Goldfinger hosted yet another sold-out show, this time at San Diego’s iconic venue SOMA on March 1. The guys were joined by a stacked lineup of legends to round out what was truly a fantastic Saturday Night in America’s finest city. The Vaticans, The Ataris, Mad Caddies and Slick Shoes all brought their own flair to the scene as we were transported back to the prime punk and ska of the 90’s.
The crowd gathered early speculating on any potential surprise guests they could be seeing tonight… perhaps San Diego local Tony Hawk? The legendary pro-skater came out with the band at San Diego’s Bayfest 2024 to sing the Tony Hawk Pro-Skater anthem “Superman”. The crowd had also gotten wind of the previous night that Spencer Charnas came out to guest vocal, so it was speculated he was guest appearing for both SoCal dates. As the lights dimmed, the crowd exploded for the set to come.
Goldfinger took the stage and dressed to impress with full suits and skanking shoes ready to play a fueled set to frontman John Feldman’s hometown. Most notably Mike Herrera, punk rock icon from MxPx, nonchalantly joined on bass mic’ed for vocals and staged adjacent to Feldmann filling out the stage for an aura of undeniable presence. The guys were pros, ready to rock, and knew just how to get the crowd going.
The band wasted no time and immediately surged into powerhouse hit “Get Up”, with the crowd responding justly so with a huge circle pit. Fans from all walks of life were instantly bonded like the synchronized jumps of lead guitarist/backing vocalist Charlie Paulson, rhythm guitarist Phil Sneed, Herrera and Feldmann. The energy persisted as the band nailed more hits like “Wallflower” and “A Million Miles.” The highlight came when Craig Mabbit of Escape the Fate joined the band for their cover of The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven,” leaving the crowd in awe for anyone who picked up on this insane genre-bending moment. Mabbit came through for harder screams of the song and delivered. It was absolutely phenomenal.
Looking around the venue, fans as young as 5 were alongside their punk-rock parents singing and celebrating a family favorite. Other friends and young adults gathered in the pit to live out the mosh pit, crowd surf fantasy that Goldfinger’s shows have infamously provided. Feldmann even took a moment to acknowledge the generational gathering they’ve inadvertently created and invited all the kids of the room to join the band on stage for “Maple”, followed by the loudest sing-along to date for “Superman.”
When it came down to the encore, we were blown away with remarkable covers and deep cuts, starting with Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” and “I’ll Be There For You” (Friend’s theme song). After 20C Goodbye and Miles Away, the evening concluded their newly released cover of “99 Red Balloons”, giving the audience that one last boost of adrenaline they needed for an all-out punk rock pit. We were left exhausted, happy and satisfied. Goldfinger has done it again and we’re already looking forward to the next one. Make sure you’re following these guys on all their socials so you get new tour announcements, you do not want to miss another Goldfinger show!
GALLERY: Goldfinger at SOMA in San Diego (March 1, 2025)
