Pinhead Gunpowder (a second look!) – Minneapolis, MN – October 7, 2026

Pinhead Gunpowder (with Night Shop and Scrunchies) at First Avenue in Minneapolis, MN – October 7, 2026

Review and Photos by Catherine Zons

The reigning thought in my head throughout the entire evening I spent at First Avenue on Wednesday night was “I can’t believe I’m standing here right now.” I was there to see Pinhead Gunpowder during the debut show of their 2026 North American tour, a concert I’d been keeping a close eye on since its announcement back in May. It was also one I’d quietly resigned myself to missing; almost as soon as they were on sale, tickets for the Minneapolis show were completely sold out! It also seemed unlikely I’d score a media pass–and as the days counted down to showtime, I found myself mourning the missed opportunity to see one of my musical idols in person. That is, until I checked my inbox on the day before the concert and saw an email with the most magical words: “You’ve been approved!”

On the day of, I made it to First Avenue an hour before doors opened, and joined the long line that was already snaking around the building. There was almost giddy energy surrounding me; it was clear that I was far from the only person very excited for the evening ahead. Eventually, First Avenue’s capable staff began to let us in, making sure I found both my media pass and my ADA accommodations. As always, their process was streamlined and smooth!

First up was Scrunchies, a post-punk/noise-rock band local to Minneapolis. Performing since the late 2010s, Scrunchies’ late-80s-grunge-inspired sound was right at home on the First Avenue stage. Lead singer and guitarist Laura Larson was joined by Jeremy Warden on bass and Katy Fenasci on drums, and the three made their short set anything but sweet–each track was infused with enough angst and energy to make a Wednesday night feel like a weekend. They’re no strangers to the Twin Cities music scene, so I hope to catch them in concert again sometime!

Next was Night Shop, the solo project of Justin Sullivan. Known best as the long-time drummer for The Babies and Kevin Morby, Sullivan broke tradition and spent his First Ave set in front of the kit with a guitar and a microphone, his crooning introspective lyrics echoed adeptly by his electric guitar. Night Shop’s soft indie rock sound was both comfortable and brisk, quickly turning First Avenue’s standing room into a swaying dance floor. Joining Sullivan on stage were Olivia Babuka Black (keys, vocals), Simon Paris (guitar, vocals), and Shawn Durham (drums). Night Shop’s set was brief but engaging, and I’ve enjoyed getting familiar with their promising discography in the days since the show.

Finally, the moment everyone was waiting for: Pinhead Gunpowder. The punk rock band took the stage to a deafening cheer and I found myself so star-struck that I had to pick my jaw off the floor before I could start taking pictures! Pinhead Gunpowder, formed in California in 1991, is best known (somewhat unfairly) for being a side project of Green Day frontman, Billie Joe Armstrong. Joining him are Aaron Cometbus (drums), Bill Schneider (bass, vocals), and long-time touring and session musician with Green Day, Jason White (guitar, vocals). 

As a massive Green Day fan, Armstrong’s membership was certainly a big factor in my exploration of Pinhead Gunpowder and my extreme interest in being at their First Avenue show. I mean, come on! Seeing Billie Joe Armstrong perform in a venue as intimate as First Avenue is a dream come true to someone who’s only ever seen them at 30,000+ person venues like Target Field and the MN Yacht Club. It was surreal to be standing within a few feet of a principal member of my favorite band, close enough to hear his hand slide across his guitar as he struck different chords! Us photographers were allowed in the pit for approximately four minutes as Pinhead Gunpowder played their first two tracks, “MLPS Song” (written, as one might assume, about wandering around Minneapolis!) and “Asheville.” The pit was cramped and intense during those first two tracks, but it was an experience I wouldn’t trade for the world! Too soon we were ushered out, and I waded through the crowd back to my seat, trying to calm my jittering hands by clapping along. 

Pinhead Gunpowder played songs from across their discography, visiting albums like 1994’s Jump Salty to play “Beastly Bit” and “Losers of the Year,” as well as 2009’s Carry the Banner for tracks like “Before the Accident” and “Find My Place.” However, much to my surprise and appreciation, Pinhead Gunpowder spent the most time on their newest (and my favorite) album, Unt. I actually went to a record store’s listening party for Unt when it first released in 2024–and it was fantastic to hear so many songs I fell in love with a few years ago performed live! There was ample moshing and crowd surfing during title track “Unt” and fan favorite “Scum of the Earth,” and the crowd went wild when Billie Joe Armstrong pointedly dedicated “¡Hola Canada!” to Lake Ontario.

It was certainly a night of firsts for all of us. It was the first time Pinhead Gunpowder had toured to Minneapolis, the first time many of us in the crowd had ever seen them in concert, and the first time I can say I’ve photographed a rock icon at close range! Hopefully it’s far from the last–I had a great night and I can’t wait until next time!