Legendary LA Punk Bands Storm the Van Buren

Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren in downtown Phoenix was the setting on May 13, 2026, for a truly authentic Los Angeles punk takeover. Headliner Pennywise, accompanied by the Circle Jerks, H20, and DFL, shook the venue to its core. True to the genre, it was a night of anti-establishment lyrics and brutal brain-busting music, accompanied by non-stop crowd surfing and moshing. This was my first time seeing all four bands, and the show was non-stop “Wow” all the way through.

Speaking of crowd surfing, I think the Van Buren’s security staff deserves a huge shout-out. I’ve been to quite a few punk and metal shows, and the crowd surfing and moshing activities were above and beyond anything I’ve seen. The security staff positioned in the pit were top-notch all night, safely carrying people into the pit and quickly escorting them back to the main floor.

DFL
DFL was the first act, kicking the night off at an unusually early 6:45 pm. It didn’t matter; the Van Buren was already pretty packed. This was how I knew it was going to be a hell of a show, because at most shows, the openers have light crowd attendance. DFL came out with guns blazing; my personal favorite songs of the set were “Pizza Man” and “Fuck It.”

Tip: if you stop by DFL’s merch table on this tour, DFL has a free self-published booklet about the band. It’s an interesting and entertaining 20-page read as well as an unusual band memento, and I wish more bands would make something like this. It’s a great way to keep LA punk music (or any music genre) history alive.

Band members: Crazy Tom Davis (vocals); Monty Messex (guitar); Jordan Jacques (drums); Patrick Sullivan (bass)

H20
Next in the lineup was H2O. The set was high energy all the way through, and a perfect transition from DFL. By this time, the Van Buren was packed solid, and the crowd was fully in H2O’s musical grip. While the generational longevity and influence of all four bands was an undeniable aspect of the show, it was especially so with H20’s performance. H20’s current drummer is Max Morse, son of lead vocalist Toby Morse. I briefly met Max at the merch table; he is a genuinely friendly and likable guy, and on the drums, he’s an insane powerhouse and definitely has earned his place in the band. Max has learned his lessons well, and I think he has a long career ahead of him.

Band members: Toby Morse (lead vocals), Rusty Pistachio (lead guitar/backing vocals), Adam Blake (bass), Matt Henderson (rhythm guitar/backing vocals), Max Morse (drums)

The Circle Jerks
The Circle Jerks are a band I’d long been anticipating seeing live. Unable to cover their show last year in Phoenix, this year’s show was truly a treat. Standing off to the side watching the show after I’d shot the first three songs, I was struck by just how insanely loud and brutal the Circle Jerks were. Standing a good 50 feet away to the right of the stage, I literally could feel Joey Castillo’s drums penetrating my sinuses.
Punk’s universal bond is anger, disillusionment, and frustration at the current world. As the night progressed through the bands, it became more apparent that the need to express those feelings still runs through the veins of these iconic bands like hot, molten lava. Lead vocalist Keith Morris left no doubt about his opinions of the state of the world today between songs, and his disregard for people who mistakenly assume they know what his beliefs are. The crowd seemed to wholeheartedly agree with him, and his periodic orations of disgruntlement fueled them up for the next song. Musically, the band was tight, the set list was extremely thorough in the band’s discography, and I was happy I could finally check them off my band bucket list.

Band members: Keith Morris (vocals), Greg Hetson (guitar), Zander Schloss (bass), Joey Castillo (drums)

Pennywise
Headliner Pennywise was a fantastic set, minus a couple of technical glitches during a couple of their songs. I watched the band from different positions in the Van Buren, and during the lengthy set, I don’t think the audience ever stopped moshing or crowd surfing. Lead vocalist Jim Lindberg and guitarist Fletcher Dragge were consistently personable with the crowd, talking between songs and making sure everyone stayed amped up. Dragge especially addressed different talking points with the crowd, including general commentary that the band hasn’t had a new release since 2018.

“Nothing’s fucking changed,” Dragge said. “Get busy changing the planet.”
Later in the show, Bragge took a moment to advocate against social media’s influence on dividing Americans and encouraged people to find common ground with each other.
“It’s us against them [elected officiald], not against each other.”
With that statement, the band ripped into “Fuck Authority.”

There were homages delivered throughout the show: to band mentors such as the Vandals, the Misfits, Black Flag, the Circle Jerks, and the Misfits, and to the military. Some of the final highlights of the night were Pennywise’s cover of “Stand By Me,” and the final song “BroHymn.” I have to admit, hearing “Stand By Me” as a punk song is not something I thought I’d ever hear, but it was amazing, and to see the moshing rise to a fever pitch during the song was epic. “BroHymn,” definitely a fan favorite, was fabulous closer, and the band let audience members join them on stage for the song, reinforcing the punk philosophy of belonging to a community.

Band members: Jim Lindberg (vocals), Fletcher Dragge (guitars), Randy Bradbury (bass), and Byron McMackin (drums)