The Adicts have been around since the late 70s, and they have not lost their touch. Lead by frontman Keith Warren, aka “Monkey,” The Addicts brought a perfect blend of punk and showmanship to the Mission Blvd stage. As I waited for their set to start, I chatted with a few of their die-hard fans who were posted up along the barricade and asked what to expect, this being my first experience with the band.

The consensus was clear: I was to expect a set specifically curated to be memorable, energetic, and theatrical, and that’s exactly what I got. The Band started strong with their song “Let’s Go,” immediately hitting the crowd with their theatrics, with lead vocalist Monkey Sporting a spade-inspired suit and a set of poke-a-dot wings. The energy never let off, and immediately after, they unleashed the energy with confetti and blew up bouncy balls to really get the crowd going.

Every time I looked back at the fans I had spoken to, the smiles and excitement never erased from their faces. The British-born band finished off their set with a punk rendition of “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” a usually mellow anthem that turned up to one thousand. As they serenaded the crowd, and the crowd serenaded them back, it proved to be the perfect ending to an amazing set. It's safe to say The Adicts are a band you can’t miss if they are ever on any festival lineup.  

Review & Photos by: Antonio Hernandez

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