Publication Date October 25, 2026
MORE GREAT STORIES
October 23, 2026UncategorizedROCK N ROLL IN THE STREETS FEST
Fabulous Las Vegas
October 23rd, 2026 by Jimmy Alvarez
Las Vegas is known for many things, music (big shows) is one of them. For those who like their music a little on the louder side, there’s a festival just for you and it’s in Sin City!
The festival is aptly titled Rock N Roll in the Streets Fest and it features rock, alt rock, punk and ska bands from a little bit of everywhere.
On the near 10-year anniversary of Punk Rock BBQ, the creators have cooked up a new kind of mini festival that will satisfy your sonic appetite.
The four-day event will take place at The Grey Witch and the bands set to play will dazzle.
Let’s start with three SoCal bands that are set to take the stage. Rundown Kreeps and The Maxies have been entertaining fans for years.
RUNDOWN KREEPS
One band is from Los Angeles, while the other is from South Central Nuuk Greenland.
Both provide a punch with a punk rock electric slide that will captivate you.
THE MAXIES
One other band from L.A. is Go Betty Go. Like L7, this is an all-girl band that does not take no for an answer, takes no prisoners on stage and plays in your face music with soul piercing licks!
GO BETTY GO
From The OC, you can catch the sights, sounds and shenanigans of CODENAME: Rocky. Going on three decades of skanktastic tunes, this band has done it all and played every imaginable stage you can think of.
Hats off to the show organizers for the number of great bands they are putting on this bill. There really is a little bit of something for everyone. The Henchmen are a sure hit, Thee Merry Widows, Thee Bad Janets, Hour 13, Witches Ride and a host of other bands will knock your socks off.
CODENAME: ROCKY
Another showstopper will be the Texas band known as Hans Gruber and the Die Hards. With an impressive resume and catalog, this band is prime to blow the roof off the Grey Witch.
No matter which day you go, you will be entertained! Get your tickets now and have the time of your life at Rock N Roll in the Streets Fest in good ole’ Sin City!
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October 23, 2026UncategorizedTRICK OR TREAT TO THE BEAT
Live from The Glass House Pomona
October 23rd, 2026 Review by Kevin Gomez
Everyone’s favorite ska-punk superheroes, The Aquabats, take their costume dress-ups very seriously… obviously. Therefore, it should be no surprise that October and Halloween are very near and dear to their hearts.
The Aquabats are currently on the Trick or Treat to the Beat tour, similar to last year’s excursion except expanding to several weeks, taking them through Nevada, Arizona and all up and down the California coast. October 16th the boys stopped off at The Glass House in Pomona with several friends in tow.
First up to kick off the night was the fairly new ska act, sullvn, fronted by longtime San Diego radio personality, Robert “Sully” Sullivan.
This has really been the year of sullvn, as the band has had frequent spots opening for longtime friends Goldfinger, as well as eight stops on this current Aquabats tour. sullvn’s music is classic old school reggae ska that got the entire crowd dancing on songs like “Chasing the Echoes” and “Liars.” Sully played his love letter to his home state, “Oh California.”
Sully announced they were going to do a cover and the band went into their rendition of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones’ “The Impression That I Get,” which saw their lead singer Dicky Barrett come out to sing lead vocals. sullvn’s horn section really shined on the cover, which should be no surprise since they consist of No Doubt’s Gabrial McNair on trombone and Stephen Bradley on trumpet. Barrett stayed on to duet on “Raise a Glass,” a song produced by Goldfinger’s John Feldmann.
Next was the barrio’s favorite hoodlums, Manic Hispanic. The boys in brown wasted no time launching into their version of Black Flag’s “Wasted!”
It was followed by “Mas Chingones,” which got the pit going, and was observed by singer Luis Perez, III, who exclaimed, “You guys started that so early!”
Perez was so impressed by the crowd’s enthusiasm he jumped into the pit for their take on The Damned, “Pinche Pinche.” Perez said the moshers were “down, brown, and ready to take it to P-Town.” Efrem Schulz took lead vocals for “Holding Cell,” before Gilbert Pichardo took over on “Teardrop on My Eye.”
Pichardo dedicated “Big Hynas” to the “the girl eating a chicken taco at Juan Pollo,” just down the street. A special moment came when McNair and Bradley played horns on “A Message to You Chunti.”
They played in my opinion one of their most genius concoctions, almost a cover within a cover – “Bob” is their rendition of NOFX’s song of the same name, however, Manic’s cover is about Bob Morales, the alcoholic drunk brother of Ritchie Valens in “La Bamba.”
The song even featured the guitar solo from the song “La Bamba,” played excellently by Elvis Cortez.
Manic then moved to their cover of “Mexican Girl” highlighted by Cortez, who absolutely shredded on the song’s iconic solo. None other than Aquabats lead singer, MC Bat Commander came out dressed like a cholo, complete with bandana, flannel shirt, baggy shorts, and knee-high socks (sock check!) while the band closed with “Paisa,” which saw Bat Commander signing on the song’s chorus.
The Aquabats were up and went right into the instrumental “Phantasma Del Bar!” as Bat Commander took the stage wearing a giant pumpkin mask.
Bat Commander said the band holds the record for most shows played at the Glass House.
Bat Commander called an audible and decided to play “Pool Party” (which was on the setlist to be the last song of the night), much like Perez earlier, he seemed to be invigorated by the audience’s energy and immediately went to the dancefloor and continued singing and skanking.
For “Pizza Day,” he welcomed two young children, a boy and a girl, who stage dove onto two giant inflatable pizza slices. The crowd put all their focus and attention into keeping these two kids afloat safe. Bat Commander came down to the barricade for the highly intense “Where is Walter Fang?”
They played “Tarantula” as a giant stuffed tarantula dangled as Bat Commander swung with a bat. “I kept swinging and missing,” he quipped, “I felt like the Dodgers.”
They played my favorite song of the night, the ultra-silly, “Spider Love” and closed their regular set with “Attacked by Snakes.”
The Aquabats returned for an encore of “Fell Asleep on My Arm” and “Shark Fighter.” The latter featured lovely horns from Reel Big Fish’s John Christianson on trumpet, original member, Catboy on trumpet, and Jimmy the Robot on sax. They ended a really fun night of fantastic music and dancing with “Super Rad.”
It was wonderful to see so many generations of the crowd, people who grew up with The Aquabats and are now bringing their children.
There’s no need to “tell your mom, tell your dad” that the Aquabats were super rad – they were there.
SHOW PHOTO GALLERY
by Todd Markel Rock Images
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October 23, 2026UncategorizedINTO THE BEGINNING TOUR
& Drop Palace for the People
October 23rd, 2026 by Stuart Karpel
The modern age of rock ‘n’ roll is so much different than it was just 20 years ago. Of course, that mostly falls back on the consistent fast pace of social media and the ever-growing diversification of music genres, which now labels some of the classic rock genres as a “lost art.”
But for a band like Greta Van Fleet, they’ve completely shut down that narrative and have become one of the biggest chart-toppers that the new era of rock has seen.
Ever since the band started throwing gigs together back in 2012 at Michigan dive bars, they’ve achieved some of the greatest accolades most musicians could only dream of.
GVF has received a Grammy for Best Rock Album, a Billboard number one song with “Highway Tune,” as well as headline performances at some of the most notable venues: Madison Square Garden, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, and even “SNL.”
While fans think the band has already achieved so much, to the band members, this is just the beginning.
Their fourth studio album, “Palace for the People,” just dropped and along with it, the announcement of their Into the Beginning world tour.
With shows starting on February 2nd and going until July 31st, the group plans to perform in 49 total venues.
The trek starts in the U.S., continues through Europe and Canada, and returns back to the U.S. after the first week of July.
Thankfully on this tour SoCal residents can experience the band live when they make a stop at the Honda Center on March 19th. Attendees can expect to hear more than just songs from their latest album though. Other tracks that will likely be played include “Safari Song,” “Light My Love,” “Black Smoke Rising,” “Edge of Darkness,” and their rendition of Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come.”
While they strive to grow as musicians by switching producers for every album they work on, the Van Fleet experience is best embodied by their live symphonic work. From the unique sound of lead singer John Kiszka’s “Zeppelin-esque” voice to the high-energy classic/blues rock tone of their music, it truly does give the people something to dance to.
No matter their small-town Frankenmuth roots as a garage band, the bandmates’ ostentatious style of fashion, folklore-themed lyricism, and bold yet classic rockstar mindset are just some of the great qualities that this legendary group has to offer.
Tickets for the tour are on sale now!
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October 22, 2026UncategorizedNICK HEYWARD
Coming Back to U.S.
October 22nd, 2026 by Traci Turner
After visiting us in 2025 with Howard Jones, and this year with Squeeze, we are going to see a bit more of Haircut One Hundred frontman, Nick Heyward. The ever-so-charming gent will return solo this time, which is actually a much larger catalogue than his Haircut material!
Heyward’s 1993 album, “From Monday to Sunday,” featured “Kite,” which is perhaps the song most fans ask about. He said the recent tours “reignited his personal desire to return to the U.S. in support of his solo material.”
“I’ve had people for the last 30 years asking, ‘Are you the ‘Kite’ guy?’ and I say ‘Yes, indeed. I’m Mr. Kite,’” he laughed. “They say, ‘Please come back to America; that song means so much to me,’ and so I’m coming back to play acoustically – an acoustic expedition so to speak – to reconnect with people who like my music. My last US tour was in 1994 and I’m really looking forward to playing ‘Kite’ in America again. It’s been too long!”
The trek will kick off March 4th, 2027 in Atlanta, and stops at intimate venues across the eastern half of the country including Nashville, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, New York, among others.
The shows will offer a “storytellers” approach – stripped-down environments that will allow Heyward the opportunity to share song inspirations with the fans. He explained, “I do love to talk about the source and the creative process of songs – how they arrive, whether they were an easy birth or whether they were a caesarian, and also what they mean to others now – like a young chap who tracked me down on MySpace to tell me his mum used to play him ‘Kite’ as a lullaby before bed. As a budding children’s author this thrilled me.”
Heyward is also releasing a solo career retrospective entitled “The Essential,” a 31-track compilation on November 27th. As if that was not enough, his autobiography, “Fantastic Days: My Autobiography,” will drop November 5th.
Get all things Heyward started by first purchasing tickets to a show near you. We assume more dates with the West Coast will be announced soon…
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October 22, 2026UncategorizedOZZY & BLACK SABBATH
Back to the Beginning
PURPLE CARPET PREMIERE
October 22nd, 2026 Review by Bruce R Kilgour
On a warm Wednesday October evening, the 100-year-old Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles was host to one of the largest gatherings of metal and hard rock royalty in recent years. The occasion was the “purple carpet premiere” of the film “Ozzy & Black Sabbath – Back to the Beginning,” which documents the incredible 10-hour concert held on July 5th, 2025, in Birmingham, England.
That concert concluded with the planned final live performances by both Ozzy Osbourne (as a solo artist) and the original lineup of the legendary Black Sabbath (Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward,) who had not performed together since Ozzfest in 2005.
A limited number of tickets to the premiere were sold to the public for $20 a few days prior to the screening, with 50% of the proceeds donated to various Los Angeles homeless charities. The entire balcony and Broadway Bar area of the Orpheum were, however, reserved for about six hundred invited guests, musicians, and media.
I was fortunate to attend as invited press, and it was truly incredible to have the opportunity to mingle with the hosts – Sharon and Jack Osbourne – and the dozens of major artists present, many of whom had participated in the Back to the Beginning concert.
The two most popular attendees may have been Black Sabbath members Butler and Ward, judging by the fan’s reaction upon spotting them both before and after the screening. Guitarist Iommi did not attend, due to his busy promotional schedule for his forthcoming solo album.
Among the musicians who attended the event were Gene Simmons (KISS) and his wife Shannon Tweed, Slash (Guns N’ Roses), Robert Trujillo (Metallica), Scott Ian (Anthrax), Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Danny Carey (Tool), Travis Barker (blink-182), Mike Inez (Alice in Chains), Gilby Clarke, Lzzy Hale, Joe Hottinger and Josh Smith (Halestorm), Jake E. Lee (Ozzy Osbourne Band), John Bush (Armored Saint), Mike Bordin (Faith No More), Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme), David Ellefson (Megadeth), Tommy Clufetos (touring drummer for Osbourne and Black Sabbath), and Billy Morrison (The Cult, Billy Idol). Morrison was Osbourne’s closest friend and collaborator in his later years.
Rudy Sarzo, who toured with Osbourne in 1981-1982, was also in attendance with the entire current lineup of Quiet Riot, whose brand-new singer – 23-year-old John Torra – proved to be one of the media’s favorite interview subjects.
One of the coolest moments of the concert (also shown in the film) was the “drum-off” between Smith, Barker, and Carey during the Black Sabbath song “Symptom of the Universe,” during which Sarzo played bass. I overheard Barker and Carey recalling that moment as they posed for photos together.
Before the screening, Sharon and Jack appeared on stage to welcome everyone and offered their heartfelt thanks for the decades of support of the beloved Osbourne. Their speeches were followed by a lengthy chant of “Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy…”
The 150-minute film focuses on the Black Sabbath and Osbourne songs covered by the artists who participated in the original concert. Although several bands – such as Alice in Chains, Pantera, Slayer, and Metallica – also performed their own material at the show, those songs are not presented in the film.
The original pre-recorded video tributes from Osbourne’s peers that were shown during the livestream have been replaced in the film with voiceovers from the participating musicians combined with great archival footage of Black Sabbath and Osbourne.
Although the concert itself ended with the triumphant finale of the four-song Black Sabbath reunion set, the filmmakers chose to move the emotional performance of “Mama, I’m Coming Home” from Ozzy’s solo segment to the end of the movie, creating a powerful final statement.
There are many other surprises and highlights throughout the film, but I recommend that everyone grab some family and friends to experience this amazing documentary for themselves!
“Back to the Beginning” arrives in theaters worldwide on October 28th for a limited run, and tickets are available now.
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October 22, 2026UncategorizedINDUSTRY REPORT # 75
UNSTOPPABLE
Catching Up with Jimmy Brown
October 22nd, 2026 by Traci Turner
In the middle of one of their longest North American tours in quite some time, UB40 is Unstoppable! The reggae legends still have to hit the West Coast, and this week that portion of their journey begins.
I have said it before and I will say it again: You cannot be in a bad mood at a UB40 show. From “Red Red Wine,” “(I Can’t Help) Falling In Love With You,” “The Way You Do the Things You Do,” “Here I Am (Come and Take Me),” all through their newest show surprise – a cover of Shania Twain’s “You’re Still the One” – UB40 always gives fans a phenomenal performance with plenty of dancing in the aisles.
UB40 brings quite the crew with them: Robin Campbell (guitar/vocals), Earl Falconer (bass/vocals), Jimmy Brown (drums), Norman Hassan (percussion/vocals), Martin Meredith (keyboards/saxophone), Jahred Gordon (keyboards), Laurence Parry (trumpet/trombone), Ian Thompson (saxophone), Gilly G (MC vocals), Matt Campbell (backing vocals), and Matt Doyle (guitar/vocals).
The English gents are celebrating more than 45 years together and their newest album, “Unstoppable,” will drop in 2027 with that Twain cover included.
As the band was traversing from Canada into the US, founding member and drum master extraordinaire Jimmy Brown chatted with us about their forthcoming visit.
Traci: Jimmy! How are you? I see you are at the halfway point with the tour now.
Jimmy: Just about exactly halfway, yeah. It’s the longest tour we’ve done in a while, even though we’ve been here every year for the last five years. I think we’ve got 42 dates, over two and a half months. It’s been great. I’m surprised really, because I know it’s not a good time for bands to be touring, because people have less disposable income and it’s not the best environment to be trying to do a big tour, but it seems to be working really well for us. So we’re all very happy, I think.
Traci: Whenever I’ve been to a UB40 show, it is such a fantastic and fun time. Yes, it costs money, but we absolutely have to go out and enjoy a night of wonderful music and forget life, and you guys provide that.
Jimmy: That seems to be the attitude with people. I mean, we do try to send people home happier than they were when they arrived. By the end of the night we want everybody on their feet and dancing and singing. That seems to be working out really well, and everybody seems to be going home happy. We’re really enjoying it.
Traci: I know you don’t remember every interview but when you and I talked two years ago, you mentioned your wife perhaps making a bad choice in marrying a musician because she didn’t have a handyman or chef at home.
Jimmy: (laughing) I did say she didn’t think it through, you know, it was just like a mechanic would have been more useful or a chef or a builder. That’d be like the ultimate partner would be a builder. But, she decided to marry a drummer instead, which I’m happy about, and I hope she’s not unhappy about! We’ve been together for nearly 50 years.
Traci: That’s amazing!
Jimmy: Yeah, absolutely. Well, we got together before the band, we were kind of childhood sweethearts. It kind of worked out for us in the end. I’m very proud of it.
Traci: So you’ve been with her for 50 years, you’ve been with your bandmates for more than 45 years. You’re in it for the long haul with everyone!
Jimmy: Yeah, exactly. I think to some degree that may have helped. I’m not always at home, and it’s great to look forward to going home. I think there’s a certain point if I’m at home too long, well, you’ve got a tour to go to, you know, just to get out from under her feet. (laughing) So it’s, it’s worked well for us really over the years.
Traci: The Unstoppable Tour is promoting the album that’s coming out next year, correct?
Jimmy: Yes, that’s right.
Traci: And it has that cover of Shania Twain that you guys have been performing on this tour?
Jimmy: That’s right, yeah. It’s been going down really well actually. We get a kind of cheer of recognition as soon as he sings the first line and people realize what song it is. Next month we’ll be releasing it as a single.
Traci: Is there a song that you yourself would love to cover that you guys have never done?
Jimmy: I tend to think my favorite songs I wouldn’t want to cover because they’re favorites because they’re kind of perfect the way they are and we might not be able to bring anything new to it. But, I like quirky. I like doing the Shania Twain cover. People wouldn’t expect it, but it’s worked really well. And sometimes, because I think that the actual content of the lyrics has a relationship with where the band is now, when you’re talking about here we are after all this time, we’re still together.
He continued; That’s the message of the song, and it really suits us as a band now because that’s how we feel. That’s why we feel unstoppable. We’ve actually been through all the sort of ups and downs, the traumas and the dramas, and we’ve come out the other side and everybody’s sort of pulling together. It’s bonded us all together really quite strongly. And that’s a great feeling.
Traci: The band is made up of longtime friends, and then a lot of you guys are related too.
Jimmy: Yeah. All our families know each other, and we’ve got generations, we’ve got kids and grandkids and they’re all kind of similar ages because obviously it’s when we’re back home off the road, it’s when they were conceived.
He continued; They’re all similar ages and then the grandkids are similar ages as well. I think we must have something like 50 kids between us, you know, looking to repopulate the world!
Traci: Now that you’ve been doing this for so long, do you get stressed or worried when you make an album like perhaps you did in the early days? Or now is it a little more relaxed?
Jimmy: I think nothing stresses us out now. We’ve been through everything. We’ve come out the other side. We see everything as kind of a bonus now because we’re actually still doing it after 40, I think it’s 48 years now. The fact that we’re still selling out, doing great gigs, and still making records, it’s a bonus that we’re still doing that. It’s all just pleasure, and all the pain is in the past. It’s a really good place to be right now.
Traci: You guys formed the group as young kids! Do you remember even farther back, the first song that you fell in love with and maybe what made you want to play?
Jimmy: Yeah, I think I do actually, and that was when I was probably about eight or nine years old, listening to the radio, and I just loved “Penny Lane” by The Beatles. It conjured up so many images; it’s a very descriptive kind of song. I just loved hearing that coming over the radio, so that stuck in my mind. But then when I was 12, 13, 14, I discovered reggae. Apart from Stevie Wonder, of course, I remember buying “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” as a single, and that was way back in the early ‘70s.
He continued; Of course, we discovered Bob Marley quite early, and reggae and dub and that was probably the biggest influence on me overall. But there were other records. I remember Chairmen of the Board, “Give Me Just a Little More Time.” It was just one of those records I loved that I had to buy. But definitely “Penny Lane” is the one that sticks in my mind as a childhood memory of driving in the car with my mum and dad and listening to the radio and hearing that.
Traci: I think my parents got tired of me listening to Elton John’s “Bennie and the Jets!”
Jimmy: Well, you know, my parents didn’t really appreciate my love of reggae until I introduced John Holt, and then they realized, because obviously he did sort of classic songs. They just loved, I think the “1,000 Volts of Holt” album, and that really made them understand maybe where I was coming from a little bit, because music can do that, it can have a positive effect on people.
Traci: When I am exploring music, I tend to go down rabbit holes and learn all I can. Are you like that with anything? Get sucked into internet rabbit holes?
Jimmy: Yeah, I do that with movies. I’m a bit of a movie buff and I like to get information. I especially like weird films. So, you’ve got other people that are giving you theories about what certain things mean. I’m a big David Lynch fan, so yeah, I do go down those.
Traci: Are you able to choose a favorite movie or is that too hard?
Jimmy: That would be impossible to do! (laughing) I don’t think I could even choose a top ten. I love movies, and I think there’s always great movies being made. I really enjoyed “Backrooms.” I thought that was a great film. I thought “Obsession” was a great movie. I like what’s happening with sort of the 20-somethings having access to making feature films, and they’re doing a good job. I like the Philippou brothers from Australia. I think they’ve done some amazing films.
Traci: Are you ready to hit California this week? Saratoga, Cabazon…
Jimmy: You’re better informed than I am because I haven’t got a clue where we’re going. (laughing)
Don’t worry, Jimmy! I got you covered! Catch UB40 October 23rd in Saratoga at Mountain Winery, October 24th in Cabazon at Morongo Casino, October 25th in Thousand Oaks at Kavil Theatre, October 28th in good ole Anaheim at House of Blues, or spend Halloween with them in San Diego at Open Air Theatre. I promise whatever show you attend, it WILL be a blast!
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October 21, 2026UncategorizedRELEASES NEW MUSIC
October 21st, 2026 by Stuart Karpel
While the “rockstar” tag may have launched in the 1950s with artists like Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Chuck Berry, the late ‘70s and ‘80s – often called the “golden age” of rock – featured a band that exemplified all of those rockstars rolled into one… Blondie.
Blondie became icons of the new wave genre with songs like “Dreaming,” “Sunday Girl,” “Pretty Baby,” “Call Me,” “Atomic,” “One Way or Another,” “Heart of Glass,” “Rapture,” “Hanging on the Telephone,” “and “The Tide Is High.”
But the legends – Debbie Harry (vocals), Chris Stein (guitar), Leigh Foxx (bass), Matt Katz-Bohen (keyboards), and Tommy Kessler (guitar) – are not stuck in the past.
Blondie is bringing new music history to fans by releasing a new album February 26th, 2027, called “High Noon.”
The band also released the first single, “Spectral Eyes,” filled with themes of escapism and self-destruction.
The song’s composition and lyrics were written by another rock n’ roll icon, Johnny Marr, guitarist of The Smiths. Of course, the majority of the track is sung by the “Queen of New Wave” herself, Debbie Harry.
Blondie fans are still mourning the loss of long-time drummer, Clem Burke. While he is no longer with us, his legacy with Blondie lives on. Burke’s drum sections will exist throughout the upcoming album, reflecting his importance and legacy to the band’s fandom.
The group has not announced a tour or show dates… yet. But with this being their first album release since 2017’s “Pollinator,” we hope to see them back out on the road showing it off!
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October 20, 2026UncategorizedSKA SMACKDOWN III
Returns to Garden Amp
October 20th, 2026 by Kevin Gomez
Mustard Plug’s highly-anticipated annual January show will be returning for the third time to the Garden Amp in Garden Grove. In fact, this show is far from the only date on Mustard Plug’s calendar.
The ska punk pioneers out of Grand Rapids will embark on a West Coast tour to kick off 2027, hitting Seattle, Mesa, Oregon, and several stops in California, all supported by The Planet Smashers and Venomous Pinks.
SKA SMACKDOWN III | GARDEN AMP
The tour concludes on January 16th in Denver, this time supported by The Toasters, Catbite, and First Time Caller.
For Ska Smackdown III, the band will take over the entire venue playing both the outdoor main stage and the intimate, indoor Locker Room. As they did two years ago,
Mustard Plug will be joined by San Diego’s Buck-o-Nine. Much like Mustard Plug they are always down to get a party started the crowd skanking.
The two will be joined by co-headliner, Montreal’s ska punk legends, The Planet Smashers.
The band is currently touring in support of 2025’s “On the Dancefloor.”
I believe Orange County’s The Goodwin Club is the only band to be asked back for their third consecutive year.
They have crushed it each year, and I look forward to them opening for Reel Big Fish at the Wiltern in December.
Returning from last year are the uber popular Chudson, and I know their growing fanbase is eager to catch these guys play again.
There’s no doubt Arizona’s Venomous Pinks will absolutely annihilate the stage as they always do.
I love seeing that they are going to kick off 2027 in support of Mustard Plug spreading punk goodness along the West Coast. Undisputed World Champions from South Central Los Angeles are known for their high-energy shows.
Odd Advantage’s versatility really caught my attention at the Summer Ska Classic, so I’m looking forward to catching them again.
I’m also looking forward to catching opening act, Natlia Inez. From her online videos she seems to lead with powerful vocals and a talented backing band. Tickets are on sale now. Start the new year off right, skanking under the California sky.
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October 20, 2026UncategorizedNorth American Tour Comes to SoCal
October 20th, 2026 by Stuart Karpel
When an artist steps onto the stage for the first time, it’s not very common that their music ends up creating a new genre, even creating new definitions of music.
When that same artist becomes more than just a musician, rather an icon, their sound becomes influential for many creative minds that follow.
When I think of someone who’s not only set the framework for instilling creativity and passion into his music but is also still increasing their iconic legacy to this day, no one comes to mind more than Gary Numan.
Just as the fall season is gearing up, so is Numan on his North American fall tour. The goth rock legend plans to visit iconic places on the western side of the US including Las Vegas, Portland, Arizona, and of course, California.
While he’s planned a couple shows across the Golden State from Sacramento to San Francisco, he will also hit our neck of the woods with a November 16th stop at the Fonda Theatre. He will be at the Observatory North Park on November 25th.
I between all that, Numan will make a special appearance in Huntington Beach at the Darker Waves Festival. This will be one of the biggest events of the year brining a large number of legends to oner show!
Concertgoers can expect to hear the Numan-classics, including tracks from his iconic album “The Pleasure Principle” like his monster-hit “Cars.” With his extensive catalog, there is no shortage of classics for fans to enjoy: “Down in the Park,” “I Am Dust,” “Mercy,” “Metal,” “My Name Is Ruin,” “When the World Comes Apart,” and “Are ‘Friends’ Electric?”
Since the ‘70s, Numan has put together some of the most influential synth-pop rock albums we’ve ever seen so watching him play them live is an experience unlike any other. The venue is sort of like Numan in that way – they both have a rich history of music, they both currently call Los Angeles home, and they both know how to put on a great show.
Expect nothing less than an incredible night filled with smash-hit tracks, a never-ending feeling of wanting to sing-along, and the inevitable great memories that will come along with seeing him at the Walk of Fame-adjacent theatre.
Snatch those tickets now to see one of the U.K.’s finest next month, because the theater only seats 1,200 and they’re selling out fast.
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SID 261022 | TRACI TURNER | EDITOR [...]
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October 19, 2026UncategorizedLONG LIVE THE BLACK PARADE TOUR
October 19th, 2026 by Traci Turner
There are two major things to look forward to this week: the highly anticipated release of “The Black Parade (20th Anniversary)” expanded reissue, and the band’s five-night stint at the Hollywood Bowl.
“The Black Parade” is not only deemed MCR’s greatest album, but THE greatest emo album, defining the genre and giving a soundtrack to a generation. The concept album has sold more than four million copies in the US and I dare you to not get pumped when that intro starts…
In anticipation of the anniversary edition release on October 23rd, the band has dropped the bonus track and video “Someone Out There Loves You (Live from Hoboken).” The recording dates back to 2007 during the original tour promoting the album, performed at the band’s hometown club, Maxwell’s in New Jersey. The song has never been released before and truly captures the era.
Photo by Bryce Hall
My Chemical Romance announced, “Twenty years ago, we wrote what would become The Black Parade, our third record and the follow up to Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. At the time, we could never have imagined what the record would mean for the band. All we knew is that we had made something crazy, and something we couldn’t wait to get it out into the world… For the first time, we have included everything we finished during those sessions in a single collection.”
“The Black Parade (20th Anniversary)” includes the full album plus six bonus tracks – two more from the NJ show (also unreleased on LP, CD, or streaming), and three fan-favorite B-sides.
The band also joined forces with original “The Black Parade” cover artist James Jean to reimagine the imagery and create limited vinyl colorways and autographed physical formats.
To celebrate the anniversary release, My Chemical Romance is closing out the US leg of The Black Parade 2026 Tour with five nights at the Hollywood Bowl. The series begins Wednesday and ends on Halloween night.
As if that wasn’t enough, MCR and Hot Topic have been celebrating with a monthlong Black Parade 20th Anniversary Takeover that includes exclusive merch, giveaways, and rare photo ops, plus a global all-store listening party when the album is released.
The Hollywood Hot Topic has been completely transformed into an immersive experience and will stay open until 1 a.m. on Hollywood Bowl nights.
Get your band uniform and sweep those bangs across your face and join us at “The Black Parade!”
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SID 261021 | JIMMY ALVAREZ | EDITOR [...]
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October 19, 2026UncategorizedBrings Its Run for Your Lives Tour to SoCal
October 19th, 2026 Story by Shane Pase
Iron Maiden just isn’t ready to call it a day after an incredibly successful run of their Run for Your Lives World Tour. Following an enthusiastic response from fans across North America, the band has decided to keep things rolling with one final leg of its world tour.
Southern California fans have another reason to celebrate – Iron Maiden will bring the tour to North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre in Chula Vista on April 22nd, then to Glen Helen Amphitheater in San Bernardino on April 24th, 2027, both with special guests Bullet for My Valentine and The Raven Age.
The newly announced 16-date North American run kicks off April 14th in Tacoma before making its way through Vancouver, Portland, and three California stops. From there, the tour heads across the country, wrapping up with headlining appearances at Ohio’s Sonic Temple Festival and Maryland’s Boardwalk Rock Festival in May.
For anyone who has followed Iron Maiden over the years, the band’s decision to extend the tour probably isn’t much of a surprise. Few metal acts have maintained this kind of loyal following for this long, and even fewer continue filling arenas and amphitheaters more than 50 years after getting started.
Iron Maiden Promotional Photo
Founded in London in 1975 by bassist Steve Harris, Iron Maiden emerged from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement and helped reshape the genre. Albums like ”The Number of the Beast,” ”Piece of Mind,” ”Powerslave,” and ”Seventh Son of a Seventh Son” became essential listening for generations of metal fans. Along the way, the band developed a signature sound built around galloping bass lines, twin-guitar harmonies, and Bruce Dickinson’s unmistakable vocals.
The Run for Your Lives Tour focuses on material from the band’s first nine studio albums, giving longtime fans plenty of the music that made Maiden a household name in heavy metal. Songs like “The Trooper,” “Run to the Hills,” “Hallowed Be Thy Name,” and “The Number of the Beast” have remained concert favorites for decades.
Of course, an Iron Maiden concert has always been about more than simply playing the songs. The band’s elaborate stage productions, massive backdrops, and ever-present mascot Eddie have become as much a part of the experience as the music itself. The current tour brings that tradition together with a production designed to celebrate the band’s earliest and most influential years.
Joining Maiden at Glen Helen will be fellow British metal acts Bullet for My Valentine, who have a new album, “Social Apocalypse,” arriving in March 2027, and The Raven Age. The three-band lineup also marks the first time since 1983 that Maiden has assembled an entirely British touring bill.
With Glen Helen’s outdoor setting and the band’s full production coming to San Bernardino, the April show should be a fitting way for Southern California metal fans to take part in Maiden’s anniversary celebration.
Tickets go on sale to the general public this Friday at 10 a.m., with fan club and other presales beginning earlier in the week.
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SID 261020 | TRACI TURNER | EDITOR [...]
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October 19, 2026UncategorizedANNOUNCE LINEUP FOR
October 19th, 2026 by Jimmy Alvarez
The beginning of the end is always where we seem to find ourselves when we hear the news about an upcoming larger-than-life and grandioso event. In the here and now, so is the case – This morning we received the news we have all been waiting got from KROQ # 1 rated Klein.Ally. Show. What better way to celebrate the holidays and say goodbye to the year that was 2026 than getting the lineup for this year’s KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas.
I remember how this all got started. It was 1989 and I was there for the station’s holiday show that was dubbed the KROQ Xmas Bash. The inaugural event was held at Universal Amphitheatre and featured The Call, Mary’s Danish, Food for Feet and Camper Van Beethoven. What a night it was; it just launched an idea that would forever positively impact us all who call SoCal home!
Since then, the event has grown in size and popularity. Bands like U2, Bad Religion, blink-182, Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, Social Distortion, 311, Sublime, Green Day, Linkin Park, Foo Fighters, No Doubt, Oasis, Garbage, Jane’s Addiction, Nine Inch Nails, System of a Down, Simple Minds, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Violent Femmes… you get the idea: The who’s who of alternative music have played this iconic event
“Almost Acoustic Christmas has always been about the bands and their connection with our listeners,” said Kevin Weatherly, Senior Vice President of Programming, KROQ. “That’s what makes this show so special, and we’re incredibly grateful to the artists who take the time to be part of it. Celebrating 35 years of this together is pretty amazing. And to be able to give back to two great organizations supporting local youth makes it that much more meaningful.”
Just before the announcement morning show host Kevin Klein said this event is the holiday tradition brings us all together. That being said, here is the 2026 edition of Almost Acoustic Christmas: Foo Fighters, Sublime, Joyce Manor, Julia Wolf, Almost Monday, The Linda Lindas, Interpol and Weezer,
Tickets go on sale October 30th at noon. If you haven’t seen this spectacle before, get out and see this bucket list event. If you have seen it before, you know the drill. Ready, set, go… get your tickets for KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas 2026 and make memories!
Proceeds from the show will benefit Para Los Niños and Al Wooten Jr. Youth Center.
In the end, it is said that big life events change us… so like our friends from Boingo say… “WHO DO YOU WANT TO BE?!” I say be the person we see at this show.
Get your tickets and see you at Acoustic!
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SID 261018 | TRACI TURNER | EDITOR [...]
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