Bad Nerves at The Observatory
Written by Kabeer Kansara
Published: June 11, 2025
Bad Nerves Photo: Sophia Fascenelli
SANTA ANA, CA – The Observatory’s Wednesday night show opened with a simple and direct question, posed by Strawberry Fuzz frontman Colby Rogers: “Who’s ready to fucking party?”
Without audience response, the band jumped into their high-energy set, opening for Spiritual Cramp and Bad Nerves on their Still Nervous USA 25 tour alongside Memo PST in the storied Santa Ana showhouse.
Bad Nerves returned to the historic Orange County venue for the third time, facing a new crowd in the Music Hall, having graduated from the more intimate Constellation Room. The Essex rockers were preceded on stage by a slew of Californian bands. With each band to take the stage, the energy ramped up, unable to be contained within the lowest level of the Music Hall.
SoCal bands Strawberry Fuzz and Memo PST started off the night, hailing from LA County. Their drums ripped through the crowd, with drummers Andy Warren and Jackson Todd getting the crowd off their feet with an emphatic and rhythmic pace, mediated by the drumset backlined by San Francisco band Spiritual Cramp.
Strawberry Fuzz rocking on stage Photo: Sophia Fascenelli
Bad Nerves arrived on stage to a crowd ready to get rowdy and delivered a high-energy show with few delays. Barring a brief holdup due to a faulty guitar, the Nerves carried on with their set, donning cowboy hats in the midst of a crowd-surfing frenzy.
Mixing in songs from their 2020 self-titled project and their recent 2024 release, ‘Still Nervous’, the band from across the pond had hands in their and heads nodding from the floor to the balcony.
The Nerves played through their hits like ‘Baby Drummer,’ ‘Can’t Be Mine,’ and You’ve Got The Nerve,’ all the while bantering with the audience between tracks. The energy originated on the stage, from their bold backdrop to the high-flying jumps of guitarist George Barry. Frontman Bobby Nerves echoed through the Hall, entertaining the crowd as he chirped with his bandmates. The energy in The Observatory was high, a facet of the night that was cemented through each band’s performance.
Spiritual Cramp hit the stage prior to the Englanders, bringing forth a synchronized yet chaotic presence that forced the crowd to move. Well-timed jumps were a consistent highlight throughout the set, matching the rhythm of Julian Smith’s drumming. Jose-Luna Gonzalez brought an air of additional percussion with his tambourine, upping the onstage ante and antics.
The Fuzz had set the tone for the night early, getting the audience off their feet and opening up the pit, practically upon their arrival to the stage. Sunglasses and shirts came off as the energy in the room grew, prompting more attendees down to the lower floor of the Observatory’s main room.
LA punk group MEMO PST followed up shortly after; each member of the band bringing some of the flair of their other groups to the stage. The relatively recently formed conglomeration of musicians brought a vibrant presence to the crowd despite their dark outfits. The distortion of their amps rallied the crowd to their feet, with spectators reaching across the barrier to feel closer to the almost tangible music.
The show marked the fourth stop for Bad Nerves and their touring mates from the Bay Area. Their tour across the states continues deep into May with dates still available.
Bad Nerves Photo: Sophia Fascenelli