The final day of the Punk Rock Bowling and Music Festival brought Cock Sparrer, members of Black Flag and more
ASBURY PARK -- "Punk-rock will live forever!" screamed Nick "Animal" Culmer, to the cheering mass of mohawks, studs, denim and tattoos who thrashed below his boots.
The tenacious frontman of England's Anti-Nowhere League -- a band now in its 36th year -- is rollicking proof that despite its assumed volatility, punk is long past its fad stage, and through more than 40 years-worth of sonic stampedes Sunday, a few thousand raving fans enjoyed a terrific showcase of the genre's past and present.
The final day of the Punk Rock Bowling and Music Festival, a traveling, multi-city event visiting New Jersey for the first time, stormed through The Stone Pony Summer Stage once more, and delivered seminal acts Cock Sparrer (U.K) and Flag (former members of Black Flag), among a list of nine turbulent acts. Throwbacks the Descendents and Dag Nasty headlined Saturday's batch of show, which also included a bowling tournament at Bradley Bowl in nearby Bradley Beach.
While the punk diehards recover from flailing in the circle pit -- or leaping off the 20-foot-tall amp stack, like the joker pictured below (he was okay) -- let's break down this eight-hour romp, as a punk fan may appreciate.
A fan jumps off the amp stack at Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival at the Stone Pony Summer Stage in Asbury Park, NJ 6/12/16 (Alex Remnick | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) HIGHLIGHTS AND PUNK ACCOLADES
The "wow" set: Flag, a patchwork group comprised mostly of players from Black Flag's many iterations through the late '70s and '80s, was the event's privileged "for one night only" performance, and unleashed a sensational blast of California bedlam. Though punk luminary and the band's best-known singer Henry Rollins wasn't on board, original screamer Keith Morris was extraordinary, firing "Gimmie" and "Rise Above" as fans chanted the iconic choruses. Bassist Chuck Dukowski sped his lines with precision and guitarist Dez Cadena injected his own brand of grit, when he took vocals on defining punk tracks "American Waste" and "Six Pack."
As Black Flag has been mostly an idea and less of an on-stage entity this century, this gathering -- which even included Descendents' Stephen Egerton on rhythm guitar -- truly felt like a once-in-your-lifetime sort of show.
Keith Morris of Flag performs at Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival at the Stone Pony Summer Stage in Asbury Park, NJ 6/12/16 (Alex Remnick | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) The most aged punks: Forty-four years after their rage helped define the punk sound, Cock Sparrer slammed through its first-ever New Jersey gig (how did it take so long?) and the fest's elder states-band was still an impassioned life of the party. Singer Colin McFaull rattled off the group's lyrical tongue-twisters, and growled and grimaced through "What's It Like To Be Old?" and "A.U." The band's best-known "Take 'Em All" and "Riot Squad," off 1982's breakthrough LP "Shock Troops," were encompassing sing-alongs.
Most insistent commanders of the circle pit: Through Agnostic Front's shortened set, longtime frontman Roger Miret yelled constantly for the crowd's manic circle pit to grow -- as large as basic geometry would allow. Otherwise, the seminal New York hardcore outfit's 35-minute thrash was standard; they played their explosive hits, chanted "New York Hardcore!" and annihilated a fun cover of "Blitzkrieg Bop."
Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival at the Stone Pony Summer Stage in Asbury Park, NJ 6/12/16 (Alex Remnick | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) Band that forced us to embrace ska: New York genre stalwart The Slackers were dropped between the vulgar frenzy of Anti-Nowhere League and the hardcore mayhem of Agnostic Front, but even in their blazers and fedoras the guys won the crowd. A jazzed up rendition of Misfits' "Attitude" helped, as did a fleet-fingered sax solo from Dave Hillyard to highlight "I Still Love You."
Song most likely to soundtrack an English soccer riot: "So What" by Anti-Nowhere League, the beloved Brit-punks who've been raising eyebrows and chugging ale since 1980. We'd post some lyrics here, but NJ.com is a family website (and we'd be fired). Let's just say the group's rip-roaring, "c'mon lads!" set was a bit like this hooligan scene from "Eurotrip."
Anti-Nowhere League performs Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival at the Stone Pony Summer Stage in Asbury Park, NJ 6/12/16 (Alex Remnick | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) Most patented punk-rock irreverence: Through his band's tight, ravenous afternoon set, Off With Their Heads singer Ryan Young was quick with a dry joke between his wails. When his drummer's snare needed a fix, Young asked the crowd "If my guitar didn't work, would it really matter?" Maybe he learned all that deadpan from fellow Minnesotan Paul Westerberg.
Most astute description of local punk culture: "Everybody in Asbury Park is either a tattoo artist or someone their tattoo artist friend practices on," said Patrick Kindlon, frontman for Albany's Drug Church. "Everybody has a Social Distortion tattoo. Everybody has a beard, regardless of gender." He wasn't so far off -- well, maybe not that last part.
Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival at the Stone Pony Summer Stage in Asbury Park, NJ 6/12/16 (Alex Remnick | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) Best "are you guys even listening?" test: From Bayonne's gritty rompers The Scandals, who during an early set worked Tom Petty's "American Girl" into a chorus. By the time the small crowd realized what was happening, it was already over -- but scored a good laugh nonetheless.
Best punk-rock toddler: This little guy and his toy train.
A small child hangs out at Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival at the Stone Pony Summer Stage in Asbury Park, NJ 6/12/16 (Alex Remnick | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) Beverage consumed most irresponsibly: Pabst Blue Ribbon. Shocking, we know.
Best anti-government quip: "If (Donald Trump) was drowning, I'd watch," Hillyard of The Slackers said, to YUUGE cheers, before the ska vets began "International War Criminal."
Fan most prepared to mosh at 2 p.m., when no one else wanted to: Middle-aged guy in the "Oi!" t-shirt and camo shorts, who bumped into people, realized they wanted no part of his game and apologized -- over and over. Nice try, man.
Best female punk performer: N/A (it was only dudes in all nine bands ... lame).
Bobby Olivier may be reached at bolivier@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BobbyOlivier. Find NJ.com on Facebook.