Punk in the Park is Coming to San Diego this November
Earlier this year, the Punk in the Park American Road Trip made stops in San Francisco and Orlando. In Spite’s Motor City Maniac, Paul Holstein, attended the latter and returned with a ton of great photos of classic punk rock bands like The Dead Kennedys, T.S.O.L., and The Vandals. In fact, he had such a good time that he wrote, not one, but THREE articles about it! So when we heard that Punk in the Park is coming to San Diego, we knew we had to check it out.
The Dead Kennedys, Courtesy of Paul Holstein
On November 16, Punk in the Park will bring a lineup of classic and new bands to Thrive Park at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, CA. The Southern California-born headliners, The Offspring and Pennywise, are sure to attract a massive crowd. Seriously, try driving around Orange County for a day and count how many times you hear “Pretty Fly” or “Bro Hymn” on the radio. Jokes aside, these bands put on great shows and their sets will likely be more special since this fest isn’t too far from either’s hometown. Who knows, maybe Fletcher will destroy someone else's bass again?
Manic Hispanic are another Southern California band that will be playing the the fest. Originally started by Mike "Gabby" Gaborno and Steve Soto in 1992, the band is known for playing parodies of popular punk songs with a focus on Chicano culture. In the past year, Manic Hispanic has achieved some viral success with their music videos for “Paisa” (a cover of Rancid’s “Time Bomb”) and “A Message To You Chunti” (a cover of The Specials’ “A Message To You, Rudy”).
This year’s San Diego edition of Punk in the Park will also feature a healthy dose of ska. Whether you personally enjoy the third wave ska / punk crossover of the late 90s and early 2000s or not, there’s no denying that Streetlight Manifesto are great songwriters and tight performers. Back in the spring, they announced that they’ve been working on music for a new album, so hopefully their set at Punk in the Park will include some new material as well as songs from across their 20+ year career.
Buck-O-Nine will be the true hometown heroes of the day, as the third wave ska band started in San Diego back in 1991. Their set is bound to be a blast. On the opposite end of the spectrum is Slaughterhouse, who play jangly, hard-hitting, catchy, goth-twinged punk rock. Trust me, their sound is unique enough to warrant the use of all those adjectives.
Slaughterhouse - Courtesy of Paul Holstein
Of course, Punk in the Park isn’t just a concert: it will also feature beer from a number of craft breweries, a selection of food trucks (including vegan options), and vendors. Attendees will be able to participate in craft beer tasting from noon to 3 p.m. General admission tickets start at $69 + fees and VIP tickets start at $199 + fees. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit PunkInThePark.com.
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Halloween Pop-Up, October 27, Recreational Coffee, Long Beach, CA
