Festival Pass is a weekly newsletter that lands in your inbox on Thursdays during Southern California’s prime music festival season (April-November). When we cover festivals in the field, you get bonus editions, too! Subscribe now.
Festival Pass for Thursday, Oct. 4
When I grow up I want to be Sammy Hagar. Seriously, the Red Rocker is always having THAT MUCH FUN.
Even though he’s been very successful as a musician and a businessman, the thing I always appreciate about Sammy is that he has never forgotten his humble roots in Fontana. When he’s in town he still drives down his old street (it’s changed a lot) and he even recently appeared in a lip-sync video for “I Can’t Drive 55” with the Fontana Police Department. One time when we were talking about where I lived in Riverside, he started asking me if I had met his sister’s kids and their families, who also live in town. (I hadn’t, but they sound like lovely people.) He always makes things very comfortable and fun as an interview subject — and he’s a great quote.
After years of phone interviews, I finally met Sammy in person a couple of years ago at a super fancy hotel in Pasadena when he was talking about the debut of his TV show “Rock & Roll Road Trip.” Many times, interviewees just want to get it over with, but not Sammy. Even after the recorder was off, he kept telling me stories and jokes and we talked about rum and cooking and the restaurant business. And like all of our interviews over the years, it was just really fun.
This weekend he’s getting into the festival fray with the High Tide Beach Party and Car Show in Huntington Beach. The lineup is eclectic (Reel Big Fish AND REO Speedwagon?!?!), but you know Sammy knows how to throw a party. Just don’t overdo it on the tequila.
Amphitheater in Devore on Saturday, Oct. 6.
(Photo by Willy Sanjuan, Associated Press)
Jammin’ in Devore: Cal Jam is back and if you went last year you know it was rad beyond being able to get a selfie atop Dave Grohl’s rock throne. Foo Fighters guitarists Chris Shiflett and Pat Smear talked to us about Cal Jam ’17 and what’s in store for this year. We also caught up with Shirley Manson of Garbage about the power of guitars and the fellas from Greta Van Fleet talked about their debut on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.”
Back to the beach: When Sammy Hagar was growing up in Fontana, he and his friends would go to Huntington Beach when they had gas money. Now he’s throwing a festival there.“This is really what I love. I love to eat tacos, drink tequila, jump on stage, play music, walk on the beach, jump in the water,” Hagar said in an interview. Don’t we all?Also, you can see the black Ferrari BB512i Hagar drove in the original “I Can’t Drive 55” music video and we heard Eddie Money is going to stop by, too.
If you’re a picker and a grinner: The Huck Finn Jubilee is back after a hiatus with new owners, but there’s plenty of bluegrass to go around Ontario this weekend. Here’s who’s playing and what you need to know about tickets.
Another week, another new festival: The Adult Swim Festival makes its debut in Los Angeles this weekend with Run the Jewels, Thundercat, Mastodon and more. Get to know what’s going on with this fest.
And now for a little something extra…Here are three must-reads on entertainment, culture and events we think you might like.
- Linda Ronstadt is coming to Cerritos and L.A. this week and while the legendary vocalist can no longer sing, she still has plenty to say.
- Did you ever think about how the perfect taco has all of the food groups? It’s National Taco Day and you still have time to get a free one.
- Splurging on the $300-$400 VIP tickets for Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights? Here’s what you get.
Get Festival Pass delivered to your inbox weekly.