Painted nails. Spiked hair. An obsessive affinity for leather and Dr. Martens’ platform stompers. These are just some of the stereotypical motifs generally associated with the Punk aesthetic––throw in a pair of selvage denim and a heavily distressed band tee, and you, too, can be head-banging with the best of them.
Beyond the recognizable uniform synonymous with the subculture that saw its peak at the turn of the 1980s, the philosophy of Punk is its true defining characteristic. From the impactful oeuvres of the genre’s most acclaimed musical acts to the long list of literature, art, and photography powered by the contrarian attitude, Punk largely endures thanks to its authentic and non-compromising value codes.
Paying homage to the storied counterculture renaissance, White Claw™, the famed beverage brand that knows a thing or two about defying the status quo, partnered with NYC’s own Overthrow Boxing and Everlast to fuel a night infused with the spirit of the underground scene. Debuting its brand new White Claw™ 0% Alcohol to the public, the White Claw brand hit downtown to show everyone that it is still playing by its own rules.
Hosted at the Bowery Ballroom, a landmark destination within Punk lore, Overthrow x Everlast’s exclusive "Don’t Punk Out!" event saw the who’s who of the Big Apple’s eclectic milieu raising a can of White Claw™’s 0% alcohol thirst quencher, the brand’s latest breakthrough in flavor technology, to celebrate Punk Magazine and its latest clothing collab with Dover Street Market.
With performances by neo-punk rapper Vic Mensa and the hardcore rap-rock band Oxymorrons to appearances from legends like Punk Mag founder John Holmstrom and Kembra Pfahler, Queen of Manhattan’s cult artistic movement, the radically new White Claw™ 0% Alcohol kept everyone hydrated and ready to rave in honor of the seminal zine.
Revered amongst Punks the world over, Punk Magazine, founded in 1975, effectively coined the term that would eventually evolve to become the predominant descriptor of the anti-establishment panache.
Decades later, the zine’s noteworthy legacy stretches across generations and cultural borders, serving as the purveyor of Punk’s undying ethos: Whatever “They” are doing, do something different. Now, within the boundaries of the Bowery’s foremost venue space, we see the new generation of Punk take center stage—or ring, rather.
Doubling as a main event boxing bout, popular Downtown scenesters like Luke Fracher of Luke’s Vintage, cult jeweler Martine Ali, and Hank Korsan mingled among the crowd in the soldout ballroom, swapping out classic cocktails for the flavored fizz of White Claw™ 0% Alcohol, a drink with the taste, look, and feel of the real deal with no booze. With Va$shtie providing the soundtrack to the night while the likes of skater-turned-rapper Reese LaFlare and multi-hyphenate creative Anaa Saber hung back after the fights concluded, White Claw™ 0% Alcohol gave the night a buzz—metaphorically, of course—while Overthrow and Everlast handled the rest.
Before the final White Claw™ 0% Alcohol can was consumed and the last of the diehard ragers took the party to the streets, Highsnobiety caught up with some familiar faces to ask the one burning question on our minds throughout the night: What does “Punk” mean to you?
Vic Mensa
“Punk is revolutionary in its true form. Challenging stereotypes and corporate structures. It's always awesome to see people embrace the music and the style in different ways, just as I have.
But when you really dig through the true history, you understand that it goes so much deeper.”
Kembra Pfahler (The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black)
“It extends past music. The value system behind Punk exists for me in every aspect of my life. I don't really like things that don't take risks, and I don't really like things that aren't challenging.
And it's challenging listening to four people who don't know how to play their instruments, and they're screaming at you about what's happening. Insisting on doing it yourself is the bottom line”
Aurora Anthony
“The word encompasses so much. It’s rebellious. Most things that are creative originate from a rebellious source or perspective. Punk channels those types of vibes, not conforming to what’s considered “normal.”
Anything in the realm of doing what you feel and doing what is true to you without compromising, I think you can put in that category. Most people are more Punk than they think.”
John Holstrom (Founder of Punk Magazine)
“[In] Punk, you don't give a fuck. The hippies had that for a while; they were preaching, ‘Do your own thing.’ But, even more, we were saying, ‘Be yourself.’
Don't follow leaders. Don't do what everybody else tells you to do. Find your own way. Express yourself. It's an attitude before music or anything else.”
Power Malu (Co-Founder of Overthrow Boxing)
“Punk is an energy that radiates. It’s a certain way that you enter a room and how you welcome people into your space. It’s about inviting people to be themselves and share that authenticity with others because we all have something we can contribute to our legacy and to our community.
Punk is DIY to its core. Not waiting for others, not waiting for validation. Punk asks, ‘What can you contribute?’ and encourages everyone to tap into their intuition.”
Oxymorrons
“Punk is not a sound; it’s an ethos. It’s 100% unadulterated counterculture. That was even our inspiration to start our band. We grew up listening to every type of music there is, so when we all decided to come together and start up Oxymorrons, that’s what we wanted it to feel like.
That ‘We don’t care, we’re going to do it how we want to do it’ vibe. Oxymorrons reps the DIY energy. We want everyone to be involved.”
