Back To The Beach Brings The Best of Ska and Punk to Southern Cali

The second annual Back To The Beach festival returned last weekend to Huntington State Beach, California with an array of blasting horns, heavy power chords, and a vibrant gathering of nearly 40,000 attendees. Upbeat and energetic, the two-day festival brought in major players in both ska and punk, including blink-182, Goldfinger, Reel Big Fish, The Used, The Aquabats, Save Ferris, and many more over April 27-28th.

Produced by Travis Barker, John Feldmann, and Synergy Global Entertainment, attention to detail was spot on from the start, with each attraction and activity carefully planned for all ages. Next to the festival’s entrance stood a 30-foot sand sculpture incorporating blink’s signature rabbit, greeting fans and setting the bar high for the weekend to come. Inside, everything from ice cream to craft beers and vegan food options were sold by vendors, with large shaded areas and picnic tables set aside for easy dining.

Kids under 10 enjoyed the Lil’ Punk KidZone, which offered face painting, scavenger hunts, a cartoonist, and more. Both adults and children gleefully played in the sand— even all the way up to the barricade during The Story So Far, despite numerous frenzied mosh pits and fist-pumping crowd surfers— other select fans lay outstretched on oversized beach towels with friends and family towards the back.

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of their iconic Enema of the State album, blink-182 finished off Saturday night playing the record front to back along with fan favorites “Feeling This,” “The Rock Show,” “Dammit,” and others. The final track off Enema, “Anthem,” was reportedly last played in 1999. The album has sold over 15 million copies worldwide since its release.

As Saturday transitioned to Sunday, the stage previously lined with almost entirely ska legends faded into fast punk rock and the like—save for Less Than Jake, the self-proclaimed cockroaches of the music industry— the switch up subtly reminiscent of the late ‘90s genre shift after Reel Big Fish, Sublime, and the Bosstones hit mainstream success.

Yet, the essence of ska at its core is raging stronger than ever. It’s inherently communal, and brings former band geeks, super fans, outcasts, and the unruly together in one place, all while bursting with nostalgia and feel-good times. There is hardly anything else that will bring about a brighter smile than a swarm of mostly grown men and women skanking to a flurry of trumpets and trombones. Add inflatable sharks to the mix, and it feels near close to pure joy.

Closing out the night on Sunday, The Used stayed true to their hardcore roots, playing heavier songs like opener “Take It Away,” “Listening,” and their final song “A Box Full of Sharp Objects” performed during the encore. Perhaps the most touching moment of the weekend was their Linkin Park cover of “Shadow of the Day,” which coincided with a light rain that rose and fell during the track’s four minute and seventeen second duration. A haunting, unexpected way to finish off the night.

Back To The Beach in its entirety included blink-182, Goldfinger, Reel Big Fish, Streetlight Manifesto, The Aquabats, Save Ferris, The English Beat, and The Drowns on Saturday, with The Used, The Story So Far, Anthony Green, The Wonder Years, Less Than Jake, Story of the Year, Teenage Wrist, and Lowlives on Sunday. Prior to the weekend, Saturday tickets and two-day general admission passes quickly sold out, leaving many scouring Craigslist and the Facebook event page for spare tickets. A heavy price to pay for procrastination and fickle decision making.

Multiple Back To The Beach artists are scheduled to perform at Warped Tour’s 25th anniversary show in Atlantic City, New Jersey on June 29th and 30th, including blink-182, The Aquabats, Reel Big Fish, Save Ferris, and Less Than Jake.

Be sure to check out our tips below to prepare for next year’s Back To The Beach festival.

What We Learned

1. Delicious food and drink are only a 15-minute walk from the fest. Not interested in some of the earlier bands? Grab a burger and fries for lunch and hang out at the beach before the show.

2. Don’t touch the sand sculpture.

3. Free parking is available 2-3 blocks from the main entrance in a nearby subdivision, but avoid parking on Magnolia Street. Parking is two hours only and all vehicles received parking tickets.

4. Seventy-degrees on the beach is NOT warm enough for shorts and a tee.

5. The festival food options are stellar, with street tacos, mac and cheese, and ice cream topping the list.

6. They have a large water station, don’t forget to bring a reusable water bottle for all-day hydration.

7. Feminists and good-natured humans be warned, there will be few women that set foot on the stage. It is extremely weird and makes you want to boycott outside.

8. Bring a large sheet. It’s lightweight and does the job better than a towel.

9. Attendees are promptly kicked out at 9:00 pm. Exit and wait by the buses if you’re trying to meet a band.

10. Hot dog carts await in great numbers outside the festival. It’s hard to resist those caramelized onions.

11. Back To The Beach > Fyre Fest