Pittsburgh political punk rockers Anti-Flag are no strangers to Vegas, but they are first timers at Punk Rock Bowling. The band consistently puts on one of the best live shows of any punk rock band at there, and this year you get two chances to see for yourself – full band on the PRB mainstage on Saturday at 6:10 pm and acoustic at 11th Street Records on Friday at 7:30pm. Need more convincing? Check out our five questions with singer/bassist Chris 2.
Hi Chris! So you guys have signed to Spinefarm for your new album American Spring. I think a lot of people expected you guys to go back with Fat since you did the Fat tour at the end of 2013. Spinefarm is primarily known for heavy metal, so I’m curious how you guys got hooked up?
Part of how we ended up on Spinefarm was that we wanted to bet on ourselves. Make a record with absolutely no label influence on the sonics. So we wrote, recorded, finished the artwork, and completed American Spring on our own dime. We paid for everything ourselves.
After it was finished we invited labels to hear it. We believe our issues and statements carry weight world wide. Spinefarm is a truly international label. Their plan was better than anyone else’s. That’s not saying that labels have had a great influence on the sound of our records in the past. But even a label like FAT. They’re our friends.
We want them involved out of kindness when they invest in our band. So it becomes kind of a subconscious thing. American Spring was/is a very personal collection of songs to us. We wanted to have the greatest amount of control over it.
This is your first year playing Punk Rock Bowling. What bands are you most looking forward to seeing this year? Is there anything you enjoy about a big fests – Extreme Thing, Warped, PRB – that you don’t get from your usual club shows?
For us, the festival experience is an opportunity. An opportunity to find people and ears who have not been educated on what Anti-Flag is. A band that stands against racism, sexism, homo and transphobia, against injustice and bigotry of any kind.
Sometimes that very simple message connects to someone who feels alone or afraid to be themselves. At the club show we know for the most part everyone gets it. That experience is more of a celebration of that fact.
Anti-Flag is one of the few bands who have made Vegas a frequent tour stop. With Vegas having so many age restrictions, do you find yourself enjoying all-ages shows like PRB or do you prefer 21+?
We only ever want to play all-ages shows. Vegas can do it. It gets tricky. But we have consistently found ways to buck the age restriction system.
Last time you guys came through, we filmed a Stripped Down acoustic session and this time, you’ll be playing acoustic at 11th Street Records. Many people think punk and acoustic don’t mix but we’ve seen people from Billy Bragg to Chuck Ragan do it well, so why do you think the styles blend well together?
The type of song Anti-Flag wants to write is often born from the folk singers perspective. Guthrie. Dylan. Strummer. Bragg. The lineage is there. I think that helps certain songs translate to an acoustic guitar. Those are our heroes. We are just trying to get on their level.
When I first got into your band, George W Bush was president and you guys were obviously very outspoken against him. Now Obama is getting ready to wrap up his second term, and I’m curious what you think his legacy will be?
I’m afraid the legacy will be one of disappointment. We live in an era of the greatest divide between the wealthy and poor. He was on the wrong side of history when it comes to Michael Brown in Ferguson. Eric Garner in NYC. He stated to protect property thus upholding the status quo in Baltimore after Freddie Gray’s death. Guantanamo Bay is still not shut down.
Health care is a joke, we need socialized medicine and education in America now. He came in with great opportunity. I am frustrated and concerned for that missed opportunity. But being a watchdog of the powerful is what punk rock is made for. So I’m very glad to have that outlet for that concern and frustration.
Thank you, Chris! You can catch Anti-Flag on the PRB main stage on Saturday, May 23 with Rancid, Sounds of Threat and more. Details for that show can be found on the Punk Rock Bowling website. You can also catch the band acoustic at 11th Street Records on Friday, May 22 at 7:30 p.m. Space is limited so get there early (and buy some records while you’re there).
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