Melvins and Redd Kross Take Over The Stone Pony
When I walked into The Stone Pony last week and saw that there was not one, but TWO drum kits emblazoned with “Melvins” on them, I did not need a magic eight ball to tell me it was going to be a very good night. The show kicked off the second month of their Stop Your Whining Tour with Redd Kross, and was arguably the loudest I have ever seen at the legendary Jersey Shore venue.
Redd Kross started off the night with their flamboyant, genre-defying sound. If you are not familiar with the West Coast rockers, the band was founded by Jeff and Steven McDonald in the early ‘80s and has influenced the likes of Guns 'N Roses and Nirvana. Their fourteen song set pulled from their extensive catalog, ranging from “Linda Blair” (Born Innocent, 1982) to “Stunt Queen” (Redd Kross, 2024). It was a unique performance that had a bit of glam metal, a dash of psychedelia, and a fair amount of grungy punk.
And then it was time for Melvins to take over, which meant it was about to get very, very loud. The sludge metal veterans ripped through a set that included fan favorites like “Honey Bucket”, “A History of Bad Men”, and “Revolve”. One of the more memorable parts of their performance was the play of the two drummers, and I found myself focusing more and more on the duo as the set progressed. Just the sheer talent to stay in sync when it felt like they were playing non-stop for over an hour was impressive. Plus it was Dale Crover’s second set of the night as he is also the drummer for Red Kross. It was awesome to watch.
Two very different sets, one highly entertaining night. The tour runs through October 21, so don’t wait and grab tickets if it stops near you. And as always, be sure to check out both bands wherever you stream your music.
Melvins
Redd Kross
Coverage from October 1, 2025 at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ.
All photos are © Michael Campanile Photography and cannot be used without permission.
