Descendents celebrate a Circle Jerks 69th birthday in St. Louis

As the final notes of the legendary Descendents’ set echoed throughout The Pageant’s halls in St Louis on September 18th, the energy of the crowd leaving the venue was totally electric. This last show of a small tour, with fellow punk rock OG’s Circle Jerks and New York-based rock band Surfbort, was more than just a simple concert, it was a celebration of decades of punk history.

It also happened to be a celebration of Circle Jerks lead vocalist Keith Morris’s 69th birthday.

Pushing seven decades and still kicking ass! I don’t think I have ever seen the merch line as long as it was for this show, too. Everyone was dying to get their hands on some of the dope merch the bands brought with them. The tour’s grand finale also brought together fans of all ages, with plenty of parents bringing their kids to hear the music they grew up with, and everyone seemed incredibly eager to witness the historic moment this tour was facilitating.

The Descendents — icons of the industry, known for high-energy performances and relatable lyrics — delivered a set that felt both nostalgic and also invigorating. Circle Jerks, with their raw and unapologetic sound, kept the crowd entertained both with their music and with their tales of the history of the scene over the years, while Surfbort’s edgy and contemporary punk aesthetic added a fresh twist to the show. The whole evening really just kind of showed the timeless nature of this genre of music: there will always be the “outcast” who has a story to tell.

Up first was Surfbort, a uniquely weird punk rock band from Brooklyn that is quickly making a name for themselves in the modern punk scene, having already played Coachella stages! Lead singer Dani Miller kept the vibe light and fun in between songs with sarcasm and PSAs about not ending your own life before, breaking out into a hail storm of vocal screams in songs where the main objective seemed to be… well… ignoring the PSA. The lyrics, the song titles, the fashion, they don’t care at all, and that seems to be what is drawing fans in.

There is no other thing to call them than simply ‘punk’.

As for Circle Jerks, first of all, happy 69th birthday to vocalist and co-founder Keith Morris! It was truly impressive to see you still rocking a stage and commanding an audience like that. Bands today need to take notes. Joining in on the epic rock music onstage was co-founder Greg Hetson on guitar, Zander Schloss on bass, and Joey Castillo on drums, who has been with the band since the 40th reunion tour in 2021. The highlight of the set was when Keith was presented with a cake and a giant birthday card, signed by guests as they entered the venue.

Finishing off the evening was the mighty Descendents, considered by many to be THE pop punk band of the late 70s/early 80s. Thanks to a friend, I was recently able to watch the documentary Filmage which gave me an entirely new appreciation for the band I was getting the privilege to see this night. These guys inspired so many bands that followed — really defining a whole new genre — and, even with the many random hiatuses taken over the years, they have not lost a step, or, based on how packed the venue was, a single fan in the process.

Something ignites when Milo, Bill, Karl, and Stephen take the stage — Milo especially.

He has a control over the audience that is truly incredible to see. There is just something about this nerdy scientist that makes mosh pits form and heads start banging. Bill Stevenson playing drums is as on-point as ever, still living every day to the fullest with nothing but a smile on his face. Karl Alvarez stands firm, keeping the bass grooves flowing, while Stephen Egerton’s explosive onstage presence is super fun to watch, along with his wild faces that keep up with his epic guitar solos.

The whole night was an excellent display of how lasting certain music genres can be. Punk music has always been discounted, dismissed, ignored, forced to the underground… where, let’s be honest, is the point. Underground is how it’s thrived. It grew and perfected itself and fostered a community, to the point where it was only inevitable that it was going to explode into the public domain. It was an honor getting to see these legends in person and, if you want to catch Descendents live, they are about to launch a new run of shows with Buzzcocks and Grumpsters this fall, and tickets are available now.

Photography by Thomas Semonco

Share this article

or