What started out as a few bands to celebrate a bowling league, has evolved into a three-day music festival complete with club shows, pool parties, and one of the biggest punk festivals in the country. The brainchild of Youth Brigade’s Stern Brothers, Shawn, Mark, and Adam, this year marks the 25th anniversary of Punk Rock Bowling (PRB). Located at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center over Memorial Day weekend, the Sterns compiled an epic lineup to celebrate this impressive milestone.
Saturday, May 24
With one of the most intense sets all weekend, Lambrini Girls did not come here to mess around. Lead vocalist and guitarist Phoebe Lunny interrupted their first song, “Big Dick Energy,” by walking into the crowd and forcing everyone to kneel down, before popping up and moshing for the song’s big finale.
I swear Lilly Maciera-Bosgelmez’s bass must have been set to 11 with heavy reverb. For “Bad Apple,” Lunny split up the crowd, preparing for a wall of death which saw elbows and bodies flailing.
Youth Brigade showed no ego, leaving the main stage for other acts. Lead singer and guitarist Mark Stern said, “I know it’s hard to believe in anything right now, but you can believe in this community. You got to help each other,” and they went into “Believe in Something” featuring a nice ska breakdown.
Guitarist Johnny Carey took lead vocals for “Sick.” Stern said, “I wrote [“What Are You Fighting For”] in 1982 and it’s probably more relevant than ever.” A mob of moshers and crowd surfers exploded at the set’s final song, “Sink with California.”
The Adicts opened up their set on the main stage with “Let’s Go” and “Joker in the Pack.” Lead singer Monkey was wearing his trademark white face paint with wings, and a suit decorated hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades for the Vegas theme.
He led the crowd in the singalong, “Fuck it Up.” After “Just Like Me,” Monkey introduced the other members of the band during “Chinese Takeaway.” They finished with “Viva la revolution,” “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” and “Ode to Joy.”
Bouncing Souls wasted absolutely no time and kicked into “Hopeless Romantic,” which got the entire crowd singing. As one of Jersey’s finest, they continued to get the crowd riled up with “East Coast! Fuck You!” followed with the friendship anthem, “Manthem” featuring co-lead vocals from guitarist Pete Steinkopf and bassist Bryan Kienlen.
The Souls kept it going with “That Song,” “Sing Along Forever,” and “Private Radio.” For the emotional “Lean on Sheena,” Attonito came down to sing with the crowd on the barricade as Steinkopf ripped on guitar. They closed with “True Believers” as Crazy and the Brains lead singer Christopher Urban joined them.
You could argue that the most meaningful set of the weekend came from fan favorite Cock Sparrer. Not just because they are beloved by loyal fans across the globe and because they tour the States so infrequently, but most of all the band announced this would be their final PRB performance. They clarified that while not retiring, “We’ve done [PRB] so many times, so it’s time to visit you elsewhere.”
They led with “Riot Squad” and “Watch Your Back.” Lead singer Colin McFaull announced they put out an album last year and played the title track, “Hand on Heart.” They did “What’s It Like to Be Old?” a question many in the audience, me included, could relate to. McFaull said the next song was probably his favorite and dedicated it to “all of you fuckers having a rough road bringing up kids” and they played “Because You’re Young.” They finished a strong set with their biggest songs, “Take ‘em All,” “Where Are They Now?,” “England Belongs to Me,” and ironically enough, “We’re Coming Back.”
Sunday, May 25
Codefendants had just played the PRB pool party a few hours prior to their set on Sunday. Backed by Zeta’s Chino Sandoval on drums and Tony Pereira on bass, they opened with “Def Cons” and “Abscessed.” You feel every bit of raw emotion from co-lead singer Sam King when he screams “and I hope piece by piece that it finds you no peace at all” on “Suicide by Pigs.”
They played a heavy version of “Fast Ones” which saw singer Ceschi Ramos rap standing on the barricade. When they played their latest single, “Right Wrong Man,” Fat Mike (formerly of NOFX) came out to sing his part of the song. King’s vocals were beautiful on “Counting Back from 13” and they finished a perfect set with “Sell Me Youth.”
Against Me lead singer Laura Jane Grace took the main stage with her latest project, Laura Jane Grace and the Mississippi Medicals. Grace started with a series of songs from her solo projects including “The Swimming Pool Song” and “SuperNatural Possession,” as well as one of her latest singles, “Mine Me Mine.”
By the time the band switched to “Pints of Guinness Make You Strong” off the first Against Me album, the crowd erupted into a mosh pit as fans rejoiced hearing live Against Me for the first time in years. Grace also played “Your God (God’s Dick),” which went viral a few weeks ago when the band played a Bernie Sanders rally. They did the popular “Teenage Anarchist” and closed with “True Trans Soul Rebel” about Grace’s own struggles with transgender dysphoria.
The Interrupters were one of the most anticipated sets all weekend. This was the band’s first show since ALT 98.7’s Friendsgiving back in November. They started with the high-energy “Gave You Everything” and went into “Turntable,” as singer Aimee Interrupter sang, “the world that keeps on spinning on a turntable.”
They played singles off their last album, “Raised by Wolves” and “In the Mirror,” both which reflect a more matured sound. They let the crowd know that everyone there was family and would look out for each other with songs like “By My Side” and “A Friend Like Me.” They finished with “Take Back the Power” and their hit single, “She’s Kerosene.”
Punk Rock Bowling had billed Sunday’s headliners as Peter Hook & the Light playing “Joy Division’s Greatest Hits.” They did “No Love Lost” and “Warsaw,” and it really was surreal hearing these post-punk and new wave classics live for the first time ever. Part of what creates their unique sound is duel bassists, Hook and Jack Bates, playing very distorted and synthesized equipment.
Hook explained how he got into music was by seeing a Sex Pistols show and leaving with the sentiment, “if they can do it, I can do it.” He played “Shadow Play,” which became a hit for The Killers a couple of decades after its initial release. They also played “Dead Souls,” which became a hit for Nine Inch Nails for their cover from “The Crow” soundtrack, demonstrating the wide array of bands that Joy Division helped influence. The band finished with “Transmission,” “Ceremony,” and the moody “Love Will Tear Us Apart.”
Monday, May 26
Gracing the main stage Monday was Baltimore’s Angel Du$t, and they were one of my favorite sets all weekend, playing loud and fast. After opening with “Toxic Boombox” and “Space Jam,” the heat had gotten to lead singer Justice Tripp (Trapped Under Ice frontman). He took his shirt off and tied it around his head in a makeshift turban as the band went into “Brand New Soul.” For their last song, “Set Me Up,” Tripp jumped down to sing on the barricade before crowd surfing as the song finished.
Bridge City Sinners were entertaining as hell. Incorporating elements of folk, punk, jazz, they sound like something you’d hear in New Orleans Square at Disneyland on acid. They kicked off with “Crazy,” and banjolele player Libby Lux said, “This next song is about the bad sads, it’s called ‘Doubt.’”
Lux went on to discuss their songs’ meanings as they played them, including “Heavy” (smoking pot) and “Midnight to Vice” (alcohol). Guitarist and lead songwriter Michael Sinner said, “Six years ago I met my wife at Punk Rock Bowling. Thirteen days ago, we just had our first child. So be careful who you go home with this weekend.”
The Damned put on one of the strongest sets all weekend. Playing nothing but the hits that spanned their whole career, ranging from fast punk (“Love Song,” “Machine Gun Etiquette”) to the morosely gothic (“Is It a Dream?”).
Lead singer Dave Vanian wore a black suit and red frilly shirt, looking like the ghost of Joe Strummer. Vanian dedicated “Fan Club” to founding guitarist Brian Jones (who passed away this past March), “who made this all possible.” “Ignite” featured a sick guitar solo from Sensible. The band finished up (a few minutes late) with “Neat Neat Neat,” “New Rose,” and “Smash It Up.”
Flag consists of former Black Flag members including Keith Morris on vocals, Chuck Dukowski on bass, Dez Cadena on guitar and occasional lead vocals, Bill Stevenson on drums, and his Descendents bandmate Stephen Egerton on lead guitar (Egerton had an insane solo on “Depression.”). They had without question the gnarliest crowd all weekend, with brutal pits. This was the band’s first show in six years – the last being PRB in 2019 – but despite a long layoff, this was the tightest and sharpest I’ve ever seen them play.
As the band began the intro to “My War,” the pit slowly built up with the ominous intro before Morris snarled the song’s title, bringing it to life with pure carnage. The band played “Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie,” “Wasted,” and “Rise Above” before a changing of the guards. Morris disappeared backstage while Cadena took on lead vocals including “American Waste,” “Thirsty and Miserable,” and “Six Pack.” Morris returned for vocals on “Nervous Breakdown.” A crowd that had been on their feet walking in near-triple degree heat came alive for this performance culminating in a cover of “Louie Louie.”
The time had come for PRB’s final act of the weekend. A band worthy of celebrating a festival’s 25th anniversary, Social Distortion. I was reminded of the 1984 documentary “Another State of Mind” which follows two bands in their early 20s, just kids as they toured across the country. Those bands were Social Distortion and PRB founders, Youth Brigade. And here they are together four decades later.
The OC punk legends kicked off with “Born to Kill” followed by “Don’t Take Me for Granted.” Lead singer-guitarist, Mike Ness – who is in remission from tonsil cancer – said, “This next one is a song Dennis (Dannell, founding member and guitarist until his passing in 2000) and I wrote together. I just wanna give you ‘The Creeps,’ motherfucker!”
Ness said he’s seeing his freedoms disappear and that he tried to warn people about Trump years ago.
They played “The Way Things Were” featuring a powerful solo from guitarist Jonny “Two Bags.” They did their cover of “Ring of Fire,” “Bad Luck,” and finished with “Story of My Life,” which seemed to perfectly encapsulate the last two and a half decades of Punk Rock Bowling.
During her band’s set Sunday evening, Laura Jane Grace said, “I’m not exaggerating when I say this is my favorite festival.” I haven’t attended nearly as many festivals as Grace, but I can tell you this is hands down my favorite event all year long. The one I look forward to and am saddened as it comes to an end every year, as all good things must.
The good news for other people who look at PRB so fondly is that even after 25 years, with the success of this year’s festival it’s clear they are stronger than ever and not going anywhere anytime soon. Until next year, PRB.
