Good Terms/ w Chief, Joy Walk, FieldRush
Ocean Beach and San Diego locals skipped all the scares and had all the fun at a punk emo show that reminds us there’s nothing to fear about the future, because punk is alive and thriving. On Friday, March 13th, 2026 venue The Holding Company welcomed Good Terms as part of the band’s tour for their newest album Burnout.
For those unfamiliar with Good Terms, the band is fronted by Brian McShea on lead guitar and vocals, Zach Boucher and Ivan Barry on guitar and vocals, Geo Botelho on bass and vocals, and Brendan McCusker on drums. With that many vocalists in one lineup, it is no surprise that the room quickly filled with energy as they began their set with “Same Team” from their newest album.
However, before Good Terms took the stage, the opening bands set the tone for an evening of pop punk, complete with punchy guitar drops that crash into soaring choruses and a variety of nasally yet emotionally charged male vocal deliveries characteristic of the genre. FieldRush made San Diego proud as a local band, representing artists of color in a scene that has historically lacked diversity, by sonically demonstrating that having good taste in music can make you a better artist.
At moments, it almost felt like stepping back in time. Were this 2013, one might have thought that the Fieldrush’ frontmen vocals were none other than Parker Cannon from The Story So Far. Without a glazing effect and leaning more toward balanced, mature song composition, Fieldrush blends sounds from Title Fight, Joyce Manor, and Real Friends into something entirely their own through fun, dynamic song switches, intentional lyrics, and a refreshing stage presence. Their genuine banter and appreciation for community felt especially notable in a scene where that can now be hard to find.
Following that set, Joywalk took the stage, still seemingly in the process of defining their sonic direction. With a sound reminiscent of a more beachy, West Coast take on Snail Mail, with jangly guitars paired with breezy, reverb-laced tones, the crowd leaned into the calmness of a developing yet soothing voice. From there, the night briefly strayed away from West Coast emo and into pure pop with the band Chief.
Carefully crafted between Urban Outfitters-inspired styling, black ink tattoos, and an upbeat sound, Chief served as a reminder that pop punk once thrived alongside bands like The 1975, a time that cemented the idea that you don’t necessarily need to be punk to look punk.
Finally, Good Terms returned back the energy in the room to full force, and the room responded in classic pop punk fashion. The crowd banged their heads front to back, passionately singing, “Are we on the same team / Am I not what you want me to be?” Though the lyrics don’t stray far from scene staples like Man Overboard and Handguns, Good Terms pulls together the best elements with heart-wrenching lyrics filled with despair and male rage, paired with guitar solos and drum melodies influenced by metal, hardcore, and alternative rock.
Looking around the room, the range in ages was just as striking as the sound. The crowd spanned elder millennials, barely legal Gen Z’ers, and forward Gen Xers. Through songs like “All In,” the heart-wrenching cost of devotion, an unrequited crush, your first love, or even that person blocked on your phone, still finds a way to connect people across generations.
By the end of the night, whether you were a brand new listener or someone holding onto nostalgia and still defending pop punk, there was something to take with you. You can catch some of those defeated lyrics in “Old Friend,” or your next hymn to your ex, “Hear Me Out,” at Vans’ Warped Tour, where Good Terms is helping keep the spirit alive and well as one of the bands playing in Summer 2026. So prepare your “hell yeah brother” and catch their next show at this classic festival this summer, or in a local city as part of their Highway to Hell Yeah Brother Tour throughout 2026.
