A new musical attraction is set to open in Las Vegas in January 2023.
When British music legends the Sex Pistols launched into the burgeoning world of punk rock in 1975, their type of entertainment was seen by many as gross, filthy, appalling – all descriptions punk rockers have adopted.
The band were controversial and best known for releasing the punk rock anthem “God Save the Queen” in 1977 over Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee weekend. The song was banned from radio and television play in the UK, but reached number two on the BBC Singles Chart behind Rod Stewart’s No. 1 hit “I Don’t Want to Talk About It”.
The band released only one studio album, “Never Mind the Bullocks Here the Sex Pistols”, in 1977, and just as they were reaching the peak of their popularity, the Sex Pistols disbanded after their final gig. on January 14, 1978 in Winterland. San Francisco Arena. The original band members would reunite in 1996 for their Filthy Lucre tour before going their separate ways again.
The Sex Pistols weren’t the only successful punk rock band to flourish in the 1970s, as the Ramones, The Clash and Buzzcocks also had great popularity. Another musical genre parallel to punk was New Wave which fused a variety of styles including punk, pop, funk, reggae, synth, and brought us Blondie, Devo, Elvis Costello and the Attractions, Talking Heads and many other alternative bands in the 1970s.
1980s punk rock would bring forth bands such as Black Flag, Bad Religion and Social Distortion, and in the 1990s Green Day, Offspring and Rancid would lead the way.
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Rock & Roll Hall of Famers included
Several punk and New Wave bands have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, including the Sex Pistols, The Ramones, The Clash, Green Day, Blondie and Talking Heads. And now, these bands and more will likely be showcased at a new attraction in Las Vegas – The Punk Rock Museum.
The Punk Rock Museum is under development at 1422 Western Ave. in Las Vegas, just south of downtown and the arts district and northwest of the Strip, with plans to open Jan. 13, 2023. The museum will house what it claims is the most expensive exhibit , the world’s most inclusive and intimate collection of artifacts, pamphlets, photos, clothing, instruments, handwritten lyrics, artwork and other items donated by people and groups involved in the early days of punk rock.
The museum was designed by NOFX frontman Mike “Fat Mike” Burkett, who brought together skateboarding legend Tony Hawk, Foo Fighters Pat Smear, Bad Religion’s Brett Gurewitz, and Vans Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman to help finance the business. The facility is more than a museum, according to its website, as it includes a bar, tattoo parlor, wedding chapel, punk shop and more.
The project features a 12,000 square foot facility that includes galleries that will feature artifacts such as Devo’s energy dome helmets, Blondie singer Debbie Harry’s iconic Vultures t-shirt, an acoustic guitar that Rise Against wrote about some of their early songs and a bright green the chainsaw that Sum 41 used to start their shows during the Does This Look Infected? round.
Pre-sale museum tickets available
The Punk Rock Museum is preparing for its opening since it has already put tickets on sale in presale. The Crustie package for $100 gets you two admission tickets, two commemorative VIP laminates, a Punk Museum t-shirt, and two hot beers at the bar. The I Gotta Six Pack for $250 includes two one-year passes, two commemorative VIP laminates, two limited-edition t-shirts, six cold beers at the bar, and a photo of your punk band on the wall.
The Pay To Come package for $500 gets you two one-year passes, two commemorative VIP laminates, four limited-edition t-shirts, 24 premium extra-cold beers at the bar (six allowed per visit), a gift bag of memories and your name or the name of the group permanently on the wall.
