It was a million degrees and super humid inside Redrum. The quintessential underground club was packed. Redrum is located on the top floor of a long defunct and decaying factory building on a forgotten dead end street in Providences Olneyville section. There is no sign or bar just bands.

The bill for the night was Queercore. Six bands were slated and five played. Almost all of them rocked. Punk fags thrashed and sweat enjoying the energy and noise. There is no stage so the bands set up in front of a skateboard ramp in the middle of the room. It was punk rock in the round.

No long sets just short fast songs screamed at you. That’s what I went in wanting and that’s what I got. Only one band sucked and that’s because they seem to think they’re much more famous than they really are. Bag the attitude was all I could think.

Limp Wrist was the headliner of the show and it clearly showed. They took charge the second they came on. Like Gary Floyd and Ginger Coyote lead singer Martin Sorrondeguy demanded to see dick. Chiding tonights audience, he claimed to have been surrounded by cock in Chicago. My only complaint about Limp Wrist was they were too brief. I wanted more so I bought the CD.

Their energy infected the place a sort of pagan mosh circle developed. The crowd was theirs and controlled by them. Fast, really fast and really faster were their speeds. Songs flew out of Limp Wrist’s amps pummeling you and who doesn’t love to be pummled. “Who here is Queer?”, The place goes wild. These guys know how to work a room.

The show was put on by Armageddon Shop, Providence’s version of Rough Trade Records. Armageddon Shop has it’s own lable and a killer magazine rack. They also stock vinyl. I totally recommend going there. I must also commend them for putting on a Queercore sho. Not all homos like disco and Barbara Streisand. They rock. In clubs and shows one usually has one of two choices. You are either the fag that rocks or the rocker fag. Subtly, they are different.

Places like Redrum and Armageddon Shop exsist and that makes me very happy. They are the venues for the “Limp Wrists” of the world. American underground culture is still alive. It is happening. So log off and go out and see a band in a place you’ve never been before. Maybe they’ll suck, maybe not, it doesn’t matter. Doing it is what matters!

 

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