I’ve photographed a lot of chaotic shows, but At The Drive-In at the San Diego Sports Arena was a whole different level of raw energy. Formed in El Paso, Texas, in 1994, At The Drive-In built a reputation for their explosive live performances and genre-defying sound, blending post-hardcore with elements of punk, prog, and Latin influences. I grew up loving this band, and they shaped the type of music I would later get into. Their raw energy, intricate songwriting, and unpredictable live shows made a lasting impression on me, setting the standard for what I wanted out of music. Their intensity on stage became legendary, setting them apart from their peers and cementing their place in underground music history. Cedric Bixler-Zavala is a force of nature—flailing, jumping, and twisting like a hurricane while still somehow delivering his vocals with precision. Shooting this show felt like trying to capture a lightning strike in slow motion.

I caught this shot at the perfect moment, arms wide open, mid-motion, fully immersed in the music. The band was locked in that night, with Omar Rodríguez-López’s wild guitar playing pushing every song to the edge of collapse, Paul Hinojos and Tony Hajjar locking down the rhythm like a ticking time bomb, and Keeley Davis adding his own fire to the mix. Every note felt like an explosion, and the crowd fed off it, surging with every riff.

I drove down to San Diego for this show and was grateful to have been put on the guestlist by Cedric after connecting online over our shared love for 90s skateboarding and Street Plant, where I worked for ten years. Meeting Cedric was a surreal experience—I ended up backstage after their set, and only years later did I realize that we were in the same space from Almost Famous, where William Miller meets the band Stillwater in the San Diego Sports Arena. It was almost like real life imitating something I grew up loving so much.

During this set, At The Drive-In was opening for System of a Down, but in my mind, it was always just an At The Drive-In show. I left right after meeting the band—why? Because “You Wanted To!!” 😉

At The Drive-In’s reunion brought back everything that made them legendary—unpredictability, intensity, and a sense that anything could happen at any moment. This print captures that energy in a single frame, a reminder of why their live performances are so revered.

Setlist from October 17, 2018 at San Diego Arena Museum:

Arcarsenal, No Wolf Like the Present, Sleepwalk Capsules, Governed by Contagions, Enfilade, Pendulum in a Peasant Dress, Napoleon Solo, Pattern Against User, One Armed Scissor

Show Lineup:

System of a Down, At The Drive-In