Those who say that Rancid are the closest thing modern punk fans have to the Clash aren't far off: Since forming in 1991, the Berkeley band have churned out album after album of galvanizing punk music tinted with 2-tone ska, rockabilly-inflected hardcore and dub reggae. Unsurprisingly, Rancid's raucous, ebullient live shows have also helped the group cultivate a loyal fan base. Tim Armstrong's gruff vocals and the band's thrashing guitars are a throwback to punk's most rebellious days, while their no-frills, hit-packed sets spawn an abundance of fist pumps and mosh pits - with Armstrong even occasionally jumping into the crowd.

Rancid's commitment to making their tours special has also made them a reliable live draw. In 2017, they performed at Lollapalooza in Sao Paulo and also teamed up with fellow rabble-rousers Dropkick Murphys for the From Boston to Berkeley tour. In 2019, Rancid headlined the Bash Festival, a traveling tour that combined craft beer and music, and a separate road show bringing together fellow punk lifers Pennywise and a variety of openers, including hardcore legends Suicidal Tendencies, ska-punk icons The English Beat and up-and-comers Turnstile.

Rancid in Concert

Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman were both members of the beloved defunct Bay Area ska-punk band Operation Ivy. They initially launched Rancid as a trio, however, after second guitarist Lars Frederiksen joined starting with 1994's gold-selling Let's Go, which spawned the modern rock hit "Salvation." Rancid went platinum and landed on MTV with 1995's ...And Out Come the Wolves, courtesy of the life-affirming punk anthem "Ruby Soho," brisk ska jam "Time Bomb" and gritty "Roots Radicals," and they continued to connect well into the 2000s, including on the 2003 alternative favorite "Fall Back Down." In the decades since, Rancid has grown into one of the most consistent bands around, with 2017's Trouble Maker especially demonstrating that the band aren't mellowing with age.