Clear your calendar. Cancel your plans. Make better ones.
Saturday, October 3, we’re bringing the noise with LAGWAGON, SAMIAM, SLUDGEWORTH, SEX MEX, BABY TYLER, BONGZILLA, THE PUBIC MISSILE CRISIS, and WILBUR.
It’s loud. It’s free. It’s Darkness Day.
Your rundown is below:
Lagwagon
Our 2026 headliner is a California punk band formed in 1989 who gained renown in the American punk scene and beyond for their influential contributions to melodic punk and skate punk. Known for their fast tempos, memorable lyrics and catchy melodies, Lagwagon’s early albums, like “Trashed” and “Hoss,” are considered classics, influencing subsequent generations of punk bands. Lagwagon’s most popular album, ”Let’s Talk About Feelings” released in 1998, featured several iconic tracks, including “May 16”, and received widespread acclaim for its blend of melodic punk and introspective lyrics, contributing to the band’s lasting impact on punk rock.
Samiam
Punk band from Berkeley, California formed in 1988, known for melodic punk and emotional songwriting. The band—Jason Beebout, Sergie Loobkoff, Sean Kennerly, Chad Darby, and Colin Brooks—has released nine albums and toured worldwide. Emerging from the 924 Gilman scene alongside bands like Green Day and Jawbreaker, they later signed to Atlantic Records and released Clumsy (1994). After years on various labels, Samiam returned in 2023 with Stowaway (Pure Noise Records), supporting it with tours alongside Hot Water Music and Bouncing Souls.
Sludgeworth
In late-’80s Chicago, punk was raw, abrasive, and defiantly insular. Bands like The Effigies and Naked Raygun set the tone—until Sludgeworth arrived with a faster, melodic edge and a hint of optimism. They made a quick impact with key releases and big shows before abruptly disbanding. Decades later, renewed demand led to reissues, sold-out shows, and new material. Now, over 35 years since forming, Sludgeworth returns with a new album, proving these influential Chicago punks still have plenty to say.
Sex Mex
High-energy DIY garage-punk/synth-pop project from San Antonio musician Clark Gray. Blending Ramones-style punk, surf rock, and lo-fi electronics, the sound features distorted vocals, buzzing synths, and relentless tempos. Inspired by Jay Reatard, Devo, and The Spits, it began as a solo bedroom project but often hits the stage as a two-piece, with Gray singing and drumming. The songs are fast, catchy, and irreverent—channeling heartbreak, nostalgia, and nihilism into a chaotic, party-ready live experience.
Baby Tyler
What started as a frantic coping mechanism during the pandemic has evolved into one of the Midwest’s most relentless underground punk forces. Hailing from Madison, Wisconsin, **Baby Tyler** is the brainchild of veteran musician Tyler Fassnacht—a fixture of the local DIY scene known for his work with bands like The Hussy, Fire Heads, and Proud Parents.
When lockdowns forced musicians indoors, Fassnacht holed up with a nine-dollar drum machine app, maxed-out guitars, and a laptop to scream into. The result was an uncompromising, blown-out synth-punk solo project that debuted with 2020’s *Drumb Masheens*. But the raw, chaotic energy of the music couldn’t remain confined to a bedroom. Baby Tyler quickly transformed into a ferocious five-piece live band, tearing through basements, DIY spaces, and dive bars across the country. Musically, Baby Tyler balances on a razor’s edge of garage noise, hardcore velocity, and psych-rock. Across a hyper-prolific run of releases—including *Imposter* (2023), the self-titled *Baby Tyler Band* (2024), and *Sucker With A Dream* (2025)—the project delivers sub-two-minute rippers packed with massive hooks and acidic charm. Lyrically, Fassnacht doesn’t pull punches, tackling the grind of modern society, aging in the music industry, and deep-seated anxieties with a mixture of dark humor and exhaustion. Combining a sordid, chaotic sensibility with a palpable love for primal rock ‘n’ roll, Baby Tyler remains fast, restless, and completely unapologetic.
Bongzilla formed in Wisconsin in 1995, quickly building a reputation with weed-inspired doom metal and a string of splits and EPs before signing to Relapse Records. Their breakout albums—Stash (1999), Apogee (2001), and Gateway (2002)—cemented their cult status. After Amerijuanican (2005), the band went on hiatus in 2009. Reuniting in 2015, Bongzilla resumed touring globally and releasing new material, including Weedsconsin (2021). Known for their heavy riffs, humor, and DIY ethos, they remain a cornerstone of stoner doom.
The Pubic Missile Crisis
Twin Cities punk/metal supergroup built from a collision of local heavy hitters. Known for chaotic, high-voltage live shows, they pair dark, punishing riffs with beer-soaked mayhem and outrageous outfits. With two lead vocalists trading screams and igniting the crowd, every set feels like a full-throttle spectacle. Equal parts thrilling and unhinged, they’ll shock you, scare you, pull you in, and maybe make you wonder what that smell is… all while pushing the room’s energy to its absolute limit.
Wilbur
Bummer Metal.
Insane Frown Posse.
Felon DeGenerates.
Hailing from Duluth and Minneapolis, WILBUR emerges as the embodiment of bummer metal – a fusion of stoner, doom, and sludge metal that plunges listeners into the depths of existential despair. With their debut EP, I’d Rather Not Talk About It, WILBUR establishes their sonic identity with unrelenting force. Mixing bass-heavy grooves reminiscent of stoner metal, wall-of-sound riffs characteristic of doom metal, and the downtempo bleakness of sludge metal, the self-described insane frown posse that is WILBUR shows an already well-formed sonic identity.
See you in the pit!
