T.S.O.L. Thanks for 46 Years , Codefendants (Fat wreck)

Forty-Six Years of Noise: TSOL’s Long Goodbye in San Diego

Forty-six years is an eternity in punk rock. Scenes burn hot and vanish. Bands explode, implode, reunite, fracture again. Trends cycle, leather turns to denim, then to nostalgia. Through it all, TSOL—True Sounds of Liberty—kept moving forward, not untouched by chaos, but shaped by it. This weekend in San Diego, the band that helped define West Coast punk will play what’s being billed as their final show, closing a chapter that began in 1979 and never once asked for permission.

Formed in Huntington Beach at the height of Southern California’s first hardcore wave, TSOL were never content to fit neatly into the genre they helped build. Early records like Dance With Me and Weathered Statues were fast, vicious, and politically charged, but they carried a darkness and melodic sensibility that set them apart from their peers. Goth, surf, hardcore, deathrock—TSOL absorbed it all, often ahead of the curve, sometimes at great cost. They alienated purists, confused critics, and influenced generations anyway.

Over nearly five decades, TSOL endured lineup wars, legal battles over their own name, shifting sounds, and the long exile of punk bands that refuse to become legacy acts on autopilot. They outlasted clubs, labels, and entire movements. More importantly, they stayed relevant—not because they chased relevance, but because younger bands kept finding something in TSOL that still felt dangerous and alive.

That lineage will be on full display in San Diego, with a lineup that reads like a cross-section of punk’s past, present, and unruly future.

Codefendants bring a collision of punk, hip-hop, and hard-earned survival stories. Featuring members of Get Dead and NOFX, their sound reflects the modern reality of punk: genre lines blurred, energy weaponized, and honesty front and center. They don’t mimic the past—they expand it, the same way TSOL once did by refusing to stay in one lane.

Codefendants at The North Park Observatory

From Beijing, Roundeye represent punk as a global language. Fast, raw, and politically sharp, they embody the idea that punk was never just a Southern California phenomenon—it was a spark that traveled, mutated, and found new urgency in different corners of the world. TSOL’s influence reaching this far is no accident.

Quel Bordel! bring chaotic spirit and irreverence, reminding everyone that punk is still supposed to be fun, confrontational, and slightly unhinged. Their energy channels the DIY ethos that TSOL came up in—when shows were unpredictable and that unpredictability was the point.

Local heroes Agent 51 stand as living proof of TSOL’s Southern California roots. Decades deep themselves, they bridge generations of the scene, carrying the torch of melodic, socially aware punk that never lost its sense of purpose.

Rounding out the bill, Authentic Sellout lean into punk’s tradition of satire and self-awareness. Loud, fast, and unapologetic, they echo the truth TSOL always understood: punk survives by laughing at itself just as much as it rages against everything else.

This final TSOL show isn’t just a goodbye—it’s a reckoning. A reminder that punk was never meant to be eternal, but that sometimes, through sheer will and belief, it becomes something close. Forty-six years after they started, TSOL leave behind more than records or memories. They leave a blueprint for how to evolve without erasing yourself, how to survive without softening the edges, and how to exit on your own terms.

San Diego won’t just be watching the end of a band. It will be witnessing the closing feedback of an era—one that proved true sounds of liberty don’t fade quietly.

AFI (A Fire Inside) with TR/ST @ SOMA in San Diego, CA

AFI Ignite SOMA: A Night of Punk Heart and Gothic Fire – Nov 5, 2025, San Diego

On November 5, 2025, SOMA in San Diego exploded with a blend of darkwave atmosphere and punk-fueled intensity as AFI brought their 24-date North American tour to a sold-out homecoming stop, with avant-electronic act TR/STsetting the tone for the night. (SOMA San Diego)

TR/ST: Dark Ambience Before the Storm

Canadian artist TR/ST (Robert Alfons) opened the evening with a moody, synth-driven set that felt cinematic and hypnotic. Known for crafting shadowy electronic landscapes built on deep bass, driving beats, and introspective lyrics, TR/ST’s live shows blur the line between club-ready energy and immersive art performance. In past tour stops, his live drummer has added a muscular rhythm to the dense electronic textures, building tension that primed the crowd perfectly for AFI’s entrance. (No Flash Needed | Music Magazine)

The choice to place TR/ST’s brooding, goth-tinged sound at the front of the bill was a bold one—an opener that didn’t warm up the crowd so much as pull them into a different headspace, one that matched AFI’s own evolution into darker, more atmospheric terrain. The vibe was less mosh and more trance, a sonic precursor to the firestorm that was about to follow.

AFI: Punk Roots Meet Gothic Evolution

When AFI finally took the stage, the atmosphere snapped like a live wire. Born A Fire Inside in the early ’90s, AFI cut their teeth on hardcore punk before expanding into post-punk, emo, and gothic rock while never losing the urgency that made them icons in the alternative world. Their fall 2025 tour supports Silver Bleeds The Black Sun…, their twelfth studio album released earlier that season, which melds their punk lineage with brooding, synth-tinged noir textures that echo the opener’s mood. (Live Nation Newsroom)

Frontman Davey Havok remains the electric core of the band—equal parts preacher, provocateur, and performer. His voice still soars with the raw emotive punch that helped define early AFI records, yet he now wields it with a seasoned mastery that brings a deeper resonance to both classic anthems and newer cuts. On this tour, Havok’s presence is magnetic: he prowls the stage, engages the crowd directly, and delivers each lyric with a palpable intensity that bridges punk’s confrontational energy with gothic pageantry. (Audacy)

With guitarist Jade Puget, bassist Hunter Burgan, and drummer Adam Carson, AFI strutted through a set that showcased their evolution—fast, heartfelt punk numbers shoulder to shoulder with sprawling, darkwave-tinged tracks. Fans swayed between frantic pits and ecstatic sing-alongs, eyes wide as Havok inhabited every moment. It was punk spirit fully matured: fierce, theatrical, and unafraid of shadows.

An Unforgettable Night in San Diego

By the time the last note rang out at SOMA, AFI had reminded everyone why they still matter. Not just because of their storied past, but because they continue to reinvent what it means to be a band that grew up in punk but refuses to be defined by any single era. With TR/ST’s immersive opener and AFI’s incendiary performance, the show wasn’t just a concert—it was a testament to punk’s enduring pulse, reinvented for a new generation and still burning bright.

DESCENDENTS!!

Got a chance to see the Descendents in Strasbourg, France. After listening to all of their records of the years….finally got to see them. All used to tour through El Paso, TX in the days I was part of the El Paso Music Scene, but never got a chance to see them. They absolutely didn’t disappoint and thinking about catching a 2nd show in Wiesbaden, Germany as they work their European tour. I did get a chance to pick up a signed poster by the guys in the band. They opened with Feel This from their Hypercaffium Spazzinate record, but the classics were all worth it. Punk Rock love songs at their finest. Hope, Silly Girl, I Like Food, Clean Sheets, Van, Myage, I’m the One and of course Suburban Home. Love every minute of the show. Shout out to Descendents for making a great night out.

The show was fantastic and Milo wore a punk rock strap for his water bottle. Bill rocked his ear protection and the band was on point. There was also a French band called Hogwash that opened the show and worth a listen to as well.

HOGWASH

DESCENDENTS

Setlist wasn’t exact, but pretty close from memory.

And of course, tell me Strasbourg isn’t a cute ass town. Man, this place is just awesome……so just an extra treat to be able to have dinner before the show in this little place. The show was right around the corner from “Le Petite” are of Strasbourg. Highly recommended.

NOFX Final Tour (Saarbruecken, Germany)

Got tickets to see NOFX’s final tour and man was it great. The venue in Saarbruecken was fantastic, easy drive in and so different than the states. Parking was free, walked in and walked out. So refreshing to see this kind of support from the community versus having to pay $20 or $40 for parking. Opening bands were The Meffs out of the UK and the Circle Jerks.

Squirrel moment:

So here’s my Keith Morris story. I was at the Frankfurt Airport and saw Keith, at the time….kinda caught me off guard. Descendents were touring at the time and saw some of the support folks travelling with gear. I ended up running into Keith and was like “I know you!!”….couldn’t remember where, but he just said he was from Los Angeles and walked off. Of course I probably followed him just a tad trying to remember where the hell I knew him from. Nothing crazy, but wish he would have just said….yeah, I was in Black Flag or Circle Jerks. Anyways, whatever. Nothing more here. He did the right thing and just walked off.

Of course it’s always great to see Greg Hetson from Circle Jerks and Bad Religion on stage. That’s a treat in itself.

We went to the show to see NOFX and it was not disappointing. They played their asses off and it was really a great to be able to see one of their final shows. I’m hopeful they get back together at somepoint, but had to make sure we mad this show. The band was spot on and played their 40 songs for 40 years. Loved it and of course the band is entertaining as hell. Quote of the night and so fucking true is that “America was saved by a Porn Star”.

Some pictures from the show. They had a bigger banner later, “Bigger, but not better”…..hahaha. Classic.

NOFX Say Goodbye in Saarbrücken: Chaos, Catharsis, and a Perfect Punk Farewell

On a humid night in Saarbrücken, Germany, the walls of E-Werk shook one last time as NOFX rolled through town on what they’ve sworn is their final tour ever. For a band that spent four decades thumbing its nose at authority, convention, and even its own fans, the show felt less like a funeral and more like a defiant wake—loud, messy, emotional, and completely on their own terms.

From the moment Fat Mike stepped onstage, beer in hand and smirk fully intact, it was clear this wasn’t going to be a nostalgia act. NOFX tore straight into their catalog with the urgency of a band that still has something to prove, ripping through classics with blistering speed and just enough sloppiness to remind everyone why they mattered in the first place. The jokes flew almost as fast as the songs—irreverent, uncomfortable, and occasionally heartfelt—underscoring the strange reality that this really was the end.

The Saarbrücken crowd was fully locked in. Old-school punks, younger fans raised on Punk in Drublic, and travelers who crossed borders just to say goodbye packed E-Werk wall to wall. Every chorus became a collective shout-along, every breakdown a swirling pit of sweat and gratitude. Songs about addiction, politics, and self-destruction hit harder knowing they wouldn’t be played live again—at least not by NOFX.

What made the night special wasn’t perfection; it was honesty. Fat Mike openly reflected on the band’s history, the friendships, the damage, and the absurdity of ending things while they’re still capable of burning a room to the ground. There was no attempt to rewrite the past or polish the legacy. NOFX were exactly who they’ve always been: smart, self-aware, offensive, sincere, and completely punk.

As the final notes rang out and the band waved goodbye, there was a lingering sense that this wasn’t just the end of a set, but the closing of a chapter in punk history. At E-Werk in Saarbrücken, NOFX didn’t fade away—they went out loud, laughing, and surrounded by the community that grew up with them.

If this really was the last time, it was the right way to do it.

Kramer’s Rule w/ SIVA (El Paso, TX) in Los Angeles, CA

Kramer’s Rule was lucky enough to get a couple of shows with SIVA. Mike and Alex played shows together back in the early 90’s in the El Paso music scene. SIVA was on tour and we hooked up. Here are some pics with SIVA.

SIVA - Mosaic of Sleepers (2003)

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/mosaic-of-sleepers/1643190989

RIP: Siva guitarist Danny Ruiz.

Kramer’s Rule w/ McRad & Pitch Black (San Diego, CA)

Kramer’s Rule @ Dreamstreet (San Diego, CA)

Christmas w Jim Ward (El Paso, TX)

Got the pleasure of hanging with Jim Ward (At The Drive In, Sparta, Sleepercar) during a visit to El Paso, TX for Christmas. Got him to give Dave a “What up Dave Dog!” sign.

Kramer’s Rule @ Tom’s House Party

Alex & Dave w/ Crystal Yoakum @ Country Fest II (San Diego, CA)

Alex and Dave get the call to support Crystal Yoakum on the side stage of Country Fest II with the likes of Willie Nelson headlining the main stage.

Kramer’s Rule @ Plum Crazy (East San Diego, CA)

Kramer’s Rule @ The Garage (Los Angeles, CA)