Cretin Family Debut: Billie Joe Armstrong, Travis Barker and CJ Ramone Honor the Ramones at 50
A new supergroup called Cretin Family played its first show ever on Sunday, August 30, 2026, at Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Ramones' 1976 self-titled debut album. The one-night-only tribute paired Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong with Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker — two punk stalwarts who, by Armstrong's own account, had never shared a stage before. Billboard
The band's name is a nod to "Cretin Hop," the opening track on the Ramones' 1977 album Rocket to Russia. The lineup also included Tim Armstrong of Rancid and CJ Ramone, who played bass in the Ramones from 1989 until the group disbanded in 1996. Actor John Travolta hosted the evening, a role confirmed in the July announcement from Ramones Productions and Hollywood Forever. Shore Fire
Cretin Family's 19-song set leaned heavily on the Ramones' first three albums, which remain the foundation of the band's catalogue. The setlist included "Blitzkrieg Bop," "Beat on the Brat," "Havana Affair," "Cretin Hop," "Commando," "Rockaway Beach," "Sheena is a Punk Rocker," "Do You Wanna Dance," and "I Wanna Be Sedated." The band also covered the Trashmen's 1963 surf-rock oddity "Surfin' Bird." Billboard
Three surprise guests joined across the night. Comedian and former Saturday Night Live cast member Fred Armisen sat in for "Danny Says." The Linda Lindas, the Los Angeles punk band whose members range from their mid-teens to early twenties, performed "I Wanna Be Sedated" and a cover of Joe Jones' "California Sun." Billy Idol closed the show as the final unannounced guest, performing "Beat on the Brat," Generation X's "Ready Steady Go," and the closing "Blitzkrieg Bop." NME first reported the surprise appearances. Billboard
The event, scheduled from 5:30 PM to 11:00 PM, sold out in advance, according to a post on the Ramones' official Facebook page on August 1. DJ and visual artist Shepard Fairey had been announced as a special guest. The show was jointly organised by Ramones Productions, Inc. and Hollywood Forever Cemetery, the historic burial ground that has become a regular concert venue in recent years. Hollywood Forever
Pollstar reported on July 8 that Armstrong would front the supergroup, confirming what the Shore Fire press release had laid out the previous day. The Ramones' official Facebook page described the August 30 appearance as the first ever performance by Cretin Family. Pollstar
For fans of the band, the evening carried a particular weight. The Ramones never had a mainstream hit single in their lifetime, but their influence on punk and alternative rock has been acknowledged across decades. Bringing CJ Ramone back to the stage put a living link to the original band beside three musicians who grew up on that sound — and who have each sold millions of records carrying its influence forward.
