At the Panther Island Pavilion in Fort Worth, Texas over the weekend, festival goers at the Punk In Drublic tour witnessed beloved punk rock band, NOFX send a farewell to Texas performances with an emotional ending of their set.
The Punk In Drublic Festival made its' first debut on September 16, 2017 in Tacoma, WA, according to the Fat Wreck Chords blog post. There, NOFX co-headlined in multiple cities alongside recognizable names such as Flogging Molly, Bad Religion, Goldfinger, Less Than Jake, and Bad Cop Bad Cop. The soon-to-be end of the final tour approaches this October in Los Angeles, California -- and just like that, a warm parting that you could only witness this last time.
"This is not a final tour like Mötley Crüe or Black Sabbath...These are the very last shows NOFX will ever be playing. We are gonna play with all our hearts...With all our joy...And then we are done. We are done done."
With the tour being an all ages event, there is sheer satisfaction that can be seen over the faces of families that have generational bonds with the music we all came together to dance, and sing along to. The Punk In Drublic Fest is the staple for where you belong if you've opted out of belonging anywhere at all. Where you hear your favorite musicians deliver an ode to individualism and self-reliance; all while you recollect your spirit to live and remain liberated. Everyone in the years who has had the chance to adventure the crowd, the kindred strangers, craft brew, and exciting energy, have most likely told every person they knew about it. To those people, that is the essence of a punk rock community--word-of-mouth experiences that turn into a legacy.
As NOFX proceeds this tour, notice the expression of gratitude for their influence in fans from all over the globe. That secures another end of the chapter in rock 'n' roll history. Here's to 40 years!
Follow the rest of the tour on the festival website and on social media.
Festival attendee with NOFX koozy. Photo: Alberta Zemyra