Jun 24

Jun 24 Show Review: The Bash Brings Hot Weather, Craft Beer, and Punk Rock to San Jose

Tim Armstrong of Rancid performing at The Bash in San Jose, CA. June 15, 2019. Photo Credit: Jared Stossel

The Bash Festival
w/ Rancid, Pennywise, Suicidal Tendencies, L7, Sharp/Shock
Santa Clara County Fairgrounds
San Jose, CA
June 15, 2019

Photos and review by Jared Stossel

On Saturday June 15th, fans from all over the Bay Area packed into the dirt field that is the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds for an unforgettable day of high-energy punk rock music and unlimited craft beer tastings. This festival, dubbed “The Bash”, featured music from some of the most well-known names in the punk rock community, including Rancid, Pennywise, Suicidal Tendencies, L7, and Sharp/Shock.

The fun began in the afternoon with doors opening around noon, giving those in attendance the chance to sample nearly 100 different types of craft beers available from vendors all throughout the fairgrounds. Tastings were limited to a small sample glass, but people could return as often as they wanted to until the tasting sessions closed at 4 PM. From then on, the music began and things really kicked into high gear. Bands like Sharp/Shock and L7 kicked off the show, bringing forth a more traditional punk rock sound filled with double-time beats, sharp melodic vocal lines, and of course, tons of moshing.

By the time the rowdy Suicidal Tendencies took the stage for a set that mixed traditional punk rock with roots of hardcore, the air was filled with dirt and dust that moshers were kicking into the air. It provided a sense of chaos to the festivities (although there were at least a dozen cops and security guards patrolling the area in case things got too out of hand.) Pennywise brought one of the best sets of the entire day, their sound fully refined and flawless as they pounded through an hour-long set at the Fairgrounds. In tradition, they closed with the crowd-beckoning “Bro Hymn”, which had thousands of people singing along with the track’s iconic chorus line.

Bay Area natives Rancid closed out the evening with a refined and extremely focus set, pounding through nearly twenty-two songs in just about an hour. It was quite impressive, actually. Vocalist Tim Armstrong and guitar/vocalist Lars Frederiksen (who really did most of the talking throughout the night) stopped only a few times to speak to the crowd. The focus was on bringing the music to the packed crowd, pouring over tracks from throughout their discography that ranged from the old (1993’s Rancid) to the new (2017’s Troublemaker, their most recent effort). The closing number featured two of the band’s biggest songs, both from their iconic album …And Out Come The Wolves (“Time Bomb”, “Ruby Soho”). By the time the final chorus of the latter song finished, it was clear to see that punk fans alike received the show that they had been hoping for: one that provided energy and great times, as well as a sense of escapism from the day-to-day bullshit that fills our everyday lives.

Rancid Set List
Radio
Roots Radicals
Journey to the End of the East Bay
Maxwell Murder
The 11th Hour
Last One to Die
East Bay Night
Dead Bodies
Black & Blue
Ghost of a Chance
Telegraph Avenue
Old Friend
Where I'm Going
Nihilism
Tenderloin
Listed M.I.A.
Olympia WA.
It's Quite Alright
Fall Back Down