Sublime

Sublime plays Great Canadian Toronto in Toronto on 20 August 2026. Formed in Long Beach in 1988, the band carved a hybrid sound where ska punk meets reggae rock, dub, punk hardcore and hip-hop, with songs that shift tempo and mood without warning. That blend shaped a catalogue that moved from DIY beginnings on Skunk Records to the breakout of 40oz. to Freedom and Robbin’ the Hood, before the self-titled 1996 album fixed their songs in the collective memory.

On stage today, original members Bud Gaugh and Eric Wilson are back at the core, joined by Jakob Nowell, son of the late Bradley Nowell. The set digs into the band’s essential tracks, balancing offbeat skank and laid-back grooves with sudden surges of distortion, bass-heavy dub passages and sample-scented breaks. Expect a live flow that jumps from reggae-leaning hooks to punk bursts, with the rhythm section steering tight turns and Jakob’s vocals tracing the grain of the originals without freezing them in place. It’s Sublime’s past and present in dialogue, brought to life for one night in Toronto.