They Are All, So Don’t Even Try: NXNE 2008 with Redd Kross
Published on July 30th, 2008 in: Canadian Content, Current Faves, Issues, Music, Reviews |By Less Lee Moore
You have to understand. . .
There are things that I look forward to, things that I get excited about, and things that I Live For. Redd Kross is one of the latter.
I last saw them in 1997, not long after their Show World album was released. It was a great show, but stymied by the fact that as part of a massive Gavin Convention showcase, they were practically shoved off the stage by rabid Mighty Mighty Bosstones fans. And then, they dropped off the radar: then-guitarist Eddie Kurdziel died of a drug overdose, Jeff and Steve McDonald concentrated on side projects Ze Malibu Kids and producing other bands, and then-drummer Brian Reitzell left to work with Air and do movie soundtracks for Sofia Coppola.
And then suddenly, it was ten years since I’d seen them play live and I just assumed, grudgingly, that the Gavin Convention was the last time. News of new songs, new shows with the Neurotica-era lineup, and a potential NXNE appearance trickled in, and I started to hope. Hope turned to intense anticipation as a June 14 Toronto show was confirmed.
I wondered if maybe I’d been exaggerating their prowess all these years due to nostalgic devotion. Of course, I still loved their music and considered them the most-ut. But maybe their live shows were glowing fiercely bright in memory alone? As June approached, I became increasingly antsy.
I arrived at Lee’s Palace early, utilizing that vernacular of fandom where “early” means “way before the doors even open.” And yes, Shaun and I were the first ones in a non-existent line, like Harry Potter diehards with our Redd Kross T-shirts and vaguely hysterical chatter. When I saw the strangely bald and bespectacled Robert Hecker, I felt a little twinge of OHMIGOD. He was followed by Roy McDonald, then the impossibly tall and fashionable McDonald brothers in quick succession.
Trying to play it cool, but also trying to soak up as much of their aura as possible, I felt weak-kneed and woozy and had an argument with myself in my head.
Pull it together, woman! You’ve seen hundreds of shows, and met dozens of bands. These are just people after all.
Oh, but it’s Redd Kross! They’re not mere mortals in the pantheon of rock bands; they’re gods.
And then they were gone, and I crumpled in a fit of nervous, post-sighting giggles.
Soon after, our friends arrived and the doors opened. Feeling ridiculous as I beelined towards the front of the stage ahead of a non-existent crowd, I didn’t know if I could handle the long wait before they took the stage.
Click to read more on. . .
Danny Echo and Starvin Hungry
Dave Foley, Hollerado, and Miss Derringer
Redd Kross
More on Redd Kross
4 Responses to “They Are All, So Don’t Even Try: NXNE 2008 with Redd Kross”
July 31st, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Starvin’ Hungry has quickly become my all time favorite band and I can’t wait to see these guys get the recognition they deserve. Intelligent, hip-shakin’, dirty punk ‘n’ roll… they got it all! Unfortunately I missed their NXNE performance, but I’ve seen them live a few times and they never disappoint.
July 31st, 2008 at 6:07 pm
I know exactly how you feel. I can honestly say there is nothing else in this world that even comes close to the feeling I get being at a Redd Kross show! I get so excited to the point of feeling physically ill. For a long time I thought it was train sickness cuz most of the RK shows I’d been to had been in NYC which was a short train ride from the Jersey suburbs where I grew up. But then there were other jaunts into the city where this did not happen and I figured I had overcome my illness. That was until I saw RK again, for the first time in over 10 years, this past December in Brooklyn. From the morning of the show, until the second before they hit the stage I could not shake the woozy feeling. I couldn’t eat, couldn’t sit still for one minute, couldn’t think about anything but seeing RK! Once they hit the stage, the sickness was over…I was finally getting my fix! There was no other feeling overcoming me but pure bliss for the remainder of the evening…and several weeks thereafter!
August 1st, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Hi there, kross-eyed! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. “Pure bliss” is a good way to describe the feeling.
And elaine, I agree that Starvin Hungry have some great lyrics to go with their great tunes.
LLM
May 30th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
[…] Echo has been blessed with a great big rock and roll voice. This was apparent when I saw the band live at NXNE 2008: they played their hearts out and even though there were only a handful of people in the crowd at […]
Time limit is exhausted. Please reload the CAPTCHA.