NOFX’s Punk In Drublic final three shows in LA: Saturday- Day Two

Day 2 of NOFX’s final tour in San Pedro on Saturday, October 5, 2024, was everything you’d expect from a legendary punk rock sendoff: sweaty, chaotic, and an absolute dumpster fire of punk rock mayhem brought to you by Brew Ha Ha Productions, Fat Wreck Chords, and Punk in Drublic. The sun may have been setting on NOFX’s career, but the energy radiating from the festival grounds was pure, rowdy punk rock at its finest. From spilled craft beer to grease-covered taco wrappers stuck to your shoes, the crowd of diehard fans embraced the chaos with open arms—and fashion choices that would send grandmother’s into an early grave.

The grounds were a smorgasbord of food, drinks, and merch tables. Hungry? There was everything from greasy pizza to vegan tacos, keeping you fueled for moshing. Thirsty? You could wash it down with a tallboy before inevitably watching it fly across the crowd just before someone thrashes around in the pit. Merch stalls hawked everything from obscure vinyl to offensive stickers. Naturally, the massive NOFX sign was the perfect backdrop for photos, where flipping off the camera is a must.

The stacked supporting lineup delivered all day long.

Get Dead opened things up, with Sam King belting out “Being Human” like he’d just crawled out of a gutter (in the best way possible). Fans shouted along to “Disruption” and “Pepper Spray,” but the real showstopper was the duet on “Bartender” with Bad Cop/Bad Cop’s Stacey Dee—imagine a punk rock Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton mashup, but with way more tattoos. Bad Cop/Bad Cop followed with their own electrifying set, including “Pursuit of Liberty” and “Retrograde,” proving why they’re one of punk’s most powerful voices right now.

Lagwagon kept the energy high, despite bassist Joe Raposo being held together with duct tape after surgery. Jesse Buglione filled in for part of the set, and fans were treated to old-school deep cuts like “Rifle” and “Falling Apart.” Joey Cape’s raspy voice kept things rolling as the crowd threw cigarettes his way, as he requested, during “E Dagger,” and the band closed with “May 16,” leaving the crowd in nostalgic punk bliss.  

Less Than Jake turned the pit into a skank fest, with tracks like “Gainesville Rock City” and “All My Best Friends Are Metalheads” getting the crowd bouncing like pogo sticks on speed and keeping security guards busy catching crowd surfers. By the time they wrapped with “The Science of Selling Yourself Short,” everyone was drenched in sweat, beer, and probably some stranger’s bodily fluids. But if you thought things couldn’t get wilder, Descendents proved they’re still the kings of short, fast, and stupidly good songs. Milo Auckerman gloriously screamed his way through “Hope” and “Everything Sux” with all the subtlety of a chainsaw.

Fans thrashed to classics like “Coolidge” and “Suburban Home” proving that almost five decades in, they still rule.

As promised, Fat Mike made sure night two topped night one. NOFX tore into their set with the ferocity of a band with nothing left to lose, pulling out deep cuts like “Ant Attack” for the first time since 2009 and delivering classics like “Don’t Call Me White” and “Linoleum.” Fat Mike, ever the provocateur, took aim at Huntington Beach, labeling it “Nazi Central” before launching into “Kill All the White Man” with his signature lyrical twist: “but not the Mexicans!” The crowd ate it up as pits turned into punk rock thunderdomes. Fans battered, bruised, and covered in sweat didn’t seem to mind as they bellowed along to every word. 

Highlights of NOFX’s set included “Seeing Double at the Triple Rock,” where Smelly showcased his lightning-fast drumming, and the emotional “I’m so Sorry, Tony,” a tribute to Tony Sly, with Fat Mike bringing out Tony’s daughters to honor his legacy. The setlist was a blend of everything, from the irreverent “The Quitter” to the rarely-played “There’s No Fun in Fundamentalism.” And just to keep things bizarre, the band took a break while “Matilda” by The Island Caribbean Steel Drum Band played—twice.

By the time the final notes of “The Malachi Crunch” rang out, it was clear that NOFX had made punk rock history with their biggest headlining weekend in LA.

Day 2 was a sweaty love-fest, where cigarettes were shared, beers were spilled, and lifelong memories of total chaos were made. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Photography by Jenna Shaw

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