Punk Rock Bowling turning 25 still strikes festival founder Shawn Stern as a pleasant surprise.
“It started off as a bowling tournament, which was really just an excuse for us to go to Vegas and have a party,” says Stern, of the hardcore punk band Youth Brigade. “We had a couple of shows, but it wasn’t a festival. It was much more intimate, and it was a lot more about hanging out with everybody. … It was an opportunity for us all to get together, let loose and do some crazy stuff.”
Today, Punk Rock Bowling is still that—and so much more. The raucous Downtown weekender, set to return May 24-26, has evolved into a yearly punk pilgrimage, bolstered by music, bowling, pool parties, poker and noteworthy club shows. Ahead of the madness, we caught up with Stern, who sharedhis five favorite moments from the last 25 years.
Downtown welcomes Laura Jane Grace and a wild pool party in 2012. “[One of] the first shows that she did solo as Laura Jane Grace was in 2012 at the Beauty Bar. That was awesome. T.S.O.L. in 2012 also played the festival, which is great, but then they played a pool party at the Gold Spike. That was nuts. People were jumping off the balcony into the pool. It was crazy.”
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop’s 2017 headlining set. “We’ve been fans of his forever, and he’s an inspiration, one of the earliest people playing punk rock. I remember running out to where the photographers are allowed to go, but all the photographers had been kicked out. It was just my niece there. She was about 15 or 16 at the time, and I ran up and said, ‘Just keep taking pictures. You don’t understand. This is really a big deal.’ But [Iggy] really got it. He knew, ‘I gotta play the classics,’ and he did.”
Booking the legendary Devo. “We saw them here in LA at the race track. ... We thought, man, we’ve gotta get Devo. When we started advertising, there were a bunch of people saying, ‘Devo? That’s not punk rock.’I said, you guys are crazy. I saw Devo in 1979 at this little club in LA. They were one of the most punk rock bands I’ve ever seen. That band started in the early ’70s. They were trailblazers. They put on such a great show. Everybody was singing along. But that’s the funny thing, people are talking smack, and then you see them all singing along!”
Catching the Queen of Rockabilly in 2013. “A lot of people were like, ‘Wanda Jackson?’ But she was amazing. She played at Backstage Bar, and the place was packed, and she’s tiny. It’s so hard to see her, but she put on a great show. At that time, she was probably in her mid 70s.”
The Specials’ show-closing set of 2019. “I won’t say it was one of [lead vocalist] Terry Hall’s last performances but it was definitely near there, because he passed away … a couple years later. The two-tone ska scene, and specifically The Specials, were an inspiration for us, because of all the Rock Against Racism shows they did, the message that they had, and seeing this integrated band was so awesome. Ska music, it’s such fun, happy music, and they just were one of the best bands.”
PUNK ROCK BOWLING May 24-26, 1 p.m., $134-$303. Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, punkrockbowling.com.
–Amber Sampson
Club Shows to Catch
Bootsy Collins Bootsy Collins, one of the baddest funk bassists around, had a starring role in Parliament-Funkadelic, and that grooving excellence will rekindle at PRB’s kick-off party. The funk conductor leads the procession with support from Fishbone’s Angelo Moore (also known as Dr. Madd Vibe), legendary guitarist Micki Free and others. May 22, 8 p.m., Fremont Country Club. –AS
Bob Mould The Minnesota punk vet, whose bands Hüsker Dü and Sugar influenced a generation of acts, has stayed on top of his craft over these last 45 years. His melodic, guitar-driven hooks have powered 15 albums, all of which speak to Mould’s pursuit of innovation and the urge to tell his story. Witness this legend with Social Distortion’s Jonny Two Bags and more. May 25, 10 p.m., Downtown Container Park. –AS
A Tribute to the Specials The ghost of two-tone rises: Lynval Golding, original axeman and vocalist of The Specials, leads a spirited ska revival, backed by The Aggrolites and a galley of ska lifers, Mephiskapheles, the Toasters and more. It’s punk, reggae, sweat and soul in one rude boy seance. Skank like your boots are on fire. May 24, 9:30 p.m., Citrus Grand Pool Deck at Downtown Grand. –Gabriela Rodriguez
Lee Fields A living legend, Lee Fields croons like a man possessed, with pipes forged in the ’60s and pure heartbreak etched in every note. Over a career spanning five decades, he’s not only shared the stage with the greats, he’s kept the flame going. Shannon & the Clams bring doo-wop garage psych rock, and The Luxuries round it out with surf-rock swagger. May 25, 9:30 p.m., Citrus Grand Pool Deck at Downtown Grand. –GR
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