Live Shows: Social Distortion | Phoenix
Phoenix, AZ - Arizona Financial Theatre - August 25, 2026
Social Distortion kicked off their “Born To Kill” world tour with a sold-out show at Arizona Financial Theatre on August 25th, 2026.
The band was joined by Australian punks The Chats and power pop/punk rock legends the Descendents.
“We’re The Chats from Queensland Australia” said bassist and frontman Eamon Sandwith before launching into “Billy Backwash’s Day.” Sandwith, along with guitarist Josh Hardy and drummer Matt Boggis, delivered a lean, mean set filled with old school punk attitude. Highlights from the set included “Dead on Site,” “Panic Attack,” and “Better Than You.”
Whether you classify them as surf punk, power pop, or punk rock, there’s no denying the Descendents write great songs. For the second set of the night, the band treated fans to some of their greatest. Iconic vocalist Milo Aukerman lead the band through a 25-song set that spanned 7 albums, including the classic “Milo Goes to College.” Legendary drummer Bill Stevenson (Black Flag, All) and bassist Karl Alvarez provided the foundation for Stephen Egerton’s guitar. Standout tracks included “Myage,” “I’m The One,” and “Suburban Home.” The full set list is available here.
There was electricity in the air and the sold out crowd was ready for Social Distortion. “Social D! Social D! Social D!,” chanted the crowd. The house lights went dark and David Bowie’s “Rebel, Rebel” ushered Jonny “Two Bags” Winnaker onto the stage. Silhouettes moved across the stage before the house lights came on to reveal Mike Ness and company.
The 14-song set included music that spanned the band’s 48-year career. Highlights included “Mommy’s Little Monster,” “Ball and Chain,” and “Story of My Life.” Near the halfway point, Ness paused briefly to pay tribute to a recently departed icon.
“For Dolly,” said Ness as the opening notes of “The Way Things Were” rang out.
Social Distortion added a 3-song encore that consisted of “Reach for the Sky,” “Dear Lover,” and “Don’t Drag Me Down.”
The tour next heads to Texas, with dates in Austin and Dallas. The 32-date run also includes stops in Nashville, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles. Tickets are available at https://www.socialdistortion.com/.
