Article contributed by Davin White | published on July 28st, 2025

Mosswood Meltdown is a yearly Punk Rock festival that takes in the Mosswood park in Oakland, Ca. The festival features many wild bands, with some explicitly descriptive intros by the Host John Waters.

 

Jesse Smith

Gentleman Jesse (and his Men) hailing from Atlanta kicked off the festival with some stylish licks.

 

Jesse Smith

 

Jesse Smith

 

Stylish fans of John Waters deviant films

 

Michael Pilmer, Devo super fan, creator of the Devo-Obsesso website, and friend of the band.

 

The infamous John Waters, self proclaimed “Filth Elder” of the deviants, outcasts and miscreants.

 

THE DIESEL DUDES

The wildest and most deviant of all the bands that played at Mosswood on Sat, THE DIESEL DUDES littered the stage, the pit and the audience with the detritus of their performance. In between songs the lead singer wandered around the stage muttering to himself and removing his clothes, while the drummer would lift weights or do push ups off of the stage monitors.

 

ChEEse LoUiSe

 

THE DIESEL DUDES & ChEEse LoUiSe

 

A DIESEL DUDE (singular)

 

John Waters titillating the crowd with a over the top description of the deviancy of the next act, NIIS

 

Mimi SanDoe

Mimi stalked around the stage like a caged panther while screaming her lyrics, as well as an occasional “F*** ICE”, and the whole band put on a passionate and energetic show.

 

Ryan McGuffin

 

Ryan McGuffin, Mimi SanDoe & Monte Najera

 

Monte Najera

 

Ryan McGuffin, Mimi SanDoe, Monte Najera & Izabella DeVroende

 

Mimi SanDoe & Izabella DeVroende

 

Devo fans sported many creative Energy Dome stand-ins

 

Duty now, for the Future.

 

Another passionate Devo fan with homemade DEVO garb.

 

Jennifer and Jessica Clavin, Spencer Lere

Bleached is fronted by the sisters Jennifer and Jessica Clavin.

 

These two Devo fans never seem to leave the front rail and devolved through multiple costumes as the day progressed.

 

 

Colorful Punk fans

 

Juanma

Prison Affair kicked off the more wild moshing and crowd surfing evening crowds.

 

Bicis

 

Adri

 

 

 

 

Hand crafted paper energy domes sported by these jubilant fans.

 

The Exploding Hearts – Chad Savage, John Tyree, Terry Six, Murat Aktür

 

Chad Savage

 

John Tyree

 

John Tyree

A wild Booji Boy appears

 

John Waters introducing the OSEES

 

John Dwyer admiring John Waters as his band the OSEES are described in lovingly filthy terms.

 

Tomas Dolas

 

John Dwyer, Tomas Dolas, Paul Quattrone, Butch Sunset

John Dwyer’s unique method of playing the guitar was quite entertaining in is own right, holding the guitar up to his should like a rifle, and seemingly moving the whole guitar against his his stationary right hand to strum it, and lunging back and forth across the stage at the same time.

 

 

John Dwyer, Tomas Dolas, Paul Quattrone, Butch Sunset, Tim Hellman

 

The Audience swollen to its largest size for the last two acts, filling most of the Festival Venue shoulder to shoulder.

 

My favorite Energy Domes of the day.

 

Mark Mothersbaugh

Devo’s lead singer and incredibly prolific musician.

 

Gerald Casale

 

Bob Mothersbaugh

 

Mark Mothersbaugh

 

Mark Mothersbaugh

 

Gerald Casale

 

Gerald Casale, Josh Hager

Mark Mothersbaugh

 

Gerald Casale, Josh Hager, Mark Mothersbaugh

 

Gerald Casale, Josh Hager, Mark Mothersbaugh

 

Booji Boy cant get no satisfaction

 

Devo rocked out to a rowdy crowd, likely not the wildest in their history, but certainly a lot more moshing than you’d imagine for a Devo show.