The Westville Music Bowl was filled with 90's vibes and smiling faces as Sublime closed out their summer tour at the tennis stadium turned concert venue in New Haven, CT last Saturday. The stage had no shortage of over-sized inflatable objects, like a dalmatian and a chair, flanking their performance. Led by relatively new front man Jacob Nowell, who is the son of the original front man Bradley Nowell, the band delighted the crowd with their ska, punk and reggae derived originals, as well as a brand new single. The Interrupters and The Bouncing Souls provided support.
The New England weather was picture-perfect as The Bouncing Souls took the stage. The punk rock quartet from Basking Ridge, NJ opened their set with crowd favorite "Hopeless Romantic." Front man Greg Attonito delivered energized vocals as the band forged through edgy melodies. A small mosh pit assembled in the middle of the floor, which was only about half full at this point. The band also ripped into "True Believers", from their 2001 release How I Spent My Summer Vacation.
Hailing from sunny Los Angeles, CA, The Interrupters were up next. Vibrant front-woman Aimee Allen had a commanding energy that conveyed positivity and power. Her performance felt like a mix of Joan Jett and Gwen Stefani. She and her band-mates rotated around and jumped from lifted platforms as they performed ska and punk rock tunes that were complemented by trombonist Billy Kottage. The crowd loved "Title Holder," from their 2018 album Fight the Good Fight. The quintet performed "Your Love" by The Outfield with the fans locked into a sing-a-long. They also played "Family," which was co-written with Tim Armstrong of Rancid. Their set wrapped up with another raging tune from Fight the Good Fight, "She's Kerosene."
After a short break, two over-sized inflatable dalmatians appeared on either side of the stage, along with a chair and a naked man holding a beer. After these props were in place, the band from Long Beach, CA emerged with original members Eric Wilson (bass) and Bud Gaugh (drums), as well as Nowell, Trey Pangborn (guitar), DJ Product, and Zane Vandevort (guitar). They wasted no time, and dove into "Garden Grove" from their 1996 self-titled release. "40 oz. to Freedom" followed, as did Wilson's adorable dog Melvin who came on stage for a game of catch, and remained there for most of the show.
Nowell hopped into the photo pit to sing "Waiting for my Ruca," much to the delight of the fans. "Right Back" preceded a block of covers that started with "The Ballad of Johnny Butt" by Secret Hate and "House of Suffering" by Bad Brains. The covers rolled on with the iconic "Smoke Two Joints" by The Toyes, which appeared on their 1992 album 40 oz to Freedom. DJ Product got into the action with overdubbed samples during "Doin' Time." "April 29, 1992 (Miami)" and "Romeo" were up next.
Before diving into "Wrong Way," Vandevort jumped in on guitar to allow Nowell to run around the stage, as they had been doing since the start of the set. He is Nowell's guitar tech and business partner, as they own the record label SVNBVRNT Records. The band found their way into the reggae inspired "Feel Like That," which was a collaboration they did with Stick Figure in 2024. This song had a melodic beat courtesy of Gaugh.
Nowell dedicated "Badfish" to all the lovers, before taking a flying leap through the air midway during the song. He was quite aerial despite not having platforms like The Interrupters. The reggae vibes continued with with their newly released single, "Ensenada." The quintessential "What I Got" had even the most casual fan belting out those famous lyrics. Afterwards, Nowell contemplated what to play in the remaining fifteen minutes with the band and audience. The band ultimately decided to play the next two songs, "Burritos" and "Same In the End", faster so they could finish them before the curfew. The show ended with a bang as they played their classic original, "Santeria."
Sublime brought some serious heat during the dog days of August at the legendary Westville Music Bowl. They are back in action on September 12 at Marymoor Park in Redmond, WA, followed by an appearance at the Sea.Hear.Now Music Festival in Asbury Park, NJ on September 13-14. Head on over to their tour page for more dates on the ledger.
As the summer winds down, so do the remaining number of outdoor shows. The Westville Music Bowl has only three shows left on the schedule for 2025, starting with Lake Street Dive on September 5th. Haim (September 9th) and Dwight Yoakam (September 11th) will close out the season. Keep tabs on their show listing for upcoming 2026 announcements.
Check out more photos from the show!
Band: Sublime
Venue: Westville Music Bowl
Location: New Haven, CT
Date: August 23, 2025
Setlist: Garden Grove, 40oz. to Freedom, 5446 That's My Number / Ball and Chain, Waiting for My Ruca, Right Back, The Ballad of Johnny Butt [1], House of Suffering [2], Smoke Two Joints [3], Doin' Time, April 29, 1992 (Miami), Romeo, Wrong Way, Prince of Sin [4], Greatest Hits, Feel Like That [5], STP, Hope [6], Badfish, Jailhouse, Ensenada, What I Got, Burritos, Same in the End, Santeria
Notes:
1. Secret Hate
2. Bad Brains
3. The Toyes
4. Falling Idols
5. Stick Figure
6. Descendants
