Did your prom experience suck? Maybe your date left with your best friend? Or maybe you got too drunk on the cheap vodka you snuck in your grandad’s flask and threw up on yourself in front of the whole school? Punk Prom is the perfect opportunity to set the record straight and replace those traumatic memories with some much better ones.

Punk Prom is back again at EVOL on the 15th of November and promises to be just as raucous and fun as the first two editions. There is an incredible lineup for the night showcasing some of the most exciting local Punk acts around in Sold Ash,  Twenty One Children, and Cistamatic.

As per usual the crowning event of the evening will be Prom Royalty where three people will be given celebratory garb, sashes and crowns. The idea of three winners rather than the prototypical King and Queen is a choice made to exclude the patriarchal idea of what a Prom Night is typically known as.

Come party like it’s graduation day, even if you’re already a graduate. It’s a coming of age even if you’re already of age. The vibes will be extra festive with glittery decor, makeup stations, interactive art displays, and a cutesy photo-booth backdrop

Punk Prom was an idea birthed in a small apartment in the city, everyone was sitting ontop of each other on the couch talking about their very mediocre matric dances or lack there of. It became apparent that everyone in the room – Gabbi Leroux, Jani Harmse, Ethan Pelser and some other friends – wanted this to be a thing. The over-romanticized “PROM NIGHT” but actually cute, safe, and not held back by the rules of a school hall.

To have a night dedicated to redoing your matric dance with your partner, your friend group or even just by yourself, looking forward to all the things one can associate with a Prom night and more. This impromptu conversation eventually culminated in the inception of Punk Prom and the inaugural event which took place on April 14th 2023.

Featuring a lineup of SISTERS, Petrol Station Pies, and Cistamatic (Who feature in all Punk Proms) it was a signifier of potential for all involved as it aligned the alternative scene of Cape Town making their dreams a reality. After the success of the first edition, Cistamatic decided to host Punk Prom a second time in the form of Punk Prom Y2K on the 17th of December 2023. This time the lineup featured Poster Boy from Durban and Joburg-based band Zondo Commission. 

Following Punk Prom Y2K it became very clear that this was what the people wanted: talented local Punk acts and all the festive fun of Prom without the heteronormativity or tedious school rules. A year has now passed, and Cistamatic who have since also founded an events collective as “Goblin City,” decided it was time again for Punk Prom.