Resound Presents: Pennywise in Austin, Texas at Mohawk on October 2, 2024.
The Golden State represents power and possibility to many around the world, a place where dreams are made but nightmares might come true. The cultural epicenter that is California has been defined by many monumental mile markers, from the silent film era to skid row, from Disneyland to Ronald Reagan, from celebrity excess to social unrest. Straight Outta Compton, Suffer, Master of Puppets, Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables – as the late Tupac Shakur famously said, Cali is where “we riot, not rally.” Few bands have endured with as much demonstrably California-encompassing vibrancy as the Hermosa Beach, CA institution that is Pennywise. They reign unchallenged outside the margins of the mainstream, a staple on the SoCal radio airwaves and worldwide festival circuit revered and championed by generations of fans filling theaters and clubs. Pennywise possess the power to merge the subversive with the celebratory. Each Pennywise record is full of fast-paced anthems expertly engineered to inspire radical change, personal empowerment, relentless hijinks, and reckless fast times. On paper it may read like a mess of contradictions; on record, it sounds like California.
At this point, three decades since the band’s DIY beginnings, Pennywise classics like “Same Old Story,” “Fuck Authority,” “Alien,” “Homesick,” and “Bro Hymn” are as fundamental to punk rock and hardcore as stage dives and guitars. The combustible chemistry between the diverse creative personalities within Pennywise delivers some of the culture’s strongest songs, obliterating the boring sameness of easygoing attitudes with a push-and-pull process that hammers strong songwriting and performances from each individual into a cohesive whole. The defiantly titled Never Gonna Die is their first full album of brand new songs with singer Jim Lindberg, guitarist Fletcher Dragge, drummer Byron McMackin, and bassist Randy Bradbury in over ten years. It’s timely as well as timeless, charging headfirst into the chaos of the current climate with their determined sound that fans demand. Never Gonna Die was forged in the same space where they penned classic songs with late bassist Jason Thirsk and produced once again by rock producer Cameron Webb (Motörhead, NOFX, Alkaline Trio).
“We Set Fire Tonight” is a furious resistance anthem challenging austerity measures around the world that deny basic social services to vulnerable populations. “American Lies” cuts through disinformation and disingenuous world views while rejecting partisan posturing in favor of true patriotism. “Can’t Be Ignored” addresses both self-examination and societal exhortation concerning ravenous hunger for more that could destroy our world. The title track demands an evolutionary shift in consciousness against longstanding prejudices.
“Live While You Can (Time Bomb)” encourages living fully today despite adversities. “Goodbye Bad Times” emphasizes encouragement and communal interdependence integral to their ethos. Touring globally with like-minded rabble-rousers and mischief-makers has allowed Pennywise to summon all elements of SoCal punk spirit while exposing flaws both personal and societal.
As a terrifying clown sharing their namesake returns via popular movie adaptations so too has Pennywise–the band–reemerged at their strongest.
Forbes Magazine stated: "It doesn’t just float; It soars." Pennywise? They effin’ scorch.