Do you wanna rock? Do you really wanna rock??? If you regret not being around for LA’s great music scenes during the 80s and 90s, here’s your chance to hear some historic shit! If you were lucky enough to be around, come relive the golden years and enjoy a raucus reunion. Many of the LA scene’s veteran musicians will appear this Saturday at the Redwood Bar & Grill downtown in support of Education Through Music – Los Angeles and their mission to bring music education into LA public schools.
There will be an all-ages afternoon show from 3pm-7 with 1990s Silverlake Scene reunions from Popdefect and 3-D Picnic, as well as Quazar and The Bamboozled, who have remained active since their Spaceland-era debut. In case you didn’t know, just the Popdefect reunion alone is a BFD, not to mention 3-D Picnic! Quazar and the Bamboozled puts on one helluva show, with a big, fun, costumed spectacle. With dancing! A large collection of records and CDs from the period has been donated by area artists, labels and DJs for sale and auction.
Starting at 8pm, at the evening 21+ show, punk rock pioneer Geza X will make a rare onstage appearance to perform songs from his classic album You Goddamn Kids, backed by the newly formed Bronson Caves. This group reunites DC3’s Dez Cadena (Black Flag, Misfits, Dondo) and Paul Roessler (Screamers, Nina Hagen, Kitten Robot) in a psychedelic punk five-piece, filled out by the original members of Backbiter. Bass hero Kira (Twisted Roots, Black Flag, Dos) will be there with her new band, and Gitane Demone (Christian Death) will present her latest repertoire, accompanying herself on acoustic guitar. Carnage Asada will bring their the jazz-punk assault, reuniting with Dez for a mini-set of songs from their earliest days. The evening show will also have a silent auction.
If you decide to stay for both shows, or just get peckish, the hamburgers and fish & chips at the Redwood are really good. You are also right around the corner from Grand Central Market. Check out the Filipino-inspired Sari Sari Store from Chefs Walter and Margarita Manzke from Republique, who offer a Happy Hour from 4pm until close. Other favorites are meatballs from Knead & Co., Eureka Lemon and Marionberry ice cream from McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams and the OG pastrami sandwich from Wexler’s. And don’t forget a strawberry donut from The Donut Man!
If you have a gently used instrument in great condition that you would like to put in the hands of a student from an under-resourced school who is interested in learning music, you can bring it to the Redwood and ETM-LA will place it with the right recipient.
Tickets for the two shows are sold separately, with each only costing $15
Tickets for the Silverlake Reunion Matinee
Tickets for the Punk Rock Night
Note: Organizer Bob Lee from Bronson Caves is an editor with the Los Angeles Beat.
