The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Scientists to Headline Burger Boogaloo

Burger Boogaloo, the annual fest celebrating all things vintage rock ‘n’ roll, returns to Oakland’s Mosswood Park for its 10th edition on July 6 and 7 with John Waters as host.

This year’s event boasts several acts that shaped the course of underground music in the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, including British shoegaze pioneers The Jesus and Mary Chain and OG punk bands The Scientists, Dead Boys and Jayne County & the Electric Chairs. The lineup also features power pop vet Nikki Corvette, surf-rock band Phantom Surfers, prolific interdisciplinary artist Billy Childish and Derv Gordon of ’60s anti-racist pop rock band The Equals.

In addition to shining a spotlight on these influential but oft-overlooked artists, the 2019 festival includes several newer acts: Oakland garage rockers Shannon and the Clams, Philly’s explosive Sheer Mag, Australian punks Amyl and the Sniffers and garage pop duo Terry & Louie, the new-ish project of Terry Six and King Louie Bankston from the Exploding Hearts.

In 2018, Burger Boogaloo encountered backlash online after the City of Oakland forced the 20 or so unsheltered people living in Mosswood Park to relocate just days ahead of the fest. (Assistant City Administrator Joe DeVries said at the time that the sweep was to make room for a camp for youth with disabilities.)

This year, Burger Boogaloo has partnered with the Homeless Action Center, a nonprofit that provides free legal assistance to people experiencing homelessness. Showgoers have the option of donating to Homeless Action Center with their ticket purchase or at booths at the fest.

“While the dramatic increase in the park’s encampment population prior to last year’s festival caught us off guard, it wasn’t our decision nor our desire to have the park’s residents permanently removed,” writes Burger Boogaloo publicist Jim DeLuca in an email. “The festival was one of many events and programs that factored into the city’s decision to do so; however, this year we’re doing everything we can to make sure that the only impact we have is a positive one.”

DeLuca says that this year, the festival is considering downsizing stages so as not to infringe on the homeless encampment in Mosswood Park. “We’re in talks with the parks district about restructuring the festival’s layout in hopes that we can meet legal safety requirements without impacting the park’s new encampments,” he writes.

This post was updated to include quotes from Jim DeLuca.