Sublime to Reunite with Bradley Nowell’s Son, Jakob, at Coachella 2024

The Coachella 2024 lineup is here in all of its glory, and joining headliners Lana Del Rey, Tyler the Creator, and Doja Cat will be two special ‘90s reunions: No Doubt and Sublime, the latter of which will perform with Jakob Nowell, son of the band’s original frontman, Bradley Nowell.

The reunited Sublime first came together in December 2023, when the band’s original bassist and drummer — Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh, respectively — enlisted Jakob to perform with them at a benefit concert for Bad Brains’ frontman, H.R. At the show, the trio was billed as “A special performance by Jakob Nowell, Eric Wilson, and Bud Gaugh,” but now, they have formally “reunited,” and will be playing as Sublime, right and proper.

As exciting as the reunion is, though, it isn’t too much of a surprise. After the trio announced their performance last month, the team that manages Sublime’s business and legacy assets hinted that a more formal reunion was in the cards. Then, a few days after the performance itself, Wilson’s Sublime-honoring side project, Sublime with Rome, announced that they would disband after finishing out their 2024 tour commitments.

Kevin Zinger, a rep for Jakob, said at the time that the reunited Sublime was “patiently waiting and doing the right thing,” adding: “If the vibe’s there, the vibe’s there.” Now, it seems like the vibe is, indeed, “there.”

In a new statement, Jakob expressed sentimental feelings about the reunion. “This has so many layers for me,” he said. “On a spiritual level, my father passed away when he was 28, and I am 28 now. It’s an honor to carry on with our family’s name and legacy with Sublime. I’ve been a performing musician with my own projects since I was 18. It’s an absolute privilege to be able to play these Sublime songs with legendary musicians like Eric and Bud. On a personal level, my Uncles Bud and Eric are meant to play these songs and the fans want to hear them. I’m excited, nervous, thankful, and humbled all at the same time to step into this role and start this new chapter. It feels like my big crazy family is finally back together and I couldn’t be more happy.”

Get Coachella 2024 Tickets Here

As for Wilson and Gaugh, it seems they’re just as happy as Jakob is. “I knew I would be playing music with Eric again at some point, that was never a doubt,” Gaugh said, alluding to his 2011 departure from Sublime with Rome. “But to be playing music with Eric and Jakob, it’s very reminiscent of those early days in Brad’s dad’s garage in a surrealistic kinda way. With Jake’s raw talent and the solid rhythm foundation Eric and I provide, this train is bound for glory!”

Echoing Gaugh’s sentiment, Wilson said: “This is great because I haven’t had the opportunity to play with Bud Gaugh in over a decade; and to have Brad’s son playing our music is the closest thing possible to playing with my old buddy Brad.”

In addition to Coachella 2024, a press release announced that Sublime will also play “additional music festivals in 2024,” but no further details are available at this time.

For more on the reunited Sublime, check out videos from the trio’s performance last month, where they played hits like “Santeria,” “Wrong Way,” and more. Meanwhile, learn how to get tickets to Coachella 2024 here.