Redd Kross concert, part I

Last night I witnessed another great rock show.

I tagged along with a co-worker "J" and her significant other "F" to Detroit's El Club to see Redd Kross. (Yes, I think I've mentioned them a few times recently).

The El Club is located on Vernor Highway in Mexican Town. I don't think I'd ever spent any time in this neighborhood, but I was impressed. It seemed vibrant and full of life on this evening, with restaurants and shops on the north side of Vernor and the large and green Clark Park on the south side of the road. There is also a multistory apartment or condo project under construction a stone's throw from the El Club.

This was my first time at the El Club. I'm not sure why I had never been there before. Maybe the drive seemed daunting, but in truth it's easier to get to the El Club than it is getting to, say, Saint Andrew's Hall.

I had envisioned the El Club as a hole-in-the-wall place, but it's bigger than I expected. One room is dedicated to the bar, while another room--maybe slightly smaller than a basketball court--is the performance area with a stage on the north end.

I briefly checked out the merch table (nothing I couldn't live without, and disappointingly sparse anyway. Darn you, Redd Kross, for not satiating my consumerist needs!), and settled on a tequila mule cocktail from the bar that set me back $18 after I added a $3 tip. "Welp, I guess that'll be my only drink of the evening," I said to myself. (The drink was good, but not $15 or $18 good).

At about 8:00, Redd Kross (and Melvins) drummer Dale Crover took the stage with an acoustic guitar as the show opener. The Melvins are a blind spot in my music fandom. I have, of course, been aware of them for decades and respect the hell out of their integrity and commitment to their craft. That said, I only have one of their albums (Houdini, probably their biggest selling record) and haven't listened to it in a long time. But I am smart enough to know that Dale Crover and his Melvins bandmate Buzz Osborne are goddamned bona fide legends in the alternative music community, so the opportunity to see Crover up close was a big deal.

It has to be mentioned that there is cross-pollination in the Melvins and Redd Kross camps. Dale plays drums for both bands, while Redd Kross's Steven McDonald has also played bass for the Melvins since 2015.

(To be continued)...

Redd Kross

I find it continually amazing that even in my, er, "advanced age" (well into my 50s as of this writing), I still find music that I either never knew before or never noticed, and that music knocks me off my feet and gets me suddenly obsessed.

Redd Kross, the 45-year-old post-punk/power pop/glam rock/neo-psych/garage rock band from Hawthorne, CA is the latest example.

I'm not a complete newbie to Redd Kross. I have been aware of them for decades, and I'm pretty sure that in my 1990s bookstore day, a musically hip co-worker must have slipped a Redd Kross song on a mixtape they made for me. (I will have to check). Lately, Redd Kross has come across my path several times. The music writer Dan Epstein, who I follow on Facebook, has a biography of the band coming out in October, the band has a new documentary that's getting attention, and Redd Kross's highly-lauded new album (the eponymous Redd Kross, aka "The Redd Album," complete a cover that mimics Beatles' "White Album" sleeve) has been in my feeds. All of this eventually converged in my consciousness, and the tipping point was a post in which Dan Epstein praised the album Neurotica as being a formative record for him. "Okay, that's it," I thought, "it's time for me to investigate this Redd Kross."

I checked out a video of the song "Neurotica" on YouTube and was immediately sold. It was definitely one of those "where the hell have I been?" moments. Then, I had to stream Redd Kross on Spotify shuffle. Once more...blown away. Every song felt like exactly what I needed at that moment. The exuberence, the verve, the humor, the joy, and the fun were like a salve. The day I streamed Redd Kross was the day the Supreme Court issued their insane opinion about Presidential immunity. I was feeling depressed and needed the healing that Redd Kross provided.

The streaming led me to ordering a used CD copy of Neurotica, followed by nabbing the new album from FBC. Just yesterday, I ordered a used CD of Phaseshifter, another album that feels like music made in a laboratory specifically for me.

I should also mention that in a recent interview I heard with the McDonald brothers (the two guys who are the heart and soul of Redd Kross) they spoke fondly of my other boys Sloan. If you praise Sloan, you are a friend of mine.

So the Redd Kross deep dive is well under way. I'll let you know when I come up for air.