NOFX, Frank Turner, The Menzingers, The Suicide Machines, The Bronx, Pet Needs, and Rodeo Boys all performed at Punk in Drublic in Detroit.
The day started early at the Masonic Temple in Detroit. By 1:30pm there was already a line at the doors for the Detroit installment of Punk in Drublic. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the day of punk music was moved indoors. The theatre is beautiful and there is a lot of splendor to admire as people walked around until the first band took the stage.
First up was Rodeo Boys from Lansing, Michigan. The four-person band successfully set the tone for the day. They came out strong and were well-received as people continued to enter the Masonic. The lead singer, Tiffany Hannay, came out on stage sporting a cowboy hat. She was joined by drummer Dandy Waltz, guitar player Cody Lee, and bassist Taylor Doty.
Up second was Pet Needs. They opened with their song “Kayak” from the 2021 album Fractured Party Music. Pet Needs was formed by frontman Johnny Marriott and his brother George, who plays guitar. They were joined on stage by Jack Lock on drums and Rich Gutz on bass. They were very high energy and that feeling transferred to the crowd easily.
Third on the stage was the hardcore punk band The Bronx. They came out swinging with the iconic aggressive sounds of a hardcore show. The pit was strong the whole set and at one point Matt Caughthran joined the mosh pit and continued singing from there. His presence was a welcome addition to the pit which encouraged even more audience members to join in.
Fourth on the stage was Detroit’s own The Suicide Machines. It was obvious there were many fans in the audience. The crowd was singing along with every word to every song. The love for the band was palpable as the lead singer, Jason Navarro, stood on the barricade and had the audience sing portions of the songs. As the set continued, the crowd’s drive stayed as intense as when the set started.
Next up was The Menzingers. They opened the set with “Good Things” and continued playing On The Impossible Past in its entirety. The crowd was still on a rush from Suicide Machines’ set and stayed rowdy. When they reached the end of the album, they made it clear they were not done yet. They continued with the fan favorite, “I Don’t Wanna Be An Asshole Anymore” from Rented World and closed out the set with “House On Fire” from After The Party.
The sixth band to hit the stage was Frank Turner and The Sleeping Souls. Frank opened the set with “Four Simple Words” from Tape Deck Heart. He then introduced the four band members on stage with him, known as The Sleeping Souls. The momentum of the crowd continued and before long they played a cover of NOFX’s “Bob.” When they began playing the closing song, “I Still Believe” from England Keep My Bones the crowd’s enthusiasm increased again.
Then it was time for the headliner and punk rock legend, NOFX. They opened the set by performing “Time Warp” from the 1973 musical The Rocky Horror Show. The crowd gleefully sang along. It was obvious the start of the set reinvigorated the crowd. It was not evident by the liveliness of the room that this was the seventh band of the day. Soon after, Frank Turner joined them on stage to sing “The Ballad of Me and My Friends.”The band was notified that they had 25 minutes left and quickly went right into “Franco Un-American” from War on Errorism. Shortly after lead vocalist, Fat Mike announced that it was Eric Melvin’s birthday. Road crews joined them on stage to bring out a cake with lit candles and all. The crowd sang “Happy Birthday” to Eric and he blew out the candles and took a face-first bit of the cake.
As the set was coming to a close, they began playing “Don’t Call Me White” however the song and show were stopped and ended early due to an injury.
FRANK TURNER
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THE MENZINGERS
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THE SUICIDE MACHINES
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THE BRONX
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PET NEEDS
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THE MASONIC TEMPLE
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