I’ve loved Sublime since 1993, the minute I heard the first Lou dog barks on 40 Oz to Freedom, I was hooked. It played throughout my senior year of high school non stop in my CD player, and even now I’ll specifically play the whole album, front to back on my streaming service. Bradley Nowell was an insanely talented guy, and we can only wonder what insanity he would be playing now….or….would he mellowed out? Who knows.

So, I may have had a grudge for the past 25ish years against Sublime with Rome….ROME…never gave it a chance, didn’t bother to give him a single listen. My heart continued to ache for the original Sublime with Bradley. So unfair of me, I know, totally unfair. But, my musical tastes broadened, I “grew up”, and yet, I still couldn’t give the man a chance. Until Beachlife.

I saw they’d be playing 40 Oz to Freedom all the way through, and I got excited. I mean, who wouldn't right? I made my way to the side stage, but got squeezed out, made my way to the back side stage but couldn’t quite get the view I was hoping for, and in my struggles to find my place, and practically running over John Stamos, I heard those familiar Lou dog barks and I literally screamed “OH MY GOD” and took off running. I can’t tell you the feeling that came over me, but it got me running around to the front, and I found a place that got me almost center, but smack in the middle of the cowd. Good lord, mid way through “Waiting for my Ruca” I lost my shit, started to shed tears and looked for the nearest barricade to climb to get a better view (cameras in hand and a media pass do wonders, and rarely do I abuse those powers…but dammit if that thumping bass didn’t get me acting a fool).

I stood on the step of the barricade separating VIP and GA for the whole set, shifting my weight from one foot to the other, on that 6” x 12” space rapping along with my fellow Gen Xers in absolute bliss, to songs I’d never think I’d hear live again. And between songs, it dawned on me. I was mad at Rome for jumping in on Sublime, but not for any other reason than I just wish Bradley wasn’t gone. And that’s not Rome’s fault. And heariing him say, that he was as big of a fan of Sublime as I was, and what an insane trip it is to now be playing those songs; I started to appreaciate Rome. He wasn’t trying to sound like Bradley, no one can ever sound like Bradley (well, side note: his son Jakob Nowell, a talented musician in his own right-can and does sound like his pops when he plays his dad’s tunes, check out his band LAW and Jakob’s Castle). But Rome actively NOT sounding like Bradley, and just being himself and showing absolute gratitidute for where he is, doing what he does and with all of us belting out each tune with him, made me actually really appreciate, and dare I say….like the dude.

When I’m wrong, I say I’m wrong…my bad Rome, that was a helluva set, well done. Thanks for letting my 17 year old absolutely live it out.

photos by Julia Varga