Still a few months away and already making lots of noise is the inaugural It’s Not Dead Festival. 35 of the biggest punk and ska bands will converge on Saturday, October 10th to perform on 3 stages at the 65,000 seat San Manuel Amphitheater Festival Grounds in San Bernardino, California.
This single-day, outdoor, family-friendly festival is definitely a can’t-miss event!
The early word on this festival is loud! Just browse around Facebook and Instagram a bit and you will find band after band already pumped up and talking about It’s Not Dead.
“Trust us, you don’t want to miss It’s Not Dead Fest. Grab your tickets now!”
– Bad Religion“We’re playing It’s Not Dead Fest in October with all our friends!”
– NOFX“Too many damn good bands at It’s Not Dead Fest!!”
– Pennywise“Gonna be #BoninInTheBoneyard at #ItsNotDeadFest in San Bernardino, CA on Saturday Oct 10!”
– Fishbone“This is happening in October. Old school Warp Revisited. The best times!!”
– Lagwagon“It’s like taking a time machine back to a 90s warped tour!”
– Reel Big Fish
But the excitement does not stop with the bands. Fans are stoked for the show also, as well they should be! The lineup this year is massive and brings together over 3 decades of punk rockers, giving many of us a chance to experience the soundtrack of our youth live. When asked about the upcoming festival lineup by The Pier’s Blake Taylor, Billy Kottage (Trombone player for Reel Big Fish since 2011) said:
“I don’t think there’s any lineup at all in the last ten years…even the old Warped Tour days it didn’t look that good.”
– Billy Kottage of Reel Big Fish
No wonder everyone is comparing It’s Not Dead to The Warper Tour. Co-Founder of It’s Not Dead, Kevin Lyman, is a very familiar name is the punk scene as organizer of The Vans Warped Tour, and this event’s lineup reflects his experience and connections working in the music scene. When asked about the lineup he and his partners were able to pull together, Kevin had this to say:
“It’s Not Dead Festival is basically any punk rock fans dream lineup.”
– Kevin Lyman of Its Not Dead Festival
Looking at the lineup, it is hard to argue with the man. Performing on the big stage will be NOFX, Bad Religion, Strung Out, Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish, The Bouncing Souls, Pennywise, Lagwagon, Goldfinger, The Vandals, Descendents, 7 Seconds, Anti-Flag, Fishbone, and H2O. If that’s enough for the day, the second and third stages bring the likes of Pulley, Swingin Utters, The Dickies, and Agent Orange.
Beyond the music, It’s Not Dead feels like a true throw-back to the 90s. The festival will also feature a vert ramp for the Vans Old Skool Jam showcasing skateboarding legends Mike Frazier, Steve Caballero, Christian Hosoi, Omar Hassan, and Neal Hendrix. Pros Lizzie Armanto, Alex Perelson, and Josh Borden will also be riding along with pro BMX rider Dennis McCoy.
With all the memories of your younger self rockin out at Warped Tour and soaking up the sun at X-Games, why not bring the kids and give them some of those same memories! This family-friendly event is all ages with kids under 10 getting in free. After you show them the chaos of the mosh pit and the intensity of the vert ramp, take them around the festival grounds for some punk rock culture.
The Art’s Not Dead Exhibition, a one day only pop-up gallery of original art inspired by the punk scene; the Pop-Up Punk Swap, offering unique and one of a kind items; and Punks Well Read, a punk rock author book signing area, were all curated by punk rock photographer Lisa Johnson to bring another side of punk rock to the festival.
No need to worry about keeping the kids up late… the venue is located within Glen Helen Regional Park providing on-site camping and plenty more outdoors fun in sunny SoCal. And no excuses for living too far away or no ride since the event has partnered with Rally Bus. Festival-goers will be picked up from all over SoCal, as far north as San Francisco, and pulled out of the deserts in Las Vegas and Phoenix. Rally Bus gives attendees a comfortable and convenient travel option to It’s Not Dead where the party can get started early (bring your own drinks and bathrooms onboard).
Big Stage:
Bad Religion, Pennywise, Descendents, NOFX, The Vandals, 7 Seconds, The Bouncing Souls, Anti-Flag, Strung Out, Fishbone, H2O, Lagwagon, Goldfinger, Reel Big Fish, Less Than Jake
Second Stage:
The Adolescents, Agent Orange, CJ Ramone, Devils Brigade, Duane Peters Gunfight, Manic Hispanic, Pulley, Riverboat Gamblers, Sham 69, Swingin’ Utters, The Dickies, TSOL
Third Stage:
DI, Left Alone, Otherized, Rhythmic Asylum, The Briggs, The Interrupters, The Untouchables, Total Chaos
Plan ahead and grab your ticket today! Early bird tickets have already sold out!
Related Links:
It’s Not Dead Festival Website
It’s Not Dead Festival Facebook
Article By: Eric Schoep
