Live music review: Redd Kross and their Rock n Roll Party swept through Austin

On March 27, longtime L.A. indie rockers, Redd Kross brought their “Rock ‘n’ Roll Party” to the 29th St Ballroom on a somewhat chilly Austin night. During a run Steve McDonald has dubbed their “Victory Lap” tour, the band is continuing the momentum they achieved in renewed adoration for their latest self-titled album (sometimes referred to as the  “Red Album), recent documentary, Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story, and their memoir, Now You’re One of Us. We were lucky to have gotten member Jeff McDonald back for this show as he had been sidelined by a contagious virus for a couple of dates, forcing the band to become a power trio. While fans might have been disappointed to not get McDonald for their show, I’m sure Redd Kross would have won us over easily had the gifted player not made it to Austin.

It’s hard to believe it’s been 39 years since I took a chance on a little record called Neurotica, by a band, then unknown to me, from California called Redd Kross. At the time my taste in music had begun to venture into a more underground direction, but I wasn’t so bold as to buy a record without at least knowing something about the band (No internet in those days, folks), but something about its cover image intrigued me; four long haired guys surrounded by creepy giant-sized psychedelic colored heads. It was on display at a now lost to time Austin record store called Sound Warehouse and it couldn’t have stood out more from the other more mainstream records around it. Songs like “Frosted Flakes”, Ghandi Is Dead (I’m The Cartoon Man) and “Janus, Jeanie and George Harrison” demanded to be heard as soon as possible. It was an impulse buy that opened up a whole new world to me and an instant devotion to the music of Redd Kross.

My first chance to see them live was at a small club in Dallas called Club Clearview and they blew me away with their energetic stage performance, which if I remember correctly was on ground level with the audience. I wanted more but it would be several years before I was able to see them again as they seemed to only play as an opener for bands I was less interested in. I continued to buy their albums whenever  they came out but then in 1997, they went on an indefinite hiatus. I kept up with their various side projects but yearned for their return. Then in 2012, the clouds parted and they returned with a new album and a new tour. Redd Kross was back and ready to rock our world anew.

So any time I have a chance to see the McDonald brothers, it’s a foregone conclusion that I will be there. After trying the Sando sandwich from Guppy’s, a local food truck stationed near the club, I made my way to the show. It was a slightly older crowd attending this evening, which is not too surprising since the band has been around for close to 47 years.

The supporting act that night was Conan Neutron & The Secret Friends, a band formed in 2015 in Oakland, California and eventually relocated to Wisconsin. Their colorful outfits and high energy performance were the perfect complement to the headliners. Dale Crover, of The Melvins and current touring drummer for Redd Kross, plays drums on several of their albums. They were a welcome new discovery. 

Redd Kross took the stage in their paint-splattered white suits around 9 and proceeded to whip the crowd into a frenzy with numerous songs that should have been top ten hits in a perfect world. Starting with “Huge Wonder” from the Phaseshifter album, one of my personal favorites. Redd Kross played fourteen songs from across their catalog, including a couple of covers.

Steven McDonald (bass/vocals) entertained the audience in between songs with his hilarious rock banter. He and Jason Shapiro (guitar/vocals) brought high energy to the stage with their over the top antics and rock poses. Dave Crover (drums) and mystical Jeff McDonald (vocals/guitar/tambourine) kept the show on a steady course to its conclusion with their ode to Exorcist actress, “Linda Blair”.

Inevitably, the crowd was not satiated and clamored for more. It didn’t take long for the band to return for an encore. Beginning with a brief rendition of “ I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” they ripped into “Frosted Flake”, and then a trio of cover songs; The Osmonds’ “ Crazy Horses”, The Quick’s “ Pretty Please Me”, and Kiss’ “Duece”, which Steven claimed was “on the house”. Before the show was over Steven asked if we would tell others after the show that we attended a “Rock ‘N’ Roll Partaay?” The answer was a resounding, YES! 

The tour continues in the states until mid April then heads to Spain in May for several dates, followed by stops in South America in June.

All photos by Troy Gonzales

Setlist:
Huge Wonder
Downtown
Stunt Queen
Uglier
I’ll Blow You A Kiss in the Wind
Lady in the Front Row
Candy Coloured Catastrophe
I’ll Take Your Word for it
Annie’s Gone
Emmanuel Insane
It Won’t Be Long
Neurotica
Jimmy’s Fantasy
Linda Blair

Encore
I Want You (She’s So Heavy) partial
Frosted Flake
Crazy Horses (Osmands)
Pretty Please Me (The Quick)
Deuce (KISS)

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