In the dim and foggy atmosphere outside of SOMA on Feb. 25, a rumbling echoed from the venue. Lines of long haired, flat-bill-hat-wearing fans chatted excitedly as they entered the lobby, past security guards cracking jokes and concessions workers selling scores of White Claws. The rumble of bass guitars sound checking on the main stage continued, only increasing the excitement for what would certainly be a noisy show. That night, Australian two-piece band Skeggs were set to take the stage for a packed house during their USA “Head On” tour.
Skeggs began in 2014 with childhood friends Jonny Lani and Ben Reed playing shows for money and “a couple of beers wherever we could,” per Rolling Stone Australia. That year, their debut song, “L.S.D.” (which, according to former bass player Toby Cregan, stood for “Live, Sleep, Die” instead of the drug) released. This early track is an ode to youthful optimism and shucking the doubts of life to “enjoy the sunshine,” setting the pace for the band’s philosophy.
It wasn’t long before Skeggs’ carefree and sunburnt garage-surf rock caught the attention of magazines and record labels, getting signed in the US only a year later. Since then, they’ve gained a loyal and primarily young following and have released three albums, with the most recent from this past October.
Long before Skeggs would take the stage, first act Metal Neck opened with thrashing, surf-punk riffs and growling, psychedelic vocals. Their thick, drum-heavy music set the crowds ablaze with mosh pits and yells of excitement. Loud and fast, Metal Neck was a force to be reckoned with. The newer Newport Beach band used funky slap bass lines and at times jazzy guitar, mixing up the energy from grungy noise to a swirling punk sound. With a lengthy drum crashing finale, Metal Neck left SOMA’s crowd anticipating more.
After a brief interlude of friends with arms wrapped around each other, spilling beer and buying Skeggs’ 90-esque merch, the lights dimmed again. Out of the darkness leaped a man with slicked-back greaser style hair and a wide grin. Without hesitation, The Mainliners launched into a tireless punk rock set. Their unique style was an ode to Chicano roots and 50’s era cool.
With The Mainliners on stage, it was impossible for the audience to stand still. One of the defining aspects of their performance was constant movement on stage. The singer, Cash Mathieu, reached out towards the audience as the bass player, Adrian Morris, swayed back-and-forth peacefully despite his fast, heavy riffs. Drummer Jackson Fox thrashed about as he carved out the punk foundation of the performance.
The Mainliners hail from Hollywood and began in 2020 as a two piece project playing in garages— in true punk rock fashion. They say they were influenced by bands The Descendants and The Germs, which certainly manifests in their vocalist Mathieu’s use of groans, yells and fast, almost rap-like lyrics.
“The Mainliners were insanity,” said Sterling Brown, an upcoming SDSU freshman in the audience. “I had never heard of them but they were one of my highlights of the night. It was the first concert I’ve ever been to, one of the best experiences I’ve had.”
Skeggs’ arrival was teased by the generous amount of Modelo cans that staff placed beside their guitars and mic stands, as if they were leaving offerings to their Aussie overlords. As if following the beer, Skeggs soon followed. They raised their arms to the raucous applause and got to finding their places. Their performance kicked off to a fresh start as Skeggs launched into a more recent track “Valhalla,” a thrumming road trip tune. Their USA tour was to promote their 2024 album, “Pacific Highway Music,” which is only a surprising third release from the band that has already amassed a cult following of West Coast fans.
Looking at the crowd, it’s impossible to think of a better place for Skeggs to perform than in San Diego. Their sound aligns perfectly with San Diego‘s surf rock obsession and love for salty air music. Being at a Skeggs’ performance feels like living a very specific experience: stiff ocean water hair, board shorts or swimsuit still a little damp under worn-in clothes and responsibility a distant concept. This nostalgic feeling echoes across their many coming-of-age songs reminiscent of Surf Curse blended with early The Strokes.
Skeggs may be a contender for the SOMA show with the most crowd surfing. Fans were active from the beginning, with almost every song replete with legs waving in the air. Skeggs lead singer Ben Reed was mostly hidden under his cap and voluminous blonde hair, but in these moments, he looked out to enjoy the audience participation. During more upbeat tunes “Out of My Head” and “Slayer,” Reed could be seen nodding and grinning at people above and within the crowd.
“That was my first time crowd surfing,” said crowdgoer Savannah Scalindo. “Their music just inspired me to, it feels like not caring what people think and getting carried away. [While I was crowd surfing], for a second there I just felt like I was floating.”
Between new releases and throwbacks, Skeggs played a wide repertoire of their now 11-year legacy. The only big surprise of the night was the previously unreleased song “So Excited,” a cheerful track that was released on March 4. By closing the show with “Up in the Clouds,” their free-loving, hopeful hit from 2018, Skeggs’ SOMA show ended with the acceptance of not knowing what’s next, a sentiment the crowd carried out into the misty evening.
