Here is a sentence you do not expect to write in 2026: Black Flag is back, and they brought three people in their 20s with them. The legendary Hermosa Beach, California punk outfit — or at least Greg Ginn’s version of it — lands at Putnam Place in Saratoga Springs on Friday, September 25. Doors open at 7:00 PM, show at 8:00 PM. You need to be 21 or older to get in, and tickets are $40.
About Black Flag
Black Flag formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California, with Ginn as the founding guitarist who has anchored every iteration of the band since. The current lineup — announced in April 2025 — brings in vocalist Max Zanelly, bassist David Rodriguez, and drummer Bryce Weston, all in their 20s, alongside Ginn at 72. The band calls it a new chapter. Critics have opinions. Either way, this group already played European shows in 2025, appeared at Coachella in April 2026, and is now deep into a 45-date coast-to-coast US tour running through November 1. Music comes out through SST Records, Ginn’s longtime label.
The Saratoga date falls in the middle of a September run. Fans who have caught this lineup on tour describe the same raw energy that put Black Flag on the map — just with a younger rhythm section driving it. If you are curious about what a Gen Z-era Black Flag sounds like inside a 500-cap club room, September 25 is your chance to find out.
About Putnam Place
Putnam Place is at 63A Putnam Street in Saratoga Springs — a 500-capacity club in the heart of the Albany / Capital District scene. September is a good time to be in Saratoga: racing season is long over, and the town settles back into its own rhythm. Plan to arrive before doors at 7:00 PM. A band with this kind of touring momentum does not leave a lot of empty space near the front of a 500-cap room. This is a 21+ event — leave the younger crew at home.
Tickets
Tickets are $40 and available now at the Putnam Place website. Friday, September 25, 2026. Doors at 7:00 PM, show at 8:00 PM. Twenty-one and older only.