NOFX singer Fat Mike is learning that words matter, as the band dropped out of this year’s Las Vegas’ Punk Rock Bowling festival due to fallout from an offensive quip he made onstage in 2018 that referenced the 2017 Vegas shooting at the Route 91 Harvest festival. Joking around with guitarist Eric Martin during the show, Fat Mike said of the victims, “At least they were country fans.”
The Descendents will replace NOFX as headliners.
The band apologized within a few days, saying, “What we said in Vegas was shitty and insensitive and we are all embarrassed by our remarks. So we decided we will all get together to discuss and write an in depth, sincere, and honest apology because that’s what the people we offended and hurt deserve.”
Later, in 2019, they released a song called “Fish In A Barrel,” to benefit the gun control advocacy group Moms Demand Action.
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A statement from Fat Mike on the Punk Rock Bowling site explained the reasons:
I’ve been playing and bowling at Punk Rock Bowling since the very first one when there were only 22 teams. PRB is my favorite time of the year. Like so many of you, I not only get to see my favorite bands, but I also get to see my punk friends from high school. This event is my reunion, it’s my convention, and it’s my church… I was so fucking excited to play it this year… but sadly we are not going to. NOFX had a meeting this week and decided we shouldn’t play out of respect that wounds are still healing. There has been a lot of hate messages and threats because we are on the bill, It just feels wrong. We know we said shitty things that caused it, so we get it. Sorry to everyone that wanted to see us. It’ll have to be in a different city. Hopefully we can see you all in Vegas when the time’s right. But not Everything Sucks, I talked to Milo yesterday… And he’s comin! Decendents are taking our spot! It’s pretty fucking cool that we are being replaced by a better band! I wish I could be there to see ’em.Actually very sincere, Fat Mike and NOFX
Circle Jerks and Devo are scheduled to headline Days Two and Three, respectively. The rest of the bill includes Streetlight Manifesto, Leftover Crack, Gorilla Biscuits, Lunachicks, Murder City Devils and All, among others.
