Pandemic Blues

by Matt Bokovoy, posted in Garage Rock, Indy Music, Lincoln NE, Modern Peasant Records, Punk Rock, Red Cities, Rock and Roll

Red Cities has been on hiatus since February 2020 and our appearance at Lincoln Exposed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The global epidemic has caused massive disruptions to the laborers at music venues, touring bands, club owners, and entertainment districts in the US and around the world. We have not played any shows since the arrival of effective covid vaccines in the Spring of 2021, mostly because we would be devastated if someone died of covid after attending a Red Cities show. Once the pandemic subsides (hopefully in the near future!), there will still be punk rock and rock and roll!

We’re heading into Fuse Recordings in early February 2022 to cut 12 new songs that we had prepped before the pandemic hit. The new material channels early to late 70s proto-punk and punk rock with a layer of Scandinavian death punk on top of it all. We’re looking forward to playing live shows again in 2022 if pandemic dynamics permit it.

In the meantime, you can listen and/or purchase Red Cities previous albums on this site, Bandcamp, or on Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube and other streaming platforms. All 23 songs are there for your listening enjoyment!

Annie & the Bang Bang, Red Cities, and TBA at Duffy’s Tavern – July 21 – 7pm to 11pm!

by Matt Bokovoy, posted in Garage Rock, Indy Music, Lincoln NE, Modern Peasant Records, Punk Rock, Red Cities, Rock and Roll

Red Cities, Annie & the Bang Bang, and a yet-to-be-announced third band will be playing Duffy’s Tavern July 21 at 7pm to 11pm! We’ll look forward to seeing our fans and friends at the show on that Sunday night! It’s $5.00 at the door and music starts at 8pm!

June 21: Pun Crock 2 with Heatwaves and Red Cities – Barley Street Tavern

by Matt Bokovoy, posted in Garage Rock, Indy Music, Omaha Music, Omaha Nebraska, Punk Rock, Red Cities, Rock and Roll

Pun Crock 2

Tony Geist and I-29 Comedy Productions is hosting Pun Crock 2 at the Barley Street Tavern on June 21 at 9:00pm for only $5.00! Red Cities will be closing out the evening of stand-up, with Heatwaves providing heavy garage rock in the middle between comedy sets. Come on out on the longest day of the year in the Benson neighborhood of Omaha!

Red Cities, Misfire, and Dark Satellites at The Zoo Bar – 12.29.18

by Matt Bokovoy, posted in Garage Rock, Indy Music, Modern Peasant Records, Punk Rock, Red Cities, Rock and Roll

In late December 2018, Misfire and Dark Satellites from Kansas City joined Red Cities at The Zoo Bar for a great night of space rock, punk rock, and garage rock! Head on over to our Merch page and give our records a listen, and check out Misfire and Dark Satellites on Bandcamp!

Red Cities, The Broke Loose, and The Morbs at O’Leaver’s Pub – March 9 at 9pm!

by Matt Bokovoy, posted in Garage Rock, Indy Music, Modern Peasant Records, O'Leaver's Pub, Omaha Music, Omaha Nebraska, Punk Rock, Red Cities, Rock and Roll

Red Cities will be playing with the great The Broke Loose and The Morbs at O’Leavers Pub in Omaha on Saturday March 9 at 9pm! We like The Broke Loose’s sound that is rooted in L.A.’s infamous Paisley Underground scene. The Morbs are an excellent mix of Bikini Kill-style punk rock snarl, and Fire Party-style melodicism. We’ll look forward to seeing our friends and fans at the show. The first 10 people in the door receive a vinyl record from our label, Modern Peasant Records! Who said in today’s America you can’t get something for FREE!

Velvet Devoe

Red Cities, Misfire, and Dark Satellites at The Zoo Bar, December 29 – 9pm – $5.00

by Matt Bokovoy, posted in Garage Rock, Indy Music, Modern Peasant Records, Punk Rock, Red Cities, Rock and Roll

Red Cities is playing its last show of the year at The Zoo Bar on December 29 with a great, new punk band in town  – Misfire, and Dark Satellites from Kansas City, a space rock/psychedelic rock band. You’ve  been summoned!

The show is $5.00, and the first 10 people in the door receive a free Modern Peasant Records release!

Red Cities with Ezra, Laughing Falcon, and Ashes of Immolation at 1st Avenue Lounge and Social Club! December 8 at 7:00pm.

by Matt Bokovoy, posted in Garage Rock, Punk Rock, Red Cities, Rock and Roll

We’ll be joining our friends Ezra, Laughing Falcon, and Ashes of Immolation this Saturday night December 8 at the 1st Avenue Lounge and Social Club for a night of death metal and death punk! Come on out to see the show, doors open at 7:00pm!

Red Cities finalist for “Best Punk” band of the Year by 13th Annual Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards!

by Matt Bokovoy, posted in Garage Rock, Indy Music, Modern Peasant Records, Punk Rock, Red Cities, Rock and Roll

The great year after releasing our second L.P. “Soft Target” on December 1, 2017 continues, as Red Cities received acclaim for “Best Albums of 2017” by The Big Takeover Magazine and an excellent review in The Lincoln Journal Star. We were featured on Genya Ravan’s Sirius XM show “Goldie’s Garage,” on WKDU Philadelphia, on WFMU Jersey City, and local stations KZUM and KRNU among others.

Big Takeover said of Soft Target: “The five-year-old foursome’s even better, belated follow-up is a feast (and fest!) for such hard n’ raw right-hand riffing – I’ll add Fred Sonic Smith and Wayne Kramer – only Red Cities are like the Aussies that seized that Detroit/Cleveland template and set it on fire – it’s hot, hot, hot!”

We’re honored to be finalists for “Best Punk” band of the year by the Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards, and by our fans for voting for us! It’s been a great year and thanks for all the support from our friends and fans.

Ramp Up Your Socialism, Yeah! “Worker Song” and “It’s Political” Live.

by Matt Bokovoy, posted in Garage Rock, Indy Music, Modern Peasant Records, Punk Rock, Red Cities, Rock and Roll

On our albums “Red Cities” (2014) and “Soft Target” (2017), we take up themes dealing with working class liberation and social democracy, more generally part of our socialist ethos as musicians and people. Check out “Worker Song” and “It’s Political” from our October 2017 show with the indomitable Child Bite!

Red Cities Live Show Review: Lincoln Exposed 2018!

by Matt Bokovoy, posted in Garage Rock, Indy Music, Modern Peasant Records, Punk Rock, Red Cities, Rock and Roll

Red Cities had a nice write-up by KZUM 89.3 FM, our local community-based radio station, at Lincoln Exposed 2018! Check the video below!

“The four-piece garage/punk rock, Red Cities woke up the 1867 Bar with a howl before introducing themselves. Matt Bokovoy’s sharp guitar riffs led the songs, while Byron Anway’s animated showmanship added to his fast-paced, punchy vocals, the rhythm section, Josh Leeker (drums) and Justin Cermak (bass), kept the group rock-steady. The vast amount of influences from post-punk, classic rock, a little blues and much more, kept the show interesting, the audience entertained and dancing. Their most recent album Soft Target was released October 2017. There is another, self-titled album and two EPs available on Bandcamp.”