On March 28, the energy at Cal State LA felt louder than usual. Punk icon Alice Bag brought a live performance and an intimate Q&A to campus, creating a space that seemed less like a formal event and more like a shared experience. The show took place in the music courtyard, where a mixed crowd of students and local LA fans gathered around the stage. From the first song, the atmosphere was full of energy, with people moshing, dancing, and shouting along to Bag’s lyrics. The openness of the space made it easy for any student passing by to stop, watch, and join in, which made the crowd grow as the set went on.
The presence of familiar faces from the local music scene, including Bruno Bones of Hacienda Heights punk band Spunk, highlighted how deeply connected the event was to the broader LA punk community. It wasn’t just a campus event, but more so a crossover between student life and the city’s history of DIY music culture, where different generations of punk shared the same space. The mix of it all spoke to the accessibility of the performance: whether you were deeply rooted in punk culture or if you were just curious, there was a space for you there.
Rising out of the late 1970s Los Angeles punk scene, Alice Bag was the frontwoman of The Bags, one of the first wave punk bands that helped define that genre on the West Coast. As a Chicana artist in a predominantly white, male-dominated scene, she made space not only for herself but for future generations of women and artists of color.
Alice Bag and her drummer Candace Hansen sit down with students for an open Q&A in the Music Concert Hall. (Wendy Cubillo)
Her influence also goes far beyond music. Bag has been an advocate for education, feminism, and self-expression, using punk as a tool for activism and empowerment. Her work has inspired countless young people to see creativity as something accessible and necessary, not exclusive. For many, especially within LA’s Chicanx and DIY communities, she represents the bridge between how punk started and its ongoing evolution.
After the set, the event transitioned indoors to the Music Concert Hall (TA116) for a Q&A that felt just as alive as the performance. The conversation unfolded naturally between Bag, her drummer, Candace Hansen, and the audience. The shift from the high-energy courtyard performance to the more intimate indoor interview allowed for a different kind of engagement that was quieter, but just as impactful.
Students asked questions that ranged from her early days in the punk scene, her thoughts on activism, the education system, and keeping creativity alive over time. One of the most impactful moments came when Bag spoke about success beyond money, saying, “Not everything should be defined by financial success. Your number one goal in life is to feel fulfilled, and that will make you happy.” When asked about her roots, Bag spoke with a sense of pride, saying, “East LA is always going to be my home.” This statement felt especially meaningful given that she is a Cal State LA alumna.
By the end of the event, it was clear that this wasn’t just another campus program, it was a reminder that the spirit of punk is very much still alive. Punk is a form of expression, a way to build community, and a form of advocacy and resistance that continues to evolve across generations.