Hot off their Coachella performance, California pop punk band Joyce Manor is about to pick up the second half of their North American tour to support their newest album, I Used to Go to This Bar, released on January 30th via Epitaph this year. Joining them is a stacked lineup featuring Militarie Gun, Teen Mortgage and Combat…check out the Chicago show from the first leg of their tour! Kicking off the night is Combat, an […]
Hot off their Coachella performance, California pop punk band Joyce Manor is about to pick up the second half of their North American tour to support their newest album, I Used to Go to This Bar, released on January 30th via Epitaph this year. Joining them is a stacked lineup featuring Militarie Gun, Teen Mortgage and Combat…check out the Chicago show from the first leg of their tour!
Kicking off the night is Combat, an emo, indie rock band from Baltimore. This is a band you will want to watch out for!
You know I’ll never stop gushing about Teen Mortgage. For myself personally, it was the largest stage and crowd I’ve seen them have (though they have definitely played larger), and I was pretty stoked about it. My fellow Chicago fans really showed up for this one!
Teen Mortgage released their newest single “Burn” last month, and it’s possibly their sickest song yet. Beautifully gritty and raw, it has earned its place as a bop you’d put on repeat and never grow tired of it.
High-energy Militarie Gun delivered a chaotically fun performance that really gets you moving. They have quickly obtained notoriety and praise for their intense shows and genre-blending songs.
Joyce Manor’s music truly feels nostalgic. Their most recent album, I Used to Go to This Bar, is the band’s seventh studio album and was produced by Bad Religion’s Brett Gurewitz.
Dr. Strange Records in Alta Loma, Ca has been an unsung mecca of punk rock in the Inland Empire for decades. While in-store performances from bands are not a new thing, at Dr. Strange, they always feel special. You can see it in the amount of work that goes into it. The number of people […]
Dr. Strange Records in Alta Loma, Ca has been an unsung mecca of punk rock in the Inland Empire for decades. While in-store performances from bands are not a new thing, at Dr. Strange, they always feel special. You can see it in the amount of work that goes into it. The number of people willing to help to make sure the show was successful is what community and punk rock are about. This week, Matt Freeman’s new band Crimewave 66 played a free matinee show with support from Caleb Henry and Orange Grove Massacre. It was one of the most fun shows I’ve been to all year.
Orange Grove Massacre opened the show. This three-piece punk rock band from the Inland Empire is a regular fixture at Dr. Strange and put on a great set. The band seems to be a family affair with Dave Sr. on guitar and vocals, Dave Jr. on drums, and family friend Silva on bass. Playing mostly short songs, the band plowed through a set with songs ranging from Dave Sr.’s grandpa fighting in WWII (“Nazis No More”) to Dave Jr.’s anger about his mom’s cancer (“Sickness”). Hearing the stories behind some of these songs and Dave Sr.’s honesty with the crowd made us feel welcome. Performing two covers, one of the Circle Jerks’ “Live Fast Die Young” and Sublime’s “Pool Shark,” combined with their originals, shows the heart and fight this band has. If you see them on a bill, give them a chance. Dave Jr. is a beast behind the drums at just thirteen years old. While Dave Sr. hinted this band serves as training wheels while Jr. finds his own way, I hope Orange Grove Massacre will keep going.
Caleb Henry and the Customs’ set was a much bigger affair. With twice as many members in their band as Orange Grove Massacre, their set could have been seen as the outlier of the show; it was in a way with their keyboardist and fiddle player, but it worked. More of a roadhouse band than a punk rock band, their set was very versatile and they knew how to win over a punk rock crowd. While the band had flairs of honky-tonk and Southern rock, they didn’t hammer these genres into the ground like a lot of these types of bands tend to do, alienating a good portion of the crowd. Caleb Henry won them over with angst and humor in some of the lyrics, but the crowd participation during their cover of the Devil Makes Three’s “Old No. 7” didn’t hurt either.
You can always look at a Rancid side project and know you’re going to get quality; Crimewave 66 is no exception. By the time they got on, the store was packed as expected with Matt Freeman of Rancid’s latest project, which includes Grabber’s guitar player Rob Milucky. Milucky played with Freeman in his psychobilly band, the Devil’s Brigade. The band tore through songs from their self-titled EP and a couple more that will be on the full-length later this year. When vocalist Chris Hüber took a break from singing, Matt Freeman threw down a couple of covers: a fantastic rendition of the Dead Kennedys’ “Police Truck” and Rancid’s “Tenderloin” made the crowd shout for more. However, they are still such a new band they only have about ten songs. Crimewave 66 isn’t super fast but is definitely aggressive. Songs about the Arizona desert and old gunslingers fit into a set that sometimes leans into country and rockabilly.
On top of the bands that played, Dr. Strange let vendors set up in the parking lot to sell crafts, records, and food. You could spend the majority of the day there, and it wouldn’t feel like wasted time. Dr. Strange Records is a punk rock institution that keeps the scene alive in the Inland Empire. They frequently put on free shows along with a big summer bash in May. If they can bring this quality entertainment for free, imagine what they will do with a budget. The crowd, the energy, and the sense of community made seeing one of punk’s enduring bass players in a small venue a core memory for fans young and old.
The legendary Gary Numan stopped by Minnesota’s most iconic venue, First Ave., late last month with a March 31st date on his recent run of Spring U.S. Tour dates. While Numan is most known for his 1979 breakthrough new wave hit, “Cars”, Numan has spent his career continuing to be a pioneer in electronic, darkwave, […]
The legendary Gary Numan stopped by Minnesota’s most iconic venue, First Ave., late last month with a March 31st date on his recent run of Spring U.S. Tour dates.
While Numan is most known for his 1979 breakthrough new wave hit, “Cars”, Numan has spent his career continuing to be a pioneer in electronic, darkwave, and industrial music. His live shows reflect that, with an energy that’s truly impressive for someone who’s been in the game as long as Numan, and an oppressive light show that matches the dark aesthetic of his music.
Before Numan took the stage, Los Angeles’ TREMOURS opened the show.
TREMOURS
To be completely honest, I wasn’t able to catch much of TREMOURS’ set. While the Gary Numan show took place at First Ave., just across the street, Bruce Springsteen played a set at Minneapolis’ NBA arena, the Target Center. The two events made it difficult to find parking, and I missed not only the chance to take photos from the pit, but a large majority of TREMOURS’ time on stage. We apologize to the band for not being able to provide photos for coverage or a full accounting of the show.
What I saw of TREMOURS was excellent. The duo, based out of Los Angeles, formed in 2021, released their debut album Fragments in February of 2025,, and have been touring their fuzzy, pulsating shoegaze music ever since.
TREMOURS has actually played with Gary Numan before, joining a select number of his 2025 U.S. tour dates.
Fans of dark electronic and shoegaze soundscapes should check out the band. They clearly have a lot of potential and should be an exciting band to track over the next few years. The few songs I caught definitely had me hoping to see them come through again soon.
Gary Numan
From his early work with Tubeway Army to his seminal solo debut, The Pleasure Principle, and beyond, Gary Numan has always been an innovator. Numan has been cited as an influence by countless musical giants, including Prince for his synth-pop output and Nine Inch Nails for his pioneering work in what ultimately became the industrial movement.
While it’s impossible to talk about Gary Numan without his massive legacy, that’s almost disrespectful to the artist he remains. Go to a Gary Numan show in 2026, and you’ll see that he still has every bit of ferocious vitality and ambition that made him such a crucial figure in alternative music.
Numan and his band started the show hot with three energetic tracks, “Halo”, “Metal”, and “Haunted”. “Halo” and “Haunted” are both tracks from Numan’s 2006 record Jagged, while “Metal” goes all the way back to The Pleasure Principle from 1979.
The trio of tracks immediately demonstrates one of the most impressive aspects of Numan as a live performer. He still plays his entire catalog of music, but arrangements of older songs, like “Metal,” are updated to reflect his 1990s shift toward a heavier industrial sound. The result is a classic song that still feels true to its original purpose and feeling, yet is refreshed by new instrumentation and aesthetics. Gary Numan is often characterized as an artist whose sound “switched.” Still, when you hear some of his classics, it feels like the heavy industrial sound isn’t a switch so much as the logical conclusion to what Numan was doing on his earlier records.
That connection from Numan’s classic work to his modern sensibilities became a recurring theme of the show, with four songs from the Pleasure Principle on the set, including the instantly recognizable smash hit “Cars”, which continues to be a fun and danceable tune even in its current arrangement. Numan also played two songs from his previous band, Tubeway Army, which has proven to be a visionary project that bridged the gap between punk and electronic music.
One thing that’s clear about Numan’s music when performed live is that it can trend much heavier than his early work, but it never loses any of its innate enjoyability. The pained lyrical thematics and dark soundscape of a song like “Love Hurt Bleed” doesn’t stop it from being a stomping good time.
The band finished the set with his anthemic 2017 song “My Name is Ruin”, which functions as a solid encapsulation of everything Numan has become as an artist. The song is a six-minute haunting march of dark soundscapes, Egyptian-inspired melodies played with dissonant synths, and a particularly emotive vocal performance from Numan. If you’re fully unfamiliar with his post-new wave work, give this song a listen. Even though the studio cut is fantastic, it’s even better live.
If you have the opportunity to see Gary Numan on this or any of his upcoming tours, it’s definitely an opportunity worth taking. Check out some additional photos from the show below.
On March 28th, The Garden performed a chaotic show at the Riverside Municipal Auditorium, which claims to have a capacity of 1,400… it seemed like they may have oversold. This crowd was massive, hard to move in, and deeply devoted, too. Even an hour before doors there was a line wrapped around the building. By […]
On March 28th, The Garden performed a chaotic show at the Riverside Municipal Auditorium, which claims to have a capacity of 1,400… it seemed like they may have oversold. This crowd was massive, hard to move in, and deeply devoted, too. Even an hour before doors there was a line wrapped around the building. By the time we got inside, the venue was completely packed already. Fans of all ages were claiming their spots, and unwilling to give up their view. The majority of the crowd were wearing some sort of clown inspired makeup or face paint. With The Garden and their fans having a black and white jester themed aesthetic, it made me feel like I was at an Adicts show.
While it was pretty clear who most people were here to see, spotting a few people with patch pants and jackets made me feel a little less out of place. I was a little bit surprised to see U.K. punk band The Partisans on this lineup. The Garden themselves even called it “another just plain wrong lineup”, but after doing some research, apparently they have known Fletcher and Wyatt since they were 11 years old! They even toured with then in Europe a couple years back, and it isn’t uncommon for The Garden to play with legendary hardcore punk bands. After the cancellation of Los Angeles’ 2026 C.Y. Fest, The Partisans couldn’t let their travel arrangements go to waste, so they found themselves in Riverside opening for The Garden. In my opinion though, The Partisans stole the show. Even the ones that didn’t know them to begin with I think ended up as fans. Hearing some of their iconic songs, like “17 Years of Hell“, “I Don’t Give a Fuck“, and “Bastards in Blue” live felt so good.
There was a pit for their whole set, and everyone was dancing. They absolutely got the crowd excited.
For a band that has been around since the late 70’s, their energy hasn’t dulled in the slightest. They were a great opener, and in a way kind of showed the audience where The Garden comes from. Modern punk artists The Garden, carry influences from early bands, like The Partisans. After them was a rapper named Ghost Mountain, who I don’t really have much to say on. That was my break time.
9:45 comes around and it’s time for The Garden to hit the stage. Starting off the set with “Horseshit on Route 66“, the crowd was already going insane. I do have to say, The Garden fans know how to pit. The energy in the room never died down once. People were crowd surfing, jumping, and moshing until the very end. Their high energy setlist included songs like “Clay“, “OC93“, and “This Could Build Us a Home“, which were some memorable ones.
Formed in 2011, twin brothers Wyatt and Fletcher Shears have turned The Garden into one of the most distinctive and influential acts to come out of Southern California’s underground scene. Being in the audience made it clear that they have found a deeply loyal and devoted fanbase here, and they have basically built their own community. With one on drums and the other on bass, they truly have a one of a kind sound that is hard to put into words. I’ll admit, I wasn’t fully sold on their sound going into this, I just didn’t quite get it. There are some people you just can’t really get into, for no particular reason. However, their performance was so dynamic and engaging that it was impossible not to walk away with an appreciation for what they do. Running and jumping around the whole time while still singing what they’re meant to, it really was a great performance, and their chemistry and stage presence was really astounding.
It wasn’t just the two of them, either. They had a giant jester just lurking the stage with them throughout most of their set. Depending on what you had in your system, he was kinda creepy, and I wouldn’t look at him too close.
With the energy of the crowd, The Partisans and The Garden put on a great show. Not just the music and talent stood out to me, it was also the sense of community. My friend is a fan of them, and like I mentioned earlier I could never get into them. While my plans to go to C.Y. Fest went down the drain (rightfully so), seeing The Partisans as the opener was a sign that I needed to make it to this show, and I’m glad that I did. It was definitely memorable, and I can say I walked out as a newfound fan of The Garden.
It’s official.. GWAR has hit the road on their GOR GOR STRIKES BACK! Tour and ya’ll aint ready. There are shows, and then there are full on blood baths. If you’re a fan of GWAR, you know the number one rule: one must wear a plain white t-shirt in hopes of leaving the show drenched […]
It’s official.. GWAR has hit the road on their GOR GOR STRIKES BACK! Tour and ya’ll aint ready. There are shows, and then there are full on blood baths. If you’re a fan of GWAR, you know the number one rule: one must wear a plain white t-shirt in hopes of leaving the show drenched and covered in blood looking like you just survived a massacre.
Needless to say, GWAR absolutely shook everyone to the core.. but it couldn’t have been done without openers King Parrot, hailing from Australia, and Soulfly all the way from Phoenix, Arizona. Easily one of the most incredible shows I’ve ever been to and documented.
I had yet to catch King Parrot live before this, but after hearing nothing but praise my expectations were high and they absolutely delivered. As someone raised on heavier metal and grindcore, their set hit hard and filthy. A perfect appetizer, leaving us hungry for the carnage coming up next.
Unfortunately, there was no media allowed during Soulfly’s set at the band’s request. Honestly though? I wasn’t mad about it.. it almost made the experience hit harder, bringing us back to times where we were forced to live in the moment with no cameras. It was definitely one of those moments where you had to be there.
If you have struggle with sensory overload, a GWAR show on a Thursday night might not be on the top priority list. From insanely elaborate costumes, their own constructed characters called the Scumdogs from Scumdogs of the Universe, to their signature blend of red liquids, I was in awe the entire time. Fluids flew (as expected), the crowd pushed to the front in their soon to be blood soaked white t-shirts, mockery directed towards today’s political climate was had. Including: chopping off Kristi Noem’s boobs, slicing open Trump’s stomach, and decapitating Bill Clinton (in that order).
Those who aren’t in the loop would refer to them as “shock-rock”, or maybe just a lousy metal band begging for attention, but honestly? GWAR doesn’t just put on a regular old concert; it’s an entire artistic production.
Here’s some deep lore and context: “The story of GWAR is carved across the history of this barren and hopeless planet, but GWAR themselves are not of this world… their story begins in the deepest reaches of outer space. Long ago, the beings who would become the rock band GWAR were part of an elite fighting force, the Scumdogs of the Universe. For eons, they served as thralls to a supreme being known only as the Master. But one by one, each future member of the band earned a glaring reputation for being an intergalactic fuck-up. And so, they were banished, sent away on a fool’s errand to conquer an insignificant shitball floating in a dark corner of the universe; the planet Earth. Once here, GWAR shaped the face of the globe, destroying and rebuilding the natural world, and giving rise to all of human history. Aliens to some, gods and demons to others, our erstwhile Scumdogs fucked apes to create the human race, and this fateful unplanned pregnancy would prove to be truly disastrous!”
If there’s one thing to know, it’s that GWAR’s fanbase falls nothing short of diehards no matter how young or how old. From longtime devotees in battle blood worn shirts (circa Oderus Urungus era, may he Rest in Peace!), to first-timers bracing for their first baptism in blood. There’s a shared understanding when you walk into a GWAR show that you’re not just watching, but you’re fully participating.
Kid Cops is a math punk noise rock band from Chico, CA that evolved from the two piece band, Americas. These three friends have been playing in bands together since middle school and the sound has really progressed with the added low end. Supporting Kid Cops were East Bay emo rockers, Midcourse Correction and North […]
Kid Cops is a math punk noise rock band from Chico, CA that evolved from the two piece band, Americas. These three friends have been playing in bands together since middle school and the sound has really progressed with the added low end.
Midcourse Correction
Supporting Kid Cops were East Bay emo rockers, Midcourse Correction and North Bay indie band, The New Westerns.
The New Westerns standing in front of Thee Parkside
Sadly, it looks like this will be the last show I see Thee Parkside. This iconic bar and venue has been prominent in the Bay Area punk scene, but with the uncertainty of the new ownership of the building, they are ending shows. It is quite fitting though that the last show I see is with my friend’s Casey (Kid Cops) and Travis’ (The New Westerns) bands.
The New Westerns
The first show I saw at Thee Parkside was with Casey Deitz’s other band, The Velvet Teen in 2009. In 2011, I first met Travis Hayes when he was a talent buyer at Thee Parkside. I was working for Asian Man Records at the time and we met during the Asian Man Records 15 year anniversary show. That show inspired me to later move to this neighborhood in 2012 and spend countless times at this great bar/venue. I’ll be creating a separate post with archived highlights from the AMR15 festival, so stay tuned for that.
If you live in New Jersey and your main music interest is hardcore/punk adjacent, chances are you’ve probably been to a cramped as hell show at Cinco’s. Originally operating as a small, family owned and run Mexican restaurant in New Brunswick (the flautas are killer), Cinco De Mayo gradually became part of NJ’s DIY music […]
If you live in New Jersey and your main music interest is hardcore/punk adjacent, chances are you’ve probably been to a cramped as hell show at Cinco’s. Originally operating as a small, family owned and run Mexican restaurant in New Brunswick (the flautas are killer), Cinco De Mayo gradually became part of NJ’s DIY music ecosystem over the last few years. As venues in the area began disappearing, Cinco’s stepped up in hosting hardcore, punk, and underground shows inside the literal dining area. Remember that viral “What the fuck is up Denny’s?” video? Yeah, imagine exactly that… but Mexican food. Some honorable mentions that have played at Cinco’s: Haywire, Bayway, Jivebomb, Dry Socket, XL Bully.
Hardcore local bands Belligerent and QUIZ (in photo) packed Cinco’s by opening up for the next two following bands.
Bands like Belligerent, DUEL, and SPACED are truly redefining what the hardcore scene looks like.. and proving that it’s not just a space for “the boys,” but one where femme-fronted and queer voices are essential. In a genre that has been male-dominated, their presence isn’t just a breath of fresh air, but a necessity.
DUEL was formed in NJ in 2024 by some friends looking to carve out their own space in the scene, and the band really channels community into their set. You can tell just by seeing the amount of people singing back the words, being handed over the microphone. DUEL is on the rise and I’m so here for the ride. They recently released their heavy hitters, two song EP “Counting Sheep” and “The Cost of Living” back in October. Hard recommend if you’re a fan of: GEL, Jivebomb, Gouge Away, Niis.
I think I’ve lost count now on how many times I’ve seen SPACED by now; from larger festival crowds to mid-size venues opening tours and let me tell you… it never feels the same twice. Right now they’re on tour with Sweet Pill, but this show specifically was their own intimate, headlining, side quest show.
Cinco’s was packed from the start, the windows were fogged up, and the neighbors were probably pissed by the time Buffalo’s SPACED hit. They played some classics from their first LP “This Is All We Ever Get”, mixed in with some absolute bangers from their new EP “No Escape”. From start to finish, everyone was engaged.. and that goes for every single time I have seen them. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for them.
Drama with a promoter caused a wave of bands to drop out of CY Fest and their scheduled preshows, leaving a lot of fans disappointed. But some of the touring bands refused to let the trip go to waste. MESS, traveling from Mexico, booked a last‑minute show at Characters Sports Bar in Pomona, playing alongside […]
Drama with a promoter caused a wave of bands to drop out of CY Fest and their scheduled preshows, leaving a lot of fans disappointed. But some of the touring bands refused to let the trip go to waste. MESS, traveling from Mexico, booked a last‑minute show at Characters Sports Bar in Pomona, playing alongside Bomber and Broken Cuffs. For anyone still hungry for great live music that weekend, this show delivered.
The Venue
If you’ve never been to Characters, it’s a rad spot. The building is a big brick structure with a spacious outdoor patio. Inside, you’ll find a long bar running along the right side and a few billiards tables to the left. The bands set up outside under a tented patio area, which actually gives the space surprisingly good acoustics – clear enough to hear everything without blowing out your ears or needing earplugs.
First up was Broken Cuffs, a three‑piece punk band from Palmdale, CA. They had some tech issues that delayed the start and caused the singer’s mic to cut out for half a second here and there, but it wasn’t enough to ruin the set. Once they locked in, they delivered a solid, energetic performance.
Setlist:
Police Brutality
Cultura
Uniform
Quarantine
Murphy’s Law
Fight
Media Takeover
New song (title uncertain; lyric included “I don’t care what you think about me”)
Second up was Bomber, a newer four‑piece made up of veteran LA musicians who’ve been playing punk, rock’n’roll, and Oi! since the ’90s. I’m not sure how many of their members are originally from the UK, but the singer definitely was – and he also handled bass duties, which is always cool to see.
This band absolutely ripped. I walked in without really knowing their music and walked out a fan. The pit had English punks and LA locals mixing it up, and the energy was infectious. I noticed a Chelsea F.C. bag near the stage during setup, and later, when the crowd broke into big anthemic chants, it all made sense; anthems are engrained throughout many areas of English culture. The songs were raw, catchy, and built for shouting along.
Not all of their tracks are available on streaming yet, so a few titles are based on lyrics.
Setlist:
We Don’t Trust You (title uncertain)
Choose Your Fate
We Won’t Fight No One (title uncertain)
System
He’s a Skinhead (title uncertain)
Hard Working Man
Big Business (title uncertain)
Fuck Ice, Fuck You Too (new song released March 25)
Bomber Rules O.K.
I wanted to grab their EP or a shirt to support, but by then I had already bought a MESS LP, a MESS shirt, and two other LPs from a vendor with an incredible vinyl selection – records from the UK, Australia, the U.S., even Brazil.
Closing out the night was MESS, an Oi! punk band from Guadalajara, Mexico. Frontman Abraham Vilchis has a killer raspy, gritty voice that cuts through everything. The crowd was fully locked in from the first song to the last. Standout moments for me were Revenge, Falso Poder, Leave Me Alone, and Street Boys.
Marbled Eye is a post-punk band from Oakland, CA. They brought their enthusiastic raw energy to Bottom of the Hill. Singer/guitarist, Chris Natividad is very prolific and is not only is several bands, but also puts on awesome shows like this one under the moniker “No Time Gigs”. A positive force in the progression of […]
Marbled Eye playing to a packed house at Bottom of the Hil.
Marbled Eye is a post-punk band from Oakland, CA. They brought their enthusiastic raw energy to Bottom of the Hill.
Singer/guitarist, Chris Natividad is very prolific and is not only is several bands, but also puts on awesome shows like this one under the moniker “No Time Gigs”. A positive force in the progression of the Bay Area music scene.
Cemento
Main support was Cemento LA. Self-described as “Grimy, depressive post-punk…monotonous yet melodic cruz through the bleak underworld of human nature and party fallout.”
Swedish garage punk band The Hives just finished a brief US East Coast tour, with their last stop at Chicago’s Salt Shed on March 26th. Joining them are Australian punk sensations The Chats! With their cheeky, rowdy, and highly-infectious energy, The Chats popped off the night with hits “Identity Theft“, “6L GTR“, and “Struck by […]
Swedish garage punk band The Hives just finished a brief US East Coast tour, with their last stop at Chicago’s Salt Shed on March 26th. Joining them are Australian punk sensations The Chats!
The Australian “shed rockers” can be appreciated by fans of all ages with their old school punk rock sound reminiscent to being in high school again.
A surprise appearance was made tonight by Sarah Greenwell of Rhode Island punk band Gymshorts for a cover of their song “Heaps of New York“.
The Hives prove to be an essential part of rock and roll history, providing the standard of what a live show should be; intense, theatrical, engaging, a blast to your face non-stop energetic party that gives you the post-concert blues when it is over. This sold-out night at The Salt Shed was exactly that, leaving fans begging for more.
