It was a crazy crazy night in music as The Melvins & Redd Kross with special guest Toshi Kasai took the stage at First Avenue in Minneapolis. Let me tell you it was crazy not just from a performance standpoint but all these random things happened.
Toshi Kasai took the stage, and let me tell you, it was essentially himself being a DJ/Producer with some type of trippy laser show that was on a screen. It felt like a 20 minute awful acid trip, the music was so engulfing that I could legit feel time move slowly and it made me suddenly feel like I was in one of those 1960’s psychedelic movies where I started going down this spiral staircase, yet it was intriguing. I wish there was more progression out of his set. I couldn’t tell you the title of one song, it just felt odd, especially when it was a co-headlining show of The Melvins and Redd Kross.
Next up was Hawthorne, California’s own Redd Kross. I missed part of their set for darn good reason. Right before the gritty hard power pop/rock band took the stage, I heard the loudest smack that I have ever heard in my entire life. It was a sound that I could not duplicate to save my life. I was just minding my own business waiting for the band to go on stage and saw a lady laying prone literally six feet away from me and she wasn’t moving. I immediately got security cause I legit didn’t know what to do. I was instructed by security to call 911, she was bleeding from the back of her head and apparently she fainted. She refused medical attention, so after the 911 call and after security and staff were tending to her, I checked out some of Redd Kross. It was hard for me to concentrate and enjoy the music, not because of their performance, but that I was so worried about this woman. After a song, I talked to a lady at the door and she told me to next time just enjoy the show and let them handle it, so I rushed outside to call 911 to cancel the paramedics to come out there because the lady refused medical attention. She was with either her friend or boyfriend and appeared to be dazed but fine. I literally thought I saw someone die right next to me, so I breathed a sigh of relief, thanked God and all the lucky stars that were out there and proceeded to jam out to Redd Kross.
I’ll tell you what, I feel like I’m absolutely late to the party, the kind of late where you show up to the party and the record stops and everyone looks at you kind of late, but I couldn’t get enough of their boogie-woogie power rock style. Songs like “Peach Kelli Pop”, “What’s A Boy To Do?”, and “The Party Underground” immediately stood out to me. Their cover of “It Won’t Be Long” by The Beatles was absolutely sick as well. From their stage antics to their killer musicianship, I’m definitely glad to be getting to know Redd Kross, and I encourage you to do the same! The Melvins were the last band of the night.
After I finally got over what happened, I was ready to see what The Melvins were all about. My knowledge of the band is, yes I’ve heard of them, but I’m extremely late to the party on the band. I’m getting more and more enamored with what live music and the underground is all about, and I’m quickly finding out that The Melvins are one of the most respected bands in the history of underground music. I know that they were unique by their merch booth as well. Any band that cells caricatures of Ted Nugent is certainly okay with me. King Buzzo and The Melvins took the stage.
The Melvins from the first note IMMEDIATELY showed me why they are so well-respected. If you haven’t heard or seen King Buzzo on guitar, you don’t know what you’re missing. My body began to gyrate and shake as they hit the grungy/metal/rock riffs of “Sesame Street Meat”. I am imagining Big Bird and Snuffaluffagus going through a meat grinder as Jim Henson is crying out bloody murder as The Melvins play the soundtrack to their death on this one. The drummer just annihilated like a banshee demanding dinner from his cavewoman slave in “The Kicking Machine”. The Melvins made it tasteful yet just full on grit and dirty as a diaper with this song. They just ripped and roared through songs such as “Hooch”, “Honey Bucket”, and their ever popular “With Teeth”.
I had zero expectations to this show, The Melvins left me wanting more and left me hooked along with Redd Kross. I’m glad these two bands say “fuck the critics” and remind me what rock and roll is all about.
And there you have it! The Melvins with Redd Kross are continuing on their tour. Check out the tour dates below:
Tue. 10/8- Paradise Rock Club in Boston, Massachusetts
Wed. 10/9- Space Ballroom in Hamden, Connecticut
Thu. 10/10- Warsaw in Brooklyn, New York
Fri. 10/11- Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey
Sat. 10/12- Underground Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Sun. 10/13- Ottobar in Baltimore, Maryland
Tue. 10/15- The Broadberry in Richmond, Virginia
Wed. 10/16- Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro, North Carolina
Thu. 10/17- Visulite Theatre in Charlotte, North Carolina
Fri. 10/18- 40 Watt Club in Athens, Georgia
Sat. 10/19- Saturn in Birmingham, Alabama
Mon. 10/21- thesocial in Orlando, Florida
Tue. 10/22- The Culture Room in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Wed. 10/23- The Orpheum in Tampa, Florida
Fri. 10/25- Vinyl Music Hall in Pensacola, Florida
Sat. 10/26- One Eyed Jacks in New Orleans, Louisiana
Sun. 10/27- Mid City Ballroom in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Mon. 10/28- Warehouse Live in Houston, Texas
Tue. 10/29- Paper Tiger in San Antonio, Texas
Wed. 10/30- Mohawk in Austin, Texas
Thu. 10/31- Trees in Dallas, Texas
Sun. 11/3- Club Congress in Tucson, Arizona
Mon. 11/4- Crescent Ballroom in Phoenix, Arizona
Tue. 11/5- Bunkhouse Saloon in Las Vegas, Nevada
Thu. 11/7- Alex’s Bar in Long Beach, California
Fri. 11/8- The Echo in Los Angeles, California
For tickets and further information, click here.
