Circle Jerks in Los Angeles

About Circle Jerks

Circle Jerks formed in Los Angeles in 1980, emerging from the hardcore punk scene with a sound that was deliberately abrasive and confrontational. Fronted by Keith Morris, the band combined the raw energy of punk with a sneering attitude toward everything—religion, authority, mainstream culture. Their debut album Group Sex became a cornerstone of LA hardcore, establishing them as uncompromising players in a scene that valued authenticity over accessibility. Throughout the 80s and beyond, they refused to soften their approach, maintaining a reputation for caustic lyrics and sonic intensity. I Don't Care became their most recognizable track, a perfect encapsulation of their ethos. The band has broken up and reformed multiple times, but their influence on hardcore and alternative rock remains undeniable. They're the kind of band that inspired countless others to embrace antagonism as an artistic statement.

Circle Jerks shows are violent, chaotic affairs where the pit is mandatory and the crowd is genuinely hostile. Keith Morris stalks the stage like he's looking for a fight. People dive, collide, and get up to do it again. It's not entertainment theater—it's confrontation.

Known for I Don't Care, Group Sex, Golden Shower of Hits, Religious Vomit, Deny Everything

Circle Jerks + Los Angeles

Circle Jerks played Gardena Cinema in Los Angeles on November 22, 2025, ripping through 24 songs in what was probably 45 minutes. They opened with Repo Man and barely paused -- Deny Everything, Letterbomb, Back Against the Wall, and I Just Want Some Skank all flew by. Beverly Hills got the hometown treatment, and Under the Gun and Coup d'etat kept the aggression high. The back half was a who's who of hardcore classics: Wild in the Streets, World Up My Ass, Wasted, Depression. Fix Me (a Black Flag cover) and Nervous Breakdown showed up late, and they closed with Question Authority.

Circle Jerks in Los Angeles News

• Pennywise Announce 2026 West Coast Run With Circle Jerks and H2O That Eric Alper · Feb 24, 2026
• Circle Jerks reissue seminal 1983 LP, announce 2026 co-headlining tour The Music Universe · Nov 14, 2025
• Circle Jerks Share First Song From Remastered 'Golden Shower of Hits' antiMusic · Sep 18, 2025
• Circle Jerks announce 'Golden Shower of Hits' deluxe reissue BrooklynVegan · Sep 18, 2025
• Circle Jerks announce Keith Morris 70th birthday show w/ Ceremony, Rocket from the Crypt & Negative Approach BrooklynVegan · Apr 21, 2025

Live Music in Los Angeles

Los Angeles's punk and hardcore legacy is inseparable from Circle Jerks. The city's underground venues and DIY ethos spawned the sound they helped perfect, and decades later, that strain of irreverent, fast, and unpolished punk still runs through the local music scene. They're coming home to a city that shaped them.

Los Angeles road trip to see Circle Jerks?

Stay in Los Feliz, where you can walk tree-lined streets and catch views from Griffith Observatory. Dinner at Republique in the Arts District—refined French-inspired food in a restored factory space that feels more Paris than LA. Spend an afternoon at the Huntington Library in San Marino, a world-class art collection that justifies the drive. The city's recording studio history is everywhere; walk through Hollywood and you're literally surrounded by the spaces where hits were made. End the night at a jazz bar like The Fonda Theatre or catch live music on Sunset Boulevard.