaline Trio walked onstage to a huge cheer. Skiba pointed toward the sky, seemingly acknowledging the weather delay, before the band launched into “Calling All Skeletons.”
They followed with “Private Eye” and “Is This Thing Cursed.” Skiba dedicated “Every Thug Needs a Lady” to their tour mates in Rise Against before the band rolled through more fan favorites, including “Warbrain” and “Mercy Me,” closing with “Radio.”
Alkaline Trio delivered the kind of set that reminded everyone why they’ve remained a popular draw after all these years.
Despite the delay, the crowd was fully engaged, singing along and making the most of the time they had.
The band picked up right where the evening had left off, giving everyone a solid set of songs they knew and loved.
Finally, it was time for Rise Against to take the stage. They opened with “Satellite,” with singer Tim McIlrath making excellent use of a megaphone. It was a strong way to get things moving again, and the band kept the energy up from there. Lead guitarist Zach Blair is always amazing to watch he always displays such high energy make Rise Against a lot of fun to watch live.
“Make It Stop (September’s Children)” followed, before “Give It All” brought McIlrath out to the barricade and into the crowd. The band continued with “Help Is on the Way” and “Under the Knife.” McIlrath reminded the crowd that it was “all because of you,” borrowing a line from their next song “The Good Left Undone.” With so many people singing along throughout the set, it was a reminder of just how many Rise Against songs had become radio hits over the years.
McIlrath explained that he planned to keep the talking to a minimum so the band could fit as much of its set as possible into the limited time remaining. Given the circumstances, it made sense. One of the more memorable moments came with “Katy Bar the Door,” which the band dedicated to Teen Mortgage, whose set had been cut short by Mother Nature. It was a nice way to acknowledge the opening act and the unexpected turn the evening had taken.
Rise Against followed with the powerful “Prayer of the Refugee” before slowing things down for an acoustic performance of “Swing Life Away.” It was a welcome change of pace after the heavier songs and gave everyone a chance to catch their breath.
The energy picked back up with “Re-Education (Through Labor),” which was dedicated to Alkaline Trio.
By then, the evening had settled back into what everyone had come for in the first place: a great lineup of bands playing for a crowd that was more than ready to rock. For the encore, the band returned with “Survive” before closing the night out with “Savior,” sending everyone home on a high note.
All things considered, it was a pretty memorable night. It could have been very easy for the whole evening to turn into a major disappointment, but the crowd came back, the bands delivered, and the show went on. I’m not sure every venue could have handled a shutdown like that and gotten things moving again so smoothly.
Sometimes live music comes with a few surprises. This time, one of them happened to involve a thunderstorm.
Thankfully, the night ended the way it was supposed to, with three outstanding bands and a crowd that got exactly what it came for.
SHOW PHOTO GALLERY
by Todd Markel Rock Images
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October 28, 2026UncategorizedLive from In-N-Out Sound Space at
October 28th, 2026 Review by Stuart Karpel
When describing the essence of a Paradox show, it’s quite hard to encapsulate that feeling in just a few words. Of course, you could say that the vibes were immaculate; you may describe them as great performers, but what would be missing from that description is so much more that the band exemplifies. From their effortless comedic engagement with the fans, to the catchy riffs of their tracks – which make a sing-along feel inevitable – there’s no doubt that they have earned their title as rockstars.
To start the midday concert off, fans gathered outside the In-N-Out Sound Space at the KROQ Studio, enjoying their burgers and each other’s company before the show began. As the courtyard of fans filled up, the excitement was obvious in the smiling faces and animated interactions.
Shortly thereafter the doors opened and some raced to the front of the stage to get the best view. But no matter where you stand in the Sound Space, it is a fantastic view.
As the show officially started, the band walked onto the stage for a brief interview with KROQ’s Megan Holliday and Kevin Ryder. The questions mostly revolved around their overnight success and the amazing headliners they have played alongside since. Their answers gave inspiration to every fan who hopes there is a possibility that their own creativity could one day bring them the same notoriety and achievements.
Of course, they carried the punk rockstar look but their answers reflected that at the end of the day, they are just as human as the rest of us.
Lead vocalist, Eric Dangerfield led the majority of the responses to questions, touching on their humble beginnings in Florida and Atlanta, and stated their inspirations were Green Day and Sum 41.
Shortly after the interview, the band grabbed their instruments, Dangerfield thanked KROQ for bringing them back to the Sound Space, and they began playing an extended intro of their most track, “Get the Message.” Drummer Percy Crews III led the group into a four count on his symbols and jumped into the song, eager to uplift the vibes.
From the echoing bass of Donald Bryant to the aggressive strums of Christopher “Xelan” Bernard and Dangerfield on their guitars, every note felt as if it could be heard from a mile away. At this point, the hardest thing in the world would have been trying to stop yourself from vibing to the high-energy music.
For the middle of their setlist, the band played “Do It Again,” then Dangerfield complimented the Spider-Man shirt from a fan. Up next was their new track, “I Kinda Like That,” from the recently released “Proceed with Caution” EP. The EP is only 16-minutes long, but it is packed with fast-paced skate-punk melodies and there’s no doubt it will make for a great road-trip mix.
Dangerfield allowed a fan named Isaiah to hop onto the stage, took his own guitar off his shoulder, and handed it to the fan. They played “Ms. Lauren” together, and Isaiah brought some crazy charisma to the stage himself. After the show, Holliday mentioned that this was the first time a fan has been onstage at the Sound Space.
The group then rolled into “It’s Over” and “Do Me Like That” to close the set, but as long as the punk anthems were being played, every concertgoer there didn’t want the setlist to end. Once the mosh pit formed near the entrance of the stage-pit, half of the audience ran into the chaos to join; even KROQ’s Postmaster Johnny got to enjoy the vibes of the spin-kicking, arm-flailing circle of fans.
As the show ended, the group thanked everyone for attending and gave their appreciation for KROQ. They also mentioned they would be playing at The Moroccan Lounge later that day and hoped those in attendance would be able to come see them again.
The fans then exited the building, got their Paradox posters, and were on their way. The looks on everyone’s faces and the conversations revolving around shared enjoyment symbolized just how impactful the show had been.
Superfans of the band got to embrace their love for music together and new listeners had just discovered a ton of new songs to add to their playlists.
It was a day filled with great music, energetic vibes and connection amongst everyone who attended.
SHOW PHOTO GALLERY
by Skylar Barberio | @skylarbarberio on IG
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October 27, 2026UncategorizedThe Gathering Goes Gold at Crypto.com Arena
October 27th, 2026 Review by Kevin Gomez
In August, Weezer released their 20th full-length album, “The Gold Album,” an absolutely staggering achievement. Receiving early critical praise, the album was also a welcome back to the band’s attempt at earlier albums like “Blue” and even hints of “Maladroit.”
This year’s tour, dubbed The Gathering, fittingly brought its final date back home to where it all started in Los Angeles, at the Crypto.com Arena.
A sizeable crowd showed up early to pack the sold-out event, no doubt there to catch the night’s openers, Silversun Pickups.
They put together a loud and energetic set kicking off with, “Well Thought Out Twinkles.”
Lead singer Brian Aubert sang “The Wreckage” as he swayed back and forth against a thudding hypotonic bassline by Nikki Monninger.
“Kissing Families” featured beautiful vocals from Monninger concluding with a killer guitar solo from Aubert. Aubert led with a big, bold guitar intro that eventually transitioned into “Panic Switch,” a song that highlighted Chris Guanlao’s tremendous drumming capabilities.
He really looks and plays like he’s in a punk band. Monninger bounced up and down leading right into her bass solo, endlessly playing the song’s iconic bassline. This was a really special performance from the band who got their break playing in nearby Silver Lake.
Aubert advised everyone to proceed with kindness, reminding everyone, “Decency is punk as fuck.” The band closed with “Lazy Eye,” a song that listening on record may not seem like an impressive drumbeat, but that’s where Guanlao really shines. Rocking a gold Luka Dončić Lakers jersey, he put every ounce of energy into it, showcasing his performance and ability.
If Silversun Pickups represented the harder, grungier side of Weezer’s personality, The Shins were definitely the more subdued mellow indie rock.
Guitarist Mark Watrous announced that he left one lucky fan a gift package (as he had done in every city of the tour) under their chair and gave out the seat coordinates.
Each song featured a different Shins logo playing behind them for songs like “Saint Simon” and “Heartworms” set against James Mercer’s gentle vocals.
“Phantom Limb” really gave Beach Boys nostalgia, invoking ‘50s surf doo-wop as the crowd sang along with the band for the “ooohs.” They slowed things way down for the Garden Stare anthem “New Slang,” allowing for a beautiful guitar solo from Watrous.
Jon Sortland’s fierce, heavy-handed playing makes sense when you know he’s also drummer for skate punks, Cigar. Sortland showed restraint playing a subdued beat for “New Slang” and the first half of their final song, “Sleeping Lessons,” but then broke free, and the song erupted from his intense playing. This eventually wound down into a passionate cover of R.E.M.’s “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine).”
“Dearly beloved we are here to celebrate a thing called Weezer,” proclaimed lead singer Rivers Cuomo. The band went into “Surf Wax America,” with great falsetto vocals by bassist Scott Shriner and guitarist Brian Bell during the song’s bridge.
Flames rose around all members during the aptly titled “Hash Pipe” and Rivers delivered an equally spicy guitar solo.
“Where are all the Maladroit fans,” Cuomo asked, and the band played “Slob,” the oft-forgotten song from that album.
“The LA Sound,” penned by Bell, features a dual solo by Bell and Cuomo, culminating in a beautiful four-part harmony outro.
“Across the Sea” was so good the “power” went out on stage following an explosion on one of the two power lines adjoining the stage.
This led to a short acoustic set with Bell on clarinet and Cuomo on keyboard for “Longtime Sunshine.” Cuomo played harmonica as they followed up with an acoustic version of “In the Garage” while a campfire burned next to them.
Cuomo finally found a power switch and restored power, playing drums while Patrick Wilson played guitar on “Pork and Beans,” as Cuomo changed the lyrics to “Olivia Rodrigo knows the way to the top of the charts.” Wilson snuck in a shredding solo from Van Halen’s “Eruption.”
Silversun Pickups’ Monninger appeared donning a black and gold robe and magic wand – “I’ve been summoned for some feminine energy,” she announced. She filled in female vocals for their latest single, “We Might as Well Be Strangers.” She stayed on for co-vocals for Weezer’s viral hit, “Go Away.” She took lead vocals for “I Just Threw Out the Love of My Dreams.”
The reoccurring message for this tour was that “all are welcome at the Gathering,” which seems to fit with Weezer’s entire personality. Often tagged as the nerdy outcasts, it really did feel like everyone was accepted and they belonged there. In this day and age that’s kind of a nice, albeit, hopefully not unrealistic concept.
SHOW PHOTO GALLERY
by Todd Markel Rock Images
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October 26, 2026Uncategorized“PERFECTH”
New Tour, New Album, New Single
October 26th, 2026 by Traci Turner
Queens of the Stone Age have set a month-long 2027 trek in support of their forthcoming album, “Perfecth.” Pixies and Wheelchair Sports Camp will be along for the 16-date ride which kicks off in San Diego at Viejas Arena on May 1st.
SoCal fans can also catch them May 2nd in Inglewood at the Kia Forum before the band makes their way across the country, closing the tour out in Boston on May 24th.
Last week QOTSA debuted a new single from the album entitled “Where the Goth Girls At?” on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” The band has previously released “Insignificant Other.”
The Los Angeles band’s ninth album, “Perfecth” is slated for release this Friday. The title allegedly refers to frontman Josh Homme’s belief “that the word ‘Perfect’ doesn’t exist.”
“Every song sounds like it’s from a different world,” he explained. “And that’s on purpose, because it’s trying to stitch together all these emotions revolving around love, lust, foolishness, and the sort of wisdom that comes as a gift from all that.”
“Perfecth” will be available on CD, standard black vinyl, and clear vinyl. There is also a fancypants limited deluxe edition that includes “handwritten lyrics, stationary, ‘stamps’ housed inside a custom envelope as well as a bespoke piece of art temporarily placed in a custom pocket.”
Queens of the Stone Age will finish 2026 out with shows in Iceland, Japan, China, Australia, and New Zealand. They will kick 2027 off with international Lollapalooza dates, then this month of shows. More headline shows for 2027 are expected to be announced soon.
Tickets for this first batch of dates go on sale to the general public this Thursday at 10 a.m. local time.
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October 26, 2026UncategorizedLive at The Rose Bowl
October 26th, 2026 by Stuart Karpel
A System of a Down show is as rare as… well, a SOAD album. The “Toxicity” band from Glendale is promising a show in 2027 though, and it is a big one – actually, FOUR big ones. The infamous group will play four shows at the Rose Bowl on June 5th, 6th, 10th and 12th. The last one just added!
SOAD is bringing Pierce the Veil and Gojira along with them. There’s no telling just how crazy these evenings will get!
There are plenty of bands that went big after opening for musical legends, but not many bands had the opportunity to open for Slayer, Ozzy Osborne, and Incubus – you have to be something special for those slots.
It takes even more talent to earn a Grammy Award and sell more than 40 million records worldwide, but Serj Tankian, Daron Malakian, Shavo Odadjian, and John Dolmayan have done it easily.
What is even crazier to me, System hasn’t released a new studio album since 2005’s “Hypnotize” and “Mezmerize,” despite repeated comments that they were working on a new one. We have had a couple of singles since then, but diehard fans are eager to hear the signature sound of SOAD again.
When the Rose Bowl shows arrive, we can expect to hear some of System’s biggest tracks: “Chop Suey,” “Aerials,” “Sugar,” “Psycho,” “Toxicity,” “Radio/Video,” “Prison Song,” “B.Y.O.B.” and so many more mosh pit-worthy anthems.
The openers are bringing their own incredible tracks as well. San Diego’s Pierce the Veil will open on June 5th and 6th and get things going with “King for a Day,” “Circles,” “Bulls in the Bronx,” and “Pass the Nirvana.” Meanwhile, French metal band Gojira will open June 10th and 12th and will likely play “Silvera,” “Stranded,” “Amazonia,” and “Flying Whales.”
Tickets for these shows are on sale now – but the 12th goes on sale October 27th at Noon lo al time!
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October 25, 2026UncategorizedBE SWEET TO ME TOUR
October 25th, 2026 by Amaris Becker
Violet Grohl plays the Constellation Room at the Observatory in Santa Ana this Thursday, the fifth stop on her Be Sweet to Me tour. It is sold out, and so are Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, and Phoenix – but! – her Friday show in Los Angeles at The Regent Theater still has tickets available.
As Dave Grohl’s eldest daughter, she has never once denied it or the privileges that comes with it. That is what I respect about her. She has said plainly that doors have opened for her because of her last name, and that it is not something she is trying to hide or apologize for. The easier move would have been deflection, or a stage name while still quietly benefiting from the connections. She took the legacy in stride, and I think the work is stronger for it.
Violet was just 12 when she sang Adele’s “When We Were Young” with her father at a benefit in Oakland in 2018. She sang “Heart-Shaped Box” with the remaining members of Nirvana at the Hollywood Palladium in 2020. She performed at the Taylor Hawkins tribute shows in 2022, and in 2023 she was onstage with Foo Fighters at Glastonbury.
In January 2025, at the FireAid benefit at the Kia Forum, Nirvana reunited and she joined them on lead vocals for “All Apologies.” By the time her own album arrived, she had been performing publicly for years.
Grohl’s album “Be Sweet to Me,” was released in May and with eleven tracks, it clocks in at just under 32 minutes.
It arrived in pieces: “Thum” and “Applefish” debuted together in December 2025 as her first solo release, almost a teaser for “595” in March, followed by “Cool Buzz” in April.
Underneath the guitars there is a cinematic quality to the whole record. “Applefish” is a song I could absolutely see playing while someone bleeds out into a creek, and “Bug in the Cake” belongs in a coming-of-age movie.
“Pool of My Dreams” and “The Last Day I Love You” are my personal favorites from the album.
Violet Grohl is carrying a last name with so much rock legacy behind and making it her own in Orange County. There is no bad spot in a room that holds 250 people and The Constellation Room may genuinely be the last small venue she performs in.
In a couple of years, having been there at her debut tour and a sold-out stage with nothing but standing room, is going to be a brag.
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October 23, 2026UncategorizedROCK N ROLL IN THE STREETS FEST
Fabulous Las Vegas
October 23rd, 2026 by Jimmy Alvarez
Las Vegas is known for many things, music (big shows) is one of them. For those who like their music a little on the louder side, there’s a festival just for you and it’s in Sin City!
The festival is aptly titled Rock N Roll in the Streets Fest and it features rock, alt rock, punk and ska bands from a little bit of everywhere.
On the near 10-year anniversary of Punk Rock BBQ, the creators have cooked up a new kind of mini festival that will satisfy your sonic appetite.
The four-day event will take place at The Grey Witch and the bands set to play will dazzle.
Let’s start with three SoCal bands that are set to take the stage. Rundown Kreeps and The Maxies have been entertaining fans for years.
RUNDOWN KREEPS
One band is from Los Angeles, while the other is from South Central Nuuk Greenland.
Both provide a punch with a punk rock electric slide that will captivate you.
THE MAXIES
One other band from L.A. is Go Betty Go. Like L7, this is an all-girl band that does not take no for an answer, takes no prisoners on stage and plays in your face music with soul piercing licks!
GO BETTY GO
From The OC, you can catch the sights, sounds and shenanigans of CODENAME: Rocky. Going on three decades of skanktastic tunes, this band has done it all and played every imaginable stage you can think of.
Hats off to the show organizers for the number of great bands they are putting on this bill. There really is a little bit of something for everyone. The Henchmen are a sure hit, Thee Merry Widows, Thee Bad Janets, Hour 13, Witches Ride and a host of other bands will knock your socks off.
CODENAME: ROCKY
Another showstopper will be the Texas band known as Hans Gruber and the Die Hards. With an impressive resume and catalog, this band is prime to blow the roof off the Grey Witch.
No matter which day you go, you will be entertained! Get your tickets now and have the time of your life at Rock N Roll in the Streets Fest in good ole’ Sin City!
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TICKETS TICKETS TICKETS
SID 261027 | TRACI TURNER | EDITOR [...]
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October 23, 2026UncategorizedTRICK OR TREAT TO THE BEAT
Live from The Glass House Pomona
October 23rd, 2026 Review by Kevin Gomez
Everyone’s favorite ska-punk superheroes, The Aquabats, take their costume dress-ups very seriously… obviously. Therefore, it should be no surprise that October and Halloween are very near and dear to their hearts.
The Aquabats are currently on the Trick or Treat to the Beat tour, similar to last year’s excursion except expanding to several weeks, taking them through Nevada, Arizona and all up and down the California coast. October 16th the boys stopped off at The Glass House in Pomona with several friends in tow.
First up to kick off the night was the fairly new ska act, sullvn, fronted by longtime San Diego radio personality, Robert “Sully” Sullivan.
This has really been the year of sullvn, as the band has had frequent spots opening for longtime friends Goldfinger, as well as eight stops on this current Aquabats tour. sullvn’s music is classic old school reggae ska that got the entire crowd dancing on songs like “Chasing the Echoes” and “Liars.” Sully played his love letter to his home state, “Oh California.”
Sully announced they were going to do a cover and the band went into their rendition of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones’ “The Impression That I Get,” which saw their lead singer Dicky Barrett come out to sing lead vocals. sullvn’s horn section really shined on the cover, which should be no surprise since they consist of No Doubt’s Gabrial McNair on trombone and Stephen Bradley on trumpet. Barrett stayed on to duet on “Raise a Glass,” a song produced by Goldfinger’s John Feldmann.
Next was the barrio’s favorite hoodlums, Manic Hispanic. The boys in brown wasted no time launching into their version of Black Flag’s “Wasted!”
It was followed by “Mas Chingones,” which got the pit going, and was observed by singer Luis Perez, III, who exclaimed, “You guys started that so early!”
Perez was so impressed by the crowd’s enthusiasm he jumped into the pit for their take on The Damned, “Pinche Pinche.” Perez said the moshers were “down, brown, and ready to take it to P-Town.” Efrem Schulz took lead vocals for “Holding Cell,” before Gilbert Pichardo took over on “Teardrop on My Eye.”
Pichardo dedicated “Big Hynas” to the “the girl eating a chicken taco at Juan Pollo,” just down the street. A special moment came when McNair and Bradley played horns on “A Message to You Chunti.”
They played in my opinion one of their most genius concoctions, almost a cover within a cover – “Bob” is their rendition of NOFX’s song of the same name, however, Manic’s cover is about Bob Morales, the alcoholic drunk brother of Ritchie Valens in “La Bamba.”
The song even featured the guitar solo from the song “La Bamba,” played excellently by Elvis Cortez.
Manic then moved to their cover of “Mexican Girl” highlighted by Cortez, who absolutely shredded on the song’s iconic solo. None other than Aquabats lead singer, MC Bat Commander came out dressed like a cholo, complete with bandana, flannel shirt, baggy shorts, and knee-high socks (sock check!) while the band closed with “Paisa,” which saw Bat Commander signing on the song’s chorus.
The Aquabats were up and went right into the instrumental “Phantasma Del Bar!” as Bat Commander took the stage wearing a giant pumpkin mask.
Bat Commander said the band holds the record for most shows played at the Glass House.
Bat Commander called an audible and decided to play “Pool Party” (which was on the setlist to be the last song of the night), much like Perez earlier, he seemed to be invigorated by the audience’s energy and immediately went to the dancefloor and continued singing and skanking.
For “Pizza Day,” he welcomed two young children, a boy and a girl, who stage dove onto two giant inflatable pizza slices. The crowd put all their focus and attention into keeping these two kids afloat safe. Bat Commander came down to the barricade for the highly intense “Where is Walter Fang?”
They played “Tarantula” as a giant stuffed tarantula dangled as Bat Commander swung with a bat. “I kept swinging and missing,” he quipped, “I felt like the Dodgers.”
They played my favorite song of the night, the ultra-silly, “Spider Love” and closed their regular set with “Attacked by Snakes.”
The Aquabats returned for an encore of “Fell Asleep on My Arm” and “Shark Fighter.” The latter featured lovely horns from Reel Big Fish’s John Christianson on trumpet, original member, Catboy on trumpet, and Jimmy the Robot on sax. They ended a really fun night of fantastic music and dancing with “Super Rad.”
It was wonderful to see so many generations of the crowd, people who grew up with The Aquabats and are now bringing their children.
There’s no need to “tell your mom, tell your dad” that the Aquabats were super rad – they were there.
SHOW PHOTO GALLERY
by Todd Markel Rock Images
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October 23, 2026UncategorizedINTO THE BEGINNING TOUR
& Drop Palace for the People
October 23rd, 2026 by Stuart Karpel
The modern age of rock ‘n’ roll is so much different than it was just 20 years ago. Of course, that mostly falls back on the consistent fast pace of social media and the ever-growing diversification of music genres, which now labels some of the classic rock genres as a “lost art.”
But for a band like Greta Van Fleet, they’ve completely shut down that narrative and have become one of the biggest chart-toppers that the new era of rock has seen.
Ever since the band started throwing gigs together back in 2012 at Michigan dive bars, they’ve achieved some of the greatest accolades most musicians could only dream of.
GVF has received a Grammy for Best Rock Album, a Billboard number one song with “Highway Tune,” as well as headline performances at some of the most notable venues: Madison Square Garden, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, and even “SNL.”
While fans think the band has already achieved so much, to the band members, this is just the beginning.
Their fourth studio album, “Palace for the People,” just dropped and along with it, the announcement of their Into the Beginning world tour.
With shows starting on February 2nd and going until July 31st, the group plans to perform in 49 total venues.
The trek starts in the U.S., continues through Europe and Canada, and returns back to the U.S. after the first week of July.
Thankfully on this tour SoCal residents can experience the band live when they make a stop at the Honda Center on March 19th. Attendees can expect to hear more than just songs from their latest album though. Other tracks that will likely be played include “Safari Song,” “Light My Love,” “Black Smoke Rising,” “Edge of Darkness,” and their rendition of Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come.”
While they strive to grow as musicians by switching producers for every album they work on, the Van Fleet experience is best embodied by their live symphonic work. From the unique sound of lead singer John Kiszka’s “Zeppelin-esque” voice to the high-energy classic/blues rock tone of their music, it truly does give the people something to dance to.
No matter their small-town Frankenmuth roots as a garage band, the bandmates’ ostentatious style of fashion, folklore-themed lyricism, and bold yet classic rockstar mindset are just some of the great qualities that this legendary group has to offer.
Tickets for the tour are on sale now!
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October 22, 2026UncategorizedNICK HEYWARD
Coming Back to U.S.
October 22nd, 2026 by Traci Turner
After visiting us in 2025 with Howard Jones, and this year with Squeeze, we are going to see a bit more of Haircut One Hundred frontman, Nick Heyward. The ever-so-charming gent will return solo this time, which is actually a much larger catalogue than his Haircut material!
Heyward’s 1993 album, “From Monday to Sunday,” featured “Kite,” which is perhaps the song most fans ask about. He said the recent tours “reignited his personal desire to return to the U.S. in support of his solo material.”
“I’ve had people for the last 30 years asking, ‘Are you the ‘Kite’ guy?’ and I say ‘Yes, indeed. I’m Mr. Kite,’” he laughed. “They say, ‘Please come back to America; that song means so much to me,’ and so I’m coming back to play acoustically – an acoustic expedition so to speak – to reconnect with people who like my music. My last US tour was in 1994 and I’m really looking forward to playing ‘Kite’ in America again. It’s been too long!”
The trek will kick off March 4th, 2027 in Atlanta, and stops at intimate venues across the eastern half of the country including Nashville, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, New York, among others.
The shows will offer a “storytellers” approach – stripped-down environments that will allow Heyward the opportunity to share song inspirations with the fans. He explained, “I do love to talk about the source and the creative process of songs – how they arrive, whether they were an easy birth or whether they were a caesarian, and also what they mean to others now – like a young chap who tracked me down on MySpace to tell me his mum used to play him ‘Kite’ as a lullaby before bed. As a budding children’s author this thrilled me.”
Heyward is also releasing a solo career retrospective entitled “The Essential,” a 31-track compilation on November 27th. As if that was not enough, his autobiography, “Fantastic Days: My Autobiography,” will drop November 5th.
Get all things Heyward started by first purchasing tickets to a show near you. We assume more dates with the West Coast will be announced soon…
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NICK HEYWARD
SID 261016 | JIMMY ALVAREZ | EDITOR [...]
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October 22, 2026UncategorizedOZZY & BLACK SABBATH
Back to the Beginning
PURPLE CARPET PREMIERE
October 22nd, 2026 Review by Bruce R Kilgour
On a warm Wednesday October evening, the 100-year-old Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles was host to one of the largest gatherings of metal and hard rock royalty in recent years. The occasion was the “purple carpet premiere” of the film “Ozzy & Black Sabbath – Back to the Beginning,” which documents the incredible 10-hour concert held on July 5th, 2025, in Birmingham, England.
That concert concluded with the planned final live performances by both Ozzy Osbourne (as a solo artist) and the original lineup of the legendary Black Sabbath (Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward,) who had not performed together since Ozzfest in 2005.
A limited number of tickets to the premiere were sold to the public for $20 a few days prior to the screening, with 50% of the proceeds donated to various Los Angeles homeless charities. The entire balcony and Broadway Bar area of the Orpheum were, however, reserved for about six hundred invited guests, musicians, and media.
I was fortunate to attend as invited press, and it was truly incredible to have the opportunity to mingle with the hosts – Sharon and Jack Osbourne – and the dozens of major artists present, many of whom had participated in the Back to the Beginning concert.
The two most popular attendees may have been Black Sabbath members Butler and Ward, judging by the fan’s reaction upon spotting them both before and after the screening. Guitarist Iommi did not attend, due to his busy promotional schedule for his forthcoming solo album.
Among the musicians who attended the event were Gene Simmons (KISS) and his wife Shannon Tweed, Slash (Guns N’ Roses), Robert Trujillo (Metallica), Scott Ian (Anthrax), Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Danny Carey (Tool), Travis Barker (blink-182), Mike Inez (Alice in Chains), Gilby Clarke, Lzzy Hale, Joe Hottinger and Josh Smith (Halestorm), Jake E. Lee (Ozzy Osbourne Band), John Bush (Armored Saint), Mike Bordin (Faith No More), Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme), David Ellefson (Megadeth), Tommy Clufetos (touring drummer for Osbourne and Black Sabbath), and Billy Morrison (The Cult, Billy Idol). Morrison was Osbourne’s closest friend and collaborator in his later years.
Rudy Sarzo, who toured with Osbourne in 1981-1982, was also in attendance with the entire current lineup of Quiet Riot, whose brand-new singer – 23-year-old John Torra – proved to be one of the media’s favorite interview subjects.
One of the coolest moments of the concert (also shown in the film) was the “drum-off” between Smith, Barker, and Carey during the Black Sabbath song “Symptom of the Universe,” during which Sarzo played bass. I overheard Barker and Carey recalling that moment as they posed for photos together.
Before the screening, Sharon and Jack appeared on stage to welcome everyone and offered their heartfelt thanks for the decades of support of the beloved Osbourne. Their speeches were followed by a lengthy chant of “Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy…”
The 150-minute film focuses on the Black Sabbath and Osbourne songs covered by the artists who participated in the original concert. Although several bands – such as Alice in Chains, Pantera, Slayer, and Metallica – also performed their own material at the show, those songs are not presented in the film.
The original pre-recorded video tributes from Osbourne’s peers that were shown during the livestream have been replaced in the film with voiceovers from the participating musicians combined with great archival footage of Black Sabbath and Osbourne.
Although the concert itself ended with the triumphant finale of the four-song Black Sabbath reunion set, the filmmakers chose to move the emotional performance of “Mama, I’m Coming Home” from Ozzy’s solo segment to the end of the movie, creating a powerful final statement.
There are many other surprises and highlights throughout the film, but I recommend that everyone grab some family and friends to experience this amazing documentary for themselves!
“Back to the Beginning” arrives in theaters worldwide on October 28th for a limited run, and tickets are available now.
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SID 261025 | TRACI TURNER | EDITOR [...]
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