Venue set up by NOFX’s Fat Mike voted one of the best in the country by USA Today readers.
The Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas is not yet a year old but already it’s highly regarded by the community and holding its own against more traditional establishments.
Set up by NOFX singer/bassist and head of the Fat Wreck Chords label Fat Mike, the museum has been voted by USA Today readers as one of the best new venues in the country. In doing so it beat collections devoted to pioneering flyer Amelia Earhart, American’s World War II experience and Broadway theatre.
While the Punk Rock Museum was pipped to the top spot by the Buffalo AKG Art Museum and Gettysburg Beyond the Battle Museum, it’s still a notable accolade for a venue set up next to a strip club in a former antique store.
Opening its doors on April 1 last year, the museum is now home to the world’s most expansive and inclusive display of artifacts, fliers, photos, clothing, instruments, handwritten lyrics, artwork, and much more.
In this they were aided by investors that include Pat Smear (Germs, Foo Fighters, Nirvana), skateboarding legend Tony Hawk and Kevin Lyman, who founded the Warped Tour.
The museum’s team has put in countless hours curating an impressive collection that features rotating exhibits, new collections and events.
The museum boasts a remarkable array of artefacts that evoke a sense of reverence. Johnny Thunders’ red leather jacket, Joan Jett’s studded leather jacket from the ’80s, and a hand painted Brigade Rosse shirt worn by Joe Strummer (pictured above – photo by Alisha Amnesia) are just a few examples.
Photographs play a significant role in capturing the essence of punk, and the museum does not disappoint in this regard, with iconic shots of Siouxsie and The Banshees, John Lydon, Adam Ant, Gen X, and many more. The collection also includes rare posters from The Plasmatics, Subhumans, and DOA, offering a glimpse into the visual aesthetic of the era.
Ahead of the Punk Rock Museum’s first birthday it will host a big show in its parking lot on March 31 that will see The Vandals, The Last Gang and Get Dead, joined by local Las Vegas bands Suburban Resistance, Sakura, and Soldiers of Destruction.
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An occasional writer on punk rock.
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