This year’s Back to the Beach lineup is a marriage between two musical genres that were set up together years ago by festival co-producers John Feldmann and Travis Barker. The two-day fest — produced by Synergy Global Entertainment (SGE), Barker and Feldmann on April 27 and 28 at Huntington State Beach — features a roster of mostly ska bands on Saturday and emo/pop-punk bands on Sunday.
While some may be confused by the lineup, which was dominated by ska and punk at last year’s inaugural event, the genres absolutely make sense given Feldmann’s background as the frontman of ska band Goldfinger since the 1990s and the producer of emo acts like The Used since the early 2000s. Of course, Barker has become largely known as the drummer of pop-punk leaders blink-182, but he also got his start as the Baron Von Tito in ska outfit The Aquabats.
Headlining Saturday’s event will be blink-182, which features festival co-producer Barker on the drums. Goldfinger, Reel Big Fish, Streetlight Manifesto, The Aquabats, Save Ferris, The English Beat and The Drowns will also play.
The Used leads Sunday’s lineup, with The Story So Far, Anthony Green, The Wonder Years, Less Than Jake, Story of the Year, Teenage Wrist and Lowlives rounding out the day.
Both days will also feature a carnival midway, beach games, food — including vegan options — craft beer, cocktails and more.
Families can also explore the Lil’ Punk Kid Zone, which offers activities — like face painting, beach games and crafts — for kids 10 and under who are accompanied by an adult. It will feature healthy food options, including a fruit cart. The area also provides a shaded tent zone for new mothers to breastfeed.
Last year, the festival drew in more than 30,000 attendees for a weekend of fun and music next to the Pacific Ocean.
Tickets go on sale Friday, Jan. 25 at 10 a.m. at www.backtothebeachfest.com. A limited number of weekend general admission passes will be available for $79.999 plus fees. VIP ticket packages are also available. Kids 10 and under will be free with paid adult admission.
By day, Brittany covers hard-hitting city news in San Diego. By night, she’s prowling the Orange County music scene, and is usually a regular attendee of local ska and punk shows. Reporting and music have always been Brittany’s passions. She wrote for her middle school and high school newspapers and studied journalism at Cal State Long Beach, where she graduated in 2012. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her French Bulldog, watching probably too many Disney movies for someone her age and napping.