Hermosa Beach isn’t just another sleepy surf town — it’s hallowed ground for punk rock. Long before punk became a global movement, bands like Black Flag, Descendents, and Circle Jerks were blasting through the walls of garages and DIY venues, redefining what it meant to be loud, fast, and unapologetically raw. Now, decades later, the inaugural South by South Bay Festival (SXSB) has ignited that same rebellious energy, proving that punk’s roots in Hermosa Beach run deep — and they’re far from dead.
SXSB wasn’t just a concert on February 7th and 8th…
It was a multidisciplinary celebration of South Bay’s punk heritage, weaving together music, film, poetry, and photography. With members of Pennywise, The Minutemen, and X leading the charge, alongside rising acts keeping the scene fresh, the festival turned Hermosa Beach into a punk rock sanctuary once again.
The festival kicked off Friday night with a screening of Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story, followed by a live Q&A with Jeff and Steven McDonald, the sibling duo who formed Redd Kross in Hermosa Beach in 1982. Their return to town marked a full-circle moment: it was their first performance in Hermosa since ‘82, bringing their unique blend of heaviness-meets-happiness back to their hometown.
Saturday morning, festival-goers gathered on Cypress Avenue for a raw and intimate punk rock poetry reading and photography showcase inside Studio Hermosa, curated by Exene Cervenka of X. The event felt like a beatnik speakeasy, with poets like Jim Lindberg (of Pennywise, The Black Pacific), S.A. Griffin, Mike Watt (of The Minutemen, Porno for Pyros), and more pouring their hearts out, while the gallery walls next door at Shockboxx told visual stories of punk’s past and present.
For those looking to dive deeper into the South Bay’s punk history and the music industry’s underground mechanics, SXSB also hosted three thought-provoking panel discussions at Saint Rocke.
“Book Your Own F$%#@ Life” kicked things off with a roundtable of booking agents, venue owners, and DIY legends, moderated by Kevin Lyman (Vans Warped Tour founder), offering invaluable insight into the ins and outs of touring and booking punk bands. Next, “From Hoodlums to Heroes” took centerstage, exploring the rich history of South Bay punk with firsthand accounts from Fletcher Dragge (of Pennywise), Jim Lindberg, Keith Morris (of Black Flag, Circle Jerks, OFF!), and Janet Housden (of Redd Kross, The Lovedolls). Finally, “Left of Center: Music Through the Years” led by Norwood Fisher of Fishbone brought together punk and alternative icons, like Don Bolles (of The Germs, 45 Grave), Mike Watt, and Jack Grisham (of T.S.O.L.) to discuss how punk and underground music have evolved over the decades.
And if sitting in on panels wasn’t your speed, festival-goers were invited to head over to the Moose Lodge to thrash around in the chaos of The Adolescents’ mosh pit — a South Bay rite of passage.
By nightfall, Saint Rocke transformed back into the full-throttle punk venue of its glory days. The Mainliners delivered a high-energy opening set. Headliner Strawberry Fuzz closed out the weekend in a frenzy of distortion, sweat, and body-slamming. The SXSB crew and Strawberry Fuzz celebrated late into the night, solidifying the bonds that make a music scene more than just a collection of bands — it’s a community.
As SXSB founder Larry Little reflects: “You always have to start somewhere to build something great, and we dug ourselves a nice foundation with SXSB Year One. The question was, would the community show up…? And they answered with a resounding show of support. The two days maintained a level of excitement that I haven’t felt in ages.”
That excitement was undeniable. From relentless circle pits to anthemic singalongs, the energy felt like a time warp back to the South Bay’s early punk days — except this time, there were new generations in the crowd. Parents who once moshed at The Church (the infamous Black Flag rehearsal space) were now bringing their kids to experience the same adrenaline rush. Punk, in all its chaotic glory, had come full circle.
But SXSB isn’t just about nostalgia.
It’s about keeping punk alive and local — not as a relic, but as a movement. As the mainstream music industry continues to sanitize and corporatize what was once underground, events like SXSB are becoming more and more crucial. They remind us that punk isn’t about record sales or streaming numbers; it’s about community, about standing for something, about keeping the volume cranked to “11” no matter what. We, fans, just need to show up!
With SXSB Year One in the books, the foundation is set. And if the first year was of any indication, South Bay’s punk resurgence is only just beginning. The ghosts of old-school punk rock may still haunt these beachside streets, but they’re not alone anymore. The next wave is here and they’re ready to break down the walls all over again.
Punk isn’t dead. It just needed to come back home. And, thanks to SXSB, it found its roots again in Hermosa Beach.
Photography and Article by Jenna Shaw
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