Smashing Pumpkins, AFI, The Interrupters, Thirty Seconds to Mars and more got KROQ fans in the holiday spirit on Saturday night.
It’s that time of year again, when the Fabulous Forum in Inglewood becomes even more magical as its exterior is shrouded with brilliant red and green light and a towering Christmas tree greets patrons in the parking lot.
Thousands of fans filed into the venue Saturday night,, Dec. 8 for the sold-out night one of the 29th annual KROQ 106.7/FM Almost Acoustic Christmas which featured sets by the Smashing Pumpkins, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Third Eye Blind, Greta Van Fleet, Bad Religion, AFI, The Interrupters, AJR, Badflower and KROQ’s own DJ Jeremiah Red.
Here are five highlights from the show, which continues on Sunday with performances by Florence + The Machine, Death Cab For Cutie, Bastille, Mike Shinoda, Billie Eilish, Young the Giant, Chvrches, Mike Posner and Lovelytheband.
THE INTERRUPTERS RISE UP
The Los Angeles-based ska/punk band has had a phenomenal year and the quartet celebrated its success during its quick seven-song set. “We’re from L.A. so this means everything,” guitarist Kevin Bivona said, clearly relishing in the milestone moment. The band thanked KROQ for adding its single, “She’s Kerosene” into regular rotation and got the crowd pumped early on in the evening with songs such as “A Friend Like Me” and “Take Back the Power.” The group brought out friend, producer and Rancid vocalist-guitarist Tim Armstrong for a cover of Rancid’s “Time Bomb.” He even stuck around for “Family.”
GRETA VAN FLEET STEAL THE SHOW
This throwback rock quartet from Michigan has had a very interesting year. Despite a lot of critics completely destroying the band’s album, “Anthem of the Peaceful Army,” the group managed to earn four Grammy nominations this week. The members really don’t seem to care at all about the criticism or the barrage of complaints that they’re directly ripping off Led Zeppelin.
