The punk community has been flummoxed since first hearing rumors that NOFX would be calling it quits after a wild 40-year history. This all began when lead singer/bassist and founding member, “Fat Mike” Burkett, posted a comment about the band’s end on Instagram last September. However, in November Burkett did an interview with Spin magazine confirming that NOFX was indeed ending their reign.
In December Burkett revealed the concept for their final tour: 40 years, 40 cities, and 40 songs (per day) that will take them across the globe. Although only a handful of dates have been unveiled so far, Burkett confirmed the tour will culminate in Los Angeles in October of 2024, appropriately enough as this is where the band got its start four decades ago. In January the band announced the first Southern California date: San Diego’s Waterfront Park on May 13th.
Recently the band revealed their San Diego stop would be a Punk in Drublic Festival, the punk rock music and beer festival started by the band in 2017 and named after their iconic 1994 album. NOFX will be playing the albums “So Long and Thanks for All the Shoes” and “The Decline” in their entirety, along with a full set. The day will be packed with an all-star lineup:
Descendents. I mean, I don’t really need to say anything else. A band that is synonymous with punk rock and so well loved and respected, they were some of NOFX and Burkett’s earliest influences, forever being immortalized in the song “13 Stitches.” Either band could headline just about any festival in the world and to see both on the same bill will be one for the books.
The Vandals from right here in Orange County. Again, another storied and legendary band also celebrating over four decades.
Fresh off of their annual sold-out Christmas show, the boys are no strangers to playing huge festivals having played Punk Rock Bowling and Punk in the Park the past two years.
Mad Caddies are a ska punk band that has always been a favorite of Burkett’s – all but their debut album have been released on Fat Mike’s record label, Fat Wreck Chords – so it makes sense he would personally select them to play one of these final dates. Mad Caddies will play their first show of 2023 on Valentine’s Day at the Regent next week.
Also playing will be Codefendants, a side project Burkett recently announced that he was part of along with Get Dead’s Sam King, and solo artist Ceschi Ramos. The band has signed to Burkett’s new imprint label, Bottles to the Ground. They will be joined by Los Angeles’ own The Bombpops. The pop punk quartet just played Anti-Fest in Los Angeles to close out 2022 and looks to keep that momentum going playing this date, as well as the Austin stop of Punk in Drublic. San Francisco’s Western Addiction features veterans of the Northern California punk scene, some of whom worked for a time for Fat Wreck Chords. Their high-octane shows, led by lead singer Jason Hall, will bring that energy to the crowd.
Rounding off the lineup is California’s Urethane. Featuring Hall of Fame skateboarder, Steve Caballero on guitar, they have spent the last few years touring extensively and getting their name out there.
Do not sleep on these tickets. When NOFX plays their final show in Los Angeles next year, there are no second chances. As they themselves put it, “These are the very last shows NOFX will ever be playing. We are gonna play with all our hearts… With all our joy… And then we are done. We are done done.”
