Images: The Menzingers, Lawrence Arms, Toys That Kill and more May 27, 2017 at The Bunkhouse Saloon (Punk Rock Bowling)

This year’s Punk Rock Bowling was unusually quiet for me, as the only tickets I purchased were for the Saturday show at The Bunkhouse featuring The Menzingers, The Lawrence Arms, Bad Cop/Bad Cop, Toys That Kill, and Wolves & Wolves & Wolves & Wolves. Seeing as how it was one of the last club shows to sell out this year, I was worried it would be dull, a thought which I will never have again, because this was one of the best shows I’ve ever attended, period.

I’d seen Bad Cop/Bad Cop twice prior to this set and both times I enjoyed it, but was never fully converted into loving them. That quickly changed after seeing them on this night. They played a handful of new songs that really struck a chord and I was happy to look around and see many people singing along to a band full of talented and badass women destroying it in a genre that is so male dominated. I’m officially looking forward to hearing their new album, Warriors, which comes out June 16.

Toys That Kill were the reason I even thought about buying a ticket this year instead of missing out on the festivities to save some much-needed money, but being financially stable will always take a backseat when it contends with seeing one of my favorite bands live. TTK were in town about a year ago playing the Dive Bar along with The Civic Minded Five, who reunited after years of inactivity (Civic Minded Five were on the Recess Records roster, which TTK frontman Todd Congelliere founded and owns). Playing to a handful of people at the Dive, or a sold-out crowd during Punk Rock Bowling, these San Pedro heroes take control of a room with more intensity than most younger bands active today.
With minimal crowd interactions, they blared through songs that covered their entire career. From those off the band’s latest record, Sentimental Ward to classics off albums like The Citizen Abortion, Fambly 42 and Control the Sun. I got all my monies worth as I sang along with complete strangers and friends to all my favorite songs.

Scranton’s own, The Menzingers, closed out a night of voice-scratching melodies. These PA pop-punks have been having a stellar year after releasing After the Party, their third release on the juggernaut label, Epitaph. I can honestly say that After the Party is one of the best records to come out in the last five years, and these guys have honed a sound all their own after years of grueling tours and playing everywhere and anywhere. By the end of the night the outside stage in the Bunkhouse patio was packed with people singing along to classics like “I Don’t Wanna Be an Asshole Anymore,” “Sun Hotel,” and new classics “Bad Catholics” and “Tellin’ Lies.”

The Menzingers had their set down like clockwork. The chemistry they share on stage is something that’s naturally developed after years of being stuck with the same people for days, weeks, and months on end. For almost an hour and a half I was encapsulated by sweaty strangers who knew all the words to every song, just like I did. People who have been lifted on the roughest of days not just by The Menzingers, but by several bands on this year’s PRB bill. It made me feel stupid for thinking of missing out on the best weekend of the year for outsiders like myself.

-Alan Madrigal

Alan was at the indoor stage during the Lawrence Arms’ set so here are my thoughts. This night technically marked the third show of the weekend for Lawrence Arms co-frontman Brendan Kelly, who played an acoustic set the night before and made a quick comedy show appearance at the festival’s onset. Kelly showed no signs of wear though, as him, co-frontman/guitarist Chris McCaughan and drummer Neil Hennessy launched into b-side/Coheed lampooning “Necrotism Decanting The Insalubrious (Cyborg Midnight) Part 7.”

But the crowd didn’t really come alive until the second song. “This is a new one,” Kelly joked as the band played “Great Lakes/Great Escapes” off the now 11 year old Oh Calcutta. Security doubled and then tripled like a wet mogwai as fans pressed against the barrier (though you’d be forgiven in thinking it was a baby gate thanks to its minuscule size). Much of the band’s thankfully-lengthy set focused on Calcutta, with “The Devil’s Taking Names,” “Lose Your Illusion” and “Are You There Margaret? It’s Me God” eliciting similar gate tipping responses from the eager-to-sing-along crowd. The Lawrence Arms are one of my very favorite bands, and screaming along to their songs, arm in arm with friends new and old, will never lost its joy.

-Emily Matview

The Menzingers photos by Anthony Constantine | https://www.facebook.com/anthonycphotography

Lawrence Arms and Toys That Kill photos by Shahab Zargari | http://www.shahabzargari.net/

Lawrence Arms, Bad Cop/Bad Cop and Wolves & Wolves & Wolves & Wolves photos by Spencer Burton