Extreme sports and music fest planned

By Melissa Arseniuk

Monday, Feb. 9, 2009 | 4:37 p.m.

Desert Breeze Skate Park is bracing for another extreme day of extreme sports and extreme punk music with the 2009 Extreme Thing sports and music festival.

Bad Religion punctuates the March 28 line-up, along with Silverstein, the Vandals, and local rockers 7th Son, among others.

Among a handful of scheduled extreme sports battles is a BMX dirt jump competition, which will be hosted by professional BMX rider and Vegas resident Ricardo Laguna.

Other events at Extreme Thing will include the Vegas “AmJam” amateur skate and BMX competition, professional wrestling, and, for the first time, what is being described as a “full blown women’s roller derby tournament.”

One thing the event won’t have, however, is alcohol: Like the Extreme Things that have come before, the 2009 event will be a dry one.

Ticketholders will be allowed in with one, unopened bottle of water, but no food or booze. In addition to factory-sealed H20, still cameras and sunscreen will be allowed through the gates, but animals, coolers, and chairs will not be permitted. (Weapons are also on the list of banned items, but that kind of goes without saying, now, doesn’t it?)

Food and beverages will be available for sale on-site, and organizers are bringing in two ATM machines for concertgoers’ commercial consumer needs.

Sponsored by Findlay Chevrolet and produced by Clark County Parks and Recreation and House of Blues Concerts, the festival is in its fourteenth year.

Tickets for the event are $17 in advance and are available through Live Nation, Ticketmaster, House of Blues, and by phone at (702-474-4000).