There are at least four bands and one radio show sharing the name The Avengers: For Avengers, San Francisco see Avengers the first wave of American Punk. Penelope Houston. 1) The Avengers was an American group from Bakersfield, California. The first incarnation came together in 1964, as a surf six-piece. Where the name came from is unknown, but the hip British TV series 'The Avengers' had started running on the BBC two years earlier. The group soon latched on to the new sound of the British Invasion and bands like The Beatles