Acid Bath Brings the Doom to Santa Cruz

Acid Bath
Quarry Amphitheater
Santa Cruz
October 10, 2026

Photos by Raymond Ahner

What happens when an absolutely stacked lineup consisting of Acid Bath, High on Fire, Melvins, and Windhand play a show in the middle of the Santa Cruz woods? You get an evening of doom, sludge, and proto-metal that features something for everyone.

Kicking things off at promptly 6:30 pm on this slightly chilly night was Windhand, who hail from Richmond, Va. Although their set was far too brief, the band made the most of it, ripping through a six-song Sabbath-inspired set highlighted by “Winter Sun.” Despite the power to the stage momentarily being out, the band delivered, and they were the perfect choice to kick off the evening.

Up next were the Melvins, who really got the crowd going. Even after all these years, the band just continues to get heavier and heavier. This night was no exception. After opening with “Working the Ditch,” the band ripped through an eight-song set highlighted by a cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Sway,” and their classic, “Honey Bucket.” Although the venue may not have been ideal for moshing, that didn’t stop the metalheads who snuck into the area closest to the stage.

High on Fire hit the stage just as the evening had appropriately turned to dusk and had the packed crowd headbanging from the very start. With new drummer Ben Koller of Converge, the band are tighter than ever, as their far too brief set proved. By the time they wrapped things up with “Darker Fleece” the now primed and ready crowd were ready for the headliners.

Opening their set with “Tranquilized,” Acid Bath commanded the stage and the crowd like they always have. From the word go they put on a set reminiscent of 1995, letting their music do the talking. Highlights from their set included “Bleed Me an Ocean,” “Paegan Doll,” and “Venus Blue,” and by the time they wrapped up their set with “The Blue,” one thing was clear: Acid Bath is back in a big way.