Kings of Chaos, a collective of legendary rock figures founded by Guns N’ Roses drummer Matt Sorum, will headline the 2026 Grand Prix of Long Beach’s Saturday night concert, according to a Thursday, March 5, announcement.
This year’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach will take place in the city’s downtown from April 17-19, offering three days of high-speed fun for racing fans from across the world. The 2025 Grand Prix, celebrating the event’s 50th anniversary, drew around 197,000 spectators to the city’s waterfront.
The Grand Prix’s Saturday night concert typically features rock, classic rock and alternative artists — barring the 2024 lineup, which featured a country ensemble, including Eddie Montgomery, Gretchen Wilson, David Lee Murphy and the band Sixwire. For the Grand Prix’s 50th anniversary last year, legendary rock band Foreigner took the headlining spot on Saturday night.
The Kings of Chaos, meanwhile, aren’t new to the Grand Prix, having performed the Saturday show during the 2023 event. This year’s Kings of Chaos lineup, though, will feature what the band is best known for: surprise appearances, special guests — and a high-energy night of live music.
Alongside founder Sorum, several other artists are scheduled to join the show, including LIVE’s lead singer Ed Kowalczyk, 311 front man Nick Hexum, singer/songwriter Aloe Blacc, and Orianthi, a world-renowned guitarist.
“Known for once-in-a-lifetime collaborations and surprise-filled performances, Kings of Chaos has earned a reputation for bringing together elite talent for electrifying live shows,” the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach said in its announcement. “The setlist will include hits from LIVE, 311 and Aloe Blacc, as well as a few surprise covers of other artists.”
Drummer Matt Sorum, formerly of Guns N’ Roses, performs with Kings of Chaos on Saturday Apr. 14, 2023, at Terrace Theater Plaza in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Nick Hexum of 311 performs during the 2023 KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif., on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Aloe Blacc performs on the Hightide stage during the sixth annual BeachLife Festival in Redondo Beach on Friday, May 2, 2025. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Veteran guitarist Orianthi will perform with her band at the Belly Up on Sunday. (Drew A. Kelley/Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Fans react to all-star rock band Kings of Chaos during a performance on Saturday Apr. 14, 2023, at Terrace Theater Plaza in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Rock bands Live and Bush (pictured: Live’s Ed Kowalczyk, left, and Bush’s Gavin Rossdale) are out on The Alimate Tour, which commemorates the 25th anniversaries of their landmark albums including Bush’s “Sixteen Stone” and Live’s “Throwing Copper.” The tour stops at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Aug. 6 and Pacific Amphitheatre in Costa Mesa on Saturday, Aug. 10. (Photo by Ed Crisostomo, contributing photographer)
Drummer Matt Sorum, formerly of Guns N’ Roses, performs with Kings of Chaos on Saturday Apr. 14, 2023, at Terrace Theater Plaza in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Fans react to all-star rock band Kings of Chaos during a performance on Saturday Apr. 14, 2023, at Terrace Theater Plaza in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
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Drummer Matt Sorum, formerly of Guns N’ Roses, performs with Kings of Chaos on Saturday Apr. 14, 2023, at Terrace Theater Plaza in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
LIVE formed in 1984 and is best known for its songs “Operation Spirit (The Tyranny of Tradition),” and “Lighting Crashes.”
311, a classic alternative rock band — with reggae, hip hop and funk influences — was formed in 1988 and known for hits “Amber,” “Down” and “All Mixed Up.” Besides Hexum as lead singer, 311 includes guitarist Jim Watson, bassist Aaron Willis and drummer Chad Sexton, and Dough Martinez as a second vocalist and turntablist.
“Looking forward to jamming with the monster players in Kings of Chaos,” Hexum said in the announcement. “Matt Sorum and I have been friends going back 30 years and it’s going to be great to rock out with him. Let there be chaos!”
Aloe Blacc, meanwhile, launched his solo career in 2003 and rose to prominence after his song “I Need a Dollar” was used as the theme song for “How to Make It in America,” an HBO series. He’s also known for his feature on Avicii’s 2013 single “Wake Me Up.”
Guitarist and singer Orianthi hails from Australia, and has spent her career making her own music — including her 2009 hit “According to You” — and playing guitar for major artists such as Carrie Underwood, Michael Jackson and Alice Cooper.
Besides those special guests, the Kings of Chaos show will, of course, feature Sorum on drums, Megadeath’s James LoMenzo on bass and Extreme’s Nuno Bettencourt on guitar.
“Long Beach is all about big moments and this is another one,” said GPALB president and CEO Jim Michaelian. “As always, Kings of Chaos brings a powerhouse lineup that matches the energy of race weekend, and having Ed Kowalczyk, Nick Hexum, Aloe Blacc and Orianthi as part of this show will be the perfect way for our fans to finish off an exhilarating Saturday of entertainment on-track and off.”
Admission to the Saturday evening concert, which will take place outside the Terrace Theatre at 6:30 p.m., is free for Grand Prix of Long Beach Saturday ticketholders.
General admission tickets for the second day of the Grand Prix start at $104, with three-day general admission tickets starting at $221.
Tickets are on sale at gplb.com.