The Mainliners Gave Me Tinnitus

It was Viva Pomona 2025. The first time I saw the Mainliners was viva Pomona 2023. They played at the “Diamond Plaza Stage”, the small plaza across the street from The Glasshouse. I remember seeing them then in 2023, and thinking to myself “Who are these Greasers?”, not knowing they would become one of my favorite bands by the time I saw them a second time. This time they were on the “Radical Stage”, now a bigger stage. It was still early in the Festival by the time we got there. Doors open at 4, we we there around 4:45. It was still early, just getting started, the energy was low… for now. There wasn’t much moshing, but as with most shows, that usually doesn’t start until after a few bands. The band “Futura” finished their set at 6, with the mainliners going on in 15 minutes. While they were still setting up, the crowd was quickly gathering in preparation for their set, including a grey haired OG punk in a mainliners T-shirt who had been waiting at the “Radical Stage” since we arrived . You could see that The Mainliners have grown significantly since their last appearance at Viva Pomona. About 2 minutes before they started, I readied my camera to get clips/ pics of their set, then… they started. Instantly I felt my entire body rumble from the bass. My ears were ringing. I noticed a pit formed just as I regained my bearings. More and more people joined in the pit, including Mike and Max, The Mainliners woke up Viva Pomona. I was taking pictures having a hard time staying still from the groove. Michael and Max were still in the pit, although, most people left the pit once they saw Mike. Happens every time, I don’t blame them lol. I went to the other side of the stage to get more footage. Now on the opposite side, my ears still ringing, my body still moving with the bass, the sound was inescapable. Halfway through their set I figured, I got enough footage, now I can get in the pit. On the next song I ran in the pit 2 stepping, I was pushing and getting pushed. In one moment, I got shoved from behind, knocking me off my feet sending me to the ground. I put my hands out to break my fall and to not land on my face. Bad idea. I saved my nose, but once I was lifted up by those around me, I felt a sting in both my wrists. Now Up, I continue on in the pit, moshing in the circle. After a few rotations in the pit, once again I got shoved, my ankle popped, and I land into a group of people. This time, the group of people broke my fall. Now I’m not exactly sure what happened, but once I got up, I saw someone laying on the floor seemingly in pain. People were trying to get him up, but the music was still playing, and the pit was still going. Once the song was over, a few people were able to lift him off the ground and carry him away from The Mainliners. As they pick him up, I notice my business cards laying on the ground beneath him. I quietly pick them up and head closer to the front of the stage. Ankle now hurting, wrists hurting, and my ears begging for silence, I was at the front of the stage, just in time for “Jesusita”. I decided at this point it would be a good idea to stay out of the pit for now. Though being in the front has its own challenges. Being adjacent to the pit I’m still getting pushed around, but now with the stage blocking me from crashing into more folks. After “Jesusita” it was time for their last song “No Mas Tequila”. They brought up a couple people to sing with them including the lead singer of the Whoremones. As soon as the guitar played the opening riff, you could see everyone getting hyped and ready. When they went into the full song, the crowd went wild. People were stage diving, you could see the pit was massive now the crowd moving as far back as they could. I had to dodge a few boots from people stage diving. I was singing along and so was everyone else. Towards the end of the song, Cash the lead singer, gets close to the front of the stage towards the crowd. You can see people rush to the front to scream the lyrics with him. Within this crowd I see mike yelling into the microphone to say “No Mas Tequila”. Once they finished, it went quiet. What started as inescapable sound that you could feel throughout your body was now gone. What wasnt gone unfortunately was the ringing in my ear. They may not have been playing anymore, but they left their mark. The next morning when I woke up, my ears were still ringing, and my wrists were still hurting. Even the day after, The Mainliners are inescapable.