Mad Dogs and Englishmen Pool Party – at The Plaza Hotel – Las Vegas, NV

With Friday night now a cloudy and seemingly continued memory, the sun arose once again to shine down for the second day of the 2013 Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival. Sunglasses and sunblock was the order of the morning or afternoon depending on the time you arrived back to your hotel if at all, as well as more beers and blaring music.

The newly renovated Plaza Hotel was our host for Saturday mornings free pool party showcasing a who’s who of Punk icons. Nestled on the 5th floor of the South tower overlooking the thoroughfare of Freemont Street, pool goer’s sun bathed and watched on in anticipation as the afternoon’s splendor began.

Drenched in the shadow of the south tower a cool wafting breeze brought on a refreshing respite from the dessert sun as Punks gathered around the stage. With the acoustic sets up first we were treated to a beautiful calm before the storm featuring Charlie Overbey’s solo acoustic dominance and a pair of Aggrolites providing numerous musical scorchers. With Jesse Wagner and Jeff Rofredo drawing in folks from the pool and street sides it was shoulder to shoulder from get go. Performing classic Aggrolites tunes sprinkled in with cult favorites like “Shame And Scandal” the performance was mired in laughs and non-stop drinking. For select songs the two gentleman pulled double and triple duty doing their best to mouth a little Roger Rivas keyboard solo admit tingly announcing “Its not the same without Rog” refreshing and lighthearted the two men dazzled and provided a special selection for two young fans of the group with the E.K Bunch and Yo Gabba Gabba favorite “Banana”. Ending the set with “Run around Sue” the Pair of Aggrolites received a booming ovation and trotted off triumphant.

With the pool in a tizzy water drenched punks emerged to partake in the all-star mash up featuring some of the pillars of the Punk movement. On drums DH Peligro of the Dead Kennedys James Williamson Of The Stooges Charlie Paulson of Black President & Goldfinger and Tony Adolescent of The Adolescents. Wasting no time the pool side stage erupted as the all star collection of “Pool Boys” launched into their set “Rain Forever” I Wanna Be Your Dog” “No fun” and “Search & Destroy”. The energy of the crowd was overwhelming and consistent not once hinting as to the prior 24 hours of non-stop Punk debauchery to slow them down. They would need all of their energy; from then on out it was fucking nuts. Kevin Seconds of 7 Seconds took the stage like a bat out of hell for the Punk anthem “Walk Together, Rock Together” as the force of the whipping crowd pushed him back on his heels it was that raucous. And just like that Tony quickly emerged once again this time with a special treat “Amoeba” began to start up and fists flew to the air like a last call for alcohol.

One after another it was a barrage of Punk flashbacks and slamming Zander Schloss and Cpt. Sensible helped bring the afternoon to a climax with “New Rose” “Love Song” and the fittingly “I Feel Alright” which after this weekend one could only hope to be singing the same tune.

 

            

More photos of the show can be seen HERE

-Gio Van Dam-
Big Wheel Staff Reporter

 

 

 

 

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