Local music fans were given one final chance to step inside the iconic Anaheim venue Chain Reaction during the two-day “Final Viewing of Chain Reaction” on Friday and Saturday.
Founded in 1996, Chain Reaction became a rite of passage for young concertgoers, hosting early performances by bands such as My Chemical Romance, Paramore, Fall Out Boy, Thrice and Stick to Your Guns. Its all-ages model allowed fans to experience live music up close, often for the first time.
Chain Reaction announced the event on Instagram, alongside clothing brands Violent Gentlemen and Das Bootleg, inviting the public to walk through the venue, browse commemorative merchandise, take photos and say goodbye to a space that shaped generations of music fans.
The vendors lined the parking lot, while longtime attendees and staff gathered to share stories and hugs one last time.
Among the vendors was Violent Gentlemen Hockey Club, a brand with longstanding ties to the venue. Dakota Seeley, a representative for Violent Gentlemen, said the company’s relationship with Chain Reaction dates back years.
“The shirt we have and the hoodie we have are actually an older design during COVID, when Chain was struggling to keep their business afloat,” Seeley said. “It brought a lot of awareness to Chain almost closing during COVID.”
For Seeley, the closure is deeply personal. He first began attending shows at Chain Reaction as a teenager.
“I hate to say I saw it coming, but a lot of all-ages venues are struggling right now in California,” Seeley said. “The apartments that just got put up right next to here, and everything that’s being developed around, it was coming sadly.”
The venue announced its closure in December 2025, citing ongoing financial challenges. Davis said rising costs, economic pressures and changes in concert attendance have made venues like Chain Reaction increasingly difficult to maintain.
The final viewing followed Chain Reaction’s last official concerts on Dec. 18 and 19, headlined by Orange County band Movements. Tickets for the shows sold out quickly, with fans lining up hours in advance for a chance to attend.
Chain Reaction staff member Chad Davis worked both of the final shows, witnessing the emotional weight of the moment firsthand.
“My initial reaction was I thought it was a joke,” Davis said of the closure announcement. “But as the shows I worked went on and on, it hit me even more. The grieving took place later. The last two shows really hit me like, ‘Damn, it’s closing. We’re losing this place.’”
During the final performances, Movements frontman Patrick Miranda delivered an emotional speech reflecting on his upbringing in the music scene and how venues like Chain Reaction helped shape his career. Before forming his band, Miranda spent time at Chain Reaction, meeting people and building lasting connections.
According to Davis, Miranda emphasized how the venue served as a meeting ground long before his band found success.
Despite its closure, Davis believes Chain Reaction’s spirit will live on through the community it built.
“Scene’s got to go somewhere else now,” Davis said. “We’ll find another spot, we’ll keep it going. It’s never going to stop.”