Las Vegas Mixtape #17: Sammy Hagar’s Poolside Paradise, Balla’s Elegant Italian Soul, and More

Track #4: Official Punk Rock Bowling Kickoff Party @Fremont Country Club

Good music abounded at the packed Fremont Country Club on the Thursday before Memorial Day weekend. It was the official kickoff party for the three-day Punk Rock Bowling Music Festival.

PRB shows also took place at many downtown clubs, including Downtown Container Park. Between PRB and The Punk Rock Museum, Vegas is now the world’s punk rock epicenter.

The night at Fremont kicked off with the young, promising, and spelling-challenged Stratejacket. With their speedy rhythms and punchy melodies, the Bay Area trio appealingly came across like the sons of Green Day. Midway through their set, lead singer/guitarist Jackson Roemers couldn’t help but note: “We don’t know how to spell, man.”

Next up were the gloriously unhinged psychobilly LA band Calavera, the jumping neo-rockabilly UK group Polecats (maybe you remember their 1982 hit “Make A Circuit With Me”), and long-running influential UK band the Meteors. Fronted by the growling lead vocalist/guitarist P. Paul Fenech, the psychobilly band is touring behind a bracing new album, “40 Days A Rotting.”

I ran out of gas at midnight, so had to miss El Vez and special guest-billed Josie Cotton.  Gotta sleep sometimes…