Images: Off With Their Heads, Western Addiction, Illicitor, 4340 May 23, 2014 at the Beauty Bar (Punk Rock Bowling)

Did you ever want to hear most of Hospitals live? Because that’s what we got at the Beauty Bar on May 23, where Punk Rock Bowling 2014 kicked off for me and a few hundred friends. Off With Their Heads pulled heavily from the fan favorite album with “Die Today,” “SOS” and “Jackie Lee” getting some of the biggest reactions of the night, with frontman Ryan Young’s depressive lyrics complemented by an overcast sky above the Beauty Bar’s outdoor stage.

One of the best parts of PRB is having so many fans of one band sardine canned into a place like this belting out lyrics in unison, and no moment from the set was as much fun as hearing everyone scream the “I’m outta my mind and outta your sight / I’m outta my mind” part of “Drive” with enough intensity that I’m sure people all the way down at Stateline had to call in a noise complaint. Conversely, it was cool hearing the more subdued, alt rock-esq “Please Don’t Make Me Go” and seeing fans wrapping arms around each other for an intimate, cathartic and delicate sing along, with everyone’s hearts pinned firmly to their sleeves and the rain providing a convenient out for anyone shedding one manly tear.

Western Addiction, which features members of Enemy You and Dead to Me, had just about as many people out to see them as the headliner, and with good reason, as the band has never been known as road dogs and this was their first ever show in Las Vegas. Due to some technical difficulties, they had to stop and restart the opening song but from there they plowed through a big helping from their Cognicide LP as well as a new song. The band is more aggressive and without the pop edge that Off With Their Heads have and as such, a circle pit subbed in for sing alongs and a not-yet-drunk or sun-baked crowd was able to work out some of the pent up excitement for the weekend ahead. Frontman Jason Hall told us, or maybe warned us, that they would be playing the punk rock version of a “Springsteen set,” which means almost a full 38 minutes versus The Boss’ normal 3 hour run time. He also tried to unite the two biggest mohawks in the crowd into an ominous sounding superhawk and explained to the crowd shouting “rock and roll” to remember what happened the last time punks went rock, and then more precisely what happened when all the cool 80s thrash bands went metal. Hall’s voice sounded great as the band tore through the set and despite the Beauty Bar’s stage height, the singer still managed to get himself into the pit a few times.

Opening the show was Las Vegas’ own Illicitor and two piece garage punk outfit 4340 from El Monte, California. This was my first time seeing – or even hearing – 4340 and they put on a pretty rad live show. With only drums, guitar and vocals, the songs still felt sufficiently full and I loved that the dudes stuck around for the rest of the show, showing respect to the other bands. Plus, it was cool seeing their hometown friends singing along up front and just generally hyping them up (like a pack of Flava Flavs). If you come to this site regularly then you must know Illictor. The band is made up of some former Holding Onto Sound guys and the intensity they bring to their live show is something to behold. Zabi’s gruff vocals play off Bob’s softer style perfectly and new drummer Micah Mayhem (The Quitters) is just a beast behind the kit.

-Emily Matview | https://www.flickr.com/photos/holdfastnow/