Prepare to be thrown into a head-spinning circle pit of punk rock memories and madness at the newly opened Punk Rock Museum. Situated in Las Vegas, the museum features endless smatterings of black and white carbon-copied show flyers, rare photo displays, battered instruments, posters, personal items, clothing, and other artifacts that make it feel like a fan’s bedroom, a club, and a learning institution all in one.
Celebrating the impact and cultural significance of hardcore music genres and their raucous offshoots, the new venue is bursting with evocative ephemera and amazing memorabilia organized by locales and subgenres that tell the story of punk rock. In addition to stuff to look at, read and absorb, there are immersive spaces to jam, hang out, shop, get tattooed, and even get married. The place is as excessive and irreverent as Sin City itself, with a chaotic aesthetic, inside and out (the exterior is black, natch, with a big green-lettered sign).
It could be argued that a facility like this should be in Los Angeles, New York, D.C. or even the UK, where much of the music was birthed. But Fat Mike — best known for helming L.A. seminal punk group NOFX and the label Fat Wreck Chords — has been touting Las Vegas as "the most punk city in the U.S." since he first announced plans to open the place a couple years ago alongside Warped Tour producer Lisa Brownlee.
He has a point: Beyond the gargantuan glitz of Vegas casinos and superstar stage shows, Vegas has become a true alternative destination, particularly the downtown area where an arts district has emerged with vintage boutiques, galleries and now the museum.
New York-focused memorabilia | Lina Lecaro
A Sunset Strip-like string of bars and clubs has sprouted on Fremont Street too, offering indie DJs and touring bands nightly, not to mention festivals like When We Were Young and Punk Rock Bowling, which sees many artists from its bills celebrated throughout the museum.
Musicians even serve as "tour guides" for ticketed walk-thrus, telling stories of punk antics and misadventures past. Guest speakers have included L7’s Jennifer Finch, the Germs/45 Grave’s Don Bolles, TSOL’s Jack Grisham, Fishbone’s Angelo Moore and countless more. Coming in July they have the Dwarves’ Blag Dhalia, the Vandals’ Joe Escalante, Circle Jerks/Bad Religion’s Greg Hetson and actor/musician Fred Armisen.
"Las Vegas has the infrastructure like cheap hotels, public transportation, and is a massive hub of travel and travelers," says Vinnie Fiorello, drummer for Less Than Jake and the museum’s Chief Marketing Officer. "It’s a perfect place for a museum to be, considering how big of a business and vacation destination it is."
The Vegas Punk Rock Museum is a huge, famous rocker-backed endeavor (investors include Germs/Nirvana/Foo Fighters guitarist Pat Smear, Warped Tour creator Kevin Lyman and skateboarder Tony Hawk), but it is not the first "punk museum." In Los Angeles, scenester and curator Tequila Mockingbird opened a similar, smaller one herself and created an alliance with other spaces celebrating punk in San Francisco and New York. Mockingbird and the LA Punk Museum (which is dormant at the moment) have been critical of the Vegas edition on social media, stating that it took her idea, but most in the community seem to think there’s room for everyone.
Personalized leather jackets | Lina Lecaro
Fiorello, downplayed the animosity, stating that there is no controversy "besides sharing the idea of starting a punk museum." He adds that the founders have "only respect and admiration to anyone trying to put a spotlight onto how important punk was, is, and continues to be."
Because so many music people are involved, Fat Mike’s space has the resources to gather an astounding and unrivaled collection. The regional breeding grounds of punk each get their own sections, demonstrating the breadth and diversity of the scene: Southern California (the Germs, X, Circle Jerks, Black Flag, Fear, Adolescents, Social Distortion, Suicidal Tendencies); Northern California (the Dead Kennedys, Rancid, Green Day); NYC (the Ramones, Blondie, New York Dolls, Television, Agnostic Front); D.C. (Bad Brains, Minor Threat, Dag Nasty) and many more.
Anarchy in the UK, on display | Lina Lecaro
"It is overwhelmingly chocked full of so much history," says revered rock photographer Lisa Johnson, who has several pieces in the building. "And the story is still being written so there's always going to be something new and exciting to see."
Johnson’s involvement with the museum is vast and varied. From contributing to the acquisitions team with loans and donations, to nailing down temporary exhibitions from noted photographers Angela Boatwright and Rikki Ercoli. She also has an extensive collection of Vans Warped Tour items and photos she shot, which are heavily represented in the upstairs wing of the museum.
Johnson also shot one of the huge murals upstairs that begs for a selfie: Chuck Comeau from pop-punk group Simple Plan doing a stage dive during the band's set on the Vans Warped Tour in Toronto. "It's a pretty epic stage dive, and it brings back the sense of the energy that their set had at that moment," shares Johnson. "This photo takes me right back into that millisecond. And for the record: the fans caught him, and no one got hurt.
"The Punk Museum is a mecca for memories," Johnson adds. "It's not a fad. And from these seeds planted decades ago, look at where it has brought us. It's really fascinating on so many levels, and there is so much to take in."
Punk family photos | Lina Lecaro
While the aggressive nature of punk rock is definitely highlighted, the sense of connection and celebration is even more palpable, especially during the guided tours. There is also an effort to be inclusive in terms of women, people of color and queer contributions to the music.
This year’s Punk Rock Bowling festival was the first opportunity for many to see the just-opened museum and L.A. punk legend Alice Bag (who is represented in the first room of the experience) gave it kudos for inclusivity in a recent Instagram video. In a longer YouTube video she noted that there is room for improvement in some areas, but appreciated its mindfulness to include all the people of punk– a musical form that’s always been about outsiders, rebels and the disenfranchised fighting to be heard.
Fiorello says the museum plans to dive deeper into the story of punk as it progresses too.
"We’ll continue to spotlight current bands and scenes, but also expand our roots into Las Vegas more through community outreach and education," he says. "We are in a unique position to be able to hear about the past from punk rockers who lived it, and the people who created the scenes that continue on. It’s important to hear and capture these stories."
Fletcher Dragge's recreation of Pennywise's rehearsal space | Lina Lecaro
Beyond what’s on the walls and what’s imparted during guided tours, the museum’s experiential aspects are truly what make it special. "The jam room is my favorite part," Fiorello says. "[It’s where] you can pick up a guitar of your favorite punk rock musician and play it, so it makes sense we continue to expand the idea. You can get married, have a drink at our bar, get a tattoo, play the guitar of your favorite punker, and get a tour from a living punk legend."
The Triple Down bar (named in homage to Vegas’s first punk dive, the still-standing Double Down) just opened, and it’s already one of its most popular spaces. Pennywise’s Fletcher Dragge, who is also part of the advising collective and recreated his band’s rehearsal space in the exhibit, inspired the most popular drink here: rum and coke in a Pringles can (the chips are served on the side).
The Wedding Chapel has already seen several vows exchanged and The SHOP — the museum’s official tattoo studio — has been abuzz non-stop.
Shaun Kama at work in The SHOP| Lina Lecaro
"There is a natural affiliation and association between punk and tattoos," says The SHOP’s resident artist Shaun Kama. "Marking your body permanently with the bands and music you love and have an affinity for is part of the passion. It’s the perfect amalgamation of art, music and environment and it’s awesome to have a place where you fit in and don’t necessarily stand out."
Fiorello concurs, "We hope that anyone that comes to the museum can connect with someone in an exhibit, in a photo on the wall and show them that you can pick up a guitar, create a zine, put on shows and become part of the punk scene," he says. "Inclusion and representation are words that have been involved in our conversation from the start. The important takeaway is that anyone and everyone is welcome in punk music."
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