Punk Rock Bowling 2010 – Day 3 – Las Vegas, NV

As Sunday dawned on Las Vegas, several people woke up lost inside the Sunset Station Hotel, others woke up confused, and a few lucky ones were able to greet the morning safely and comfortably in their hotel room, having made it back into their rooms successfully the night before. The last day of Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival had finally arrived and would ultimately end the event's 3 day run, and name the 2010 Punk Rock Bowling winning team. The final day maintained several old school Punk rock bands that would go on to perform throughout the entire day and provide a powerful ending to an incredible weekend. Stretch Marks, Ill Repute, The Crowd, Channel 3, The Dickies, Adolescents, 7 Seconds, TSOL, and D.R.I all made up the riveting lineup that ended Punk Rock Bowling on more than a good note.



Playoff finals for the bowling tournament began as early as 11am and lasted through the entire day. All 64 remaining teams endured the playoffs until the near end of the competition, in which 4 teams would be left to face each other.

As the late morning turned into early afternoon, the music portion of Punk Rock Bowling soon began to approach the event quickly. The show was meant to commence at 2pm, but due to the fact that the opening band Stretch Marks were one of the bowling teams in the playoffs, their time on stage was postponed to 2:40pm. Punks officially had another 40 minutes to resume drinking, resume gambling, or resume watching the intense bowling tournament.

During the semifinals, The Gutter Sharks faced off against The Pin Ladens and Hookers & Blow against Northeast Records. Eventually, the competition was faced between The Pin Ladens and Northeast Records, which ended with The Pin Ladens winning the "athletic" event and winning the 2010 Punk Rock Bowling victory! The Pin Ladens, who included NOFX vocalist and bass player Fat Mike, won the fierce competition with a score of 844. After a day of intense bowling (which beer was able to relieve at times), Punk Rock Bowling named its victors and provided the rest with another memorable experience that brings everyone together every year.

Once 2:40pm reached Las Vegas, Stretch Marks hit the stage and performed an enthralling set. The amphitheater was not yet teeming with people, but the audience that the band had played for was certainly captivated by the band's music. Stretch Marks performed Punk rock songs that kicked off Sunday's lineup the right way and with the right attitude. The band's 25 minute set was a perfect start to a day that would witness nothing but pure and solid Punk Rock.

Due to a last minute change, Dr. Know was no longer set to play the Sunday show, and instead, Nardcore band Ill Repute began their time on stage promptly after Stretch Marks' performance. Many more individuals made their way onto the floor of the amphitheater to attest the band's anticipated performance, which was an act that many were anxious and hoping to catch. Ill Repute began their set close to 3:20pm and immediately caused the audience to gravitate to their every sound and will. The band's signature hardcore Punk sound provided one of the best performances of that Sunday. 30 minutes later Ill Repute's time on the stage ran out, and as the band walked away, many fans screamed and shouted for the band to return to the stage and play another full set.

Orange County natives The Crowd approached the stage around 4pm and was met by frantic fans who provided a circle pit almost upon the band's first verse. The Crowd played songs that consisted of Punk rock, surf rock, and Rock N' Roll influences that intermingled to create a sound that only Orange County is capable of cultivating.

Channel 3 made their way onto the stage at 4:50pm and provided the audience with the old school sounds of Punk Rock for an eager and rowdy crowd. The band performed the majority of their songs from album, "The Skinhead Years", which pleased the audience as they constantly shouted out requests from that album. Channel 3 saw tremendous crowd support and praise as they played a lengthy set to the people of Punk Rock Bowling.

Around 5:30pm, The Dickies arrived on stage and induced pandemonium upon the crowd. The band's witty humor was made evident time after time as they incorporated comical material into their 40 minute set. Vocalist Leonard Grave Phillips singlehandedly augmented the band's stage presence as he ran back and forth across the stage, hopped around, jumped, and manifested through his actions the charming music of the versatile band. The Dickies played the majority of the songs from their album, "The Incredible Shrinking Dickies". Among them, "Waterslide", "You Drive Me Ape (You Big Gorilla)" and "Paranoid" were performed. When it was almost 6:15pm, the band finished their act and ended their time on stage to make space for The Adolescents, who were next.

The Adolescents began their performance at 5:35pm and opened up with their classic song, "No Way". Chaos immediately ensued on the floor and a barbarous circle pit dominated the ground. People were constantly falling in and out of the pit and either attempting with great effort to escape it, or to rush into it and control it. Adolescents' set was alluring in every way possible; from the music the band played to the showcase of each band member's energy, there was no way the band could go wrong with the direction they were going. The band played several fan favorites from "OC Confidential" and their famous self-titled album, which is also known as "The Blue Album". A few songs the band played during their set consisted of, "L.A Girl", "Who is Who", "Wrecking Crew", "Amoeba", "OC Confidential", and "Monsanto Hayride". When the band's time ran out, Adolescents ended their set with their most popular song; a song which never fails to end all of their performances on an overwhelmingly positive end. The band played "Kids of the Black Hole" last and were able to speculate a bountiful circle pit with people who knew the entire lyrics to the song and who sang along to every word. Adolescents left the stage after "Kids of the Black Hole" and many groups in the audience chanted "ADOLESCENTS!" over and over again.

7 Seconds performed next and astounded the audience with their raw hardcore Punk sound and feel. 7 Seconds had an aggressive and impassioned circle pit that sought to bring justice to the nature of the band's music. Vocalist Kevin Seconds showcased his diligent energy and effort, which he illustrated by conquering the stage as he sang each song with the utmost strength. During the band's set, 7 Seconds performed the majority of their songs from their albums, "The Crew" and "Walk Together, Rock Together". Songs the band incorporated into their set included, "Not Just Boys Fun", "Here's Your Warning", "Young 'Til I Die", "Walk Together, Rock Together", and "Red and Black". When it was time for 7 Seconds to end their performance, 7 Seconds dismissed themselves by covering the popular 80's song, "99 Red Balloons", which is a song they also feature in their album "Walk Together, Rock Together". Throughout the band's cover, people were still pursuing a circle pit, but many others were simply dancing along to the catchy cover. Once the band finished the song, cacophonous cheers overwhelmed the amphitheater as members of the audience remarked to one another over the remarkable performance that 7 Seconds had just displayed.

A while after 8:15pm, True Sounds of Liberty made their presence noticed as vocalist Jack Grisham strode across the stage and opened his infamous mouth full of sass, which always entertains his audience. TSOL commenced their performance and maintained the vicious circle pits that the previous acts had started. The band played the bulk of their material from their album, "Dance With Me" and their self-titled EP. TSOL performed songs, "Superficial Love", "Sounds of Laughter", "Dance With Me", and "Abolish Government/Silent Majority". When TSOL's turn on stage was over, the band ended their performance with "Code Blue", which typically causes a riot within their pits, and which successfully did. After "Code Blue", TSOL also met their own roar of chants which vigorously requested an encore.

D.R.I. finally reached the stage close to 9:15pm and started up their set with an explosive bang. The band opened up with "Who Am I?" and provoked the most uncontrollable action on the floor that Sunday had the privilege to speculate. Metalheads and Punk rockers both made up the floor as they charged into one another and hoped they would each last through it. Vocalist Kurt Brecht magnified the intensity of the band's performance as he screamed into the microphone with dire force and fervent attitude. D.R.I played the mass of their material from their album "Dealing With It", and went on to perform songs, "Couch Slouch", "I Don't Need Society", "Mad Man", "I'd Rather Be Sleeping", "The Explorer", and "Violent Pacification". The band's hour long set provided a performance that blew the audience away and provoked unimaginable behavior that those who were present were able to witness.

When 10pm began to intrude on everyone's Sunday, D.R.I's time on the stage began to near its end. The band ended their set with "The Five Year Plan" and allowed everyone to unite under the same love for D.R.I by shouting along to the song's words, "I lose, you win," and "I win, you lose!" When the song was over, D.R.I  bowed to their audience, waved goodbye, threw drumsticks and a few items onto the floor, and walked off the stage. The audience responded to the band's dismissal by shouting repeatedly in unison, "D.R.I! D.R.I!" The chanting never ceased as audience members persevered to attain an encore. Crew members made their way on stage and began to disassemble the drum set and remove equipment off the stage, but the chanting remained strong and with full vigor. Almost 10 minutes had passed by and the crowd was STILL chanting "D.R.I!" and STILL striving to acquire an encore from the band. The crew members looked back at the audience with sympathetic looks as if to say, "Sorry guys, the show's over." Still, the audience continued to chant the band's name and remained firm on the floor. Security unfortunately finally took action and began to herd the audience away from the floor and out of the area. Audience members began to boo over the fact that they were being forced from the floor, but as they collectively walked away, they chanted "D.R.I! D.R.I!" and demonstrated solely through that act the manner in which the band had ultimately impacted and influenced them.

Late night coverage from Bob M.
The late evening portion started about 10:00 at Club Madrid with the giving out of the awards for the Punk Rock Bowling Tournament. First place went to Fat Mikes team. Congratulations guys. The final show of the final night of Punk Rock Bowling. The show opened with a Hard rock band called "Saint Alvia" from Burlington, Ontario Canada. They rocked Club Madrid with their Hard Rock/Punk sound. They were getting the crowd ready for what was to be the highlight of the evening. The Topper in their set was when they did an amazing cover of Tom Pettys "American Girl" complete with a girl in a Budweiser Bikini!!  What is more American than that?

To continue on with this show was "The Cute Lepers"  A band from Seattle Washington. Watching them and listening to them, they reminded me of Green Day with some Badass Punk combos thrown in -they are a band you need to see. And they bring everything they have to the table. Check them out if they are playing in a city near you. You won't be disappointed. If you are a fan of Punk/Rock music, then you will be a fan of The Cute Lepers. By now the crowd was really hyped up and ready for the final band of PUNK ROCK BOWLING!!

"ME FIRST AND THE GIMME GIMMES" What can you say about these guys that hasn't already been said. For me this has a been a band I've been waiting to see for 11 years. They just totally Rocked The Club !!  From the opening song Summertime, to Rainbow Connection, Me and Julio Down By the School yard, and the list goes on. They belted out cover song after cover song, and everybody in the crowd sang along with every song me included.

Spike on the ukulele was outstanding, a Punk rock band with a ukulele, these guys are totally unique in thier own right. A funny story I have to share, I was standing in front of Fat Mike, and I was taking photos, I took a random picture of Fat Mike, he looked at me and said "NO PICTURES" them my jaw hit the ground! I looked at him, he looked at me and then he said "I'M KIDDING" I was like what a @#!& !!,  but he was so cool the whole band was incredible. What other way could you end Punk Rock Bowling a 3 Day Punk Rock music and Bowling Festival than with these consummate professionals Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. Another great antidote, before every song Spike would say "THIS IS A COVER SONG" Hilarious. Then certain songs on the set list he would say "WE DON"T KNOW THAT ONE" So another year of Punk Rock Bowling came to an end.  And what a song to end with which was "END OF THE ROAD" Hats off to the GIMME GIMMES. -end

Sunday's arrival in Las Vegas was met with disappointment, disbelief, and massive amounts of hangovers; all three feelings were the aftermath of Punk Rock Bowling's conclusion, which wrapped up both the bowling and music portion of the three day event. The disappointment and disbelief came not from the eccentric festivities, but from the fact that the 3 day weekend was officially OVER, and it was time for everyone to head back to their individual responsibilities. Sunday witnessed the finale of the bowling tournament, the awards ceremony, and the final Punk rock line-up which all took place at the Sunset Station Hotel. The bands began their performances earlier than they did the previous two days, and also ended an hour earlier than the previous two days. People all around the Sunset Station Hotel were heard making remarks over the end of the weekend and their rapidly approaching plans concerning life after Punk Rock Bowling. The final day of the 12th annual Punk Rock Bowling and Music Festival was both a day many rejoiced over, and a day many grieved over as its time quickly ran out.

Overall, Sunday and then into Monday morning proved to be like the last day of high school: People hugging, promising to keep in touch, crying, (Though maybe the crying came from being a little tipsy), and people celebrating amongst each other as the realization that everyone was officially on their own hit home rather hard. The end of Punk Rock Bowling was a bittersweet emotion that overwhelmed both the young, the old, the sober, and the wasted. Punk Rock Bowling may just be our adult version of camp with several modifications to the childhood experience. Substitute camp activities with slot machines, the talent show with Punk Rock bands, and camp food with bars/alcohol, and you've got an annual gathering of Punk virtuosos and aficionados who all indulge in the concept of unity through PUNK ROCK in all its infamous aspects. After the 3 day long experience, everyone's going to be feeling homesick for Vegas, and ESPECIALLY homesick for Punk Rock Bowling.
 

-Stephanie M.-
Big Wheel Senior Staff Writer

 

More photos of the event can be seen HERE

 

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