Get in the pit to support independent journalism, art, and L.A.'s thriving local underground punk scene this Friday night with L.A. TACO.
As one of the only publications to consistently cover L.A.'s DIY and backyard hardcore, Oi!, powerviolence, and synthpunk subcultures of punk rock, and, of course, the glorious DIY venues that share space to keep the scene alive, TACO is finally throwing our own show.
It will also be the first place where you can purchase L.A. TACO's latest zine, designed and put together by Ivan Ehlers, the Pulitzer finalist behind our "Sunday Taquitos" cartoons. It is filled with 17 stories that you can curl up in a corner with and enjoy, free from algorithms and evil billionaires fighting for your attention.
As always, members get in for free! And yes, you can join right before this upcoming zine release show, and you'll get in, in case you're still considering whether to come down to slam or not.
A big shout-out to our drink sponsors for making sure no punk and punk-hearted person goes thirsty on Friday: Fatty's Vodka, Sin Hielo Los Angeles Whiskey, Homage Brewing, and Easy Does It (a non-alcoholic beer).
These are all the bands that will be shouting into the mic and getting the pit started—in order:
UGLY
Ugly formed in the summer of 2016, aiming to sound like a band that could have been on Slash Records. If you like The Gun Club and their honky tonk-tinged, weeping guitar licks, but are also obsessed with The Ramones and The Plugz, you will love Ugly. The members were all born and raised in Los Angeles, specifically Koreatown and Echo Park.
FOOLANOS
Foolanos are three Chicanos from Los Angeles and a band born out of an obsession with Noe Adame's Teenage Bonehead podcast, which documents Ramonescore bands in all different languages from around the world. All their songs are en Español, which is intentional as hell to encourage being as comfortable speaking Spanish as we are speaking in English. Despite being a band for six years, the band has only played two shows—soon to be three this Friday!
HUNGRY ASS YOUTH
Hungry Ass Youth, who go by "the Fat Boys of HxC" are the most OG band on the lineup. They started their satirical, New York Hardcore-influenced punk rock sound in South El Monte in 2004. Their food-obsessed hits such as "Face the Fat" and their anthem "Pizza" couldn't be more perfect for L.A. TACO's first-ever punk show.
SOH
The meaning of SOH evolves with the band as they do. It started off as
"System of Hate," but if you ask them around 4/20 it would mean "smoking on herbs." The band members are from Chinatown, Downey, Orange County, and the Inland Empire. They have different influences, but when joined together it’s a mix between hardcore punk, little sparkles of metal, and post-punk. Fun fact: Their frontwoman, Kristine Nevrose, is also one of the co-founders of Punks for Palestine fundraiser shows, and has raised thousands of dollars for Palestine.
LÁGRIMAS
Lágrimas pioneered a uniquely atmospheric, melodic crust sound that may remind you of Explosions in the Sky, combined with your favorite screamo band. They formed in South Central Los Angeles in 2019, playing backyard DIY shows in L.A.'s underground punk scene and have grown to play bigger venues and tour the country. If you love Das Plague, you will love their sound. You can almost meditate to it.
SPUNK
Spunk is a young punk band from Hacienda Heights in the San Gabriel Valley, fronted by the frenetic Bruno Sid Benavides (whom I say is Darby Crash reincarnated) and featuring members who are mostly still under 21. They formed during the pandemic when Bruno and drummer Brian were in eighth grade, played their first show as high-school freshmen, and have kept going ever since with a thrashy, heavily distorted ’80s-style punk sound.
Their live sets are short, chaotic, and electric. In only six years, the band has already played the prestigious Rebellion festival twice in London.
