Punk rock legends Pennywise and Circle Jerks took over the House of Blues Anaheim alongside H2O and DFL for two nights (May 16–17), celebrating the venue’s 25th anniversary. Originally opened on January 12, 2001, at Downtown Disney with Lit, the House of Blues operated there until 2016 before reopening at GardenWalk on February 28, 2017, with Social Distortion. Given Orange County’s deep punk roots, a lineup like this felt especially fitting for the milestone. Notably, both Circle Jerks and Pennywise trace their origins back to Hermosa Beach, CA.
Following opening sets from DFL and H2O, Circle Jerks hit the stage. The band initially announced reunion shows in 2019 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of their seminal hardcore album Group Sex, but those plans were delayed until September 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
That return marked their first performances together in over a decade. Since then, Circle Jerks have stayed active, including a 2022 West Coast run with The Adolescents and nearly 300 shows played since 2021. The current lineup features co-founders Keith Morris (vocals) and Greg Hetson (guitar), alongside bassist Zander Schloss—three-quarters of their final pre-hiatus lineup—and drummer Joey Castillo (formerly of Queens of the Stone Age and Scott Weiland’s band). Morris also formed OFF! in 2009, while Hetson spent nearly three decades in Bad Religion.
Formed in 1979, Circle Jerks released Group Sex just a year later—a blistering, sub-16-minute statement—followed by another classic, Wild in the Streets. Those two albums remain the only releases featuring all four original members. The band would go on to release four more records, with 2024 marking the 30th anniversary of their final studio album, Oddities, Abnormalities, and Curiosities.
At House of Blues, Circle Jerks tore through 22 songs in under an hour, including “Wild in the Streets,” “Beverly Hills,” and “Live Fast Die Young.” They also paid tribute to their roots with four Black Flag covers: “Wasted,” “Revenge,” “Nervous Breakdown,” and “Fix Me.”
Pennywise closed the night, kicking off with “Homeless” and delivering a 19-song set. Highlights included their most-streamed track “F*ck Authority,” with the band wrapping things up on a high note with “Stand by Me” and fan favorite “Bro Hymn.”
Formed in 1991, Pennywise has released 12 albums, most recently Never Gonna Die (2018). The band’s core lineup includes Jim Lindberg (vocals), Fletcher Dragge (guitar), and Byron McMackin (drums), with bassist Randy Bradbury—who stepped in for original bassist Jason Thirsk in 1992 and again following his passing in 1996—rounding out the group. During Lindberg’s hiatus from 2009 to 2012, he formed The Black Pacific, while Pennywise recorded All or Nothing (2012) with vocalist Zoli Téglás. Since Lindberg’s return, the band has continued as one of punk’s most enduring live acts.
Pennywise setlist night 1:
Homeless
Peaceful Day
Straight Ahead
Wouldn’t It Be Nice
Same Old
My Own Country
My God
Dying to Know
The World
F*ck Authority
Cover Song
Pennywise
Broken
Society
Perfect People
Living For Today
Alien
Stand By Me
Bro Hymn
Photos by Alex Kluft
