Publication Date: March 29, 2026
MORE GREAT STORIES
March 27, 2026UncategorizedAnnounces The WOW! Signal Tour
March 27th, 2026 by Traci Turner
Well, we said it would be happening and it’s official… it’s happening! After announcing their new album, The WOW! Signal – English mega-band MUSE has announced their North American Tour.
Muse is famously known for their over-the-top live performances and mega-hits “Supermassive Black Hole,” “Hysteria,” “Uprising,” “Starlight,” and “Time is Running Out,” and now they are ready to hit the road with a few friends.
Tour support for this one will feature the likes of Bloc Party and Portugal. The Man on select dates with anchor support from The Temper Trap.
The band features a trio of bandmates that have been dazzling us for years. Matt Bellamy on guitar and vocals, Chris Wolstenholme on bass and backing vocals while Dominic Howard slaps the drums. They are collectively lightning in a bottle.
As for the new album, it drops June 26th, as for the tour – it is simply called The Wow! Signal Tour. It will kick off July 2nd in Milwaukee and traverse the country before landing in SoCal where Muse will play North Island Credit Union Amp in Chula Vista on August 29th, then they will close-out the tour at the iconic Hollywood Bowl on August 31st.
Tickets go on sale on Friday April 3rd at 10 a.m. local time. This will be a seriously insane show, so go see them wherever you can!
TO FOLLOW
SID 260328 | JIMMMY ALVAREZ | EDITOR [...]
Read more...
March 26, 2026UncategorizedLit Headlines
OC Super Show at Great Park Live
March 26th, 2026 Review by Todd Markel
This show was originally billed as a celebration of Orange County’s music culture. Then, as it tends to happen, politics showed up uninvited and started flipping tables. A few bands bowed out, some fans followed, and for a minute it felt like the whole thing might quietly disappear. But as they say, “the show must go on,” and so it did – just with a slightly trimmed lineup and a bit more “let’s see how this goes” energy.
Set against the backdrop of Great Park Live in Irvine, the event turned into an ideal mashup of great music and craft beer culture. For the first three hours, breweries were happily pouring samples, giving everyone a solid excuse to “pace themselves” while catching the early sets.
Crowd-wise, things started a little light with plenty of elbow room and short beer lines. Honestly, not a bad problem to have. By the afternoon, it filled in nicely, though never to the point of bedlam. You could actually walk up, grab a drink, and even make your way to the rail without too much effort.
Opening honors went to Scums of Suburbia out of Huntington Beach, who earned their slot the old-fashioned way – by battling other local bands for it. They played like a group with something to prove – raw, loud, and hungry – and it paid off. A strong start that woke everyone up.
Next up was Good Man Down, a band I didn’t know going in, but I immediately recognized a few faces mid-set thanks to Scott Shiflett (Face to Face) and Kevin Baldes (Lit).
Not a bad “Oh, hey, I know that guy” moment. Their set was tight and confident, leaning into a polished country-rock vibe. Highlights included “The Long Goodbye,” “Been There Done That,” and a crowd-pleasing cover of Eddie Rabbitt’s “Driving My Life Away.” They wrapped things up with “One Good Reason,” leaving a solid impression. It wouldn’t be out of place to see them at the Stagecoach Festival.
San Clemente’s Tunnel Vision kept things breezy with their reggae/ska/punk blend; very fun, and very sun-soaked, they fit right in with the day’s vibes.
Then Mest hit the stage and took a good many of the crowd straight back to the early 2000s, in the best way possible.
Plenty of energy, plenty of sing-alongs, and a noticeable batch of younger fans experiencing their first concert.
Frontman Tony Lovato even had his young daughter dancing stage-side, which was easily one of the more wholesome moments of the day. They kicked off with “Drawing Board,” ran through favorites like “Rooftops,” and closed with “Cadillac.”
One of the biggest standouts of the day was Monique Powell and Save Ferris, who basically injected a shot of pure ska energy straight into the festival. From the get-go with “Turn It Up,” through “The World Is New,” and closing with a rapid-fire finish of “Artificial Life,” “Lights Out,” and “I Know,” their set had the crowd moving nonstop. If you weren’t dancing, you were at least strongly considering it.
The nostalgia factor was cranked up a little with the celebration of 20 years since the opening of the Slidebar Rock-N-Roll kitchen in Fullerton, which just happened to be co-owned by none other than Jeremy Popoff of the band Lit.
They had a pop-up merch booth, there were photos, rock and roll memorabilia, and there were even rumors of the Slidebar’s legendary mac and cheese. Sadly, despite a determined and extensive search effort by yours truly, the mac and cheese remained elusive to me.
Seeing Lit was a major highlight of the day for me, the last time being when they closed out the old Anaheim House of Blues at Downtown Disney. They are now based out of Nashville, but their OC roots are still strong, and their set felt like a hometown victory lap.
Popoff gave a nod to the Slidebar and the people who put this festival on, before they launched into a hit-filled set. “My Kinda Life” kicked things off, “Zip-Lock” got one of the first big crowd sing-alongs, and of course, “My Own Worst Enemy” closed things out with everyone loudly proving they still know every word.
At one point, I overheard a guy nearby sum it up perfectly: “Man… that was great.” Hard to argue with that level of analysis.
Closing out the night was Story of the Year, who made a grand entrance, literally, when Dan Marsala was rolled onstage standing atop a road case like a conquering hero.
They brought the intensity, mixing newer tracks from their recent album “A.R.S.O.N.” with songs like “Gasoline (All Rage Still Only Numb)” and “Disconnected” with their signature high-energy performance style. It seemed like many in the crowd cut-out early, possibly due to the many younger fans in the crowd, but those who stayed got a powerful, high-octane finish to the night.
All things considered, the festival delivered: great music, good beer, perfect weather, and a reminder that the OC music scene is still very much alive and kicking. Sure, it had a few hiccups, and a glaring lack of mac and cheese, but it still managed to hit all the right notes.
FESTIVAL PHOTO GALLERY
by Todd Markel Rock Images
TO FOLLOW
SID 260327 | TRACI TURNER | EDITOR [...]
Read more...
March 26, 2026UncategorizedINDUSTRY REPORT # 59
Catching up with The Toadies | Mark Reznicek
March 26th, 2026 by Traci Turner
There were so many amazing bands that found success in the ‘90s, but of those, only a small fraction still have songs in regular rotation on the airwaves – both terrestrial and satellite. “Possum Kingdom” from Toadies is not only still on our daily musical soundtrack, but it seems like EVERYONE knows it. From the oh-so-familiar guitar riff that kicks the song off, to the entire lyrics – beginning to end – all memorable! As a radio DJ at the time, EVERY time we played it – remember this was pre-internet days – the phones would light up and I’d get “What’s that ‘Do you wanna die?’ song!?!”
Toadies have not only given us songs for our enjoyment over the decades (see also “I Come From the Water” and “Backslider”), but they are now prepared to give us new stuff as well. Are you ready to add “The Charmer” into your playlist? The answer is: “Yes!”
The Texas alt rock band will drop the new album on May 1st and have a massive tour set to cover the US. Toadies will have rotating support from Local H, Vandoliers, and Sparta when things kick off April 16th in Texas.
As Vaden Todd Lewis (vocals and guitar), Clark Vogeler (guitar), and Doni Blair (bass) prepare to hit the road, we snuck in a chat with drummer Mark Reznicek for all the “charming” things with a side of superheroes.
Traci: Mark, I know press is not fun, so we are gonna do a five-hour deep dive on all your deepest emotions.
Mark: Uh, I’ll be right back!
Traci: (laughing) Hopefully it won’t be that painful! But going back far, what was the first song you remember falling in love with?
Mark: Hmm, it was probably “ABC” by The Jackson 5. I was probably about seven years old. One of my brothers was a teenager at the time and he had a job hanging flyers on people’s doorknobs.
He continued: One summer he enlisted my help, so we would drive around town and then go to wherever it was assigned for him to hang these flyers. While we were driving around, we’d be listening to the radio and that was a big hit at the time, and I asked him, “This is a cool song, who is this?” And he told me, “Oh, that’s The Jackson 5, and they’re all brothers.” I come from a pretty big family, so I thought that was really cool. I always had a dream of starting a band with all my brothers and sisters. Never really happened though.
Traci: Did any of them get into music?
Mark: Not professionally, but my younger sister plays saxophone. We were both in the school band at the same time for a little bit. And one of my older sisters played guitar a little bit. One of my older brothers played clarinet. Our dad was a professional musician. He was a sax and clarinet player. That’s how he met my mom, actually. So yeah, that kind of runs in the family a little bit, but after my dad, I’m the only one that really took it to the limit.
Traci: They mostly did horns and you went to drums. Why did you choose drums?
Mark: I’m not sure. I think the drummer in bands always fascinated me. I remember when I was a little kid, The Beatles were everywhere. You know, there was even a Saturday morning cartoon show, and they were always on TV and always on the radio, and Ringo was always the funniest one. I thought, “Oh, that’s cool.” Then I watched “The Monkees” when I was growing up, and I thought Micky was the funniest one. And then cartoon bands like The Archies, Jughead, or the Banana Splits, Bingo the Gorilla. The drummer always seemed like the coolest, funniest one. I think I just gravitated to that somehow.
Traci: Do you wear a smartwatch?
Mark: I don’t.
Traci: I’ve always wanted to know how many calories a drummer burns during a show.
Mark: Yeah, that would be interesting to know because I definitely get my heart rate up while we’re playing!
Traci: So many bands had hits in the ‘90s and they are no longer played anymore, but “Possum Kingdom” is so iconic of the time, and it’s still heavily played. What is that like?
Mark: It’s really cool, obviously. It really seems like in the last five or 10 years it’s kind of gained a new life. It didn’t seem like it ever really went away, but just recently, it’s appeared in different TV shows and movies and movie trailers and stuff like that. It could just be nostalgia for the ‘90s is coming around or something like that, but it’s really cool, and I never imagined – I don’t think any of us did – that we would be in a position where one of our songs is considered a classic or whatever. It’s a really cool feeling.
Traci: You guys have this tour and man… how many stops are on this tour? It looked like 50!
Mark: Yeah, at least. And there’s a bunch of dates that haven’t yet been announced for later in the year. There will be time off, but basically from the middle of April till about the middle of October, we’re pretty much out there.
Santa Ana, California
June 14th, 2026
Traci: I know you co-author comic books and you have the Dallas Comic Show in April. When you go on these tours, do you go to comic book stores on your day off? A little escape from “work?”
Mark: Yeah, it doesn’t have to be a day off! Like in the late morning, early afternoon before we get busy with sound check and all that stuff, if I’ve got time to kill, I might see if there’s a comic store in walking distance or something and just go look around and see what I can find. So yeah, it’s kind of nice to get away and take my mind off things for a couple hours. And, yeah, it’s still something I enjoy.
Traci: Do you have to take an empty suitcase with you so you can fill it?
Mark: (laughing) You know, last time I didn’t realize until we were done just how many comics and albums and books and stuff. Like, “Man, I think I overdid it on this trip,” so I might have to watch it a little bit this time!
Traci: Nah, just take an empty suitcase, it’s fine! Have you loved comics since you were a kid?
Mark: Yeah, pretty much my whole life. Like I said, I’ve got a large family; I’m the number six of seven kids, so I had five older brothers and sisters, and pretty much all of them read comics. Back in the dark ages before video games and all that stuff, comics were just more of an everyday kind of thing for kids – you’d read them and trade them with other kids down the block and stuff like that. So even before I could read, I would have my mom or one of my siblings read a comic to me; grab one of my brother’s Batman comics or Captain America or whatever, and say, “Hey, can you read this to me?”
He continued: When I got old enough to learn to read, that was my main motivation. Like, “Now I can read them myself. I don’t have to wait till somebody’s unoccupied to read a comic to me.” I just never really lost the bug for it. I just like reading comics. I like reading about the history of them and about the writers and artists and the publishing companies. I guess it’s my main hobby, and yeah, I love it.
Traci: What superpower would you have if you could choose one?
Mark: Hmm, well, flying, that’s a pretty cool power to have. Just step outside your door and take off like a bird. Yeah, so you didn’t have to go to airports – like instant teleportation. I want to be in California today and you could just snap your fingers and instantly be there and not have to deal with airports. Yeah, that would be pretty cool.
Traci: Your touring would be so much easier!
Mark: Yeah, it sure would.
Traci: “The Charmer” is out May 1st. Who does what when it comes to making a new album?
Mark: We’re all involved. For the most part, Vaden will come up with the initial idea and might even make a demo of it. But when we all get together, we kind of flesh it out, add our own parts, or add ideas for arrangements and stuff like that. But sometimes, somebody else might come up with a riff and say, “Hey, Vaden, here’s a riff I came up with,” and a lot of times he’ll take that riff and craft a whole song around it. It varies song to song how they come together. He’s the main architect, I’d say, but we all add our own little bits.
He continued: There’s one song on the new album that actually started when I sent a voice memo to Clark, just me beatboxing with my mouth, “Hey, here’s a beat with a weird time signature. Do you got any kind of riff that could go with it?” He took my beatboxing and kind of programmed a little drum part and then added a guitar riff. And then we sent that to Vaden, and he made a whole song out of it. So, that’s not a usual way of doing it, but it’s interesting that one of the songs on the album came about that way.
Traci: You guys work on an album for so long, and you love it, you create it, you birth it out, and then… when do you listen to it again?
Mark: This album obviously isn’t out yet, but it’s been done for almost two years! You know, it is weird because I have been listening to it quite a bit, and we’ve already played a number of songs from it live since a lot of the songs have been written for a few years already. And then for the upcoming tour, we’re going to add a few more from the new album. So I’ve been listening to it in order to refamiliarize myself with the songs since it’s been like two years since we recorded them. I’m not to the phase where I’m tired of listening to it; I can still listen to it and enjoy it. But, I don’t really go back and listen to our old albums hardly ever, unless we’re like, “Hey, let’s start playing this song from such and such album,” I think, “I better listen to it to remember how it goes!”
Traci: I saved my hardest question for last: On superheroes – capes or no capes?
Mark: Hmm, well, capes are inherently cool looking, like Batman. What would Batman be without a cape, right? Or Superman. But I feel like in real life they’d be really impractical. Like, they might blow in front of your face, or you might trip over it, or if you’re jumping off a building or something, you might get caught on something. Yeah, so I think they work in the context of a comic book, but I think in real life it’s probably very impractical.
Edna Mode knew what she was talking about.
Thank you to Mark for the talk and we can’t wait to experience “The Charmer” and seeing the Toadies live once again! 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.
TO FOLLOW
SID 260327 | JIMMY ALVAREZ | EDITOR [...]
Read more...
March 26, 2026UncategorizedLive at House of Blues Anaheim
March 26th, 2026 Review by Derek Tobias
The House of Blues Anaheim has always had a way of turning nostalgia into something visceral, but on March 21st, it felt less like a venue and more like a time machine. With Creeper, letlive., and Hawthorne Heights on the bill, the night was a collision of theatrical goth-punk, chaotic post-hardcore, and pure, unfiltered emo catharsis.
Creeper opened the evening with a set that felt equal parts rock show and dark theater production. Midway through their performance, the opening notes of “Headstones” washed over the crowd, and the room lit up, hundreds of phone lights flickering like candles in a gothic vigil.
It was one of those rare, organic moments where the audience becomes part of the show’s atmosphere rather than just observing it. Creeper leaned into that energy, building toward a dramatic close with “Cry to Heaven,” ending their set in a haze of melody and melancholy that lingered long after they left the stage.
If Creeper was cinematic and dark, letlive. was pure volatility. Frontman Jason Aalon Butler turned the stage into a playground of controlled chaos. Before Butler even set foot on the stage, guitarist Jeff Sahyoun dragged out a metal trashcan, using it as a makeshift percussion instrument before eventually Butler hurled it into the air, an act that felt perfectly in line with the band’s unpredictable ethos.
Before launching into “Banshee,” Butler paused to deliver a message that cut through the noise: “Respect each other, respect the venue, and respect yourself. This song goes out to Chain Reaction.” Giving a nod to the Orange County scene that helped shape bands like this, grounding the chaos in something deeply local and personal.
Butler didn’t shy away from bigger statements either, making a pointed call to get ICE out of OC, California, and the U.S., and an impassioned message around his absolute intolerance of domestic abuse. Both moments drew loud and undeniably passionate cheers from the crowd.
The set reached its breaking point with “27 Club.” As the song surged, Butler disappeared from the stage, only to reappear scaling the balcony. By the final moments, he was screaming the last lines from the back of the room, turning the entire venue into his stage. It was chaotic, confrontational, and unforgettable.
By the time Hawthorne Heights took the stage, the energy shifted from chaos to communion. From the first note, it was clear this wasn’t just a crowd, it was a choir. Every lyric, every chorus, every breakdown was sung back at the band with full voice.
At one point, the band acknowledged the obvious: this was the MySpace generation, all grown up but still holding onto the songs that shaped them. And for a night, everyone leaned fully into that nostalgia without irony.
They performed “If Only You Were Lonely” in its entirety which of course included album singles, “This Is Who We Are,” “Saying Sorry,” “Pens and Needles,” and “I Am on Your Side.”
The encore was a masterclass in emotional pacing. “Bring You Back” set the tone, followed by the one-two punch of “Dandelions” and “Niki FM,” each one met with deafening singalongs. “Like a Cardinal” added a more reflective moment before the inevitable closing anthem.
When the opening notes of “Ohio Is for Lovers” rang out, the room erupted. It wasn’t just nostalgia, it was release. Every voice in the building screamed the lyrics back like they still meant everything, because for many in that room, they still do.
Three bands, three completely different energies, but together, they created a night that felt like a full-spectrum experience of alternative music’s past and present. From candlelit goth ballads to anarchic stage dives to emo singalongs that refuse to fade, this wasn’t just a show, it was a reminder of why these scenes still matter.
SHOW PHOTO GALLERY
by Derek Tobias | @ShadowsandStrobes
TO FOLLOW
SID 260326 | TRACI TURNER | EDITOR [...]
Read more...
March 25, 2026UncategorizedReturns with Epic Lineup
March 25th, 2026 by Joey Clark
Mission Bayfest returns for its sixth year! The festival continues to evolve with each iteration; what was once a dream concocted by Dominic Coleman, Joe Rinaldi, and DJ Mikey Beats has rapidly transformed into arguably one of California’s most anticipated music festivals. Returning to Mariner’s Point Park from October 16th-18th, the 2026 version continues its tradition of combining the seaside lifestyle with an incredible lineup that consists of reggae, surf-rock, and punk rock.
The DNA that makes up Bayfest are those old school shows that took place back in the ‘90s that were the heart and foundation of the San Diego music scene. Back then the shows weren’t pristine compilations of luxury; they were stripped down, no frills celebrations of music cobbled together by DIY attitude and held together by faith and duct tape. Bayfest has upped the experience from the ‘90s, but at the heart of it all is first and foremost the music. It’s evident with their curation of artists year after year and this iteration is no exception.
The first headliner of the festival will be reggae rock artist, Rebelution hailing from Isla Vista, CA. The band has been going strong with predominately the same line up for over two decades and consistently been providing the scene with their patented flavor of reggae rock since their early days when they met at UC Santa Barbara.
Hawaiian-based Pacific Island reggae artist, Kolohe Kai will be the main attraction for Saturday evening. Singer-songwriter, Roman De Peralta started the group in high school during a Polynesian music class. He found early influences in local ukulele music, reggae and Friday’s headliner, Rebelution, and now is headlining the same festival.
Rounding out the closing acts for the three-day fest is OC’s very own punk rock legends, The Offspring. The group has been heavily touring the globe since their latest release in 2024, “Supercharged.” Bayfest will play host to their last show of the year after an extensive run of festival dates. It’s only right their 2026 touring schedule coincides with the last night of Bayfest.
Tier one tickets and VIP experiences for Mission Bayfest are available now, and trust us – this is not a festival you want to miss!
TO FOLLOW
SID 260325 | TRACI TURNER | EDITOR [...]
Read more...
March 25, 2026UncategorizedAnnounce “So Glad You Made It” Tour
March 24th, 2026 by Traci Turner
I can think of no other bands to provide the perfect summer soundtrack than 311 and Dirty Heads. The alt-rock “All Mixed Up” band and reggae-rock “Life’s Been Good” favorites can bring the party atmosphere on their own, but together? Amazing!
The two bands are teaming up once again for a North American co-headline summer tour. They will hit amphitheaters and outdoor venues and bring Ocean Alley and Atmosphere along on select shows with ROME as support on all dates.
The party kicks off July 11th in Shakopee, MN and will make plenty of stops before closing out August 30th in West Palm Beach. SoCal gets August 18th in Long Beach at Long Beach Amphitheater and August 19th in Chula Vista at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre. Both dates feature Atmosphere and ROME.
Dirty Heads will surely debut songs from their highly anticipated “7 Seas,” which is slated for a June 12th release. So far they have shared “One of Those Days,” which vocalist/guitarist Dustin “Duddy B” Bushnell said is “about getting together with close friends and enjoying the moment.”
His bandmate Jon Olazabal added that the track is “something you want to blast in your car and sing along with at the end of a long week.”
311 just wrapped their annual 311 Day celebration in Las Vegas. With a weekend of live performances and immersive fan experiences, the band also debuted the first-ever 311 Museum and “a series of fan-focused activations celebrating their decades-long career and dedicated community.”
Currently there is a Dirty Heads / 311 fan club presale and Citi presale, tomorrow starts Dirty Heads and 311 artist presales, and additional presales run throughout the week. The general on sale is Friday at 10 a.m. local time.
TO FOLLOW
TO FOLLOW
SID 260324 | JIMMY ALVAREZ | EDITOR [...]
Read more...
March 24, 2026UncategorizedAnnounces Ricochet Tour with Alkaline Trio
March 23rd, 2026 by Joey Clark
Chicago-based punk rockers Rise Against are on the road with Destroy Boys at the moment, but they’re not ready to stop anytime soon!
The band announced a second run of U.S. dates that will make up their Ricochet 2026 Tour, named after their release from last summer, “Ricochet.” Joining them on this run will be fellow Chicagoan punks, Alkaline Trio.
GREAT PARK LIVE
Irvine, California
October 23rd, 2026
On top of their touring schedule Rise Against has remained engaged with their fans and the community at large. This past December the four-piece invited a selection of fans for their All Rise Together (A.R.T.) project. It was an experience in which fans created custom posters inspired by the lyrics of the song “Ricochet” that were placed behind Rise Against as they performed and recorded a live set in which those fans got to be the live audience.
The group is well-known for being active politically and has teamed up with fellow musician and activist Tom Morello on several occasions over the years. Their latest endeavors included a talk and performance entitled “The Role of Art in Resistance” last year in which both discussed the influence music has to bring about change. They also joined forces to perform at A Concert of Solidarity & Resistance to Defend Minnesota in which all proceeds went to the families of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
In relation to Alkaline Trio joining the bill, Rise Against stated, “This isn’t just a tour, but a celebration of two bands that sprung from the same soil and the same Chicago basements and bowling alleys. We can’t wait to link back up with our Windy City brethren, Alkaline Trio. Together, we take what we both started so long ago on a tour that is long overdue.”
Alkaline Trio has been busy in and out of the studio since their 2024 record release, “Blood, Hair and Eyeballs.” In 2025 the band went to work with lead singer Matt Akiba’s former blink-182 bandmate, Travis Barker. This collaboration spawned three singles, “Oblivion,” “Bleeding Out,” and “Surprise Surprise.” Following the singles releases, the group toured with blink during their Mission Impossible Tour.
You will not want to miss out on this incredible Chicago-styled punk rock team up! For SoCal fans Rise Against and Alkaline Trio will be stopping off in Irvine at Great Park Live on October 23rd for the final night of this tour. Tickets to the tour are available now.
TO FOLLOW
SID 260323 | TRACI TURNER | EDITOR [...]
Read more...
March 23, 2026UncategorizedSlated for Two Nights at House of Blues Anaheim
March 23rd, 2026 by Joey Clark
Warped Tour veterans, Boys Like Girls are set to play two nights at the House of Blues in Anaheim in May for The Soundtrack of Your Life Tour. This year will mark 20 years since the band released their pop-punk, self-titled album “Boys Like Girls,” which gifted us hits like “The Great Escape” and “Hero/Heroine.”
Boys Like Girls formed in the Boston suburb of Andover in 2005 and quickly gained a sizable following after posting several demo songs to their PureVolume and Myspace pages. The demos would quickly capture the attention of talent agent Matt Galle, and record producer Matt Squire (who would produce the band’s debut album).
Since the launch of their label debut, Boys Like Girls has remained a staple act in the pop-punk scene. They’ve nearly spent every year as band on the road together with exception of taking time off for personal projects only to come back stronger each time. And this tour is looking to be no exception.
Joining Boy Like Girls on the road will be iDKHOW and Arrows in Action. iDKHOW is an indie pop solo project that was started in Salt Lake City and helmed by The Brobecks frontman and former Panic at the Disco! bassist, Dillon Weekes.
Arrows in Action is a pop-rock trio that banded together at the University of Florida but calls Nashville home. They’ve amassed millions of streams and a faithful fanbase since their formation.
If you are looking for a fantastic night of music, make sure you get your tickets for Boys Like Girls at the House of Blues in Anaheim on May 1st and 3rd before they sell out.
TO FOLLOW
SID 260322 | TRACI TURNER | EDITOR [...]
Read more...
March 23, 2026UncategorizedMarch 22nd, 2026 by Kevin Gomez
Based on their rough start, addictions, and self-admitted lack of talent, there’s not many who foresaw NOFX surviving their first few years – much less four decades later – and having one of the biggest impacts on punk rock music (Descendents frontman Milo Aukerman commented in the film, “They’re the punk rock Beatles”). For a band who got no love in their early days and even years later continued to get no respect, in the words of Rodney Dangerfield, the band is finally getting their chance to celebrate and look back at a storied career.\
“40 Years of Fucking Up,” a film by NOFX holds back no punches and gives a raw history spanning the band’s career. It’s what you would expect a movie about NOFX to encompass: sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll. The band held the world movie premiere at SXSW in Austin on March 15th, but arguably the even bigger and more important date was their hometown show in Santa Monica at the Landmark Nuart Theatre. As lead singer and bassist Fat Mike Burkett says it in the film, “I still get nervous for hometown shows.”
A celebrity’s row of who’s who in punk rock history showed up to celebrate NOFX, including Josh Homme, Deryck Whibley, Gerard Way, and Linda Ramone. The event was curated by the Punk Rock Museum, headed by museum Chief Communications Officer Melanie Kaye. Friends of the band, many of whom were featured and thanked in the film graced the red carpet for photo ops inside the movie’s lobby including members of Lagwagon, Bad Cop/Bad Cop and Strung Out.
This was not the band’s first foray into chronicling their lives. In 2008 they aired “Backstage Passport” on Fuse TV, a video diary giving fans a rare glimpse into their touring lives. This was special as NOFX famously shunned media attention, rejecting radio airplay and refusing to submit any music videos to MTV after the network rejected their first three attempts.
In 2015 they released the film, “Backstage Passport 2” on DVD followed in 2016 by “The Hepatitis Bathtub and Other Stories,” an autobiography about their lives, written in their own words.
The band members were of course in attendance including drummer Erik “Smelly” Sandin, guitarist, “El Hefe” (Aaron Abeyta), keyboardist Karina Denike, Burkett and ex-wife, Erin (who together ran Fat Wreck Chords for 35 years), and their families. Famously absent from the event was guitarist and founding member Eric Melvin.
Before the movie aired Burkett took to the stage to say that he grew up watching movies as an adolescent going to see the sold-out “Star Wars” opening day. He would eventually go on to see a movie that changed his life forever: “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” “It didn’t just change my life; it saved my life,” he declared. He vowed to one day release a movie about music and cross-dressing, which is exactly what he was doing today.
The movie details the band’s early days and home life, including Sandin’s struggles with heroin addiction, but is more centered around the band’s farewell tour, kicked off by Burkett’s decision to retire. A major factor in his decision to call it quits came from the shocking revelation that he had recently been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, which meant an end to his excessive drinking and cocaine. As he put it, “I don’t know how to be sober on stage.”
The film does briefly explore Burkett’s cross-dressing habits, which although started in his teens, he never did so publicly until his 40s. In a rare glimpse of Burkett being vulnerable he even dons one of his latex feminine masks on and explains he hopes being so open about his own interests may inspire others out there to feel more comfortable about their own gender or sexuality.
As I mentioned above the film concludes with the band’s last three performances ever, culminating with the band’s final song written by Burkett, “We Did It Our Way.” Although, that is how the movie itself ended, the real-life drama between Melvin and Burkett continues to play out.
Burkett revealed in a Q&A with the band that his former best friend had made accusations against him, and that, “I didn’t want to be on stage with Eric Melvin anymore and that’s why the band broke up.” The next day Melvin posted a statement on Instagram denying that he ever sued Burkett, never even served him with papers, but rather sent a letter asking for financial records for the band, which he had been requesting for years.
As a fan, even if the band truly is retired and never play another show again, it would be really nice to at least see Melvin and Burkett patch things up as longtime friends and brothers. As Burkett put it, “I lost my best friend.” After “40 Years of Fucking Up,” let’s hope this is one they don’t mess up.
EVENT PHOTO GALERY
by Joey Clark | Highway One Photography
TO FOLLOW
SID 260321 | TRACI TURNER | EDITOR [...]
Read more...
March 19, 2026UncategorizedThe Wow! Signal is Coming
March 19th, 2026 by Traci Turner
The English rockers who can do no wrong, Muse just announced a new album and dropped the first single. The “Supermassive Black Hole” gents’ 10th album will hit the streets on June 26th and is titled “The WOW! Signal.”
The Grammy winners launched the news from space – literally! Partnering with Sent Into Space, Muse sent “a specially-designed tablet 33km up into the atmosphere” to premiere the video for the first single, “Be With You.”
What’s with the name? According to the band: “The WOW! Signal takes its name from one of the most compelling interstellar mysteries of the last century: a powerful 72-second radio burst detected in 1977 originating from the constellation Sagittarius with a bandwidth and intensity that suggested a possible extraterrestrial source.
The astronomer who discovered the anomaly famously circled the now-iconic sequence ‘6EQUJ5’ and wrote ‘WOW!’ on the printout beside it — giving the signal its name and cementing its place in scientific and pop-culture lore.”
Muse’s last album, 2022’s “Will of the People,” debuted at number one globally and we expect this to be no different.
The band comprised of Matt Bellamy, Dominic Howard, and Chris Wolstenholme last toured in support of the 2022 album, so fans in the US are a wee bit anxious to see them live again. So far a new tour has not been announced, but surely that will come…
“Uprising,” “Starlight,” “Knights of Cydonia,” “Madness,” “Map of the Problematique,” “Time Is Running Out,” “Psycho,” “Hysteria,” and “Supremacy” are just a few of the songs fans go crazy for and that leads to concerts selling out quickly, so once a tour is planned, be ready to jump!
TO FOLLOW
SID 260322 | JIMMY ALVAREZ | EDITOR [...]
Read more...
March 18, 2026UncategorizedCelebrate 30th Anniversary
March 18th, 2026 by Traci Turner
“Bringing Down the Horse,” the second album from The Wallflowers, was released in 1996, making this year its 30th anniversary. The album truly thrust Jakob Dylan and crew into the mainstream thanks to the radio love for “6th Avenue Heartache,” “The Difference,” “Three Marlenas,” and the mega hit, “One Headlight.”
The Wallflowers will spend 2026 celebrating the 30th anniversary by playing the album in full on an expansive North American tour. As if that was not enough, they will also perform Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers’ “Long After Dark.”
“Coming back after such a long time, we wanted to do something special for the 30th anniversary of Bringing Down the Horse,” Dylan said. “We decided to play what seems to be our fans’ favorite Wallflowers album, and for us, we wanted to play one of our favorite Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers records, Long After Dark.”
The trek will kick off April 17th in Portland, OR and keeps them traveling through September 6th where it closes out in Milwaukee. Despite the fact that they are hitting pretty much every state, SoCal just gets their April 26th performance at the Stagecoach Music Festival.
Dylan remains the one constant member of The Wallflowers with the last album release being 2021’s “Exit Wounds.” The band’s current roster includes Chris Masterson and Ben Peeler (guitars), Aaron Embry (keyboards), Whynot Jansveld (bass), and Mark Stepro (drums).
Tickets are on sale now, although selling out in some of the smaller venues, so get on it!
TO FOLLOW
SID 260320 | TRACI TURNER | EDITOR [...]
Read more...
March 18, 2026UncategorizedAnnounces Two Nights at the Fonda
March 18th, 2025 by Amberlee Meyer
In a surprise announcement, Sir Paul McCartney is performing two nights at the legendary Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles. These unexpected shows on March 27th and 28th are the legend’s first live performances since his 2025 Get Back Tour.
The epic body of work that McCartney has created cannot be condensed into one article and he has created a legacy that will last for decades to come.
Before his solo career, there was a little band called The Beatles that changed the musical landscape forever. Volumes upon volumes of books have been written about the band’s influence; the album names roll off the tongue as generations of music lovers have known them for decades – “Please Please Me,” “A Hard Day’s Night,” “Help!,” “The Beatles” (aka “The White Album”), “Yellow Submarine,” “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” “Abbey Road” – they changed music in a way the world had never seen before.
From Fab Four phenom to prolific solo artist, with his song “Maybe I’m Amazed” laying down the footwork for lo-fi music as we know it today, to his next band, Wings, with wife Linda at his side, McCartney is adored and remembered the world over. He has always been the best kind of rock star, in part because he doesn’t consider himself one.
These two dates are a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see a living legend and a cultural icon in a very intimate setting. It will also be a phone-free event, so you can truly be absorbed in the experience.
Fans who registered on McCartney’s site will be notified on March 24th and 25th if they were lucky enough to score a ticket purchase link.
It’s a night you won’t forget… if you are lucky enough to be selected!
TO FOLLOW
SID 260318 | TRACI TURNER | EDITOR [...]
Read more...
MORE STORIES UNDER THE ARTICLES TAB
PREVIOUS YEARS STORIES UNDER ARCHIVES TAB
FOLLOW US ON OUR SOCIALS
COVERING MUSIC FROM THE SOUNDTRACK OF YOUR LIFE
CONTACT US at ocmusicnews@yahoo.com
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
ISSN 2692-6717 (c) 2019-2025
OCCR-FBN 202446705183.2030
OC MUSIC NEWS is a BNG Marketing Company
Powered By
