My Take on PRB Adding Two New Locations in Addition to Las Vegas
The internet is buzzing with the news that Punk Rock Bowling and Music Festival has added not just one, but two new locations on top of their original Las Vegas festival. The annual fest has been going on in Vegas for 17 years, and something ignited the creators to tack on an East Coast date, announced late last year.
A few weeks ago, I was perusing Facebook when I saw the purple flyer pictured at the top of this post. I was a little lost, and then I started reading the details and realized it was a Denver show at Summit Music Hall. What? When? Why did I not get a press release about this? One of the bands on the flyer posted it on their page to promote the show, and it seemed like there were mixed feelings about the announcement. I completely understand the back and forth of being supportive and being like WTF, dude? But I’m starting to lean more toward the “this changes everything…” view of it. Let me try to explain:
One of the things I love[d about Punk Rock Bowling, besides the obvious (usually) rad lineups, is the fact that shitty Las Vegas was PACKED with punks every Memorial Day weekend, showing that this genre isn’t fucking dead as most idiots love to push, and a multitude of sold out shows played back-to-back nights provided a weekend of drunken bliss to people from all over the world. Personally, I am not a fan of Vegas, and PRB was the only thing that could ever get me there for more than a night or two. It was special.
It’s hard to be mad about something you love expanding and succeeding. So… in so many words, I’m not mad that this is happening, I guess I feel I don’t know if it’s actually the best move for the event. I think the novelty of it being a once-a-year thing is obviously gone now, and I am unsure the cost of putting on three events all over the country will be worth losing the mass you’ll have in Vegas, if that makes sense. Sure, now MORE people will attend PRB in general when you combine all three together, but how many of those people at the Denver/NJ dates used to travel to Vegas every year? Does the cost of tripling the event worth the predicted amount of new concert goers? I mean, I guess Riot Fest has successfully done it, but even that… I am less motivated to go because I would only want to go to the original Chicago date, but Denver is much closer, yet I feel if I’m going to travel, I would want to go to the biggest, best one. Is that dumb? I don’t know. If Riot Fest had a date in Los Angeles, I would probably try to go, of course, it’s right here. However, I feel the experience would be 100% different than if I had traveled to Chicago years and years ago when there was only a Chicago date.
The moral of these ramblings is that the whole PRB expansion has just left me with mixed feelings. It’s hard to be mad that something I love so much will be able to be experienced (more conveniently) by more people, however, I am a little sad inside that it will lose the novelty it’s carried for so many years. Now, I won’t be seeing as many friends from all over the country/world because maybe one of the new locations is more convenient for them… but I guess such is life. It’s like Punk Rock Bowling is growing up and leaving it’s old friends in the dust while building new ones. The tried and true may stick around, but it’s not always that easy for everyone. I’m interested to see how it all turns out!
Do you make it to Vegas every year for PRB? Are you going to one of the new dates instead? How do YOU feel about this? Tell me on Twitter or Facebook or in the comments below!
About the Author
Denise Borders 39, Los Angeles. Denise founded PWV in 2008 and remains the primary manager and photographer/videographer. She is not secretly obsessed with Joey Cape.
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