93 Degrees of Punk in the Park
The Casualties— Photo © Paul Rotsler
Chandler, Arizona. Hot as hell. No clouds. Just sun and thousands of people who thought it’d be a good idea to stand in a giant field for Punk in the Park. It turned out to be totally worth it.
Right from the first chord, it was obvious the lineup wasn’t fucking around. Thirteen bands, no overlapping sets, just a straight shot of music and sweat with barely time to drink some water between.
As soon as I saw the Poison Idea shirt, I knew they had to make it into the article. - Photo © Paul Rotsler
Bad Religion closed it out like they’ve been doing this forever: probably because they have. They were tight, loud, and full of energy. The crowd sang along to most of their songs.
Bad Religion - Photo ©dickslaughter.com
Pennywise was your classic Pennywise. It was circle pits, people flying, and water bottles flying through the air with abandon. “Bro Hymn” hit with a ton of people on the stage, and the entire crowd sang along.
Face to Face surprised a lot of people. Not because they were good (they always are), but because their set felt really grounded. Not mellow, just solid. Trever Keith looked like he was genuinely having fun even though his face was melting in the heat.
Strung Out didn’t slow down for a second. That blend of fast technical riffs and metal-adjacent chaos. They’re one of those bands that makes you wonder how they’re still pulling it off this far in. I have to admit, I’m not a huge fan, but I can appreciate that they are good at what they do.
The Casualties Same energy as 20 years ago, just now older and a lot wiser. Loud, heavy-hitting street punk. They still look like they spent way too much time on their hair, but they're definitely helping to keep street punk alive. Dave Rodriguez does a great job filling the shoes of Jorge, without the scandal.
The Adolescents - Photo ©dickslaughter.com
The Adolescents showed up like elder scientists in their lab looking through a microscope, but in the best way. Tony was sharp and completely locked in. Every time I see Adolescents, their voices throw me off from what I’m seeing, and I absolutely love it.
Photo © Paul Rotsler
Guttermouth was... Guttermouth. If you’ve seen them, you already know. Mark Adkins insulted everyone — the crowd, the stage crew, and probably himself. Half of it was incomprehensible, the other half was hilarious, and the music somehow still held together.
Manic Hispanic - Photo © Paul Rotsler
Manic Hispanic was pure fun. They’ve got that magic where it’s jokey but also completely legit. Between them and Me First and the Gimme Gimme’s, I’m not sure who is the better cover band. They know how to work the crowd and get everyone involved in making their set a success. Best pit of the afternoon, hands down.
Manic Hispanic - Photo © Paul Rotsler
Catbite was a new one for me. Ska in the middle of a punk lineup could’ve been weird, but they pulled it off hard. Brittany’s voice just soared, and the organ cut through the heat. Unexpected highlight.
Dwarves played like they’d been up for three days and didn’t give a damn. Blag stalked the stage like he owned it. Shirtless. Probably yelling about something. It was sleazy, frantic, and perfect. Punk rock at its most unfiltered.
Cigar Super tight, all speed and focus, no filler. If you blinked, you missed two songs. Easily one of the most locked-in bands of the day. Brutal in the best way.
The Last Gang was on a mission. Brenna was a force — raw, emotional, and loud in all the right places. They came out swinging and never let up. They’ve been climbing fast lately, and this set proved why. Should’ve been later in the lineup, no doubt.
The Implants opened things up and set the tone right out of the gate. Fast, heavy, layered. They’ve got that veteran presence, but the energy was pure opener fire. I’m really looking forward to seeing them at a dedicated show.
The beer situation: $15 for unlimited three-ounce pours sounded great. Until you felt the sun sucking out what little water was in your body. I ended up not drinking at the event; however, I didn’t see an unhappy person at the beer garden. The selection was pretty good, with a lot of different breweries in attendance.
If you were a punker with a little money to burn (i.e., not me), VIP had shade, their own bathrooms, and a bar.
Photo © Paul Rotsler
The majority of the crowd waited until later in the afternoon to start showing up, once the heat started dying down and the bigger names started playing. I have to admit, when I first got there and saw the crowd, I was surprised with the turnout; however, as you can see in my pictures, that all changed. By the time Bad Religion played, the place was plumb full of people.
By the end, I was exhausted. I had bought some new-to-me vinyls and shirts, saw some absolutely amazing bands, and had a blast. Punk in the Park was an absolute blast, and I can’t wait until the next one!
Get tickets for the next Punk In the Park near you at Punkinthepark.com
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