Venice Beach band Who Cares were after an illegal post-Vans Warped Tour show drew a huge crowd, police response, and a helicopter.
Venice Beach rock trio Who Cares were arrested Sunday night after playing an unauthorised street show outside Vans Warped Tour in Long Beach. The band set up at the intersection of Pine Avenue and Bay Street near the Pike Outlets shortly after the second day of the festival wrapped, drawing a large crowd before being shut down by police.
Frontman Omar Sandlin, 29, said the band had played the same spot the night before without issue. But Sunday’s crowd was “significantly bigger,” and tensions escalated quickly after Sandlin shouted “f*ck the cops” before launching into the final song of the set.
“[Police] were like, ‘Dude, we were going to be cool with you until you did that,’” Sandlin said. “That’s pretty on brand for a pig to even say that dumb sh*t to me.”
According to Long Beach Police Department, officers responded around 10:15 p.m. to a “large crowd, which spilled into the southbound lanes of Pine Street,” obstructing traffic after Vans Warped Tour crowds began to exit the Shoreline Waterfront location.
Video from the scene shows a heavy police presence, with a helicopter reportedly circling overhead. The band said they didn’t hear any orders to shut it down due to the crowd noise and their equipment.
After finishing their 30-minute set, Sandlin, bassist Elijah Napuri (27), and drummer Julian Crawford (15) were arrested. Crawford was cited for disturbing the peace and obstructing a crosswalk, and released to a parent. Sandlin and Napuri were booked on multiple charges including disturbing the peace and conducting an unpermitted event, according to the LBPD. Former drummer Abi Cruz, who rejoined the band briefly for a few songs, was not arrested.
The band’s van and gear were impounded, and Sandlin said it’ll cost about $400USD to retrieve. A court date has been set for October 1.
Footage of the arrest spread quickly online, with many praising the band’s defiance. “Punk’s not dead,” one user wrote. Another called them “the punkiest band of the Warped Tour (and they weren’t even in the lineup).”
It’s not Who Cares’ first rogue appearance. Last year they performed outside Aftershock festival in Sacramento. Sandlin said the band is just continuing a long-standing DIY tradition (and one that’s been intertwined with Warped Tour for decades). “We’re definitely not the first,” he said. “We can’t be taking credit for stuff people’ve been doing since the fucking ’90s. But it’s cool to keep carrying the torch.”
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