David Bazan

When We Were Young Festival kicked off its inaugural year with a Saturday headlined by Morrissey, and sets from AFI, Joyce Manor, The Get Up Kids, Alkaline Trio, Beach Fossils, David Bazan, Balance and Composure, and more.

Plus: listen to Ben Gibbard, Anderson Cooper, Jack Black and more talk about Elliott’s influence.

Morrissey and Descendents headline the California festival, which also has Joyce Manor, Pinback, Mount Eerie, AFI, new additions Mike Watt, The Dickies, Agent Orange, and more.

This week’s show featured music from Magnetic Fields, Future Islands, The xx, Pond, Father John Misty, David Bazan, Ryan Adams, plus oldies but goldies from The Smiths, Bad Brainds, PJ Harvey and more.

The new album follows his very busy 2016, which included the album Blanco and also a Christmas album.

The inaugural California festival also includes Taking Back Sunday, AFI, Alkaline Trio, Saves the Day, Foxygen, FIDLAR, Choking Victim, David Bazan, and more.

Check out lists from Into It. Over It., Jay Som, Chris Farren, Bob Nanna (Braid), Steve Bays (Hot Hot Heat), Amber Arcades, DOOMSQUAD, and more.

He’s also touring Europe in 2017 with Laura Stevenson (who tours the US on her own after that).

All four members made their own lists. Sean’s is the heaviest on punk (NOFX, PUP, So So Glos, Bayside), Brendan’s is the heaviest on pop (Beyonce, Rihanna, Solange, Frank Ocean), and Jake and Ian both mostly have indie rock…

“Every Christmas the makers and cheerers of war gather with their precious families to celebrate the Baby Jesus’ birth. When they lift their voices together to croon this peaceful benediction, from memory, in haunting unison, is there, anywhere among them, the faintest flicker of understanding?”