GREG ANTISTA & THE LONELY STREETS ARE SET TO PERFORM AS PART OF AN ALL-STAR PUNK LIVESTREAM CONCERT CELEBRATING STEVE SOTO’S BIRTHDAY

GREG ANTISTA & THE LONELY STREETS ARE SET TO PERFORM AS PART OF AN ALL-STAR PUNK LIVESTREAM CONCERT CELEBRATING STEVE SOTO’S BIRTHDAY

BENEFIT CONCERT MARKS THE FIRST BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION SINCE THE DEATH OF SOTO, A FOUNDING MEMBER OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA’S AGENT ORANGE AND ADOLESCENTS, IN 2018

ALSO CONFIRMED: Performances of Soto songs by members of Adolescents, 
Bad Cop/Bad Cop, CH3, Death by Stereo, Left Alone, Manic Hispanic, Punk Rock Karaoke, Swingin’ Utters, and more

Worldwide livestream begins at 5:00 PM PST on Saturday, August 22;
Tickets & livestream: https://stevesototributeconcert.veeps.com

The concert event will actually feature an equal mix of live performances and additional pre-recorded footage. Comedian Joe Sib, a former bandmate of Soto’s in 22 Jacks, will be the live on-air host.

In order to access the livestream, viewers will be required to make a donation to National Independent Talent Organization (NITO), a non-profit organization created in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis. NITO exists for the purpose of supporting local musicians and helping to keep live music venues operational. After production costs for the event, 100% of the proceeds will go to NITO.

Also scheduled to perform at this Southern California punk rock extravaganza are members of Adolescents, Bad Cop/Bad Cop, CH3, Death by Stereo, Left Alone, Manic Hispanic, Punk Rock Karaoke, Swingin’ Utters, and other surprise guests.

This will be the first concert celebrating Soto’s birthday. Soto (August 23, 1963 – June 27, 2018) was a multi-talented instrumentalist and founding member of the long-running SoCal punk bands Agent Orange (1979) and Adolescents (1980). During his lifelong career in rock ‘n’ roll, he was also a member of Legal Weapon, Joyride, Manic Hispanic, and the punk supergroup 22 Jacks. Soto fronted his own band, Steve Soto and the Twisted Hearts, and he also became a member of Punk Rock Karaoke. Soto died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 54 from natural causes.

Greg Antista, who released the well-received Shake, Stomp and Stumble album with his band The Lonely Streets in 2019, was a lifelong friend of Soto’s. In 1979, the two met in shop class at Troy High School in their native Fullerton, CA. “I had never thought about playing an instrument until punk rock exploded at my high school” Antista recalls. “I had members of Adolescents, Agent Orange, and Social Distortion as my schoolmates and they were all playing backyard parties and their first local club gigs. Being that close to the bands and music made many of us pick up guitars.” In 1990, Antista, Soto, and Adolescents drummer Sandy Hanson joined forces in Joyride, a pop-punk band that released two albums on Dr. Dream Records.

Antista’s bandmates in the Lonely Streets also shared close ties to Soto. In 1981-1982, guitarist Frank Agnew played with Soto in the Los Angeles band Legal Weapon, appearing together on the group’s Death of Innocence album. In the 1990s and 2000s, Lonely Streets bassist Warren Renfrow performed alongside Soto in the bands Manic Hispanic and 22 Jacks. The Lonely Streets’ lineup is completed by drummer Jorge E. Disguster, who while never having played in a band with Soto, has nevertheless shared many stages with the musician.

Greg Antista & the Lonely Streets:
Website: gregantistaandthelonelystreets.com
Facebook: gregantistaandthelonelystreets
Twitter: @greg_antista
Instagram: @gregantistaandthelonelystreets

Gone But Not Forgotten – Steve Soto

Gone But Not Forgotten – Steve Soto
Steve Soto died peacefully in his sleep on this day twelve months ago at the age of 54.
Steve first burst onto the scene way back in ’79 as a founding member of  Agent Orange. Then moving on to  Adolescents a year later playing bass guitar in both bands.
Just before he passed away the band had released their latest album  ‘Cropduster’ and were heading out on tour to support that record when he passed peacefully in his sleep.  I caught their emotional performance at Rebellion Festival where they paid tribute to their recently departed comrade in what turned out to be one of the festival’s highlights where the band paid an emotional set dedicated to Steve one I’m sure he’d have been proud of.
Soto also enjoyed being a member of Legal Weapon, Joyride, Manic Hispanic and the punk supergroup 22 Jacks. he also had his own band, Steve Soto and the Twisted Hearts and in 2001 he joined Punk Rock Karaoke to play sets filled with punk rock classics where members of the audience would get up and perform. 

Adolescents were one of the main punk acts to emerge from Orange County at the turn of the ’80s and the iconic debut album (blue yeah that one) sold well all over the USA and further afield.  Soto appears on over thirty records (inc Compilations and live albums and always had a smile whilst playing his Bass.  Last years ‘Cropduster’ album was one of the best punk rock record to get released in 2018 and Steve passed away just before the band played Rebellion Festival in the UK where the set was dedicated to him and their iconic logo simply read ‘Soto’ – Rest in peace big guy – a punk rock legend.