Three powerhouse names on the same bill is a rarity. To see The Bouncing Souls, The Interrupters, and Sublime sharing one night in Brooklyn felt like a stacked festival lineup squeezed into a single evening. Punk and ska collided inside the Great Hall at Avant Gardner, proving why these bands command such devoted followings.

THE BOUNCING SOULS

It’s not often you see The Bouncing Souls opening, but they approached the slot with the same energy they’d bring to any headliner stage. Their set leaned on fan favorites, trimmed down for time, but no less impactful. The Souls have that uncanny ability to make even a shortened set feel like a communal sing-along, and the crowd wasted no time shouting back every word to “Lean On Sheena,” “Gone,” and more.

THE INTERRUPTERS

From the first notes, The Interrupters had the spacious music hall bouncing. Their ska-punk energy and sharp delivery lifted the spirits of a Brooklyn crowd that had grown restless from the venue’s quirky setup and long queues. With bright lights, relentless movement, and Aimee Interrupter leading the charge, the band kept the crowd fully engaged.

SUBLIME

Even before the music started, Sublime’s Long Beach roots were baked into the stage design: “Beware of Dog” and “Wrong Way” signs were tucked into corners, surf-and-street visuals looping on giant screens, and yes—the band’s mascot-in-residence, a rottweiler named Melven, roamed the stage, keeping fans and photographers entertained as crew and even security tossed a tennis ball back and forth both before and during the set.

The set started later than expected, but when Jakob and the rest of Sublime finally walked out, the place erupted. The SoCal aesthetic came alive through vibrant graphics and video backdrops, celebrating the band’s legacy and lasting impact on a generation of music lovers. Shoulder to shoulder, fans sang like they’d been waiting decades for Sublime’s resurgance,—now with Bradley Nowell’s son at the helm.

As a nerdy, awkward teen, Sublime’s mix of ska, punk, and all the stuff parents hated felt like a secret code among friends. Watching them live in Brooklyn years later, that same rush hit me again.

VENUE STRUGGLES

If the music was untouchable, the venue was anything but. Originally booked at Brooklyn Mirage, the show was relocated after the venue’s unfinished construction, failed inspections, and eventual bankruptcy. The fallout was felt all night. From the clunky, redundant tap-to-pay wristband check-in system, to visible arguments between house staff and security over VIP and backstage access, to a medical crew that seemed both understaffed and undertrained—the mismanagement was impossible to ignore. At one point, an intoxicated fan surrounded by medics collapsed and hit his head simply because no one thought to steady him.

For photographers, fans, and even the bands, these issues created an uneasy backdrop. The irony was sharp: three acts that can unite a crowd through sheer joy and energy, set against a venue that seemed one step away from chaos.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Musically, this was a night that delivered beyond expectation. The Bouncing Souls, The Interrupters, and Sublime each brought their own flavor, together forming a lineup you’d see plastered on a festival poster. But the venue issues left a sour taste. The Avant Gardner entertainment complex has potential, but if nights like this are any indication, serious changes are needed. Because when a crowd is this energized and a lineup is this good, mismanagement isn’t just frustrating—it can be dangerous.

Would I see these bands again? Absolutely, in a heartbeat. At this venue? That’s going to take some thought.

SUBLIME | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE