For the first time in more than a decade, pop-punk staples Good Charlotte returned to Los Angeles, hitting the ALTer EGO 2026 stage for a long-overdue hometown moment.
Standing alongside his brother Benji, vocalist Joel Madden acknowledged the lengthy absence early on.
“Thank you, Los Angeles, for having Good Charlotte back. It has been a very long time,” he told the crowd.
“We’re happy to be here. We’re a little band from Maryland, but Los Angeles is our hometown now. It has been for a very long time. It’s good to play a hometown show.”
Later in the set, Joel doubled down on the band’s roots and their adopted home. “We come from the middle of nowhere in Maryland. We’re very proud of where we’re from, but we’re very, very happy to live in Los Angeles.”
The performance leaned hard into nostalgia, packing the set with early-2000s staples. Good Charlotte opened with The Anthem and closed with Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous, turning the Forum into a full-volume singalong.
Fans will not have to wait another 10 years to catch the band live again. Good Charlotte is set to hit the road this summer alongside Avenged Sevenfold.
“This summer we’re coming back with the whole fucking show with Avenged Sevenfold. We’re bringing it,” Joel promised. “We hope to see you guys there.”
Before leaving the stage, he offered a heartfelt thank you to the city that has carried the band through its career.
“We want to say thank you to everyone in Los Angeles that has supported us over our entire career. The only thing we care about in this band is our songs and the people that listen to them, and the people that make it possible for us to do this. If you are one of those people, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
Good Charlotte – ALTer EGO 2026 Photo Gallery
Setlist:
1. The Anthem
2. Girls & Boys
3. Rejects
4. The River
5. Dance Floor Anthem
6. Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous