Subject: Pop-Punk and Emo

• Running with Rockers

  The Cold War Kids are playing a very special Orange County show on Sept. 24, and anyone can go. Anyone, that is, who's willing to walk five kilometers for tickets. The 24th is also the day of the Orange County Race for the Cure - namely the cure for breast cancer. The Race, held at Fashion Island in Newport Beach, is part of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation's vicious paramilitary action against malignant mammaries. The Kids are encouraging friends and fans to join them on the day,

  August 28, 2006

• Jimmy Eat World at the Wiltern on 10/17.

  OC photographer Christopher Victorio dropped by the Wiltern in LA last night to shoot Jimmy Eat World. He says he had a blast, though it was rather difficult to get his photos in with a rather large redheaded lady bouncing around in front of him. The group will be at the Anaheim House of Blues Thursday. Click the photo for more shots.

  October 17, 2007

• R.I.P. Casey Calvert of Hawthorne Heights

  On Saturday November 24, Hawthorne Heights guitarist Casey Calvert was found dead inside the band's tour bus just hours before a show in Washington D.C. The cause of death has yet to be determined. This message was posted on the band's website: “Today is probably the worst day ever. Its with our deepest regrets that we have to write this. Casey Calvert passed away in his sleep last night. We found out this afternoon before sound-check. We’ve spent the entire day trying to come to grips w

  November 26, 2007

• Photos: Linkin Park, Chiodos & Coheed and Cambria on 03/04

  All photos from last night's Staples Center show by Christopher Victorio.

  March 5, 2008

• Matt Costa Releases Second Single

  The Malloys, the brotherly director-ly duo who've worked previously with artists like the Kooks, Jimmy Eat World, Cold War Kids, Santana, the White Stripes, Will Ferrell (?) and others, have teamed up once again with Huntington Beach's Matt Costa for the video to his second single, "Cigarette Eyes," off his sophomore album, Unfamiliar Faces. The video was shot in a single take and even features a couple cameos from Costa's drummer, James Fletcher, who also plays drums for the Costa Mesa-based

  August 27, 2008

• The Cure, The Killers, Death Cab for Cutie Announced for KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas

  It's radio station concert day! Apparently! KROQ has announced their lineup for day two (Dec. 14) of Almost Acoustic Christmas at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, and it is predictably pretty great: The Cure, The Killers, Death Cab for Cutie, Paramore, Franz Ferdinand (!), Scott Weiland, Snow Patrol and Vampire Weekend. In the spirit of "one of these things is not like the other things," I choose you, Scott Weiland! Stone Temple Pilots are already playing day one; I guess if you mana

  November 20, 2008

• Thorns of Life Secret Shows

  Photo by Andrew YoussefSo maybe neither of the two secret Thorns of Life shows this weekend were in Orange County proper, but that doesn't matter because the influence of the members who comprise this new band stretch much further than any invisible lines.If you don't know, now you know...Thorns of Life is a trio featuring former Jawbreaker/Jets to Brazil singer/guitarist Blake Schwarzenbach, former Gr'ups bassist/The L Word actress Daniela Sea and Pinhead Gunpowder drummer/punk zinester extra

  January 27, 2009

• Slideshow: MUSINK Tattoo Convention and Music Festival

  Tattoos and music are pretty inextricably linked, for better or worse--your Travis Barkers, your Tommy Lees--so it makes sense that bands like Story of the Year (pictured), Atreyu, Throwdown and more would descend upon the Orange County Fairgrounds for the MUSINK Tattoo Convention and Music Festival. Andrew Youssef was there, and has images of tons of the acts here. Just don't look for Danzig, who didn't allow photographers. That guy.

  February 23, 2009

• The Vandals, Asher Roth, More Added to Bamboozle Left

  With less than a month to go before Bamboozle Left, a whole mess of new acts have been announced for the two day festival, set for April 4 and 5 at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine. Pleasantly, a couple of the acts are even from Orange County--like punk legends the Vandals (on April 5) and Irvine's The Jakes (April 4). Splendid!Also added: white boy rapper Asher Roth (pictured, whose Asleep in the Bread Aisle album is scheduled to be released next month and will feature collaborations

  March 9, 2009

• Last Night: Jimmy Eat World at Club Nokia

  Photo by Andrew YoussefLast Night: Jimmy Eat World, No Knife at Club Nokia, Los Angeles, March 5, 2009.Better than: Hearing John Mayer do his song "Clarity."Preemptive justification: Sure, we don't really cover LA shows here, but I haven't reviewed one since Jenny Lewis at the Orpheum back in October, so I think it's OK."I still like Jimmy Eat World, even though it's not cool to like them anymore." That's what photographer Andrew Youssef said when we first talked about going to see Jimmy Eat Wor

  March 6, 2009

• Warped Tour to Launch in Pomona This Year, Lineup Announced

  For the third straight year, the Vans Warped Tour--46 dates in 2009-will be kicking off at the Pomona Fairplex, this time on June 26. Pre-sales for tickets start April 1 (not a prank), with the "regular" on-sale date being April 18. They've also announced the list of bands performing, though we don't yet know who's performing at what date yet. Names include: Newport Beach's Saosin (pictured), Huntington Beach's The Dirty Heads, Fullerton punk vets D.I. and Thrice, from Irvine, natch. And if you'

  March 25, 2009

• TONIGHT: Bamboozle's Hoodwink at House of Blues, Anaheim

  The Bamboozle Left festival is this weekend--as I was reminded of when I came into the office this morning, since I was greeted with a hat (yes, hat) full of candy from Wonka, one of their sponsors--but before things get started on Saturday and Sunday, tonight there's the "Bamboozle's Hoodwink" at the House of Blues in Anaheim.It's not just a sneak at four of the bands (We the Kings, pictured; The Cab, Never Shout Never, Mercy Mercedes) playing Saturday, it's those band performing covers of some

  April 3, 2009

• Weenie Roast Lineup Announced: Weezer, Jimmy Eat World, Kings of Leon

  Andrew YoussefThe full lineup for KROQ's annual Weenie Roast show was released today, a whopping TWELVE DAYS! before the show itself. Seems kinda quick, right? Oh well. It still looks like a pretty good show, headlined by Weezer and Jimmy Eat World (pictured)--they toured together in 2001!--Kings of Leon, Silversun PIckups, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Rancid, Airborne Toxic Event and the much-polarizing Asher Roth.Tickets for the show, which takes place on May 16 at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irv

  May 4, 2009

• KROQ Weenie Roast lineup announced

  The 2009 version of KROQ's annual summer blowout, the Weenie Roast y Fiesta, is hitting the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater May 16. That's like less than two weeks away, so get on it. Bands include Weezer (who still don't have or bassist Matt Sharp back in the band, even though everyone knows they should), Kings of Leon, Jimmy Eat World, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Rancid, Silversun Pickups, the Airborne Toxic Event, Cage the Elephant and White Lies on the main stage and Hollywood Undead, Asher Roth, Anberli

  May 5, 2009

• Last Saturday: KROQ Weenie Roast at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

  Andrew YoussefLast Night: KROQ Weenie Roast at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater; Saturday May 16, 2009. (More pictures here.)Better Than: Wango Tango.Download: Videos from the day at KROQ.com.The KROQ Weenie Roast is typically full of surprises. With Blink 182 reuniting the night prior at a private party, the fact that TRV$DJ-AM were closing the evening led to rampant speculation that Blink-182 would be the final act. But the Blink-182 reunion didn't happen.A last minute shuffling had KROQ move

  May 18, 2009

• INCOMING: Blink-182, Weezer, Taking Back Sunday, Asher Roth at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

  Despite some conflicting reports on the matter, Weezer is coming to the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine with Blink-182 (pictured) on Sept. 17, as confirmed today by Live Nation. This is, of course, the first Blink-182 tour since their 2005 breakup, which led to largely uninspiring projects like 44 and Angels & Airwaves (apologies to any of you who may have indeed been inspired by those bands. You could do better). Will time be kind to Blink's songs about being in high school and goo

  May 26, 2009

• Friday Night: The Offspring at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

  (Placeholder image to soon be replaced by live photo by Robert Fayette!)BY DAVID J. NICOLASFriday Night: The Offspring, Alkaline Trio at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, Irvine; June 5, 2009.Say what you will about the Offspring. Yes, their heavy punk-pop distortion seems to be a better fit in a different decade. Being :pretty fly for a white guy" is an anomaly in itself. But don't tell that to the nearly 16,000 fist-pumping fans at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater Friday night in Irvine.Families

  June 8, 2009

• Incoming: Second Blink-182 Show Added at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater (With Fall Out Boy)

  Sometimes things happen by "popular demand." That's kid stuff. A mere trifle. A pittance. This second Blink-182 show just added to the schedule at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater? Why, that was a result of OVERWHELMING DEMAND! At least according to the Live Nation press release.It's happening Friday, Sept. 18 at the former Irvine Meadows, a day after the sold out previously announced show. Weezer won't be there this time around, but there's another pretty big band in their stead--Fall Out Boy, mar

  June 16, 2009

• Thrice's Sixth Studio Album Announced for October, Get Ready for Warped Tour

  Dustin RabinThrice prepare for the summer's Warped Tour (poorly).Irvine's favorite sons (other than Will Ferrell, maybe, but post-Land of the Lost that's questionable at best) Thrice have announced that their sixth album, the follow-up to 2007 (and 2008's!) four-disc, dual release The Alchemy Index will be out in October of this year, and it's called Beggars. Why is it called that, you ask? Let's see what Dustin Kensrue has to say via press release!

  June 17, 2009

• Cheap lawn tickets on sale today

  Concert promoters LiveNation are offering a pretty good deal for upcoming shows at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater (and other venues across the country that, if you are reading the OC Weekly, you probably don't care that much about). The catch is, it's good only today.Anyone who buys lawn tickets to shows at the mega Irvine venue will pay only $24.99. And to make the deal even sweeter, there are no additional fees. Yeah, you're sitting a mile away, but the lawn's where all the good weed is, so

  June 17, 2009

• Jonathan Rach's Documentary Reveals the True Side of the Warped Tour

  June 25, 2009

• TODAY: Warped Tour Kicks Off at Pomona Fairplex

  Oh yes. For the third year in a row, the Vans Warped Tour is kicking off at the Pomona Fairplex (in, uh, Pomona). It's also the 15th anniversary of the Warped Tour! Hooray.Performing on this opening gig: Bad Religion, NOFX, Less Than Jake, TSOL, Thrice, the Maine, Scary Kids Scaring Kids, Meg & Dia, the Ataris, Underoath, local band Janu and the Whalesharks (who, at a recent gig this month at the Gypsy Lounge, seemed surprised themselves that they were on the bill) and Dear and the Headlight

  June 26, 2009

• Big Drill Car

  July 16, 2009

• Thrice Record Leaked

  ​Irvine's Thrice is slated to release a new record in October. But like everything in the digital age, the record was leaked. Needless to say, the band isn't too thrilled.

  July 23, 2009

• No Doubt w/ Paramore, The Sounds

  July 30, 2009

• Friday Night: No Doubt, Paramore, the Sounds at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

  Andrew YoussefDon't be fooled! This picture is from Saturday's show!​Friday night at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater--the first of No Doubt's four sold-out hometown shows and the beginning of the end of the band's reunion tour--I sat in my seat the Irvine venue not quite knowing what to expect from these aging locals.

  August 4, 2009

• Rise Against, NOFX, Underoath Added to Liskfest Lineup

  Lisa Johnson​Last month, we shared some initial Liskfest acts--As I Lay Dying, H2O and Death By Stereo among them. Now, some more names have been "leaked" as play the second annual metal/hardcore festival on September 5 at Oak Canyon Ranch in Irvine. And they're big ones.

  August 10, 2009

• NOFX, Underoath, Rise Against No Longer 'Rumored' to Play Liskfest

  Lisa JohnsonRise Against are not playing Liskfest. Well, maybe not.​Remember what we told you about yesterday? How NOFX, Underoath and Rise Against are all going to be playing Liskfest at Oak Canyon Ranch in Irvine on September 5? Yeah, scratch that.Word came today from Costa Mesa-based Shout Public Relations--the same folks who yesterday broke the news that the three bands were "rumored" to be playing the event--that "NOFX, Rise Against and Underoath are not confirmed or rumored to be playing

  August 11, 2009

• Slideshow: Saturday's No Doubt, Paramore, the Sounds Concert at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

  Andrew Youssef​It's No Doubt Central around here. Amanda Parsons threw up the setlist from Friday's show, and here are Andrew Youssef's pictures Gwen, Tony, Tom and Adrian-filled from Saturday's way beyond sold-out gig (he couldn't even stay past three songs, poor guy). Coming up: John Gilhooley's doubtlessly dazzling shots from Sunday night at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, and a review of Tuesday night's final Irvine show, with supporting act Katy Perry stepping in for Paramore. (The Sounds

  August 3, 2009

• Blink-182 coming to Irvine

  The recently reunited Blink-182 is bringing its summer tour to the Corporate Sponsored Outdoor Venue formerly known as Irvine Meadows Sept. 17. The show (and subsequent tour) also includes Weezer, Fall Out Boy and the All-American Rejects. I hated Blink-182 when I was a teenager, but I've grown to like some of their tunes as I get old and lame. The less I considered them a punk band and the more I thought of them as a pop band, the more I liked them. But...I saw Blink-182 a few times, mostly a

  May 15, 2009

• The Used

  August 27, 2009

• On-Sale Saturday: All Time Low, Paramore, More

  ​All Time Low are currently experiencing an all time high (I'm sorry, really) amount of exposure through their new album, Nothing Personal--which defied expectations by debuting #4 on Billboard and got them an appearance on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien. Ride the wave of their success on November 8 at the House of Blues in Anaheim, where they'll be playing alongside We the Kings, Hey Monday and the Friday Night Boys. Tickets are on sale 10 a.m. Saturday, August 29 (tomorrow!) for $22.50-

  August 28, 2009

• Last Night: The Used at Chain Reaction

  ​Last Night: The Used at Chain Reaction, Anaheim; August 31, 2009.Better Than: Paying $4 billion for something.Questionable Moral Stance: Bert McCracken encouraged the crowd to not be "pussies" and steal the album online, but to walk across the street to Target and steal it there. (Perhaps even more misguided that the only way into the show was pre-ordering the record.)Though the Used might not quite as popular as they were doing the height of their relevance in the mid-2000s--when "The Taste

  September 1, 2009

• Blink 182

  September 10, 2009

• New Thrice Album 'Beggars' in (Physical) Stores Today

  ​Beggars, the sixth studio album from Irvine's Thrice is out in stores today. Well, "real" stores. Like, ones with doors that you can walk into. ("Physical retailers," "brick and mortar," whatever you want to call them.)

  September 15, 2009

• Travis Barker: More Hip Hop than Hip Hop

  ​Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker has had plenty of side gigs over the years. Box Car Racer and 44 both featured other Blink members, while a duo called TRV$DJAM included his friend Adam Goldstein. Known as DJ AM, Goldstein, of course, was with Barker in a Learjet crash that killed four people in September, 2008, and he died late last month in an apparent drug overdose.

  September 17, 2009

• Blink-182; Fall Out Boy; All American Rejects

  September 17, 2009

• The Gaslight Anthem; Murder By Death; The Loved Ones

  September 17, 2009

• Irvine's Thrice Release New Record, Overcome Online Thieves

  September 17, 2009

• Sunny Day Real Estate

  October 8, 2009

• Saturday Night: Sunny Day Real Estate at the House of Blues, Anaheim

  Andrew Youssef​Saturday Night: Sunny Day Real Estate at the House of Blues, Anaheim; October 10, 2009. Better Than: The Creed reunion. The Promise Ring, The Get Up Kids, and Sunny Day Real Estate all made waves in the early '90s with their heart-on-a-sleeve lyrics and alternating quiet/loud guitars to be unfairly tagged as "emo." While bands like Fall Out Boy have sullied the genre, it is good to see these bands come back on the scene and reclaim their glory.

  October 12, 2009

• What You Missed: Surfrider 25th Anniversary Gala and Sunny Dal Real Estate

  Chris VictorioDave Navarro being Dave Navarro.​ Funny thing how plans don't always work out. Like take this weekend for instance: Photographer Keith May was totally DEEE-NIED from Oktoberfest celebrations at Old World Village in Huntington Beach. Reason? "Here's the deal... You're not on the list and your magazine did a fucked up story on us." Despite the fact that... we were actually on the list. But that's okay. Fine. Another funny thing? Photog Beth Stirnaman arrived at a Sunday night show

  October 12, 2009

• Crowdsourced: Paramore at the Fox Theater in Pomona

  Andrew YoussefDon't be fooled! This photo is from August 1 at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine.​Paramore lead singer Hayley Williams isn't quite of legal drinking age (she turns 21 in late December), but her and her band have already released three albums, with the latest, Brand New Eyes, out yesterday. That's not all they did yesterday--they also played the Fox Theater in Pomona, though apparently the show was cut short due to vocal problems from Williams.These folks were there, expres

  September 30, 2009

• Slow Fall at the Fox Theater?

  Andrew Youssef​Since reopening this past May with a show from Gogol Bordello, the Fox Theater in downtown Pomona has continually impressed by netting top-flight shows: Wilco, the Flaming Lips, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Band of Horses, Girl Talk, Ween, Cake, Marilyn Manson. After tonight's Paramore (pictured on August 1 opening up for No Doubt at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine) show, though, they've got...not a lot.

  September 29, 2009

• Story of the Year to Play Acoustic Set at Slidebar

  ​"Until the Day I Die." "Anthem of Our Dying Day." Other songs that contain words other than "day." Story of the Year will be doing all of those things tonight at Slidebar.

  September 29, 2009

• What You Missed: Weezer, Taste of Newport, Psychedelic Furs

  Andrew Youssef We, for one, are not happy with this heat wave of sorts. It needs to go away and it needs to tap its friend autumn on the shoulder to come the hell back. But anyway: So what'd you do this weekend? Was it as action-packed and fascinating as ours? First off, we caught Weezer, Blink-182 and Taking Back Sunday live at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater on Thursday and Friday. While we're the first to admit that Weezer's uh, not so Weezer-like anymore, we still love them to bits. Seriou

  September 21, 2009

• Last Night: Blink-182, Weezer at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

  Andrew YoussefNo, you da man.​Last Night: Blink-182, Weezer, Taking Back Sunday, Asher Roth at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, Irvine; September 17, 2009.Better Than: Growing up.Hostile Territory: Blink-182 is doing a huge promotion with the T-Mobile Sidekick, and advertisements were plastered all over the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater. Blink-182 and Weezer both released their first albums in 1994. They're both two of the most successful "alternative rock" bands of the last couple decades.

  September 18, 2009

• Road Sores: Thrice Checks In

  Welcome to Road Sores, Heard Mentality's newest feature, where bands on tour will guest blog about life on the road, photos, videos, what that smell is coming from the corner of the van, what they're listening to, or whatever the hell it is they feel like talking about that day. This week: Thrice.  Sterling Andrews​Hometown heroes Thrice are currently in the midst of a tour with Brand New, which will be immediately followed by a headline tour with the Dear Hunter and Polar Bear in mid-Nov

  November 6, 2009

• Road Sores: More From Thrice's Ed Breckenridge

  Welcome to Road Sores, Heard Mentality's newest feature, where bands on tour will guest blog about life on the road, photos, videos, what that smell is coming from the corner of the van, what they're listening to, or whatever the hell it is they feel like talking about that day. Thrice's Ed Breckenridge checks in again with more iPhone photos from tour life. Check out Ed's previous entry here. Ed Breckenridge"Myrtle Beach: We met a turtle that really liked chomping at shoes."

  November 9, 2009

• Road Sores: A Bump in the Road for Thrice

  Welcome to Road Sores, Heard Mentality's latest feature, where bands on tour will guest blog about life on the road, photos, videos, what that smell is coming from the corner of the van, what they're listening to, or whatever the hell it is they feel like talking about that day. Ed Breckenridge from the Orange-based Thrice just sent in a few more photos from his iPhone, even addressing why lead guitarist Teppei Teranishi had to drop out of tour for a while. Ed Breckenridge"Normal preshow hangout

  November 19, 2009