Starting on Thursday, July 28 the folks at Brixton clothing are putting on a great music festival. The 4th Annual Johnny Rad Fest, featuring three nights of amazing garage pop and punk rock including The Spits, Reigning Sound, Half Rats and Shannon and the Clams. Brixton was created in 2004 and creates clothes that “appeal to the individual in a modern yet traditional way” and that’s fitting because many of the bands playing Johnny Rad Fest take classic sounds and update them for the hipster set.

Day 1 features headliners The Spits, an amazing band from Brown Paper Ticket’s hometown of Seattle, Washington. Their live shows are the stuff of legend in the Northwest. The band often performs in costumes and cranks out dirty, noisy, synth-heavy garage punk at local punk venues like The Funhouse. Their sound is a mash-up of classic skate-punk, 80’s arcade game synths and 60’s psych and they’re a great band to drink to. This is sure to be the rowdiest show of the weekend so take the next day off of work so you can nurse your hangover. They’re playing at the Til Two Club this Thursday, July 28. Tickets are available here but are going fast so get them now.

*WARNING* This video contains explicit language!
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dE9PqV-dy18]

Lafayette, Indiana’s Half Rats are headlining Day 2 of Johnny Rad Fest and play some great gritty 60’s style pop music which they describe as “old-fashioned, party-centric rock n’ roll.” Their tunes are definitely shimmy-worthy and feature just a hint of punk rock grittiness, keeping them from sounding like a tired oldies revival act. Fans of the Black Lips or King Khan should definitely try and make this show on Friday, July 29 at the Til Two Club. Openers Shannon and the Clams and The Kabbs are also well worth checking out. Grab your tickets here.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4qJhd3Z4Xw]

Reigning Sound, are out of Asheville, North Carolina and feature former Oblivians frontman Greg Cartwright. The 60’s influence is apparent in their sound and they’ve been known to cover Sam Cooke, Sam Sham and the Pharaohs and Carl Perkins at their live shows. In fact, they recorded and co-wrote an amazing album with former Shangri-Las singer Mary Weiss in 2007 which found them performing live with Ms. Weiss on Conan. They’re headlining Day 3 of Johnny Rad Fest at the Ken Club on Saturday, July 30 and tickets are available here.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFa462PofmA]

This is a stellar weekend of some of the best party music around so if you’re in the San Diego area this week, clear your calendar because you don’t get live bands of this caliber together in one place too often. If you’re not in San Diego, better get your booty down there because Johnny Rad Fest is going to be epic! See you all there.