The Queers in Cleveland

About The Queers

The Queers are a New Jersey pop punk band that formed in the late 80s and basically never stopped. They've built a weird, loyal following by doing what they do best: writing catchy, dumb, occasionally offensive songs about girls, drinking, and being broke. Their songs are deliberately simple and repetitive in a way that gets stuck in your head for days. They've released dozens of albums with almost no variance in their formula, which is either their greatest strength or a running inside joke depending on who you ask. Live, they move fast and sound tight despite deliberately playing stupid. They've never been cool or tried to be, which is maybe why they've outlasted a lot of their peers.

Tight, loud, and quick. The crowd moshing isn't aggressive—it's more chaotic and goofy. Lots of singing along to simple choruses. They play fast, finish songs in two minutes, and keep moving. It feels less like attending a concert and more like hanging out with people who happen to be playing instruments.

Known for Homework, Punk Rock Girl, Everything Goes, The Ramones, Killer Queers

The Queers + Cleveland

The Queers rolled through Cleveland on August 14, 2025 at The Foundry Concert Club, keeping things characteristically lean with a two-song set. They opened with "Fuck the World," the kind of blunt provocation that's been their calling card since the '80s New Jersey punk scene, then followed with "Ursula Finally Has Tits." The band's never been precious about their material—these stripped-down sets are part of their DNA. They've always treated Cleveland like any other stop: no fuss, no ceremony, just straight-ahead punk that doesn't apologize for its stupidity or its edge. It's the kind of show people either get or don't, and Cleveland's always been willing to show up for it.

The Queers in Cleveland News

• 10 things to do in the Leesburg/Lake County area this weekend Leesburg Daily Commercial · Oct 30, 2025
• The 100 greatest pop punk songs of all time Cleveland.com · Mar 2, 2022
• The Queers begin tour with Riot Fest late-night show tonight BrooklynVegan · Sep 14, 2017
• Parting Glances: What's Prologue Is Past Pride Source · Apr 20, 2017
• Before It Was Hingetown Belt Magazine · Jun 22, 2016

Live Music in Cleveland

Cleveland's punk lineage runs deep, from Pere Ubu's experimental noise to the Replacements' bar-room sincerity. The city's never been too cool to embrace the crude, the funny, and the deliberately dumb side of punk rock. Venues like The Foundry have carved out space for bands that operate outside mainstream currency—bands like The Queers, who prioritize honesty and humor over polish. It's a scene that rewards bands for playing it straight and keeping things real, which is exactly what The Queers do.

Cleveland road trip to see The Queers?

Stay in Ohio City, where Victorian brownstones meet serious coffee shops and galleries. Dinner at Fairmount, where chef Jonathon Sawyer sources locally and cooks with real technique—expect seasonal American food that doesn't announce itself. Spend an afternoon at the Cleveland Museum of Art, which is free and genuinely excellent. Walk through the West Side Market before the show, grab something you don't need, and feel the bones of the city. The whole neighborhood has that working-class dignity that makes Cleveland distinct.