Wasted Youth: Live At The Doll Hut — a long-awaited hometown set and a stacked bill

The useful part

Live At The Doll Hut Marcus Solomon posted 24th September 2026 Reviews Wasted Youth, Zero Given, Hi-Volta, Weaponized, Right Hand Men, One in the Chamber, Neighborhood Watch, CFA The Doll Hut, Anaheim, CA. 11th July 2026 I had been waiting 45 years to see Wasted Youth live and my wait finally culminated with this incredible show at the long-standing Doll Hut in Anaheim. Somehow, I missed seeing the band back in the early 1980s even though I was going to shows almost every weekend.

How it works

• Bass driven." It wasn't all fast because there were some mid-tempo tunes in the set that showcased the band members skill and versatility.
• Rob seems to be at every show I go to and he also performs in the zany and great punk band known as The Clowns.
• I found a video of the song Wolves on YouTube that was filmed at this show.
• Somewhere in this mix I thoroughly enjoyed Neighborhood Watch on the tiny indoor stage.
• Neighborhood Watch on cassette tape fueled many intense skateboard sessions for my friends and me back in the early 1980s.

What to take from it

I don't know, because the huge sound of angry guitars, phenomenal bass lines and incredible drumming of Right Hand Men kept me riveted in place. I was reminded of Aggression at times because of the intense energy and frequent shredding metal solos. I could hear Carpit jamming inside so I hurried over there because I have heard a lot of good things about this band.

Example or evidence

• I was often reminded of another Mexican-American thrash/metal band known as Sick Sense.
• Original guitarist Chett Lehrer, who was also in Red Kross, brought the band back into existence, choosing the youngster Nigel Berk as vocalist.
• The Doll Hut is a historic, gritty roadhouse bar right next to the 5 Freeway in Anaheim and it is almost exactly like it was the last time I went there to see Smut Peddlers about 20 years ago.
• The only difference is now there is a larger outdoor stage to compliment the tiny, postage stamp sized stage inside.

Details worth keeping

This show was better than I had hoped it would be. The outdoor area is delightfully disorganized with a stack of old wood here, a broken pallet over there, there's a broken plastic table on its side next to the wall, and the ground is lovely dirt and crumbly asphalt. It is a two-man unit consisting of the brothers Adrian and Ariel Otero, who produce high-energy punk rock that is flavored with blues, funk, and a hint of Mexican banda.

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