Pepper & Iration
Some concerts hit you with nostalgia. Others with energy. And then there are the rare ones like this that feel like a perfectly captured summer memory. On September 7 at The Warfield in San Francisco, a reggae-rock dream team of Artikal Sound System, DENM, Pepper, and Iration turned a foggy city evening into a full-blown island escape.
The vibes were set early. Doors opened at 5PM to a crowd already sun-kissed and ready, many in floral print or band merch, drinks in hand. Artikal Sound System kicked things off with a smooth, soulful set that eased the crowd into the night like a warm-up swim before a dive into deeper waters. Then came DENM, whose mix of coastal swagger and pop-reggae bounce kept things playful and breezy. With his signature drawl and laid-back stage presence, DENM’s set felt like a house party you never wanted to leave.
But it was Pepper who lit the fuse. Storming the stage with infectious energy and barefoot bravado, the Hawaiian trio didn’t just perform - they detonated. With wild guitar solos, tongue-in-cheek banter, and massive crowd engagement, their hour-long set was a punk-reggae workout in the best way. At one point, frontman Kaleo Wassman leaned into the mic and declared with a smirk:
“In case you forgot — Pepper is not a reggae band — It’s a punk band that plays reggae!”
The crowd howled. And he wasn’t wrong. Songs like “No Control,” “Stone Love,” and “Ashes” had the pit bouncing and fists pumping, while the band’s chemistry onstage radiated decades of friendship, mischief, and musical grit. Shirtless, sweaty, and completely in their element, Pepper left it all out there and the crowd loved every second of it.
Then came Iration, rolling in with the smooth precision and stadium-level polish that’s made them one of the genre’s most enduring acts. Hailing originally from Hawaii but molded in California’s surf-town scene, the band brought a setlist packed with fan favorites - from “Time Bomb” and “Automatic” to “Guava Lane” and “Falling.” Vocalist Micah Pueschel sounded pitch-perfect throughout, and their tight instrumentation kept the whole room swaying in unison. With waves of LED lighting, basslines you could feel in your chest, and the kind of emotional build that only comes from a band fully in sync with its audience, Iration delivered a set that was both technically flawless and deeply felt.
But the real highlight? The surprise finale.
Just when the house lights teased the end, every band from the night returned to the stage laughing, dancing, and launching into an outrageous, full-stage rendition of “Sweat (A La La La La Long)” by Inner Circle. The crowd lost it. Phones went up, drinks spilled, strangers danced like best friends. It wasn’t polished - it was perfect. A messy, joyous, sweaty exclamation point on a night already bursting with heart.
For a few hours in San Francisco, the fog lifted, the beats hit just right, and the world felt a little warmer. Pepper and Iration didn’t just end their tour - they gave the city a proper sendoff to summer.
“We love this city! F*ck the haters we love San Francisco!”
