13th Annual Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival

Las Vegas

By Mila Reynaud
(SugarBuzz Los Angeles)

Photography by Mila Reynaud

SugarBuzz Magazine

The World’s Biggest Punk Rock festival was in Downtown Las Vegas over Memorial Day Weekend May 27-30th, the 13th Annual Punk Rock Bowling Tournament! For the record, it was started back in 1999 bringing the independent music community together for an annual party, mixing together bands, professional stuff, buddies, fans and gremlins from all over the globe!

Starting on time, in the heat and visited at times by some devil dust tornadoes, the 13th PRB burned the Fremont District of Downtown LV!!

Just crashed old school style by bus from Los Angeles after some epic road stories, I was there planted between colored mohawks and groups of iron spiked perfecto jackets with pins of my favorite vintage punk bands. I hesitated to be under the gun directly or to sympathize with some creepers in the pit ... Well after a stop of the only booth serving one my favorite European beers, I decide to paste on front stage for the rest of the week-end, total resistance. Twenty-three bands and bunch of pix later I will give you my best impressions of this solid line-up with rare raw punk bands with a 'from the top of my head' writing style.

It is not necessary to explain how much Killing Joke was missed, how today we would enjoy more than ever all of their prophecies and visions of our World!! We need you KJ!!

Saturday (Day 1)

Let's go! The tension came in the strong waves of sound from Dirty Filthy Mugs, The Grim, Off with Their Heads, Krum Bums, The Aggrolites, all leading up to the Stiff Little Fingers venue ... SLF on stage, with no Ian McGallun but the original bass player Ali McMordie! Awesomeness set with some high points including Nobody's Heroes, " Tiny Soldier" celebrating Memorial day , Gotta Getaway ," Make it all right" the Specials cover and lots more. I had my crossed fingers to hear “Strummerville”, but no luck. For the closure of the night, the Celtic Punk Band Dropkick Murphys and their depression songs for a tight show that concluded with a cover of AC/DC'S "TNT". After that, for anyone wanting some love vibrations, the direction was the Country Saloon on Freemont Street to see The Skatalites. Too tired to wait as they went on around 2am, but so wrapped by See Spot opening for them, a great Rock Steady vibes recovery!

Sunday Day 2

Today started cloudy for a chance with Johnny Madcap & The Distractions and his early new wave sound, Larry & his Flask for one crazy flipping out set (crossed their path the night before , playing a electric hysterical set in the street .. ), American Steel with their melodically urgent style, playing ballad to shouting melody (''Smile on Me one ''of my favorites), Black Pacific so dark and heavy I mean weighty atmosphere for a solid set, Bouncing Souls, and now yes The Undertones and their classic tunes, “Teenage Kick”, “You got my number”, “It's gonna happen” and "Here comes the summer". To end this night, Me First & The Gimme Gimmes and Descendents...and for me a second set of the Undertones at the Beauty Bar on the same block, there oh surprise the stage was outside in the back street in a dark alley with some street lights, a small stage looking so London one day in my underground life far far away! The Crowd was finishing their surf punk set, and I took place on front stage and what a pleasure to be at few inches from the guys, to feel a moving crowd in my back and to listen many girls singing all of their main songs, how it's refreshing !!

Monday Day 3

The sun was back and this last day was starting more engaged, with Stagger & Fall , Reducers, and Citizen Fish reminding us of some fundamental notions of Anarchy and anti-capitalism admonitions . Manic Hispanic gave a kick ass show with old and new punk covers although slightly twisted with a large dose of barrio humor. The Dwarves leaving a definition of the word "FUCK " infinite !! Leftover Crack playing their popular politically charged songs such as "One Dead Cop", "Gang Control", "Born to Die" the singer Stza made a quick performance with a red painting spray-gun on the ugly and huge inflated plastic bottle of Miller Lite on the side of the stage before being stopped by the security service .

The closing of the festivities was by the veterans of the "Oi" Cock Sparrer, playing energetic tunes for their hardcore fans, Callin McFall wearing the official StrummerVille Shirt in support of the Joe Strummer Foundation, I really appreciated this tasty touch!!!

Amazing sets by all the bands , The various bands themselves played almost every different style that's associated with what can be considered part of the 'punk' genre, from straight-on shouty Hardcore to Oi, 'regular' Punk, Folkpunk, Ska and even 60's style Garage/Surf Punk. And for my personal note, to drink & smoke and to listen to sound in the same time, in total liberty it's so good, this is Las Vegas! But how it's weird to see nothing on the ground no cans no mess, yep a clean ground service is operating too this is the most clean music festival that I have ever seen in my life, but no recycling trashes humm !!

I'm sure now "PUNKS ARE NOT DEAD"!!! What a great punk revival and good energies to STAY UP!!! Mila Reynaud

Saturday May 28th
Dropkick Murphys, Stiff Little Fingers, The Aggrolites, Filthy Thieving Bastards, Krum Bums, Off with Their Heads, The Grim, Dirty Filthy Mugs


Sunday May 29th
 Descendents, Me First & The Gimme Gimmes, Undertones, Bouncing Souls, Black Pacific, American Steel, Larry & his Flask, Johnny Madcap & The Distractions

Monday May 30th
Cock Sparrer, Leftover Crack, The Dwarves, Manic Hispanic, Citizen Fish, Reducers SF, Stagger & Fall


www.punkrockbowling.com
www.byorecords.com
Mila Reynaud Photography
SugarBuzz Magazine