Classic rock fans and nu-metal faithful have something big to circle on their calendars: ZZ Top and MGK are both rolling through Southern California this year, with confirmed stops at Chula Vista’s North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre and a headline date at Hollywood Bowl for the Texas trio. The overlap at the same venue underscores how SoCal remains a magnet for both legacy acts and younger rockers pushing the genre forward.
ZZ Top is expanding its already lengthy “The Big One!” tour with a fresh slate of August and September U.S. dates, according to Pollstar and Jambase. The run kicks off Aug. 4 at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre in Chula Vista and continues Aug. 5 at Hollywood Bowl, giving local fans two chances to catch the bearded boogie icons without leaving town. The tour continues through the West Coast and into the Midwest and East Coast before wrapping Sept. 18 in Wilmington, North Carolina.
Meanwhile, MGK keeps his foot on the gas after releasing the new nu-metal-tinged single “FIX UR FACE,” a collaboration with Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst first reported by NME and discussed in fan-focused outlets such as The Honey POP. He’ll headline North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre in Chula Vista on May 17, offering a sharp contrast in sound and style to ZZ Top’s bluesy swagger at the same venue later this summer.
Tour Details and How to Get Tickets
ZZ Top’s newly announced leg includes 22 theater and amphitheater shows across seven weeks, with support acts that change depending on the city. Pollstar reports that Cheap Trick joins select West Coast dates, including the Chula Vista opener, while George Thorogood & The Destroyers appear on several New England stops and Dwight Yoakam appears on at least one Virginia date tied to the pair’s ongoing “Dos Amigos Tour.” The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band and McKinley James are listed as support on select shows as well.
Jambase adds that tickets for the new ZZ Top dates go on sale Friday, April 24, at 10 a.m. local time, giving fans a clear window to lock down seats for the Hollywood Bowl and Chula Vista shows. The band’s box-office history remains impressive: Pollstar’s Boxoffice database shows more than $266 million in grosses and over five million tickets sold since 1999, a reminder that even decades into their career, ZZ Top remains a reliable draw.
On the nu-metal side, MGK’s May 17 date at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre arrives as he promotes “FIX UR FACE,” a track that leans into the chunky guitar riffs and shout-along hooks that defined late-90s and early-2000s rock radio. NME notes that the collaboration with Fred Durst builds on a friendship that dates back to touring together in 2014, giving the song a built-in backstory that longtime fans will recognize.
The SoCal Connection
For Southern California rock fans, the timing of these shows is particularly notable: MGK’s May show at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre and ZZ Top’s August dates at the same venue plus Hollywood Bowl mean that a single season can deliver both a high-energy, modern rock show and a classic-rock sing-along marathon. The pairing of MGK’s brash, punk-inflected rock and ZZ Top’s bluesy riffcraft underscores how broad the “rock” umbrella remains in 2026.
SoCal’s deep ties to both eras also matter here. Hollywood Bowl has long been a marquee stop for legacy acts, and seeing ZZ Top headline that stage feels like a natural fit for the band’s big-stage production and catalog of radio staples. At the same time, North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre continues to host a wide range of rock shows, from MGK’s loud, confrontational sets to ZZ Top’s more polished, classic-rock pageantry, making it a reliable barometer of what rock sounds like right now.
What’s Next
Looking ahead, both tours will serve as a barometer of rock’s health in Southern California and beyond. ZZ Top’s late-summer run will test whether legacy acts can still sell out amphitheaters and theaters in multiple markets, while MGK’s May show will gauge how much momentum his latest rock pivot can generate on the road.
Beyond the headliners, keep an eye on supporting acts like Dwight Yoakam, Cheap Trick, George Thorogood & The Destroyers, and McKinley James, all of whom have their own SoCal dates this year. Their presence on the road with ZZ Top suggests that rock’s big tent still draws plenty of fans who want more than just one band on the bill. As these tours roll through town, expect venues to lean hard into rock programming—and for fans to debate which version of rock, old or new, belongs on top.
Last updated April 24, 2026.
Sources: Pollstar, NME, Jambase, The Honey Pop
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