Face To Face & The Paradox Rock Portland On Opening Night of RSEO 2025
Photos: Ballard and Muller
So-Cal pop punk legends Face To Face headlined Friday’s free concerts at Portland’s Waterfront Park, a perfect fit for a band that has been synonymous with skate culture since the early 90s, when its songs soundtracked more than a dozen skate video parts and were blasted at skate sessions around the world.
“I just I feel so grateful that we're still a part of this community after all these years,” says Face to Face frontman Trever Keith.
Trever Keith. Photo: Ballard
The band never charged skaters or skate brands for using its music in video parts and, because of it, Face To Face songs were widely used in the 411VM series and for brands with southern California roots, especially Santa Cruz Skateboards.
“That was very deliberate,” Keith says. “We decided early on when people would call us up and ask us if they could use our music in their videos, whether it was a pro or just some kid trying to make a sponsor-me-tape or whatever, that we would always say yes.”
Dennis Hill. Photo: Ballard
He says the best part of getting to provide the soundtrack for the first day of RSEO 2025 is the chance to keep reaching new generations of skaters and music lovers.
From left to right: Scott Shiflett, Trever Keith, Danny Thompson, and Dennis Hill. Photo: Ballard
“When I was 20 and we were starting the band, I wouldn't have ever imagined that after all this time we could still be part of the community and playing to young kids that are like, 14, 15, 16, years old, and that our music would be relevant to them,” Keith says. “It’s so gratifying and cool to see that it's really not about age, that it's about something that's much bigger than all of that: punk rock, and skateboarding, and positive energy, and going for it, and going all out. So, we couldn’t be happier to be here and still be a part of it all.”
Atlanta-based pop punk band The Paradox kicked off the Friday, and said it was an honor to open for Face To Face.
The Paradox. Photo: Ballard
“We love it when the crowd is jumping around, dancing, having a lot of energy, so we love the chance to play to a bunch of skaters,” says guitarist Christopher “Xelan” Bernard.
The new band powered through its set, including its newest single “Bender,” released in July, and previous singles “Do Me Like That,” “Get The Message,” and “Ms. Lauren.”
Singer Eric Dangerfield says he and his bandmates jumped at the chance to play Rockstar Energy Open 2025 because of the alignment they see between their approach to punk music and the skate culture exemplified here in Portland this weekend.
From left to right: Xelan, Eric Dangerfield, Rayman and PC3 on drums. Photo: Ballard
“What I love most about skate culture is that everyone is just kind of open to being themselves, being free,” Dangerfield says. “Everyone's accepted, no matter what you look like, where you come from. I think that's a beautiful thing. That's what I love about skateboarding and punk rock, and that’s why they’ve always gone together so well.”
The bandmates were on site watching the Men’s and Women’s VQS Street Qualifiers before their set, and Dangerfield says the story of young skaters taking the opportunity to fight their way into the big show at RSEO 2025 reminds him of his band’s rapid trajectory in the last year.
“All we wanted was the opportunity to make music and put it out for people to enjoy. Like some of these young unknown skaters out here, a lot of people could look at our story and feel like nothing like this could happen for us. But literally, if it happened to us, it could happen to anybody, so we’re out here cheering for these unknown kids.