Publication Date: March 15, 2026
March 12, 2026UncategorizedINDUSTRY REPORT # 58
CATCHING UP WITH SCOTTY MORRIS
March 12th, 2026 by Jimmy Alvarez
Every once in a while, we come across a band that is not only part of history, but they also made it. Bands like The Beatles, The Who, Led Zeppelin and Nirvana all changed the musical landscape. Hard to believe that in 2026, one of those bands are not only around, but they are coming to the OC. The band is Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.
The year was 2006, and swing music made its way back into the mainstream of everyday life courtesy of a movie called “Swingers.” The 1996 feature film captured the resurgence of the “swing” music revival featuring music from Ventura’s number one sons, Scotty Morris and his band of brothers. I had the opportunity to chat with Scotty about all that is Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.
What stood out most to me was despite all the glory and fame that the band deservedly has received, he remains down to Earth and a very well-grounded cat. What I found interesting is the original band lineup remains intact.
Morris wears the kick-ass suits and handles the mic duties. Kurt Sodergren slaps the skins, the double bass is all Dirk Shumaker; Andy Rowley leads the brass section on sax, while Glen “The Kid” Marhevka is on trumpet. The band wouldn’t be complete without Karl Hunter who doubles sax and clarinet, while Joshua Levy plays the keys.
When asked how they managed to still be together after all these years, Morris said “I love these guys, we are a family. Like any family we have disagreements, but we always come together. We have lots in common and like many of the same things, which helps keep our sanity. But we are brothers, and that’s what’s kept us together.”
We touched on his early days and what drew him to swing. He laughed and said, “I was a punk rock kid at heart, still am, the music just spoke to me.” He went on to say, “but I also loved Saturday morning cartoons, and the classic and swing music that was the soundtrack to many of those toons.” We both laughed at that as I knew what he meant.
He went on to say, “I love punk music, but swing really spoke to me.” I asked him about his wardrobe, because he has lot of great suits. I told him I spoke with Mike Ness not long ago, and he said he never changed anything about himself to do his music, he is who he is and his closet represents that. Morris laughed and said, “I agree with Mike, you are your music and I have a closet full of cool clothes; I didn’t have to re-invent myself, it is who I am.”
I then asked what it was like when “Swingers” came out. He said, “It was so surreal, it was crazy how everything changed for us, I never forget what it took to get here, and I will never take it for granted. I mean we’ve played the Super Bowl, and performed on Dancing with The Stars, I mean that doesn’t happen to everyone. So yeah, we are very lucky and very grateful – we will always continue to work hard.”
I asked about the band name, he laughed again and said it was a chance meeting with legendary blues artist and band leader Albert Collins, and he received a poster signed “To Scotty, the big bad voodoo Daddy.” Morris and the guys thought it was a perfect name.
I then asked the 10-million-dollar question – the rumor is there is new music coming soon from the band. Morris said, “That’s no rumor, I have 10 songs written, we’re just working on them to get something out.” I asked if there was an album name or release date? He said, nothing just yet, but it is coming. He sounded so excited, like a teenager going to his first dance.
Truth is, this band is dynamic, energetic on stage, and deliver an electrifying performance on stage. For the local fans, great news… Big Bad Voodoo Daddy is coming to town.
You can them March 28th at Garden Amphitheatre. Show support will be provided by Jessica Kazzmarek Band. This will be an epic show, so if you like to jive, jump and shake what your mama gave you, get out and see these legends. Tickets are on sale NOW!
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March 12, 2026UncategorizedLong Beach 2026 Lineup Released
March 12th, 2026 by Kevin Gomez
Pack the sunscreen, grab your clear festival bag and make plans to have your mom drop you off, because the Vans Warped Tour is coming back again to Long Beach. Actually, if you were there for some of the original Warped Tour years, your kids might be old enough to drop you off this time.
After a resounding success of 80,000 people at last year’s Long Beach date, founder Kevin Lyman is bringing the festival back again with even more dates, and this year he’s going international. The Vans Warped Tour will make the rounds again at Washington, D.C., Long Beach, and Orlando, and this year expands to Montreal and Mexico City.
As they did last year, the Warped Tour slowly began releasing bands for the past 30 days. Gradually, a solid lineup started to unveil, with the full official lineup dropping Tuesday. Now, there are still eight bands whited out presumably for bands that cannot be named yet due to proximity clauses but will be revealed as the date gets closer. My guess for the band after Hot Chelle Rae and Hot Milk is Hot Mulligan.
Part of the magic of the Warped Tour was that this was a stage for some of the biggest names in punk, alternative, hardcore, hip-hop, and everything in between, while being a showcase for the younger bands coming up.
Some of the biggest bands playing the Long Beach dates are Jimmy Eat World, Papa Roach, Flogging Molly, Simple Plan, The Used, All Time Low, and Bowling for Soup. There’s also a throwback to bands who used to play Warped Tour in the ‘90s and 2000s like Bayside, MxPx, Lagwagon, Mad Caddies, and The Ataris.
We even have some repeat offenders who played last year’s Long Beach show including The Used, Honey Revenge, Taking Back Sunday, and Plain White T’s. As for newer up and coming bands, you will definitely want to catch sets from Codefendants, Winona Fighter, Holy Wars, and carolesdaughter.
The Long Beach dates will be July 25th-26th. Tickets have been on sale for a bit including a blind sale before any bands were announced. Act quickly because all three of last year’s dates sold out, and 2026 should be no different.
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March 11, 2026UncategorizedINDUSTRY REPORT # 57
Catching Up with Nicole Alvarez
March 11th, 2026 by Traci Turner
The world of radio is a business like no other. Stations can be rock one day and country the next. Beloved DJs can be let go randomly without the chance to say goodbye to listeners. A voice you may have associated with one brand may move to another. The one constant of radio is change.
Last year the LA radio market participated in several of those changes, including a major crosstown move for Nicole Alvarez. Leaving her radio home of more than 20 years, Alvarez relocated to Alt 98.7 and is now handling middays.
After beginning her radio career at WPLA (Jacksonville) and WZTA (Miami), Alvarez landed at KROQ, where she earned an amazing reputation for her artist interviews, musical knowledge, and kind heart. In addition to the “standard” on-air gig, Alvarez co-hosted the syndicated “Loveline” with Dr. Drew Pinsky and Dr. Chris Donahue,
She voiced additional alternative stations owned by the same company (Audacy), served as an MTV correspondent, and is a member of the Recording Academy’s Rock Committee. She is also an incredible writer and is the primary West Coast contributor for Consequence of Sound.
After one week of middays, we decided to check in with Alvarez and see how things are going at the new gig…
Traci: It’s always weird to research someone before interviewing them, because this sounds like I am a creeper, but how was Disney this weekend?
Nicole: Disney is a lot! I think I have shin splints and I’m having trouble walking.
Traci: I saw it was the Disney Food & Wine Festival. Was there something that was the best thing you’ve ever tasted?
Nicole: Wine. A glass of wine, honestly.
Traci: Another very important question from my stalking you this weekend is, what was your last tattoo?
Nicole: Oh, I got a tattoo on my hand that says Unforgettable Dance in Spanish to remind me of my family growing up, my Cuban family, and to remind me this is one dance that we get and we should do it right.
Traci: I know you began your radio career quite young, so you obviously had a love for music at an early age. What was the first song you fell in love with?
Nicole: The first song that I remember absolutely adoring and needing to hear over and over again was Prince, “Purple Rain.” That was the first song that I remember becoming obsessed with. I have a very strong love for that song. It was in the “Stranger Things” finale not too long ago, and it was unexpected, and it floored me.
Traci: How did you know you wanted to go into radio?
Nicole: I was about 10 or 11, and in the car back then, there was only radio. I would listen to a station called Zeta, 94.9 Zeta (in Miami). There was a lady, her name was Kimba, and she had this perfect raspy voice. She was obsessed with Steven Tyler, and all she did was talk about music, and she’d go to concerts. Before I even knew what that all meant, I knew that I wanted to do exactly what she did.
She continued; There was no other question in my mind. I never wanted to do anything else; I wanted to be that lady. I wanted to have her perks, and I wanted to live that exact life. That was it. I wasn’t very career-minded outside of that. I had a really good time growing up. I liked going out. I lived a big life, and I never really… Now that I’m saying it out loud, that must have horrified my parents! I never even took the steps to be in radio. I just knew that that’s what I wanted to do. That’s when I decided – it was just a woman that I heard on the radio.
Kimba – Zeta 94.9FM, Miami / Fort Lauderdale
Traci: And you really went for it! I mean, that’s a pretty big deal – especially for your parents, I’m sure – for you to eventually move from Florida to Los Angeles.
Nicole: Yeah, I was in college in Jacksonville, and I wanted to stay in Florida, and I wanted to be by the ocean. Jacksonville seemed to make sense. I got my first heartbreak experience there. We went to a club and the rock station from Jacksonville was playing. They were guesting at this club and I went up to whoever was in the booth and I said, “How do I get a job at your radio station?” They gave me a name.
She continued; The following Monday, I called this woman over and over and over again. They hired me at the rock station in promotions; it wasn’t even on air. And the rest, as they say, is history. But yeah, my parents had no idea. They just tried to get me to stay in school, and I wasn’t crazy about school.
Traci: I think that’s funny you said that you started in promotions. I found often with radio, once you get your foot in the door, if you just show up, you’ll get to the job you want.
Nicole: That’s exactly right. You just get your foot in the door. You have no idea where you’re going to end up. Just get your foot in the door and show up. And if somebody asks you to do something, say yes. One piece of advice that I got in radio when I first started working was, “Wear as many hats as possible.” That never left me. I did that. I just put on as many hats as possible and learned to do whatever I could do.
Traci: You get to Los Angeles, 20 plus years at one station, and now this opportunity to work for Lisa Worden, who was just named program director of the year by industry folks, and picked up a Woman of the Year award at NAMM. First of all, in this industry, it is rare to have a woman in that role, but then, you have the absolute best! Plus you’ve worked together already.
LISA WORDEN
Program Director ALT987 | SVP iHeart Media Alternative & Rock
Nicole: I worked with her at KROQ, she was my music director. So I’ve known her for 23 years, and we have worked together for the most part until she left for iHeart eight years ago.
Traci: Did you find it was easy to fall back into place with her?
Nicole: Yes. Because we’ve stayed in touch this entire time and I’ve watched her career and I know what she’s about and what matters to her. And she’s also watched me grow. We’ve been able to stay in each other’s lives long enough; I know her language. At the end of the day, she just wants people that are stoked and that do good, hard work. That’s what I’m giving her. She’s wonderful. She knows how to command a team.
Traci: Tell me your thoughts on that team.
Nicole: From The Woody Show to being reunited with Stryker and Booker and getting to work with Christen at night. The team that I’m on is extremely solid, and they built this thing way before, long before I got here. I came in very respectfully knowing that. Now, just to be part of this team that Lisa built, that I get to contribute to and I get to grow with is really exciting!
Traci: What new music is coming up this year that you’re excited about?
Nicole: There’s so many. I feel like everybody’s coming out with new music this year! I’m really excited to see what Muse does this year. Muse is the artist who I think I’m the most excited about.
Traci: I was fortunate to be on the red carpet for band interviews at ALTer EGO in January and that was a crazy scene! Do you still find artist interviews difficult or scary?
Nicole: Yeah, because well, for me, I want to do a great job. There’s a pressure that I put on myself. But also, you just don’t know who you’re getting. One thing I’ve learned about artists is a lot of times, who they are onstage is who they need to be. They do have an armor when they’re onstage. They get to become this persona. And a lot of times artists off stage, they’re a little more… They’re disarmed.
She continued; Some artists have a really hard time answering questions. Other times, they’re just sick of being asked the same things or having the same conversations over and over. I try and be very thoughtful about how I approach it. But yeah, I get super nervous. At the end of the day, I just want to do a good job, and I want the artist to be happy and I want my boss, and I want the fans to be happy, and that’s a lot of pressure.
Traci: Are you chugging Pepto before the interview like I am? (laughing)
There was no other question in my mind. I never wanted to do anything else.
NICOLE ALVAREZ
Nicole: No! (laughing) I did that a few times, but that didn’t really work. I’m less nervous now than it used to be, but I also believe that the day that all my nerves go away is when I’ve stopped caring. And that’s maybe a sign to move on. But the nerves are good. They do motivate you.
Traci: Can you recall an interview that was your favorite?
Nicole: There’s so many, but my last one that I keep wishing I had over and over again is Marcus Mumford. I would sit down with Marcus Mumford a hundred times in a month if I could. Yeah, Mumford & Sons in general, all of them are charming. But Marcus is particularly just a wonderful person. He’s very present. He’s very funny. He’s very engaged. And he likes to talk. So Marcus Mumford, easy.
Traci: Now that you are a full-fledged team member at Alt 98.7, are there any major station events or activities coming up that you are allowed to talk about?
Nicole: I know that there’s a lot of little events coming up that I cannot talk about. (makes sealed lips gesture) I know that we’re doing The Woody Show After Hours Takeover at Disney California Adventure Park. We close the park after hours, and it’s just the listeners. But other than that, I think it’s just a lot of little surprises along the way.
NICOLE ALVAREZ
Monday through Saturday
10am to 2pm
To find out what surprises are in store for you – and to properly welcome Nicole Alvarez back onto the LA airwaves – make sure to listen to Alt 98.7 however you get your radio injected into your ears!
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March 10, 2026UncategorizedDESCENDENTS & Frank Turner
Rock House of Blues Anaheim
March 10th, 2026 Review by Kevin Gomez
Descendents and Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls are currently on the final leg of their coheadlining tour of North America. Friday night both bands played the second of back-to-back sold-out shows at the House of Blues in Anaheim.
Crowds were lined up around the corner to squeeze in when doors opened. A large crowd packed the dance floor for an early catch of opening act, NOBRO. It’s not often you get two headlining acts like Descendents and Frank Turner and the opening band has one of the best sets of the night but that’s exactly what fans were treated to. NOBRO opened with the catchy singalong, “Where My Girls At,” featuring co-lead vocalist Karolane Carbonneau on lead.
Keyboardist and percussionist Tara Cohen picked up Kathryn McCaughey’s bass allowing McCaughey to take on lead vocals as she jumped down to the crowd and sang “Eat Slay Chardonnay.” For the song’s final chorus she got back on stage, hopped on Andy Silver’s bass drum, pulled her top off, and did a jump kick off resulting in a huge ovation.
McCaughey continued lead vocals and explained “Delete Delete Delete” was about the negative aspects of the world wide web stating, “Fuck the internet and fuck I.C.E., too!” There’s the obvious influence of punk and Riot Grrrl, but I even get a hint of glam rock from the band out of Montreal, Quebec, such as the chants and keyboards on “Better Each Day.” The band closed out an energetic set with “LALA,” leading me to check when their next local show was going to be.
Frank Turner and his backing band The Sleeping Souls took the stage, Turner brandishing an acoustic guitar. He immediately launched into “I Still Believe,” preaching out the saving powers of rock ‘n’ roll.
The band played a proper English folk song turned punk about aging called “Never Mind the Back Problems.” Fans chanted along to the chorus of “Photosynthesis” singing back, “I won’t sit down, and I won’t shut up, and most of all I will not grow up,” followed by an electronic mandolin solo from guitarist Ben Lloyd.
In between songs Turner told the audience, “This is show 3,128 for me.” He said “Girl From the Record Shop” was about, “how Descendents are the best fucking band in the world.” He explained that “1933” was an anti-fascist song.
During the breakdown for “No Thank You for the Music,” Turner split the crowd in half which would normally signal an oncoming wall of death. However, in his usual spirt of positivity he explained he wanted to see a “wall of hugs.” When the band started back up, the crowd embraced one another before turning into an eventual pit.
Turner introduced “My Bad” as a song they haven’t played in a long time, and “the fastest fucking song I ever wrote – a proper hardcore song” and the crowd moshed accordingly. He said “Haven’t Been Doing So Well” was a song about anxiety and depression. The Sleeping Souls took a break while Turner played solo acoustic, dedicating “Be More Kind” to the “fine people of Minneapolis.”
The Sleeping Souls rejoined him for the ending of “Love Ire & Song,” dedicated to Oxnard, where Turner played his first shows in California. For the last song of the evening, The Sleeping Souls played “Four Simple Words,” which turned out to be “I want to dance” and Turner did just that. I noticed early in the song he was not wearing a guitar as he did his entire set, only to then see him stage dive and crowd surf, while still singing and never missing a beat.
Descendents walked onto stage with lead singer Milo Aukerman wearing a helmet of a Papier-mâché white toilet with a cartoon Milo reading a book inside the bowl. Aukerman explained it was a piece of fan artwork someone threw on stage the previous night. Aukerman then talked about the awful current stage of the nation and said, “I guess you can say everything sucks,” signaling the band to jump into “Everything Sux,” which saw him come down to sing on the railing.
As he returned to the stage after the song’s conclusion, he told the crowd, “but you’ve gotta have hope,” signaling the band to kick into “Hope.” They followed up with the bratty “I Don’t Want to Grow Up.” For “’Merican,” Aukerman altered the lyrics to sing, “fuck our government and fuck Donald Trump!” The song featured an epic guitar solo from Stephen Egerton. Karl Alvarez began the righteous bass intro for “Myage” joined by Bill Stevenson’s machine-gun drumroll.
They played the rare gem, “Marriage,” which saw Aukerman asking, “do you want to know what I think about you?” Trying to keep the set fresh for fans who attended both nights, Aukerman said, “Here’s one we didn’t play yesterday” and they did “Talking.” Descendents gave us my absolute favorite song, “Good Good Things,” which again saw Aukerman going onto the railing to sing along with fans.
They did two of their biggest hits back-to-back with, “I’m the One” and the punk anthem, “Suburban Home,” with Egerton telling the crowd, “I want to be stereotyped, I want to classified.” “Bikeage” saw Alvarez providing honey-like bass notes ever so smoothly before the band closed their first set with “Smile.”
Again, not repeating the same songs for both nights, the band played an entirely different encore than they did Thursday. They opened with the rarity “Jean is Dead” before “Feel This.” Descendents played fan favorite “Sour Grapes” before closing out the night with their theme song, the aptly titled, “Descendents.”
With the band all in their 60s and a career that’s spanned five decades, Descendents still played like one of the best bands in the world and don’t appear to have plans to call it quits anytime soon. With a completely spent, sold-out crowd for two nights, I think it’s safe to say they’ll always have a crowd to come watch.
SHOW PHOTO GALLERY
by Tiny Toyland | Christina Sanchez
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March 9, 2026UncategorizedGoes to Coachella Tour
March 9th, 2026 by Kevin Gomez
Gainesville Rock City’s favorite sons, Less Than Jake have finally made it to the big leagues. As the band’s newly announced tour states, the Less Than Jake Goes to Coachella Tour will be celebrating with stops along the way to commemorate their featured set at the upcoming festival.
As festivals get postponed and scrapped left and right (When We Were Young just announced they will be taking 2026 off), the legendary Coachella Festival moves ahead with full steam the weekends of April 10th-12th and 17th-19th. The three headliners for this year’s festival are Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Beiber, and Karol G. But Coachella has always prided itself on displaying various musical genres, everything from pop to hip-hop to dance to alternative, and even punk. Well, it turns out they made room in their lineup for some beloved ska-punk.
Less Than Jake will be playing on the Sundays, April 12th and April 19th. They won’t be completely alone in the punk category as they will be joined by Iggy Pop, Black Flag, Suicidal Tendencies, Drain, and The Chats.
Less Than Jake have been doing their thing establishing themselves as ska-punk icons in their own right for nearly 35 years. From humble beginnings in Gainesville, FL, they have played all over the world promoting fun and silliness with extremely catchy songs to skank to. While tickets to Coachella are already sold out, the boys will be playing shows in between week one and two of the festival in surrounding cities.
You can catch them April 15th at the Glass House in Pomona, April 16th at La Rosa in Tucson, and April 18th at Pappy & Harriet’s in Pioneertown. As they usually do, they will be bringing along a stellar lineup of ska bands. And if you need more incentive to go, the band has announced these will be their only West Coast shows of 2026.
One of Orange County’s brightest stars, Half Past Two will be playing the Less Than Jake Goes to Coachella Tour. They killed their set in January with Mustard Plug and The Toasters.
Half Past Two is ready to start the Bad Times Tour next week with fellow Bad Time Records labelmates Kill Lincoln, JER, and Bad Operation.
Also joining them for these CA dates is Omnigone. They are known for their killer live shows, so they will be bringing the heat to Less Than Jake’s tour.
Tickets for all three shows of the Less Than Jake Goes to Coachella Tour are on sale now, so go out and get yours!
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March 8, 2026UncategorizedSet to Charm Us
March 8th, 2026 by Traci Turner
While the ‘90s had incredible music that truly defined the era, many bands were never heard from again. However, some songs are such iconic examples of the decade, they remain in regular rotation on radio – and my own playlist. “Possum Kingdom” from Toadies is one such song – a perfect reminder of “back in the day” that gets consistent airplay in the here and now.
In 2026, Toadies are giving us new material to boost our “forever play” library.
The Texas alt rock band is set to woo us with their new album, “The Charmer.” They have just dropped the title track ahead of the album’s May 1st release.
“The Charmer” first began to take shape during the pandemic. Toadies frontman Vaden Lewis was “home alone pandemic soul searching.” He said he was “finally able to confront and even give name to the self-hatred he’s wrestled with for decades: The Charmer.”
Lewis explained, “I was afraid that if I lose that part of me that has such self-loathing that I won’t be able to write music anymore. I decided to take that apart and make it a character, The Charmer.” He continued, “If I don’t give that character worth, it’s worthless. But if I do give it worth, I’m worthless.”
“The Chamer” will be supported by an extensive tour set to hit every corner of the US. When the trek launches, Toadies will have rotating support from Local H, Vandoliers, and Sparta.
Photo by Steven Visneau
Things kick off April 16th in Texas, then travel across the US to the East Coast before going west and closing out in Phoenix on June 17th. Toadies will also hit the Louder Than Life Festival in Louisville on September 20th.
SoCal has three dates: June 13th in Los Angeles at The Belasco; June 14th in Santa Ana at Observatory; and June 16th in San Diego at Observatory North Park.
Tickets are on sale now.
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March 5, 2026UncategorizedNorth American Mountain Tour
March 5th, 2026 by Traci Turner
The English band like no other, Gorillaz are launching a North American tour for their latest release, “The Mountain.” In February, Gorillaz delivered their ninth album, propped up by previously released single, “The Happy Dictator.” The track features legendary alt pop punkers, Sparks (brothers Ron and Russell Mael).
The “virtual” band has been giving a lot of love to the Los Angeles area lately. Last month, they shared the album by playing it in full with two sold-out shows at the Hollywood Palladium.
Also a big deal for SoCal Gorillaz fans, their exhibition, “House of Kong,” is currently on display in Los Angeles.
As for the tour, we will get two spots on the 22-date tour. Damon Albarn, Mike Smith, Karl Vanden Bossche, Jeff Wootton, Seye Adelekan, Jaega Mckenna-Gordon, and Ruth O’Mahony-Brady are across the pond for the European leg of The Mountain Tour.
US tour leg kicks off September 17th in Orlando, makes it over to SoCal for an October 24th show in LA at the Kia Forum, down to San Diego and Pechanga Arena on October 25th, before closing out on Halloween in Seattle.
Little Simz will assist on some dates, but Deltron 3030 will open all shows. We’re guessing 2-D, Noodle, Murdoc Niccals, and Russel Hobbs will join them as well.
Tickets are on presales now, including a Citi presale currently and an artist presale starting today. The general onsale begins March 9th at 10:00 a.m. local time.
If you need Gorillaz now, check out “SNL” this weekend when they are the musical guest.
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March 5, 2026UncategorizedComing to The Novo
March 5th, 2026 by Kevin Gomez
When you think of the biggest punk rock anthems of the ‘90s, certainly one of those has to be Face to Face’s “Disconnected,” which became a staple of 106.7 KROQ’s lineup, and is still in regular rotation these days.
The song was originally released on their debut album, “Don’t Turn Away,” but it was the re-recorded version that went on their follow-up, “Big Choice,” and the soundtrack to the comic book adaptation of “Tank Girl” that would eventually blow the band up.
After a slew of albums, a steady fanbase, and over two decades as a band, Face to Face decided to call it quits in 2004 with a farewell tour that featured support from future mega stars, My Chemical Romance. With a few years off and fans pleading for a comeback, the band reunited in 2008 to sold-out crowds across the country.
Bigger and more beloved than ever the band even returned to the studio to release 2011’s “Laugh Now, Laugh Later” to rave reviews. Since then, the band has continued to play shows and festivals across the world, and released “No Way Out but Through” in 2021.
To celebrate their 35th birthday they are giving back to the fans and throwing the mother of all concerts at the Novo Theater in Los Angeles on April 24th with a star-studded lineup of punk rock artists.
Longtime friends, Poway’s Unwritten Law will be joining in on the celebration. A band that’s definitely earned their stripes and been around just as long, Unwritten Law just played L.A. at the Teragram Ballroom to a sold-out crowd.
No strangers to punk rock anthems with hits like “Seein’ Red,” “Cailin,’” and “Up All Night,” the band is known for their exceptional live shows and this will be no different.
Also joining the party will be the recently reunited Home Grown. A pop punk band in the ‘90s, Home Grown played many a show with Unwritten Law and blink-182 before calling it quits in 2005. After a near-20-year hiatus the band got together for an opening slot with The Starting Line in 2024. They’ve kept plenty busy since then playing several shows and even announcing work on a new album. They were one of the final bands to play the now defunct Chain Reaction in Anaheim this past October.
Kicking things off will be the melodic hardcore super group known as Ways Away. Formed just before COVID in 2019, the band consists of vocalist/guitarist Jesse Barnett (Stick to Your Guns), guitarist Sergie Loobkoff (Samiam, Knapsack), drummer Jared Shavelson (Paint It Black, BoySetsFire), and bassist Ian Smith (Racquet Club). Based in Los Angeles, Ways Away will keep this a completely Southern California punk show.
Celebrate 35 years of Face to Face by snagging your tickets now!
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March 4, 2026UncategorizedTHE RETURN OF
Lost 80’s Live
March 4th, 2026 by Traci Turner
One of the most beloved nights of ‘80s music returns to the Greek for 2026 and the lineup is sure to please!
Lost 80’s Live is back in 2026 and you must attend!
You can get your “Safety Dance” on with Men Without Hats, celebrate a “Dead Man’s Party” with Oingo Boingo Former Members (and their new frontman, Jose Maldonado), visit a “Big Country” with… Big Country, dance along to “Turning Japanese” with The Vapors, experience “Walking in L.A.” courtesy of Missing Persons, and do some “Wishful Thinking” thanks to China Crisis.
Do you need more incentive? You could find that “Nowhere Girl” with B-Movie, turn a “Whisper to a Scream” with Icicle Works, go “Walking on Sunshine” next to Katrina, give “Anything, Anything” to Dramarama, “Pass the Dutchie” to Musical Youth, or even be a “Wild Child” with The Untouchables.
Of course, the best host for the evening is the one and only Richard Blade. He will take a break from his 1st Wave SiriusXM shifts to entertain everyone throughout the night.
This event is always a fantastic party, so make sure you are part of it. Tickets are on sale for this August 30th show.
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SID 260303 | JIMMY ALVAREZ | EDITOR [...]
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March 3, 2026UncategorizedNEVER MIND THE DELAY
Here’s
March 2nd, 2026 by James Keith
The Anarchy in the U.K. tour is officially back on — and punk fans have every reason to celebrate.
After last year’s disappointment, when Steve Jones suffered a broken wrist that forced the tour to be canceled, the legendary guitarist is healed up and ready to hit the stage again.
The setback may have paused the chaos, but it certainly didn’t stop it. Now the band is gearing up with their new lead singer Frank Carter to bring that raw, unapologetic energy back to audiences where it belongs — loud and live.
Southern California fans, circle October 18th on your calendar. The Los Angeles date lands at the iconic Hollywood Palladium, a venue perfectly suited for a night of sweat, volume, and punk rock history.
The lineup is stacked: Frank Carter on vocals alongside Steve Jones, Glen Matlock, and Paul Cook. This combination promises a fierce celebration marking 50 years of one of the most influential bands in rock history. Expect classics, attitude, and the kind of electricity only true punk pioneers can deliver.
Songs their fans live and die for, “Pretty Vacant,” “Holidays in the Sun,” “God Save the Queen,” “Sub-Mission,” “EMI,” “My Way,” and “Anarchy in the U.K.,” are just a few of the era-defining songs we will hear at the Palladium.
Unless you opted for a refund, your tickets from last year should be honored, but definitely confirm with the venue to be safe.
If you don’t have tickets yet, now’s the time. Grab them before this one sells out.
HOLLYWOOD PALLADIUM
October 18th, 2026
This was one of the shows I was most excited about last year, and I’m fired up that it’s finally happening. Never Mind the Bollocks — here’s the Sex Pistols. Fifty years later, and they’re still charging. Let’s go!
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SID 260303 | TRACI TURNER | EDITOR [...]
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March 2, 2026UncategorizedHeaded to the West Coasts
March 2nd, 2026 by Traci Turner
The Prodigy were responsible for one of the greatest music videos of all time – in my humble opinion – with 1997’s “Smack My Bitch Up.” The English electronic rockers were all over alt and rock radio (and my CD player) that year thanks to their album, “The Fat of the Land.” In addition to “Smack My Bitch Up,” “Firestarter,” and “Breathe” made them a mainstream success in the US.
Through the decades they have continued to release rave worthy dance electronica and last year’s Coachella proved they are still beloved in the US. With dates on our side of the pond being rare, it is extremely exciting that they will have TWO shows at The Nova in Los Angeles, May 13th and 14th, with support from Nitepunk.
The Prodigy has stated they will release a new album in 2026 with founding member Liam Howlett saying there is “fuckin’ evil rave” music on the horizon.
Liam Howlett is joined by other longtime member, Maxim, along with Rob Holliday, Leo Crabtree. Longtime fans should recall the passing of frontman Keith Flint in 2019.
The Los Angeles shows are sold out, but hey,,. don’t give up hope yet! More dates are possible, or you can jet on over to Sin City where they will play the Electric Daisey Festival May 15th.
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PID 260301 | JIMMY ALVAREZ | EDITOR [...]
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February 26, 2026UncategorizedINDUSTRY REPORT # 56
Catching Up with Codefendants
February 26th, 2026 by Kevin Gomez
Since their debut album, “This is Crime Wave” dropped, Codefendants have been a can’t-miss band immediately catching people’s attention. Not just singing about, but having lived that outlaw lifestyle, the band combines elements of hip-hop and punk with themes of criminality in their lyrics. Codefendants is the cumulating efforts Get Dead’s Sam King, folk rapper Ceschi Ramos, and former NOFX frontman, Fat Mike.
They’ve gained fans that traverse musical genres building a steady army of loyal followers. I caught up with King and Ramos to discuss first and foremost their upcoming follow-up album, “Lifers,” collaborating again with the legendary D.O.C. and the recent backlash about being on the bill for Punk in the Park.
The band released their latest single, “Lonely Life,” which features former child actress Lisa Foiles on vocals (a friend of Fat Mike’s) and the video features Jakob Nowell of Sublime.
Ramos told me last they started working with Regime Music Group, who also manage Sublime, Everlast, and Dilated Peoples, which is how they crossed paths with Nowell.
They said they could not be more impressed with Nowell’s humility, not only flying down from the Bay with a torn tibia but braving a 12-hour workday.
The two bands must have really hit it off because Ramos told me, “We’ll pretty much be touring with them for the rest of the year.” The first show on the calendar being the two-night “420 on the Rocks” show at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado this April, which Ramos describes as “a bucket list.” Next up, Codefendants will play the newly announced Sublime Me Gusta Festival coming to Fort Worth, Portland, and Salt Lake City this summer.
D.O.C. is a legend in the hip-hop community, from being one of the main writers for N.W.A., to his collaborations with Dr. Dre and Snoop.
To have him sing on “Fast Ones” from their first album was a dream come true but now having him as a fan and featured on “Rivals” from their follow-up is incredible. “I’m honored,” King confessed and even revealed D.O.C. was the one who approached Codefendants to be on another song. “He likes us! He likes us!” King laughed. Ramos said for fans to keep an eye out because D.O.C. was going to come out and guest on a few of their shows this year.
“Lifers,” which will be dropping April 3rd, also features a previously released single, “Bad Business,” featuring guest vocals from friend N8NOFACE. For the title track, Codefendants recruited former Sum 41 drummer “Stevo” Jocz. Fat Mike was much more involved with the making of “Lifers” than their first album, with Ramos telling me, “He did most of the music.” The first single off the album, “Right Wrong Man,” was the first time Fat Mike provided lead vocals for the band.
With a new album and partnership with Sublime, as well as several upcoming shows this year, things seem like they couldn’t get better. And yet, the band famous for singing about bad luck and hard times can’t escape some bad news of their own.
The boys were supposed to play a full tour of Australia this month and had to cancel, literally hours before they were to fly over. “The reason we’re even here talking to you right now is because we had to cancel the tour,” Ramos said regretfully. When I asked if there were any details other than what they posted online, King chimed in, “Yeah – me,” referring to his past indiscretions. “With the current administration they wanted us to jump through hoops to even apply for a work visa,” Ramos revealed, even going so far as being fingerprinted in three different states. But when the deadline came, the band was told they needed additional documentation and their request would still not be granted. Just know for their part Codefendants did everything they possibly could and are just as heartbroken as their fans in Australia, but they hope to play there in the future.
Punk in the Park (PITP) recently released their festival lineups for their upcoming road show dates and Codefendants will be playing Orlando and Vallejo, CA. This has led to some backlash from fans online after last year’s discovery that PITP founder Cameron Collins had donated to Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign. Many bands have been vocal speaking out about the festival, none more than Dropkick Murphys who at the 2025 PITP announced they would no longer be playing the festival and that, “Punk rock and Donald Trump just don’t belong together.”
As such, many of Codefendants’ recent posts on social media have received comments calling out the band for playing the festival. King and Ramos told me they want to officially make a public post about this stance on this, but for the time being (as anyone who follows them should already know), “We are anti-I.C.E., anti-M.A.G.A., the last people on Earth to support a president… ANY president.” Ramos told me, “The reality is there are other promoters who donated far more to his campaign that no one really talks about, or that people stop attending their shows and festivals.”
King pointed out the irony that these same people leaving comments on social media like Meta, which donated $1 million to Trump’s 2025 inauguration, on their iPhones, while Apple’s Tim Cook donated another $1 million.
Collins has since come out and released a statement, “I think we all probably have common ground on a lot of big issues like being anti-racism, anti-war, and the belief in human rights for EVERYONE, regardless of race, sexual orientation, religion, or any other identity.” King and Ramos also said that the festival continues to book bands like Dead Kennedys and The Exploited, who criticize the government and police states, while speaking out against racism and hatred. For their part, if anyone still feels a certain way, the band has an open invitation to come meet them at their shows beforehand and have a discussion with them, which they welcome.
Despite some setbacks the future looks bright for Codefendants. “This is Crime Wave,” wasn’t just a clever album title, it was an introduction to the band’s record label and artist collective. King told me, “We’re working on a quarterly mixtape where guest DJs will do Side A and Side B with a mini magazine featuring various artwork and street art called ‘Cassette Magazine’” that will be released by the This is Crime Wave label.
Ramos said that they are continuing to stay independent releasing “Lifers” on their own label, while Regime manages the group and distributes the album. When I last spoke with them, they told me about an upcoming collaboration with underground rapper Myles Bullen which they will be releasing on the This is Crime Wave label. Finally, they are currently working on a hip-hop project with Factor Chandelier that will be “Codefendants and friends.”
The year is just getting started and it already looks like 2026 will be the year Codefendants build upon their initial momentum and fully blow up.
I’ve heard the new album, and I think fans are going to be in for a real treat, picking up where “This is Crime Wave” left off and continuing that momentum. The journey continues, keep tabs on this band and pick their music!
POSTSCRIPT: Since this interview Punk in the Park has been canceled due to a number of bands withdrawing from the festival.
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SID 260227 | TRACI TURNER | EDITOR [...]
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