Musings…observations from the fourth line on the festival lineup poster

Conflicts

Definitely a first-world problem, but when the lineup is this stacked, conflicts are bound to happen. Two—or sometimes even three—great acts playing at the same time. Every time I look at a new schedule, I do it with a mix of hope and dread, praying my favorites don’t overlap. And, almost without fail, they do. This year is no exception—if anything, it’s worse.

Before diving into band previews, here are a few tough choices that need to be made. I’ve got some leanings, but nothing’s set in stone. Honestly, a few might come down to a game-time decision.

Friday kicks off with three conflicts, two of which are brutal.
First up: Agnostic Front vs. The Hold Steady. I said I hadn’t made any decisions yet, but this one’s basically locked. Agnostic Front are OG New York punk legends and absolutely deserve respect—but The Hold Steady is a bucket list band for me. Plus, they’re on the small stage, which makes it even more tempting.

Next: Weird Al vs. Stiff Little Fingers. Weird Al is one of those “you gotta see it once” shows—costume changes, the whole spectacle. And let’s be real, when will I ever get another chance? But he’s up against Stiff Little Fingers, one of punk’s true pioneers out of Belfast. That’s a tough one.

And then there’s The Pogues vs. Blink-182. The Pogues are legendary Celtic punks, and this tour is their farewell after Shane MacGowan’s passing in 2023. They’re doing a full album play of Rum, Sodomy & the Lash with guest vocalists. But Blink is my guilty pleasure—I saw them twice last year and had a blast. Fully reunited and firing on all cylinders, they’re just so much fun live. This one’s going to hurt.

Saturday doesn’t let up.
Superchunk vs. GWAR kicks things off. Both are great live, but very different vibes. Luckily, we can probably catch all of Superchunk and still catch the end of GWAR—which might be enough, especially since half our crew is allegedly terrified of them.

Then it’s James vs. Marky Ramone. James had some catchy hits back in the HFS days, but Marky is a machine—29 songs in 58 minutes. No contest if you’re judging solely on the live energy.

Dropkick Murphys vs. The Damned is another partial overlap. I’ve seen both (The Damned just this year), and they both deserve full sets. Might be a split set or a last-minute call—fingers crossed for an aftershow to save us from making a choice.

The big one Saturday night: Weezer vs. The Sex Pistols. Both are playing their iconic debut albums in full. I saw Weezer do this show in December and it was fantastic. But the Sex Pistols? That’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Plus, if the stage setups stay the same, I can probably get a better spot for them. I’m leaning one way, but still not 100% sure.

Sunday, thankfully, is smooth sailing. From Soft Play to Green Day, with Bad Religion and IDLES in the mix—no conflicts, just a solid run of great music.

The Boys Are Back

This lineup is incredible—maybe the best we’ve ever seen tailored so perfectly to our tastes. It’s the first festival where all three headliners are a hit for us. Even the best past lineups usually had one outlier (looking at you, Arcade Fire). This one is packed with our favorite live acts. I’ve seen over 20 of them before—and I’d gladly see all but two again (sorry, Beach Boys and Agent Orange).

Just in the past year, I’ve caught Blink-182 (twice), Weezer, Bad Religion, and The Damned—all fantastic. So there’s a strong sense of familiarity. But it’s also stacked with bucket list and near-bucket list acts: IDLES and The Hold Steady have been on my must-see radar for a while. And then there’s The Pogues, Sparks, and Weird Al—perfect “why not while I’m there” picks.

There’s a lot to unpack. Seeing the Sex Pistols—a band credited with igniting the punk movement—is likely a once-in-a-lifetime chance. And if you lean toward the idea that punk started in the U.S., you’ve got Marky Ramone playing the Ramones’ classics. Want to talk first punk record? That’s The Damned’s New Rose, and we’ll get to hear it live. Add in Buzzcocks, Stiff Little Fingers, and Agnostic Front, and you’ve got a full OG punk roster.

Hidden in the fine print is a gem: Soft Play, formerly Slaves. Their 2017 aftershow at the Cobra was unforgettable—just two guys, no stool for the drummer, and a total disregard for the hi-hat. They’re back, and I’m all in.

Despite the familiarity, there’s still room for discovery. Inhaler is Bono’s son’s band. Lambrini Girls bring wild energy. It’s a lineup that keeps giving.

Of course, with so many great acts, there are trade-offs. Conflicts are inevitable (more on that later), and the strength of the headliners might make aftershows tough to pull off—logistics, energy, and timing all come into play. But if I can swing it, I’m aiming for Soft Play again (at the Cobra). The Damned would also be amazing in a smaller venue—Concord Ballroom, please. The Front Bottoms and The Hold Steady doing full sets would be fantastic too.

Can’t wait. And there’s only one way to kick things off this year: