Guest “Best of 2024”: Cigar


Curious what notable personalities in the scene think was great this year? So is TGEFM! So we reached out to some of our favorite luminaries ranging from musicians, label personnel, and more for their “Best of 2024” lists. Now, listen: TGEFM is not a taskmistress. Contributors can write these out however they want. So if it doesn’t actually look or read like a list… and sometimes it really is just a list with no other observations! Who cares?

Portland punks Cigar continued to tour on 2022’s The Visitor and teamed with Fat Wreck to re-release their 1999 debut Speed Is Relative in 2024… to close out the year, they have teamed with TGEFM to share with us some of their favorite moments of the year. Check it out below!


1) The live return of R.K.L.
One of the greatest bands to ever play punk rock- Rich Kids On LSD– reunited and did a short run of west coast shows this past year. The honor of a lifetime came with being invited to be the opening band on the tour, so we were there to bear witness. Just insane. Truly shredding. Make sure to catch them in ’25!

2) Seeing Schizophonics at Punk Rock Bowling
Cigar played a party at this fabulous festival in Vegas and caught so many great bands over the course of the weekend, but The Schizophonics really delivered an exceptional and memorable performance. Enough energy and style to choke a horse. Explosive badassery. Honorable mentions also seen at PRB include Niis, Devo, Descartes a Kant, and The Descendents.

3) The Substance
This film is a must-see. A feast for the eyes, somehow simultaneously as stylized and grotesque as one can imagine. The message hits like a blunt object to the forehead, but is one that needs to be heard loud and clear and heard often.

4) NOFX‘s farewell shows
We all said goodbye to the fantastic four of punk this year. They went out by throwing huge parties with great entertainment in cities all over the globe, bringing together many strands of punk rock in celebration. We were present and played at their final show in Portland Oregon, which fulfilled a twenty-five year plus bucket list goal for us. Thank you for that and for so much more, NOFX.

5) The discovery of ‘dirty Dr Pepper’
Somehow the combination of Dr Pepper, sweet cream and and a squeeze of lime (and espresso or cold brew if you are REALLY a carpe diem type) is the most insanely addictive elixir ever foisted upon me. Seriously, I’m hooked.

6) The Punk Rock Museum
Not only is this museum just a ridiculous amount of fun, but they’ve done such a great job of keeping the spirit of the music and culture intact while making it a truly educational experience. We toured the exhibits and did a last minute matinee acoustic show in the bar there and had a ball. Also played Wesley Willis‘ keyboard in the jam room. A stellar day in Vegas.

7) Mannequin Pussy I Got Heaven LP
This band just keeps getting better. They have all the goods live and then turn around and deliver great album after great album. One of the bright  musical lights of this moment in time.

8) The long awaited reissue of…..our first album
Cigar’s first record Speed Is Relative came out 25 years ago and copies have been scarce ever since, so it brings great happiness and relief to have our true-blue label Fat Wreck Chords step up and reissue it proper style just in the nick of time to make this list. Yeah yeah….it seems ridiculous to put our own album on here, but the EXPERIENCE of having it out there again fills us with so much joy, I feel like I just drank ten dirty Dr Peppers.

9) The Punk Rock Bass Players Facebook group
This is seriously one of the best things happening on the internet right now…imagine an inclusive community of kind and sincere people for whom punk has changed their lives all being supportive and informative and celebratory of one another and our whole wider musical family, a group that sprung up organically and has stayed warm and inviting and fun to be a part of even as it grows exponentially every day. Sound too good to be true? It actually exists! Bask in the love!

10) did I mention dirty Dr Pepper?

Thank you all for a topsy-turvy 2024, we hope to see you out there in ’25. Ho ho ho from Cigar!

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