Colorful hair, arms and legs full of tattoos, lobster costumes, fishnets and Doc Martens may seem like a collection of images from a fever dream – yet, it characterized the sea of people gathered under the scorching Oakland sun for Mosswood Meltdown. Donning a lineup spanning from young punks to legends in the scene, the weekend was bound to be as vivid and bright as the outfits of its attendees.
The intriguing festival ticket – boasting the B-52s and Mummies as headliners with the inimitable John Waters as host – did not even begin to capture the magic and joy of the 2-day party. From vintage clothing vendors to record store pop-ups and free whiskey tastings, the Meltdown featured something for every kind of festival-goer. Despite only presenting one stage as opposed to the usual two due to construction in the park, attendees still filled the grassy lawn with their picnic blankets and unbridled enthusiasm.
The music, however, was of course what made this year’s Mosswood Meltdown spectacular. Saturday’s festivities kicked off with San Francisco outfit Hot Laundry, a girl-garage delight. Later, Pansy Division delivered a bratty, high-octane thrash set with a side of political commentary. Lead singer Jon Ginoli denounced homophobia with tongue-in-cheek lyrics like “He whipped my a*** in tennis, then I f****d his a**”. The playful number was followed by a drag contest that was equal parts filthy and fabulous; local queen Peaches Christ hosted and John Waters judged.
As the sun tirelessly beat down on the park, Seth Bogart’s Hunx and His Punx were introduced by Waters as “The Mosswood Mouseketeers”. Beach balls sporting thongs were released into the crowd as the doo-wop-meets-Clash-at the beach-esque quartet rocked out.
Mosswood Meltdown 2024
Finally the sun began to dip and the sky turned from blue to orange. Unsurprisingly, the park had filled out with a swarm of people in anticipation of new-wave legends the B-52s. From young children to contemporaries of the band, not a soul appeared unenthused for the set.
After what seemed like ages of waiting, legends Fred Schneider, Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson took to the stage. Kate sparkled in her sequined dress and fire engine red hair, while Cindy shone in her black leather ensemble. Fred wore a classic suit and his sunglasses; thus, the trio looked just as hip and stylish as they were five decades ago.
Comedian Fred Armisen introduced the band in a short video, and the 1979 hit “Planet Claire” followed suit. Despite not having performed in the Bay since 2022, and reeling from their recent Vegas residency, the trio sounded incredible. Pierson’s vocals at age 76 were as clear and sharp as they were 47 years ago. Wilson, 67, energetically sang and played bongos, while Schneider, 73, commanded the crowd with a cool confidence. The dazzling disco dance party raged on with hits like “Lava” and “Give Me Back My Man”.
Midway through the delightful set list, Schneider stepped back to allow Wilson and Pierson to shine through girl-powered tracks “52 Girls”, “Roam”, and “Deadbeat Club”. As the sun finally tucked in below the horizon, Schneider returned to the stage with Wilson exclaiming “There’s our favorite party crasher!”
The party indeed charged on, and the colorful flashing lights turned the Mosswood Meltdown lawn into a cosmic dance floor of the ages. The trio teased their 1989 single “Love Shack” as their last song, but of course delivered the sizzling slasher “Rock Lobster” as their real conclusion. No two feet were left standing still by the end of the set, and smiles beamed all around. The vibrant legacy of the legendary 52s clearly lives on, and fans left thrilled at the prospect of day 2.
Mosswood Meltdown’s Sunday afternoon was a slightly sleepier affair, with festival-goers drained from the sun and energy of Saturday’s festivities. Still, spirits remained high.
Oakland outfit Gumby’s Junk were an unexpected favorite of the weekend. Math rock sensibilities and air-tight drumming gathered hoards of people near the stage, despite the midday temperatures.
Space Lady was next on deck, a personal years-long favorite of mine. Once a street performer on the Boston and San Francisco scenes and armed with her Casio MT-40, The Space Lady remains a singular, otherworldly dream. Reverberated, ethereal vocals and swirling synths floated through the afternoon air with ease.
Hailing from Austin, Texas, femme power quartet Die Spitz took the stage next. Despite sporting sweet 60s style prairie dresses, their stage presence was loud and aggressive. Bombarding the audience with a wall of sound, Die Spitz contained all the punk-rock ethos of the late 70s with a sharp and forward-facing sound. Needless to say, they were an instant highlight.
At this point in the day, my crew and I had to take a brief interlude to account for sun sickness. Our temperate San Diego summers were no match for the Oakland scorch, so we indulged in some much needed R&R in the shade while Egyptian Lover threw a dance party in the distance.
While we had hoped to stay for renowned San Bruno headliners the Mummies, a combination of heat exhaustion and/or food poisoning had completely taken me out. Even on my very queasy drive home, all I could think about was how joyful and fulfilling the weekend had been.
From discovering new, exciting acts to seeing lifelong heroes in the flesh, I couldn’t help but feel like I was waking up from a blissful dream. It may have been my first Mosswood Meltdown, but it will hardly be my last. Special thanks to every artist, festival organizer, vendor and fellow attendee for helping to create a memory that I will always keep tucked in a special corner of my heart. Until next year, punks!
