NOFX drop off Punk Rock Bowling after receiving hate messages and threats
Descendents will replace NOFX on the Las Vegas fest due to a backlash over insensitive jokes at the 2018 edition…
California punk quartet NOFX have pulled out of their recently announced appearance at Las Vegas’ Punk Rock Bowling event, following backlash stemming from the band’s appearance in 2018 during which they joked onstage about the 2017 shootings in the city which left 58 people dead. They’ll be replaced on the bill by Descendents.
In a statement announcing their withdrawal from the bill, Fat Mike said, "I’ve been playing and bowling at Punk Rock Bowling since the very first one when there were only 22 teams. PRB is my favourite time of the year. Like so many of you, I not only get to see my favourite bands, but I also get to see my punk friends from high school. This event is my reunion, it’s my convention, and it’s my church… I was so fucking excited to play it this year… but sadly we are not going to.
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“NOFX had a meeting this week and decided we shouldn’t play out of respect that wounds are still healing. There has been a lot of hate messages and threats because we are on the bill. It just feels wrong. We know we said shitty things that caused it, so we get it. Sorry to everyone that wanted to see us. It’ll have to be in a different city.
"Hopefully we can see you all in Vegas when the time’s right. But not Everything Sucks, I talked to Milo [Aukerman, Descendents frontman] yesterday… And he’s comin! Descendents are taking our spot! It’s pretty fucking cool that we are being replaced by a better band! I wish I could be there to see ’em.
"Actually very sincere,
"Fat Mike and NOFX“
Punk Rock Bowling will take place on September 24 – 26 at Las Vegas’ Downtown Event Centre. The full line-up is:
Friday
Descendents, Frank Turner, The Menzingers, All, Anti-Flag, The Queers, Roy Ellis, Pears, FYP, Bad Cop/Bad Cop, Seized Up, The Linecutters, The Sunnydales, Jerk!
Saturday
Circle Jerks, Streetlight Manifesto, Leftover Crack, Gorilla Biscuits, Youth Brigade, The Bronx, The Aggrolites, Good Riddance, Plague Vendor, Field Day, Urethane, Decent Criminal, Side Eyes, Suburban Resistance
Sunday
Devo, Lunachicks, Murder City Devils, The Lawrence Arms, Municipal Waste, The English Beat, Riverboat Gamblers, The Schizophonics, Bishops Green, Bridge City Sinners, The Last Gang, Holy Fever, Babe Patrol, The Twits
Read this: NOFX’s Fat Mike: "I fly my freak flag sexually and musically, and punk allows me to do that"