SEMA FEST 2026 here we go!
  This was my first time at SEMA Fest and boy was it a blast!
The show was just getting started with ALIVE opening up the event. They came out Thrashing! Wow! This was my first time seeing them  and they sure had a lot of energy!

Their rhythm guitarist looked about 12 years old. I later caught up with the members and he told me he was 15.

I also ran into Pearl Aday holding her adorable dog with her rock star husband in tow, Scott Ian from Anthrax. I have known Scott for awhile. I interviewed Scott in the past for my magazine and worked with him on VH1’s episode of “Supergroup”. So it was great to run into them!

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Next up was 311. I have never seen them live but I recognized some of their songs which kept playing in my head the next hour until Jimmy Eat World took the stage.Between bands the crowd was dispersed to watch the high-intensity action of OPTIMA UNLEASHED.This was outstanding! The cars burned rubber with smoke flying as they twirled around in fast paced action to the cheering crowd. It was very exciting to witness and I didn’t even mind the smoke from the
burning rubber flying in my face!
And then the Globe of Death show started up. I will never understand how those three motorcycles can twirl and speed around in that small circle without crashing into each other! How can they not get
dizzy?!? I have no idea but it is always thrilling to watch!Jimmy Eat World was amazing! I haven’t seen them since 2007 at the Thomas and Mack. The Crowd went crazy with their songs Jim Adkins leading the crowd into a frenzy with my favorite song of theirs “The Middle”. “Sweetness”
and “Pain” are also killer songs and the crowd definitely responded!Then Optima Unleashed cracked up again for the crowd for more spectacular car drifts and burning rubber. The Globe of Death followed and then the crowd ran back to the main stage for what everyone was waiting for.And finally OFFSPRING took to the stage with Dexter Holland leading the way. I have never seen Offspring in concert and I was blown away! Dexter came charging out with “Come Out and Play” and the huge hits followed “You’re Gonna Go Far Kid”, “The Kids Aren’t Alright”, “Pretty Fly” and so many more.

Funny story of mine about Dexter Holland:  About a year ago, I was backstage at Count’s Vamp’d Club on one of their last nights open. I was putting many of the people set up for a group photo with Danny Koker and Chuck Brennan and others.

On the other side of the room there was only Dexter Holland by himself. And Since I had never seen them in concert, I didn’t recognise him or know who he was and asked him to take a photo of us all. I gave him my phone and he took the photo. Then a girl quickly came over and put Dexter in the group for the next photo. I later found out when Chuck told me of my blunder and Dexter told him to let him know if he needed any more photography done LOL.

So here I am watching thousands of people singing along to this man’s songs with him leading the way who I didn’t even know who he was a year prior. I wonder if he would remember me one day with my blunder. Probably! I better hide and not bring it to his attention! LOLBut now I am a HUGE Offspring fan now after this great event and I definitely want to see them again!
The Sema Show and Sema Fest were so much fun I can only hope they will bring me back next year!
Sally Steele
Photos: Sally Steele

Special thanks to Angela Moreno for the SEMA Fest Credentials and to Joann Shin from MSC Public Relations and Events for the SEMA Credentials!
See you next year!