One thing about me? I’m gonna snag a ticket to the Ramones 50th anniversary tribute concert before it sells out in 24 hours. And I did. Apparently when it comes to music, my survival instincts kick in.
Cut to a month or so later, at the tail end of a Los Angeles heat wave, and I find myself walking into Hollywood Forever Cemetery on August 30 at 6:15 p.m. It’s gorgeous out. Blue sky, a little sun still hanging around and miraculously a soft breeze. This feels important to mention since everyone in LA has been complaining about the weather lately. And really, what better day to see a whole lot of Ramones T-shirts and punk rockers in leather jackets?
I snag a spot front and center and settle in.
To the right of the stage, Shepard Fairey is DJing Fugazi, Ramones, Misfits, etc. The vibe feels right. Palm trees line the blue sky, blankets and picnics spread across the lawn, and I genuinely love looking around at the people. I see families, kids, Gen Xers, really people of every age and aesthetic, from eclectic and punk to casual and fashion-forward. And honestly, not nearly as old a crowd as you might expect. Everyone together, enjoying the same environment and excited for what’s to come.
By 6:58, Linda Ramone gets onstage with John Travolta to introduce the band. Linda is always a hoot. Her accent gives me east coast familial vibes. And John Travolta? Wow. He looks amazing. We need the skincare routine, stat.
They give a little speech, and Travolta cracks a perfectly appropriate cemetery joke about people “dying to get in here.” He gets the laugh. It’s cute.
Then it’s time for the Cretin Family: CJ Ramone, Travis Barker, Tim Armstrong and Billie Joe Armstrong.
They launch straight into “Durango 95” before Billie Joe announces the band, but what mesmerizes me right off the bat is Barker on drums. Man, he can play. And Tim Armstrong with that iconic raspy voice? So good. It hits a core memory.
Soon after, one of my favorite moments of the night happens. There’s a little girl in the crowd fist-pumping and dancing to “Do You Wanna Dance?” Almost immediately after I have that adorable observation, the song ends and Billie Joe basically says the exact sentiment I was thinking: he’s going to play “Do You Wanna Dance?” one more time because the Ramones would want to see the kids dancing more.
And they do.
And I do.
And the crowd does.
CJ Ramone belts out the next song, and then the guest appearances begin. I’m curious if one person in particular is going to pop up (he usually does) and sure enough, the first guest is Fred Armisen.
Honestly, this is too cool. I’m grinning ear to ear and dancing as respectfully as possible because it is packed.
While Fred sings, the crowd is fairly chill, mostly admiring, recording and swaggering a little to the beat. Fred does his song and, just like that, he’s already offstage.
Next comes “Sheena Is a Punk Rocker,” and soon after that, another guest: Green Day instrumentalist Jason Freese, who shows up on sax for “Do You Remember Rock ’n’ Roll Radio”.
At one point, my friend grabs my shoulders. I assume it’s because she needs to gush about what we’re seeing before our very eyes.
No.
She noticed we were both wearing leopard print.
Naturally, we gush over that. Gotta have a cute girlfriend moment with our unintentionally coordinated outfits.
And speaking of stylish fits, Linda Ramone stays stage right with Shepard Fairey and others at the DJ booth throughout the night, wearing a snazzy purple sparkly outfit and a big hat. She’s always a fun sight to see, and we have to respect punk rock royalty. Travolta too, looking suave in his beret and leather jacket, giving off the energy of a man who could either introduce a band or fashionably steal a motorcycle.
Back in the crowd, things are starting to pick up. There’s actually a little pit now. Well, a pit of people waving their hands and clapping. We’re getting there.
Next special guests: The Linda Lindas. A band of what looks like teens. They sing “California Sun,” and they’re very energetic and, dang, they get to rock out onstage with these legends! …They don’t need the “cute kids playing with legends” qualifier though. They bring an entirely new energy of their own. Sharing mics, arms around each other, skanking, shimmying. I immediately make a mental note that I need to look them up on Instagram.
Immediately, I do. 400K followers. Yeah, that tracks.
Next, they sing “I Wanna Be Sedated,” and the crowd loves it. Hands up, clapping, fully supportive.
The Cretin Family resumes and someone starts crowd surfing during “Surfin’ Bird” bird, bird, bird, bird is the word, and alright. The irony is not lost on me, and now we’re officially poppin’.
They keep announcing special guests. Who is the next one going to be?
Well, this is where I start screaming.
BILLY F—ING IDOL COMES OUT. A LEGEND.
He sings “Beat on the Brat.” Then “Ready Steady Go.”
All phones are up. People are freaking out.
Me. I am people.
Oh I just love him. I have a Generation X poster that I’ve owned since high school, still hanging on my hallway wall to prove it. My credentials here are solid. I promise you.
We get three songs with Billy, including “Blitzkrieg Bop,” which rings out through Hollywood Forever.
After the final song, the whole band, including Billy, says their goodbyes and thank-yous. The energy is still up. We’re all elated not sedated, and I’m getting pats on the back from friends thanking me for the invite.
Honestly? This was epic.
The crowd definitely dissipates once the band leaves. Some people race out, presumably trying to get photos or autographs. Others, I guess, got exactly what they came for. I’d say roughly 50 percent of the crowd leaves almost immediately.
I, however, stick around for John Travolta and the screening of his film Propeller One-Way Night Coach. Because if you’re already spending the night at Hollywood Forever watching punk legends, why not add a screening to the itinerary? As a filmmaker and actor myself, I was inspired by it and I’m glad I stuck around.
Before we left, I asked my friend Jules for a quote summing up the evening. She said:
“So much fun. And that infamous Billy Idol snarl brought it home.” (Translation: it got us a lil wound up).
She’s right. And looking around all evening, maybe the coolest part was the sense of unity: all kinds of people gathered together to celebrate 50 years since the Ramones’ self-titled debut album, and with a shared love for a band that was so formative, and remains one of my personal favorites. Half a century later the Ramones are still bringing generations together to yell the same four words. Hey! Ho! Let’s go!
Hit Parader #9: The Beaches
September 2026 — $12.99
