Pop-Punk, Pyrotechnics & Pure Alt Chaos at iHeartRadio’s Alter Ego

Jan 20

Los Angeles, California - January 17, 2026

After a year away, iHeartRadio’s Alter Ego, presented by Capital One, made its long-awaited return on January 17 at the Kia Forum. The festival’s 2025 edition was canceled following the tragic Palisades and Altadena fires, making this year’s show feel especially meaningful. The atmosphere carried a sense of relief and gratitude as fans filled the Forum once again, ready to reunite over live music and celebrate the resilience of the alternative community. From legacy acts like Green Day and Sublime to rising fan favorites like Almost Monday and Gigi Perez, the lineup reads like a cross-generational mix of alt genres.

Kicking the night off with Cage the Elephant’s high fire set that created the perfect opener to immediately set the bar for the night ahead. Bursting onto the stage with relentless energy, the band delivered a balanced mix of songs spanning their entire discography, ensuring longtime fans and new listeners were both locked in. Playing newer music like “Neon Pill” and closing out their set with the classics “Cigarette Daydream” and “Come a Little Closer” fans left wondering if they will have to wait another four years for a new album. Well, wait no longer because according to the band, come the end of 2026, we will have new Cage the Elephant music in our hands.

Almost Monday brought a sun-soaked burst of energy to keep the crowd on their feet with high-energy performances of fan favorites like “Cough Drop” and “Can’t Slow Down.” Fittingly, the band’s setlist is a playful reflection of their nonstop momentum as the group prepares for their final leg of tour supporting The Band CAMINO on their Australia/New Zealand leg before returning to California for the BottleRock music festival in Napa this May.

Mt. Joy followed as a last-minute addition after a lineup change, filling the slot with bliss. Their warm, anthemic sound translated effortlessly to the arena stage. Giving a tease into another set further into the night, they brought up Gigi Perez to join them for a surprise duet. If their set was just too short for your liking, be sure to catch their return headlining show at the Greek Theatre in August.

Good Charlotte’s return to Los Angeles marked one of the night’s most anticipated moments. Ending a decade-long absence from the city, the band fully embraced the early 2000s pop-punk nostalgia, igniting massive crowd cheers throughout the Forum. The set closed beneath a glowing “GC” Golden Gates visuals, paired with a subtle tease of a summertime tour, sending longtime fans into a frenzy.

Rising indie-folk artist Gigi Perez took the stage for her own set, delivering a performance that blended folk-rooted storytelling with alt-pop polish. Despite the scale of the Forum compared to her last LA show at The Wiltern, her presence felt intimate and assured, capturing attention with emotional clarity and growing confidence that suggests a breakout year ahead.

Sublime shifted the vibe with a mix of nostalgia, heart, and playful chaos. The band paused for a moment of silence in the beginning of their set in honor of the passing of their late lead singer, grounding the set in reflection before easing back into the celebration that is live music. Two giant inflatable dogs served as a heartfelt ode to the band’s beloved Dalmatian, King Lou, who famously used to perform onstage with them. Carrying the legacy forward, Jakob Nowell introduced a new good boy, Melvin, to the crowd for a game of fetch. An affectionate nod to the band’s past that kept the spirit light while honoring their history.

Twenty One Pilots followed with a performance defined by unpredictability and crowd connection. After coming off their Clancy stadium tour in late 2025, this is newly announced Josh Dun’s first show back after becoming a dad, and there is nothing that can slow this duo down. Extended crowd work blurred the line between stage and audience, between drum solos suspended in the air with the help of a platform held up by fans and a roaming Tyler Joseph reaching the 200s section and back to the b-stage floor all in a matter of one song.

Green Day closed the night with the conviction and clarity of a band that has never shied away from its platform. Opening with an explosive pairing of “American Idiot” and “Holiday,” the set felt less like nostalgia and more like a pointed reflection of the world as it exists today–the one many hope to see improved. Billie Joe Armstrong’s command of the crowd was matched by deliberate lyric changes, reinforcing Green Day’s long-standing role as a voice of resistance and awareness within mainstream rock. Despite a 10:35 pm start time, the energy never died. They capped off the night with a confetti blast with a final countdown before saying “Good Riddance” to iHeartRadio’s Alter Ego.