With only 6 shows left to play, NOFX bid New England a fond farewell at their latest Punk In Drublic festival. It was a bitter sweet gathering of punk rockers old and young at Campanelli Stadium in Brockton, Massachusetts this past weekend. Fans were happy to see the legendary punk band from LA but sad to think that soon, they will be no more.
For those who have never attended a Punk In Drublic festival, it’s a thrill to experience. From local food trucks, to local breweries offering tastings, to vendors selling all sorts of punk related gear, to worthy charities, it’s a true event for all ages. Music Madness would like to take the time to mention the charities that were represented. Founded by Rob Rushing, Punk Rock Saves Lives is an initiative in the music community that uses music to promote awareness and action on health, equal rights, and human rights. They have been at events crisscrossing the country for several years. Pass The Bass was formed by brain injury survivor Dylan Flynn. The goal of his campaign is to fundraise for the Brain Injury Association of America through selling merchandise. Doctors gave Dylan almost no chance of surviving his horrific auto accident and if he did, he’d be in a nursing home for the rest of his life. He proved them wrong and he’s telling others that they can lead productive post brain injury lives.
Day one was a beautiful blue sky day. Rebuilder started off the day but sadly, this reviewer made a tactical error and was too late to photograph them. Nominated six times for Boston’s best punk band, they kicked the weekend off with a great set. Next up was Codefendants. Front man Sam King wandered onto stage with sleep pants, a wife beater, and bathrobe. If he indeed had just rolled out of bed, the band’s set was no reflection. Sam’s counterpart, Ceschi Ramos, along with a powerful backing band delivered an energetic set. The darlings of Detroit, The Suicide Machines, turned up the intensity. Frontman Jason Navarro jumped to the rail and engaged the crowd. He held the mic for one youngster to belt out a song then placed them triumphantly on the rail for the crowd to applaud.
After a 4 year hiatus, Street Dogs still have that brash Boston punk attitude that their fans love. They played like they haven’t lost a beat. Hopefully they will continue on after seeing the audience’s reaction to their set. Punk “supergroup” The Defiant, featuring local legend Dicky Barrett, took the stage to a roaring crowd. Barrett was joined on stage with former Dropkick Murphys vocalist Al Barr. Sadly, that was the last time Barr took the stage this weekend. Long time Jersey punks, The Bouncing Souls delivered the next set. They’ve been at it for 35 years and showed the crowd they still have it.
Legendary giants of the hardcore punk world, Circle Jerks, took the stage next. Formed in 1979 during the heyday of the LA punk scene, the band has broken up and reformed several times. Even though the band hasn’t released any new material in almost 30 years, they still captivate audiences. Front man Keith Morris announced they were the oldest band playing the festival, but the band of 60 year olds performed like they were half their age!
Closing out night 1 was the band everyone was there for, NOFX! Fat Mike took the stage wearing leopard spotted cat ears as the band joyously took the stage to Rocky Horror’s “Time Warp”. The band (and the crowd) had so much fun throughout the set. Sam King of the Codefendants came out and danced with Fat Mike as Eric Melvin played the accordion to the delight of everyone, especially Mike. It was the way a good rock show should be. There’s no need for bands to be serious and no need for crowds to be reserved. To paraphrase the Three Musketeers, it was all for fun and fun for all!. The band hit songs from all eras of their 40 years career . See set list HERE.
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Day 2 was a bit gloomy weather-wise. Even a little bit of rain didn’t damper the spirit of the crowd. They were there for a great day of music and that’s what they received! The music once again started with a local favorite. A long standing member of the Boston hardcore scene, Colin of Arabia kicked things off. Although the crowd was a bit thin for their set, they gave their all for those who were there. Following them was another 20 year veteran of the Boston scene, Far From Finished. They delivered a set full of hard hitting lyrics backed by equally hard hitting music. The Philadelphia ska band Catbite was up next. Seemingly out of place amongst the hard edged punk that surrounded them, they proved there is always a place for ska! They had the crowd dancing and having fun.
Teenage Bottlerocket kept the crowd going and the pit spinning with their Ramones influenced power-punk. Following them was Canada’s Flatliners. They’ve been delivering their hard edged rock for 22 years and their set was as dynamic as any band of the weekend. Lagwagon hit the stage with a fury. They’ve been on and off the scene a few times since their inception in 1990. According to their website, they only have a couple festivals lined up so let’s hope they’re resting up for a big 2025.
The kings of the Boston punk scene were up next. Of course, I’m referring to Dropkick Murphys. The band has been rolling on for almost 30 years and shows no signs of stopping. This evening’s set was one of the most driving DKM sets in recent memory. Not that they don’t always deliver a great set but perhaps because of what this festival represented, they turned the dial up past 11 as did their fans. Robert Sullivan, the Mayor of Brockton, came on stage during the Murphys set to proclaim the day as “NOFX Day” which was a nice move on the city’s part. Many were hopping that Al Barr would join the band on stage for this momentous New England send off of NOFX but sadly, that never happened.
NOFX came out next for their very last performance in New England. The frivolities continued on night two and it was a night of pure joy. Fat Mike came out jokingly flipping the middle finger to the crowd. Throughout the night, Eric Melvin did a number of aerial leaps as El Hefe and Erik “Smelly” Sandin kept things plugging and chugging along. They were joined on stage by Ben “The Dancing Man” Carr of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones on stage. His dancing added to the lighthearted attitude of the set. Again, the set spanned their illustrious career. Set list HERE. Yes, it was the end of the road in New England for this legendary band, but the memories of this and many other evenings throughout the years and throughout New England and beyond will live on forever. RIP NOFX.
Their last six shows will be three at Chicago’s Riot Fest and three Punk In Drublic shows in San Pedro, California. If you can, get there! It will be a momentous occasion for sure!
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