August 27, 2024
When it comes to skate punk, there is perhaps no name more significant than NOFX – who are currently on their final tour, named the Punk In Drublic festival, around the globe before they hang up their instruments and call it a day.
NOFX was formed in Los Angeles back in 1983, and changed the way the world saw and thought about punk rock. Removing the spikes and leather jackets, in place of sneakers, baggy shorts and skateboards; punk entered a whole new era under Fat Mike and his bandmates, that was further driven home by the formation of Fat Wreck Chords – a record label that still champions skate punk to this day.
See Also: Cage The Elephant at Bell Center, Montreal
It seems NOFX are going to retire in still, surrounded by their friends and make their final trip around the world something they – and we, the fans – will remember for a long, long time to come. And to do that, means making the whole thing a giant traveling festival not unlike the immense Van’s Warped Tours where I first caught NOFX live …in 1996. Wow, I’m old. No wonder NOFX are quitting. They’re even older than I am.
Each city on the tour gets two dates which a bunch of bands that probably weren’t on the festival before it nor will they be on the dates after it. Because that’s how Fat Mike rolls I guess. For example, Toronto got the Subhumans and Face To Face (two bands I’m bitter that Montreal didn’t get) and Montreal got The Sainte-Catherines and Good Riddance. Moncton got fuck all really, besides NOFX and the Circle Jerks but who cares – it’s Moncton!
The big question that will now be on the minds of Montreal music fans is if the success of the Punk In Drublic festival will be enough to spark evenko into reviving the ’77 and Heavy Montreal festivals?
These two festivals have been on an indefinite hiatus due to complaints from the residents of Saint Lambert, who claim that the noise created on Ile Ste. Helene where the big evenko festivals take place is too much for them; while festivals such as Osheaga, Ile Soniq and Lasso continue on year after year without complaint – as is the case with the Formula One event that races around the island and draws hundreds of thousands of spectators every year.
Read More:
>> Music 4 Cancer 2023 in photos
>> Redbrige Festival 2023 in images
>> ’77 Festival 2018 in Montreal, Quebec
Punk In Drublic is now the second festival to find huge success outside the Olympic Stadium, following the critical acclaim of the third edition of the Fuego Fuego festival – the largest Latin music festival in Canada, back in May.
Could it be that Fat Mike and his Punk In Drublic festival has given us hope for punk to come, despite retiring? Is this NOFX’ parting gift? They’ve gone – but they’ve shown that twenty thousand punk rockers will show up to the Olympic Stadium. Surely, this has to give credence to the fact that we could have our festivals back, outside one of the cities most iconic spots. The Olympic Stadium.
