ROCK AGAINST RAPE with TOUGH TOUGH SKIN, PEDDLERS, MC/VL and KETTEN FOREVER at the TRIPLE ROCK SOCIAL CLUB on 11/30/08
Standing in front of the Triple Rock Social Club, Program Director for the Sexual Violence Center Jude Foster shouts out: "Welcome to Rock Against Rape!"
The inside of the TRSC was filled with cheery holiday punk rock. Tough Tough Skin, comprised of Duluth-native River Gordon on guitar and lead vocals, Chris Hibberd on bass and Radford Bishop on the drums started out the night with queercore influenced punk. Signed to San Francisco's Queer Control Records, upbeat yet murky, these self-proclaimed proponents of queernerdcore, told the tale of a blind date in "Stranger Danger." And "15th The Otter Songs" social agenda chanted their political anthem: "Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Purple!" Check out both songs here.
You’ve gotta love a three-piece that can fill the room. TTS and the following band, The Peddlers, had certainly mastered that. The Peddlers include rotating musicians Gordon Byrd, Jillian Schroeder and Taylor Motari. At least one of these band mates has taken the path of many: relocate to Minneapolis right out of, fill in the blank suburban high school (in this case Burnsville,) and pursue a career with the Uptown Ragstock and enroll in Minneapolis' school of rock. Byrd had a display of his label Peddling Records "The Bike Delivered Tape Cassette Record Label" that "will release anyone's music on cassette tape and deliver it locally." The intro to the hand-written catalogue warns "for those who scoff and laugh with contempt at the future of cassettes, close this, put it down, walk away, and try to keep your opinions in your Ass Pocket. We don't hate CDs, we just say fuck them...[w]e don't need the record industry, we don't need the record community." Along with several releases by Hangun Man, Peddling Records has the bragging rights for 79 releases, including "I Love You Take Care of the Dog" by Guitarnest and Churchills Tractor's Greatest Hits and invites "who will be the next one...You?"
Foster and Program Coordinator, Jenny Backus took the stage between acts to call attention to the large manila envelope with a large dollar sign written on it. Passing it around, it appeared everyone was in a generous mood as if to thumb their nose at the economy and the impending capitalist fiasco that is Christmas. The SVC booth provided intriguing facts and information. The SVC provides 24-7 crisis counseling on their hotline (612-871-5111), individual support counseling, support groups, youth prevention, community education, professional training and legal services. Partnering with the Minnesota Department of Health, the SVC's five-year plan, titled "The Promise of Primary Prevention: A Five-Year Plan to Prevent Sexual Violence and Sexual Exploitation in Minnesota," frames the SVC plan of action to eradicate sexual violence and complete their vision of a community free of sexual violence. The SVC is looking for volunteers. If the statistics shock you and you feel as though it's time to give back to your community, the SVC will even train you.
MC/VL, John Henry and David Hansen, Mighty Clyde and Vicious Lee respectively, suddenly stormed in from back stage announcing: "Rap Hard and Stay in School." The next thing I knew, the crowd had encircled the rappers in front of the bar and had even had the SVC's board members nodding to the beat. The AC/DC "For Those About to Rock We Salute You" loop on "The Guarantee" is the best use of that song that I've ever heard. They have been quoted as saying that the only thing they have in common with the Beastie Boys is their whiteness but I swear that I heard a little "Sure Shot" in there.
Kitten Forever took the stage last with Corrie Harrigan on drums, Liz Elton on voice and Laura Larson on bass. Beginning the song with "One, Two, Fuck-You," and continuing with lyrics like "hey man, I'm on the fuckin' warpath. I'm on the warpath. Warpath," dare I say, Elton's voice may even cut a little deeper than Kat Bjelland's. During Fat Crush, Larson was rocking so hard that she busted her bass. Out of nowhere, someone handed her a guitar and, without a blink, finished the last half of the set. For me, Kitten Forever gave sustain to bands like 7 Year Bitch and The Gits. Way to carry the torch, ladies.
Kristine Lambert - How Was the Show? (Dec 11, 2008)