In its 16th year there is no way that anyone is really going to tell you their favorite Punk Rock Bowling memory, but we got a few people that can be expected every year to share with us some memories that are fit to be shared.
Joey Garibaldi (Old Man Markley)
Punk Rock Bowling, we’ve had some crazy times. We met in 2001 just following my 21st birthday. I played my first near blackout blackjack hands at 8am on a Sunday some 13 years ago at the Gold Coast. Was nicknamed Joey “Balls” a year later because I had the “balls” to ask for my money back gambling at an instant withdrawal cryptocurrency casinos. Invented Dick-Fist-Asshole (rock/paper/scissors alternate, copyright Joe Dana) at the Sam’s Town Atrium bar. Found a piano in the (now gone) Italian Restaurant by the Atrium Bar in Sam’s Town and held several private illegal serenades (to mostly dudes.) I befriended a dude passed out behind an ice machine in 2002, and I although still see him every year his name escapes me. In 12 the years of competing the only bowling trophy my team has ever won was a last place award received in 2011. Hallway streaks, casino cover band stage storms, room ragers, elevator mosh pits, gambling with punk legends, all night dance parties everywhere, puking on everything, the list goes on. I’m sure the best times I’ve had at PRB couldn’t be remembered or found in a social media post or pic, and probably belong in the gutters from which they came. Having said that my fondest memory was when my friends Ryan Markley and Todd Fenton were wind surf racing on floaties using hotel towels as sails and Chuck Ragan and friends were placing bets. That’s my kind of party.
Katie Weed (Old Man Markley)
Punk Rock Bowling is like Mardi Gras with balls instead of beads. If you’ve been, you understand. It’s nearly impossible to pick one memory that stands out above the rest. The pool pit at the Gold Spike, playing the festival stage just before sunset, watching Johnny sing and a magician do tricks during Punk Rock Karaoke…getting very last place in the bowling tournament. The first year Old Man Markley played PRB, I was recovering from knee surgery. I rented a scooter to avoid crutching across Sunset Station all weekend. Our friend Talli Osborne (Nubs) has a sweet custom scooter, and I think my all-time favorite memory from any PRB is conducting scooter races down the halls of our hotel and through the lawn of the festival. Things got rad.
Read more memories of Punk Rock Bowling here!
