by photojournalist Allison Davis
What a night for the Florida punk scene! February 14th at Jannus Live wasn’t just a Valentine’s Day date; it was a high love letter to ’90s ska and pop-punk. This show was one I jumped on as soon as it was announced, despite the fact that my day was going to be a full one. It started with a 5:00 am wake-up call to sling honey all day I double as a beekeeper at one of our largest local markets of the year! I honestly didn’t know how I was going to make it through the night.
Thankfully, Jannus happened to be just a couple of blocks away, which made the transition from one job to another a breeze. As always, I stopped by my usual pre-show perch for a much needed boost of fuel before my second wind kicked in. I walked my butt up to will call only to find the guest list was a bit chaotic that night and my name was not there. Clearly, all was figured out, or I wouldn’t be writing this now!
Each time I walk into a show, especially when the bands are ones, I am very familiar with and fond of, I feel like I am crossing into another dimension. Everyone in the crowd clearly is in the same headspace, stoked to hear the music that fueled them through seasons of their lives. The last two shows I have photographed have had me ever impressed with the crowd of kids that were there loving the same music their parents do.
SULLVN
First up was Sullvn, a bonus feature to the evening I wasn’t expecting! They kicked off the night with a dose of let’s call it Motown infused with a bit of ska. Clearly a perfect start to the evening. After shooting my pics, as I always do, I did a lap around the venue to take it all in and check out the merch. I heard the familiar sounds of a song I know quite well: “The Impression That I Get.” One thing is, I was expecting to hear the voice of Robert “Sully” Sullivan; instead, the very familiar voice of Dicky Barrett (formerly of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones) rang through the Jannus courtyard.
A sudden surprise I certainly was not expecting! The first time I heard that voice live was at the Vans Warped Tour in 1997 at Boreal Ski Resort in California. So, even though the coffee hadn’t quite kicked in yet, I was realizing quickly I probably didn’t need it. The energy in that place kicked that second wind into full force. Dicky snapped some pics with fans after the show while I stood a mere 10 feet away a moment that seemed slightly surreal, making me think to myself: I can’t believe I get to do what I do.
ZEBRAHEAD
Next up, a favorite of mine: Zebrahead! This leg of the tour for them was kicked off with an unexpected health event as their guitarist/vocalist Ben Osmundson suffered a heart attack in late January or early February 2026, requiring emergency surgery to place a stent and in need of quadruple bypass surgery. However, in true Zebrahead fashion, Ben was there in spirit as a cardboard cutout picturing him in a hospital gown with his guitar. This playfulness and energy are some of the reasons I love them. Their set included bubbles and even a blow-up raft that crowd surfed (with someone in it) at one point. They dedicated the song “Hello Tomorrow” to former guitarist Greg Bergdorf, whom I later found out from his Instagram post had filmed himself singing a snippet of that song from the audience.
UNWRITTEN LAW
Unwritten Law was next up. Scott Russo and the crew delivered that continued burst of energy, throwing in all of their massive sing-along worthy songs like “Seein’ Red” and “Up All Night.” I literally was feeding off the energy of these bands. They, in fact, were the reason I was not crashing out after the longest day ever. One thing I can say for sure is: when the crowd sings back, it 100% is fuel! Here we are in another surreal moment; as the song hit my ears, I am reminded of the times driving around for hours with friends listening to these songs, destination unknown.
GOLDFINGER
This brings us to the final band of the night: Goldfinger! Promoting their new album Nine Lives, which includes the track “Freaking Out a Bit” (featuring Mark Hoppus), the band defined themselves all over again. All these years later, the audience was right there with them as if these new tracks had been out for decades. The band featured a guest musician, Mike Herrera of MXPX, a band that has been on some of the dates on this tour and brings their own unique style to the stage.
The set also included John Feldmann calling for all the kids in the audience to take the stage with them a memory those families will be telling the story of at the dinner table for the rest of their lives. Ending the night with an encore, they played their version of “99 Red Balloons” as well as a version of Blur’s “Song 2.” The stage presence was chaotic in the best way possible, proving why they are still the anchors of the genre in 2026!
Music is the very thing that lights the fire for many of us! Every time I leave for the evening, I am reminded of this very thing. So remember at the end of the day, even if you are tired, know that the music can always bring you back to the days when life seemed lighter and nothing could stop you!
