If you hear a chorus of “Hey! Ho! Let’s Go!” echoing through Hollywood Forever Cemetery this summer, don’t be alarmed—it’s just one of punk’s biggest birthday parties.
Fifty years after the Ramones released the self-titled debut album that rewired rock music forever, Hollywood Forever Cemetery—the final resting place of both Johnny and Dee Dee Ramone—will host the Official Ramones 50th Anniversary Tribute on August 30, bringing together an all-star lineup led by a newly assembled supergroup called Cretin Family.
The one-night-only band features Tim Armstrong of Rancid, Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day, Travis Barker of Blink-182 and CJ Ramone, the bassist who joined the legendary Queens punk band in 1989. The musicians will perform Ramones songs together for the first time, joined by surprise guests yet to be announced. John Travolta will host the event.
Alongside the concert, attendees will get a double feature featuring the new 50th Anniversary Deluxe edition of Carrie, the 1976 horror classic in which Travolta made one of his earliest film appearances, and the actor’s new movie, Propeller One-Way Night Coach. Artist Shepard Fairey is also scheduled to spin a DJ set, with proceeds benefiting cancer research at the Ellison Institute.
The celebration expands on the annual Johnny Ramone Tribute that’s become a Labor Day weekend tradition at Hollywood Forever, but given that August marks the first major public celebration of the album that introduced the world to Joey, Johnny, Dee Dee and Tommy Ramone, this year holds special weight.
“The spirit of the Ramones is alive in every backyard punk show, punk club and festival,” Billie Joe Armstrong said in a statement. “Generation after generation of cretins and weirdos become Ramones lovers. Kids are influenced by the Ramones and they don’t even know it yet.”
Travis Barker echoed that sentiment, calling the band “the blueprint” for punk rock, while Tim Armstrong described the Ramones as “my favorite band of all time” and said performing their songs alongside Barker, Billie Joe Armstrong and CJ Ramone would be “wild.”
As part of a broader 50th anniversary campaign, Rhino Records will also release a picture-disc edition of the Ramones’ debut album on July 17, followed by a colored vinyl pressing of Live at The Roxy, 8/12/76 on July 31, giving fans another excuse to revisit the record that proved you could change music history in under 30 minutes. If the anniversary celebration is anything like the album itself, expect it to be fast, loud and over before you’re ready for it to end.
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