After debuting three years ago, Darker Waves Fest returns to unleash 2026 lineup with Morrissey & The Smashing Pumpkins standing atop

March 31, 2026 by Leave a Comment

Darker Waves Fest - 2026 lineup

Darker Waves Fest //
Huntington Beach City Beach – Huntington Beach, CA
November 14th, 2026 //

As we transition into spring and anxiously await the best months of the year for live music, there’s one festival in Southern California that’s making a comeback this fall.

Darker Waves held its inaugural edition in 2023 that brought New Order, Tears for Fears, Echo & The Bunnymen, Devo, Soft Cell, The Psychedelic Furs, OMD, The Human League, Violent Femmes and a whole lot more to Huntington Beach, but after taking the past two years off, the one-day event, which leans dark (and a little bit goth) with an array of new wave and post punk, gets ready to make its big return to the sand for one Saturday in November.

This time it will be Morrissey and The Smashing Pumpkins signing on as the main attractions, and of course with Moz you never quite know what you are going to get. Nobody knows if the former Smiths frontman will show up, but should he, don’t expect any burgers or hot dogs to be grilled nearby as the 66-year-old Englishman commands the stage.

The undercard, meanwhile, carries its own weight below the top line with Simple Minds, Bad Religion, Adam Ant, The Psychedelic Furs, Soft Cell, The Damned, Manic Street Preachers, Gary Numan and Silversun Pickups providing plenty of extra star power.

Other acts on the 2026 bill that are worth pointing out include Buzzcocks, EMF, Circle Jerks, Spacehog, Marky Ramone, Mariachi El Bronx, Cold Cave, TR/ST, Gene, Prayers, Modern English, The Motels, The Sounds, Choir Boy, Missing Persons, Christian Death, DECEITS, Past Self, Riki, Warfield, Purest Form and Casket Cassette. Check out the poster above to see who else will be performing.

If there’s a darkness summoning you down to the beach now, make sure to sign up here so you can receive a passcode for the presale beginning this Thursday, April 2nd at 10 a.m. PT when the lowest price on GA tickets ($259.99) will be guaranteed for one hour. All pass types, including GA+ ($399.99), VIP ($599.99) and Ultimate VIP ($1750.70) for those interested in more amenities, can be purchased with the layway plan by putting down as little as $19.99 so just don’t wait on your chance to ride these darker waves in Surf City USA!

Darker Waves Fest 2026

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Just Like Heaven delivers again for indie fans with Vampire Weekend headlining, Rilo Kiley reuniting & slowdive as special guests in 2025

January 27, 2025 by 1 Comment

Just Like Heaven - 2025 lineup

Just Like Heaven //
Brookside at the Rose Bowl – Pasadena, CA
May 10th, 2025 //

The city of Los Angeles has been through a lot in the first month of 2025. Between all of the wildfires that have ravaged Southern California in a matter of days, it has been a tumultuous time for so many who have been left with nothing and are having to completely rebuild their lives now.

It has been special to see how the local community has come together nonetheless, especially for those who have been affected by the Eaton and Palisades fires. And while it can be almost impossible to even think about live music with all that has happened in historic neighborhoods like Altadena among others, Goldenvoice’s indie-focused festival Just Like Heaven has made its home next door in Pasadena since 2022 and will be back in the City of Roses for a fourth straight year this May.

After propelling The Postal Service atop the bill in 2024 with the Ben Gibbard side project continuing to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its lone studio album Give Up, JLH has gone with NYC indie rockers Vampire Weekend to headline the fifth chapter of its annual story.

Fans of the three-piece led by Ezra Koenig will be happy to hear that news as will plenty of others, given that JLH has once again curated a dream lineup for anyone who loves indie music. Bolstered by another strong undercard, this year’s roster is also highlighted by Rilo Kiley reuniting to play their first show since 2008 after breaking up more than a decade ago.

“We are so very excited to come back together for Just Like Heaven in Pasadena, California — Los Angeles,” the group released in a statement. “As a band, we began here, and we feel so fortunate to return among so many artists and friends, to this community we hold so dear, in such a beautiful and meaningful place.”

Other notable acts slated to perform at the Brookside Golf Course include Empire of the Sun, Bloc Party, TV on the Radio, The Drums, Courtney Barnett, Toro y Moi, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, GROUPLOVE, Perfume Genius, The Sounds, Panda Bear, Beach Fossils, Peter Bjorn and John, Hercules & Love Affair (Live), Wild Nothing and Ra Ra Riot. That’s all in less than 12 hours, too!

But sitting at the bottom of the poster and serving as special guests are one of our favorites in slowdive, the English shoegaze outfit that put us in a dream-like state last year at a sold-out Fox Theater Pomona (read our show review here). Even though it might be too soon to expect new music after the release of Everything Is Alive in 2023, we will be curious to find out where they are slotted for their JLH debut when set times are officially released in April.

Are you sold on going to JLH? Make sure to register for the presale here before GA tickets go on sale this Friday, January 31st at 11 a.m. PT for $200 (Tier 1) and eventually increase to $226 (Tier 2), $250 (Tier 3) and $270 (Tier 4). VIP passes start at $440 (Tier 1) and jump to $460 (Tier 2), while those who are looking to splurge on the Clubhouse experience will have to throw down a whopping $700.

It’s important to mention that Goldenvoice and the Rose Bowl Operating Company have already made their mark on the wildfire recovery efforts with a generous donation of $250,000 to the Eaton Fire Relief & Recovery Fund, and those interested in contributing can go here for more details.

Plus, as a BIG thank you to those who have sacrificed so much, the fest will be offering complimentary GA admission for two to verified GOVX First Responders for a limited time while supplies last. Without these heroes throughout our city, it’s difficult to fathom where we would be right now.

For the rest of you though, don’t wait to purchase yours because this one-day celebration of indie music will be here before you know it!

Just Like Heaven - 2025 stage lineups

UPDATE (March 31st): For the first time ever JLH has put out lineups for each of its two stages ahead of unveiling set times. As expected, headliner Vampire Weekend will close out the festival on the Orion Stage while Rilo Kiley serves as the top-billed act on the smaller Stardust Stage. See the poster above to find out where every act is scheduled to perform at the Brookside.

Just Like Heaven 2025 - set times

UPDATE (April 21st): Start making your plans for JLH 2025 because set times are here with less than a month to go, and there are once again a number of tough choices to make. Will it be Of Montreal or Wild Nothing? Grouplove or Perfume Genius? The Drums or Toro y Moi? TV on the Radio or Unknown Mortal Orchestra? The good news, though, is that there are less scheduling conflicts toward the end of the day once Bloc Party takes the Orion Stage at 6:45 p.m. Find out who’s playing on which stage and when in the full list above.

Just Like Heaven 2025

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Just Like Heaven returns to Pasadena in 2023 with Yeah Yeah Yeahs, MGMT, Future Islands, Empire of the Sun, M83 & more on the bill

January 17, 2023 by 2 Comments

Just Like Heaven - 2023 lineup

Just Like Heaven //
Brookside at the Rose Bowl – Pasadena, CA
May 13th, 2023 //

While last Tuesday served as a big day for live music with Goldenvoice revealing the 2023 lineup for its signature event Coachella, the renowned California-based concert promoter is moving full steam ahead by announcing plans for one of its other annual music festivals this spring.

Just Like Heaven, which became an instant success in 2019 and expanded to two days that year for its debut, will return to the Brookside Golf Course at the Rose Bowl with another top-notch roster that most indie-music fans can get behind after an outstanding showing in 2022 featuring Interpol, Modest Mouse, The Shins, M.I.A. and a whole lot more (read our festival review here).

Even with that in mind, we think it’s safe to say that Goldenvoice CEO Paul Tollett and company have once again put together a heavenly assortment of indie artists and bands for its third edition.

This time Yeah Yeah Yeahs, MGMT, Future Islands, Empire of the Sun and M83 will lead the way for only one Saturday in May, but there’s plenty more stellar acts listed further down the the bill with an undercard that boasts Hot Chip, Caribou, The Walkmen, The Bravery, Fever Ray, Peaches, Azealia Banks, Ladytron, STRFKR, Metronomy, The Faint, The Sounds and Cults. See the poster above for those who are not already mentioned and are scheduled to perform. It’s worth bringing up that Yeah Yeah Yeahs, MGMT, STRFKR and The Faint were all part of the 2019 festivities down at the Queen Mary Park in Long Beach, yet as we know, so much has changed since then.

The inclusion of Peaches is particularly noteworthy considering that Merrill Nisker just took the stage at the fest last year and made quite an impression upon many of us (our photos will give you a clear idea about what we mean). How will she top her 2022 set? Well, you’ll just have to be there — or back here — to find out. MGMT, meanwhile, have been booked to play their 2007 debut LP Oracular Spectacular, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled in case you see Leonardo DiCaprio raving once “Kids” begins.

If you’re sold on going to Just Like Heaven, make sure to register for the presale here before GA passes go on sale this Friday, January 20th at 10 a.m. PT for $149 (Tier 1) and eventually increase to $169 (Tier 2) and $189 (Tier 3). GA+ wristbands will be a new option this year for $249 that offers a dedicated GA+ entry lane at the main entrance, fast-lane access at the main merch stand and an exclusive GA+ lounge with air-conditioned restrooms, shaded areas plus additional seating, complimentary bottled water and a dedicated bar for 21+ patrons. VIP and Clubhouse tickets, should you want to splurge, are also available for $369-389 and $649, respectively, prior to any additional fees. Mark your calendars because “heaven” for music lovers of all things indie is less than four months away!

Just Like Heaven 2023 - set times

UPDATE (May 1st): This year’s set times are here, and it’s no surprise there are plenty of conflicts to sort out from day to night. One of the toughest choices has to be just after 6 p.m. when Future Islands and Hot Chip are slated to perform only 10 minutes apart, but fans of both bands won’t be alone in that feeling at Just Like Heaven with STRFKR vs. The Faint, Ladytron vs. Fever Ray, Empire of the Sun vs. Caribou and MGMT vs. M83 also in play. Meanwhile, Yeah Yeah Yeahs will once again be the only act that won’t face any competition as the festival’s 2023 headliner. Find out who’s playing on which stage and when in the full list above.

UPDATE (May 11th): Just Like Heaven has announced that The Sounds will unfortunately no longer be performing this Saturday due to visa issues. Replacing them at 12:35 p.m. will be another Swedish band in The Hives after the well-dressed five-piece rocked the same Orion Stage at last year’s festival.

Just Like Heaven 2023 - map

UPDATE (May 12th): At almost 9 p.m. on the eve of its 2023 installment, the festival has released this year’s map with a similar layout to 2022. The Brookside at the Rose Bowl has been a nice location for Goldenvoice to host music festivals, and with only two stages to choose from at Just Like Heaven, the grounds are big enough to accommodate plenty of people, but at the same time, they aren’t nearly as large compared to other events i.e. Coachella that the concert promoter puts on annually. Nonetheless, we would still recommend wearing a good pair of walking shoes as there’s more limited seating areas for those with only GA access.

Just Like Heaven 2023

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The Sounds: Sounding good at The Regency

March 26, 2014 by Leave a Comment

The-Sounds_post

By Tom Dellinger //

The Sounds with Blondfire, Strange Talk //
The Regency Ballroom — San Francisco
Friday March 21, 2014 //

Swedish indie rockers The Sounds made a stop in San Francisco as they continued an extensive US tour in support of their latest studio offering, Weekend. Hugely popular at home in Sweden and across Europe, they enjoy a well earned reputation as an excellent live band. Over the past fifteen years this band has been together, they have also made a number of excursions to the US where they’ve opened for several well known acts (No Doubt, The Strokes, Panic at the Disco, Vans Warped Tour), a 2004 appearance at Coachella and a headlining tour of their own last fall which included a stop at The Fillmore. On Friday night, they brought it to The Regency Ballroom where they delivered a show that showcased their signature pumping pop rock dance numbers, and more.

The-Sounds

With a superb, tight band behind her, vocalist Maja Ivarsson took the stage and opened up in classic fashion akin to a rock goddess. Stunningly attired in short leather jacket, shorts and heels, all eyes and ears were immediately focused on her. She appeared fit and quickly attacked the performance with an intensity that she sustained throughout the evening. Ivarsson has an impressive voice and coupled with her engaging personality, she had the crowd with her from the very start. She comes on confident, with a swagger, working up and down the stage. Leaning over to get closer contact with the audience, she keeps the energy and engagement high.

Musically, The Sounds are a mix of many styles and references, but copies of none. You can hear the influences of new wave, punk, synth pop, classic rock and more. They are all that and much more. A listen to their catalog reveals a band in motion; moving forward with an evolving sound and style, both musically and lyrically. Sadly, it appears they remain a bit under the radar in our area as attendance was on the low side. However, those that were there knew this band and had a good idea of what they were going to see. This band has the material and the ability to turn a show into something remarkable, and for those of us who were there, we were richly rewarded.

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