Heavens To Betsy, Tuffie, Scrunchies
Fine Line
Minneapolis, MN
October 16, 2026

I'm still a little confused that this show didn't sell out, but I imagine that brand recognition is a real thing here. Heavens To Betsy, for those who don’t know, were an Oregon duo active from 1991-1994, featuring drummer/bassist Tracy Sawyer and singer/guitarist/drummer Corin Tucker -- better known for her next band, Sleater-Kinney.

And while I've always enjoyed Sleater-Kinney, the rough-around-the-edges raw sound of Heavens To Betsy really hit me much more personally. The band were very young and that raw sound is a perfect fit for their blunt lyrics that pushed boundaries in that 1990s way. It's sometimes extremely vulnerable music. More often it's venting about a bad day in the service industry or raging against a horrific male-dominant culture. Rage was probably the word of the day during their 2026 tour kickoff show in Minneapolis, though Tucker (now in her 50s) reframes it as a call for positive action. 

But I jumped right into the moment instead of building up. Which is a mistake because a show like this isn’t just about a reunion show -- which took place on the date of the band’s new album, a collection of demos and rarities called baby’s gone. This was a show about the power of music, spanning generations and the ongoing need for community amid struggle. While I won't lie and pretend that my night wasn't about seeing Heavens To Betsy, the night (overall) was about how the scene is just as vibrant as in the mid '90s, in both similar and different ways.

Twin Cities locals Scrunchies were up first. They released Colossal in 2024, their fourth album and it was a personal favorite of 2024. They's good shit, playing Riot Grrl influenced rock ‘n’ roll with a wide range of emotion, volume and gravitas. Having seen the band a lot, I'm continually impressed at how tight their performances are. Even twice in 10 days, the set was varied and performed seemingly flawlessly. They focused on playing a quick, tight set with minimal speaking, but still paused with a humble note about playing with a band this influential in the lives of everybody in the room. After seeing them in a larger room with a different crowd earlier this month, this time the audience were clearly more familiar with the band with an energetic floor, even as the crowd was still filing in.

Tuffie were the middle act of the night and were dealing with illness and a substitute drummer, which likely explains their very short set. At first the sound was muffled up front, though I think that might just be their sound, as this show was my introduction to the band (also from the Twin Cities). I'll call it shoegazey with atmospheric vocals. The set list picked up the dynamics at the same time I found a new spot on the floor, building to a mood that was equally contemplative, somber and uplifting. The AI generator machine it “ethereal,” which is a pretty good word for it. 

Even before Heavens To Betsy took the stage, I was impressed at their approach. There was no grand curtain. There was no team of sound engineers. This was a duo, who first met each other in middle school. That scrappy two-member approach carried through their stage presence and prep too. They weren't doing a job or boosting an ego. Sawyer and Tucker were on stage as their real selves.

After a slight break between bands, both members the stage together, first with Sawyer on drums and Tucker on guitar, later switching to Tucker on drums and Sawyer on bass, then back, then later with Sawyer on bass and Tucker on guitar with no drums. There were jokes about "getting in our cardio" with the switching of instruments, but the changeups weren't just about necessity. They set a tone of authenticity: using the right instrument combos to strike the mood of the song but also, effectively, making it a more personal experience for everybody. Heavens To Betsy's lyrics are blunt -- teenage journal blunt, at times -- and it's important to not come off as rock stars when playing such personal music. I don't know why they began as a duo back in 1991, but the format matches the mood perfectly. It was never grand or staged. It was just two vulnerable (but confident) artists sharing their work.

Even between songs, everything was down to earth and humble. There was a lot of reflection and at one time I thought of VH1 Storytellers, as both members would speak of how they met and even what happened on a particular day – ultimately leading to a song’s origin. It's somewhat startling to realize how those shitty days from four decades ago continue to haunt and influence daily life. Ultimately, that was theme here. These songs capture a moment in the artists lives, but they still live today just as strong.

As the first day of this tour, there were definitely a few hiccups. Politely, a few songs stopped and started over. There were jokes about forgetting lyrics and why, if nothing else, reforming was good excuse to "reclaim the material" because of questionable online sources for lyrics. But it all fit the mood. The entire show was intimate. The teenaged duo of from the ‘90s and are now returning to them, willing to put it all on stage in front of fresh audience of strangers with their own life experiences. After the show, the band immediately climbed off stage and into the crowd.

This was a great reunion show from an important band. Just as important: this was a gathering where a community could gather in a safe space to share their experiences.

The set pulled a great variety from their catalog. Baby’s gone set up the first half of the set, building into comp tracks and Calculated. No, they can't scream like teenagers anymore. More accurately, though, they choose not to. Like the statement at the start, the goal is different now. It was a powerful night I won't forget. And it was cool to see purses lined up on the edge of the stage/front row instead of that collection of empty PBR cans I see at most of the shows I attend.

One of the best alt-rock tours of the year and an "elder emo" dream come true, has been making its way across the country. Headlined by Taking Back Sunday, with support from Thrice and Saves the Day, it's a nonstop night of amazing music and performances, and I was fortunate enough to make it to San Diego to catch the show!

Up first were Saves the Day that played a number of hits like "Anywhere With You," "Shoulder to the Wheel," and "Firefly" while also working in deeper cuts like "A Drag in D Flat" from their b-sides collection Ups and Downs and "Freakish" from Stay What You Are. They also came prepared with new music, performing their recently released "Invader." They closed out the set with "At Your Funeral" with guest vocals from Adam Lazzara.

Thrice took the stage around 7:45 opening with "Of Dust and Nations" from fan favorite record, Vheissu. Nearly exactly a year before, Thrice released their newest album, Horizons/West, so those tracks took up most of the setlist spots, performing "Holding On," "Albatross" and their propulsive "Gnash." I don't think any band can make performing such complex music look as easy as they do, between Dustin's headbanging and Teppei's play of the fret board like he's just typing up an e-mail, it's jaw dropping.

It was time for Taking Back Sunday. The band walked out to The Lion King's "Circle of Life" blaring through the house speakers. They jumped into "What's it Feel Like to Be a Ghost?" followed by "Liar" from Louder Now -- the album that would go on to dominate the setlist for the night. They had recently become aware that it was the 20th anniversary of the album, so they purposely threw songs in from that record that they don't normally play, for example "Divine Intervention" that had Adam Lazzara picking up the acoustic guitar. 

They still didn't stray from covering their entire catalogue. They went back to their first album Tell All Your Friends with "Timberwolves at New Jersey" and "You're So Last Summer" up to their newest album 152 with tracks like "Lightbringer" and "The One" with the crowd singing every word. 

As they started to approach the looming curfew with rain starting to come down, they were starting to rush a little with a hastened version of "Cute Without the 'E' Cut From the Team" before closing out the night with "MakeDamnSure." 

Growing up in the early 2000s, you couldn't ask for a much better line-up. Between all three, you've got some of the best pop-punk songs to come out of Jersey, the slickest riffs from Orange County, and one of the most quintessential third wave emo bands still going today. Mics are still getting spun around, heads are still banging, and choruses are still being sung at the top of everyone's lungs. The tour is coming to a close, but Taking Back Sunday will be hosting their 12th annual Holiday Spectacular at the Starland Ballroom in December and then heading out to Europe with Weezer next May. You can also order the 20th anniversary pressing of Louder Now HERE.

Pennywise @ HISTORY

Toronto, Canada — September 27, 2026

Pennywise Live Review – Eastern North American Fall 2026 Tour

Toronto was the only Canadian stop on Pennywise’s 10-date Eastern North American fall tour, bringing an incredible bill of old-school punk and hardcore veterans to HISTORY on September 27. The lineup featured Murphy’s Law, H₂O and Circle Jerks supporting Pennywise, making this one of those shows where the supporting acts alone were worth the price of admission.

After Pennywise’s appearance at the 2026 Vans Warped Tour in Montréal earlier in August, Canadian fans were once again treated to a full-length Pennywise club show — this time with a much longer set and a packed room ready to sing along.  

Murphy’s Law

I arrived super early, mostly out of pure excitement. First up was Murphy’s Law, and they wasted no time connecting with the crowd.

Vocalist Jimmy Drescher jumped straight off the stage and into the pit, singing alongside the fans. At one point, he even cracked open a six-pack of beer, making the whole thing feel less like a traditional opening set and more like a private punk-rock party that just happened to be taking place in the middle of HISTORY.

It immediately got the crowd engaged, and as the venue slowly filled in, the energy continued to build.

H₂O

Next up was H₂O, a band that has been an important part of the punk and hardcore scene since the 1990s. I remember seeing their name on countless flyers for punk shows in Montréal back in the day, so seeing them on this bill was a bit of a nostalgic moment.

One thing that immediately caught my attention was the drummer. Behind the kit was a much younger face, and vocalist Toby Morse eventually explained that the drummer was his son, Maximus Henry Morse, who was 23.

I have to say, I was really impressed with him. He played with confidence and kept up with the band's energetic set without missing a beat.

There was also a funny moment when Toby asked the crowd who had bought H₂O's CD in 1996. Quite a few hands went up. Then he asked who was born in 1996 — and suddenly a whole new section of the audience had their hands in the air.

Toby kept going, asking about increasingly older birth years. By the time he reached 1960, there were still a few hands in the air. It was a great reminder of just how many generations of punk fans were represented in the room.

Circle Jerks

By this point, HISTORY was looking pretty full and ready to take on Circle Jerks.

Formed in Hermosa Beach, California, in 1979, Circle Jerks are one of the defining bands of early American hardcore punk. Fronted by founding member Keith Morris, the band helped establish the fast, raw and chaotic sound that would become a blueprint for hardcore punk. Their landmark 1980 debut, Group Sex, remains one of the genre's essential records.

More than four decades later, Morris is still delivering that same unmistakable intensity onstage. For this tour, he was joined by fellow founding member Greg Hetson on guitar, longtime bassist Zander Schloss and drummer Joey Castillo.

This was actually my first time seeing Circle Jerks live, and it was a pretty special one.

Morris also mentioned from the stage that it was his birthday — and that he had just turned 71.

Seventy-one!

Watching him tear through a Circle Jerks set with that much energy was one of the highlights of the evening. For a band with this much history behind it, there was nothing that felt like a museum piece about the performance. It was loud, fast and unapologetically punk.

Pennywise

Then came the moment everyone had been waiting for.

Pennywise.

The lights went down and vocalist Jim Lindberg walked onto the stage, cell phone in hand, filming the crowd while holding a cup in the other. He was wearing a black T-shirt featuring the words “Listen to Bad Brains,” an appropriate choice for a night deeply rooted in punk history.

From a visual standpoint, I couldn't help but appreciate the production. As a graphic designer, I've always loved the Pennywise logo, and seeing that iconic logo blown up across the giant backdrop was pretty spectacular. Combined with the red and blue lighting, it created a dark, energetic atmosphere that fit the band's music perfectly.

The set itself was essentially a crash course through Pennywise's history.

The band moved quickly through songs such as “Peaceful Day,” “My Own Country,” “Straight Ahead,” “Same Old Story,” “Violence Never Ending,” “The World,” “Homeless,” “Every Single Day,” “Pennywise,” “Fuck Authority,” “Unknown Road,” “Perfect People,” “Society,” “Broken,” “Alien” and “Living for Today.”

It was a particularly satisfying setlist for longtime fans because it leaned heavily into the band's classic material. Rather than focusing on newer songs, Pennywise went deep into the catalogue that established them as one of Southern California's defining melodic hardcore bands.

And, of course, there were some surprises.

The NOFX connection

I've been noticing a recurring theme lately: since NOFX retired from touring, a number of punk bands have been paying tribute to them by working some of their songs into their live sets.

Pennywise did exactly that in Toronto, working “Bob” and “Kill All the White Man” into the show.

Hearing those songs in a Pennywise set was a great nod to the band's longtime friendship with the NOFX camp. Jim also joked about the fact that Pennywise isn't giving up anytime soon and will continue playing music and touring.

For fans of this generation of punk, that's reassuring to hear.

Jim also mentioned that Pennywise had brought over members of the NOFX crew, joking that they were keeping them employed. It was a funny moment, but it also captured something bigger about the punk community: after decades of touring together, these bands have built a network that extends far beyond simply sharing stages.

Special guests and a massive finale

The surprises didn't end there.

At one point, Jim from Murphy's Law joined Jim Lindberg onstage for a duet, immediately sending the pit into another frenzy.

But the biggest surprise was saved for the finale.

As Randy Bradbury started playing “Bro Hymn,” the song that has become Pennywise's ultimate live anthem, the stage suddenly became packed with familiar faces.

Cone, formerly of Sum 41, stepped in on bass, while Ian D'Sa of Billy Talent joined to sing along with other friends and guests. What followed was exactly the kind of chaotic, communal punk-rock ending you hope for at a show like this.

The crowd sang along, the pit erupted and the stage filled with musicians celebrating the moment together.

And that's really what made this Pennywise show feel special.

It wasn't simply a band playing a collection of classic songs. It felt like a celebration of the punk community itself — musicians from different generations and different bands coming together, sharing the stage and having fun.

Final Thoughts

Pennywise's Toronto show was a night built around punk-rock history, but it never felt stuck in the past.

From Murphy's Law turning the opening set into a beer-fuelled party, to H₂O bringing another generation onto the stage, to Circle Jerks proving that hardcore energy doesn't come with an expiration date, the entire bill felt like a celebration of the scene.

Then Pennywise came out and delivered a set packed with classics, sing-alongs, surprise guests and enough energy to keep the HISTORY crowd moving until the very end.

And closing the night with “Bro Hymn,” surrounded by friends and fellow musicians, was the perfect ending.

Toronto may have been the only Canadian stop on this particular fall tour, but Pennywise certainly made it count

Never Mind The Bollocks- Sex Pistols feat. Frank Carter

Brings 50 Years of Punk To History, Toronto

Venue: History, Toronto, ON
Date: Monday, September 21, 2026
Support: Panic Shack

Controlled Anarchy 

Whenever a band returns without its original singer, people have an opinion. Everyone has an opinion, and everyone has a butthole. Ever since Frank Carter joined Steve Jones, Paul Cook, and Glen Matlock for the Sex Pistols' 50 Years of Punktour, fans have come to fisticuffs over whether it should have been given a rebirth. Fair enough, but expecting four people to stay together for fifty years without falling out or wanting to claw each other's eyes out isn't exactly realistic. Countless bands have fewer members and still tour. Take the show for what it is: three members of one of the U.K. punk's most important punk bands playing the music they helped create alongside a frontman who clearly loves and respects it.

Carter never tries to be John Lydon, and that's exactly why it works. The former Gallows and Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes singer attacks every song with his own personality while repeatedly making it clear what an honour it is to share the stage with Jones, Cook, and Matlock. Between songs, he spoke about finally getting to play a proper club show after a run of shortened festival appearances, then backed it up by diving headfirst into the crowd during "God Save the Queen," setting off one of the night's biggest circle pits. Later he called for a women-only pit, telling the guys to "stay the fuck out" and let the women mosh!

The band were locked  and loaded from the opening notes of "Holidays in the Sun." Steve Jones' thick, unmistakable guitar tone remains the backbone of these songs, while Paul Cook's drumming was as solid and driving as ever. Glen Matlock's melodic bass playing, often overshadowed by the band's mythology, tied everything together. Who cares if he liked The Beatles!

Cardiff, Wales' Panic Shack opened the night, showing exactly why they've been building so much buzz as media darlings. Toronto fans may remember their June 16, 2026 headlining show at the Hard Luck Bar, which was moved from The Baby G after quickly outgrowing the original venue. Comparisons to an early Amyl and the Sniffers—or even Eve Libertine of Crass might seem a little too easy, but the raw energy and punk snarl are hard to ignore. Panic Shack never comes across as a band trying to be anyone else. Clearly they are having “fun, fun fun in the fluffy chair, flame up the herb, wolf down the beer”.  Nearing the end of one song, all five members lined up to form a human centipede(try it, you’ll like it) across the front of the stage. For a moment it looked like the song was over before they suddenly ripped back into it, catching the audience completely off guard. It perfectly captured the band's playful chemistry and refusal to take themselves too seriously, something they've said has always been central to Panic Shack. By the time they closed with "Pockets," they had won over plenty of people who had arrived primarily to see the Sex Pistols. 

Old Punks, New Blood, and a Half-Eaten Clif Bar

The audience reflected just how far these songs have travelled over the past five decades. Yes, there was full intellectual debate on the evolution of Punk Rock and how far it has come or regressed. You heard the adage " Punk is Dad." Original punks in well-worn leather jackets and multi coloured hair stood or barely stood beside younger sweaty fans who had only ever experienced the Sex Pistols through records, documentaries, or stories from older relatives (looking at your Grandpa!). During the quieter moments, diehards shouted requests for deeper cuts from The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle, including one call for "Belsen Was a Gas" and Silly Thing. 

Behind the band, large video screens acted as a backdrop with vintage and current visuals, while stacks of Marshall cabinets dressed in Sex Pistols artwork framed the stage. It looked big, like a big set of Bollocks without feeling overproduced, leaving the focus where it belonged—on the music. 

Jones, Cook, and Matlock were generous throughout the night, tossing picks, drumsticks, and setlists into the crowd, and there was no exchange of gob by the audience witnessed at the two previous Pistols reunions. Somehow I ended up catching Steve Jones' half-eaten Clif Bar after he catapulted it into the audience. It's now one of the stranger concert souvenirs I've brought home, and if science ever needs it, apparently, it contains enough Jones DNA to clone another guitarist. Oh no, one Jonesey is enough or is it ?!

After a furious 14-song set, there wasn't much hanging around. The band had an overnight trip to Montreal ahead of them, and the bus wasn't going to wait on their destination to “Nowhere”. Jones still found time to sign a few items near the loading dock in the Boredom Bus before quietly calling it a night and taking some poor punter's pen with him. LOL. The cat burglar strikes again.

Back in 1976, the Sex Pistols helped strip rock music back to its raw essentials, mixing pub rock, glam, and attitude into something that unsettled just about everyone but for the indoctrinated. Fifty years later, nobody is calling the police or trying to shut the band down or kick them off the Thames. The outrage has long since faded, but the songs haven't. Hearing them performed by the musicians who helped create them was more than enough reason for a sold-out History crowd to celebrate another night of punk history. It’s only rock and roll, and I like it. We mean it maaaaannn.

Full Setlists

Panic Shack

1. Gok Wan
2. Thelma & Louise
3. Jiu Jits You
4. Girl Band Starter Pack
5. Grin & Bear It
6. The Ick
7. Tit School
8. Who's Got My Lighter?
9. Pockets

Sex Pistols feat. Frank Carter

1. Holidays in the Sun
2. Seventeen
3. New York
4. Pretty Vacant
5. Bodies
6. (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone (Paul Revere & the Raiders cover)
7. Liar (dedicated to Panic Shack)
8. God Save the Queen
9. No Fun (The Stooges cover – with band introductions)
10. No Feelings
11. Problems
12. My Way (Paul Anka / Sid Vicious version)
13. E.M.I.
14. Anarchy in the U.K.

https://www.sexpistolsofficial.com/

https://panicshack.bandcamp.com/album/panic-shack

Social Distortion, Descendents, The Chats

History (Toronto) – September 14, 2026

The crowd at History showed just how much punk’s demographic has shifted over the years. The room was clearly split: veterans who grew up on Social Distortion and Descendents stood shoulder-to-shoulder with younger kids who got into the genre through The Chats—a weird contrast against History’s polished, venue-security-heavy atmosphere.

The Chats

The Chats wasted no time, ripping through a 14-song set in under 30 minutes. Songs like “Billy Backwash’s Day,” “Panic Attack,” “6L GTR,” and “Ticket Inspector” came rapid-fire with almost zero breaths (asthma-prone patrons reaching for their puffers) between them, packing the band's usual pub-punk energy and blue-collar humour.

The biggest reaction of their set came when “Smoko” rolled right into “Pub Feed,” triggering a singalong with the indoctrinated. It’s a track that has taken on a life of its own over the last few years, complete with that bizarre cover by Australian kids' group The Wiggles (which I had the gulp-pleasure of seeing from a fifth-row vantage point).

Descendents

Descendents came out next with a 25-song run, starting with “Everything Sux,” “Hope,” and “I Don’t Want to Grow Up.”

Milo Aukerman remains the antithesis of a traditional frontman. Wearing a Descendents water bottle slung over his shoulder like a cross-body bag, he guzzled water between bursts while sprinting through short, fast cuts like “Coffee Mug.”

Even if a few old, balding heads were holding out for early songs like “Kabuki Girl” or “I’m Not a Loser,” tracks like “Suburban Home” and “Bikeage” carried the set easily. True to form, as soon as they wrapped up, Milo walked out near the side stage to hang out with punters, take pictures, and watch Social D’s set from the floor—breaking down the barrier between fan and performer in true punk fashion.

Social Distortion

Mike Ness took the stage with the presence and confidence you'd expect from someone who has spent over 40 years fronting the band.

Ness walked out wearing a black shirt, white pants and white shoes—a nod to Ian Dury’s “Sweet Gene Vincent” ("White face, black shirt / White socks, black shoes") that prompted a laugh from me for almost getting the formula right (and no, I didn’t inspect his socks even from my vantage point).

Between songs, Ness talked about his family ties to Canada, noting that his mother’s side goes back years in Nova Scotia. He joked about being an “expat” who might end up moving back North, offered a direct apology on behalf of his country for the current U.S. administration, threw in some political commentary directed across Lake Ontario, and dropped his usual reworked "Humpty Dumpty" rhyme: “...couldn't put that motherfucker back together again!”

Armed with his Gibson Les Paul Goldtop, Ness led the band through core tracks like “Mommy’s Little Monster,” “Prison Bound,” and “Story of My Life.” They closed out the night with a three-song encore of “Reach for the Sky,” “Dear Lover,” and “Don’t Drag Me Down.”

It was a solid three-generation lineup. The Chats brought raw Australian pub-rock, Descendents brought their hyper-caffeinated nerd-punk, and Social Distortion tied it together with their classic rockabilly roots rock and roll-punk mix. Even if venues today feel a lot cleaner than the dives these bands started in, the crowd reaction proved the music still connects the same way.

P.S. Mike Ness will pose for pictures with your dog.

Band Websites

• The Chats: Official Website

• Descendents: Official Website

• Social Distortion: Official Website