This celebration cannot be spared. For its silver anniversary, Punk Rock Bowling is pulling out all the stops with one of its strongest lineups ever — including a historic first-time appearance by Social Distortion! From May 24th through the 26th, downtown Las Vegas will transform into a punk rock paradise with thousands of fans descending on the city for this landmark festival.
California punk legends Social D, who’ve somehow never played PRB before, will finally take the stage at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, joined by an impressive mix of punk royalty and newer faces. Peter Hook, aka former Joy Division and New Order bassist, will bring post-punk classics to the desert, while British street punk pioneers Cock Sparrer are set to deliver a final PRB performance to the masses.
The lineup reads like a history of punk rock itself.
The Damned, one of the first British punk bands, will share the festival with FLAG (featuring original members of Black Flag) and The Adicts, who’ve been bringing their theatrical punk shows to audiences since 1975. Modern favorites like The Interrupters and Fidlar will keep the energy high, while Frank Turner offers his folk-punk storytelling.
“This year’s lineup really shows how far we’ve come,” says festival founder Mark Stern. “From street punk legends like Cockney Rejects to newer bands like Bad Nerves, we’re covering every corner of punk rock.”
See the full lineup below. Personally, I’m pumped for Amigo The Devil, The Bouncing Souls, Gang Of Four, Laura Jane & The Mississippi Medicals, Youth Brigade, and, of course, all the aforementioned bands, like Social Distortion and Fidlar. And all the rest of the acts.
What began in 1999 as a small gathering of punk rock industry folks has grown into a three-day celebration that draws fans from around the world. While the festival’s name still nods to its bowling tournament origins, today’s PRB is all about the music, with shows spread across multiple venues in downtown Vegas.
Between the main festival shows, fans can catch club gigs at various downtown venues, cool off at pool parties, catch unofficial shows, and experience the unique vibe of a punk rock takeover in the middle of Sin City.
This fest is a must-see for punk fans.
Passes are on sale now and will sell out, so grab them now before it gets any closer to May. Tickets and hotel reservations are also available through the festival’s website and for more information on all the festivities, visit the links below.
Punk Rock Bowling 2025 promo video:
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