In the mid-80s, despite of the existence of several good rock bands in Metro Manila, there was no venue for them to play, or for that matter, for their fans to watch them. Except for sporadic concerts and parties held by college kids at the time, the rock scene was basically non-existant.
In late 1987, seven UP students put up a tiny club in Timog, Quezon City called Red Rocks. This soon became the home of many musicians and bands of the existing music scene. Included in its roster were then unknown bands like Afterimage, Ethnic Faces, Binky Lampano, Runaway Boys (later to become Rizal Underground) and Anno Domini (later known as Mutiny)
In the middle of 1990, Red Rocks closed its doors due to financial reasons. The rock scene was then placed in limbo. The bands were left with no place to play – especially the heavy rock type. The rest were accommodated by Mayric’s (then still a folk house) and the very few venues that would accept them.
December 8, 1990: CLUB DREDD opened its doors in the exact same location abandoned by Red Rocks. It was founded by Skavengers' drummer and Red Rocks A&R, Patrick Reidenbach and Skavengers' manager Rob Sunico. The club was named in tribute to their favorite comic book character. They somehow scrounged together enough money to start its operations.
The concept was to provide a venue for budding Filipino musicians and the growing followers of this scene. This was not to be a venue for cover bands or top-40 music. It was for new and exciting original music. Its customers didn’t know it then but many of the bands they watched then would eventually become today’s most popular recording acts.
Club Dredd’s Timog bands list is quite impressive by today’s standards. But remember at this time most of these acts had nowhere else to perform! Regular performers included now famous names like the Eraserheads, the Youth, Afterimage, Athena’s Curse (now known as Alamid), Grace Nono, Joey Ayala, Bazurak (whose members eventually became part of RiverMaya), Color it Red, FrancisM, the Wuds and Advent Call to name a few.
Sadly, in February 1993, Club Dredd closed its doors. Like its predecessor, Club Dredd was beset with financial problems from its inception. After a valiant effort to sustain the business, Patrick and Rob finally decided to throw in the towel. This happened ironically at the time that record companies and radio stations were finally recognizing the potential of this music scene's growing following.
The financial disaster did not stop Patrick from planning to reopen. True to his promise to the many patrons and bands of Club Dredd, he reopened its doors in a newer, larger site on EDSA, Cubao. This was in January 1994, almost a year after the Timog venue closed. Armed with better planning and a more professional management, this club flourished until mid-1998.
Club Dredd in EDSA, still true to form, fostered new and exciting talent. It was the launching pad for even more artists that are hitting the airwaves today. Discovered at EDSA were bands like Teeth, Datu's Tribe, Parokya ni Edgar, Tribal Fish, Sugar Hiccup, Greyhoundz and Put3Ska.
After four and a half years in operation, management decided it was time for a change and a new venue. So on June 11, 1998, right after NU107's rocking Independence Day Concert which featured the most popular bands at the time, Club Dredd once again closed its doors.
Although relatively quiet in the ensuing years, the guys behind Club Dredd did put up a website in 1999 called Club Dredd online that exists until today. Several small events were also organized as "Club Dredd presents".
In December 2005, Club Dredd habitué Karen Kunawicz put up a month-long photo exhibit at Big Sky Mind called Back From the Dredd, featuring photos and memorabilia from her years hanging out at the bar. For the exhibit, Big Sky Mind actually repainted their second floor to resemble the defunct bar.
In March 2006, Rob and Patrick hosted a radio show in NU 107 called radioDredd, along with the infamous DJ Skul and Prof Ramone. It ran every Friday at 9pm and featured an eclectic mix of new and old music, obscure and popular artists, local and foreign. It had a free-for-all format that often had the hosts openly arguing with each other on air, and fighting over what songs to play. It ran for over a year until it was canned in April 2007. No official explanation was made for it, but speculations ranged from lack of sponsorship to a raucous anniversary show that ran overtime and had many of the hosts and guests drunk and rowdy while on the air.
Club Dredd, the venue, reopened quietly in June 2007, in the second floor of Gweilos Bar in Eastwood City, Libis. It still features many upcoming new acts and weird shows. It has been on an "unofficial extended dry run" since then.
This latest incarnation of Club Dredd Online hopes to capture the spirit and fun of the physical venues. We still also hope to provide a place for new talents to promote themselves, not just in Metro Manila now, but to the country and the rest of the world!
