{"id":185772,"date":"2026-03-01T17:35:28","date_gmt":"2026-03-01T17:35:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/185772\/"},"modified":"2026-03-01T17:35:28","modified_gmt":"2026-03-01T17:35:28","slug":"socal-punk-pioneers-the-descendents-brought-infectious-energy-to-san-antonio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/185772\/","title":{"rendered":"SoCal punk pioneers the Descendents brought infectious energy to San Antonio"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Descendents, a band that helped pioneer Southern California\u2019s melodic hardcore sound, brought frenetic energy and catchy singalong choruses to San Antonio\u2019s Aztec Theatre on Saturday night. <\/p>\n

The crowd surged to the front as the band tore through a set of classics including \u201cI Don\u2019t Wanna Grow Up,\u201d \u201cSilly Girl,\u201d \u201cGood, Good Things,\u201d \u201cBikeage,\u201d \u201cI\u2019m the One\u201d and more.<\/p>\n

Despite the catchiness of the tunes, the pit was downright perilous. The crowd crushed and squeezed with more intensity than the most ferocious hardcore show. To bastardize the meme adage, if the frontman looks like Milo, you\u2019re going to die in this pit.<\/p>\n

Headbangers and crowsurfers spanned generations, proving the evergreen nature of songs about teen angst nearly 50 years after the band\u2019s formation. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll make some music to entertain whilst bombs are exploding in fucking Iran,\u201d Milo Aukerman said shortly before launching into opening track \u201cEverything Sux.\u201d<\/p>\n

Guitarist Stephen Egerton delivered with trademark technical proficiency and raw energy while wearing a shirt repping Night Birds, an acclaimed hardcore band out of New Jersey active in the early 2000s. I remember seeing Night Birds at CBGBs before the venue got turned into a T-shirt store. Much like the California-grown Descendents, they incorporate surf rock into their sound.<\/p>\n

Yet another band influenced by the Descendents sound, British opener Frank Turner and his band the Sleeping Souls opened the show with a blend of folk, punk and pop.<\/p>\n

This opener was a departure from previous Descendents opening acts, such as the Circle Jerks, who shared the stage with the Descendents and Adolescents at San Antonio at Vibes Underground in March 2024. Rather than leaning into their grittier punk bona fides, Saturday\u2019s choice of opener leaned into the Descendents\u2019 softer side.<\/p>\n

The Descendents did, after all, help to spawn an entire genre of pop punks and emo kids. And like the Descendents track goes, \u201cI\u2019m not a punk, how can I be?\u201d<\/p>\n

Many descriptors came to mind while watching Frank Turner, such as \u201cyouth pastor music,\u201d \u201cprescription drug commercial music\u201d and a toothless Pogues \u2014 let\u2019s call them the Fauxges. But one descriptor that didn\u2019t come to mind was \u201cpunk.\u201d<\/p>\n

Actually, I\u2019ve never heard a less punk show call itself a punk show more throughout a set. Turner swore more than the average punk frontman, but even that seemed forced. Are you wearing a wire?<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that historically the acoustic guitar is an instrument that has been used for great evil, but tonight we\u2019re going to use it for punk rock,\u201d Turner said, before using the acoustic exactly the way every other \u201cacoustic guitar guy\u201d has used it in every coffee shop since the dawn of time.<\/p>\n

But I was outnumbered in my lack of enthusiasm. The crowd sang along and Turner brought endless energy and charm, calling the crowd his \u201cfriends,\u201d speaking out in solidarity with Minneapolis and charging us in song to \u201cbe more kind.\u201d Maybe I could use the lesson.<\/p>\n

Photos by Jaime Monzon.<\/p>\n

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