CIRCLE JERKS with GORILLA BISCUITS AND 7 SECONDS at BROOKLYN BOWL LV

May 30
3 min read

Updated: Jun 5

It felt strange to be in Las Vegas on Memorial weekend and not have the three day revelry of Punk Rock Bowling this year, and the loss was physically felt in the Vegas punk rock community. But we got a mini PRB at the Brooklyn Bowl with legendary punks Circle Jerks, Gorilla Biscuits and 7 Seconds. Vegas did not disappoint, the show was packed, and locals and musicians were out to have a great night celebrating all things punk, albeit a bit smaller celebration than usual for the holiday weekend.

7 Seconds were first for the night, and considered locals in Vegas, the Reno hardcore band led by brothers Kevin Seconds and Steve Youth (along with OG guitarist Bobby Adams and Troy Mowat on drums), bolted into "New Wind" and "Were Gonna Fight". The Bowl was packed, and was more than ready to get the floor moving. The straight edge pioneers pulled a 17 song set spanning decades, closing with a fun "99 Red Balloons" sing-a-long.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okvHzLOtzh4

Gorilla Biscuits kicked ass. "New Direction", with horns intro and all, got the set going and the Bowl blew up. Anthony "Civ" Civarelli was an absolute madman, and spent a good bit of the set in the crowdline, the fans screaming along with him while bodies flowed over the rail. The set was most of GB Start Today, with a Civ solo "Do Something", and covers "Minor Threat", and "Should I Stay Or Should I Go", building to "Start Today" for the final frenzy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNIq-SNuqHA

Circle Jerks set started off with speech (to no surprise) but outspoken vocalist Keith Morris kept to introductions (original members Keith Morris and Greg Hetson, alongside bassist Zander Schloss and drummer Joey Castillo), and quickly kicked into "Deny Everything" and then "Letterbomb", and ran through a few fast tracks before the first pause for Morris to chat about the fate of the world.

This chat culminated in a yelling match between Morris and a guy in the front row, some pretty strong names were called (most notably the guy calling Morris a traitor) with Morris yelling “Fuck you. I vote in every election. I always vote for the least stinkiest piece of shit", before reminding the culprit, DO YOU FUCKING UNDERSTAND OUR FUCKING LYRICS?” Morris did a bit more politico before continuing on with "Under the Gun", but the spat continued, the guy was pulled over the barricade and kicked out, and the band soldiered on with “Coup d’Etat", a fitting culmination.

Morris kept up the "have you not heard our lyrics" mantra throughout the night, and the show was a mix of music and political speech as expected, and the set had some real highlights with "Moral Majority", "Wild In The Streets", and the crowd was riled up and kept the floor circling and the bodies in the air. A few Black Flag songs made the backside of the set, "Wasted", "Revenge" and "Nervous Breakdown" were great to hear, and the finale was a riotous "Question Authority" for the win.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDwcHUeG6Nc

The beer flowed, the politics roared, and the mosh pits and bodies rolled, and punk rock left its mark in Vegas for this 2026 Memorial Weekend. The final night of the tour and a pinnacle of punk. What a night.

Circle Jerks are back out in fall 2026, announcing tour dates with Municipal Waste, Haywire, Negative Approach and Upchuck in support - ticket info HERE.