Arizona femme punks The Venomous Pinks are debuting the new documentary, We Must Prevail: The Making of Vita Mors, which chronicles the creation of their latest album Vita Mors, out now on SBÄM Records.
The film was directed and edited by Alexander Thomas and filmed in Santa Ana, CA, at Maple Sounds Studios, with cameos by Brenna Red (The Last Gang), Linh Le (Bad Cop/Bad Cop), Cameron Webb (Alkaline Trio, Motorhead), Dan Palmer (Death By Stereo, Zebrahead), and Stefan Beham (SBÄM Records).
The Pinks had a busy 2023, touring relentlessly with the likes of T.S.O.L., Dead Kennedys, The Queers, Less Than Jake, The Toasters, and appearing on festival stages at Punk Rock Bowling and more. 2024 promises more of the same, as the band has already announced its first shows of the year, including an appearance at Camp Punksylvania in July.
Stream We Must Prevail: The Making of Vita Mors here:
“[The Venomous Pinks] might singlehandedly make you believe in the power of feminism, whoa-oh gang vocals, and punk pride to change the world. The songs can wax as melodic as the GoGo’s or roar as persuasively polemical as Bad Religion.”- Offshelf
Upcoming The Venomous Pinks Shows
3/22 – Santa Ana, CA @ Observatory w/ Mac Sabbath, DI
4/6 – Honolulu, HI @ Nextdoor
4/7 – Paia, HI @ Paia Bay Coffee and Bar
July 5-7 @ Camp Punksylvania – Gilbert, PA
“Mesa, AZ’s own The Venomous Pinks have more than earned their place amid punk’s most weird and riotous acts. This bare-bones punk jam blends heft, heart, and pop-punk vibes into a bona fide earworm.”- Phoenix New Times
Vita Mors is out now via SBÄM Records
Vita Mors was recorded, engineered and produced by Grammy winner Cameron Webb, who also worked with iconic bands like Motorhead, Social Distortion, Pennywise, NOFX, Alkaline Trio and many more. The Venomous Pinks set out to be the next big thing on that list.
If members of Bikini Kill and TSOL musically collided in a Russ Myer movie, the soundtrack scoring the scene would be orchestrated by The Venomous Pinks.
Hailing from Mesa, Arizona the three-piece trio creates an unapologetically, uniquely addictive, in-your-face punk sound, that instantly makes the soul hurt so good, you can’t help but yearn for more.
Mesa, AZ — The annual Punk in Drublic Festival, held this past Saturday at Mesa’s brand new Bell Bank Park, is built around two things: craft beer and punk rock. This year’s lineup, anchored as always by festival founder Fat Mike’s band NOFX, also featured Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, The Bouncing Souls, Lagwagon, Authority Zero, The Last Gang, The Venomous Pinks, and WinterHaven. It was a lineup that covered several generations of punk and just as many styles.
When the gates opened at 11 a.m., with WinterHaven not going on to open the festival until 1 p.m., the other opener took front stage and center: craft beer, and plenty of it. With breweries from all over Arizona giving out free samples to the 21+ crowd in the free Punk in Drublic souvenir sample cups, cans and kegs were emptied on a consistent basis from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.
What makes a punk festival so different from other all-day festivals is that punks, regardless of era or style, are accepting of everyone who enters the sanctum of punk, as a place of brotherhood and sisterhood for all. Names are never needed, as the t-shirt you wore is enough to identify you. “Hey yo, Black Flag, try that Hazy IPA they got! It’s my favorite!” was shouted at me as I approached one of the many tents. The same guy followed up with me later to get my thoughts.
There’s an inspiring sense of community and fun, like we’re all on the same team, whether we’re toasting a craft brew or slamming into each other in a circle pit. If this day were a musical, it would almost be expected that at any moment the crowd would break out into a punk rock rendition of “Gaston,” sloshing frothy beers from those mini Punk in Drublic sampler cups to and fro in the spirit of a hardy sing-along.
WinterHaven
Opening the show was Flagstaff’s own Winterhaven. Made up of singer and rhythm guitarist Jack Hernandez, lead guitarist Brendan Goepfrich, bassist Colton Henderson, and drummer Nick Schira, they brought the right balance of humor and youthful energy to open the show. By their own admission, they have gotten onto the festival by getting in touch with Cameron Collins, who handles lining up the breweries for each stop (Fat Mike handles the bands) who dug what he heard and got them added to the lineup. Though the youngest band on the bill, they came out swinging like old pros.
The band wears its pop-punk influences on their sleeves like a badge of honor. Though you could hear the importance that bands like blink-182 and The Offspring had on their sound (and also some noticeable Ian MacKaye Fugazi-era basslines), there was nothing derivative about WinterHaven. As the opening chords of the first song hit, their music was a magnet pulling people away from beer and merch tents right to the front of the stage. In between songs, they joked with the crowd about Spider-Man and in a hilarious moment, Hernandez said that his mom asked him to remember to wear sunscreen before they went on that day, but he had immediately forgotten and asked that no one tells. (I’m sorry if she reads this and learns that way.)
The Venomous Pinks
It would seem Arizona was the perfect starting point for the festival, since three-fifths of the acts hail from State 48, with Mesa’s The Venomous Pinks playing second. Though the all-female outfit certainly has some Bikini Kill in their sound, they would not be out of place amongst the heaviest of hitters of early 80’s hardcore. The three-piece attack of Drea Doll on guitar and vocals, Gaby Kaos on bass and vocals, and Cassie Jalilie on drums sounded like the sister band to Bad Brains or Minor Threat, playing each song with a fast and furious intensity.
Their second song “Todos Unidos” had some Generator-era Bad Religion guitar and “oohs” and “aahs” on the backing vocals. Their new single “No Rules,” the first from their upcoming debut album Vita Mors from SBÄM Records, was a set highlight (the single is out on 03/24/2022 and the album is forthcoming). They closed out their nine-song set with “We Do It Better,” an absolutely righteous rager and the perfect anthem for the band. They were joined by The Last Gang’s lead singer Brenna Red for the final verse.
The Last Gang
The decidedly more political The Last Gang played next. The California quartet – Red on vocals and guitar, Ken Aquino on guitar, Sean Viele on bass, and Robert Wantland on drums – surprised the crowd throughout their set, as they used the punk rock template as a springboard for so many other styles. Their third song, “Gimme Action,” even opened with a surprising AC/DC-esque guitar riff.
Red admitted to listening to a lot of The Clash and some classic reggae and dub, including Toots And The Maytals and the legendary Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry. This was no more evident than on “Noise Noise Noise,” the title track from their 2021 album, which had some very clear Clash London Calling-era dub influence. She is an incredible frontwoman, and the band plays loosely within the punk genre. If their nine-song set is any indication of even a snippet of what they are capable of, they are going to be a band to watch for many years to come.
Authority Zero
Rounding out the Arizona triad was Mesa’s Authority Zero. The skate punk legends came out guns blazing with lead singer Jason DeVore leading into the first song (or perhaps warning the crowd) with “Here we go!” He was immediately perched on top of amps (rocking one precariously forward before he hopped off of it) and bounced around the stage with each song. For a guy who’s been doing this since the mid-nineties, he didn’t show even a hint of slowing down.
Though DeVore’s vocals are rooted firmly in hardcore, Authority Zero includes reggae and some very noticeable Bad Religion rhythms in their music. The band’s new song “Ollie Ollie Oxen Free” from the album of the same name was a set highlight.
Mid-set, DeVore stopped to plug Punk Rock Saves Lives, an organization he supports whose work focuses on mental health, human rights, and equality. His passion for their work was clear in the set’s closer, “Lift One Up.”
It spoke to DeVore’s love for his audience and to the communal feeling so clear amongst the attendees since the gates opened: “So lift one up/To put one down/We’ll keep singing these old songs our whole lives through/It’s where we’re found/They’ve touched our hearts/They’ve saved our lives.” It was one of the best sing-alongs of the day.
Lagwagon
Considering their name was inspired by the band’s unreliable touring van, Lagwagon have been anything but unreliable, recording and touring since 1990. Before they began their set, an audience member complained to the soundman checking the microphones that it was “too loud.” In response, he received a hard laugh from the guy who said, “Don’t worry. Joey’s known for his soft vocals.” Indeed, the start of their set was like a bomb going off (leaving this writer wondering what the kids playing soccer just across the way from the festival at the rather vast Bell Bank Park complex were wondering).
With nine albums spread across their 30-year career, frontman Joey Cape joked, “All we have are old songs,” when an audience member requested they play something new after they played “Bombs Away” from their 1995 album Hoss. Regardless of his self-deprecating comment, the band with a lineup almost unchanged since they started, played each song with an ageless vigor. They dedicated “Surviving California” to all of their fallen comrades over the years, in the highlight of their set.
New Jersey’s favorite punk sons The Bouncing Souls showed that Lagwagon were not the only 30-year veterans who hadn’t lost a step. The pogoing punk icons brought their trademark lighthearted sound to the stage. Opening with the title-track from the 1999 album “Hopeless Romantic”, the band had the crowd bouncing in unison from the word go (not the song “Go,” because that was their fifth track).
Singer Greg Attonito was a consummate showman, playfully dancing around the stage during each song. The Bouncing Souls have always been a fun live band, and this day’s set was no different. Their song “That Song” was one of the highlights, with the audience singing along throughout. It felt like a fitting summation of the vibe for the day, with the lyrics: And in the end what have we learned? Are we just faces in the crowd? I died and was reborn again today. Hold fast to myself. Make these good feelings stay. On a pleasantly cool Arizona spring day, it felt like many of us were reborn in those moments of community.
“We’re not a cover band,” declared lead singer Spike Slawson, “We are THE cover band!” For the uninitiated, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes are like punk-rock karaoke. They are a supergroup, with a rotating cast of members including Slawson of Re-Volts and Swignin’ Utters, Joey Cape and Dave Raun from Lagwagon pulling double duty, Fat Mike, and CJ Ramone. They will cover any genre of music, with the songs poured through their unique filter.
Opening with “Different Drum,” written by the late Mike Nesmith of The Monkees and made famous by Linda Rondstadt, they followed it with “Sloop John B” and a three-song country superset of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” Willie Nelson’s “On the Road Again,” and John Denver’s “Country Roads,” with Fat Mike coming out to sing on the songs. With no set genre they will pull from, the set is full of surprises because every song is unexpected. Where else are you going to get Paul Simon’s “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” followed by CJ Ramone singing Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up”? Only at a Me First and the Gimme Gimmes concert. They closed their night with a rousing rendition of Elton John’s “Rocket Man.”
NOFX
To close out the night was NOFX, fronted by Punk in Drublic founder Mike “Fat Mike” Burkett. Though their live album I Heard They Suck Live!! might set certain expectations for anyone who has never witnessed a NOFX concert, they make each show unique from any other they’ve played before.
Not to veer into politics, but it can be reasonably inferred by the t-shirts and buttons you see around the festival exactly what the political leanings are of a punk-rock crowd. Regardless, Fat Mike opened their set with “Greetings Republicans!” Throughout their set, he continued to playfully troll the crowd, from saying the only thing Arizona got right was doing away with daylight savings, to telling the crowd the only good thing to ever come out of the state was stand-up comic Doug Stanhope. Mike even attempted to call Stanhope from the stage, but the call went to voicemail.
Some songs were introduced but quickly abandoned. After claiming that drummer Smelly Sandin did not want to play “Liza and Louise,” they moved on to “I Love You More Than I Hate Me” instead. “We’ve only got 5 good songs,” Mike claimed at one point, “and we’ve been doing this for 38 years!” Following “Eat the Meek” and “Franco UnAmerican,” Mike called Arizona “the Alabama of the west.” They closed out their set with a one-two punch of “Don’t Call Me White” and “Kill All the White Man.”
Though the beer tents were all long gone at this point, everyone held tight to their Punk in Drublic beer sampler cups as they headed for the exit. Together or not, the punk community is always united, and maybe those cups will make their way out again on some random night, filled to the rim, and toasted high to the brothers and sisters, before turning the music up and slamming the beer down.
This article has been updated with the new venue for the Arizona date: instead of Big Surf Waterpark in Tempe, the festival will now take place at Bell Bank Park in Mesa, AZ.
The spring festival lineups have been announced for Brew Ha Ha Productions Presents : Punk In Drublic Craft Beer & Music Festival, featuring the best in punk rock music and craft beer tasting, with all shows featuring a lineup of punk rock icons, headlined by NOFX.
Lineups vary by city and feature bands including Pennywise, Face To Face, The Bouncing Souls, Me First And The Gimme Gimmes, Lagwagon and more on certain shows.
NOFX | Photographer: Jonathan Weiner
Spring Dates Announced, Summer & Fall Coming Soon
The Spring festival series includes: Saturday, March 19 at Bell Bank Park in Mesa, AZBig Surf Waterpark in Tempe, AZ (minutes from Phoenix), Saturday, March 26 at Petco Park in San Diego, CA, and Sunday, March 27 at Ventura Fairgrounds in Ventura, CA. Summer and fall Punk In Drublic Craft Beer & Music Festival dates will be announced in the coming weeks.
Tickets for these 21+ events go on sale Wednesday, January 19 at 10:00 AM local time at www.PunkInDrublicFest.com
General Admission tickets start at $45 and VIP tickets start at $99 (both plus fees). Details on VIP tickets below.
The Punk In Drublic Craft Beer & Music Festival was created from the mind and livers of NOFX‘s frontman Fat Mike and craft beer fanatic / festival promoter, Cameron Collins of Brew Ha Ha Productions–and named for NOFX’s classic Punk In Drublic album, which has sold over one million copies.
Music lineups for each festival date are as follows:
Mesa, AZ
Saturday, March 19 – Bell Bank Park
NOFX
Me First And The Gimme Gimmes
The Bouncing Souls
Lagwagon
Authority Zero
The Last Gang
The Venomous Pinks
San Diego, CA
Saturday, March 26 – Petco Park
NOFX
Pennywise
Face To Face
Lagwagon
Get Dead
The Last Gang
Urethane
Ventura, CA
Sunday, March 27 – Ventura Fairgrounds
NOFX
Pennywise
Face To Face
Lagwagon
Ill Repute
Dr. Know
The Last Gang
Fat Mike said, “I’m really looking forward to playing these shows for many reasons…I literally spent minutes calling bands and putting this line up together…So if you’re gonna go to one punk show this year…Go to one of these, they’re outdoors!“
Festival co-producer / co-creator Cameron Collins of Brew Ha Ha Productions said, “Punk In Drublic is one of the best touring festivals on the planet right now in my opinion. It’s pure, it’s organic and it’s everything punk rock should be. We’ve been doing it since 2017 and though we had a crap 2020 like everyone else with the pandemic, PID is back and better than ever. I can’t wait to get back out there with our people!”
Craft Beer Tasting
Each Punk In Drublic Craft Beer & Music Festival date will feature up to three hours of craft beer tasting showcasing an impressive selection of craft beers, including some of the region’s best. Participating craft breweries will be announced in the coming weeks. Attendees can also enjoy food for purchase from local food trucks and vendors, with vegan options available.
GA vs. VIP
Both General Admission and VIP tickets provide access to music performances and craft beer tasting from Noon-3:00 PM. VIP tickets also offer access to designated areas with shade, upgraded restrooms and a VIP Bar.
Brew Ha Ha Productions is the nation’s most successful and respected craft beer and music festival producer, known for their diverse, award-winning beer-centric events and music festivals across the United States, including Punk In Drublic Craft Beer & Music Festival; Silverado Showdown; Summer Roots; Punk In The Park; Sabroso Taco, Craft Beer & Music Festival; Driftwood Country, Craft Beer & BBQ Festival; BHHP’s flagship OC Brew Ha Ha; Brew Hee Haw at the OC Fair; Brew Ho Ho Holiday Ale Festival; OC Boo Ha Ha Haunted Oktoberfest and more.
In February 2021, NOFX released Single Album (Fat Wreck Chords), their 14th full-length studio album. The band is also featured in the recently released Punk In Drublic documentary, which chronicles the first three years of the touring the Punk In Drublic Craft Beer & Music Festival since its 2017 debut. Visit https://punkrocktv.com to see the film.
The Punk In The Park Tempe, AZ show is produced by BHHP in collaboration with Arizona promoter Nancy Stevens.
As always, health and safety of festival patrons is of utmost importance. The festival producers are working with local health authorities to ensure that the event is safe and in compliance with all local regulations.
The festival producers encourage attendees to drink responsibly.
For more information on Punk In Drublic Craft Beer & Music Festival: