KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas Tickets

First time going to this event, do t care how it is, 5 STARS ALREADY!!!!

KROQ’s 33rd Almost Acoustic Christmas at the Kia Forum delivered a tight, nostalgia-rich night that reminded everyone why this show remains a Southern California staple. Production was smooth, the pacing crisp, and the station clearly leaned into its alt-rock heritage with a lineup that felt like a love letter to longtime listeners. My favorite acts—The Smashing Pumpkins, Beck, 311, and Sublime—all hit hard. Sublime’s set, powered by Jakob Nowell’s energy, drew some of the night’s biggest crowd reactions. 311 kept the vibes high with classics like Amber and All Mixed Up, plus a standout cover of Lovesong. Beck brought a fun, high-energy set stacked with hits (Loser, Devil’s Haircut, E-Pro), and The Smashing Pumpkins closed the night with a 14-song run mixing staples like 1979 and Tonight, Tonight with unexpected covers that gave their set an edge. Franz Ferdinand and Jimmy Eat World added strong supporting sets, rounding out a bill that national reviewers agreed was one of the most consistently engaging Acoustic Christmas lineups in years. Most of all, KROQ deserves real credit. They put on a show that felt intentional—rooted in the station’s history, dialed-in to their core audience, and executed with real care. Between the production quality, the charitable component, and the powerhouse acts, it was a reminder of what KROQ does best: bringing the SoCal alt-rock community together for a night that feels like a holiday tradition.

I plan to make this a yearly event whether I win tickets or not!! Had such a good time!! Loved every band there!!!!

Incredible show. Every band came with amazing energy and was by far one of my all time favorite.

Probably one of the best concerts I have been too. The rotating stage made for a nonstop action packed rock and roll rollarcoaster. No wating for the next band to set up and practically every song was a hit song. Bathrooms were never packed due to constant music playing. Food was pricey and dicey. Found a gem outdoors when we discovered a nacho station. $50 for a t-shirt was very steep, but since the concert was epic, I caved in. Didn't appreciate how it automatically prompt you to tip a some of the vendors. When you are paying $10 for a soda and $7.50 for a water, expecting a tip is ridiculous. When the employee did not do anything except charged me for an overpriced item. Overall we had a great time, probably will come back again depending on the lineup and the price of tickets.

Was really looking forward to seeing AWOLNATION And was very disappointed they only did four songs. I would have liked to see them do a couple more and Ferdinand, who followed them to a couple less. Although I did enjoy Ferdinand. Jimmy Eat World excellent. I was never a sublime fan, but I did enjoy them. I think I can probably listen to them on the radio and tolerate them. The best performance of the night was Beck. Far exceeded my expectations. I would see him again and recommend him to friends. He stole the show. Smashing Pumpkins very good, although I just saw them for Day a few months ago So maybe just a tad bored. Could have done without those two Long drawn out songs they did at the very end Before Cherub Rock. I would've preferred a bigger name as headliner. Major disappointment Royel Otis canceled. 311 just OK. Kind of bored with them. Next year, let's have some Lincoln Park, Tame Impala, Blink-182, My Chemical Romance, The Gorillaz,

Great night to listen to talents artists and contributing to PARA LOS NINOS.

I really enjoyed the performances by the bands, however, KROQ staff fell very short to make it feel like an XMAS event. I will probably skip this event in the event in the future.

Great show but no caustic songs at all I get the concept of almost acoustic but it can’t be almost when there wasn’t any but still a great line up

What an amazing gathering of classic and current artists. Bridging generations and making the Season ROCK!! Kia does it right and makes the entire venue feel like a little slice of the holidays!! From new bands like the Linda Linda’s and BBY to the greats like sublime and Smashing Pumpkins it was a night for the books!!