YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Ultra Q, a band with a direct link to rock royalty, will headline Federal Frenzy on April 26.

The California-based act is led by Jakob Armstrong, who is the youngest son of Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day.

The 24-year-old Armstrong is the principal songwriter and rhythm guitarist. He is joined by his lifelong friends, Enzo and Chris Malaspina, who are brothers, on lead guitar and drums, respectively; and Kevin Judd on bass.

Ultra Q is currently on a U.S. tour that hit Mahall’s in Lakewood on Tuesday night. The act has previously toured with indie bands Wavves and Cloud Nothings and has opened for Green Day.

Its latest album, “Empty Eddy,” was released last year in the wake of its 2023 effort, “My Guardian Angel.”

Ultra Q’s sound is influenced by everything from The Strokes and The Cure to dance club music and pop-punk.

As the progeny of one of punk’s greatest frontmen, a bit of Green Day sound is naturally present in Armstrong’s songs. But he makes no attempt to sound like his father – or to avoid sounding like him.

“It’s DNA, I guess,” he told Guitar World magazine in a 2023 interview. “There was a time when I didn’t want to make punk music because my dad makes that type of stuff, but honestly, I don’t really care anymore. I’m doing what interests me and what’s going to keep me wanting to be in a band. There are absolutely going to be tracks that remind people of that, but it is what it is.”

Local Artists

Federal Frenzy is presented by Penguin Productions, a student organization at Youngstown State University. One of Pen Pro’s goals is to spotlight the area’s top bands, and it goes through dozens and dozens of submissions before making its choices.

“The bands are selected by our talent team, which goes through a process to get a wide variety and to meet the community’s desires and what students want,” said Lexie Napolitan, marketing lead for Pen Pro and a junior at YSU.

She started listening to Ultra Q after the band was selected and liked what she heard. “They will bring a lot of energy,” Napolitan said.

Federal Frenzy is expanding to two days this year, with the first at Penguin City Brewing Co. on April 25. Day Two will take place on West Federal Street on April 26.

The headliner for the first night will be Youngstown-based No Funk No Justice, a dance-disco-funk act that will take the stage inside the Penguin City taproom at 9:15 p.m.

On April 26, there will be four stages – two outdoors and two indoors.

Ultra Q will headline the Main Stage, which will be at West Federal and Phelps streets.

The Summit FM Stage, near the intersection of West Federal and Hazel streets, will be headlined by Canton-based “bubblegrunge” singer Anya Van Rose.

The third stage will be inside The Federal, 110 W. Federal St. and will feature HeartBreakKings – winner of the Federal Frenzy Face-Off competition.

The fourth stage will be at The Varsity Club, 131 W. Commerce St., and will feature headliner Candace Campana, who ranges from hard rock to country pop.

Now in its 11th year, Federal Frenzy will have some new elements this year.

For starters, it is returning to its original location on West Federal after two years at Penguin City Brewing. 

The West Federal location means it will also be able to take advantage of the city’s new outdoor drinking zone for the first time. The zone went into effect a few months ago.

In the Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area – or DORA – zone, patrons can walk around outside with an alcoholic beverage if it was purchased at a participating bar. The zone encompasses the entirety of the Federal Frenzy footprint.

“I think it will [encourage] people to go around and see the entire event,” said Pen Pro’s Napolitan. “It will mean fewer limitations.”

As a nod to Penguin City, which hosted the event during the past years of street reconstruction, Federal Frenzy is expanding to two days this year.

Day One will be at the brewery.

“Two days will be twice the fun,” Napolitan said. “And, hopefully, it will bring twice the amount of people. Having it downtown and at Penguin City is the new and the old coming together.”

A vendors market will be part of the proceedings both days, with artisans from the Youngstown Flea setting up booths. There will also be a multitude of food trucks, and downtown restaurants will be open both days and nights.

Attendees can park in the Wick Avenue parking deck at YSU for $5 cash only (free with a YSU parking pass). A shuttle bus will run on a continuous loop from the McDonough Museum of Art to the event sites from 4-10:30 p.m. April 25 and 2-11:30 p.m. April 26.

Here is the schedule of performances:

April 25

Penguin City Brewing

  • 5:25-5:55 p.m.: Potentia.
  • 6:10-6:40 p.m.: Late Night Drive.
  • 6:55-7:25 p.m.: Aairo.
  • 7:40-8:10 p.m.: Tundra Tuxedo.
  • 8:25-8:55 p.m.: Outrun Infinity.
  • 9:15-10:30 p.m.: No Funk No Justice.

April 26

Main Stage, West Federal at Phelps Street

  • 2:30-3 p.m.: Wednesday Demonstration.
  • 3:30-4 p.m.: Fake Blondes.
  • 4:30-5 p.m.: The Velvet Gentlemen.
  • 5:30-6 p.m.: Lemuel & Friends.
  • 6:30-7 p.m.: Nineteenth Paradise.
  • 7:30-8 p.m.: Fifth & Aurora.
  • 8:45-9:30 p.m.: Fine Young Men.
  • 10-11 p.m.: Ultra Q.

The Summit FM Stage, West Federal at Hazel Street

  • 3-3:30 p.m.: Lovers in Reverse.
  • 4-4:30 p.m.: Floco Torres.
  • 5-5:30 p.m.: Sedona.
  • 6-6:30 p.m.: November Loop.
  • 7-7:30 p.m.: Hunter Skeens and The Forerunners.
  • 8-8:45 p.m.: Anya Van Rose.

The Federal, 10 W. Federal St.

  • 2:15-2:45 p.m.: Negative Zen.
  • 3:15-3:45 p.m.: Bury The Pines.
  • 4:15-4:45 p.m.: King Tut The Don & Da Bopman.
  • 5:15-5:45 p.m.: Royce Anthony.
  • 6:15-6:45 p.m.: Master Hand.
  • 7:15-7:45 p.m.: HeartBreakKings.

The Varsity Club, 131 W. Commerce St.

  • 3:25-3:55 p.m.: Blue Chameleon.
  • 4:25-4:55 p.m.: John Harrow.
  • 5:25-5:55 p.m.: Benny Bassett.
  • 6:25-6:55 p.m.: The Head Trips.
  • 7:25-7:55 p.m.: Candace Campana.

Pictured at top: Ultra Q will headline this year’s Federal Frenzy.