Redd Kross @ the Tractor Tavern

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Redd Kross @ the Tavern – 7/8/24
Photos & Words by Mike Mitchell

Redd Kross paid a long-awaited visit to Seattle at the sold out and raucous Tractor Tavern in mid-July. The LA based pop/punk/glam band hadn’t visited Seattle since the fall of 2019 and tickets were snapped up in short order when the show was announced this past spring.

The Redd Kross camp has been a flurry of activity in 2024 with a new documentary, a couple of books on the band, a new double studio album, and a sold-out US tour. It seems farfetched that the McDonald brothers (joined in this band incarnation by lead guitarist Jason Shapiro and drummer Dale Crover) have been at it for 45 years but less so when one remembers that they strapped on their guitars at a very early age. Steven and Jeff got their start in Redd Kross (then ‘Red Cross’) in 1978 at the ages of ll and 14 respectively, opening for early southern California punk outfits such as Black Flag.

The show at the Tractor drew from all eras of their career, including a healthy selection of tunes from this year’s ‘Redd Kross’ (aka ‘the red album’). Redd Kross have a reputation as an exciting, high energy live act and their Tractor performance was true to form.

The quartet returned to the stage after a loud and satisfying set for a two-song encore of ‘Crazy Horses’ (The Osmonds) and ‘Deuce’ (Kiss). The at-first-blush unlikely pairing of songs was a fitting example of the ground that Redd Kross covers, especially in a live setting. They have a talent for seamlessly melding trash pop with the more colorful trappings of heavy metal and the raw energy and volume of punk rock. The show was opened by Redd Kross/Melvins drummer Dale Crover, who spun a selection of tunes followed by a short acoustic set.

Photos: MxPx w/the Drowns @ Airport Tavern

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MxPx w/the Drowns @ Airport Tavern
Photos by Charitie Myers

Mike Herrera of MxPx – photo by Charitie Myers

Wow, Airport Tavern in Tacoma had its grand opening on July 24th, 2024 with MxPx HEADLINING WITH THE DROWNS. I’m not always one for caps and bold type at once, but man, what a way to open your venue! It’s a thrill and an honor – and I’m not just saying that – to feature MxPx, an awesome and major band Charitie and I have been hoping to photograph for several years now. So here they are! Thank you Charitie and thank you to Airport Tavern for setting this up. New to me (I hate to admit) are the Drowns, and I’d check them out too.

MxPx – photos by Charitie Myers

The Drowns – photos by Charitie Myers

Adeem the Artist at the Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery

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I was not familiar with Adeem the Artist prior to catching a pair of their shows in support of Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit at the Ste Michelle Winery in mid-July. Adeem (who alternately goes by ‘Adeem Marie’) has been receiving a fair bit of recognition for their last couple of albums, and these shows made it abundantly clear why they’ve struck a chord with fans of country, rock, and Americana.

Live, Adeem Marie and band drew heavily from their two most recent releases, 2022’s White Trash Revelry and this year’s Anniversary. The pairing of Adeem with Isbell made perfect sense, as both artists are uniquely sensitive and accomplished songwriters, they each front bands made up of virtuosic players, and they both tap into a similar country vibe. Both Adeem and Isbell present bold and progressive ideas and concerns (at least within the context of the sometimes rather stodgy and conservative world of country music) neatly baked into songs that sound immediately familiar to anyone who’s been paying attention to recent C&W and Americana offerings. They also share the ability to hit the listener dead center in the heart with lyrics that seem at once effortless and profound.

Toward the end of their set on the second evening of the two-show run, Adeem sang a simple line that felt like a very humble self-assessment, but it’s a line that’s been rolling around in my mind in the days since these shows took place: “… a coward called courageous, by virtue of my trade.” I look forward to more music in the years to come from this talented and courageous coward.

Dave Alvin & the Guilty Ones with Jimmie Dale Gilmore at the Tractor Tavern

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Dave Alvin @ The Tractor Tavern – 7/13/24
Review & Photos by Mike Mitchell

I was a little surprised and a lot delighted when blues rocker Dave Alvin teamed up with country folk icon Jimme Dale Gilmore for their combined 2018 release Downey to Lubbock. Although the two artists approach their craft from slightly different starting points (the blues for Alvin, C&W and folk for Gilmore), they have more in common than one might assume at first blush, and Downey to Lubbock proved to be one of 2018’s highlights for this fan. Given that album’s success, it was much less of a surprise that they decided to go back to the well for another dip with this year’s TexiCali release. The two albums sound very much like they could have been recorded during the same sessions, with similar low-key delights to be found in a handful of new compositions, some old favorites revisited and updated, and a number of lovingly arranged and recorded covers.

Alvin and Gilmore played a pair of shows at the Tractor Tavern in July backed by Dave’s band, The Guilty Ones, and supported by Seattle’s Christy McWilson. We attended the packed Saturday show (7/13/24) and enjoyed every minute of the generous and well played set. The band played healthy portions of both Downey to Lubbock and TexiCali, as well as a smattering of their solo work, a tune from Dave’s time with the Blasters, and a couple of well-chosen covers. Highlights included Alvin’s “Dry River,” Gilmore’s ‘Tonight I Think I’m Gonna Go Downtown,” and an encore cover of The Youngbloods’ “Get Together.” The musicianship was excellent all the way around with Alvin’s searing blues licks setting the tone and the Guilty Ones’ Lisa Pankratz impressing all evening on drums.